A feature length anime about a stateless samurai who comes to the aid of a hunted child. Set amidst the warring states of feudal Japan, a small boy named Kataro tries to evade capture by a band of Chinese assassins who want to use him for ritual practices. When Kataro's plight comes to the attention of a former samurai now aimlessly wandering the country, he is taken under the swordsman's wing, with the pair embarking on an adventure that will change both their lives forever.