Being a samurai isnโt easy. Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiroโs idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school.
So, when Chihiroโs father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that sheโs worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isnโt at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.
Maggie Tokuda-Hall is the author Also an Octopus, illustrated by Benji Davies; The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea; Squad, illustrated by Lisa Sterle; and Love in the Library, illustrated by Yas Imamura. She lives in Oakland, California, with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog.
Faith Schaffer is a designer and visual development artist for animation. Her art has been featured in Disenchantment, Amphibia, The Owl House, and more.