Image: Shogo Imamura/Shodensha/Boro Tobi Group
Based on a historical mystery novel, Oedo Fire Slayer will receive both a manga and anime adaptation.
The first novel of the series Ushu Boro Tobigumi by Shogo Imamura, titled Hikuitori, is set to receive both a manga and anime adaptation. The anime is set to debut in Winter 2026, while the manga is set to begin serialisation in Spring 2025. The series will feature a historical mystery set in the Edo period, featuring a samurai rebuilding a chaotic firefighting squad as a series of arson cases occur.
The announcement was revealed on X (formerly Twitter), and includes a teaser video to celebrate the adaptation.
The Naoki-prize winning novel will immerse viewers in a gripping historical mystery
The story for Oedo Fire Slayer–The Legend of Phoenix follows Edo’s best firefighter samurai Matsunaga Gengo, and his ragtag group of eccentric firefighters, the Boro Tobigumi. The group is dedicated to saving the lives of people from the threat of devastating fires all throughout Edo.
The manga adaptation is set to be illustrated by Shinobu Seguchi, known for his 2011 manga Shuujin Riku, and will be serialised in Weekly Shonen Champion magazine published by Akita Shoten.
Meanwhile, the anime adaptation will be produced by the studio SynergySP. No further information regarding staff and cast has been revealed as of yet, but its first official visual featuring the Boro Tobigumi has also been revealed.
The machine translation of the official synopsis for the anime is as follows:
The firefighter samurai who stopped the blaze was called the Fire-Eating Bird.
Matsunaga Gengo was Edo's leading firefighter samurai, once known as the "Fire-Eating Bird."
For some reason he had quit his job as a fire brigade man, but suddenly he received an invitation to serve in the Shinjo domain.
The Shinjo domain's fire brigade had no money or manpower and was looked down upon by those around them.
With the support of his wife Miyuki, Gengo decides to rebuild the collapsed fire brigade as its president.
Gengo and his friends gather a group of eccentric companions and, despite being mocked as "rag kites," they strive to "save any life." However, a series of mysterious fires known as "fox fires" are occurring in Edo.
An entertaining action drama begins, with refusing-to-give-up firefighters rushing to fight the approaching disaster!
Author Shogo Imamura expressed his expectations for the adaptations. Through a machine translation of his 3,000 word comment published on Hikuitori’s official website, he stated: “These men who never give up will warm everyone’s hearts. I am convinced that this will be the best anime and manga based on a historical novel.”
