Manga
The manga that were hits in Japan in the 2020s.
2020S HITS
About
Set in feudal Japan in between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, our hero Houjou Tokiyuki is a boy on the run that history all but forgot! When the Kamakura shogunate is overthrown by Ashikaga Takauji, Tokiyuki's family and standing are viciously taken away from him, and he must flee to the far reaches of the land to survive and seek out his revenge!
Character analysis
Tokiyuki survives the destruction of his family's power by doing something most historical action heroes never do: escaping, over and over, rather than standing and fighting a battle he can't win. The story treats his talent for running away as a real, respected skill, not a mark of cowardice, which flips the usual samurai-story formula on its head. His journey is less about becoming the strongest fighter in the room and more about staying alive long enough to find a way to turn his family's fall into something else.
Yorishige takes Tokiyuki under his protection after his family's fall, guiding him through a dangerous world with knowledge and motives the story reveals gradually rather than all at once. Mentor figures like this usually carry some hidden weight, history with the people hunting Tokiyuki, or a personal stake in his survival, that the story uses to deepen what could otherwise be a simple protector relationship.
Shizuku is part of the group that forms around Tokiyuki as he flees and eventually starts fighting back, bringing her own particular strengths to a small, resourceful band working against a much larger power. Historical survival stories like this usually depend on exactly this kind of varied, capable supporting cast, each filling a gap the young lead can't cover alone.
Kojirou is part of the network of supporters Tokiyuki gathers as his story moves from pure survival toward something closer to an actual resistance. Characters introduced this way typically bring specific skills or connections that matter more as the scale of the conflict grows.
Ayako rounds out the circle of people who choose to stand with Tokiyuki despite the overwhelming power working against him. In a story about rebuilding from nearly nothing, supporting characters like this represent the slow accumulation of trust and strength that makes Tokiyuki's eventual resistance possible.
Status evaluation
The art is detailed and dynamic, from an established mangaka known for strong action storytelling.
The series is critically acclaimed for its inventive take on historical fiction, built around a hero whose power is strategic retreat rather than brute strength.
Some levity runs through the historical drama, though it is not the main focus.
Real stakes around survival, loss, and rebuilding a shattered family give this genuine emotional weight.
Tense pursuit scenarios appear often, but this stays historical-action rather than horror.
Historical violence appears at a moderate level appropriate to the setting.
A real historical political backdrop adds meaningful depth and context to track alongside the main story.
This is an ongoing series. The exact current volume count has not been confirmed against a current source and should be treated as approximate.
“A historical action hero whose superpower is running away might be the most quietly subversive premise I've read this year.”