Ryo Sumiyoshi – illustratör

An epic fantasy adventure set in an alternate medieval Japan, where humans co-exist with the mythic half man/half horse beasts known as centaurs, or "jinba". The centaur race were long revered as deities in ancient times; however, with the advent of the sengoku (warring states) period, humans started to enslave and use them for military purposes due to their speed, stamina, and ability to communicate in human language. Centaurs living in the plains were rapidly subjugated; in contrast, large numbers of centaurs living deep in the mountains were still free due to their relative isolation. A wild and proud samurai jinba from the mountains named Matsukaze, known as the redheaded rock tiger, is caught while protecting his son. He is traded to a feudal lord, and taken to his land. There he meets another centaur, named Kohibari, whose village was burned down as a child. He is a tame centaur, who had his arms amputated when he was captured, and has given up hope of escaping his human captors. If they can get over their differences and work together, they just might be able to return to the wilds as free centaurs.

Matsukaze and Kohibari's adventures continue as they find themselves among young centaurs who were orphaned by the war, including Matsukaze's own son, Gonta. Taking on leadership roles, the two centaur warriors try to live a peaceful life in this new community. But it doesn't take long before outsiders decide to invade, leading to an ultimate sacrifice and the destruction of the village. Years later, the sons of Matsukaze and Kohibari, Gonta and Tanikaze, take responsibility for their people and try to guide them in this tumultuous world. But rumors of a village where centaurs and humans co-exist peacefully draw them in and turn their worldviews upside-down.

The time of war and oppression at the hands of humans has ended for centaurs. With peace restored, both species try to live side by side, cooperating in order to survive but never forgetting the past. This is especially true for two centaurs whose fathers suffered at the hands of humans in an attempt to give their children freedom and a life they never had. Tanikaze grew up in the mountains, never experiencing the war but fully aware of the cruelties of men put upon his father Kohibari. Gonta, son of Matsukaze, will never forget the past and how it separated him from his father at a time when he needed him the most. These two centaurs must find a way to lead their people in a supposed time of peace but with danger waiting to strike at any moment.

After a long struggle, centaurs and humans tentatively coexist once more. Tanikaze is assured of his place in the world. He knows why he is here. Gonta, on the other hand, toils in search of the right path for his life. The two have an extremely strong bond, but will they be able to preserve this bond as they struggle with their seemingly diverging futures?

Long before Matsukaze was a mighty stallion, he was a young foal living and playing in the forested mountains of his homeland, learning the traditional ways of life from his family and from nature. While coexistence with their living environment is essential, a matter of mutual respect, coexistence with the encroachment of humankind is another thing altogether…