Ushūboro Tobigumi


is a Japanese novel series written by Shogo Imamura. It began publication under Shodensha's Shodensha Bunko imprint in March 2017. Twelve volumes and a short story collection have been published as of March 2022. A manga adaptation of the first novel illustrated by Shinobu Seguchi began serialization in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion in April 2025. An anime television series adaptation of the first novel produced by SynergySP premiered in January 2026.

Plot

Set in the late Edo period, the story centers on the Boro Tobi-gumi, a firefighting brigade operating in the Ushū region. The story follows Matsunaga Gengo, once the best fire-fighting samurai in Edo, who joins the brigade at the encouragement of his wife Miyuki. Looked down on by other groups, the brigade is composed largely of social outcasts and drifters, bound together by their dangerous work and shared sense of duty. Known as "Hikuidori", the members risk their lives battling massive fires that threaten towns and livelihoods in an era when fire is one of the greatest dangers to daily life.

Characters

;Gengo Matsunaga
;Shinnosuke Torigoe
;Torajiro
;Hikoya
;Seijuro Kaji
;Jinsuke
;Rokuemon Hōjō
;Samon Orishimo
;Renji
;Kingorō
;Akiyo
;Moriemon Dategasaki
;Osuzu
;Heizō Nobuo Hasegawa
;Tōgorō
;Miyuki
;Kankurō Ōto

Media

Manga

A manga adaptation of the first novel, Hikuidori, was announced on February 26, 2025. It is illustrated by Shinobu Seguchi and began serialization in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion on April 24, 2025. The manga's chapters have been compiled into three tankōbon volumes as of January 2026.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation of the first novel was also announced on February 26, 2025. Titled Oedo Fire Slayer: The Legend of Phoenix, it is produced by SynergySP and directed by Hiroshi Yasumi, with Hajime Kamegaki serving as the "head director", Ryūsuke Mori handling series composition and writing the scripts alongside Shōhei Fukuda, Yoriko Tomita and Kōhei Nishimura, Bilba credited for original character designs, and Yasuharu Takanashi composing the music. The series premiered on January 11, 2026, on the Agaru Anime programming block on all JNN affiliates, including CBC and TBS. The opening theme song is "Hamidashi Gomen", performed by Porno Graffitti, while the ending theme song is "Kagerō", performed by Yo Oizumi. Crunchyroll is streaming the series. Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia and Oceania for streaming on Ani-One Asia's YouTube channel.