Edo Era's Brave Firefighters: Interview with Oedo Fire Slayer Novelist Shogo Imamura & Mangaka Shinobu Seguchi

Japan's history is teeming with everyday heroes, and there may not be a stronger example than the Edo period's firefighters. Known as hikeshigumi, community firefighters rose to meet a 17th-century challenge: protecting the fragile wooden and paper homes in what would become the capital of the nation. Edo was prone to dry weather and high winds; a single spark could move through a dense neighborhood and quickly engulf it in flames. Arson was also a contributing factor in areas afflicted with poverty; a planned conflagration created a cover for looting.

All of these factors converged in Edo, leading to nearly 200 fires and approximately 50 "great fires" over the course of the 260-year Edo period. From the ashes came the firefighters, some samurai and others determined members of the community, to protect the neighborhoods and its citizens.

This is the setting of Oedo Fire Slayer, the novel series by archeologiest-turned-prolific-writer Shōgo Imamura and its anime and manga adaptations Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix-. We spoke with Imamura-san and manga creator Shinobu Seguchi-san about the series and its inspirational characters as well as Seguchi-san's upcoming appearance at Anime Expo in Los Angeles.

The first thing readers should know is Imamura has an impressively varied work resume that includes archaeological research, music composition, and dance. His official website is available in English and goes into detail about his accolades, including numerous literature prizes. When asked how his architectural background helped shape Oedo Fire Slayer, Imamura shared that it was actually his experience teaching dance that led to the novel's creation. His teaching brought him to various places within Japan, and it was during this time he witnessed the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

"I became an archaeological researcher because I loved history, but what influenced me more was my time as a dance instructor. Since 2011, I have visited Tohoku many times with my students to support the reconstruction of the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. As we performed in the local shopping malls and other places, I saw the strength of the people who were trying to stand up again for the recovery effort.

When I decided that I wanted to write about the strength of people who never give up and a protagonist who stands up again in my debut novel, I connected that experience with my knowledge of history. Fire was the greatest fear of people during the Edo period in Japan, when wooden buildings were used. This is how the story of a man who rises up and takes on the challenge was born."

Imamura emphasized that Japan's history of wooden structures and the history of fires embedded a cultural fear in the population. During the Edo period, the phrase "Fires and quarrels are the flowers of Edo" (火事と喧嘩は江戸の華) was born, referring to the frequent decimation of the area every quarter to half century. The Great Fire of Meireki in 1657 destroyed over 60% of the city, with a death toll estimated at 100,000 people.

"As evidenced by the world's oldest wooden structure, Hōryū Temple, Japan has developed a culture of wooden architecture, taking advantage of its abundant forests and mountains," Imamura told me. "The greatest enemy of this culture, however, is fire. Japan is a country that has been hit by major fires on numerous occasions. Over hundreds and thousands of years of history, we have built up an awareness of disaster prevention, and at the same time, we have become a country that never gives up, no matter what kind of disaster may strike. In the Edo period, firemen were a symbol of this. They were symbols of indomitable spirit and heroes to the citizens. I wanted to convey that such heroes existed, especially in our modern age."

When it comes to firefighters during this period, there are few specific details available in the historical record. When it came time to write the first novel, Imamura looked at the information available and filled in areas where he could, basing characters Gengo Matsunaga and Shinnosuke Torigoe on samurai in the historical record but are otherwise relatively unknown.

"Firefighting is a job for which few names remain. There were certainly samurai named Matsunaga and Torigoe, but we do not know any details about them," Imamura said. He elaborated that he chose his characters to be part of Hashu-Shinjo clan derived from present-day Shinjō City in Yamagata Prefecture because of its endurance through tragedy.

"As a historical fact, the Hashu-Shinjo clan (from present-day Shinjō City, Yamagata Prefecture) was known as the poorest clan in Japan. This can be found in the records from that time. Those records also show many disasters and famines that cut the Hashu-Shinjo clan's population in half. Because they know such suffering and pain, we chose them as the main characters of the clan because they could be heroes who risk their lives for the sake of others," Imamura said.

The character Gengo Matsunaga was a major draw for manga creator Shinobu Seguchi to the project. Seguchi began reading Imamura's novel after first hearing about plans to adapt it into a manga series. The novel brought him to tears.

"I was struck by the characters' attempts to live strongly despite their respective pains," Seguchi shared. "In particular, Gengo, the main character in the last part of the story, makes me cry no matter how many times I read it. At the same time, I could not suppress the urge to draw it."

Imamura's novels have inspired at least five manga adaptations thus far, and the hunt was on to find the artist for Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix-.

"When it came time to conduct a broad search, Seguchi-san raised his hand with tremendous enthusiasm. After meeting with him, I felt that we would be able to work together, and I had high expectations that he would be able to express the story in the manga even better than it was in the original work.

I also felt a connection with Seguchi-san because, in the vastness of Japan, he happened to live in Otsu, the same place as me," Imamura said. "I have not neglected to check the rough drafts and finished work every week. However, I am surprised to see that the work exceeds my expectations."

Likewise, Seguchi expressed immense gratitude for Imamura's input and his flexibility with the manga's presentation.

"When presenting things in a manga style, I sometimes drew events that do not appear in the novel and sometimes elements that are original to the manga, but he has accepted this with an open heart. I am filled with gratitude."

Once signed on to the project, the Prisoner Riku manga creator earnestly began his own research. He already owned a lot of necessary reference materials due to previous plans to create a manga focused on a similar topic nearly 20 years ago. He also began discussions with Imamura, who recommended books for him to read.

"For the character design, I decided on a design that came to me after reading the original novel and then adapted it to the official design from the anime," Seguchi said.

Seguchi's art is immediately striking. Flipping through Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix-'s first chapter, readers will immediately notice the calligraphy-like brushstrokes of his work. One stand-out image in the chapter features Gengo on horseback. Readers may be more surprised to know that his process is fully digital.

"From this series, I have been working entirely on an iPad. Ultimately, both digital tools and the brushes used for analog work are just tools. What is important is the ability to visualize the finished picture while carefully adding more information into each line," he said.

Beyond drawing the manga, Seguchi also had to consider how to adjust the novel's story beats into a chapter format for a Weekly Shōnen Champion's target audience. The 20-page chapter format required some creativity on Seguchi's part, but otherwise, he felt the story was a good fit for a manga adaptation.

"Immediately after reading Imamura-sensei's Oedo Fire Slayer, the image of it becoming a shonen manga developed in my mind, so it wasn't a struggle to translate the novel into a manga. However, I am conscious of making the characters' faces look young. You might be wondering, 'Really?' though."

Looking ahead to the anime adaptation by SynergySP, currently scheduled to premiere in winter 2026, Imamura is especially hopeful that the added element of sound will bring the audience closer to the work.

"I believe that novels, manga, and anime all have their own merits, but in the case of the anime, I think it is the “voice” and “sound” that really counts. I would be happy if I could deliver the cries of prayer of the firefighters who are trying to save lives, and I hope that the sound of the fire will create a sense you are there," Imamura said.

Both creators are also focused on how Oedo Fire Slayer can connect worldwide. Despite the historical Japanese setting, there's something unifying and inspirational about its central theme of overcoming disaster as a community.

"I believe that natural disasters are inevitable. This is by no means limited to Japan, but is common throughout the world. When they do occur, how do we act? I believe that this will make the difference between life and death. And how will we live afterward? That is the question I wanted to ask when I wrote this story," Imamura shared.

"Ultimately, I want you to feel the same way you would when you read the original novel. Although they are two different genres, a novel and a manga, I hope that after reading the manga, you will feel passionate, cry, get angry, and enjoy it like you did when reading the original novel.

I want readers to be touched by the emotions that come from relationships with people. I want to create a manga that makes people want to live another day," Seguchi said.

Fans will get the chance to see Seguchi in person at this year's Anime Expo in Los Angeles. Anime News Network is excited to report that his manga series Prisoner Riku (Shūjin Riku) and Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix- will be released in English for the first time. You can find out more at the "Amuse Creative Studio Presents: How the Pros Make Anime & Manga" panel on July 6 at 12:45 PM in room 411. Manga artist Shinobu Seguchi will join Dandelion Animation Studio president and The First Slam Dunk producer Kazuhiro Nishikawa at the panel.

Seguchi had the following message for readers, "My manga Prisoner Riku has been translated and published in Asia and parts of Europe, but I am very excited that it will finally be digitally distributed in English. I was very conscious of making both Prisoner Riku and Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix- entertaining, like Hollywood movies.

I am nervous about how it will be received in the United States, the home of entertainment, but I am even more excited about the possibility of bringing it to a wider audience than ever before.

I hope you enjoy the world of Shinobu Seguchi."

Thank you to Shōgo Imamura and Shinobu Seguchi for participating in this interview. Thank you to Amuse Creative for all their assistance.