The Elusive Samurai manga volume 1 features story and art by Yusei Matsui.

In medieval Japan, eight-year-old Hojo Tokiyuki is the heir to the Kamakura shogunate. But the Hojo clan is in decline, and Tokiyuki’s peaceful days of playing hide-and-seek with his teachers come to an abrupt end when his clan is betrayed from within. The lone survivor of his family, Tokiyuki is the rightful heir to the throne, but to take it back, he’ll have to do what he does best - run away!

After the massacre of his family by the traitor Ashikaga Takauji, Tokiyuki flees with the help of a handful of loyal retainers who have also survived the purge. One of them is Suwa Yorishige, an ally of the Hojo clan and lord of Suwa province. The slightly odd Yorishige also claims to be clairvoyant and foretells that Tokiyuki will one day become the ruler of Japan. But for the moment, escaping from enemy territory is the priority!

The Elusive Samurai manga volume 2 features story and art by Yusei Matsui.

Now in hiding in Suwa under the protection of Yorishige, Tokiyuki takes on a cover identity - Chojumaru, an apprentice of Suwa Grand Shrine. When Ogasawara Sadamune, the governor of Shinano and vassal of Takauji the usurper, shows up to attend a sporting event at the shrine, he’s not just looking to win—if Sadamune finds any Hojo refugees, he’ll have free rein to take over Suwa completely! Thinking the best way to hide Tokiyuki is in plain sight, Yorishige sends him onto the field to take on Sadamune…

The Elusive Samurai manga volume 3 features story and art by Yusei Matsui.

As the new year of 1334 begins, Yorishige is concerned about enemies closing in on Suwa province. He needs information about their moves and motives and decides to send Tokiyuki and his growing band of retainers, the Elusive Warriors, to scout things out. Then, in an isolated village on the northern edge of the province, Tokiyuki encounters a dangerous stranger...

The Elusive Samurai manga volume 4 features story and art by Yusei Matsui.

Kiyohara, the malicious and decadent governor of Shinano, is determined to crush any dissent within the province. When Hoshina Yasaburo, a member of the Suwa sect, rises up in rebellion, Suwa Yorishige dispatches Tokiyuki and the Elusive Warriors on a clandestine mission to aid the rebel leader. But how can Tokiyuki help the Suwa sect when its soldiers are more determined to die in battle than to achieve victory?