Kumokiri Nizaemon

Set in the Kyoho years under Tokugawa Yoshimune, Kumokiri Nizaemon follows a secretive band of thieves whose reach stretches from Edo along the Tokaido and Nakasendo into Kansai. They take large sums from the very rich, move with uncanny speed, and refuse to harm ordinary people. When the beautiful Nanabake no Ochiyo is married into a dry goods shop as part of a long con, a hidden fortune vanishes the night of her wedding. The theft looks like a ghostly operation, planned down to the smallest detail. At the center is Kumokiri Nizaemon, a charismatic leader who keeps his skilled crew in line, including Subashiri no Kumago and others, as they pull off heists with wit and strict rules.

Released in 2013, the series was directed by Daiji Hattori and credits Shotaro Ikenami and Ichirō Miyagawa among its creators. It adapts classic jidaigeki material, bringing period fiction to television with a focus on craft and historical texture.

The show sits firmly in the honorable-thief tradition of Japanese period drama, leaning into the romantic and ethical codes that make these characters appealing. Its scenes of stealth and showdowns echo older samurai and bandit stories, and it appeals to fans who like moral ambiguity set against Edo-period society.

Critics and viewers praised the performances, especially Kiichi Nakai as the enigmatic Kumokiri. The series earned a strong fan rating, listed at 9.0 out of 10 from user votes, and viewers often point to its mood, pacing, and exploration of loyalty, class divisions, and personal codes of honor as central strengths.

There are no widely reported major awards or international festival prizes associated with the 2013 TV adaptation. Its recognition has been more niche, coming from period-drama enthusiasts and readers familiar with Shotaro Ikenami's work, rather than mainstream award circuits.