Katanagatari novel volume 1 was written by Nisioisin and is presented in this hardcover edition.

Long ago the masterful swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki crafted 1,000 blades, though his twelve final works, the legendary deviant blades were prime among the rest. All with uniquely defined traits, these swords are among the greatest in Japan.

Shichika Yasuri, the seventh generational head of the Kyoto-ryu school of martial arts in medieval Japan. He and his older sister Nanami live on an isolated island, until a military advisor named Togame tells him of the final 12 swords forged by a legendary swordsmith. At Togame’s bidding, Shichika embarks on a journey to find all 12 of the swords.