Rise

This is another of the occasional posts introducing “Shinto-adjacent” fiction. This time, it isn’t manga, and it is originally in English.

Rise

An ex-gangster. A mysterious old woman concealing her true identity. A mythological world of magic and danger hiding behind everyday life.

Risking his newfound freedom, Umeji Tatsuya hides the yokai identity of Nakamura Hisako, a powerful kitsune fox spirit, who offers to help him forge a mob-free future—starting with teaching him magic. Just when things are looking up, Date, a kitsune with a centuries-old grudge against his new mentor arrives in town, commanding vicious ogre-like oni and bringing destruction in her wake. Worse yet, the one person who could drag Umeji back into the mob shows up on his doorstep, under Date’s control.

Is Umeji the next victim in Date’s sights? Or is there more to this magical threat than he wants to believe…

Blurb courtesy of the author, Amy Winters-Voss, who is one of my patrons.

As you can tell from the blurb, this is an urban fantasy, and it is a set in an alternate Japan where the supernatural is known, although not exactly common. When people discover that Nakamura Hisako is a kitsune, the reactions are “why didn’t you tell me?”, not “you’re what?”.

The story is engaging, with relatable characters who change, and a clear villain. I don’t want to say much more about the content to avoid spoiling the development of the story. The Japanese background is generally good (although the use of the word “feds” grated on me — yes, there is a national police force that takes on big issues like organised crime, but Japan is not a federal state), and while Shinto plays a small role, it is portrayed accurately. One of the things the main characters have to do is look after a small Inari hokora. It is too small to have a priest — and in the real world probably would not be a religious corporation — so they are responsible for cleaning it and making offerings. That is exactly how things work for such places (with, probably, fewer supernatural kitsune).

It is a good story, and you can buy the book from the links on the series page.

(Yes, the author is giving me money, given that she is one of my patrons. But not for this post specifically.)