Golden Kamuy

Saichi Sugimoto, a Russo-Japanese War veteran, pans for gold in Hokkaido to provide for the widow of his dead comrade Toraji. His acquaintance Goto drunkenly tells him about a man who killed a group of Ainu and stole their gold, hiding its location in a map tattooed across 24 escaped prisoners. While both are attacked by a bear, an Ainu girl Asirpa, with Retar, a Hokkaido wolf, save Sugimoto.

Sugimoto and Asirpa search the nearby city of Otaru for tattooed prisoners, capturing one when he follows them back into the woods. While Asirpa is copying his tattoo, he reveals that someone has been killing the prisoners, and is shot from a distance. Sugimoto fights the shooter: Hyakunosuke Ogata, a private in the Japanese Army's 7th Division, who falls into a river and is recovered by the 7th.

Sugimoto and Asirpa are pursued by soldiers from the 7th Division. Private Genjirō Tanigaki finds Asirpa but is fought off by Retar. Sugimoto evades capture after diving into a bear cave, whose occupant charges and kills the soldiers before succumbing to its wounds. Sugimoto and Asirpa take a baby bear found in the cave to Asirpa's village, and visit Asirpa's grandmother ("Huci").

After spending time with Asirpa, Sugimoto realizes he grew fond of her. He decides it's better to leave for good and not put Asirpa in danger while hunting for gold. Back in Otaru, Sugimoto is captured by the 7th Division. Asirpa and Retar are looking for their runaway friend.

Sugimoto is tortured by twin brothers Youhei and Kouhei Nikaido. Shiraishi breaks into Sugimoto's cell and releases his bonds, allowing him to kill Youhei. He fakes a fatal injury using Youhei's intestines and is able to escape and reunite with Asirpa. While hunting, Asirpa and Sugimoto come across the tracks of two men: Tanigaki and Nihei Tetsuzo, a famous bear hunter.

Nihei tells Tanigaki that he wishes to hunt Retar, the last Hokkaido wolf. Asirpa and Sugimoto are joined by Shiraishi, who tells Asirpa and Sugimoto that Nihei is a tattooed prisoner. Asirpa, Sugimoto and Shiraishi track the hunters and ambush them.

Sugimoto and Shiraishi fight Nihei, while Tanigaki captures Asirpa. Tanigaki is shot by a poisoned arrow after stepping in a deer trap but is saved by Asirpa. Retar rushes to Asirpa's aid with his mate, a grey wolf, who attacks and kills Nihei. Tanigaki is brought to Asirpa’s village to recover and tells them that Tsurumi intends to mount a military coup to form an independent Hokkaido.

Shiraishi is chased all across the city by Ushiyama, and only escapes his predicament by getting the 7th Division involved. During the chaos, Hijikata's forces launch a raid on a local bank, blasting open a wall to get back his legendary sword. Asirpa, Sugimoto and Shiraishi are looking for a murderer from Abashiri Prison who is killing fishermen at the coast.

Henmi and Sugimoto are confronted by 7th Division soldiers. As they flee, Henmi attempts to kill Sugimoto, and they engage in a struggle before Sugimoto fatally stabs him. An orca beaches and grabs Henmi’s body, though Sugimoto, Shiraishi and Asirpa are able to recover it. Meanwhile, Ogata and Nikaido find Tanigaki at the Ainu village and accuse him of killing his companions and deserting the 7th.

Tanigaki, a Matagi, escapes his pursuers by using his skills in hunting and trapping. Tsurumi arrives and forces Nikaido to expose the traitors in the 7th after cutting off Nikaidō’s ear, though Ogata evades capture. Elsewhere, Shiraishi is grabbed by a massive huchen after falling in a river but is saved by Kiroranke, a former friend of Asirpa's father.

The group and Ushiyama separately check into a hotel run by Kano Ienaga, a tattooed prisoner who murders and eats her guests. Shiraishi and Ushiyama are held in a basement torture chamber while Ienaga attempts to kill Asirpa, but is thwarted by Sugimoto. A series of events triggers an explosion that destroys the hotel, burying Ushiyama and Ienaga in the rubble.

Shiraishi meets Ushiyama and Ienaga, who survived the explosion but does not disclose this to Sugimoto. Sugimoto’s group encounter Inkarmat, a travelling Ainu fortune-teller. Shiraishi takes Inkarmat to a horse race, where they win two races on Inkarmat’s predictions. Kiroranke meets old friends at the track, who ask him to ride a horse and throw the race at the behest of a yakuza boss.