An innocuous comment during a weapon inspection wounds the pride of low-ranking samurai Shinpachi, leading to an argument with his superior. The situation snowballs out of control, leading to a deadly duel and political fallout which threatens the entire clan. Declared mentally unstable by the corrupt authority, Shinpachi begins his descent into true insanity…

A noble samurai serving the Shogun as 'Kogi Kaishaku-nin' (Official Executioner) is the target of a plot by the evil Yagyu Clan to take away his position and replace him with a member of their own family. When his wife is murdered and evidence is produced that he was plotting against the Shogun the Code of Bushido calls for him and his son to commit sepuku. Instead he defies the Shogun's orders and takes up arms against his enemies, becoming an assassin for hire.

Calea Samuraiului este povestea unui killer modern din New York.

Ghost Dog trăiește neștiut de nimeni pe acoperișul unei clădiri abandonate, înconjurat de un stol de porumbei. Nimeni nu-i știe adevăratul nume, nici măcar cei care l-au angajat în slujba lor. Este un solitar, maestru al puterii de adaptare, se mișcă nevăzut și fantomatic pe străzile New York-ului. Ghost Dog este un asasin, însă unul loial celui care odată i-a salvat viața, un mafiot new-yorkez.

Concepția lui asupra vieții este aceea de a urma strict regulile doctrinei Hagakure, Cartea luptătorilor samurai. Când va fi trădat de cel pe care îl respectă și pentru care lucra, își va urma calea, singura pe care o cunoaște: Calea Samuraiului.

Toți trădătorii vor plăti, până la unul.

Even though Gennosuke and Oboro are from rival ninja villages, they are secretly in love. At an annual conference with the Lord, it is dictated that a competition--a fight to the death--will take place between the five best shinobi from each village. Gennosuke and Oboro's love is made even more impossible when they each got picked as the leader of the five to represent their respective villages.