Matabei Yoshitoshi Ijiri, a 30-year-old samurai of the Kasuga clan, carries the moniker "Blue Sky Samurai" for his cloud-emblazoned banner and contemplative skyward gaze. His lethal prowess in combat earns him the fearful title "The Devil Samurai" among foes. Orphaned by his mother’s illness and the wartime deaths of his father and brother, he finds kinship in retainers Goemon and Osato, who share his life within the Kasuga fort’s walls.

Beneath his disciplined exterior lies an unvoiced devotion to Ren Kasuga, his childhood companion and the clan’s heir, their mutual respect restrained by rigid social hierarchies. A pivotal ambush during battle sees his survival secured by Shinnosuke Nohara’s unintended intervention, shifting the conflict’s tide. This act propels Matabei to safeguard Ren and lead the clan to repeated victories, culminating in antagonist Takatora Okurai’s defeat. His final moments, felled by a surrendering soldier’s bullet, close with gratitude to Shinnosuke for their fateful meeting.

Promotional vignettes diverge into alternate realities: Episodes 676b and 677b follow time travelers seeking a mystical fan from his adolescent self, while 678b and 679a humorously pair ancestral figures with teenage iterations of Matabei and Ren. Episode 679b stages modern-day reincarnations of the duo crossing paths in Kasukabe Park, their encounters existing outside the central narrative’s continuity, unremembered by the primary characters.

The live-action iteration mirrors his animated counterpart, meticulously replicating his demeanor, personal struggles, and key narrative milestones.