Darkside Blues (Japanese: ダークサイド・ブルース, Hepburn: Dākusaido Burūsu) is a manga series by Hideyuki Kikuchi. The story has been adapted into an anime film directed by Yoshimichi Furukawa. The film was originally licensed by Central Park Media and then later licensed by ADV Films.The story involves the town of Kabuki-cho, home of a resistance faction called Messiah. In the futuristic setting, Kabuki-cho is one of the last places of freedom because the Persona Century Corporation has taken control of the majority of the Earth. Kabuki-cho is hence known as "The Dark Side of Tokyo". Furthermore, a mysterious stranger called Darkside appears to protect the citizens of Kabuki-cho.
清末,北京最有名的古玩店"至真堂"收藏着一尊周王鼎。一天,隆爷告之父亲老隆爷另有一只周王鼎也找到了,这消息给病中的老隆爷带来了安慰。寿宴上,一对宝鼎招来众人的称赞,"宝珍斋"老板金爷上前指出一只鼎为赝品,老隆爷气急之中一病不起。民国,袁公子限期要买一张展子虔的画,这下难坏了隆爷。京城某贝勒爷家有一张展子虔的画,金爷得到消息,向贝勒爷表示不惜重金也要获得此画,贝勒爷动心。贝勒爷小妾秀秘密约隆,原来早年隆家有恩与秀,隆、秀定下一计。叶秋山拥有鉴定古董和仿造古画的绝技。日本人黑山一直跟随叶学艺,黑山学成后开起了古玩店,大肆高价为日本收购古董。黑山以把老师叶秋山收藏的古字画拿到日本印刷出版为名,将字画据为已有。叶秋山一气躲进西山。古玩大会,金爷拿出展子虔的画,表示要与隆家的周王鼎交换,隆也拿出相同的画,指出金手中赝画的破绽,金在隆手中栽了一大跟头。隆给吴总长送来佛头,在场的金识破伪造的佛头,隆对吴炸真佛头发怒,金嘲笑隆保护佛头的举动。抗日战争爆发,黑山开始变脸,为了抢夺隆父家的鼎,禁止隆爷出城,为此还打死了隆爷的朋友卷包。大年初夕,金爷提着鼎找到隆爷,告明原委,金爷一直收藏着另一只鼎,这些年来一直想将其凑成一对。此时,黑山带着日本兵闯进来,声称为日本国借鼎一用,隆爷以祭奠祖先为名没让黑山带走鼎。隆、金二人经过巧妙设计把一对鼎装在棺材里,以厚葬卷包为名,企图把鼎运出城。在城门口,遭到黑山的拦截,当日本兵打开棺材时,一声巨响,隆、金悲痛地看着一对鼎被炸毁,后悲壮赴死。后人传说,当年被炸毁的是一对假鼎,隆爷和金爷是以死保护国宝的英雄。