The story is set in Shanghai in 1931, when the Imperial Japanese Army has been dispatched to mainland China due to the relatively recent First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and World War I. In this cosmopolitan city of intrigue, there is a special military spy organization called "Sakurai Kikan" that has since been buried in history.

Jun Matsumoto (Persona -trinity soul-) is directing the animators at A-1 Pictures on this series. Another Persona -trinity soul- veteran, Shinsuke Onishi (The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye, New Getter Robo, 009-1) is supervising the scripts. Code:Breaker and Samurai Deeper Kyo manga creator Akimine Kamijyō created the original character designs which Keigo Sasaki (Sengoku Basara, Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations) is adapting for animation. Space Symphony Maetel ~Ginga Tetsudō 999 Gaiden~ composer Taro Hakase is scoring the soundtrack.
Yutaka Oomatsu (Blood+) is producing the series as the second work in the joint Anime no Chikara initiative between the TV Tokyo broadcasting station and the Aniplex anime production company.