Set in 1814 Edo (now known as Tokyo), a much accomplished artist of the time works tirelessly in his house-atelier. He is as short-tempered and sarcastic as he is brilliant, with no passion for money or meaningless pastimes like drinking. His name is Katsushika Hokusai and decades later his work would come to mesmerise Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, Klimt and Debussy.