Souten Kouro is a story loosely based on the Three Kingdoms period of China, which features Cao Cao, the last Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, as the main character. While this period has been a popular theme in Japanese manga for decades, Souten Kouro differs from its counterparts in several significant ways. For instance, it portrays Cao Cao positively, a stark contrast to how he is usually depicted in Japanese manga, as well as other novel versions of this period. The storyline relies primarily on the historical account of the era, the Records of Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, as a reference, rather than the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel. Therefore, the traditional hero of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei, takes on relatively less importance in Souten Kouro and is portrayed less positively. While the story uses original characters, such as Diao Chan, and anachronistic weapons, such as Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Zhang Fei's Viper Blade, several aspects of the story are based on the novel version. The story consistently revolves around Cao Cao's desire to modernize China and redirect its focus from outdated ideals to pragmatism. This often puts him at odds with Confucianism and those who advocate these values.