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Samurai Deeper Kyo
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Samurai Deeper Kyo (サムライ ディーパー キョウ Samurai Dīpā Kyō?) is a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes.
Samurai Deeper Kyo follows the story of Demon Eyes Kyo (鬼目の狂 Oni Me no Kyō?) as he seeks to regain his body after his soul was sealed inside the body of his rival, Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo is joined in his search by the bounty-hunter Shiina Yuya, the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate Benitora, and Sanada Yukimura, a known rival of the Tokugawa.
The manga was adapted into an animated television series in 2002. The Studio Deen production aired on TV Tokyo from July 2, 2002 until December 23, 2002, for a total of 26 episodes. As of March 2008, 31 volumes have been released in the United States and Canada by Tokyopop. The series has also been released inFrance, Spain, Singapore, Germany and Indonesia. It has also been adapted as a Game Boy Advance video game, released in Japan in late 2002. It was later released in North America in February 2008, as the last title for the system.
Further information: Samurai Deeper Kyo manga summaries
Underlying the principle story arc of Kyo's search to reclaim his body, there are many smaller arcs, each leading to the next one. The basis of many later revelations are established many volumes in advance. In the manga, it is revealed that all of the Mibu, except for Kyo , are descendants of "Battle Dolls", creatures created by the Mibu to fight for their amusement. In time, the Battle Dolls come to believe they were the real Mibu, and that the real Mibu were destroyed by infighting. The extant Mibu are gradually being killed by the "Disease of Death". Muramasa's sister was the first to be killed by the Mibu Disease, but others soon followed. The disease manifests itself when the infected person reaches a certain age. For this reason, the aging process has been stopped in Antera, Tokito, and probably others.
The TV adaptation takes extreme liberties with the plot, and only vauguely follows the plot of the manga. Kyo is an artificial construct, born of Kyoshiro's attempt to purge violence and cruelty from himself. While Kyo is sealed inside Kyoshiro after losing a swordfight to him, the circumstances behind it are different. Kyoshiro confronts Kyo at the Battle of Sekigahara in order to stop his bloody rampage, rather than to protect Sakuya. Apart from these and flashbacks to his time with Muramasa, Akira and Hotaru, the anime provides fewer details of Kyo's past. The character of Yuya is often relegated to a peripheral character, while the role of the kenyou is enhanced.
1. Road to Armageddon
2. Wanted (Dead or Alive) Man
3. Red Mirage
4. Sneaking Nightmare
5. The Assassin's Tears
6. The Duel of Hibiya Bay
7. Keichou Battle Royal
8. Demon Spear Cries
9. A Blind of Smiles
10. Cold-Blooded Illusion
11. Pitch Black Flashback
12. The Boy Who Came from the Deep Forest
13. The Crossing Souls
14. The Return of Satan
15. Our Friend, Red Tiger
16. Perfect Victory
17. The Secret Talk of the Ladies
18. The Nurse Devil
19. Thunderbolt Attack
20. Absolute Zero is Far
21. The Hellish Mibu Castle
22. Clockwork Doors
23. Passionate Ecstasy
24. Last Muramasa Awakening
25. That Which Surpasses a Tachyon
26. The Ballad of the Samurai
Opening Theme
§ Aoi no Requiem (Blue Requiem) by Pipeline Project featuring Yuiko Tsubokura
Ending Theme
§ Love Deeper by Pipeline Project featuring Yuiko Tsubokura
Character songs (from Samurai Deeper Kyo Vocal Album Kyousouka)
§ Arboreus Mare by DRY
§ PAX VOBISCUM -Negawaku wa Heian Najira to Tomo ni- by Hikaru Midorikawa (Migeira)
§ Hanadoki by Megumi Ogata (Yukimura Sanada)
§ Kisugi Kanyou no Koto by Toshihiko Seki (Benitora)
§ Aosusuki by Yui Horie (Yuya Shina)
§ Kohikoro mo by Yumi Kakazu (Okuni Izumono)
§ Koran by Katsuyuki Konishi (Onime no Kyo)
§ Ashikabi by Souichirou Hoshi (Akira)
§ Zessou by Tomokazu Seki (Shinrei)
§ Youryuu Risui by Megumi Ogata (Yukimura Sanada)
§ Dokumyoufuu by Koyasu Takehito (Hotaru)
§ Kinen by Katsuyuki Konishi (Kyoshiro Mibu)
List of Samurai Deeper Kyo characters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Characters of Samurai Deeper Kyo)
This article lists major characters from the anime and manga Samurai Deeper Kyo
Demon Eyes Kyo
Main article: Demon Eyes Kyo
Onime no Kyo is said to have slaughtered a thousand men. Although his reputation actually belongs to Kyoshiro, he has certainly killed more than a thousand people himself. He is imprisoned in Kyoshiro's body and takes over whenever Kyoshiro's life is threatened. Kyo fears no one and is quite arrogant and self-centered early in the manga. Throughout the story, he is looking for his real body, which was sealed somewhere by Kyoshiro. His ultimate goal is to become the strongest man in the world. His most distinguishing feature is his red eyes.
He seems to harbor feelings for Yuya as seen in the anime and also in the manga. In Chapter 235 (Volume 30) of the manga, he states that he will not let Kyoshiro take his body nor the girl (Yuya). It is also seen in the bonus chapter that they live together and are lovers.
Mibu Kyoshiro(壬生京四郎 Mibu Kyōshirō; Seiyu: Konishi Katsuyuki, English dub actor: Dan Green (credited as "Dan Greene")) is a fictional character in the manga Samurai Deeper Kyo by Akimine Kamijyo. His personality is almost a direct opposite of the series' main character, Demon Eyes Kyo. Mibu Kyoshiro has been ranked top 10 in every Samurai Deeper Kyo popularity contest. His personality and character can also be compared to Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin, since they both dislike violence, but will fight in order to protect their friends.
Awkward and funny at the beginning of the adventure, Mibu Kyoshiro is in fact a frightening combatant called "the Demon-God", who is the only one to have beaten Kyo, in addition to being the true thousand man killer. He hid Kyo's body, and now the two share his body. He killed many people in the past, including the brother of Shiina Yuya, Shiina Nozomu. He is actually a high ranked Mibu and is gifted in the handling of a sword and is thought to be the best swordsman of the clan to date. He knows the techniques of the Mumyou Jinpu Ryuu and is also the former owner of the Shibien. As far as areas of comparison go, his skill and potential rank him equal to Kyo and just below the former Crimson King. His only wish is to protect Sakuya, whom he was in love with along with Kyo before the battle of Sekigahara. It is seen in the manga that he cares greatly for Yuya and would do anything to protect her, saying he will not let Kyo have her. Also it is seen by Sasuke how Kyoshiro looks at Yuya tenderly as seen in Chapter 234 (Volume 29).
Mibu Kyoshiro is one of the Red Cross Knights, created from the flesh and blood of the former Aka no Ou. He was a killing machine, but he had a very friendly heart. He was also a master of Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu Satsujin Ken. He once wielded the Shibien, one of Muramasa's Devil Swords, and killed many people with it until the sword turned black in color because it absorbed too much blood.
Shiina Yuya (椎名ゆや Shiina Yuya; Seiyu: Yui Horie, Dub actor: Veronica Taylor) is a bounty hunter interested in the largest bounty she can find, that of 1,000,000 ryo that is on the head of Demon Eyes Kyo. She decides to follow Kyoshiro, bonding with him until he is "put to sleep" by the reappearance of Kyo. When Kyo wakes up completely, she follows him. In spite of his attitude, she comes to trust and believe in Kyo. In the forest of Aokigahara, she learns that Kyoshiro killed her older brother and decides to wait until he returns to the surface in order to get an explanation from him. Yuya is thus interested in Kyo and Kyoshiro. Somewhere deep in her heart, she knows the valuable secret of the Mibu Clan, a secret that her brother Nozomu shared with her when she was very young. The Aka no Ou also comes to believe that she is a seer, but this is neither confirmed nor disproven. In Chapter 229 (Volume 29) of the manga, while telling her brother that she wouldn't forgive him if he killed Kyo, she admitted out loud in front of everybody that she was in love with Kyo.
Despite being very temperamental and even violent if irritated, Yuya has a gentle and kind personality. Besides Kyo, Benitora and Akira have a crush on her. Many other characters come to enjoy her company and regard her as an important friend whom they will protect.
Some of her displays of kindness and good will are:
§ Saved both Antera and Shindara from Akira's ice even though they kidnapped her and were her enemies.
§ Saved Santera from Akari's attack when she realised that Santera didn't want to fight at all.
§ Protected Shihodo and Muramasa although she had just met them.
§ Wanted Hotaru and Shinrei to get along, comparing her relationship with her own adoptive brother (with whom she wasn't related by blood) with theirs (who were half-brothers and, therefore, should care for each other).
§ Protected Kyo from Hotaru and from her brother Nozumo.
Izumo no Okuni is the best informer in Japan. She likes Kyo obsessively, to the point that to be hated by him would make her happy. That said, she joined the Jūnishinshō as the fake Indara, but she does not hesitate to sacrifice herself for Kyo. She then joins Kyo's team and assists Kyo in finding his real body. She knows many things about Kyo, Kyoshiro, and Sakuya, but she does not speak about it. She merely hints at it. She finds Akira in Kyoto and offers him her own life in exchange for Kyo's real body.
Benitora's (紅虎, lit. red tiger; Seiyu: Seki Toshihiko) true name is Tokugawa Hidetada (徳川秀忠). His father, Tokugawa Ieyasu, ordered him to spy on Kyo, but Benitora does this for fun and serves as the comic relief of the group. His weapon is the Hokuraku Shimon (Demon Spear) created by Muramasa. He falls in love with Yuya the first time he meets her and tends to be over-protective of her. In order to hide his true identity as heir to the Shogunate from her, he speaks with a noticeable Kansai accent (or in the English dub of the anime, a southern accent) when near her.
He first meets Kyoshiro in volume 2, mistaking him for Kyo. After sparring with Kyoshiro, he decides to join the group. When Kyo awakens in volume 3, he makes Benitora his #2 servant after a short fight.
During the Forest Arc, he fights his former ally, the Fake Mekira. Mekira has the upper hand for most of the fight thanks to a hypnotic technique, but Benitora eventually sees through it and kills Mekira with a special technique of his own, although doing so exacerbates his injuries.
When Nobunaga reappears and overwhelms Kyo, Benitora intervenes, blocking the killing blow and briefly fighting Nobunaga one-on-one. He is completely outmatched, but eventually manages to unhorse Nobunaga with another secret technique, the reverse Hassun, almost killing himself in the process; he is saved from death at Nobunaga's hands by the revitalized Kyo.
Sanada Yukimura (真田 幸村; Seiyu: Ogata Megumi) is a famous general who lost the battle of Sekigahara and ultimately Japan. He escaped Kudoyama and planned the assassination of Tokugawa Ieyasu, though it was never carried out. Yukimura travels with Kyo in order to defeat the Mibu Clan and Oda Nobunaga. In doing so, this would free Japan from the Mibu Clan's shadow governing and give Yukimura a chance at taking over Japan.
Yukimura is shadowed by three members of the Sanada Jūyūshi: Sarutobi Sasuke, Saizo, and his Kagemusha (or decoy) Anayama Kosuke. His sword techniques are unnamed, but he uses the Sekireigan, which was taught to him by Anri. Yukimura can utilize the Sekireigan to access extreme speed, but Anri instructed him to never use it more than five times a day.
In volume 26, He fights and defeats Shindara, using this technique. He also fights off with Kyo in volume 27, both of them using their most powerful technique, having it end in a draw. Yukimura shows big progress throughout the story, but we don't get to witness it. He later goes on to face both Chinmei and the former Crimson King himself. Although he is not on Kyo nor Kyoshiro's level at the end, he is clearly as strong as the 4 emperors.
Yukimura hates Ieyasu more than anything. It is interesting to note that historically, Yukimura had already fought Ieyasu's son, Hidetada (Benitora), at the battle of Ueda Castle. This is briefly mentioned in the Anime and possibly the manga. It is a battle which is believed to have ended in Yukimura's loss.
Sarutobi Sasuke (猿飛佐助; Seiyu: Akira Ishida) is a young ninja who is one of three members of the Sanada Jūyūshi who appears prominently throughout Samurai Deeper Kyo. Originally, he lived in Aokigahara (a forest filled with the failed constructs of the Mibu) with his friend Kotarou (now Makora of the Jūnishinshō). Being of the Forest, he has heightened strength and abilities as well as characteristic golden eyes. Sasuke was involved in most of Yukimura's plots, but was ultimately left out of Yukimura's deception of the Mibu clan as Yukimura needed even Sasuke to believe he'd betrayed his friends in order for the Mibu to believe it as well.
Sasuke originally wielded a Muramasa blade which was physically identical to Kyo's Tenrou (one of the four masterpieces that Muramasa forged), but when that Muramasa was cracked in a duel with Demon Eyes Kyo (a fight to determine who had the real Tenrou) he was given the Shibien - the oldest of Muramasa's Four Masterpieces. The Shibien blade, however, is exceptionally bloodthirsty and its creator, Muramasa, had to have it bound in chains to prevent it from turning on anyone. Strangely enough, it serves Sasuke obediently. Sasuke seems to have control over Lightning techniques. Sasuke possesses a technique called Raikoken that electrifies his sword. Thunder Fire calls a bolt of lightning down to strike an enemy. Thunder Flower Storm brings many ligtning bolts down around Sasuke and his enemy. Thunder Net or Lightning's web traps Sasuke's enemies in a web of lightning which never lets go. Thunder Tail connects Sasuke's lightning to his sword allowing him to kill an enemy with a physical strike. Sasuke's ultimate technique is Kirin which creates a lightning winged pegagus that burns all it touchs when it returns to heaven.
Also it was seen in one of Sasuke battles that he had the same eyes as Kyo
The Shiseiten (lit. The Four Saintly Heavens)is a group of the four most powerful samurai: Akira, Bontenmaru, Hotaru, and Akari. These four "emperors" were united and led by Kyo. They fought in the most remarkable civil war of Japan, called "The Battle of Sekigahara". To the Shiseiten, the world was their playground; they wiped out every nation on the planet. This ended abruptly when Kyo suddenly decided to abandon the Shiseiten to become the strongest samurai. The Shiseiten split up with everyone following their own path. Four years later, in the story of Samurai Deeper Kyo, the Shiseiten have reunited in order to challenge the Mibu Clan.
Akira (アキラ,明; Seiyu: Hoshi Soichiro) is the first member of the Shiseiten to appear in the story. He was a peasant boy whom Kyo found in a village that he'd completely destroyed. Though Akira was very young and the only survivor, he refused to cry and instead faced Kyo with the intention of fighting him. Kyo was impressed with Akira's fighting spirit and adopted him, promising to make him the strongest man in the world - after Kyo, of course. He was nicknamed the Twin Headed Dragon for two reasons: one, because his techniques require two swords, called Chisakatana (小さ刀, lit. Small sword, one shorter than the second as noted by Saishi), and two, because of his two personalities. One moment he is docile, kind, and gentle, and in a flash, he is a blood-thirsty killer akin to Kyo himself. Akira was incapable of unlocking his full potential because he didn't have samurai/noble blood, but he overcame this limitation by intentionally blinding himself. He gained the "eye of the heart"(心眼 Shingan), making him even more perceptive than those who can see. In a ruse to gain Kyo's body, Akira temporarily joined Nobunaga's warriors by killing Ajira, the servant of Nobunaga. Because of this, Akira was allowed to adopt Ajira's name. After Akira betrayed Nobunaga, he joined Kyo again after Okuni gave him her hair. His signature move is the Muhyo Gehetten, which traps his enemies in a pillar of ice and shatters them. Another attack he uses is the Hyoken Seiso. This technique traps his enemies in a large hollow mountain of ice. While issuing this attack, Akira is invulnerable to attacks and can torture his enemies until they die, or he can kill them in an instant. His ultimate attack involves the Inferno's Chill and Hyoma Juji Soumai. The Inferno's Chill drops the tempurature to below Absolute Zero. Akira can then focus the Inferno's Chill into his swords and direct an attack, the Hyoma Juji Soumai, at his enemies, killing them instantly. During his fight against Tokito, he was able to surpass his limited power by using his Inferno's Chill on himself, making him more powerful, and use a new technique called "Shadow Ice of Maria". (This power was limited and caused Akira's body damage.)
Bontenmaru (梵天丸; Seiyu in drama CD: Wakamoto Norio) is the second member of the Shiseiten to appear in the story. Arrogant and in love with his own legend, he constantly reminds everyone that he will become the ruler of the world and that both Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Mibu Clan are going to be destroyed so that he can become Shogun, much to the ire and boredom of his traveling comrades. Nonetheless, he is a great friend as well as a fearsome foe.
Bontenmaru suppresses a beast inside of him, and that's what most terrifying about him. His real name is Date Masamune, the "Oda Nobunaga of the north". His weapon of choice is a Bokken. He is so skilled with it that he is able to use it against a real sword, instinctively turning it at the last second so that it absorbs the blow of a sword but doesn't break. He is also capable of killing an enemy rather easily with a wooden sword. He can unleash the beast within himself using his Satsujintai fighting technique, in which he can enter a berserker rage and tear foes apart with his bare hands.He uses his great strength as a weapon in battle. He can effortlessly defeat small groups of Mibu warriors without getting hurt. His muscles are strong enough to stop blades from piercing his skin.
He has a friendly rivalry with Kyo, and much of their time is spent glaring at each other and trying to establish dominance. His Satsujintai is a hand to hand fighting technique, and his most powerful technique is the Kosoga. He swings one fist upwards in an uppercut motion and another downwards to form a vertical pincer, which can be used to break bones or, at a later stage, create a massive crater. (This technique can also be used horizontally.)
Hotaru (ほたる; Seiyu: Koyasu Takehito) - Hotaru (whose original name was Keikoku) was a member of the five stars of the Mibu and was sent to spy on Kyo. He has great admiration for the blood-thirsty and icy Kyo and resents Kyo's softer side that has developed by coming into contact with Yuya. He also resents his older half-brother Shinrei (another member of the five stars) due to the fact that Shinrei is the valued "wanted son" while he, Hotaru, is the illegitimate son of a concubine.
Despite Shinrei's ignorance of the truth, Hotaru's entire life seems centered around his animosity towards his brother. All he does is counter Shinrei. Where Shinrei uses water (their father being a Master of the Muryou Saikyou Ryuu School, the water school of the Mibu), Hotaru devotes himself to fire. Where Shinrei swore to uphold the honor and wishes of the Mibu Clan, Hotaru rebelled. Where Shinrei sought strength through friendship and camaraderie, Hotaru sought strength through solitude. This prompts him to battle his former allies, the Shiseiten and Kyo, because he believes that they stand between himself and the solitude needed for true strength.
Hotaru is defeated by Kyo and becomes his "servant" as his life was spared by him. He stays behind in order to recover from his injuries but reaches Kyo and his friends when Kyo is about to be defeated by Shinrei. Hotaru battles his half-brother and, much to his surprise, discovers that Shinrei already knew they were related. Moreover, Shinrei was the one who convinced their father to stop sending assassins after Hotaru and even managed to get Hotaru accepted as one of the five stars of the Mibu, mainly because Shinrei wanted to face Hotaru as an equal since Hotaru was his only brother.
Hotaru is defeated by his brother, who merely puts him unconscious while pretending to have killed him. When Shinrei is about to be killed by Kyo, Hotaru protects him and pleads to Kyo to spare him.
Hotaru later rejoins the Shiseiten to battle his teacher, Yuan, and the rest of his former clan.
Hotaru's command of fire allows him to summon black flame, which is hotter than any normal flame, and to generate a solid shield of flame to protect himself. He reveals many techniques, among which include: Chikewai (Hotaru applies blood on his face, increasing his power), Shakuran Entai (a blast of fire that covers a large area), Kaho Enbu (traps a foe in a shell with flames burning inside; when the foe attempts to break out, it causes a massive backdraft), Ma'oh-en (summons a bigger and hotter flame than Shakuran Entai), Demon's Breath (summons black fire and shoots it at his enemies), and the Hell Crusher (surrounds himself with a massive field of black flame leaving a huge crater). In the battle against his master, Yuan, he reveals his ultimate technique, Keikokuken [Hotaru creates a maelstrom of fire which surrounds his opponent and pastes Chikewai on his opponent which burns them to death (this technique can also apply Chikewai on his partner to increase their skills)]. He fights with a double-sided sword: one side shaped like a katana, the other shaped similar to a long dagger. It is believed this sword is just one long blade with wraps and a hand guard so he can hold it.
Hotaru is the comic relief of the group. He act extremely stupid and dense and always states the obvious. Some examples of this are Hotaru's fight with Kyo (he makes a long speech then forgets what it was supposed to be about), when he leads Kyo's group through the Mibu palace (When asked directions, he says they should go straight when the path ahead of them is a straight one), his battle with Yuan (When Yuan said he can beat Hotaru with only his foot, Hotaru said he will beat Yuan with only his hands), and various others.
Hotaru, after realizing that he was not alone in the world, became deeply concerned with protecting and saving the ones he cares about although he doesn't show it directly. He calls Kyo "a friend of combat" and tries his hardest to protect him. He also becomes friends with Benitora, Sasuke, Yuya, and Yukimura. He is considered a family member by Yuan's family.
Also, his relationship with Shinrei becomes much more close. Although they both claim to still hate each other, their fights and teasing are much more similar to sibling rivality. Throughout the manga, Hotaru keeps saying that he hates water and continuously teases his older brother; however, he has shown that he deeply cares about him and will save and help him whenever he can.
Akari (灯; Seiyu in drama CD: Mitsuishi Kotono) is a transgender individual. "Her" real name is Mitarai Toukichirou. Although s/he has no battle abilities, his/her magical abilities are on par with the other Shiseiten. S/he can manipulate ki, enabling quick healing and unlimited fighting energy. S/he also wields the Devil Eye, an ancient weapon (eye) embedded in his/her gloved left hand, that turns everyone who makes eye contact with it into dust, though Akari hates using it because s/he feels it is only a tool for murder and has no place in honorable battles. Lesser versions of the Devil Eye are called Medusa Eyes and are cheap imitations of the Devil Eye. Instead of turning their targets to dust, they turn their targets to stone, which can only be undone by the target's death or the wielder's death. The Devil Eye also serves as a barrier by protecting its bearer from harmful spells. In the fight against the true Mekira, the berserker used his Medusa Eyes on Akari, only to fail. Akari used the Devil Eye on Mekira which turned him to dust. S/he is the comic relief of the group. S/he uses a Shakujou, a staff with bells and rings at the top. Once s/he made Kyo promise to marry him/her if s/he ever landed a hit on him, although he backed out of it.
S/he first appeared in volume 22 of the manga. In that volume, s/he also revealed her past, where s/he was treated as a demon due to her powers. S/he is the last to join the Shiseiten.
It is revealed later that Hishigi implanted the Devil Eye into Akari's hand as a way of spying on him/her and to awaken his/her true powers. When activated, the Devil Eye takes over Akari and transforms him/her into Ashura.
Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長, Oda Nobunaga; Seiyu Show Hayami), known as Dai Rokuten Maou (The sixth Heavenly Demon king, "His Majesty" in the dub), wants to take over the world. With the help of his Jūnishinshō, he was working to achieve that goal, but he was killed by Kyo at Honnoji Temple. Since he was important to the Mibu's plans, the Mibu Clan resurrected him in Lord Torii's body. Lord Torii's body was given to the Mibu by Kyoshiro to seek his revenge against Kyo. Kyo defeated Nobunaga at the Battle of Seikigahara. Nobunaga was again resurrected and later encountered Kyo in Aokigahara Forest. Kyo and Oda Nobunaga fought after Benitora knocked him of his horse. The fight resulted in the death of Oda Nobunaga. Shindara took Nobunaga's head to the Mibu, who resurrected him, this time in Shiina Nozomu's body. He & Kyo fight for the fourth time, during which Oda revives the members of the Jynishinshou defeated so far.
The Jyūnishinshō are the twelve warriors who swore to protect Oda Nobunaga at all costs. These twelve warriors are also connected to the twelve constellations of the zodiac. The four that appear in the Aokigahara Arc (Mekira, Kubira, Haira, and Indara) are substitutes for the real corresponding Jyūnishinshō, as they were imprisoned for their insatiable bloodlust at the time. In the Four Demons Arc, the aforementioned Jyūnishinshō then appear as the antagonists.
The unknown member of the Jūnishinshō. He was killed by Akira who took his name in order to get closer to Demon Eyes Kyo.
Antera is one of the Jyuunishinshou. Despite her youth, she has superhuman strength and wields a pair of large hammers. She is a member of the Mibu Clan, and as such, has the Death Disease though her aging process has been stopped in order to stop the disease which has no cure. She is the daughter of the real Kubira and her real name is Anju.
During the battle against Akira, she injected herself with a stimulant and turned back into her true form, an adult named Anju, but as soon as she transformed, the Death Disease reappeared and she immediately started dying. When Akari removed the stimulant from her body turning her back into a kid, Antera lost all her memories and became a normal child.
One of the Jūnishinshō who specializes in archery. He can fire more arrows than usual (5 or so), all with accurate aiming. While doing this, his front is exposed. To overcome this, he prepares arrow traps that surround him, so an opponent cannot get close to him. In his ultimate attack, he fires his entire quiver with one shot (about 50 arrows). He was defeated by Sanada Yukimura, who sliced him in half.
His real name was Maro and he spoke in third person, causing confusion as to his name.
Another member of the Jūnishinshō. He specializes in power and speed. Four years before the start of Samurai Deeper Kyo, Bikara fought Kyo in Sekigahara. The battle ended in a draw. In Aokigahara, Kyo fought Bikara again, nearly killing him. When he, Akira, Antera, and Shindara reached the ice fortress where Kyo's true body was hidden, Akira killed Bikara and took Kyo's body.
Bikara is a hand-to-hand specialist and surprises his enemies with his speed. He uses numerous metal disks as weapons.
Fake Haira: Similar to both the fake Mekira and the real Indara, he was cruel, which was evident when he killed one of his soldiers for running away from Yukimura after being given the option to flee. This angered Yukimura, which led to the fake Haira's death. Yukimura cut him in half vertically. Haira wielded five swords like boomerangs. Aside from his superhuman strength, he had no special ability.
Fake Indara: Izumo no Okuni. Nobunaga, through Basara, commanded her to gain information on his enemy. She wielded Taigen (spider strings) and had no special ability.
Fake Kubira: A member of the Jūnishinshō. He can create marionettes, which copy the abilities of the person who has been replicated, or replicas of himself. He wields a "cat-o-nine-tails", a nine tailed whip complete with needles in the rope side. He was defeated by Kyo and Kyoshiro and killed by Akira.
His real name was Fuuma Kotaro (Fūma Kotarō), the childhood friend of Sasuke. Makora (Seiyu: Akio Suyama) sought revenge against Sasuke because he was almost killed by Sasuke. In truth, however, Kotarou was temporarily controlled by the real Indara who caused him to attack Sasuke. Sasuke defended himself, but all Kotarou remembered was Sasuke attacking him. Makora has the ability to control shadow forces and hide under them. His attack, Kageochi, makes an opponent drown in his own shadow. Nevertheless, he was finally defeated by Sasuke after realizing that Sasuke did not want to kill him. They made a pact of becoming good friends when they were still living in Aokigahara. Once he learned the truth, Kotarou protected Sasuke from Indara's attack which ultimately killed him.
Fake Mekira: Learned the ways of Shikage Ryuu with Benitora. Mekira killed his master because he would not teach Mekira the school secrets. Once he became Jūnishinshō, he faced Benitora in Aokigahara and was killed after Benitora realized the power of the Shinkage. He wielded a large scythe.
Even though she is just a child, she has a powerful ability. She emits a powder that burns whoever comes into contact with it. Her true form was released by a Mibu serum in the battle with Akari: a beautiful butterfly woman who was able to burn anything in her path. Because of her powder, she could not have a relationship with anyone in her life, so Nobunaga adopted her as one of his Jūnishinshō. After she had a fight with Akari, she and Akari became firm friends. She left the Mibu Clan along with Antera because she had someone she could call "friend" in her heart.
The leader of the Jūnishinshō, the foster-brother of Shiina Yuya, and the real brother of Sakuya: Nozomu. He was killed by Mibu Kyoshiro for learning the Mibu's deepest secret. He was able to see into the past and was a valuable member of the Mibu Clan because of this ability. He was resurrected by the Mibu Clan, but his body was infused with the soul of Oda Nobunaga. In addition to his ability to see the past, he could resurrect any Jūnishinshō that had been beaten and killed making him a very valuable asset.
He is killed again by Kyo at his own request.
In the past, when he belonged to the "Sanada Jūyūshi", he was called Sarutobi Sasuke. After being informed of Yukimura's premature death and his failure to seize hold of the country through the Taishirou Tokito's predictions, he left the Sanada and joined the Mibu to spy on them and to save Yukimura's life when the time comes. He is called the immortal one because Hishigi modified his body so he can regenerate instantaneously. He faces Yukimura and loses, but his motivation behind his betrayal is revealed. Later, he saves Sasuke from death and dies from mortal wounds beyond the healing capacity of his regeneration.
After Bikara died, Shindara looked after Antera and acted as her parent keeping her at his side at all times.
The four demons of the Jūnishinshō
The Mibu hide the true Indara, Haira, Mekira, and Kubira as they are merciless, blood-thirsty monsters. Members of the Jūnishinshō, their places were taken by others when they were forced into hiding, deep within the lands of the Mibu.
Mekira is a man who has feminine characteristics. On his left arm are many Medusa Eyes, cheap imitations of the Devil Eye, which enable him to petrify his adversaries. He fights Akari, half petrifies Yuya, and completely petrifies Santera. Irritated by his treatment of Santera, Akari ungloves his/her left hand containing the "Devil Eye" and finally defeats Mekira, turning him to dust. He wielded a chain.
Similar to Mekira, she was cruel and evil. She caused a confrontation between Makora (Kotarou) and Sasuke when they were still young. She has the ability to control living things (humans, like Fake Indara and Makora) and inanimate things (such as nature) with her song. She was defeated by Sasuke's Rage and Red-Eyes. She also wielded a big fan.
He could change his body into the form of the one who is most feared/respected by his opponent. This ability also made it possible for him to copy the abilities of the person who he has replicated. He was defeated by Akira even though Kubira replicated Kyo's true body. Kubira was the father of Antera. He made a deal with the Taishirou to cure Antera's illness. Her illness could not be cured, but it could be "slowed" by returning her body to the age before infection and stopping her aging. Under this deal, the Taishirou made Kubira go "berserk" which made him feel hungry for flesh when he saw someone, even his own daughter. He also had to separate himself from his daughter whose memory was altered to forget him. Kubira died because he violated his deal with the Taishirou.
Haira has two shapes he can assume: a grotesque, obese form (which he favors, believing it to be good-looking) and a much more powerful, slim, handsome one that he assumes when he gets serious. Like the other berserkers, Haira is a cannibal, and all he can think about is food. He forces his victims to play word games with him, with the loser of each round getting assaulted by the winner. He initially got the better of the confused Bontenmaru, but he was eventually forced to change into his handsome form. He was killed after a fierce battle when Bontenmaru unleashed his full power. Haira's attack is called "union core."
The current Aka no Ou is Kyōsaburō, the third of the Red Cross Knights. He is Kyōshirō's older brother and Chinmei's younger brother. Kyousaburou bears an uncanny resemblance to Kyo. He was killed by Kyoshiro after being imprisoned and attempting to open the door to the former Aka no Ou's heart, and his body was reabsorbed by the former Aka no Ou.
The first Aka no Ou is Kyo's direct ancestor and the originator of the Mibu Clan. He is a very powerful spirit who lives in Kyo's sword, Tenrō (Sky Wolf). He witnessed the clan being destroyed by violence and now sees Kyo as the clan's last hope. He showed Kyo how to use the Shin Red Eyes by teaching Kyo the history of the clan, and revealing to Kyo that the Mibu now are mere battle dolls.
The former Aka no Ou (Seiyu in drama CD: Fukuyama Jun) was the Aka no Ou of the previous generation of the Mibu. He was once kind and benevolent but became evil for some unknown reason. He foresaw this change in himself and told both Kyo and Shihōdō to kill him should he ever hurt the Mibu Clan. Aka no Ou was the first of the Battle Dolls created by the true Mibu and the first of the Red Cross Knights. His real name is Kyochiro. Kyochiro is the older brother of Kyōshirō, Chinmei, and Kyōsaburō. It should be noted that he is the greatest master of the Mumyou Jinpu Ryuu. He can execute three Suzaku compared to the normal one. He knows all four of the divine gods. His skills are so high that he can summon many god beasts at once. He finally fights against Kyo and gets hurt. He then tries to become a demon god, the destructive form of true Mibu, but Sasuke and Benitora appear holding the Aka no Ou's heart, which has a cross on it. This cross means that the Aka no Ou is not a true Mibu; therefore, he cannot become a demon god. The Aka no Ou calls back his heart to destroy the Red Tower and dies.
He is extremely powerful and knows every technique that the Mibu have developed. He cannot be killed unless his heart is destroyed.
Of the Sendai Aka no Ou, he was portrayed as a great, mysterious, and benevolent King who doted on children and Kyo and even the defects the Mibu clan created. He was shown to be very affable with children, even playing with them, similar to the first Aka no Ou. He also defeated Hotaru easily, and instead of charging him with high treason, he sent Hotaru out to meet Kyo on the pretext of spying on him. He is always shown to be a mysterious dark figure with his face concealed at the start of the manga.
Later, in volume 27 of the manga when Shinrei was imprisoned, the Sendai Aka no Ou makes his debute as a goofy, happy-go-lucky bookworm hiding in the dungeon to read. He gave Shinrei new hope by asking him for the meaning of a certain phrase, which enlightened Shinrei. He then destroyed the barrier Hishigi set up for Shinrei with ease and set Shinrei free. Shinrei deduces that he is the Sendai Aka no Ou based on the fact that he claims to have sent Kyo out into the world years ago and that he has the power to destroy Hishigi's Taishirou barrier.
The first true display of power comes when the newest Taishirou, Tokito, who is fed up by his goofiness and unseriousness, tries to shame him. He reads her mind easily and with just killing ki defeats her without moving. The next fight he has is when Yukimura tries to save Yuya and Sakuya. Even with Yukimura's wits, strength, and abilities, the Sendai Aka no Ou wins in a playful fashion, the only sign of trouble being that his glasses were cut.
The ageless being Sendai Aka no Ou is ancient beyond imagination. The only other one who is closest to him is Shihoudou, who too is the eldest Taishirou ever. Both of them share a special bond, and the Sendai no Ou made her promise, a promise that he also made with Kyo, to kill him when he became evil. However, Shihoudo who reveres and loves the Sendai Aka no Ou could not bring herself to do it at first.
It is not clear when the change in Sendai no Ou truly began. He had alreadly foreseen himself becoming evil; therefore, he made a pact with Shihoudo and Kyo to kill him. He also cried blood, much like Chinmei, which may show that he has cried so much that there were no more tears left to cry. (This is explained by Chinmei.) A scene around the same time when Kyo was young also showed the Taishirous, including Muramasa, begging the Sendai Aka no Ou to save the race from the terminal disease. His smile was warm, but his voice was cold as he patted Muramusa on the head saying: "Do not worry. When you all die, I will create a new race more perfect and stronger than this one. So, go die peacefully." It could be inferred that at this point evil had risen from the kindness in his heart.
The Red Cross Knights are the personal guards of the Aka no Ou. Created from his flesh and blood, they are much stronger and more faithful than the Taishirou. It should be noted that their true identities are so secretive anyone who wants to know their true identities is immediately ordered, by the Aka no Ou, to be executed. Only select members of the Mibu Clan actually know their true identities.
Mibu Kyōchirō is the former Aka no Ou of the previous generation of the Mibu. He was once kind and benevolent, but became evil for some unknown reason. He was the first of the Battle Dolls created by the true Mibu and the first of the Red Cross Knights. Kyōchirō is the older brother of Kyōshirō, Chinmei, and Kyōsaburō. It should be noted he is the greatest master of the Mumyou Jinpu Ryuu.
Chinmei is in fact Mibu Kyōjirō. Faithful to the Aka no Ou, he worked for him and only him since the beginning. Like Kyōshirō, he massacred thousands of people considered traitors under the command of the Aka no Ou, but his story is sad. His wife had the same fate as Sakuya. She required him to kill her, and Kyōjirō accepted. His wife died, but Aka no Ou did not, and since that day, Kyōjirō kills just to forget. Later when both Kyoshiro and Kyojiro are absorbed by the former Aka no Ou, Kyojiro attempts to stop Kyosaburou from freeing Kyoshiro, only to aid him in his escape saying, "Go back to that world of pain," and to "not give up and become an idiot like me." At this point his tears of blood are replaced by normal tears.
Mibu Kyōsaburō, the third of the Red Cross Knights, is the older brother of Kyōshirō and younger brother of Chinmei. Kyōsaburō is the current Aka no Ou and has red eyes just like Kyo. He was killed by Kyōshirō, and his body was reabsorbed by the former Aka no Ou, Mibu Kyōchirō.
Main article: Mibu Kyoshiro
The Taishirō are the bodyguards of the Aka no Ou. They swore allegiance and fidelity to him. The Imperial Guards are the personal guards of the Taishirou. Their powers are much more powerful than some of the Goyosei.
Fubuki (Seiyu: Tobita Nobuo) was once Muramasa's best friend. He was a kinder man before Muramasa left the Mibu. Fubuki is not interested in maintaining the mutual relationship between the Mibu and the humans. He doesn't care about the many lives that will be lost once he starts a war between the two forces. Fubuki is also the teacher of Shinrei. He wielded the powers of water and wood. He is a master of Mumyo Saigyoryuu, just like his student Shinrei only Fubuki is far more powerful than Shinrei. Fubuki is also Muramasa's brother-in-law from his marriage to Hitoki, Muramasa's sister. Despite her ill health, Hitoki bore Fubuki a daughter, Tokito, though Tokito plays off as Muramasa's son.
Fubuki dies when he impales himself with Shinrei's sword. However, before dying he entrusts the Mibu Clan to Shinrei and asks Kyo to take care of Tokito. As he asks a crying Tokito to see her face one last time, the former Aka no Ou launches a deadly attack at her but Fubuki gets in the away, finally dying, much to Tokito's, Shinrei's, and Kyo's dismay.
One of the Taishirou. He is also called 'doctor' because he is the smartest among the Taishirou and is in charge of the experiments to find the cure for the Mibu Death Disease. He, Fubuki, and Muramasa were once good friends. Hishigi chose to stay with Fubuki and the Mibu when Muramasa left. While still trying to find the cure, unfortunately, Hishigi is also infected with the Death Disease. In order to continue his lifespan, he had to place part of a Medusa Eye in his body. To conserve the energy of his Medusa Eye, he has to wear a mask that covers half of his face. This is because if the Eye's energy is depleted he will die. He wields a huge sword named “Hakuya” which means “White Night” which has the ability to perform a slash at the speed of light, which he used against Yuan, another one of the Taishirou. Before Hishigi died, he transferred his memories to Akari (Ashura) so that s/he might continue his research of finding the Death Disease's cure then transfered his hearts into Fubuki to keep him from dying during his fight with Kyo.
Hishigi was once the head of the Four Elders at one point in time.
When the Devil Eye is activated, it takes over Akari's body and transforms him/her into Ashura. As Ashura, he loses all reasoning and obeys only Hishigi. His left arm is transformed into a sword. The sword is capable of turning people into stone when it touches them.
Tokito (時人) is known as the son of Muramasa, but he hates his father, whom he regards as a traitor. He is able to determine the destiny of people using tarot cards and the candles of fate. Immature and cruel, he enjoys the misfortune of others. In spite of his youth, he seems very strong, as he can stop Bontenmaru's Kosoga with only three fingers. He also has the last Muramasa, Hokuto Shichisei, which is a twin sword.
In truth, Tokito is a girl who grew up playing as a boy. She is the daughter of Fubuki and Hitoki and is Muramasa's niece. She is defeated by Akira and joins Kyo's group. After the death of her father, she was terrified of the idea of being completely alone; however, both Julian and Botenmaru claim that she belongs to "their" family.
Yuan (Seiyu in Drama CD: Okiayu Ryoutarou) is one of the Taishirou. He was the teacher of Keikoku (Hotaru), who called Yuan "Yun-Yun". In the manga, Yuan was blindfolded to conceal the powers of the Red Eyes from other Clan members. He is an expert in Taijutsu (hand to hand combat). In the battle with Keikoku, his Taijutsu proved to be one of his deadliest techniques. Later, in the battle with Hishigi, it was revealed that his ultimate technique is a combination of a sword technique, Taijutsu, and a flame oriented technique, the same technique he taught to Keikoku. Yuan seems to care for Hotaru like a son although he has a harsh way of showing it.
Along with Tokito, he is one of the Taishirou survivors.
Anthony
Anthony is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan. He handles needles very well and can look after wounds and reveal the potential force within people. He is able to speak with his sword and is Yuan's first younger brother. He reveals the potential force within Hotaru, Shinrei, and Benitora following his defeat against Hotaru.
Anna
Anna is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's first younger sister. She is the chef of the family. She often yells after cooking. That is why her siblings are frightened of her, including Yuan.
Anjelica
Anjelica is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's second younger sister. She is the pretty one in the family. She helps Anna do chores, such as the laundry.
After Shinrei comments that Yuan is a "good older brother," she claims that he is also a "good older brother" to Hotaru.
Kirian
Kirian is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's younger brother. He's one of the quintuplets (Kirian, Yurian, Lilian, Erian, and Marian). He always fights with his brother, Yurian.
Yurian
Yurian is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's younger brother. He's one of the quintuplets (Kirian, Yurian, Lilian, Erian, and Marian). He always fights with his brother, Kirian.
Erian
Erian is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's younger brother. He's one of the quintuplets (Kirian, Yurian, Lilian, Erian, and Marian). He has a beard.
Marian
Marian is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's younger sister. She's one of the quintuplets (Kirian, Yurian, Lilian, Erian, and Marian). She and Lilian start to take care of their weight after Hotaru leaves them.
Lilian
Lilian is one of the Imperial Guards of Yuan and is Yuan's younger sister. She's one of the quintuplets (Kirian, Yurian, Lilian, Erian, and Marian). She and Marian start to take care of their weight after Hotaru leaves them.
Ian is the mother of Yuan and is Julian's wife. A former Taishirō, she was very powerful and was killed for knowing something she should not have known. Ian was very proud of her son Yuan. She put a stringcourse over his eyes so that nobody would discover that he had the red eyes.
Muramasa (Seiyu: Kazuhiko Inoue) is a blacksmith and the maker of the famous Muramasa swords. He was a former Taishirou. Muramasa crafted Kyo's, Sasuke's and Benitora's legendary weapons. However, he carries a heavy burden of guilt for what the Mibu have done and, in Kyo, he saw the fall of the Mibu. He left the Mibu to teach Kyo, whom he loves as a son. (Kyo was then called the Demon Child due to the unknown manner of his birth and the fact that as soon as he was born, the Mibu stopped being able to have children.)
Muramasa married a woman named Mayumi and stayed with her and her younger sister, Mahiro, in the mountains. He finally finds happiness with Mayumi but it is short-lived, as she is assassinated. Mahiro at first believes it was Kyo and thus swears to kill him, but it is later revealed to be Chinmei.
Muramasa is several hundred years old, but appears young due to a technique called "Sei", used by Mibu elders to stay alive indefinitely. Unfortunately for Muramasa, even his Sei is being wasted away by a deadly illness. He has attained Satori, which allows him to read the thoughts of others. He is also a powerful swordsman, as strong as Kyo. The illness is later reveal to be called the Death Disease, a design flaw in all Mibu constructs. The disease disintegrates their bodies.
Before catching the Death Disease, Muramasa was probably the most powerful Mibu. Even Kyo admits that Muramasa was above him.
Anri
Anri appears during the flashback of chapter 201. Muramasa charged him with involving Yukimura. Anri teaches the Sekireigan (which the reason for his nickname, the Terrible One) to Yukimura. Anri is the Imperial Guard of Muramasa, and when Muramasa dies, Anri's only objective is to get his family to a safe place. He is the first son of Julian and Ian.
Shihoudou is the eldest Taishirou who appears in the manga. The Aka no Ou completely relies on her and makes her promise to kill him if he ever became corrupted. Unable to kill him, she decides to stay underground, where the failures of the Mibu Clan are thrown. In spite of her appearance, she is frightening, and one should not underestimate her. Her hat is believed to weigh 1,000 tons. She has mastered her Kusanagi sword, in which the Eight Headed Snake lives.
Although she appears to be an idiotic, vulgar, nonsensible woman on the outside, she is actually very passionate and emotional. Instances that suggest this include: she allowed Muramasa to take Kyo away, resulting in a beating that immobilized her body for three months; she also memorized each of the failures in the underground dungeon, built graves for them, and covered the lands with mushroom-like clouds.
She respects and secretly loves the Sendai Aka no Ou. However, she could never face her feelings for him and spent her time weeping underground when the Sendai Aka no Ou asked her to kill him.
Using her own Red Eyes, she managed to pierce her blade straight through the Sendai Aka no Ou's body, but to no avail... he could not be killed so simply. The Sendai Aka no Ou then proceeded to attack her to 'thank her for trying so hard to honor their promise'.
At the final death of the Sendai Aka no Ou, he fell to the bottom-most pit of the tower, the underground dungeon. There he landed in the graveyard of cloud-mushrooms and cried blood once last time before perishing in a shower of rubble and cloud-mushrooms. Shihoudou felt his death and hesistated for a moment.
In the epilogue, Shihoudou was lazing in a field of new cloud-mushrooms and a newly erected grave bore the hat of the Sendai Aka no Ou.
Goyōsei (literally Five Shining Stars) are the group of five who rank below the Taishirō. Their duty is to carry out the orders of their superiors in the hierarchy. All five have their element tattooed on their necks.
(Seiyu: Madono Mitsuaki) Supposedly an advocate for love and peace, the violent Chinmei is actually a Red Cross Knight and was most recognizable for dressing like a hippie. Chinmei is one of the Red Cross Knights, created from the flesh and blood of the former Aka no Ou. He cannot be killed with a normal sword, only with a true Muramasa.
In the Mibu Clan, he became the joker for the former Aka no Ou and gave very useful information about Kyo, Kyoshiro, the Goyōsei, and the Taishirō. He also become one of the five members of the Goyōsei, and his speciality is in controlling the Earth (Mumyo Dai'onryu). He never uses a weapon in battle but uses two small fans to defend and shoot his techniques. His job was to steal all four of Muramasa's swords, Tenro, Shibien, Hokurakushimon, and Hokuto Shichisei, and bring them to the former Aka no Ou. The former Aka no Ou wants the swords destroyed since they alone can kill or hurt the Red Cross Knights and himself.
Chinmei met Kyo for the first time in Muramasa's house when he killed Mayumi in order to get Tenro. He was then attacked by Kyo who took the Tenro, but he left instantly. The second time he fought Kyo, he lost and was supposedly killed.
During Chinmei's last battle with Yukimura and Sasuke, he showed his Shin Red Eyes, but Sasuke still defeated him with Yukimura. Chinmei is a powerful enemy even for Kyo. Yukimura cut him in half using the Hokuto Shichisei. However, Chinmei survived. He was finally killed when the former Aka no Ou re-absorbed him for more power.
Before Hotaru joined the Shiseiten, he was known as Keikoku of the Five. He joined the Shiseiten as a spy for the Aka no Ou. He controls the element of Fire. He later quits the Goyōsei after Kyo defeats him. Keikoku resigns from his position when Mibu soldiers ordered him to commit suicide. He asked for something to write with and use a brush pen to cross out the 'Fire' sign on his neck then killed all the soldiers in his sight.
The Goyōsei's resurrection specialists. Saishi is the only one of the two who is truly a Goyōsei. She resurrected Saisei (actually Tomoe Gozen), who is a zombie who fights for her. Saisei (Seiyu: Ueda Kana) uses a naginata to fight with; Saishi (Seiyu: Nogawa Sakura) uses her bare fists and brute strength. Combat seems to be a last resort for the two of them, as they usually use zombies to fight their battles. They control the element of Wood. Saisei was killed by Akira, but he respected her since she was fighting so hard so protect Shinrei, whom she secretly loved. Saishi, on the other hand, was viewed as a monster by Akira, and he used his best technique to destroy every cell in her body.
Shinrei (辰伶; Seiyu: Tomokazu Seki) is an ex-member of the Goyōsei who has great loyalty to the Mibu Clan. He hates Kyo for abandoning the Mibu and ruining their plan for domination. He dislikes Hotaru (Keikoku), as the latter always provokes him and has no loyalty to the Mibu.
The eldest son of a noble man of the Mibu and his official wife, Shinrei was the rightful heir of his branch. He has been taught to be totallty loyal to the Mibu and has devoted his life to them. He has a cold and serious personality; though sometimes he loses his cool easily, especially if he is provoked by Hotaru (Keikoku), his rival and half-brother.
Shinrei was told about his relation to Hotaru in his youth. After learning that fact, he has kept his eyes on his little brother from the shadows. It was Shinrei who stopped his father from sending assassins to kill Hotaru and who secretly helped Hotaru participate in the competition for a position in the Goyōsei (which is only open to competitors from noble families of the Mibu). However, he never showed himself as Hotaru's brother until his last fight with Hotaru and Kyo.
Despite their contradiction and contrast, Shinrei and Hotaru hold a strong bond between them, but they consider each other as siblings and rivals. After their final bout, their bond becomes stronger and the two even start to fight together.
Shinrei fights with a "dancing sword technique" as his fight looks much like a dance. The technique is dangerous and nearly overwhelms Kyo. Being of incredible skill, Shinrei's abilities increase as the skills of his opponent increase. The technique is based on a seemingly simple, but rather impossible, practice. He first slashes, and his opponent moves accordingly to counter his attack. While his opponent is moving to counter his attack, Shinrei redirects his attack with near impossible speed so that although it appears as if his opponent is blocking, that opponent will actually get hit instead. This is soon countered by Kyo who simply closes his eyes and "senses" Shinrei's blade. Shinrei was trained personally by Fubuki.
Shinrei's father is the founder of the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu School of Water, so Shinrei controls the element of Water. After Kyo defeats his Dancing Sword Technique and wounds him, Shinrei forms a sword out of his own blood. His ultimate technique is the Mumyou Saikyou Ryuu, the Seven Water Split Dragon.
Shinrei's left eye becomes red in moments of great stress, in contrast to his younger brother.
In the end, it appears that Shinrei becomes the "leader" of the Mibu Clan and rebuilds it along with Yuan's family and the creatures from the forest. In the bonus chapter, it is revealed that he started performing with his water dragons in the rebuilt Water Dance Stage.
A true genius of combat, Taihaku is the head of the Goyōsei. He knows many things about the Mibu Clan and knows Shiina Nozomo very well. He is a very kind person who saves and secretly raises many of the Mibu "rejects". He entered the Mibu when Aka no Ou saved him in the Jiyukai of Aokigahara in the past. He is actually a human whose lifespan was lengthened by the Aka no Ou. He has incredible speed despite his appearance. He managed to severely wound Benitora before he was defeated. He was killed by Fubuki because he "betrayed" the Mibu by wanting to join Kyo in defeating them. Unlike the other four Stars, Taihaku does not hold powers over an element. Though his tattoo is of the character for gold, he doesn't wield a "golden power". Rather, Taihaku is the perfect samurai. His skills, determination, and power is unmatched by all but Benitora.
Hitoki is Muramasa's sister. She is the first of Mibu Clan to get infected by the Death Disease and is the specimen for the reincarnation of the Mibu plan. She was hidden in the Aka no Ou's palace so nobody would know about the Disease. She was married to Fubuki and was the mother of Tokito.
Julian is the blacksmith of the Mibu Clan and also the father of Yuan. Gifted at making weapons, he taught Muramasa how to smith, but his fighting ability is only above average overall. Like his son, Yuan, Julian seeks to avenge his wife, Ian.
Ruru is the little girl who stays with the Sendai Aka no Ou. She chides him constantly about his mistakes, even pushing his head into a pillar. She likes playing with her toys in her left hand, making her one of the few left-handed people in the series. She also brings information to Fubuki and Hishigi. Hishigi mentioned that her brother will destroy his laboratory, although whether he actually did this is still unknown. At the end of the manga, the reason why the Sendai Aka no Ou keeps her around is because she has the antibody to the death diseases (the cure and hope of the Mibu people).
(Seiyu: Yukana Nogami) Sakuya is a very powerful woman within the clan who has won the loyalties of many people, including Sanada Yukimura. She also can predict the future, as she is a seer. She had something to do with the outcome of the Battle of Sekigahara and the appearance of Demon Eyes Kyo. Kyo and Kyoshiro were apparently both in love with her at some point, and in the early part of the series they are actively searching for her.
Shiina Nozomu was killed by Kyoshiro four years ago in front of his adopted sister, Yuya. Nozomu was, in truth, one of the greatest shaman of the Mibu Clan. He took the young Yuya in when she was a child after he found her on the streets. This man knew the valuable secret of the Mibu Clan and it is for that knowledge that he was killed. Before dying, he transmitted this secret to his biological sister, the shaman Sakuya.
See Sanada Yukimura and Jyuuyuushi (Sanada Ten Braves).
Sanada Nobuyuki is Yukimura's older brother and he appears in books 2 and 4. He joined the Tokugawa Clan at Battle of Sekigahara, seeming to betray his brother, which generated much animosity between the siblings. He and Yukimura fight at the Shogun Tournament, and it is later revealed that during the fight he was actually trying to teach Yukimura a lesson. Nobuyuki never betrayed the family as Yukimura thought; he joined the other side so that no matter who becomes the Shogun, the Sanada Clan would be on the winning side and survive.
Mizuki is a friend of Yukimura who is first introduced in a flashback in volume 11. Her main desire is for her father to not be as protective of herself and her mother. Yukimura promises to protect her, but that same evening Tokugawa attacks the city and Yukimura is unable to save Mizuki, who gives him her father's sword before dying in his arms.
Sanada Jyuuyuushi (The Sanada Ten)
The Sanada Jyuuyuushi (真田十勇士) are the ones who have sworn to protect Sanada Yukimura with their lives. The word Jyuuyuushi translates to be "The Ten Braves".
See Sarutobi Sasuke
Kirigakure Saizo (霧隠才蔵) (Seiyu: Takashi Matsuyama) is one of the Sanada Jyuuyuushi and also a very good ninja. He has been devoted to Yukimura since his childhood.
Kosuke (穴山小助); Seiyu: Ogata Megumi) belongs to the Sanada Jyuuyuushi. She is also the female double of Yukimura. Her main responsibility at the beginning is to remain in Kudoyama and take care of Sakuya.
The Remaining Members of the Sanada Ten
Kakei Jūzō
Servant to Sanada Yukimura. He fights Chinmei with the other Sanada Jyuuyuushi.
Miyoshi Isa
Miyoshi Isa is one of the Nyūdos Brothers in the Sanada Jyuuyuushi. He can attack by himself or combine with his brother, Miyoshi Seikai. Together they form a terrible duet able to combine their attacks. They also can form into a single body. Yukimura tells them to wear glasses because their eyes are pretty and their movements always alike. They protected Sakuya in the Red Tower.
Miyoshi Seikai
Miyoshi Seikai is one of the Nyūdos Brothers in the Sanada Jyuuyuushi. He can attack by himself or combine with his brother, Miyoshi Isa. Together they form a terrible duet able to combine their attacks. They also can form into a single body. Yukimura tells them to wear glasses because their eyes are pretty and their movements always alike. They protected Sakuya in the Red Tower.
Mochizuki Rokurō
Servant to Sanada Yukimura. He fights Chinmei with the other Sanada Jyuuyuushi.
Nezu Jinpachi
Jinpachi is quite similar to Kamanosuke. He was a disciple of Shindara when he was still Sasuke of the Sanada Jyuuyuushi. Jinpachi's weapon is attached on his left arm, which looks like a blade of some sort, like two long claws.
Unno Rokurō
Servant to Sanada Yukimura. He is in Mount Kudoyama and acted as lining with Yukimura.
Yuri Kamanosuke
Yuri Kamanosuke appears when Yukimura fights Shindara. She is the cook of the group and her specialty is bear stew. She speaks with an Akita accent. She uses two large scythes as her weapons. Like the other Sanada Jyuuyuushi, Kamanosuke believes in Yukimura and will follow him until death.
Tokugawa Ieyasu is the father of Benitora (Hidetada) and the daimyo of the Tokugawa clan. In the manga, he is portrayed as a middle-aged man and a ruthless daimyo; he pretended to be Hattori Hanzo and used a double to play his role. Following the Shogun Tournament, he reveals himself to Kyo and the others. Later on in the story, he entrusts the Hokuraku Shimon to Benitora and helps Kyo defeat the former Crimson King.
In the anime, however, Ieyasu's appearance is actually his double in the manga, and Hattori Hanzo is Ieyasu himself in the manga. In the anime, Ieyasu turns into a Kenyou and is killed by his son Hidetada (Benitora).
(Seiyu: Takahashi Mikako) Mahiro is Muramasa's sister-in-law. Although they are not blood-related, Mahiro, her sister Mayumi, and Muramasa are like a real family. Four years ago, Mahiro arrived home and saw Kyo beside her sister's dead body, holding a bloody sword in hand. She swore to avenge her sister and became a ninja under Tokugawa Ieyasu. In the anime, she is pregnant 11 years after the battle against Nobunaga (Benitora says to her, "You are responsible for two now.")
Mayumi is Mahiro's sister and was married to Muramasa for a period of time after he escaped from the Mibu clan. She was killed four years ago by Chinmei, not Kyo (as Mahiro believes), before which she gave Kyo his sword, Tenrou (forged by Muramasa). However, Mahiro doesn't find out the truth until much later in the story.
Migeira (Seiyu: Midorikawa Hikaru) is not featured in the manga. He has short snow-white hair, two different colored eyes (one blue and one red), and wears a futuristic caped uniform with a dark purple bandanna covering the lower part of his face. His weapon, one of the Five Muramasas, is a 5-barreled gun called the Hashagou that he wears on his right arm. Its ammunition seems to be his soul or spiritual power. Migeira says that the first Muramasa was taken to China, and changed by Western alchemists into the form of a gun that he later tracked down. He also has the ability to see "the future" (or more correctly, the proper timeline that historically "should" have happened) and belongs to Kyou no Miyako, a secret order dedicated to governing the path of history. Because Kyo inhabits a body with two souls, this has caused a disturbance in the time line that Migeira seeks to rectify. He seems nonchalant most of the time, but sometimes gives wise advice to the characters or speaks passionately about his own sense of justice.
Jimon is a minor character and is one of the first to reveal Demon Eyes Kyo. Kyo shamed him at the Battle of Sekigahara by not killing him and by looking down on him like he was worthless trash. He took a job as a yojimbo to a local Daikan and killed 107 people to perfect his technique and be ready to face Kyo again to regain his honor. He is a master of Hien Ken, a move that allows him to draw his sword and strike three times in the blink of an eye. Kyo challenged him to a drawing match, although Kyo's sword was almost twice as long and had no sheath. Kyo allowed Jimon to draw first, then easily kills Jimon by cutting Jimon almost in half.
During the Battle of Sekigahara, a shooting star fell, turning the tide of victory to the Eastern Army. Also, the explosion turned humans into monsters called Kenyou. Many characters in the anime are Kenyou. (Anime only)
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