This article lists major characters from the anime and manga Samurai Deeper Kyo
Demon Eyes Kyo (鬼眼の狂 Onime-no-Kyō) is a legendary man, known for his red, demon-like eyes, and called the "Thousand Slayer" for killing over one thousand samurai during the Battle of Sekigahara before being defeated by a young man named Mibu Kyoshiro. After being defeated, his mind fused with Mibu, and his body was hidden away somewhere in the forest of Aokigahara. He is very sadistic and enjoys slaughtering anyone. Over time, his bloodlust slowly decreases, though he still kills without mercy. It continues to peak at times, though training with Muramasa helps fully calm him. During this time period when he first meets Yuya, he finds himself very protective over her, though handling it in a very childish manner. Such as calling her "Dog face" and " Ugly". Though it is stated by Kyoshiro, that he indeed likes Yuya, in the Manga only.
Kyo's weapon is Tenro, one of the "Four Great Demon Blades." It was forged by Muramasa, and it is nearly unbreakable. His sword style is The Sword of a Devilish Wind (無明神風流殺人剣 Mumyou Jinpuu Ryuu Satsujin Ken), which was taught to him by Muramasa. It teaches standard fencing skills and defense, but they are far more powerful than any of the skills of other sword styles. It is the most powerful sword school in the Mibu Clan. It utilizes attacks that can cut air and create illusions. He later learns a higher form of the style that utilizes the Four Symbols (Genbu, Seiryuu, Byakko, Suzaku and even Kouryuu), manifesting a number of different powers based upon the creatures.
Kyo is the last remaining True Mibu and has the True Red eyes, which allows him to turn into a Battle God or Demon God. After he turns into the Battle God and suppresses his battle lust, he is granted the mark, and thus the title of the Aka no Ou. Kyo was born in the Mibu village and was friends with the former Aka no Ou. Once the Aka no Ou turned evil, Muramasa took Kyo from the village so that he may grow up to be the 'hope' of the Mibu clan. Kyo travelled the world and formed the Shiseiten in order to become strong enough to return to the Mibu village and defeat the former Aka no Ou. By the end of the series, he is acknowledged as the strongest fighter in the series. In the bonus chapter of the manga Yuya and Kyo live together.
Mibu Kyoshiro (壬生京四郎 Mibu Kyōshirō) ; (English anime: Kyoshiro Mibu,[1]; Seiyu: Katsuyuki Konishi, 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 and are far more dangerous than they appear.
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 the manga, Kyoshiro has the ability to transfer human souls. He uses this to transfer Kyo's soul into his own body while hiding Kyo's 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 is in love with, and implied in the anime, along with Kyo before the battle of Sekigahara. It is seen in the manga that he had always been in love with Sakuya and Kyo is a dear, close friend who cares for them both. In both the anime and manga, he cares greatly for Yuya and would do anything to protect her, saying he will not let Kyo have her. Also, it is noted 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, in the anime. In the manga, he only became friendly with Sakuya's influence. 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.
In the end of the manga it is shown that Kyoshiro is living with Sakuya and visits Yuya and Kyo.
Shiina Yuya (椎名 ゆや); (English anime: Yuya Shiina,[1] 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 would not 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. At the very end of the manga, Yuya is searching for Kyo and in the bonus chapter Kyo and Yuya live together.
At the end of the anime, Yuya is shown to make a decision about choosing Kyo or Kyoshiro, but it is not fully explained who she chooses.
Izumo no Okuni (出雲の阿国 Izumo no Okuni) is the best informer in Japan. She adores Kyo obsessively, to the point that to be hated by him would make her happy. That said, she joined the Jūnishinshō as Indara II, 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 them, merely hints at them. When the group separated she went to Kyoto. She finds Akira in Kyoto and offers him her own life in exchange for Kyo's real body; however, Akira doesn't kill her, instead sending Okuni to infiltrate the Mibu land to find information. Akira promises he will guard Kyo during that time.
In the Mibu arc she appeared shortly when she successfully infiltrated Mibu land. She was caught by Taihaku and engaged him in a short battle, during which she revealed her weapon, "Tekogen" (iron string). She was not victorious as, at a point in the battle, Taihaku told her to stop fighting. Taihaku then allowed her to escape. She then rejoins with the group, her body wounded, stating that Kyo's body is on Taishiro's hand. When the group split into four she advanced with Sasuke to fight against the Jūnishinshō. She witnessed Sasuke fight his old friend, Makora (Kotaro), and the real Indara. After Makora brutal death by Indara, she cried and said that Makora once said to her that the creatures that Mibu Clan creates are like fireworks: even though they live a short life they fight hard as long as they can so that they can shine brightly. After the fight she once again left Sasuke to continue gathering information.
She had relatively minor role in Mibu arc. In the final battle she, as Yukimura asked her, led the large group of reinforcements, consisting of Tokugawa, Date and the Sanada army. Anri, Ieyasu Tokugawa and Nobuyuki Sanada also came to help.
In the bonus chapter it is shown that Yuya has a love potion, given to her by Okuni, that Bontenmaru trying to steal.
The true identity of Benitora (紅虎 Benitora (lit. Red Tiger)); (Seiyu: Toshihiko Seki) 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 a former fellow disciple of his master, Mekira II. 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.
He had a great part in Mibu arc, he fought Taihaku, the leader of Goyosei and won. He also fight against Crimson Tower army while his friend Akira battled with Tokito. In the last battle he and Sasuke successfully retrieved the Crimson King heart.
In the bonus chapter he continued study to lead Japan in future with Mahiro in his side. It is earlier implied in his fight against the real Kubira that it's Mahiro, not Yuya, that he really has feelings for.
Sanada Yukimura (真田 幸村); (English anime: Yukimura Sanada,[1] Seiyu: Megumi Ogata) 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 a team of elite ninja called the Sanada Jūyūshi: Sarutobi Sasuke, Saizo, and his kagemusha 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.
When he was young, his childhood girlfriend was killed in a massacre that could have been avoided, but was not for strategic reasons. He seems to have greatly admired the Toyotomi clan's founder, Hideyoshi, when he talked about his past, and the reason to his other given name Toyotomi Nobushige (豊臣信繁).
In volume 26, he fights and defeats Shindara. He also fights Kyo to a draw in volume 27, both of them using their most powerful techniques, however Kyo is not in his true body, nor has he awakened his true red eyes. Yukimura shows big progress throughout the story, but most of it occurs off the page, with Yukimura simply leaving the main party and returning a stronger warrior. He trains with Anri, one of Muramasa's guards, who teaches him the Sekireigan (Eye of the Sekirei). With this he is able to move extremely fast and attack from many angles simultaneously. He later faces both Chinmei and the Former Crimson King himself, though he loses to the King, he is able to defeat Chinmei with the help of Sasuke and the Jyuyushi. Although he is not on Kyo nor Kyoshiro's level at the end, he is clearly as strong as the Four Emperors.
Yukimura is renowned for his casual, cheerful demeanour; he is almost always seen with a smile and often seems very preoccupied with seducing beautiful women and drinking sake. He is thirty-seven years old, and attributes his youthful appearance to good skin care. Despite this, he can be terrifying when he is enraged. He is also notable for his treatment of his ninja followers, whom he cares about and respects deeply as members of his family. As a result, the Jūyūshi are not only loyal to him, but care about him personally.
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. He is only 12 years old, but even though he is young, he is very great at handling a sword. 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 lightning 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 Pegasus that burns all it touches when it returns to heaven.
Also, it was seen in one of Sasuke's battles that he has the same red eyes as Kyo.
The Four Emperors (四圣天 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 defeated every nation in Japan. 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 (明 (アキラ)) Seiyu: Sōichirō Hoshi 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 Getten, 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 temperature 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.)
Akira's story in the anime is very different from in the manga, where he kidnaps Kyo's body and then has an unexpected change of heart about his former compatriot. He is attacked and left to burn in Kyoto's ruins by Hotaru, and is heavily implied to have died.
Bontenmaru (梵天丸) (Seiyu in drama CD: Norio Wakamoto) 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 (伊達 政宗), 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: Takehito Koyasu) - 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) because 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 centred 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), Mao 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, Keikoku kien [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 acts 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 finger), and various others.
Hotaru's right eye becomes red whenever his subconscious is awakened.
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 rivalry. 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: Kotono Mitsuishi) is a male transvestite. Her birth name is Mitarai Toukichirou. Although she is thought less skilled at fighting than the other Emperors when she first appears, her magical abilities are on par with the other Shiseiten and she is later revealed to be a superb swordswoman. She can manipulate ki, enabling quick healing and unlimited fighting energy, although she cannot use her abilities on herself. She also wields the Devil Eye, an ancient weapon embedded in her gloved left hand, that turns everyone who makes eye contact with it into dust, though Akari hates using it because she feels it is only a tool for murder and has no place in honourable battles. The Devil Eye also serves as a barrier by protecting its bearer from harmful spells. In the fight against Mekira I, the berserker used his Medusa Eyes (a lesser version of the Devil Eye that turns its victims to stone) on Akari, only to fail. Akari then used the Devil Eye on Mekira which turned him to dust. She is often used as comic relief. She uses a shakujou, a staff with bells and rings at the top. Once, she made Kyo promise to marry her if she ever landed a hit on him, but she is unsuccessful in the series.
She first appeared in volume 22 of the manga. In that volume, she also revealed her past, where she was raised as a female even though she was born male since traits like hers were often stronger in women. Often she was treated as a demon due to her powers, or people simply got close to her just to use her powers. She was 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 her and to awaken her true powers. When activated, the Devil Eye takes over Akari and transforms her into Ashura. Kyo kills the Devil Eye by showing it a reflection of itself, from which point on Akari is free of control.
Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長); Seiyu Shō 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 child Kyo at Honnoji Temple, years before the Battle of Seikigahara. Since he was important to the Mibu's plans, the Mibu Clan resurrected him in Lord Torii's (Benitora's uncle) body. Lord Torii's body was given to the Mibu by Kyoshiro who then implanted Oda Nobunaga's soul into the body. 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 off of his horse. The fight resulted in the death of Oda Nobunaga, in the anime. In the manga, Yukimura requests that Kyo let the wounded Oda Nobunaga go. Kyo kills him in their next battle. Shindara takes Nobunaga's head to the Mibu, who then resurrect him, this time in Shiina Nozomu's body, so Nozomu's memories can be accessed by Nobunaga who will also be able to use Nozumi's powers. Nobunaga fights Kyo for the fourth time; during which Oda revives the members of the Jūnishinshō defeated so far, using Nozumi's shaman powers. He is once again defeated, only to reveal that he was just like the rest of the group (via Sasuke's remark); a man looking to be the strongest, to have no fear, and create his own path in the world. A world supposedly of 'peace' (a world under his control). The manga leans towards explaining Nobunaga's attraction to Kyo (his fearless eyes) and how Kyo seemed to be the reason Nobunaga felt moved by humanity, and strived to be the strongest. He tells Kyo that he will return again, because that has been him will all along, to defeat Kyo. Kyo accepts this challenge.
The encounter with Shiina Nozomu and the background story of Nobunaga does not occur in the anime. Instead, Nobunaga's sister takes the place of Nozomu, as Shatora, the leader of the Jūnishinshō. She resurrects her brother from Lord Torii to a tree then into Kyo's body. Nobunaga has a simple character role of someone who has gone insane and only wants to take over the world.
The Twelve Gods (十二神将 Jūnishinshō (lit. Twelve Holy Generals)) are the twelve warriors (exactly sixteen with the four demons) 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 Jūnishinshō, as they were imprisoned for their insatiable bloodlust at the time. In the Four Demons Arc, the aforementioned Jūnishinshō then appear as the antagonists.
Ajira (頞儞羅), whose identity remains unknown to the end of the series, was killed by Akira who took his name in order to get closer to Demon Eyes Kyo.
Antera (安底羅) is one of the Juunishinshou. 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 Kubira I 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.
Basara (伐折羅) is 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.
Bikara (毘羯羅), 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. Despite his massive size and extremely macho appearance, Bikara is extremely effeminate and very girlish and seems to be jealous of actual women. He is also gay, since he proclaims himself to be in love with the sleeping Kyo and implies that he finds Sasuke attractive too.
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, although he did seem to self-cauterize a severed arm during battle.
In the English dub he is said to be a living relative of Oda Nobunaga and of Noble blood.
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.
Makora (摩虎羅), whose real name was Fuuma Kotarou (風魔小太郎 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 was simply defending himself, but all Kotarou could remember 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.
In the anime, Makora lives and joins Sanada Yukimura and Sasuke's forces in their fight against Benitora and his forces.
Fake Mekira: Learned the ways of Shikage Ryuu alongside Benitora sometime in the past. 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, ripping out half of Mekira's stomach. He wielded a large scythe.
Even though she is just a child, Santera (珊底羅) has a powerful ability. She emits a powder that melts 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.
Shatora (招杜羅) is the leader of the Jūnishinshō, the foster-brother of Shiina Yuya, and the real brother of Sakuya: Nozomu. He was killed by Mibu Kyoshiro (who was tricked into doing so) 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 anime, Shatora is the sister of Nobunaga Oda who is in love with her own brother and supports him in his goal of turning the world into " a hell of battles " so they can be together as lovers in the new world. She is a skilled swordswoman and magician who has the ability to create artificial bodies and transfer human souls, which she uses to revive her brother, first in his tree body and then later in Kyo's body.
In the past, when he belonged to the "Sanada Jūyūshi", Shindara (真達羅) 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 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 (迷企羅) 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, Indara (因陀羅) 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 and had a tendency to repeat herself.
Kubira (宮毘羅) 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 whom 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 (波夷羅) has two shapes he can assume: a grotesquely obese form (which he favors, believing it to be good-looking) and a slim handsome one, which is actually much more powerful, 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 Crimson King (红の王 Aka no Ō) is Kyōsaburō, the third of the Red Cross Knights, created by the Former Crimson King. He is Kyōshirō's older brother and Chinmei's younger brother, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Kyo. A kind King, his power was revoked and returned to the Former Crimson King, most likely do to his refusal to experiment on others to improve the Mibu Clan. He was killed by Kyoshiro after he was imprisoned, but attempted to open the door to the Former King's secret. After his death, the Former King reabsorbed his body into his own; however, near the end of the manga, he returns to Kyoshiro in spirit inside of the Former King to help him return to his body (Kyoshiro being absorbed by the Former King later on with Chinmei). Before he helps he tells Kyoshiro,"You are just as kind as he once was. You must forgive him, for he, more than anyone, wished for peace." He refers to how the Former Crimson King was before his corruption.
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 reveals himself to Kyo during his battle with Fubuki, and tells Kyo of the history of the Mibu Clan; of how it was once kind, prosperous, and powerful, but had degraded into a city of death and destruction created from their warring on each other. It was during this time that the True Mibu created Battle Dolls, much like the current Mibu's mutant experiments except for one major difference; these Dolls were given copy powers of the Red Eyes. By the end of the war, only a few True Mibu stood among several Battle Dolls. These dolls' descendants are now the Current Mibu, who are dying of a incurable disease. He then goes on to show Kyo how to use the True Red Eyes, and tells him that he is the last hope of the Mibu Clan.
"I cannot be King if I do not know all of the Techniques of my subjects..."
The former Aka no Ou (Seiyu in drama CD: Jun Fukuyama) was of the previous generation of the Mibu. He was once kind and benevolent but became evil, most likely due to his near immortal status, which slowly drove him insane (such as Chinmei, who lost nearly any capability to feel, thus killing to keep his sanity). 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 Kyoichiro. Kyoichiro is the father of Kyōshirō, Chinmei, and Kyōsaburō, who are all his clones. 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 after the fight against Kyoushiro, and uses several high-level techniques to kill Kyo; at one point, the Former King re-absorbed the bodies and blood of his Red Knights, further increasing his own power with the return of his blood. Even though the Former King became very powerful, Kyo turned into a true demon (due to his sword), and was then thoroughly wounded. 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, but instead the First Red Cross Knight, Mibu Kyouichirou; therefore, he cannot become a true Red Eyes demon god, such as Kyo. The Aka no Ou calls back his heart in an attempt end to his own life, destroying the Red Tower as well as himself.
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 26 of the manga when Shinrei was imprisoned, the Sendai Aka no Ou makes his debute as a happy-go-lucky goofy 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 lack of seriousness, 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, Shihoudou 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, but he reveals that it started because he gradually grew disgusted with the inherent flaws in human nature, especially the human love of violence. He had already foreseen himself becoming evil; therefore, he made a pact with Shihoudo and Kyo to kill him. He also cried blood, much like Chinmei, an allusion to the idea that both men had lost so much (literally and emotionally) that there was nothing left inside spiritually. 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 which would eventually exterminate all of them. 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. Clones who were created from his flesh and blood, they are much stronger and more faithful than the Taishirou. 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 Kyōichirō is the former Aka no Ou of the previous generation of the Mibu. He was once kind and benevolent, but became evil ostensibly because of sheer boredom, but actually because he had lost faith in humanity after centuries of years of witnessing the dark side of human nature. He was the first of the Battle Dolls created by the true Mibu and the first of the Red Cross Knights. Kyōichirō is the father of Kyōshirō, Chinmei, and Kyōsaburō, who are all his clones. He is the greatest master of the Mumyou Jinpu Ryuu.
Shown as a Five Stars member, Chinmei is in fact Mibu Kyōjirō, the Joker for the King, the 2nd Red Cross Knight. He utilizes the power of gravity to deliver devastating blows to his enemies, several of whom were underlings or former allies. Shown as a ruthless killer that uses a mask that asks for "Love and Peace" as he does his duty to himself or to his King. Faithful to the Aka no Ou, he has worked for him and only him since the beginning, until he wishes to bring back his lover. Like Kyōshirō, he massacred thousands of people considered traitors under the command of the Aka no Ou, but his story is sad. His lover, a seer, had the same fate as Sakuya. She implored him to kill her, in order to end all the suffering, and Kyōjirō reluctantly complied. His lover died, but Aka no Ou did not; although he knows of what he wishes, the resurrection of her, he as nearly all but forgotten how he felt about her as well as most of his memories of her. In order to keep his sanity, Chinmei creates as many games as possible for himself in order to feel any emotion. 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, but had inherited the title of the Crimson King. Kyōsaburō is the current Aka no Ou and has red eyes just like Kyo. He introduced Kyoshiro to Sakuya, but was later killed by Kyōshirō (who was under the thrall of the Former Aka no Ou, Mibu Kyoichiro) when he tried to discover the Former Crimson King's greatest secret. His death shocks Kyoshiro in breaking free of the mind-control and causes him to flee the Mibu with Sakuya. Kyosaburo's body was then reabsorbed by the Former Aka no Ou, Mibu Kyōichirō, but later on returns in spirit inside the Former King's body to help Kyoshiro return to his own body after being reabsorbed. He was the one who secretly taught Muramasa the Mibu Jinpuu Ryuu, which he called "a technique to kill God (the Former Crimson King)", just before he was killed.
The Four Elders (太四老 Taishirō (lit. Grand Four Elders) 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: Nobuo Tobita) 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 transferred his hearts into Fubuki to keep him from dying during his fight with Kyo. It is revealed in his memories that he had secretly fallen in love with Akari during their time together, but chose not to do anything about it as he knew he was already dying.
Hishigi was once the head of the Four Elders at one point in time.
Tokito (時人) is known as the child of Muramasa, but Tokito really hates him, whom Tokito regards as a traitor. Tokito is able to determine the destiny of people using tarot cards and the candles of fate. Immature and cruel, Tokito enjoys the misfortune of others. In spite of being young, Tokito seems very strong, as being able to stop Bontenmaru's Kosoga with only three fingers. Tokito also has the last Muramasa sword, 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. She falls in love with Akira for beating her and becomes his stalker. 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: Ryōtarō Okiayu) is one of the Taishirou. He was the teacher of Keikoku (Hotaru), who called Yuan "Yun-Yun". Yuan has a rather relaxed attitude and tends to joke around though he is incredibly powerful. In the manga, Yuan is blind and wears a blind fold to conceal his Red Eyes trait. Although known primarily for his skills in Taijutsu and flame techniques, he later reveals a hidden mastery of swordsmanship, which he uses in tandem with the former two disciplines to create a formidable fighting style. His deadliest power is Genshigo, the power of illusions; using it he can fool opponents into believing they have incurred injuries far more intense than they have actually sustained in reality. Yuan seems to care for Hotaru like a son although he has a harsh way of showing it. Later in the manga, it is revealed that Yuan actually hates the Crimson King and never wanted to become a Taishirou. He only did this to protect his family and learn about the secret of his mother's death, the former leader of the Taishirou.
Along with Tokito, he is one of the Taishirou survivors.
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 (村正) (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. After helping Kyo in his mission, he dies of the disease and crumbles away into the wind above his wife's grave.
Before catching the Death Disease, Muramasa was probably the most powerful Mibu. Even Kyo admits that Muramasa was above him.
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, nonsensical 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 hesitated 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.
The Five Stars (五燿星 Goyōsei (lit. Five Shining Stars)) is 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: Mitsuaki Madono)
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.
It is revealed that he loved the former seer (the seer before Sakuya), and that he cherished her very much. However, she, being able to see the future, was afraid of the destruction she might help cause due to the Aka no Ou, pleaded Chinmei to kill her, to which he regrettably complied. He cries blood, claiming that he has cried so much that he has run out of tears. He reveals to Kyoshiro that he had given up in living in this world because he didn't want to remember any of the painful things that had happened to him.
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 short sword that Muramasa made for Yuya. However, Chinmei survived. He was finally killed when the former Aka no Ou reabsorbed him for more power. Before fully dying, he aids Kyoshiro in escaping from inside the former Aka no Ou's body, telling Kyoshiro to not be a fool like him and protect Sakuya with all his might, something that Chinmei failed to do for his dead lover.
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 dressed like nurses. 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: Kana Ueda) uses a naginata to fight with; Saishi (Seiyu: Sakura Nogawa) 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, including a few legendary warriors as well as naked and cannabilistic women.. They control the element of Wood. Saisei was killed by Akira after he defeated her ability to warp damage to her opponent, but he respected her since she was fighting so hard to 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 after she used a bunny-girl costume and physical attacks.
They are significantly different in the anime, except in appearance. Saisei and Saishi are "living dolls" that have many copies that try to overwhelm Kyo and even attack Yuya. Eventually Saisei transforms her clothes into armor and a naginata (just like the manga), and absorbs Yuyu. Yuya while inside the void inside Saisei is able to destroy Saisei's core, and later Saishi's core with her gun. There is no mention of Saisei being Tomoe Gozen in the anime.
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 totally 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.
Saisei's death along with Taihaku's regularly pushes Shinrei to fight.
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 (太白) 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) Sakuya is a very powerful woman within the clan who has won the loyalties of many people, including Sanada Yukimura. She can predict the future, as she is a seer. Her brother, Shiina Nozumi, being a shaman, could see into a person's past. She had something to do with the outcome of the Battle of Sekigahara and the appearance/disappearance of Demon Eyes Kyo. In the anime, she is shown using her powers physically, and it is heavily implied that both Kyo and Kyoshiro were apparently in love with her at some point, as she was with them; in the early part of the series they are actively searching for her.
In the manga, she does not show any physical manifestations of power. It is clarified that she had always been in love with Kyoshiro, not Kyo, and remains in love with Kyoshiro while being worried over Kyo. Kyo is, however, seen as a dear friend to her and Kyoshiro. She is yet again, shown as the initial reason for the disagreement, and eventually the body stealing/soul swapping, between Kyo and Kyoshiro.
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 Juuyuushi (Sanada Ten Braves).
Sanada Nobuyuki (真田信之) 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.
Since Nobuyuki and Yukimura both give their ages as thirty-seven and appear virtually identical, they may be twins.
In the anime, he has defected from the Sanada family to become the loyal retainer of Benitora, who stopped him from committing seppuku after his failure caused the Tokugawa clan a major strategic defeat just before the battle at Sekigahara. He fights his brother in the tournament at the capital but loses. In the end of the show, he continues to fight by Benitora's side as his lieutenant even against his own family when the other clans rebel against the Shogunate.
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; it's strongly hinted that she and Yukimura were falling in love with each other. 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. She correctly predicts that he will become much stronger and that there are people who need him.
Her death prompts Yukimura's inner "dragon" to awaken and turns him into a fierce "demon" who punishes evil. Even twenty years after her death, Yukimura and Saizo still mourn her and Yukimura still carries the sword she gave him.
The Sanada Ten Braves (真田十勇士 Sanada Jūyūshi) are the ones who have sworn to protect Sanada Yukimura with their lives.
See Sarutobi Sasuke
Kirigakure Saizo (霧隠才蔵 Kirigakure Saizō) (Seiyu: Takashi Matsuyama) is one of the Sanada Jyuuyuushi and also a very good ninja. He has been devoted to Yukimura since his childhood, and will even turn against other members of the Sanada clan to protect his master. He has even been critically injured defending Yukimura in battle.
Despite his devotion to Yukimura, Saizo is often exasperated by his master's casual attitude and often worries about him. But he respects and fears Yukimura's abilities and ultimately will do anything he says, and his selfless devotion has also earned Yukimura's respect and caring.
In the anime adaptation, it is strongly implied that Saizo harbors a romantic crush on Yukimura.
Kosuke (穴山小助); Seiyu: Megumi Ogata) 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.
In the anime, it is shown that she is in love with her master.
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 is in Mount Kudoyama and acted as lining with Yukimura.
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 fights Chinmei with the other Sanada Jyuuyuushi.
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, a fat balding lieutenant of the Tokugawa clan, 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 that of double in the manga, and the Hattori Hanzo in the anime is the real Ieyasu himself in the manga. In the anime, Ieyasu is secretly being controlled by Santera, and eventually turns into a Kenyou which is killed by his son Hidetada (Benitora).
(Seiyu: Mikako Takahashi) 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.
She, like many characters, has a longer and larger role in the manga, assisting Benitora for a large part of the series.
In the anime, in the epilogue, she is in love with her master Benitora and is pregnant with his child 11 years after the battle against Nobunaga (Benitora says to her, "Take care. You are responsible for two now" just before final battle against the rebel clans).
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: Hikaru Midorikawa Maddie Blaustein) 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.
A breed of demonic monster that exist only in the anime. During the Battle of Sekigahara, a shooting star fell, turning the tide of victory to the Eastern Army; an explosion from the asteroid turned certain humans into monsters called Kenyou. Many villainous characters in the anime are Kenyou, to the point where no human villains seem to exist. It is never explained whether their evil intentions were originally part of their personalities, or were acquired with their mutated forms.
The kenyou are exclusively in the anime, and do not appear in the manga (where all of the characters that the anime identifies as kenyou are human with extraordinary powers). Nearly all the antagonists in the anime eventually transform into monsters, which is one of the biggest differences between the manga and anime.