http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ikkitousen1.jpg
''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' [-WITH {{PANTY SHOT}}S!-] But seriously...

The souls of the greatest warriors, generals, and strategists of the era of Chinese history immortalized in ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' have continued on beyond their deaths, [[SoulJar sealed]] within ''magatama'' beads handed down from generation to generation. For 1,800 years, the gems have dominated the destiny of their holders - the "Toushi", or "Fighters" - increasing their bloodlust and fighting skills while [[YouCantFightFate forcing them to re-enact the lives and deaths of their counterparts]].

[[NextSundayAD Now]], the newest generation of Fighters has gathered around seven high schools [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse in the Kanto region around Tokyo]], re-enacting the battles as something in between a semi-organized street fighting [[TournamentArc tournament]] and an all-out gang war. And at Nanyou Academy (read: Nanyang and eventually the Wu kingdom), {{Idiot Hero}}ine Sonsaku Hakufu has arrived.

And she has ''no'' clue about ''anything'' in the last two paragraphs. All Sonsaku knows is that [[BloodKnight she likes to fight]], and her mom not only gave her a necklace with a pretty ''magatama'', but also told her to make a good impression by beating up fifty Fighters on her first day. She ''definitely'' doesn't know that she's the "{{reincarnation}}" of Sun Ce, the ruler of Wu known as the "Little Conqueror (Shou Haoh)" - the one who it's said might have united the Three Kingdoms himself if not for his untimely death.

[[{{Stripperiffic}} Did]] [[PantyShot we]] [[MostCommonSuperpower mention]] [[{{Fanservice}} she's]] [[BoobsOfSteel hot]]? In fact, it seems that most of the modern-day Fighters are attractive teenage {{Action Girl}}s who have a habit of suffering massive amounts of ClothingDamage during their fights.

''Ikki Tousen'' (Roughly "Strength of a Thousand") is an ongoing (13 volumes and counting) manga series by Shiozaki Yuji that has been adapted into three anime "seasons" to date, as well as a FightingGame. The Tokyopop English release of the manga, ''Battle Vixens'', is notorious for its {{Macekre}}d translation. There was also a controversy about several panels from early in the series that seemed to be traced from Oh! Great's ''TenjhoTenge'' manga. The whole thing originated as story-less PVC figurines in the very late 1990s.

Interestingly, the third season (''Great Guardians'') was directed by, of all people, [[MDGeist Koichi]] [[GenoCyber Ohata]]. It is quite literally the only thing he has ever directed with more than a small cult following.

Compare ''KoihimeMusou'', another series of Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms GenderFlip spoof. There's also ''{{Ryofuko-chan}}'', in which the same basic premise gets a {{lolicon}} twist.

For some reason, this series [[http://www.hulu.com/ikki-tousen is now available on Hulu]]. [[Characters/IkkiTousen And has a character sheet.]]

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'''This series contains examples of:'''

* AbusiveParents [[spoiler: Ten'i (Dian Wei) was sexually abused by her own father. She retaliated by [[SelfMadeOrphan killing him]]. ]].
* [[InnocentFanserviceGirl Accidental Fanservice Girl]]: In ''Dragon Destiny'', having Ryuubi topless is more or less a RunningGag.
* ActionGirl: Of ''course''.
* ActionMom: Hakufu's mom Goei (Lady Wu) isn't a frontline fighter, but can handle herself well if needed. Especially if you hit her BerserkButton by calling her old.
* AdaptationDecay: (A Severe case of adaption decay from Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms to original manga then, original manga to licensed manga, and finally original manga to anime.)
* AdultChild: Goei. Though this also counts as ObfuscatingStupidity...
* AffablyEvil: To some degree, Toutaku (Dong Zhuo)
* AnnoyingArrows: Brutally subverted in Ryoumou's fight with Ten'i, as the arrows nearly end up ''killing'' Ryoumou, [[spoiler:who probably only survives because of Chouun's interference and the fact that she woke up her dragon]].
* AscendedExtra: The first season gives Ukitsu (Yu Ji) more scenes and more interaction with Hakufu, [[spoiler: who she's destined to kill]].
* AttemptedRape: [[spoiler: Chuukou (Xu Chu), in the manga]]
* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler: Ryofu (Lu Bu) in the third season (''Great Guardians''). Only to die ''again'' in the end. ]]
* LittleMissBadass: Ten'i is a damn dangerous StraightArrow who wears a Gothic Lolita dress when she fights. Also, [[spoiler: the ''the true Saji Genpou'', a ChessMaster girl who's a powerful magic user.]]
* {{Baka}}: One of Hakufu's {{Berserk Button}}s is being called like this.
* BareFistedMonk: Kouchou Kanshuu (Huang Zhong)
* BeachEpisode: In Great Guardians, going through all the motions.
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: So ''averted'', since the girls and the guys get beaten up ''real'' hard. As you see, not only their clothes get ripped. Heck, [[spoiler: in the manga, poor Ten'i is so brutally mauled that ''she loses an arm'']].
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Its never ''really'' explained why people keep passing on those damn magatama beads and consigning their loved ones to brief and violent lives.
* BerserkButton: Both Sousou and Ryuubi released their {{Superpowered Evil Side}}s upon seeing their friends get badly beaten to protect them.
* BigDamnHeroes: ''Dragon Destiny'' has at least three. First, [[spoiler: Chou'un intervenes in Ryoumou's fight with Ten'i.]] Later, [[spoiler: Kan'u rescues Ryuubi from Gakushin (Yue Ji) and Chuukou (Xu Chu) as she joins the final battle.]] And in the end, [[spoiler: Hakufu pulls trhe last one during Sousou and Ryuubi's fight.]]
* BigEater: Hakufu, Ryuubi, Chouhi.
* BigFancyHouse: Shuuyu (Zhao Yu) Koukin's house (where [[PrettyFreeloaders Hakufu and Goei are staying as guests]].)
* BladeOnAStick: Kan'u Unchou carries the original Guan Yu's legendary Blue Dragon Crescent Blade.
* BlondGuysAreEvil: [[spoiler: Saji]]
* BloodKnight: Hakufu just wants to fight people. However, unlike her SuperpoweredEvilSide, she doesn't want to really ''hurt'' anyone. ''Permanently'', anyway.
* BodyguardCrush: Koukin for ''[[KissingCousins his cousin]]'', Hakufu ([[CovertPervert no matter how much he tries to hide it]]); Kan'u (Guan Yu) for Ryuubi (Liu Bei).
* BoisterousBruiser: Several, specially Chouhi (as the expy of Zhang Fei), Kakouton and Hakufu.
* BoobsOfSteel: LOTS of them.
* {{Bokukko}}: Ukitsu
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: ''Lots'' of people in ''Great Guardians''. [[spoiler: Ryoufu, Hakufu, Myousai, Ryoumou...]]
* CakeEater: Kakouton (Xiahou Dun) is mistaken as one of these, much to his embarrassment.
* CanNotSpitItOut: Kan'u (Guan Yu) towards Ryuubi (Liu Bei) in ''Great Guardians'', the third season.
* CaptainErsatz: Sonsaku is basically [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Asuka Soryuu]] but a bit taller and with a [[GagBoobs hilariously massive bust]] (oh, and replace the word [[{{Jerkass}} 'bitch']] with [[{{Baka}} 'idiot']]). Ryoumou ''is'' Rei Ayanami, as noted below, ''straight down to the effing eyepatch''.
* CarFu: [[spoiler:Shiba'i]] does this in desperation in the last episode of ''Dragon Destiny''.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower
* ClothingDamage: The female characters' clothing seems to disintegrate at the drop of a hat. Somehow averted by Chou'un (Zhao Yun), who practically is the only female who never had her clothes torn in a fair fight (the only time her clothes was torn was due to an interruption), this possibly being a symbol of her LadyOfWar status.
* CoitusUninterruptus: In ''Dragon Destiny'', Kaku Bunwa (Jie Xu) and Kakuka Houkou (Guo Jia) discuss strategy... while doing the nasty.
* CooldownHug: Used by Chuukou, on Sousou. [[spoiler: And by Sousou himself, on Myousai (Great Guardians only)]]
* CreepyChild: Shokatsuryou Koumei (Zhuge Liang), combined with LittleMissSnarker
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Several
* CuteBruiser: Chouhi (Zhang Fei), Ukitsu, Kyocho Chuukou (Xu Chu) who mixes this with HugeSchoolgirl. Though, this being a voluptuous schoolgirl version of Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms, they're more like ''Hot'' Bruisers.
* CuteLittleFangs: Hakufu
* DamselInDistress: Ryuubi is in this position at first, due to her klutziness and lack of fighting skills. Until her ''ultra powerful'' SuperpoweredEvilSide shows up, that is.
* DarkSkinnedBlond: Saji Genpou (Zuo Ci) and Chouryou Bun'en (Zhang Liao)
* DarkSkinnedRedhead: Sousou (Cao Cao) [[spoiler: And in ''Great Guardians'', Saji, when he retakes his original role as Ouin Shishi)]]
* LittleMissSnarker: Koumei
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Hakufu often befriends those she defeats
* DepravedBisexual: Ryofu Housen (Lu Bu) skirts the line, especially in the first season of the anime. She rapes [[spoiler: Ryoumou]] after [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty rendering her helpless]] during a fight [[spoiler: (only in the anime, in the manga Ryofu just gropes her)]], has had sex with [[spoiler: Saji and Toutaku, even claiming at some point that Saji raped her in ''Battle Vixens'']] and is also SchoolgirlLesbians with her best friend, Chinkyuu (Chen Gong). The last relationship actually counts as PetTheDog.
* TheDitz: Ryuubi
* {{Dojikko}}: Ryuubi, again. And according to Hakufu, Ryoumou also is one of them when the two work as waitreses.
* TheDragon: Ryofu (Lu Bu) is introduced as one for Toutaku (Dong Zhuo). [[spoiler: (She betrays him later, though)]]
* DubText: ''Battle Vixens'' features several examples, such as the subplot about Saji raping Ryofu, Kan'u and Ukitsu showing interest in Koukin, and making Ryuubi into a [[TransparentCloset Transparently Closeted]] homophobe constantly worrying about Kan'u lusting after her.
* EmotionlessGirl: Koushaji (Hue Che Er)
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Kan'u is pretty popular... hell, sometimes all of the Seitou (Shu) characters (Kanu, Ryuubi, Chouhi, Koumei...) are considered more popular than the Nanyou (Wu) characters.
* ErectionRejection: Believe it or not, the plot and characters ''are'' appealing enough for some fans to become annoyed at the {{Fanservice}} distracting them. Even when WordOfGod states the series was created mostly for ''fun''.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: [[spoiler:Kan'u]] after going to Sousou.
* EvilCripple: Shiba'i (Sima Yi) is one of the more ruthless strategists in the series and she's confined to a wheelchair. [[spoiler: It was all fake, though: she ''can'' walk, but uses her supposed disability as ObfuscatingStupidity]]
* EvilRedhead: Toutaku, Sousou after his "awakening" (and even more so in the manga)
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: The short-haired Ryoumou used to have long hair, as a picture featuring her, Saji and [[spoiler: Teifu]] shows.
* EyepatchOfPower: Ryomou (Lu Meng) wears a medical eyepatch [[spoiler:to [[SealedEvilInACan Seal Her Inner Evil In A Can]].]] Later, [[spoiler: Kakouton (Xiahou Dun)]] starts wearing one as well, [[spoiler: after [[EyeScream messily losing his eye]] during his and Sousou's fight against Koushaji (Hu Che'er)]].
* EyesAlwaysShut: Chou'un Shiryuu (Zhao Yun)
* EyeScream: [[spoiler: Poor Kakouton!]]
* FacialMarkings: Koushaji has a small flower-shaped one on her left cheekbone
* FanDisservice: Koushaji has a pantyshot-laden battle against Sousou (Cao Cao), which she loses. She then gets killed by ''having her head crushed against a wall'' by Sousou, [[spoiler: who went absolutely APESHIT after she injured Kakouton's eye with a throwing needle]].
* FastballSpecial: Chouhi grabs and tosses Kan'u towards the tower where [[spoiler: Ryuubi and Sousou, along with their {{Superpowered Evil Side}}s ]] are fighting, in the last episode of ''Dragon Destiny''.
* FetishFuelStationAttendant: Ryomou - a {{Tsundere}} Rei Ayanami [[{{CaptainErsatz}} lookalike]] with an [[EyepatchOfPower eyepatch]], wearing a [[{{Meido}} maid outfit]], who fights by [[MurderousThighs grappling her opponents]]...
* FingerTwitchingRevival
* FiveBadBand: Rakuyou. Kyoushou was more of a ThreeAmigos PowerTrio in the first season, but becomes a FiveBadBand in ''Dragon Destiny''.
** The BigBad: Toutaku (Rakuyou), Sousou (Kyoushou)
** TheDragon: Ryoufu (Rakuyou), Kakouton (Kyoushou)
** The EvilGenius: Kaku (Rakuyou and later Kyoushou), Shibai (Kyoushou)
** TheBrute: Ryoufu and Rikaku (Rakuyou), Kakuka and then Myousai and Chouryou (Kyoushou)
** The DarkChick: Chinkyuu (Rakuyou), Ten'i and Chuukou (Kyoushou)
** SixthRanger: The Three Pillared Gods (Kyoushou)
** SixthColumn: [[spoiler: Saji, in the first season, for ''both'' Rakuyou and Nanyou. Later is the genuine SixthRanger for Nanyou.]]
* FiveManBand: Nanyou and Seitou.
** {{The Hero}}ine: Hakufu (Nanyou), Ryuubi (Seitou)
** TheLancer: Ryoumou (Nanyou), Kan'u (Seitou)
** TheSmartGuy: Koukin (Nanyou), Koumei (Seitou)
** TheBigGuy: Gakushuu (Nanyou), Chouhi and Kanshou (HugeGuyTinyGirl duo, Seitou)
** TheChick: Goei and later Chuubou (ActionMom and YamatoNadeshiko, Nanyou), Ryuubi (Seitou, doubles as Chick and Heroine)
** SixthRanger: [[spoiler: Saji, in Dragon Destiny]] (Nanyou), Kanshou (doubling as Big Guy, Seitou), Chou'un (Seitou).
* {{Flanderization}}: Happens to most characters in the third anime season, but the treatment of Kan'u is especially egregious. Be thankful that this somehow stops after Episode 4.
* TheFool: Hakufu, Ryuubi.
* GeckoEnding: The first two seasons (''Ikki Tousen'' and ''Dragon Destiny'') each have an original ending. The third season (''Great Guardians'') is 100% {{Filler}}.
* GenderFlip: This is almost a complete Gender Flip of ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.
* GenreSavvy: The characters are ''all'' aware of ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', and even try to use that knowledge to their advantage. Yes, even ''Hakufu'' breaks out the Cliff Notes when things get serious on her.
* GentleGiant: Gakushuu (Yue Jiu); he even has a sweet tooth. Also Kouchuu Kanshou, who blushes intensely when he touches Kan'u and Chuhi's clothes ''which he had to wash'' per instructions of his master.
* GirlyRun: Ryuubi
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: If you have a [[SuperpoweredEvilSide dragon spirit]] inside you, you'll have these eyes when your other side manifest. Also, [[spoiler: Saji, when he brainwashes people]]
* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler: Ryoufu, in the anime. ''Twice'', if we count ''Great Guardians''.]]
* GuiltyPleasures: Needless to say.
* HandsomeLech: Saji, ''so much''.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Ukitsu, in the ''Dragon Destiny'' anime, revives the practically dead Hakufu at the cost of her own life.]]
* HeroicSociopath: Ryomou started as one of these, evolving into a Type A {{Tsundere}}.
* HeyYou: Hakufu calls others (except Goei, Chuubou and Koukin) by nicknames
* HotBlooded: Indeed.
* HotShounenMom: Goei (Lady Wu), Hakufu's mother.
* HoYay: Or better said, LesYay
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Kanshou and Chouhi, Kaku and Kakuka. In a platonic sense, Gakushuu and either Hakufu or Ryoumou.
* HugeSchoolgirl: Kyouchu Chuukou. In the manga, she was even bullied for her huge size by the boys in her and Sousou's ex judo club. [[spoiler: And the first time Sousou's dragon ''ever'' appeared, it was to protect Chuukou from said sempais when he thought they tried to rape her.]]
* KiAttacks
* KikukoInoue: Goei
* KissingCousins: Koukin crushes on his cousin Hakufu. In the anime, Goei actually ''approves'' and ''encourages'' it to some degree, much to Koukin's embarrassment.
* IHaveYourWife: In Episode 12 of the first series, [[spoiler: Toutaku]] tells [[spoiler: Hakufu]] to kill [[spoiler: Ryoufu.]] When she refuses, he grabs her teammate [[spoiler: Ryoumou]] and forces her to fight. Later, [[spoiler: Gakushuu and Koukin]] are captured and held hostage to force [[spoiler: Hakufu]] to fight [[spoiler: Saji]]. And in ''Dragon Destiny'', [[spoiler: Kan'u]] surrenders herself to Kyoushou when [[spoiler: Ryuubi, Chouhi, Koumei and Kanshou]] are threatened by [[spoiler: practically ''all'' the Kyoushou fighters.]]
* IllGirl: [[spoiler: Ryoufu has a fatal illness and knows her days are numbered. Whereas Teifu is a ''Crippled and Blind Boy'', and Kakuka is an Ill Boy in the manga.]]
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Ryuubi tells Chouhi and Kan'u that, even when she knows she's the reincarnation of Liu Bei, she'd rather live normally like she always has.
* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: Used quite often, with varying results.
** Subverted: [[spoiler: Koukin]] tries this on [[spoiler: Hakufu,]] who's being used by [[spoiler: Toutaku]] as his SoulJar. He ''fails'' and she ''brutally'' beats him up, but then [[spoiler: Ukitsu]] appears and is the one who hits [[spoiler: Hakufu's]] BerserkButton and lets her get free of [[spoiler: Toutaku's]] grip.
** Played straight: [[spoiler: When Ukitsu and Hakufu fight and Hakufu is dominated by her SuperpoweredEvilSide, Koukin tries again despite Ukitsu's warnings. This time, he succeeds.]]
** And again, in ''Great Guardians'': [[spoiler: Not only the returned Sousou de-brainwashed Myousai like this (plus CooldownHug) and Saji did the same to Ryoufu, who then returned the favor by de-brainwashing Ryoumou... Hakufu's "sister" Chuubou gets her CrowningMomentOfAwesome by doing this to none other than the BigBad, [[TheRealRemingtonSteele the *real* Saji Genpou]], convincing her to abandon her evil ways and stop fighting.]]
* IntimateHealing: Ryoufu, on a bed-ridden Saji.
* IOweYouMyLife: Myousai, to [[spoiler: Sousou,]] who took her in when she was a child soldier. Ten'i, to [[spoiler: Shibai,]] who rescued her from particularly cruel school abuse.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In ''Great Guardians'', [[spoiler: Chuubou ]] tells this to [[spoiler: Hakufu and Koukin]] so they can hook up.
* LadyOfWar: Chou'un, Kan'u.
* LesYay: ''Quite'' a bit of it.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters
* LovingAShadow: [[spoiler: Chuubou]]
* {{Macekre}}: Tokyopop's English-language release of the manga, ''Battle Vixens'' was liberally rewritten by Keith Giffen - who added large amounts of {{Dubtext}} on the side.
* MacGuffin: The Imperial Seal, the Jade Dragon.
* MagnificentBastard: Saji. [[spoiler: He's also ManBehindTheMan after he manipulates Kannei to kill Enjutsu and takes Enjutsu's place as Nanyou leader.]]
* MaleGaze: ''Lots'' of it.
* [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: Kaku Bunwa (Jia Xu), Shibai.
* {{Meganekko}}: Ryuubi, Rikuson (Lu Zun). Kaku is a ''subversion'', since her manipulative personality is ''very'' atypical for a Meganekko.
* {{Meido}}: Ryomou's fighting costume.
* MediumAwareness: In ''Dragon Destiny'', Goei complains to Koukin that her screen time has disminished and wonders what's the reason.
* TheMessiah: Ryuubi, Chuubou to some degree.
* MindControlEyes: Abundant in ''Great Guardians'', as a side effect of characters ending up BrainwashedAndCrazy.
* MindProbe: Gakushin (Yue Jin) can use her kiss to dive in the minds and memories of her victims. [[spoiler: When she uses this power on Kan'u in ''Dragon Destiny'', it does NOT go well; not only she discovers Kan'u's LesYay crush on Ryuubi, but also has a ''bloody'' vision involving Sousou's past self that causes her a huge FreakOut.]]
* MomentKiller: Koumei pulls this at least twice towards Kan'u when she wants to be with Ryuubi.
* {{Mooks}}
* MostCommonSuperpower: LOTS of it
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Kan'u in season 3, after realizing that she's been [[{{Flanderization}} flanderized]]. She tried to atone with death, until Ryuubi [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan stops her]] using an ArmorPiercingSlap.
* OutOfClothesExperience: [[spoiler: Kan'u and Hakufu]]
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Koukin, although he borders on being a [[FauxActionGirl Faux Action GUY]].
* PantyFighter: You need to ask?
* PantyShot: And according to some tropers, it has some of the most realistic skirt physics around. See ShownTheirWork, below.
* PeekABangs: Kan'u's left eye is always hidden under her bangs
* PetTheDog: Ryofu softens quite a bit around her old friend (and girlfriend) Chinkyuu.
* PrettyFreeloaders: Hakufu and Goei (for Koukin). At least Goei handles the housework ''and'' the cooking, so...
* PsychoForHire: Kannei (Gan Ning)
* PublicDomainArtifact
* RapeAsDrama: Poor, poor [[spoiler: Chinkyuu and Ten'i.]]
* RazorFloss: Myousai's WeaponOfChoice
* TheRealRemingtonSteele: A BIG Revelation of ''Great Guardians'' is based on this. [[spoiler:The "Saji" we know is actually Ouin (Wang Yun) Shishi, which we already knew. But what the audience was NOT told is that the big bad of ''Great Guardians'' is the Fighter with the real magatama of Zuo Ci, a LittleMissBadass young woman who is the ''true'' Saji Genpou, whom the "other" Saji might be in love with.]]
* RecycledInSpace \ SettingUpdate
* {{Reincarnation}}: For all practical purposes, at least.
* RescueRomance: Genderflipped. It's hinted that Koukin loves Hakufu ever since, as children, she protected him from bullies.
* {{Sarashi}}: Ryuubi uses this once in a while.
* SchoolgirlLesbians: Ryofu and Chinkyuu. In the beginning of the third season, Kan'u thinks like this, CovertPervert style, towards Ryuubi (who's oblivious) [[spoiler: Until almost the end, where she reciprocates Kan'u's feelings]]
*SchoolOfHardKnocks: AND HOW.
* ScreeningTheCall: In the manga, Goei tried to keep Hakufu from picking fights to save her from her fate as a Fighter. In the anime, she goes as far as [[spoiler: actually telling Kakouton how to defeat Hakufu in the tournament]]. It didn't work in any of these cases.
* ScrewDestiny: Many of the major characters try to do this. ''Try''.
* SenselessViolins: Ten'i carries her bow in a cello case.
* ShoutOut: Goei likes to proclaim herself to be 17 years old... ''exactly'' the habit of her seiyuu KikukoInoue.
* ShownTheirWork: One of the DVD extras for the first season shows a "reference photos" session, wherein the anime staff managed to recruit an actual [[{{Joshikousei}} schoolgirl]] to do a bunch of panty-flashing high kicks.
* SkinshipGrope: Hakufu seems to like groping Ryomou quite a bit. Same goes to Koumei, when she bathes with Ryuubi.
* SoulJar: The ones with the dragons inside. Also, [[spoiler: in the first season Toutaku transfers his soul to Hakufu's body as he dies, to settle his score with Saji]].
* StraightArrow: Ten'i
* TheStrategist: Koumei, Rikuson, Kaku, Shibai Chuutatsu (Sima Yi).
* ThouShaltNotKill: Unlike her SuperpoweredEvilSide, Hakufu explicitly rejects fighting just to kill her opponents.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Ryofu, Kan'u
* StrongFleshWeakSteel: The stronger characters regularly survive attacks that leave craters in concrete.
* SuperDrowningSkills: Ryuubi
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: Hakufu, Ryuubi, Sousou (Cao Cao), and [[spoiler:Ryomou]] contain "dragons", berserker spirits, within them.
* SwordInTheStone: The Hyakuhekitou swords.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: Ryoufu's ultimate ScrewDestiny act in the anime is this. Toutaku survives... only to die few minutes later.]]
* TallDarkAndBishoujo: Kan'u (Guan Yu), Kaku (Jia Xu).
* ThemeNaming: All of the characters have the same names as the Japanese reading of their counterparts from ''Three Kingdoms''.
* [[ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself This Is Something I Have To Do Myself]]: Hakufu tells this to Goei in the first season, before [[spoiler: she goes to face Toutaku]]
* ThisIsUnforgivable: Hakufu's CatchPhrase, when she ''seriously'' gets pissed off.
* ThreeAmigos: Saji, Ryoumou and [[spoiler: Teifu]]. All female version: Ryuubi, Kan'u and Chouhi. All male version: Kakouton, Kakuka and Sousou.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Ryoufu and Chinkyuu, Chouhi and Ryuubi, Chuubou and Hakufu.
* TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse
* TournamentArc
* {{Tsundere}}: Ryomou
* TwoTeacherSchool: Of the ''No Teacher'' variety.
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: [[spoiler: Teifu, to Ryoumou. Chuubou]] is an odd variation: she was "destined" to marry [[spoiler: Koukin]] per their reincarnations and was pining for him before they even met.
* TheVamp: Kaku often uses her sexiness to get what she wants. Then again, so did Toutaku and Saji...
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: [[spoiler: Koukin,]] in the anime. Not as lucky in the manga, yet. Also in the anime, [[spoiler:Kan'u]] is a LesYay version for [[spoiler: Ryuubi,]] and so was [[spoiler: Chinkyuu for Ryoufu]] before she bit the dust.
* VillainsOutShopping: Toutaku is often seen tending to his small watermelon and flower patches.
* WeirdnessCensor: Hey, nobody seems to notice that hot schoolgirls and schoolboys are beating up each other.
* TheWorfEffect: Poor Gakushuu, Koukin and Kakouton...
* WoundedGazelleGambit: A ''really'' nasty one happens in the manga.
* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl: Chou'un Shiryuu, Koushaji
* YamatoNadeshiko: [[spoiler: Hakufu's "sister"]] Sonken Chuubou (Sun Quan) [[spoiler:or to be exact, Shoukyou (Xiao Qiao)]]. Parodied in ''Dragon Destiny'' [[spoiler: where the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue has Chou'un]] trying her hand at ikebana and failing miserably, as she uses the scissors like a katana of sorts.
* YouCantFightFate
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: In ''Dragon Destiny'', [[spoiler: Sousou (or better said, hi]]s SuperpoweredEvilSide) severely injures and presumably kills [[spoiler: Kakouton]] half because of this, half because he let [[spoiler:Kan'u]] go. He gets better.

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