Takuma Zushi just wanted to be left alone. He sleeps in class and skips club. While going home, he sees a girl walking into the woods and decides to follow her. There he witnesses a fight between two sword masters with the prize being the ownership of the "Kandachime", a sword that can shape shift into a person. That girl, Otowa Hagane was about to lose when he naively steps into the fight...
Kandachime is a seinen manga written by Tohru Tamegai and illustrated by Task Ohna, which was serialized in Monthly Comic Alive from 2007 to 2011.
Provides examples of:
- Aborted Arc: The manga was cancelled halfway through the Futatsukami arc, leaving multiple plot points unresolved.
- Ax-Crazy: People taken over by Zatsushoku jyatou can only think of killing.
- BFS: The Kurogane Shiki Yagasumaru is a massive cleaver-like sword.
- Black Eyes of Crazy: People taken over by jyatou get black sclera with Hellish Pupils. Mumiyo also gets them whenever she goes berserk, and her missing eye has a black sclera.
- Blood Knight: Ankiken Sekiguchi, the first antagonist introduced, is only a human but is introduced as being more-than willing to attack and kill highschoolers in the name of a good fight. He would have killed Takuma out of contempt for his lack of fighting skills had Mumiyo not intervened.
- Break His Heart to Save Him: Takuma's dad coldly neglected him and treated him severely in order to keep him out of the world of Kandachime, Jyatou, and Asuraga.
- The Comically Serious: Mumiyo is serious to the point of seeming stoic and stern, even during humorous situations, which is often played for laughs.
- Cut Short: The manga was cancelled after only 45 chapters.
- Driven to Suicide: Mumiyo tries to rust herself after Takuma refuses to fight, thinking he doesn't want her.
- Equippable Ally: Kandachime and Asuraga are capable of Voluntary Shapeshifting into a sword.
- Eyepatch of Power: Mumiyo covers her missing left eye with an eyepatch. When it's returned to her, she gains control over her ability to cut things by touching them and is revealed to not be a Kandachime but an exceptionally powerful Asuraga.
- Evil Weapon: The Jyatou are cursed swords that possess their wielders.
- Heel–Face Turn: Habakirimaru, the leader of the Kurogane Shiki, seems to have been in the process of undergoing one.
- Heir to the Dojo: Otowa Hagane is literally the heir to a dojo, which she runs with help from her Kandachime, Ichi and Chidori.
- Hellish Pupils: Kandachime and people possessed by Jyatou have slitted pupils.
- Inferiority Superiority Complex: Otowa is a skilled swordswoman, but she has a crushing inferiority complex and is terrified of killing someone.
- Kissing Cousins: Takuma's cousin Yuri has a crush on him.
- Ms. Fanservice: Ichi wears a Chinese dress with a large Cleavage Window, showcasing her buxom figure. Initially it's tattered and full of holes and tears, but after Takuma polishes up and refits her sword form her dress is as good as new.
- Naked First Impression: Takuma's first encounter with Mumiyo was when she was topless, having not been sheathed after he fainted.
- Nebulous Evil Organisation: The Futatsukami becomes one in the last arc of the manga.
- Playful Cat Smile: Chidori's default expression is a catlike-grin, which emphasizes her playful and mischievous personality.
- Power Incontinence: Mumiyo knows nothing but cutting, and cannot touch things with her bare skin without slicing them.
- Puppeteer Parasite: Normal Jyatou possess their wielders and lose control if dropped or broken. Kurogane Shiki permanently take over their host body.
- Razor-Sharp Hand: All Kandachime can cut things with their hands due to being swords in human form. Mumiyo suffers from Power Incontinence in this regard until she gets her missing eye back.
- Reforged Blade: Asuraga are reforged jyatou, Futsumaru being an example.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge:
- The reason Otowa is so driven to destroy jyatou is because she believes her father to have been killed by them. It's later revealed he was killed by the Futatsukami, leaving her on the brink of seeking vengeance on the Futatsukami, until Takuma steps in and reminds her of her resolve to not kill humans.
- Mumiyo tends to go berserk if Takuma or his loved ones are injured. When he's forced to kill his own love interest and is sent into a Heroic BSoD, Mumiyo goes to town on a defenceless Futsumaru and is only stopped when Habakirimaru intervenes.
- Shared Unusual Trait: Asuraga wielders get one normal eye and one jyatou-eye whenever they activate their swords' powers. Mumiyo's missing eye has a black sclera and slitted pupil as well, implying that she is an Asuraga rather than a Kandachime.
- Sorting Algorithm of Evil: Zatsushoku jyatou possess their wielders and lose control if disarmed or broken. The Kurogane Shiki are jyato that completely take over their wielders and are very difficult to break. Asuraga are reforged jyatou.
- Specs of Awesome: Takuma. He comes from a family of blacksmiths, and swordsman. He himself is a pretty badass when he wants to be.
- Staking the Loved One: Takuma's first girlfriend, Tentou Jiriko, is possessed by the Kurogane Shiki called Yaegasumaru, courtesy of Futsumaru. After being forced to kill her to protect himself, Takuma is left in a Heroic BSoD and Mumiyo subsequently goes berserk.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Otowa refuses to kill humans, which leaves her stymied when confronted by the Kurogane Shiki, who retain possession of their wielders even when separated from their sword.
- Took a Level in Badass: Takuma goes from a rather cowardly wimp to a skilled swordsman.
- The Unfavorite: Takuma's father neglected him in favor of his older brother, leaving him with severe self-esteem and confidence issues.
- Weapon Wields You: Jyatou are demonic swords that take over their wielders. Zatsushoku lose control if they're broken or their wielder is disarmed, while Kurogane Shiki permanently take control of their wielders until their host is slain.
