History Characters / SamuraiDeeperKyo

As this series has LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, the character list has been split into subpages:

Characters appearing in ''Manga/SamuraiDeeperKyo''

'''Some major spoilers may appear in trope names. DeathTropes applying to villains will not be marked.'''

Due to LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, this has been split into subpages:

* AntiHero: Even the nicer characters like Yukimura, Benitora, and Bontenmaru enjoy killing, and all three are wanted for opposing the Shogun (Yukimura and Bon) or various crimes against the state (all three). There isn't a straight-up "hero" type in the entire cast.

* Really700YearsOld: Most of the Mibu.

* UniversalAdaptorCast: They fit very comfortably into their roles in Kamijyo's HighSchoolAU, and AU fanfiction runs rampant in the fandom.

* [[Characters/SamuraiDeeperKyoOthers Other Characters]] [[labelnote:Character List]] Tokugawa Ieyasu, Mahiro, Sakuya, Julian, Migeira, The Bantoji Brothers, Jimon, The Three-Color Gang, Jaki and Maki, Kitsunebi[[/labelnote]]

[[foldercontrol]]

* [[Characters/SamuraiDeeperKyoOthers Other Characters]] [[labelnote:Character List]] Tokugawa Ieyasu, Mahiro, Sakuya, Julian, Migeira, The Bantoji Brothers, Jimon, The Three-Color Gang, Jaki and Maki, Kitsunebi[[/labelnote]]

* [[Characters/SamuraiDeeperKyoJunishinsho Oda Nobunaga and the Junishinsho (Twelve Gods)]] [[labelnote:Character List]]Oda Nobunaga, Shindara, Antera, Bikara, Ajira, Basara, The Fake Haira, Haira, Izumo no Okuni, Indara, The Fake Kubira, Kubira, The Fake Mekira, Mekira, Makora, Santera, Shatora (manga), Shatora (anime)[[/labelnote]]

[[AC:Main Protagonists]]

[[folder:Demon-Eyes Kyo]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kyo_2.jpg]]

The title character, legendary slayer of a thousand men and widely known as the single deadliest samurai in the history of the world. At the beginning of the story, Kyo is suffering from the small problem of his soul being trapped in the body of his most hated enemy, who sealed away Kyo's real body in a hidden location (Mt Fuji, to be exact) after defeating him at Sekigahara four years ago. Over the course of the story, Kyo must contend with an [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil increasingly outrageous succession of opponents]], who range from crazed Samurai out to kill him for revenge or reputation to enemies who are more or less gods. Ultimately, Kyo must fight his way through the legions of the infamous Mibu Clan (to which he used to belong) in order to learn the secrets surrounding his origin... or rather, that's why everyone else is going. Kyo maintains that he couldn't care less about that; he just has some business to settle with the Crimson King. Kyo fights using the [[RazorWind Mumyou-Jinpuu-Ryu]] school and wields the Muramasa "Demonblade" known as Tenro. By the end of the story, Kyo is without a doubt the most powerful character in the entire series.

->Voiced by: Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi (JP), Creator/DanGreen (EN)

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Defied. Other characters assume that Kyo will take the Mibu throne after defeating the Former Crimson King, but he has zero interest. See AGodIAmNot below. Kyo and the Shiseiten also aimed to be the strongest in the world, but only Bon actually wanted to ''rule'' anything; the others just wanted to fight, and moving up in the world would give them stronger people to fight.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: The last few chapters and epilogue make it much more obvious that he cares about Yuya, and it's genuinely heartwarming.
* AxCrazy: Kyo is one hell of a bloodthirsty guy, especially in the first few arcs. He learns to control his killing intent, but it still shows up whenever a serious fight comes along.
* BerserkButton: Kyo is never friendly, but he's usually [[TheQuietOne pretty reserved about it]], especially in later volumes. Not so when these buttons are pressed.
** Kyoshiro. In particular, being ''called'' Kyoshiro or reminded of the fact that Kyoshiro defeated him at Sekigahara.
** Anyone who claims that he's not as strong as he used to be (or that emotion has made him weak) is just ''asking'' for a [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomping]]. This one shows up in a few comedic situations as well as more serious ones.
* {{BFS}}: Tenro, of course. It's nearly as tall as Kyo.
* BloodFromTheMouth: He spits blood a few times when badly wounded. When Kyoshiro's body starts to succumb to the Death Disease, it becomes more common.
* BloodKnight: A proud case of the highest degree.
* BodyguardCrush: He will [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend never admit it]], but considering the vast majority of his murderous rampages are triggered by someone threatening Yuya, it's pretty obvious.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: {{Mooks}} seem to forget that Kyo killed over a thousand people at Sekigahara ''alone'', and tend to confront him as though believing he will remember a specific thing he did that earned their undying hatred. This trope ensues.
* CoveredWithScars: Kyo has been in a ''lot'' of fights, and many of his opponents got a few good hits in. His shirtless scenes are evidence.
* CurbStompBattle: Whenever he recovers another part of his lost power or [[TookALevelInBadass takes another level in badass]], this is bound to happen.
* DeadpanSnarker: Heavy on the snark.
* DeathGlare: He has a chilling one that gets damn near literal on occasion.
* DullSurprise: Kyo starts off with two expressions: a SlasherSmile and a bored frown. It gets a bit better as the story proceeds, but emotion is not Kyo's forte.
* EnfanteTerrible: He killed Nobunaga [[{{Immortality}} for the]] [[BodySurf first time]] when he was ''six''.
* EveryScarHasAStory: At one point, he goes into the history of some of his [[CoveredWithScars countless scars]]. It's PlayedForLaughs in an omake, when Kyoshiro complains that he understands the new ''battle'' scars on his body, but "isn't this one from when you hit your head on that pillar?"
* FailureToSaveMurder: [[RevengeBeforeReason Mahiro]] believes that Kyo killed her sister, and is determined to kill him and avenge Mayumi's death. After they reach Mibu territory, it is revealed that ''Chinmei'' actually killed Mayumi, but Kyo never told Mahiro because he couldn't stop Chinmei and blames himself.
* FightingFromTheInside: Normally it's Kyoshiro trying to regain the control of his body. The roles get inverted a couple of times, though. The most iconic one was during the battle against Nobunaga at the Hell's Gate.
* TheFourGods: The Ultimate Techniques of the Mumyou-Jinpuu-Ryu are named after and [[ShapingYourAttacks shaped like]] these four, plus the hidden fifth.
* FreakyFridayFlip: Due to sharing a body with Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo begins as more of a SuperpoweredEvilSide, but progresses to a full-on Freaky Friday as he gets more deeply characterized. Ultimately, this culminates in...
** GrandTheftMe: ... Kyoshiro stealing Kyo's body. [[spoiler:Naturally, it was all part of Kyoshiro's plan to make Kyo achieve his full potential]].
* FreudianTrio: The Id (not so much ''emotional'', but definitely driven by instinct and impulse) to Kyoshiro's Superego and Sakuya's Ego before the events of the story. In the anime, [[spoiler:Kyo is literally Kyoshiro's Id split from the rest of his soul and placed in an artificial body]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Used to have this with Kyoshiro before things went wrong. By the end of the story, they seem to go back to it.
* AGodIAmNot: Kyo does not give a single shit that he's a PhysicalGod by the end of the story; he says the Crimson Throne is worthless and he doesn't want it.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Played with. Kyo is about as "anti" as a hero gets, so his multitude of scars aren't as jarring as they might be on a less ambiguously heroic character. But the scars on his ''face'' are understated, and none of it really detracts from his appearance. For the most part, they just emphasize that he is a massive badass.
* HeroicSecondWind: It happens a lot. One of the best examples is how he takes out the two most powerful members of the Taishiro without a scratch. Directly before this, one good hit from Hishigi had put Kyo down for an entire volume.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Kyo (a {{Jerkass}} {{Tsundere}} of the highest order who regularly insults his LoveInterest and calls her "dog face") yells at Kyoshiro for disregarding Sakuya's feelings near the end.
* IAintGotTimeToBleed: He relentlessly attacks Shinrei and gives the fight everything he has despite being horribly injured (to the point that blood is ''pouring'' down his legs during the battle) from his fights with Hotaru and Chinmei.
* ImplausibleFencingPowers: Only slightly more implausible than the rest of the cast, but still absurd by real-world standards. Fortunately, they're also [[RuleOfCool incredibly awesome.]]
* IResembleThatRemark: Kyoshiro tells Yuya that Kyo cares about her but is bad at expressing it because he is the emotional equivalent of a three-year-old. Kyo reacts like an offended child and starts threatening to attack Kyoshiro for daring to imply that he has feelings.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: According to other characters, he used to love Sakuya, but he seems to support her relationship with Kyoshiro and even yells at Kyoshiro for disregarding Sakuya's feelings. [[{{Hypocrite}} Not that Kyo has any right to give relationship advice]].
* {{Jerkass}}: Kyo ''radiates'' jerkass energy from every corner of his being. And this is when he's being ''nice''. He constantly insults the people he likes, referring to [[LoveInterest Yuya]] as an ugly dog and his "Servant #1". Benitora is Servant #2. Again, these are people he likes. People Kyo ''doesn't'' like tend to die once he's done insulting them.
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: More apparent in the manga, but even there it's hard to find until near the end.
* KarmaHoudini: Arguably yes. Kyo has been slaughtering people left and right without restraint since he was a little kid (he was already combat-experienced and able to kill Nobunaga when he was six years old), and has taken thousands of lives without a shiver of empathy or remorse. He treats nearly everyone around him like shit, and early on, he has the obnoxious tendency of molesting Yuya whenever he feels like it. Since he's the hero and apparently most of his victims were worse than he is (debatable), he escapes any real punishment. Even taking his CharacterDevelopment into account, he probably should have faced some consequences for his actions... of course, considering he's a PhysicalGod by the end of the manga, [[WhoWillBellTheCat it's not like anyone could]] ''[[WhoWillBellTheCat enforce]]'' [[WhoWillBellTheCat punishment on him]].
* KickTheMoralityPet: He throws Yuya into a rock the first time she tries to snap him out of his [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Demon God]] state. Leads to MyGodWhatHaveIDone, and Kyo FightingFromTheInside to overcome his demon blood and come back to his senses.
* KillingIntent: At one point, it's so strong that Bontenmaru tells Yuya not to look at him because the rage alone could kill her.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler:Of the Mibu]]. [[ItsALongStory It's complicated]].
* LovedOnesMontage: When he fights Kyoshiro near the end of the manga, though it's more about people he's fought and learned from than "loved ones".
* MeaningfulName: "Kyou" means madness or fury.
* MortalWoundReveal: He inflicts this on several of his enemies -- sometimes ''they'' don't even realize they've received a fatal wound until they fall to the ground in pieces. [[spoiler:And then Kyo himself gets one at the end. As everyone has started to run away to escape the falling Crimson Tower, they notice that Kyo is not moving. He's pouring blood from a deep wound in his side, shaking, can't stand -- and he's screaming for them to get out and give up on saving him. It takes a DeusExMachina courtesy of the Shodai Aka no Ou to get him out of that one]].
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The first time Yuya tries to [[CooldownHug snap him out of his Demon God state]], he reacts by [[KickTheMoralityPet throwing her into a boulder]]. This leads to him stabbing himself to keep from hurting her, and then finally regaining his mind, apologizing, and healing her before going to finish his battle with the Former Crimson King.
* NoSocialSkills: Kyo is rude, violent, emotionally challenged (see IResembleThatRemark above), doesn't even ''try'' to understand others, and has no interest in changing any of that.
* OddFriendship: His camaraderie with Kyoshiro and Sakuya back when they first met in Edo. [[TheAtoner Gentle medicine man atoning for past crimes]], {{Seer}} on the run from people who would use her power to hurt others, and... murderous BloodKnight?
* OneManArmy: How else did you think he single-handedly slew 1000 men at the Battle of Sekigahara? And that figure is probably ''multiplied'' by the end of the series.
** And he's also stated he was merely out for a walk when the battle was going on. He just happened to be near it, then started kicking ass.
* PerpetualFrowner: Lampshaded by Shihodo, who wonders if Kyo's [[NoSocialSkills inability to emote]] (beyond pride, bloodlust, and anger) is the reason he was incapable of expressing his affections to Sakuya.
* PhysicalGod: By the end of the series, there really isn't anyone left who can stand up to him in battle and not be [[CurbStompBattle curb stomped]].
* PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes: He's a massive {{Jerkass}}, sometimes to the point of DesignatedHero status. The antagonists vary; some of them are indeed polite and affable, though the low-ranked ones tend to be as obnoxious as Kyo or worse.
* TheQuietOne: Ironically, given that he's the main character, Kyo is one of the ''least'' talkative characters in the series. He might have the occasional monologue or mid-fight banter, but those punctuate long stretches of silence, usually accompanied by ''other'' characters talking about the things he's doing. We also almost never see thought-bubbles from him, unlike most other characters.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The Shiseiten are either this or his TrueCompanions. Maybe both.
* RazorWind: The central concept of the Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu school he employs.
* RedBaron: Everybody calls him "Demon-Eyes" Kyo.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Literal incarnation of this trope, although it is subverted later on.
* [[SealedBadassInACan Sealed Badass in]] [[SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan a Person-Shaped Can]]: His soul is sealed inside Kyoshiro at the beginning, and he only has control when Tenro is unsheathed. After Kyo surfaces semi-permanently, Kyoshiro becomes both the sealed badass and the can.
* ShapingYourAttacks: The four greater techniques of the Mumyo Jinpu Ryu school. Suzaku summons a giant phoenix that can revive from most counter attacks, Byakko sends out a tiger that attacks the enemy until he's hit, Genbu forms a BeehiveBarrier around the user while attacking with energy serpents at the same time, and Seiryuu summons forth a giant dragon made of whirwinds to crush the enemy. The ultimate technique, Koryuu, appears as a golden laser beam from above but takes the form of a highly stylized dragon when shown in detail.
* SharingABody: Played straight in the manga. Subverted in the anime, where Kyo and Kyoshiro are a LiteralSplitPersonality that has been imperfectly stitched back together.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: He [[BlatantLies definitely does not]] [[{{Tsundere}} care about Yuya at all]]... and hilarity ensues.
* SirSwearsalot: His speech is liberally seasoned with profanity, more so when he's [[TrashTalk talking trash]].
* SmokingIsCool: With a Japanese pipe.
* SoreLoser: Kyoshiro defeated him and sealed his body. Kyo is incredibly furious at him for this humiliation and has sworn to kill him no matter what it takes. After reviving Kyoshiro and re-obtaining his true body, he considers the score settled.
* SuperpowerMeltdown: When he gets possessed by Tenro and awakens a SuperPoweredEvilSide.
* SuperPoweredEvilSide:
** He seems to be Kyoshiro's before we get to know them and find out it's not that simple.
** Kyo ''gets'' one in the finale, and unlike Bontenmaru's silly antics in his beast mode, its PlayedForDrama.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Especially in his real body.
* TimeToUnlockMoreTruePotential: When Muramasa passes down the Ultimate Techniques through an off-screen TrainingFromHell.
* TookALevelInBadass: On a regular basis since he doesn't have his real body.
* TrashTalk: He [[TheQuietOne doesn't talk much]], but most of what he ''does'' say is insulting. Especially during fights.
* {{Tsundere}}: ''God'', yes. Heavy on the tsuntsun. He regularly calls his LoveInterest ''dog-face'' and [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend denies any kind of attraction or care for her]] for the vast majority of the manga, but [[BodyguardCrush when she's in danger]]? [[UnstoppableRage You do]] ''[[UnstoppableRage not]]'' [[UnstoppableRage want to be the one who put her there]]. The final chapter and epilogue also show him being more affectionate with her.
* UnstoppableRage: The direct result of someone threatening [[BodyguardCrush Kyo's]] [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend not-girlfriend]].
[[/folder]]


[[folder:Mibu Kyoshiro]]
[[quoteright:340:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kyoshiro23.jpg]]

A kind, perverted and bumbling medicine peddler that starts off as a bounty for Yuya who carries an oversized sword. Later turns out that he shares his body with Kyo and releases him every time he draws the sword. Well... until that stops working and Kyo takes over his body. As the story progresses you find out he's the "Man with the Cross on his Back", and a possible successor to the Crimson King. He remains absent for a good part of the plot, although his presence is mentioned constantly, and his backstory affects the plot in a very significant way.

->Voiced by: Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi (JP), Creator/DanGreen (EN)
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* TheAtoner: He regrets his murderous past and has sworn to never kill again. It might explain why he chose to become a medicine peddler.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He may be goofy and sweet, but Kyoshiro is ''incredibly'' dangerous when he needs to be.
* {{BFS}}: Tenro is Kyo's BFS, but Kyoshiro basically confiscated it when he defeated Kyo at Sekigahara. He rarely uses it, but awesomeness ensues when he does.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Turns out he's even stronger than Kyo was in his true body. Kyo, being the main character, eventually surpasses him, but Kyoshiro is probably second among characters who are still alive at the end.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: When he grew up he was forced to serve the Former Crimson King as an assassin along with Chinmei, and killed thousands of people in this period.
* DiggingYourselfDeeper: He tells Yuya that Kyo cares about her but can't express it because [[NoSocialSkills he's the emotional equivalent of a three-year-old]]. When Kyo [[IResembleThatRemark reacts like an offended child]], Kyoshiro corrects himself and says that Kyo is obviously the emotional equivalent of a ''four''-year-old. It does not help his case.
* FightingFromTheInside: Normally it's Kyoshiro trying to regain the control of his body. The roles get inverted a couple of times, though. The most iconic one was during the battle against Nobunaga at the Hell's Gate.
* TheFourGods: He can use the Ultimate Techniques of the Mumyou-Jinpuu-Ryu as well, although in an imperfect form. Thus, he can't execute the Golden Wind.
* FakeDefector: [[spoiler:When he takes over Kyo's body, he feigns loyalty to the Former Crimson King, and even claims that he agrees with the king's MightMakesRight philosophy. The protagonists later realize that it was all a ploy to push Kyo's buttons and make him achieve his true potential.]]
* FreudianTrio: The Superego to Kyo's Id and Sakuya's Ego before the story. He's more emotional than the average Superego, but far more logical and traditionally moral than [[BloodKnight Kyo]].
* FriendlyRivalry: Used to have this with Kyo before things went wrong. By the end of the story, they seem to go back to it.
* AGodIAmNot: He's one of the strongest Mibu in history and a potential successor to the Crimson King, but he left the clan before the events of the story. He instead chooses to live his life as a humble medicine peddler, healing people in [[TheAtoner atonement for the crimes he committed on the Former King's orders]].
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:During the final showdown against Kyo, he inflicts a mortal wound and then switches bodies, intending to die in atonement for the sins he has committed. Subverted when Kyo saves him (though [[{{Tsundere}} the way Kyo talks]], he sounds like he's doing it out of pure spite)]].
* HitmanWithAHeart: When he served the Former Crimson King prior to the story, he exterminated any threats to the Mibu reign, but the conflict with his gentle nature eventually drove him to flee from the clan.
* ImplausibleFencingPowers: Only slightly less implausible than Kyo's.
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:In a way yes, considering that he did kill thousands of people back when he was under the King's service, but at least he showed remorse and spent the remaining years atoning for this, which mitigates his villainy.]]
* LovableSexManiac: In the first part of the manga, though it was likely part of his ObfuscatingStupidity act.
* MightMakesRight: Believes this, making him a {{Hypocrite}}. [[spoiler:Until it's revealed that it was an act to provoke Kyo.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After killing Kyosaburo, he realized how the Former King had corrupted and controlled him, prompting him to leave the Mibu clan along with Sakuya.
* NiceGuy: Even when one knows his past, he's still a nicer fellow than Kyo, the supposed main hero.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His goofy, occasionally-perverted persona is largely to make him seem harmless.
* PowerNullifier: When he and Kyo fight near the end of the manga, he is able to cancel out Kyo's most powerful techniques with no apparent effort. Kyoshiro is able to do this because he uses the rare "yin" or "passive" style of combat, which perfectly counters Kyo's active, aggressive attacks.
* ReluctantWarrior: After fleeing from the Mibu, he never wanted to kill again. He tries really hard to avoid fighting in the first few volumes.
* RedBaron: The "Demon God" Kyoshiro, first revealed by Okuni.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Turns out he has the Crimson Eyes as well, including the True Crimson Eyes.
* SamuraiPonytail: In flashbacks when his hair was longer, and when he [[spoiler:takes Kyo's body, which has much longer hair than his]].
* TechnicalPacifist: In his backstory and later on in the series.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Played with. He REALLY wants to do this as a penance for the murders he committed as the Former Crimson King's assassin. However, when he sees there's no other way [[spoiler:he TRIES, but can't bring himself to do it.]]

Most of Kyo's fighting-related tropes also fit Kyoshiro just fine.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shiina Yuya]]
[[quoteright:129:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yuya.jpg]]

A sixteen-year-old bounty hunter who stumbles upon Mibu Kyoshiro at the beginning of the story. She's looking for the man with the cross-shaped scar on his back who killed her older brother. However, her attempts to turn Kyoshiro in for the reward wind up involving her with the deadly Mibu clan and opening the door on her brother's mysterious past...

->Voiced by: Creator/YuiHorie (JP), Creator/VeronicaTaylor (EN)
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* ActionGirl: In the beginning, she's a capable fighter. {{Chickification}} unfortunately sets in later, because GunsAreWorthless and Yuya doesn't have any special powers.
* ACupAngst: She isn't flat, she's actually well endowed by normal standards, but she is shown to have the smallest bust size in the series and she isn't happy about that.
* AdaptationalBadass: She's still not on the level of the other fighters in the anime, but she does kill [[AdaptationalVillainy Saisei]] alone by shooting her heart from the inside.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Refreshingly subverted. At the beginning, when Kyo is at his most [[{{Jerkass}} dickish]], she is not ''remotely'' attracted to him. He's still a {{Tsundere}} by the time she starts having feelings for him, and he will never stop being a bad boy type, but that's not why she loves him.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Her relationship with Kyo has some truly heartwarming moments later in the manga, especially in the last few chapters and epilogue.
* BadassNormal: In the first few volumes, before [[GunsAreWorthless guns become obsolete]] and {{Chickification}} ensues.
* {{Chickification}}: Less {{egregious}} than some cases; she never loses her abilities, but with the other characters constantly getting [[{{BFS}} new weapons]], [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique employing secret moves]], [[TimeToUnlockMoreTruePotential taking their skills to the next level]], and generally going UpToEleven, she gets left behind in terms of power.
* CoolGun: She has a three barreled pepperpot revolver. She uses it effectively during the first arc, but [[GunsAreWorthless it becomes obsolete]] as the plot progresses.
* DamselInDistress: She's frequently in danger and someone (usually [[BodyguardCrush Kyo]]) has to save her.
* GoGoEnslavement: When she's captured by the Crimson King, he puts her in a skimpy, sheer robe with excessive cleavage showing.
* ItsPersonal: Finding the man who killed her older brother motivated her to become a bounty hunter.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: She bristles whenever someone implies that she and Kyo are involved, especially early on when she honestly doesn't have feelings for him and he's constantly harassing her.
* MaleGaze: She's subjected to this almost constantly during the course of the story, even in some moments where things should be more serious.
* MoralityPet: Yuya is occasionally Kyo's morality pet. In the rare moments when he's not being just as awful to her as he is to everyone else.
* TooDumbToLive: Wanders into Aokigahara alone and soon gets lost even after Benitora explicitly told her that compasses and magnets do not work in the forest. This is something that could get you killed in RealLife as well.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Can you believe she's only 16?
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Benitora]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tora.jpg]]

AKA Tokugawa Hidetada or Kyo's "servant #2." He started out as a member of the [[EliteMooks Three-Color Gang]] but joined Kyo's side very early on in the manga. His childish personality hides a deeper side that is no less idealistic; he truly believes that he can protect everyone he cares about.

->Voiced by: Creator/ToshihikoSeki (JP), Creator/WayneGrayson (EN)
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* BladeOnAStick: He starts out with a collapsible, three bladed spear. He later upgrades to the trident-esque Hokurakushimon, one of Muramasa's demon blades. It's one of the most powerful weapons in the series, [[EvilWeapon but...]]
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: The Shinkage Reverse Eight-Sun is almost as damaging to him as it is to the people he uses it on.
* DoggedNiceGuy: From early on he is this towards Yuya. Although, towards the end it becomes apparent that he's starting to develop a thing for Mahiro.
* DopplegangerAttack: Central to many of his moves; a rare non-{{ninja}} example.
* EyesAlwaysShut: They usually only open when he's really surprised. Though Yukimura has stated his eyes are just very squinty. According to what he says to Akari, they're the same even when he's sleeping.
* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: The real Hidetada did participate the aforementioned military campaigns. The manga however makes him a master of spear martial arts with magical powers and superhuman abilities on top of that.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: He's Tokugawa Hidetada in disguise, running around Japan goofing off and (initially) working with a criminal mercenary gang.
* KansaiRegionalAccent: When he's fooling around.
* KingIncognito: The son of Tokugawa Ieyasu and heir to the Tokugawa Shogunate... masquerading as a simple thug.
* {{Mercenary}}: In his first appearance, as part of the Three Color Gang.
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: In order to stop forbidden army troopers from interfering in Akira's fight with Tokito, Benitora tears down a wall between them and traps himself alone with hundreds of undead, regenerating soldiers. He's a wreck and has about a half-dozen broken swords sticking out of his back by the time Yuan's family finds him, but ''he wins''.
* RunningGag: Yuya MUST NOT find out he's the son of Ieyasu.
* ShipperOnDeck: Does this for a number of ships actually, the most prominent being Akira/Tokito. [[SheIsNotMyGirlFriend Neither Akira or Tokito reacts kindly towards his "suggestions".]]
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Or in this case, pink hair.
* WellDoneSonGuy: He's always looking for this from his father, Ieyasu Tokugawa, but it never seems to quite work out.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sanada Yukimura]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yukimura19.jpg]]

Kyo's {{Bishonen}} mirror-image, despite having no previous connection to the Mibu and their shenanigans. Ultimately plans to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer Japan]] by murdering Ieyasu Tokugawa and restoring the Sanada clan to power.

->Voiced by: Creator/MegumiOgata (JP), Christopher Kromer (EN)
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* AmbiguouslyBi: The first time he appears he's fondling a girl's breasts and his flashback chapter includes a girl who was important to him, but many of his interactions with other characters and the way he speaks of Hideyoshi makes him sounds like he could be into guys as well. He even flat out says he loves Kyo in one scene.
* BadassBookworm: He and the Former Crimson King spend their entire fight trading and interpreting Confucius quotes.
* BadassNormal: He starts out as one of these, being an exceptionally skilled samurai on a similar level to Demon Eyes Kyo despite having no special powers.
** EmpoweredBadassNormal: After pestering Anri into teaching him the Sekireigan. The technique brings his speed to superhuman levels, even seeming to briefly ''stop time''. However, Anri intentionally taught Yukimura an incomplete form of the Sekireigan, because human bodies do not have the Mibu resilience required to use it safely.
* BenevolentBoss: He's this towards his Ten Braves, treating them all as his family. Even Shindara, the former leader of the Ten and the first SarutobiSasuke.
* [[{{Bishonen}} Biseinen]]: ''Technically'', he's a Biseinen due to his age ([[OlderThanTheyLook he's 37]]), but he fits the {{Bishonen}} aesthetic and looks much younger than the other resident Biseinen.
* BloodKnight: Very jarring since he's otherwise an affable, cultured samurai with long term plans for the future of his country.
* BridalCarry: In the anime, he catches and holds Sasuke in his arms this way.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Even his closest servants can't tell when he's serious or not, most of the time.
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: The Sekireigan, or "Eye of the Wagtail". It enables the user to briefly stop time, but causes a HeroicRROD if overused. It's stated that the true form of the technique could even kill a human if the limits are exceeded, which is why Anri taught Yukimura an incomplete version.
* DudeLooksLikeALady: To the point where his BodyDouble is a beautiful girl, and he easily disguises himself as a woman for the Shogun's tournament (Kyo isn't fooled, but everyone else is at first). Not to mention that he's [[Creator/MegumiOgata voiced by one in the Japanese version]].
* DynamicEntry[=/=]BigDamnHeroes: In what is probably Yukimura's greatest CrowningMomentOfAwesome, he bursts onto the scene as the Crimson King is about to kill his men, Yuya, and Sakuya. He uses his Sekireigan to cut down THREE Suzakus simultaneously.
* GracefulLoser: An anime-only scene shows him reacting this way to his historical death. Subverted later on where he survived the siege of Osaka and is leading an army against Benitora.
* HeroicRROD: When he [[{{Determinator}} predictably]] overuses the DangerousForbiddenTechnique (Sekireigan) that Anri explicitly told him not to use more than five times in a day. It damages his optic nerves and renders him incapable of standing for some time.
* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: Good god, ''how''. Most pictures of the real Sanada Yukimura look something like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sanada_Yukimura.jpg this]]. SDK Yukimura is so [[{{Bishonen}} pretty]] that his BodyDouble is a beautiful woman. He himself ''passes'' as female when he enters the Shogun's tournament, with only Kyo catching on right away.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Like many of the characters, he's [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory based on a historical figure.]]
* MexicanStandoff: One of his fights with Kyo ends with the two of them holding blades against each other's throats. It's one of ''very'' few times anyone matches Kyo.
* MrFanservice: He's very pretty, and quite flirty with [[AmbiguouslyBi both men and women]].
* MultiMeleeMaster: In the anime he's not only a MasterSwordsman, but also skilled with a staff and bow when using the anime-only Muramasa Tenguko.
* OlderThanTheyLook: He's 37, but you'd be forgiven for assuming he's in his 20s or even teens. His current appearance is almost identical to how he looked at 18 in a flashback. He also looks exactly the same in the final chapter, in which he's ''40''.
* PassFail: At the Shogun's tournament; [[DudeLooksLikeALady not because he doesn't look the part]], but because his brother is in the arena.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: He has one, the Sanada Ten.
* SayItWithHearts: A staple of his dialogue. Amusingly, his female BodyDouble does ''not'' do this, and a side comic has Sasuke telling other characters that that's how the Juyushi tell them apart!
* ShadowArchetype: He's this to Kyo. Their skills are said to be equal (and they are for a while), but their personalities couldn't be more different.
* TheUnfettered: An interesting spin on this trope. He's set his goals and will purse them to the bitter end; however, said goals include making a better world for his friends and allies. In short, he's a subtle and manipulative Unfettered.
* WigDressAccent: He dresses in drag for the "Shogun's Tournament" arc to conceal his identity. Though making a fairly convincing (if flat) woman, he then proceeds to [[PassFail fail at passing]] because his brother's in the arena.
* WouldNotHitAGirl: Very protective of the women in the story. Kamijyo also once said while specifying Basara's gender that Yukimura would never have done [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe that]] to a girl.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:The Shiseiten (Four Emperors)]]

[[folder:The Shiseiten as a group]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shiseiten.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:From left to right: [[PlayingWithFire Hotaru]], [[AnIcePerson Akira]], [[TheBerserker Bontenmaru]], and [[TheMedic Akari]]]]

* BloodKnight: ''All of them''. Naturally, they are very impressed with and drawn to Kyo.
* FiveManBand: Along with Kyo. Before they split up, they were even ''less'' moral and could easily have qualified as a FiveBadBand.
** [[TheHero The (Anti) Hero]][=/=]BigBad: Kyo
** TheLancer[=/=]TheDragon: Akira (he's even widely known as the Twin-Headed Dragon)
** TheSmartGuy[=/=]TheEvilGenius: Hotaru fits, oddly enough. He’s a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, but he’s tactically brilliant and has a knack for figuring out complex issues [[GeniusDitz without really trying]].
** TheBigGuy[=/=]TheBrute: Bontenmaru, especially in his [[TheBerserker beast mode]].
** TheChick[=/=]TheDarkChick: Akari. She's more of a DarkChick even in the current events of the manga, considering she’s far more dangerous and less traditionally moral than the average Chick.
* FourIsDeath: They're one of several incredibly deadly four-person teams in the series.
* InLoveWithYourCarnage: In a platonic sense (or in Akari's case, not so platonic), about Kyo. He was a BloodKnight of the highest order and they were impressed with how effectively he could kill things, so they followed him for years.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: They were Kyo's before Sekigahara, when he still had his original body. Once they reunite in the story proper, they take up the mantle again.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: They're wildly different people (a blind former street urchin with ice powers, the head of a powerful Japanese family, the bastard son of a high-ranking Mibu official, and a {{UsefulNotes/Transgender}} shaman), but they work startlingly well together.
* TrueCompanions[=/=]FireForgedFriends: It's clear that they are extremely important to each other, despite their claims that they aren't. Akira especially tries to deny that the Shiseiten are connected by anything except a mutual pursuit of strength, but it's an façade that only becomes more obvious when Bontenmaru is captured by Tokito.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Akira]]
[[quoteright:228:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hotaru_and_akira.jpg]]

One of Kyo's Four Emperors. Kyo found him as a child on the battlefield, the last survivor of a razed village. Kyo took a liking to Akira when the latter tried to threaten him; despite the fact that Akira was a young child with no powers who could be flattened in a split-second by Kyo or Bontenmaru, he showed no fear. Instead of killing him, Kyo took him in as an apprentice.

After Kyo's "death" at Sekigahara, Akira went on with his life, striving to achieve invincibility in battle. By the time Kyo returns in the body of Mibu Kyoshiro, Akira has drifted so far off that he's become an antagonist.

->Voiced by: Creator/SoichiroHoshi (JP), Creator/MichaelSinterniklaas (EN)
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* AnIcePerson: Many of his techniques involve the creation and manipulation of ice.
* TheBabyOfTheBunch: Of the Shiseiten, to his chagrin. He's 19, not ''much'' younger than Hotaru (22) or Akari (24), but he was only 15 when they split up, and they still treat him like a kid. It doesn't help his case that he ''is'' still immature and impulsive sometimes.
* BadassNormal: Having ice powers usually disqualifies characters from the "normal" classification, but he's a different type. Akira stands out from the rest of the cast because he is the only major character (aside from Yuya) who comes from common lineage and therefore does not have samurai blood. This becomes a major hurdle for him because it severely limits his ability to grow and improve, and he is unable to "speak" with his swords.
* BigDamnHeroes: Anime only, he joins the final battle in time to freeze Nobunaga and buy Kyo some time.
* CantCatchUp: Sort of. He has no "Samurai Blood" and thus has to work twice as hard to get half as strong as those who do. Eventually, even that isn't enough when he reaches his body's limit. Because subconscious powers are linked to samurai blood, he falls behind a bit when Anthony uses his needles to help Hotaru, Benitora, and Shinrei unlock theirs.
* ChildSoldier: A willing and enthusiastic one. Akira was happily slaughtering his way through entire battlefields at the tender age of 10.
* CoveredWithScars: He started fighting in huge battles alongside ''Demon Eyes Kyo'' when he was a pre-teen. His entire body is riddled with scarring, but the most attention is drawn to the ones on his back.
* CradlingYourKill: To Saisei.
* DeadlyUpgrade: He has two.
** The first is more self-destructive than deadly: his Inferno's Chill ability allows him to use his own life energy to generate temperatures below absolute zero, destroying tissue on a molecular level so there is nothing left to regenerate.
** The second ''does'' nearly kill him. He uses his Inferno's Chill technique on ''himself'' to activate pressure points. This allows him to exceed the limits of his body to fight Tokito, but it also wrecks him, leaving permanent damage.
* DeadpanSnarker: Especially toward Benitora. It gets him in trouble with Akari on a regular basis.
* DentedIron: He ''ruins'' his body exceeding his natural limitations to fight Tokito. We get the ''[[SarcasmMode lovely]]'' image of his muscles tearing apart and bones shattering under the strain. He says afterward that he will probably never be able to fight again.
* {{Determinator}}: To a degree that stands out even in this manga. He purposely blinded himself in order to achieve another level of perception.
** See DentedIron above. He knows before the fight even starts that his battle with Tokito will destroy him physically, and that this damage will most likely be permanent, but he doesn't hesitate for a moment.
** Pretty much the entire point of his character that determination, skill, and spirit can overcome his genetic limits. [[UptoEleven And they do]].
* DisabilitySuperpower: Invoked. He disabled himself intentionally to gain his "eyes of the heart."
* DualWielding: With swords, one shorter than the other.
* EasilyForgiven: All of his earlier antagonistic interactions with the heroes are forgotten as soon as he fights with them in the Mibu land.
* EyeScream: He encounters a representation of his 15-year-old self in his subconscious when he passes out once. There's blood running down his face from his damaged eyes.
* FireForgedFriends: With the Shiseiten, as shown in flashbacks. Also, [[OddFriendship Benitora]].
* GratuitousEnglish: His Hell Ghost, Grand Cross and Heaven's Ghost attacks in original Japanese.
* HeroicBSOD: Briefly, after Anthony tells him he'll never be any stronger than he already is. Julian helps him get past it.
* MiseryPoker: Tokito throws a fit after their battle, claiming to have had the worst life ever. Several other characters immediately top Tokito's sob story, but Akira wins with an entire panel detailing his horrific childhood.
-->'''Bontenmaru''': The ''most'' miserable person should be the one whose own mother repeatedly plotted to have him killed! Who'd that be? Oh, I guess that'd be ''me!'' Ain't that right, Akira?
-->'''Akira''': Yes, I suppose so. But consider my story. Until I met Kyo, I had nothing to eat or wear. I clothed myself in garments taken from men who died on the battlefield. I scrounged for food, eating items found on the roadside and wild grasses. Thanks to that, I can even stomach partially-rotten food today. I've nearly died three times. Once, I got caught stealing and was beaten to a pulp, but survived only because being arrested saved me from having to find a place to sleep. When I made camp in the wilderness, I would often have to sleep in trees to avoid wild dogs. Of course, if the bandits found you, they'd tie you up and sell you into slavery, so I did learn rather quickly how to feign being dead. Parents? ''What'' parents?! Why would I even care to find out who they were? I don't remember them, so it hardly matters. But who really cares about ''me'', hmm?
-->'''Bontenmaru''': ... Damn! I don't know how I can compete with that.\\
'''Akira''': [[UpToEleven And then there was that time I disguised myself as a dead body so well I was nearly cremated]].
* OddFriendship: With Benitora of all people, once they're done endlessly antagonizing each other (though [[VitriolicBestBuds they continue to antagonize each other affectionately]]).
* RedBaron: He became widely known as the Twin-Headed Dragon while fighting alongside Kyo and after his disappearance.
* RedOniBlueOni: The blue to Benitora's red. Also occasionally the red to Hotaru's blue.
* ReverseMole: He played this role by killing Ajira of the 12 God Shoguns and taking his place.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: With Tokito. He tries to act indifferently about it, but usually ends up failing miserably.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With the [[FireForgedFriends Shiseiten]] and [[OddFriendship Benitora]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bontenmaru]]
[[quoteright:181:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shiseiten13.jpg]]

Another one of Kyo's Four Emperors, real name Date Masamune, Bontenmaru is TheBigGuy distilled. Huge and muscular, he fights with his bokken - and when the battle drags, he throws that away and wades into the enemy with his fists, tearing them limb from limb. He's not what you'd call "friendly" (he [[VitriolicBestBuds constantly fights with his friends]], is a [[BoisterousBruiser gleeful]] [[BloodKnight killer]] in a fight, and has one hell of an obnoxious ego), but he's a powerful ally and surprisingly loyal to his companions despite their disagreements.

->Voiced by: Creator/NorioWakamoto (JP)
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* AdaptedOut: All he gets in the anime is a mute cameo in the final episode, and that's that.
* AnimalBattleAura: The first time he met Kyo he threatened him with a giant beast-shaped aura.
* BadassNormal: Bontenmaru is the only one of the Shiseiten with no special powers. However, his ridiculous strength, speed, durability, and martial arts prowess makes him one of the strongest in the series.
* TheBerserker: Bon usually seems like the most level-headed of the Shiseiten, but when he enters his berserker state, he's completely wild. Hotaru recalls that when the Shiseiten were together, Bontenmaru was like a wild animal who tore everything in his path apart when he let loose. The other Shiseiten (every one of whom is a BloodKnight and OneManArmy) would just ''get out of his way'' until he was done!
* BoisterousBruiser: He has a lot of fun fighting.
* DumbMuscle: His default plan of attack is "hit enemy until it stops moving"; strategy and tactics aren't really his thing.
* EyepatchOfPower: He lost his eye when he was very young, but it hasn't hindered him - in fact, as he explains to Sasuke, he's so used to people attacking his blind side that he's more aware there.
* GentleGiant: Big, muscular body? Check. Superhuman strength and endurance? Check. Plays OneManArmy with nothing but ''a wooden sword and his bare hands?'' Check. Possesses a [[TheBerserker berserker mode]]? Bonus points. Has a soft spot for little girls (not like that!) and reads [[AnachronismStew shojo manga]]? You bet he does.
* GoodIsDumb: Has his moments
* HealingFactor: After being heavily damaged, he can hibernate to regenerate himself in hours.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Bontenmaru is a pseudonym of Date Masamune. "Hero" is debateable (as it is for most figures around that time) but he's definitely historical.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: Bon is 37, 9 years older than Kyo and over a decade older than the other Shiseiten; before they split up, both Akira and Hotaru were in their teens, and even Akari and Kyo were in their early twenties. He was something of a ParentalSubstitute for Akira when the latter was a kid, but in the events of the manga they're more like VitriolicBestBuds, and Akira is still only 19.
* LargeHam: Endlessly. Let's just say that Creator/NorioWakamoto was a flawless casting choice for the audio dramas.
* MadeOfIron: Even moreso than the rest of the cast. His skin so tough it deflects blades.
* MegatonPunch: His "Star Beast Fist" during Berserker Mode is powerful enough to obliterate Haira's torso on the impact and quickly turn the remaining carcass to dust.
* OddNameOut: He's the only member of the Shiseiten (including Kyo) whose name is longer than one kanji (Kyo and Akari are written in one kanji, Akira and Hotaru are writen in Katakana and Hiragana only, respectively), the only one without ElementalPowers, and most notably, the single [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory real historical figure]].
* SelfMadeOrphan: Important to his backstory - he killed his father and brother to clear the way for his own seizure of power. His father actually ordered Masamune to kill him while he was held captive by an enemy, because the rise of the Date clan was more important than his own life.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: Well, more superpowered worse side.
* TeamDad: He takes this role in the Shiseiten (especially for Akira), and arguably for Yuya.
* TokenGoodTeammate: He's friendly compared to the other three and Kyo outside of battle, but his "[[TheBerserker beast mode]]" is decidedly ''not''.
* TookALevelInDumbass: A side effect of his Berserker Mode has him behaving like a dog. To the point where [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Shihodo]] doesn't even realize he's human until he snaps out of it. Kyo can turn him back by telling him to ''shake hands''.
* UnstoppableRage: His entire "beast mode" bit.
* WalkingShirtlessScene
* WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter: Carries around a bokken as his personal weapon, and is skilled enough to duel with people armed with incredibly sharp swords and still manages to get out with his sword in one piece. However, he seems to be at his top with his bare hands.
* TheWorfEffect: Bon tends to suffer from this when he's confronted by stronger Mibu, especially Tokito.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hotaru]]
[[quoteright:276:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hotaru_and_yuan.jpg]]

The third member of the Shiseiten to be introduced, Hotaru is the lone Mibu of the group and the [[PlayingWithFire fire specialist]]. He's the epitome of a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, but under the facade of his constant deadpan expression and ditzy behavior lies a powerful fighter who possesses one of the most versatile fighting styles in the whole storyline.

Hotaru reveals during his battle with Kyo that the Crimson King sent him after the "demon child", and he has been a member of the Goyosei since before they met. He does pull a genuine HeelFaceTurn after Kyo defeats him in Mibu territory.

->Voiced by: Creator/TakehitoKoyasu (JP), Sebastian Arcelus (EN)
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* AmbiguousDisorder: His social skills are awful, he has zero filter (see him loudly asking Akari if she's had [[{{UsefulNotes/Transgender}} that surgery]] yet), and he [[InnocentlyInsensitive completely does not understand when he has said something inappropriate or upsetting]]. He is also extremely skilled at the few things he can focus on, and fans on the autism spectrum tend to identify with him.
* AnArmAndALeg: His left arm undergoes some serious trauma in his first appearance -- first Bontenmaru shatters it with his Kosoga, and then Kyo cuts it off with Suzaku. Saishi and Saisei reattach it later, and Hotaru forgets that he ever lost it.
* AnimalBattleAura: The aura of his Demon's Breath attack takes the shape of a dark, feather-winged humanoid with a narrow face, implied to be Lucifer. In the anime, he gets a tiger motif and aura.
* AnimalMotifs: Tigers, but only in the anime. A deliberate contrast to [[TigerVersusDragon Shinrei's dragons]].
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Ooh, a caterpillar! Oooh, a whirligig! Ooooh, the floor looks different over here!
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: It's revealed during his fight with Yuan that Hotaru can take any form he's seen and adapt it to his fighting style. Not bad for the resident {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.
* {{Bishonen}}: It comes with the Mibu heritage. He's the lightest-built and has the most refined features of the male Shiseiten.
* BloodUpgrade: His Chikewai. Later on he learns the Honoo Chikewai, which greatly increases his own power but burns his life away, making it a DeadlyUpgrade.
* BloodyMurder: Keikoku Kien brands Hono Chikewai markings made from Hotaru's blood onto an opponent's body, burning them from the inside out.
* [[RedOniBlueOni Blue Oni]]: To Akira in the Shiseiten, and to Shinrei in the Goyosei. It's unusual in that Hotaru wears red and his element of choice is ''[[PlayingWithFire fire]]'', and his corresponding [[RedOniBlueOni red oni]] both wear blue and use [[AnIcePerson ice]] and [[MakingASplash water]], respectively.
* BrutalHonesty: He isn't malicious about it, but he has NoSocialSkills and doesn't bother to sugarcoat anything or let people down gently.
* CasualDangerDialogue: ''All'' of Hotaru's dialogue is delivered calmly, even in the middle of deadly battles or when he's horribly injured.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: The most ditzy example in the entire manga, only rivaled by Shihodo. The first time Sasuke, Mahiro, and Benitora encounter him, they don't believe he's one of the Goyosei. Removed in the anime, where he's much more serious.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: After Kyo defeats him and reminds him that he used to actually enjoy himself with the Shiseiten, Hotaru settles firmly on the protagonists' side.
* {{Determinator}}: They're everywhere in this manga, but Hotaru is exceptional. He is incredibly tenacious, breaking out of Yuan's illusions through sheer willpower, and often continuing to fight even when hopelessly outmatched. More than once, other characters ask how Hotaru can even ''move'' with the level of damage he's recently taken.
* DoNotCallMePaul: Yuan gave him the name "Keikoku" when he was a child, but he adopted the name "Hotaru" later in life. When he returns to Mibu territory, ''everyone'' he knew there insists on calling him Keikoku, and he corrects them incessantly. Yuan shows respect for Hotaru's personal growth by using his new name, but still calls him Keikoku out of habit sometimes.
* DoubleWeapon: A katana with a straight, dagger-like blade protruding from the pommel.
* EasilyForgiven: When first introduced as Keikoku, he burns some of his own men to death for being unable to hurt Bontenmaru. No one ever brings this up later on.
* ElementalRivalry: Invoked; Hotaru chose to learn [[PlayingWithFire fire skills]] because he wanted to be the opposite of everything [[MakingASplash Shinrei]] and their father stood for.
* EyeScream: In one of Yuan's Genshisho illusions, he stabs Hotaru in the eye with the pointy end of a toy propeller.
* FacialMarkings: When using his Chikewai (Blood Painting) and Honoo Chikewai (Flame Blood Painting) to give himself a boost in power.
* FlamingSword: Rarely. He directs his flames with his sword, but almost never actually sets the blade on fire.
* GoryDiscretionShot: When the above-mentioned EyeScream happens, the angle thankfully obscures the damage to his actual eye and only shows blood running down his face.
* GratuitousEnglish: Just like Akira, some of his high tier attacks are in English.
* HappilyAdopted: Yuan's family has considered him their brother since Yuan picked him up, and he eventually returns the sentiment.
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: He was one of the Goyosei before he left the Mibu and became one of Kyo's Shiseiten. After Kyo's disappearance at Sekigahara, he went back to the Mibu to rejoin the Goyosei, making him an antagonist by the next time they meet. And then he takes up the Shiseiten mantle again after Kyo defeats him, settling on "face".
* HeroicBastard: Hotaru is the son of a concubine, disowned and [[TheUnfavorite despised]] by his Mibu father. He's justifiably bitter about all the years his father spent [[OffingTheOffspring sending assassins after him]].
* HeroicWillpower: Multiple times. Notably, he manages to drag himself to his feet after taking a direct hit from Kyo's Suzaku (though the damage from said attack does swiftly put him back down). His fight against his mentor, Yuan, shows this off most dramatically when Hotaru defies a mind-breaking illusion and turns it back on Yuan.
* HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood: Early childhood abuse was decidedly ''not'' hilarious, with the whole "biological father sending assassins after him" thing. Yuan picks him up when he's probably about six and clearly loves the kid, but was still seen whacking Keikoku's head against a wall because the little monster wouldn't stop waving a sword and yelling at him. It's PlayedForLaughs.
* IncendiaryExponent: Self-explanatory. The specific technique is called "Fire Wall" (in gratuitous English).
* IneffectualLoner: He was so wary of other people when he first joined up with Kyo and company that he would go hungry rather than accept food from others. Kyo used to think that the day Hotaru gave up being a loner would be the day he died.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: He says what's on his mind, with no filter and very limited awareness of the impact his words may have.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Before his HeelFaceRevolvingDoor settles on "face", Bontenmaru snaps his left arm in several places, and then Kyo ''cuts it off''. Hotaru barely seems to notice and responds to losing an arm with "I wasn't using that. I fight with my right". He gets it reattached off-screen and forgets that it ever came off.
* NiceShoes: He wears tengu geta (pictured above: wooden sandals with a single tall slat instead of the standard two), which require incredible balance to even walk in. He runs around and fights in them. Amusingly, he seems to have chosen this particular pair because they make him exactly as tall as his rival and half-brother, Shinrei.
* NoSell: Shinrei's rhythm-matching skill doesn't work on him, because Hotaru's style of fighting is so mercurial that it doesn't ''have'' a rhythm.
* NoSenseOfDirection: A contender with [[OnePiece Rorona Zoro]] for being the most triumphant example of this trope. The final chapter has Hotaru getting lost and somehow wandering all the way to ''China''. The epilogue takes this even further, where it's implied that Hotaru ultimately ended up accidentally ''circumnavigating the entire planet'' before getting back to Japan. When he gets back, Yuya tries to tell him where Kyo is, even pointing the way, only for Hotaru to immediately head off ''in the opposite direction.''
* ObfuscatingStupidity: A LOT. Possibly.
* PlayingWithFire: He combines flames of various temperatures with his swordsmanship. Ironically he almost never gets [[IncrediblyLamePun fired up]] under any circumstances, remaining cool-headed throughout the fight.
** ConvectionSchmonvection: Even his Demon's Breath flames, the hottest he can conjure, seem to act more like a concussive energy than anything else.
* TheResenter: He ''haaates'' his half-brother, and intentionally molded himself into anti-Shinrei out of spite when he was young. It's one of the reasons he uses fire (because Shinrei and his house use water) and despises the Mibu in general (because Shinrei is devoted to them).
* RunningGag: Moving caterpillars out of the way of battle, forgetting something someone told him just minutes ago, being slow to respond, the list goes on.
* SmarterThanYouLook: Even though his head is empty, which he even is aware of, Hotaru can say some pretty darn insightful and deep things. When this is commented upon by other characters, he often has already forgotten what he said and why. The details of two of his attacks are also clear evidence that he's far more intelligent than his odd behavior implies. See below:
** The first is Kaho Enbu, which he only uses once (in his fight against Bontenmaru in his first appearance). He sets a flame at his opponent's feet and then creates an airtight box around them, which kills the flame and suffocates the person. When the victim breaks the barrier, oxygen rushes in and causes an explosive backdraft as the dying ember flares up again.
** Keikoku Kien is a technique that brands the Hono Chikewai onto his opponent's body. Hono Chikewai is a double-edged sword even for Hotaru, as it powers him up exponentially but damages his body as his blood burns. For his opponents, Hotaru's blood is only a weapon, burning them from the inside out.
* SuperEmpowering: He powers up Shinrei using Keikoku Kien. Shinrei is able to gain the benefits of Hono Chikewai from Hotaru's blood instead of being destroyed by it because he and Hotaru are half-brothers.
* TigerVersusDragon: Only in the anime, he has a tiger motif opposing Shinrei's dragons.
* TheUnfavorite: Exaggerated. As the illegitimate son, Hotaru was a stain on his father's reputation. His mother was killed and her death reported as a suicide, and Hotaru has had assassins after him since he was a little kid. There's a dramatic contrast in flashbacks between young Shinrei (happy and innocent, world handed to him on a silver platter) and young Hotaru (angry, scarred, clawing and fighting just to survive).
* VitriolicBestBuds: With his half-brother Shinrei (after Hotaru stops flat-out hating him), at times to a [[CrowningMomentOfFunny hilarious degree]].
* YouAreWhatYouHate: Despises the Mibu, despite the fact that he himself is at least half Mibu. Probably has something to do with his Mibu father, you know, ''sending assassins after him starting in infancy''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Akari]]
[[quoteright:220:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/akari.jpg]]

The last of the Four Heavenly Kings to be introduced, and also the most feared of the four (within the group anyways). Playing the role of a shamanic healer, Akari is there to heal any wounds the others may receive during battles, although it comes at the cost of her knowing one of their secrets. That rule however, doesn't apply to Kyo, as she is head-over-heels in love with him, going so far as to make a bet with him where if she ever lands a blow on his face, he will promise to marry her. When she is first introduced to the crew, everyone was surprised as to what could possibly cause Akira, Bontenmaru and Hotaru to cower before her presence. Turns out she possesses monstrous strength, capable of wounding even Bontenmaru (although said strength is for the most part reserved for humorous situations), and can get really riled up when certain buttons are pushed.

Oh yeah, and did we mention she is {{UsefulNotes/Transgender}}?

->Voiced by: Creator/KotonoMitsuishi (JP)
-----
* AdaptedOut: She never appears in the anime.
* BerserkButton: Don't call her by her birth name or refer to her as a man.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: [[spoiler:As Ashura, she develops blades that turn whatever they cut into stone.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:As Ashura, when she attacks [[FightingYourFriend Kyo]].]]
* BreastAttack: PlayedForLaughs when she hugs Santera, whose corrosive spores destroy the buns Akari uses to [[FakeBoobs stuff her top]]. Akari throws a fit and complains that [[ACupAngst now she's flatter than Yuya]].
* CloseCallHaircut: One of Santera's butterflies gets past Akari's barrier and singes her hair. She [[MinorInjuryOverreaction flips out about it]].
* CooldownHug: Does this to a crazed Santera to stop her.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: She was designated male and named Mitarai Tokichiro at birth, and when her powers manifested, she was seen as a freak and a monster. She became bitter and angry, lashing out at the world that rejected her help and eventually finding the Mibu Clan. Hishigi took her in and eventually made her the head of his personal guard, but later he implanted the Devil Eye in her hand and she ran away. She spent some time alone, killing anyone the Mibu sent after her, until Kyo found her and she joined the Shiseiten.
* EyepatchOfPower: Her glove is one for the Devil Eye on her hand.
* FakeBoobs: Turns out she's wearing large steamed buns to simulate breasts. She's not amused when this is found out.
* FastballSpecial: During the Shiseiten's battle with the Mibu's [[{{Mook}} regenerating soldiers]], she [[SuperStrength launches Bon]] directly into the middle of the army when he calls her Tokichiro. Amusingly, ''Bon'' is TheBigGuy, and Akari [[MusclesAreMeaningless does not look nearly as strong as she is]].
* GratuitousEnglish: All her attacks.
* HoistByHerOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Kyo restores her back to normal by reflecting the Medusa Eye's own gaze with his Tenro, causing it to be destroyed.]]
* HowDareYouDieOnMe: She is very, ''very'' angry with Hishigi for trying to talk her out of [[SaveTheVillain saving him]]. She tells him that as long as someone will mourn his passing, he isn't allowed to choose death for himself.
* InLoveWithYourCarnage: Her feelings for Kyo subvert this. She was always ''impressed'' by his strength, but she fell for him because he never cared if she was a monster or not.
* LadyOfWar[=/=]LadyOfBlackMagic: Akari is an elegant and classy lady, but she will not hesitate to kick ass, and her [[VampiricDraining vampiric energy draining]] is one of the more dangerous powers in the series.
* MagicStaff: She carries one and channels her shamanic powers through it.
* ManchurianAgent: [[spoiler:When Kyo and company finally confront Hishigi and Fubuki, Hishigi activates the Devil Eye in Akari's hand and it takes over her mind, causing her to attack Kyo and Yuan]].
* TheMedic: Akari can accelerate healing by channeling her own energy into an injured person's body. Because of the way her power works, however, she can't heal herself.
* MinorInjuryOverreaction: When one of Santera's corrosive butterflies burns her hair, Akari is ''not pleased''.
* TheMole: Akari is secretly [[spoiler:Ashura, Hishigi's Imperial Guard, who was sent to spy on Kyo. Subverted by virtue of mind control.]]
* NoHeroDiscount: Akari will only heal her companions (other than Kyo) if they tell her a close personal secret. And it must be a new one, ''every single time''. She does offer to heal Yukimura in exchange for a kiss instead of blackmail material, but her motives for doing so are entirely selfish. Incidentally, he complies... and then reveals post-kiss that he swapped places with Kosuke, to Akari's disappointment.
* NoodleIncident: She was the pivot of many dirty scandals in the past, none of which is elaborated upon.
* SaveTheVillain: She tries to save Hishigi after the Devil Eyes fail and he collapses. He's [[DeathSeeker not really opposed to the whole death thing at this point]], and tries to [[UnwantedRescue convince her to let him die]].
* SilkHidingSteel: She's beautiful, elegant, and one of the strongest and most deadly characters in the manga.
* StoryBreakerPower: Akari's original Medusa Eye, which has the power to instantly turn anyone who sees it into ash. Subverted by the fact that Akari refuses to employ it in battle because it is a weapon for indiscriminate murder.
** On top of that, having a power that can drain life energy itself, Akari is more on the hax side than the other three emperors.
* SuperpowerMeltdown: The Medusa Eye causes one, when [[spoiler:Hishigi activates it]].
* SuperStrength: Her physical strength is usually displayed in comedic situations, but she's capable of [[FastballSpecial launching Bontenmaru across a room]]. [[spoiler:As Ashura, she's strong enough to knock ''Kyo'' off his feet]].
* TransEqualsGay: Subverted. For the most part, Akari is attracted to men (primarily Kyo, but she flirts with Yukimura and mentions an attraction to Hishigi as well). However, she does have a few moments with Yuya that suggest she may be bisexual.
* {{Transsexual}}: No one makes much of a fuss about the contents of Akari's undergarments, and it is made very clear that she absolutely is a woman. Her identity and transition were apparently supported when she was a child, likely because shamanistic powers are stronger in females. Kyo does say that the Shiseiten do not allow women to join, which would imply that he does ''not'' accept her identity; however, considering he usually uses her chosen name and female pronouns for her, he may have just been making a typically obnoxious joke.
* UnsettlingGenderReveal: First as a FunnyBackgroundEvent when we see her taking a pee from behind with both her hands at crotch level. Later on it happens on a Mibu Elite who gropes her only to end up with a handful of steamed manjuu. [[StupidSexyFlanders He's very distressed by the fact that she's still hot]].
* VampiricDraining: Her "air vamp" attack drains life energy. Sometimes overlaps with LifeDrain to heal herself (since shamanic healing abilities do not work on the caster), but the skill seems to be primarily offensive.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Subverted. Akari is occasionally viewed this way by other characters, but she is definitely a {{UsefulNotes/Transgender}} woman, not a crossdressing man.
* YouAreNumberSix: She was "No. 13" when she was with the Mibu.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Pink, in her case.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:The Sanada Juyushi (Sanada Ten Braves)]]

[[folder:Sarutobi Sasuke]]

Everyone's favorite little ninja, Sasuke is a boy who grew up in Aokigahara until he was found by Yukimura.

->Voiced by: Creator/AkiraIshida (JP), Michelle Newman (EN)
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* BerserkButton: ''Do not'' insult or threaten Sanada Yukimura in his presence.
* CloningBlues: After finding out that forest-dwellers like himself are Mibu genetic experiments, he struggles with self-worth and worries that Yukimura will see him as a monster. It gets even worse when he encounters the other "rare breed" children, all of whom look like him and have the Crimson Eyes.
* CuteBruiser[=/=]BadassAdorable: One of the strongest characters in the series as well as one of the cutest.
* DeadpanSnarker: He's a rude one, especially toward Benitora. With the Juyushi, he snarks defensively to [[{{Tsundere}} disguise the fact that he cares about them]].
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Due to only being 12, Sasuke doesn't have the most masculine build, he can confuse anyone into believing he's a little girl.
** In the Character Guide Book, there was an entire page dedicated to fan drawings of what Sasuke would look like if he was a girl or dressed up like a girl; Sasuke was shocked to see this and wasn't happy, while Yukimura believes Sasuke would be really cute as a girl or dressed up like one.
* HellishPupils: One of his defining features as a child from Aokigahara; that is, until his abilities as a "Rare Breed" kick in, in which case it becomes a case of RedEyesTakeWarning.
* HeroicRROD: He "crashes" if he uses his powers too much.
* NinjaBrat: Subverted, as Sasuke is ''very'' experienced and skilled in battle despite his youth. There's some overlap with KidSamurai, as he uses swords typically wielded by samurai, but his combat style utilizes more of the agility and stealth employed by ninja.
* ParentalAbandonment: At least it seems that way until we find out he's actually a failed creation of the Mibu clan.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Is ''very'' strong for his size (Antera and Tokito being the only ones who exceed him in this respect) and is shown casually shattering trees or breaking the ground with his bare hands.
* PowerLimiter: His previous swords, including the replica of Tenro he wielded before he gained the Muramasa demonblade Shibien. Sasuke developed the Raikoken before he acquired Shibien, but Shibien was the first sword Sasuke could use it with that wouldn't outright shatter from the technique's power.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Manga only.
* SarutobiSasuke: [[CaptainObvious For the obvious reasons]]...
* ShockAndAwe: Once he gets Shibien.
* TheStoic: He tries, but it doesn't take much to make him [[NotSoStoic drop it]].
* YouAreNumberSix: He's #15379 of the "rare breed" experiments.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kirigakure Saizo]]
->Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama (JP), Creator/MarcDiraison (EN)

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Inverted in the anime, he's the leader of the Juyushi but also the wimpiest.
* BodyguardCrush: In the anime, at least, on Yukimura. Could be argued in the manga.
* BodyguardingABadass: For Yukimura. None of the Juyushi are even close to Yukimura's strength in a fight, and he ends up saving them more often than they save him.
* ButtMonkey: He's the victim of endless jokes and physical comedy.
* TheLancer: Always by Yukimura's side.
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Compared to all the other Braves, he's nothing special.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anayama Kosuke]]
->Voiced by: Creator/MegumiOgata (JP), Creator/MeganHollingshead (EN)

* ActionGirl: She can kill bears with her own hands, though she's not as powerful as Yukimura.
* BodyDouble: For Yukimura. It manages to work, despite the obvious difference.
* PaperThinDisguise: She may have the same face, hair and clothes as Yukimura, but her AbsoluteCleavage and huge boobs marks the difference.
* TakingTheBullet: Swaps places with Yukimura at one point to save him from Shindara. The aftermath is played for laughs when Yukimura apparently kisses Akari in exchange for healing him... except that it was Kosuke, who kissed her on the cheek.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yuri Kamanosuke]]
->Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* AdaptedOut: Like most of the Juyushi, Kamanosuke didn't make it into the anime.
* AmbiguousGender: They have a feminine face, but their body appears masculine. According to the Japanese entry on TheOtherWiki, their gender is unknown.
* ChefOfIron: Can make an excellent stew out of the bears Kosuke just killed.
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Well, if Kamanosuke ''is'' a dude, anyway. Described as having the face and mannerism of an "Akita Beauty".
* TeamMom: Except male. [[AmbiguousGender Perhaps]].
* RedOniBlueOni: Red, emotive and effemminate to Jinpachi's blue.
* SinisterScythe: Two of them. Funnily enough, the Kama in Kamanosuke means Scythe.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Along with Jinpachi.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nezu Jinpachi]]
->Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* AdaptedOut: He does not appear in the anime.
* BadassBeard: A scruffy "chin-strap" beard with soul patch and sideburns.
* HandicappedBadass: Has only one arm, but is still a force to be reckoned with.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: A ''literal'' Ninja-Pirate with an ArtificialLimb.
* RedOniBlueOni: Blue, calm and masculine to Kamanosuke's red.
* SmokingIsCool: A pipe.
* ThoseTwoGuys: He and Kamanosuke.
* WolverineClaws: Wears them as a replacement left arm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Miyoshi Nyuudo Isa & Seikai]]
->Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* BaldOfAwesome: Both brothers. They're not called Nyuudo for nothing.
* BashBrothers: Twin brothers who use synchronized combination attacks.
* CoolShades: They wear sunglasses at all times and are horrified when the glasses break.
* {{Gonk}}: They're not really ''ugly'', but their eyes don't quite seem to fit their faces. There's a reason why they wear sunglasses. Of course, ''they'' say they wear the sunglasses because they are the most attractive of the Juuyushi and they don't want to make the others feel bad about themselves. Sakuya thinks their eyes are beautiful, to Yuya's utter confusion.
* WhatBeautifulEyes: Sakuya's opinion. Not so much Yuya's.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rokuro Mochizuki]]
->Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* ButtMonkey: He was the only member of the Juuyuushi to be left behind in Kudoyama.
* PaperThinDisguise: He's just wearing a paper mask of Yukimura.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Juuzo Kakei]]
->Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* BadassAdorable: Looks like a smiling little nerd, but carries an incredible number of guns with him and is not shy about using them.
* BigDamnHeroes: Joins the final battle against Chinmei in time to help Sasuke and Yukimura.
* MoreDakka: He has a ''lot'' of guns.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rokuro Unno]]
Unvoiced, no role in anime or audio dramas

* BigDamnHeroes: Joins the final battle against Chinmei in time to help Sasuke and Yukimura.
* WarriorMonk: Has the looks of one, to say the least.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Oda Nobunaga and the Jūnishinshō (Twelve Gods)]]

[[folder:Oda Nobunaga]]

The Demon King of the Sixth Circle. Oda Nobunaga was the next puppet being set up by the Mibu Clan to rule Japan. However, history took a major turn when, during Akechi Mitsuhide's attempted assassination of him at Honnoji, a young Kyo showed up and killed him, completely derailing the Mibu's plans for the country. The Mibu took Nobunaga's soul and transplanted it into a new body in a second attempt, only for a grown-up Kyo to thwart their plans ''again'' at the battle of Sekigahara. As a consequence, the Tokugawa regime, which carried no allegiance to the Mibu, rose to power. Still not satisfied, the Mibu resurrected Nobunaga for a third time in yet another body, this time sending him to the secret cave at the base of Mt. Fuji, where Kyo's real body rested in hopes of transplanting Nobunaga's demonic soul into Kyo's incredibly badass body. Once again, this plan is headed off at the pass by Kyo and Kyoshiro, with Nobunaga dying ''yet again.'' But even this ''still'' isn't enough as the Mibu plan to resurrect him ''again'' after managing to steal Kyo's body back from where Akira had hidden it. However, Kyo's body is stolen yet again by someone else (later revealed to the Former Crimson King as a favor to Kyoshiro) and Nobunaga's soul is instead implanted into Shatora/Shiina Nozomu. After yet another battle, where Kyo is briefly granted use of his true body by the Former Crimson King, Nobunaga is defeated and killed a final time.

->Voiced by: Creator/ShowHayami (JP), Michael Alston Baley (EN)

* AdaptationalBadass: He's the BigBad in the anime, and flattens the anime versions of the Four Elders. In the manga, he's reduced to a Mibu attack dog, and the Elders are way out of his league (Hishigi has to supervise him).
** Zigzagged. He actually seems to be more powerful in the manga, but the other threats (not to mention Kyo) are so much stronger that his impact on the plot is comparatively minor.
* ArchEnemy: Ever since Kyo defeated and killed Nobunaga for the first time at Honnoji, the two of them have been arch rivals across all of Nobunaga's reincarnations.
* BadassMoustache: Had one on his real body back when he was alive.
* BadBoss: After he takes over Shiina Nozomu's body, he uses Nozomu's power to resurrect the Juunishinsho that Kyo and the others had killed already. While Kyo is fighting them, Nobunaga proceeds to launch his own attacks through them, cutting them to pieces in the process. Because Kyo dodges, Nobunaga berates his soldiers for failing to be useful in even that respect before destroying them again. When he tries to summon them a second time, they don't answer his call.
* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: He's reduced to a head in a jar for a while, but he's not dead and is eventually restored.
* DeathIsCheap: Is brought back to life no fewer than ''three times'' over the course of the series and its backstory. His demonic soul can be transplanted from one body to another. However, depending on the body his soul is put into, his abilities may be weakened or enhanced, which is why his ultimate goal is to take Kyo's body.
* DemonKingNobunaga: One version of Nobunaga who's apparently the most evil being in existance period.
* GrandTheftMe: Wants Kyo's real body, [[AdaptationalBadass which he gets in the anime]].
** Does this to Shatora (AKA, Nozomu) in the manga.
* TheGrimReaper: A lot of his techniques involve using the power of the Shinigami.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Yet another historical figure. The real Nobunaga, while brutal, probably was not ''that'' evil.
* IControlMyMinionsThrough: Fear, mostly, according to the fake Mekira, who claims that he and his fellow generals are terrified of him. They also follow him for the power he promised them.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the anime, by the top of the falling Tokyo Tower. ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: After the first battle only his head remains. [[DeaderThanDead He's not so lucky the second time]].
* NotSoDifferent: While he's vanishing for the second time, Sasuke notices that, in the end, Nobunaga was not so different from them.
* ScarsAreForever: The burns he received at Honnoji follow him from body to body.
* SmugSuper: For one thing, he congratulates Benitora for getting him off his horse.
* TakingYouWithMe: His DesperationAttack Tenma Gokasho, his attempt to kill off Akari, Sasuke and Yuuya. Kyo, however, is able to stop it.
* TheStarscream: Implied that he wanted to use the knowledge of Nozomu's body to turn against the Mibu and conquer them too.
* WeWillMeetAgain: He claims this as he is dying for the final time in the manga. Kyo responds that he looks forward to it.
* WhenTreesAttack: In the Anime, Shatora revives him in a tree. As a result he can control the whole Sea of Trees to attack and even [[OneWingedAngel turns into a giant monster made of trees]] to kill Kyo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shindara]]
->Voiced by: Takayuki Yamaguchi (JP), Ryan Brack (EN)

* CoDragons: With Basara to Nobunaga during the Forest Arc.
* DealWithTheDevil: The mark on his cheek symbolize his pact with the Mibu.
* ElementalPowers: According to Saizo, he can manipulate earth, air, water, and fire. That's presumably true, but he only ever demonstrates water and fire.
* {{Expy}}: His appearance during his fight against Yukimura (long shiny hair, tight pants, and the black markings over his exposed torso, arms, and face) calls to mind [[Manga/YuYuHakusho Yusuke's demon form]].
* FakeDefector: He left Yukimura and went to the Mibu, claiming it was in pursuit of greater strength and that he had no viable future with Yukimura. He is actually looking for weaknesses in the Mibu clan, hoping to ''save'' Yukimura.
* GoOutWithASmile: After young Sasuke says he's proud to share the name and promises to keep Yukimura safe, Shindara thanks him and is able to die content.
* HealingFactor: It's so strong that he's believed to be immortal, but it can be overpowered. The anime changes it to a black hole-like defense.
* HeroicSacrifice: He shields Sasuke from the explosion in Hishigi's lab, which results in a level of damage from which even he can't recover.
** In the Anime, he saves everyone by using his black hole-like body to absorb the incoming falling star containing the Gate to the Underworld.
* MasterOfNone: Saizo informs the protagonists that Shindara can use [[ElementalPowers earth, air, water, and fire]]. However, his water and fire techniques as shown are nowhere near the power displayed by [[PlayingWithFire Hotaru]] and [[MakingASplash Shinrei]], let alone their masters Yuan and Fubuki.
* {{Ninja}}: According to Saizo, he's a Ninja Master, superior to anyone else.
* RedBaron: Shindara the Immortal.
* ReverseMole: The real reason he [[FakeDefector abandoned Yukimura and the Ten]] was to infiltrate the Mibu and try to keep Yukimura safe from them.
* SarutobiSasuke: The original, once the leader of the Sanada Ten, and young Sasuke's namesake.
* SummonMagic: One of his jutsu creates large illusionary demons that are said to have the same power he does.
* VisualKei: He fits the aesthetic, and this was even his nickname among the author's staff.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Antera]]
->Voiced by: Creator/KanaUeda (JP)

* ClippedWingAngel: Tokito's "Crime Monster" serum amplifies the true nature of its users (Kotaro's body [[IntangibleMan turns into a shadow]], and Santera becomes a mindless, toxin-spewing monster). Antera expects it to power her up, but it instead resets her to her adult body, which is suffering from an advanced case of the Death Disease. Lampshaded by Antera herself.
* CuteBruiser: In her first appearance, she accidentally crushes a man's skull with her bare hand when Bikara calls her an old lady.
* DaddysLittleVillain: Daddy doesn't want her to be one.
* DropTheHammer: Her weapons of choice. Chinese hammers, to be specific.
* FilleFatale: In her first appearence she's nearly naked in the bedroom of a openly pedophile samurai and looks at his mercy. The following dialogue with Bikara and Shindara implies that she actually did it on purpose in order to get his estate and goods.
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: She regains her memories when she turns back into her adult form, but upon becoming a child again she loses not only her memories of Mibu life, but also of all the time she spent with the Jyuunishinsho.
* SweetTooth: According to a side comic, she developed SuperStrength in order to acquire more sweets (her father said she could have another strawberry daifuku when she was strong enough to pick him up).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bikara]]
->Voiced by: Katsuhiro Harasawa (JP)

* BadassGay: He apparently fought Kyo for ''hours'' at Sekigahara, and nearly overpowers him in the forest before losing.
* TheBrute: Relies on brute strength, [[CampGay but that's all he has in similarities with this trope]]. Later subverted, as his ''real'' trump card is his speed.
* EffeminateMisogynisticGuy: His behavior and speech patterns are exaggeratedly feminine, and he tries to kill Yuya out of jealousy just because she exists in his presence. Unusually for this trope, he's a huge, muscular man.
* DepravedHomosexual: In the manga. The anime avoids it, making him a narcissist instead.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Anime only, he's implied to be the son of UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: With Antera. She frequently rides around on his shoulder and, while the two bicker often, it's clear that they are in fact very good friends.
* HumanPopsicle: How he meets his end.
* LightningBruiser: His brute strength and chakrams (an unusual weapon in this setting) are meant to hide the fact that his most dangerous asset is his ridiculous speed.
* MinorInjuryOverreaction: After telling the group that he won't attack them while Kyo is asleep he scratches himself on the face with a twig, and reacts by losing his cool and attacking.
* OneWingedAngel: Only in the anime. He turns into a massive cephalotorax Ken'yo trying to save Antera.
* StalkerWithACrush: For Kyo.
* VillainousValor: In the anime, as soon as Antera collapses for using too much power he immediatly rushes to her side, scolds her for overdoing and tries to save her life by turning into his Ken'yo form with her. When she warns him that he'll only grow weak from absorbing her he still does it, assuring her that he's strong enough for both of them. He then goes berserk when she's killed by Kyo.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In his confrontation with Kyo, Bikara was preparing to use some kind of special technique, but ended up not using it as Shindara showed up to call the fight off. Sadly, we never got to see what that technique was as Bikara was offed by Akira shortly afterwards.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ajira]]

* PosthumousCharacter: Akira killed him to set up his ReverseMole strategy. The original Ajira is only ever alluded to.
-->See Akira for tropes referring to him while using the alias
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Basara]]
->Voiced by: Norihisa Mori (JP), Zachary Alexander (EN)

* TheArcher: He fights exclusively with the bow and arrow.
* BatmanGambit: His method for fighting in close combat is to fire countless arrows into the air, timing them so that they rain down around him, forming a "shield" whenever an opponent tries to get in close to him.
* TheDragon: As Nobunaga's pageboy, he's his right-hand man during the Forest arc. In the anime he shares this role with Shatora.
* DudeLooksLikeALady: To the point that the author had to specify that he's a guy.
* EyeScream: In the anime Yukimura kills him this way with his own arrows.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: In the anime he's outright stated to be Ranmaru Mori.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Fires with ridiculous speed and even more ridiculous accuracy, hitting tiny targets, such as eyes and mouths with several arrows in a single instant and even firing upwards of fifty arrows simultaneously at one time, all with pinpoint accuracy.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Once Yukimura's done with him.
* OhCrap: When Yukimura treated his attacks as AnnoyingArrows.
* OneWingedAngel: In the anime, he turns into a muscular humanoid Ken'yo with a grotesque three-eyed head and the ability to shoot arrows from his very body.
* RainOfArrows: His Demon-Slaying Barrier will causes this on anyone who approaches him.
* SmartBall: In the anime he has the brilliant idea to shoot Kyo with a poisoned arrow in order to weaken him. Too bad Nobunaga prefers HonorBeforeReason and chases him away for such behaviour.
* ThirdPersonPerson: He refers to himself as Maro, which appears to be either his real name or a very antiquated personal pronoun.
* WithDueRespect: He mockingly refers to Akira with the overly-respectful honorific "-dono" and refuses to call him "Ajira", which is his title in the Jyunishinsho. He was apparently close to the original Ajira, whom Akira killed for a KlingonPromotion.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Fake Haira]]
->Voiced by: Soichiro Tanaka (JP)

* AdaptationalBadass: In the anime not only he's a direct descendent of Nobunaga, but he's also much more fearsome in combat, giving Kyo a hard time thanks to his transformation.
* AnArmAndALeg: Loses his right arm to Yukimura in no time. He manages to close the wound and keep fighting by [[ArtisticLicenseBiology flexing his muscles]].
* BadBoss: After claiming to be AFatherToHisMen, he stabs one of his own underlings for failing to kill the heroes.
* {{BFS}}: Wields Six of them, called "Houhishoyoku" (Flying Wings of the Peng).
* TheBrute: He's all about power, using little if any strategy.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Seems a boisterous and nice opponent at first glace, but he eventually turns into an unlikeable, vulgar blowhard.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Yukimura is fond of this finisher.
* OneWingedAngel: In the anime he turns immediately into a giant winged Ken'yo with sword-like feathers.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Likes to boast a tad too much, but hasn't got what it takes to back it up.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: He mostly throws his gigantic blades like boomerangs at the target, he can even throw several of them at once.
* VillainousBreakdown: Starting when Yukimura lops off his arm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Haira]]

* TheBerserker: Like the other four [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Berserkers]], he's relentless in battle.
* BishonenLine: When Haira reveals his true power, he actually slims down into a much more handsome form. Ironically, he considers this form to be ugly as it looks utterly weak by his standards.
* TheBrute: Only relies on physical prowess and is considered the strongest General in this field.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: During the first part of the fight, he forces Bontenmaru to play word games, getting in a hit every time Bon loses one of their exchanges. Bon manages to turn it around by switching to phrase-based games, but it all goes out the window when Haira gets serious.
* DirtyCoward: Begs for his life when Bontenmaru has the upper hand, only to try another attack as he turns away. When Bon dodges, he's back to whimpering for mercy again.
* FanDisservice: Nearly all the other characters shown so far are gorgeous bishonen. Cue to Haira's fat form.
* FatBastard: He's an irredeemable monster without a single positive quality. His usual form is obese, [[{{Gonk}} ugly]], and [[ThePigPen filthy]].
* FrickinLaserBeam: His Union Core attack. Don't ask how he makes them.
* {{Gonk}}: His original form. Oddly enough, he considers it handsome and is totally repulsed by his battle form.
* HulkSpeak: He actually use fluent GratuitousEnglish in the original.
* ImAHumanitarian: Even more so than the other Berserkers, he never shuts up about how Bontenmaru is "meat" or how he should eat him.
* JustToyingWithThem: Spends most of his fight with Bon going easy on him. According to him, it's because he doesn't want to turn him into mincemeat as he'll like to eat him in a different manner.
* LightningBruiser: In his true form, Haira's unbelievably fast and hits ridiculously hard. Bon had to go into his own berserker mode to defeat the guy.
* MasterOfYourDomain: According to himself, Haira's power is the strongest among the Berserkers because he has 100% control of all his muscles. Whether it falls into this or BadassBoast is up to the reader.
* ThePigPen: In his fat form he even has mold growing on his shirt.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Fake Indara/Izumo no Okuni]]
[[quoteright:100:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/okuni.jpg]]

Known to be a powerful spy and informer, Okuni loves Kyo to the point where making him hate her would just make her happy. Despite joining the Jūnishinshō as the fake Indara, she would not hesitate to [[TakingTheBullet give her life]] for Kyo.

->Voiced by: Creator/YumiKakazu (JP), Deborah S. Craig (EN)
-----
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: She plays it straight, having fallen in love with Kyo for his badassery and [[InLoveWithYourCarnage ability to kill things]].
* BuxomIsBetter: And she's damn proud of it.
* FauxActionGirl: Despite being a skillful ninja-like spy and member of the Juunishinsho, she barely shows her skills in combat. Even when going all out against Taihaku, she fails to harm him.
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Justified as she's supposed to be a spy.
* ImpossiblyLowNeckline: She always wears her kimono's sleeves nearly hanging off her shoulders to expose her cleavage. How in the world is stays in the [[RuleOfSexy exact same position at all times]], we'll never know.
* ImportantHaircut: Courtesy of Akira, who cut her hair rather than killing her when she offered her life in exchange for returning Kyo's body.
* InLoveWithYourCarnage: Part of why she fell for Kyo.
** She gets more than a little creepy with it at times, like when Benitora and Kyo fought a match for fun, and Okuni was sweating bullets, feeling herself up, and depending on the translation, said she wanted to see the winner [[{{Squick}} bathe in the loser's blood]].
* HeroicSacrifice: Attempted. She jumps in front of Nobunaga's sword to save Kyo, believing she will die.
* MightMakesRight: After Yuya is endangered by Shinrei, she makes a speech to Benitora that essentially can be summed up as this trope.
* NightmareFetishist: Okuni's completely fine with Kyo trying to break her neck with his bare hands, so long as he's thinking of her while he's doing it.
* RazorFloss: Use sharp steel strings as her weapon of choice.
* TheWorfEffect: Yukimura's presence was the only reason why Taihaku didn't butcher her in combat. She's also badly wounded by Yuan and left for dead while trying to sneak into the Mibu's inner fortress. Even later, she's turned into a puppet by the real Indara and forced to attack Sasuke, and Sasuke still knocks her out with ease.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Indara]]

* AxCrazy: Especially as the fight goes on, though it's pretty clear that she's more unhinged than her colleagues.
* TheBerserker: One that doesn't look like the part... at first.
* DarkActionGirl: The only one among the Junishinsho who properly qualifies.
* ImAHumanitarian: She, unlike the others seems very interested in eating a rare breed like Sasuke.
* LadyOfWar: Complete with an outfit who resembles one out of Journey to the West.
* MindOverMatter: Her secret technique Siren Breath allows her to manipulate people (Kotaro in the past) and even matter like rock and wind. She can even use it on herself, turning her arms into diamond.
* MusclesAreMeaningless: She's a petite lady, and yet can swing her giant folding fan with ease.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: She's completely incinerated by Sasuke's Kirin.
* PaperFanOfDoom: A giant steel one is her weapon.
* SlasherSmile: During the latter half of the battle.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: The only female Berserker.
* VerbalTic: Repeats words constantly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Fake Kubira]]

* ActuallyADoombot: Often employs this trick. In fact, the real Kubira is the little doll he is holding throughout the fight.
* DoppelgangerSpin: His strategy for fighting Kyo revolves around this, using waves of puppets to keep Kyo fighting until his ten-minute time limit runs out. It backfires on him badly.
* EvilGenius: He fancies himself as the smartest of the twelve.
* HeKnowsTooMuch: He figured something out about Kyo and Kyoshiro over the course of their fight, which prompts Akira to pull this on him.
* OneWingedAngel: In the anime he turns into a colossal Ken'yo seemingly made of puppets and machines mashed together.
* SpotTheImposter: Subverted. He attempts to trick Kyo with two puppets disguised as Yuya, setting up a situation where no matter who Kyo picked, it would result in failure for him. Unfortunately for Kubira, Kyo decides to [[TakeAThirdOption kill both of them.]]
* WhipItGood: His main weapon is actually a Cat 'O Nine Tails made from barbed segments that can slice through rock and shred flesh.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kubira]]

* TheBerserker: Subverted, he's the best mannered of the foursome.
* ChildEater: Claims that, to Berserkers, the sweetest treat is the meat of young girls, just like Antera. Oddly, the other three express different tastes.
* DittoFighter: Subverted in that he doesn't turn into his opponent, but instead asks his opponent a question and then transforms into whoever appears in their mind. This leads to a serious OhCrap moment when he asks Benitora, Hotaru, and Akira just who they think the strongest is. Their ultimate answer is Demon Eyes Kyo in his true body. The power of the form that he takes fluctuates according to the perception of the person who is fighting him.
* ForcedIntoEvil: He became a Berserker and slave to the Mibu in order to save his daughter Anju (AKA Antera).
* HeroicSacrifice: See ForcedIntoEvil above.
* ImAHumanitarian: Reluctantly.
* LifeOrLimbDecision: After Akira damages his arm with Grand Cross and the Inferno's Chill starts to destroy it, Kubira cuts the arm off to save himself.
* NiceHat: His black trilby, which often hides one or both of his eyes.
* NobleDemon: He's the kindest of the twelve.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Fake Mekira]]

* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Constantly mocks Benitora, his former co-student, for his lack of skill.
* AxCrazy: Sanity ain't one of his traits.
* DeceptiveDisciple: Killed his and Benitora's mentor for refusing to teach him the Hassun.
* FlashStep: His technique simulates this, but it's actually an illusion that mesmerizes the victim.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: By Benitora, who ''did'' learn the Hassun.
** TorsoWithAView: He [[MortalWoundReveal takes a few seconds to notice]].
* LickingTheBlade: Does this at one point while stating that after killing Benitora he's going to "have a little chat" with Okuni to find out where Kyo is.
* MortalWoundReveal: See TorsoWithAView.
* OneWingedAngel: In the anime he turns into a massive, mantis-like Ken'yo with [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily multiple maws]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: His natural eye color, apparently. No relation to the Mibu Crimson Eyes.
* SinisterScythe: His massive Hyoyoku spear resembles a giant scythe.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mekira]]

* BadBoss: Has no qualms about petrifying Santera after she's defeated by Akari.
* TheBerserker: His title, and he lives up to it with his single-minded viciousness in combat.
* {{Bishonen}}: Akari thinks he's hot at first.
* ChainPain: Fights with what's left of the chains used to restrain him.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Implied, as he wanted to eat Akari's flesh after turning her to stone.
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: His left arm is covered in fake Medusa Eyes.
* HellBentForLeather
* ImAHumanitarian: Wants to devour Akari, as her Shaman's meat will sustain him more than ordinary flesh.
* MeaningfulName: "Me" translates to "eye" in Japanese, referencing the false Medusa Eyes on his arm.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: He's turned to ashes by Akari's true Medusa Eye.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Constantly insults Akari during their battle, usually calling her a "pervert" and such while being a contemptuous jerk.
* SmugSnake: He brags constantly about the power of his Medusa Eyes, not realizing that they are defective copies and aren't even close to the power of the real ones.
* TakenForGranite: What he does to Yuya and Santera with his eyes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Makora]]
->Voiced by: Akio Suyama (JP)

* BodyHorror: As one of the forest "failures", Kotaro has a life expectancy of somewhere between ten and fifteen years before his body breaks down. He's fifteen. There's a reason he's covered in bandages.
* CastingAShadow: His powers revolve around the manipulation of shadows.
* ForgottenChildhoodFriend: Sasuke's. Though in all fairness, Sasuke thought he was dead.
* GoryDiscretionShot: You know it's bad when SDK does one of these. After Sasuke defeats Indara, he runs to Kotaro, saying that they'll patch him up and he'll be fine. When he starts to take off the bandages around Kotaro's torso, Kotaro pleads with him not to look. The level of deterioration isn't ''shown'', but Okuni recoils in horror as she realizes that his flesh has ''rotted''.
* IntangibleMan: In the manga, the "Crime Monster" drug changes his body into a shadow form, allowing him to NoSell Sasuke's physical attacks.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When he finds out the truth behind that accident.
* {{Ninja}}: The most ninja like in the series.
* OneWingedAngel: Subverted in the anime, as he ''can'' turn into a Ken'yo, but resists every time his body attempts to transform.
* ShadowPin: The first demonstration of his powers. It was powerful enough to restrain even Kyo and Yukimura.
* SparedByAdaptation: Survives the destruction of the Mibu Castle in the anime.
* TakingTheBullet: He jumps between Sasuke and Indara and gets his throat bitten out for his trouble, leading to his death.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Santera]]
->Voiced by: Miki Machii (JP), Tara Jayne (EN)

* ChildSoldier: She's only ten.
* CuteClumsyGirl: She's dramatically uncoordinated and often trips over her own feet.
* DeathByAdaptation: In the anime she dies freeing Shindara and Yuya from Akira's Ice Cocoon.
* FaceHeelTurn: She briefly joins Akari and Yuya after the latter manages to calm her. The same happens in the anime, where she's much more villainous.
* GlassCannon: On one hand, she's a clumsy ten-year-old ditz who can be knocked unconscious with a well-aimed slap. On the other hand, she can secrete acidic scales in the air around her so fast that most opponent would end up corroded to death before they can approach.
* OneWingedAngel: After injecting with Crime Monster she turns into an adult form with butterfly wings and white eyes. Sadly, in this form she's berserk.
** In the anime, she merges with Ieyasu to form a massive, butterfly-like Ken'yo.
* PowerIncontinence: She can't control her corrosive spores, so she constantly emits them and damages anything she touches. They flare up even more when she gets emotional or upset.
* SenselessSacrifice: She throws herself between Mekira and Akari, shielding Akari and getting [[TakenForGranite petrified]] by Mekira's fake Medusa Eyes as a result. It turns out that Akari isn't even ''affected'' by the fake eyes because she has a ''real'' Devil Eye on her hand. Thankfully, Santera recovers.
* ShrinkingViolet: She is extremely shy and easily frightened. The slightest scolding sends her into tears and frantic apologies.
* PoisonousPerson: Can shed poisonous spores that rot anything in their path.
* TakenForGranite: Temporarily, during the fight against the real Mekira.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shatora (manga)]]

One of the most powerful of the Junishinsho, he was kept behind to reserve his strength the first time they fought Kyo. He is really Yuya's brother, Shiina Nozomu, brought back from the dead as a slave of the Mibu. In the Anime, Shatora is a woman from the Mibu clan and Nobunaga's sister (listed below as she is essentially a completely different character).

->Not voiced as he does not appear in the audio dramas
-----
* CynicismCatalyst: His murder caused his young, happy-go-lucky sister Yuya to become a bounty hunter seeking revenge against his killer.
* FightingFromTheInside: When his body is taken over by Nobunaga.
* GrandTheftMe: The Mibu place Nobunaga's soul in his body, and Nozomu's personality is completely overwhelmed. He does manage to [[FightingFromTheInside fight it a little]], but only briefly.
* HeKnowsTooMuch: The Former Crimson King had him killed because he learned the greatest secret of the Mibu clan.
* HeroicSacrifice: He manages to get control of his body despite being possessed, and takes that opportunity to stab himself and weaken Nobunaga.
* YouAreNumberSix: The Mibu designated him "No. 7" of the shamans when he was taken in.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shatora (anime)]]

The sister of Oda Nobunaga, she [[BrotherSisterIncest intends to marry him]] after restoring him to life.
->Voiced by: Creator/SakikoTamagawa (JP), Shelly Dean (EN)
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* AnachronismStew: Migeira uses the powered-up Hajao to show her that chronologically speaking she should have died at Shizugatake with Katsuiie. Upon witnessing said time paradox, she turns into dust.
* BrotherSisterIncest: She wants to marry her brother after restoring him to power.
* GenderFlip: She has an extremely different role from her manga counterpart and is also female. At the time the anime was developed, Shatora's identity had not yet been revealed in the manga.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Nobunaga is understandable, but what did Oichi ever did to you?
* RoyalRapier: She has one.
* VillainousIncest: She intends to marry Nobunaga, her own brother.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:The Goyosei (Five Shining Stars)]]

[[folder:The Goyosei as a group]]
* AdaptedOut: Chinmei and Taihaku don't appear in the anime continuity, and the name Goyosei is never used.
* ElementalRockPaperScissors: Subverted. Some characters (especially [[PlayingWithFire Hotaru]] [[ElementalRivalry and]] [[MakingASplash Shinrei]]) will ''claim'' that their personal element has an advantage over another, but events throughout the story prove that superiority is determined by the wielder's skill and individual strength rather than their elemental affinity.
* ElementalPowers: Each of the Goyosei represents one of the five Chinese elements. Also each one (with one major exception) wields powers based on those elements.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: They are this to the Taishiro.
* StellarName: As part of their ThemeNaming, the Goyosei are named after their respective planets using their old name and removing the -sei (star or, in this case, planet). For example Taihaku is named after Taihakusei (Venus, the Gold Star), Chinmei is named after Chinsei (Saturn, the Earth Star) and so on.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shinrei]]

The first of the Goyosei to be introduced. He represents the element of water and wields the ''Mumyo Saigyo Ryu'' that allows him to summon waterwyrms, powerful dragons made from water. In addition to this, he can crystallize water to create blades. He is initially the most fervently loyal of all the Goyosei until it is revealed that his mentor Fubuki killed his respected friend, Taihaku. In spite of this, Shinrei remains personally loyal to the Mibu Clan in general but comes to believe that the Taishiro and the Sendai Aka no Ou are the true source of the evil that threatens his clan.

->Voiced by: Creator/TomokazuSeki (JP), John Campbell (EN)
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* AwesomenessByAnalysis: It takes some time for his opponent to figure out the disorienting way he fights, if they can at all. That time gives Shinrei the opportunity to memorize and adapt to their rhythm, allowing him to flawlessly anticipate his enemy's next move.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Sort of. He and Hotaru definitely still have major SiblingRivalry going on and claim to hate each other, but a flashback reveals that it was Shinrei who convinced their father to stop sending assassins after Hotaru.
* {{Bishonen}}: Exceptionally pretty and elegant, with a [[DanceBattler dance-like fighting style]].
* BloodyMurder: His "scarlet wyrms" are water dragons enhanced and made [[HollywoodAcid corrosive]] by the addition of Shinrei's own blood. He also makes a sword out of blood the first time he fights Kyo.
* BreakTheCutie: He was a sweetheart when he was a kid, talking to outcast Kyo and always professing his determination to protect the people he cared about. After he tried to tell people that the demon child was not evil, his father severely punished him, and he was quickly indoctrinated into the Mibu's AGodAmI and MightMakesRight philosophies.
* BreakTheHaughty: Over the course of the story. He starts off smugly proclaiming [[AGodAmI Mibu divinity]], then gets beaten by Kyo, discovers he's been betrayed by Fubuki, gets his ass handed to him when he tries to ''fight'' Fubuki, finds out that [[spoiler:the Mibu are not gods but are in fact all ArtificialHumans with a fatal genetic defect]]... etc.
* CloseCallHaircut: Related to SlipknotPonytail; one of Fubuki's attacks cuts the tie in Shinrei's hair as he dodges.
* CulturedBadass: He's very well-versed in Mibu culture, and learned the Mumyo Saigyo Ryu (originally designed as a dance and performed on the Water Stage during festivals) from Fubuki.
* DanceBattler: Twofold. Firstly, Shinrei's basic form of attack is a dance-like technique that allows him to change the trajectory of his sword strokes just before they connect, which throws off an opponent who can read the path of the blade since the blade doesn't actually go where they expect. Secondly, even if the enemy figures out a way around the first type of attack, by the time they do so, Shinrei will have [[AwesomenessByAnalysis memorized their rhythm]].
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: His "scarlet wyrms", dragons created by mixing his own blood with water. These water dragons are [[HollywoodAcid corrosive]] and much stronger than the standard variety, but they're also harder to control and can damage the user.
* DeadlyUpgrade: He has Hotaru use his Keikoku Kien technique to brand Hono Chikewai onto his body, powering him up to fight Fubuki. Subverted because 1) It fails to defeat Fubuki and 2) Shinrei doesn't die.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Kind of. He doesn't really [[HeelFaceTurn turn]] ''because'' of his loss to Kyo, but because he realizes he has been deceived by Fubuki and begins to see the possibility that Muramasa wasn't misguided in seeing Kyo as his "hope".
* ElementalRivalry: He has one with Hotaru, with him using water and Hotaru using fire.
* TheFettered: He takes strength from his devotion to the Mibu clan, and fights for their honor. Even after turning against the Taishiro and the Former Crimson King, Shinrei maintains that he is serving the Mibu clan's people and restoring what the clan is supposed to be.
* GenerationXerox: Of Fubuki, not his father. Hishigi says at one point that Shinrei is "the image of Fubuki as a young man." It's likely that Shinrei is ''related'' to Fubuki (it's stated that Shinrei's family developed the Mumyo Saigyo Ryu school), but he is not Fubuki's son.
* GlassCannon: He has excellent avoidance tactics and can do a lot of damage, but once someone actually catches him he can't take much punishment.
* AGodAmI: He wholeheartedly believes the Mibu to be divine. And he doesn't take it well when he finds out they aren't.
* GratuitousEnglish: "Dragon's Red Tears", his strongest technique.
* HeelFaceTurn: He denies that he's allying with Kyo and company at first, but he is no longer antagonistic after losing to Kyo. He feels betrayed by Fubuki and turns against the Taishiro and the Former Crimson King, but remains loyal to the Mibu clan as a whole.
* HollywoodAcid: His Red Dragons are made of a corrosive liquid that should melt anything with ease.
* HonorBeforeReason: He has a very strict moral code by which he lives, and sometimes it leads him to do extremely impractical things.
* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: The vast majority of Shinrei's attacks, including all of his named ones, are dragon themed.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: Violently butchers the five Goyosei wannabe who tried to poison Kyo and insulted the memory of Saisei and Taihaku.
* KissOfDeath: Kisses Yuya and at the same time he implants a water dragon in her chest, giving her 60 days before the dragon destroys her heart and kills her. Shinrei dispels the dragon after Kyo defeats him.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Among the [[{{Bishonen}} prettiest]] of the cast, with long white hair to match.
* [[LukeIAmYourFather Luke I Am Your Brother]]: Shinrei is actually Hotaru's half brother, and reveals it during their battle. Subverted because ''both'' of them know that they are related, but each apparently believes that the other does not.
* MakingASplash: His power is based around water. Originally it was a dance for the Mibu royalty. It can also allow him to manipulate his own blood, but apparently doesn't work on ice (he can still crystallize water to make it solid).
* OddlyShapedSword: His Curved Mirror Broadswords are two short swords with double edged U shaped blades. He can make a good use of them.
* OhCrap: When he realizes that all of the water on the battlefield is under Fubuki's control, including ''Shinrei's own swords''.
* RedOniBlueOni: The hot-headed, easily-angered red to Hotaru's chilled-out blue. Unusually, their color schemes and elements are the opposite of their "oni" types.
* SamuraiPonytail: He keeps his long white hair tied back.
** SlipknotPonytail: When Shinrei fights Fubuki, one of the attacks cuts the tie in his hair and it falls loose.
* SpontaneousWeaponCreation: His blades are made of crystallized water, and he can make them out of his own blood if required. At one point, after being stabbed, he forms water dragons out of the blood from that injury to attack his opponent. The blades of water are useful when Kyo breaks one of them, because Shinrei can simply reform it. Their construction backfires when Shinrei fights Fubuki, his mentor and a true master of water, who takes all of the water on the battlefield out of Shinrei's control. [[OhCrap Including his swords]].
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: With Hotaru, on occasion. Hotaru is ''horrified'' when Shinrei asks for his help and asks if Shinrei has lost all of his pride.
* TheUnfought: In the anime, except for the battle against Muramasa.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Type 2 with Hotaru, eventually.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Initially. He subverts it later.
* TheWorfEffect: Despite his best efforts and stated talent, he's stomped by Fubuki and rarely wins a fight against anyone significant unless they are already disadvantaged. For instance, he defeats Hotaru at one point, but only because Hotaru is still exhausted and ''very'' badly wounded from fighting Kyo. And the only reason he almost defeats Kyo is that Kyo is ''also'' badly hurt from fighting Hotaru and Chinmei earlier.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Keikoku]]

-->See Hotaru
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Taihaku]]

The leader of the Goyosei. Taihaku represents the element of metal (or gold in the translated version). However, unlike his other comrades in the Goyosei, he lacks elemental powers of any type. Taihaku is by far the most compassionate and benevolent of the Goyosei and a good bit of the cast in general. He is greatly respected by Shinrei and even Keikoku to a certain extent. In his free time, he looks after the children that are considered the failures of Mibu experiments, even though this is looked down on.

It is eventually revealed that he is in fact a mortal human who was adopted into the Mibu by the Former Crimson King, who granted him a Mibu's extended lifespan. After being defeated in battle by Benitora, Taihaku decides to side with Kyo in the others, but is killed by Fubuki.
-----
* BadassNormal: Lacks the elemental powers of the other Goyosei, but makes up for it with several lifetimes worth of sheer training. As a result, he can swing a sword so fast that to most people he doesn't even seem to move before he cuts them to pieces.
** EmpoweredBadassNormal: The Former Crimson King gave him the Mibu's immortality, but other than that he has no special powers.
* DarkSkinnedBlond: A bit jarring, since he's human, not a Mibu.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: After losing to Benitora, Taihauku decides to join the heroes. Unfortunately, this doesn't last long (see below).
* GentleGiant: The largest of the Goyosei, but one of the most benevolent characters in the entire series, and that includes the majority of the main cast.
* HonorBeforeReason: Is deeply conflicted about the Aka no Ou's plans for the world, but see's no hope in rebellion and is trapped by his honest belief that serving the Mibu is the only option he has.
* LightningBruiser: He moves so fast he appears to be immovable when he's actually attacking.
* MadeOfIron: Tanks Okuni's steel strings and later pulls them from his wound and breaks them like uncooked spaghetti as if it was nothing.
* MoralityPet: The children he looks after. Subverted in that they are not what keeps Taihaku from being evil, but are instead a sign that he is not evil.
* MortalWoundReveal: One moment, he's agreeing to ally with the protagonists; the next, he suddenly goes quiet and drops dead with a sword sticking out of his back.
* NiceGuy: Probably the nicest guy in the entire cast, making him a TokenGoodTeammate.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: He's convinced to side with the heroes and is then offed by Fubuki mere seconds later.
* TheWorfEffect: Subverted. Taihaku is killed off quickly and with minimal effort by Fubuki, but Taihaku had nearly died in battle a few minutes earlier. The exhibit of Fubuki's skill is that he kills Taihaku while standing right next to the heroes, and none of them notice until Taihaku drops dead with a sword in his back.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Saishi]]

The Wood of the Goyosei. Saishi is an attractive looking woman with an impressive bust, [[NaughtyNurseOutfit dressed in a nurse's uniform]] ([[AnachronismStew which is perplexing since this takes place in the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate]]). She, along with her companion Saisei, guard the second of the five gates leading into the Mibu stronghold. In spite of her cute appearance, she is exceptionally cruel and undeniably evil. She enjoys toying with enemy and ally alike. She is armed with the ability to resurrect the dead as extremely difficult to kill zombies as well as potent regenerative abilities that allow her wounds to heal near instantaneously.

After a prolonged battle, it is revealed that Saishi is the only one of the pair that is an actual member of the Goyosei and that Saisei is just the most advanced of Saishi's animated corpses. Saishi is eventually defeated by Akira after he successfully nullifies her regenerative abilities with his ice techniques.

->Voiced by: Creator/SakuraNogawa (JP)
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* AttackAttackAttack: Lampshaded by Saishi herself as her regenerative abilities remove any necessity for defensive measures... that is until Akira eliminates them.
* AllWomenAreLustful: She frequently talks about finding a man, and expresses very creepy interest in some of the male protagonists. In the anime, she and Saisei express the desire to play with Kyo and "touch him everywhere".
* AmazonBrigade: Her zombies are a bunch of half-naked girls in bandages ranging from cute to voluptuous, but despite their looks they still are nigh unstoppable killer machines which can reveal rotten faces when wounded, making their cuteness jarring.
* AnArmAndALeg: Her last attack against Akira abruptly ends when her arm breaks off, because her cells are being progressively destroyed by [[KillItWithIce Inferno's Chill]] and her [[HealingFactor regeneration]] [[OhCrap isn't working]].
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: She uses her zombies to get the measure of Kyo, Akira and Bontenmaru's abilities and plan for a future confrontation. However, this is subverted when Akira easily surpasses her expectations.
* BoobsOfSteel: She's stronger than Saisei and also bustier.
* ClothingDamage: She can't regenerate her clothes, resulting in gratuitous fanservice.
* HairRaisingHare: Saishi's fighting form is a bunny girl. Seriously. Despite the cute appearance, though, her superhuman strength allows her to beat her enemies to death. She doesn't ''look'' like a serious fighter, but when she cuts loose... holy shit!
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: She's cut in half twice but regenerates. In the Anime she's defeated when Benitora cuts her in half horizontally so that Migeira can shoot her heart while it's exposed by the gaping hole.
* HealingFactor: Saishi is able to survive being cut to pieces and regenerates almost instantly. Because of this, she can attack without any regard for her own safety as no attack is likely to hurt her... until Akira gets serious.
** In the Anime, hers and Saisei's bodies contain a nearly infinite space where the vulnerable heart cannot be reached by conventional weapons. Too bad they're up against two gunslingers...
* KickTheDog: She first has Saisei speed up the Water Dragon inside Yuya to hasten her death (only because she didn't like the idea of her being protected by so many handsome guys) and later steps on Saisei's petals after her death while calling her useless.
* KillItWithIce: How she meet her end, complete with LiterallyShatteredLives.
* LackOfEmpathy: Her disdainful reaction to Saisei's death and the reasons why she created her in the first place reeks with this and are the reason why Akira gets mad at her.
* MaleGaze: During her ShowerScene she brings the attention on a zit which grew on her boobs.
* TheNecromancer: She has the power to raise people from the dead as zombies that are terrifyingly hard to kill. With a little extra work, she can create even more dangerous super zombies that were once famous warriors. Notable examples include Benkei, Yoshitsune, and Saisei (Tomoe Gozen).
* OhCrap: Reacts with utter terror when the ice from Grand Cross prevent her from healing. In the anime she has one when Migeira shoots her heart to pieces preventing her from reforming.
* PsychopathicManchild: Anime!Saishi gives this vibe.
* SmugSnake: Is an absolutely twisted bitch who smugly believes she is invincible and can get away with some sick stuff. This only serves to make her defeat all the more satisfying.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Saisei]]

Saishi's companion. It's revealed during her fight with Akira that Saisei is not actually one of the Goyosei, but another of Saishi's zombies: Tomoe Gozen resurrected and bound to Saishi's will. She has something of a relationship with Shinrei and is extremely devoted to him, despite being Saishi's puppet. She is ultimately defeated by Akira in battle.
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* AdaptationalVillainy: She's just as evil as Saishi in the Anime.
* AttackReflector: Her secret technique allows her to form a special space on her abdomen which reflects any attack right back at the attacker with another portal opening on his body. Akira manages to kill her using this principle to stab the portal on his body, thus hitting her instead.
* BackFromTheDead: And not very happy about it.
* BladeOnAStick: Her weapon of choice is a truly ''gigantic'' naginata.
* BreastAttack: In the anime, when Benitora spears her chest he hits squarely in the boob. She then tears the wound open like a broken soccer ball to show off the infinite space inside her body.
* CherryBlossoms: Her ultimate technique summons a storm of cherry blossom petals that hit ridiculously hard.
* CoolHelmet: An awesome-looking samurai helmet filled with ornaments.
* DeadAllAlong: She's a zombie, only a better one than the usual types.
* DeaderThanDead: She's been dead for a couple hundred years, but Akira's final attack severs her soul's last ties to the living world and lets her move on.
* GoOutWithASmile: She thanks Akira for the respect he showed her and is able to die peacefully, with a final wish for Shinrei to live.
* LadyOfWar: She's the most famous female samurai in the history of Japan. Duh.
* MaleGaze: She's subjected to this, usually with focus on her bare legs.
* PetalPower: Her "Zetsu: Hyakkaouran" attack summons a storm of them as she tears the enemy to pieces. When she dies, her body scatters into petals, with a handful of them reaching her beloved Shinrei.
* TheStoic: Compared to Saishi.
* TooDumbToLive: In the anime, she absorbs Yuya into her body, allowing Yuya to shoot her heart and kill her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Chinmei/Mibu Kyojiro]]

Chinmei is the Goyosei of Earth, which gives him the power to manipulate gravity. This makes him a formidable combatant since it enables him to immobilize his enemies at will by increasing the gravity in their vicinity fly by eliminating the gravity in his own vicinity and do a large variety of tricks up to and including creating miniature black holes. Chinmei looks a lot like a hippie and complements his appearance by speaking a lot about "peace and love." However, this is just a cover for his real personality, as Chinmei is in fact the most evil and sadistic of the Goyosei who revels in the misery and bloodshed that he is able to sow. Chinmei is often referred to as the Joker of the Goyosei, as he is a wildcard that even the Taishiro do not fully understand.

In truth, Chinmei is Mibu Kyojiro, the second of the Red Cross Knights. He was the first Knight created by the Former Crimson King and serves as his special agent and assassin.

[[spoiler:In the far flung past, Chinmei was in love with a seer who, like Sakuya, had her heart synchronized with the Former Crimson King. At her request, Chinmei killed her with the hope that the Former Crimson King would die along with her. However, the Crimson King did ''not'' die and Chinmei's ability to resurrect her was taken away as punishment. While he presumably works for the Former Crimson King in hopes of one day being able to revive her in return for his service, the truth is that over the millennia he has [[TheFogOfAges gradually forgotten everything about her]], ultimately coming to wonder if she even existed at all. This caused him to sink into absolute madness where the only solace he could find was in indiscriminate carnage.]]

->Voiced by: Creator/MitsuakiMadono (JP)
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* AlmightyJanitor: Played with. His rank as initially presented is far from irrelevant, but as the second Crimson Cross Knight, he's ''much'' stronger than the Goyosei position implies.
* ArcWelding: Chinmei is the one who killed Mahiro's sister (Muramasa's wife), leaving her dead body at the scene with Kyo standing over it, just in time for Mahiro to blunder in and assume that the whole thing was Kyo's fault. However, Kyo never denies this, believing that since he wasn't able to save her, [[FailureToSaveMurder it was the same as killing her himself]].
* AxCrazy: Probably the most horrific example in the series as killing is the only thing that stimulates Chinmei at all.
* DeathEqualsRedemption: [[spoiler:As he's about to be absorbed by the Crimson King, he helps Kyoshiro to get out, telling him (while crying real tears for the first time in centuries) to protect Sakuya and not to end up like he did]].
* DishingOutDirt: Can use rocks as a shield or as a rain of meteors.
* DistractedByTheSexy: This is what happens when he cuts "Yukimura"'s clothes... only to be awarded with a [[MaleGaze delightful sight of Kosuke's bosom]]. It actually buys her enough time to get away.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When the squad of Mibu soldiers who failed to recover Kyo's body begged for mercy, he promised them that, if they manage to get past a line draw behind him he'll speak to their superior. The soldiers seems to think it's impossible but they all manage to get past Chinmei unharmed... then, as they rejoice, [[DiagonalCut Chinmei slashes them all to pieces]] without warning.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Gives off a peace-loving hippie vibe, but is actually one of the most unstable and sadistic characters in the series.
* TheFogOfAges: Chinmei's tale about his long descent into madness as the sheer weight of time stripped him of his memories of the woman he loved and ultimately erasing all feeling whatsoever is a horrifying thing to think about.
* GravityMaster: Chinmei's powers allow him to manipulate gravity and even create black holes.
* KansaiRegionalAccent: Along with Benitora, Chinmei is one of the few characters to use this. However, it is used to help juxtapose his goofy image with the terrifying reality of his sadistic and twisted nature.
* KnightOfCerebus: Oda was the first real threat in the series, but this guy made the story DarkerAndEdgier
* MadeOfIron: Dude lost an arm, got hit by Suzaku, was seriously wounded by Sasuke aided by the Juyuushi and bifurcated by Yukimura, but he only died for real when the Former Crimson King absorbed his flesh and blood.
* TheMole: He's this for the king within the Goyosei, being one of the four Crimson Cross Knights. He also masquerades as Spade, the leader of Tokito's Imperial Guard, in order to steal Tokito's Muramasa blade.
* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: Gravity powers check, [[RedEyesTakeWarning red demonic eyes]] check, losing your sanity by living for eons check, and a PsychoForHire check
* PaperFanOfDoom: Real paper fans, which he uses as weapons when he's JustToyingWithThem. When he's serious, he uses a katana.
* PsychoForHire: Plays the act of a peace loving hippie, but it quickly becomes obvious that he's actually a vicious, sadistic killer. He even admits that he only feels ''anything'' while killing, because TheFogOfAges has caused him to lose almost all of his memories and emotions.
* SayItWithHearts: Or in his case, glasses-wearing smiley faces.
* ScaryShinyGlasses: Inverted; Chinmei looks his most sinister when we can see what's behind those dark lenses.
* TechnicalPacifist: Subverted. He can't shut up about love and peace, but it soon becomes obvious that he's out for blood.
* VillainousBreakdown: Becomes really deranged near the end, after being defeated by Sasuke.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:The Taishiro (Four Elders) and Imperial Guards]]

[[folder:The Taishiro as a group]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2151.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The current lineup, from left to right: [[DeadlyGaze Hishigi]], [[TheNecromancer Fubuki]], [[EnfanteTerrible Tokito]], and [[YourSoulIsMine Yuan]]]]

* AdaptationalWimp: The "Four Elders" in the anime are nameless, faceless, literal RedShirts who get flattened by Nobunaga after he takes Kyo's body. In dramatic contrast, Hishigi ''alone'' is capable of effortlessly one-shotting Kyo and rendering him unconscious for an entire volume of the manga.
* AdaptedOut: Not one of these characters even exists in the anime. Related to AdaptationalWimp above; the former refers to the title of Taishiro, this refers to the actual characters.
* ElementalPowers: Yuan [[PlayingWithFire fights with fire]], while Fubuki is a master of [[MakingASplash water techniques]]; they actually taught these elements to Hotaru and Shinrei. Hishigi's abilities seem to be [[LightEmUp light-based]]. Tokito is seen PlayingWithFire at one point as well, but purely physical attacks are the usual approach.
* FiveBadBand: The current Taishiro appear to form one along with the Former Crimson King.
** BigBad: The Former Crimson King
** TheDragon: Fubuki. His water attacks even [[InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons look like dragons]]!
** TheEvilGenius: Hishigi. [[MadScientist Complete with creepy genetic experiments]].
** TheBrute: Yuan is initially presented this way, being a BoisterousBruiser and the only Elder who fights hand-to-hand. He subverts it later when he proves himself tactically intelligent and then makes a HeelFaceTurn.
** TheDarkChick: Tokito is the young, immature loose-cannon type.
* FourIsDeath: They're absolutely ''lethal'', more so than any other "team" in the series.
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: The current lineup fits this almost perfectly.
** Phlegmatic: Fubuki
** Sanguine: Yuan
** Choleric: Tokito
** Melancholic: Hishigi
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fubuki]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Featuring undead cat]]

The current leader of the Four Elders, Fubuki was once Muramasa's best friend, despite [[VitriolicBestBuds usually disagreeing and arguing with each other over everything]]. He is also the one who taught Shinrei the Mumyo Saigyo Ryu, and is shown to be a skilled Necromancer. Before Muramasa defected from the Mibu, Fubuki was a kind-hearted man who loved life. Now, he acts as the merciless will of the Sendai Aka no Ou, slaughtering everything he sees as a hindrance towards the Aka no Ou's plans for the Mibu. [[spoiler:He is also Tokito's real father]].

Fubuki is the only one of the current Taishiro whose imperial guard makes no appearance in the story.

->Voiced by: Creator/NobuoTobita (JP)
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* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:After throwing himself onto Shinrei's sword, he says that his plan was always to die atoning for his and Hishigi's crimes]].
* BadassLonghair: Though an omake jokes that it's actually a wig, making Fubuki BaldOfAwesome instead.
* BloodyMurder: He can create powerful, [[HollywoodAcid corrosive]] "scarlet wyrms" by infusing the water with his own blood.
* BreakHisHeartToSaveHim[=/=][[ShooTheDog Shoo the Suicidally Loyal Friend]]: There are moments where it really seems like he's trying to get Hishigi to leave the Mibu, aggressively saying he doesn't care if he stays or not. Hishigi always reminds him that he vowed to follow Fubuki until the end... [[YouAreWorthHell even if that path leads nowhere but hell]].
* CombatPragmatist: Stabs Shinrei and Taihaku in the back, fills the battlefield with mist so Hotaru can't use his fire techniques, has zero qualms about joining Hishigi to subdue Yuan instead of fighting one-on-one, etc.
* CoolSword: He uses a katana with an ornate cross-shaped hilt, which is quite distinctive and was apparently custom-forged for him by Julian. Sadly, we never learn its name or much more about it.
* CulturedBadass: He used to perform on the water stage at festivals in better times -- the Mumyo Saigyo Ryu school was developed as a dance as much as a fighting style.
* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: Like his protege, Shinrei, he can use the more powerful "scarlet" water dragons formed from his own blood mixed with water. Because Fubuki is a master, the technique is less dangerous to him than it is to the less-experienced Shinrei.
* DeadlyUpgrade: As the leader of the Taishiro, Fubuki possesses a one-time spell that greatly increases his power. It's a one-time spell because he needs to stab himself in the heart to activate it.
* EvilVersusOblivion: [[spoiler:The Mibu Battle Dolls suffer from a genetic defect that is essentially guaranteed to kill every single one of them]]. Fubuki believes that the Former Crimson King is the only person capable of saving them, and that they will all die if Kyo succeeds in defeating him.
* HeroicSacrifice: For Tokito, [[spoiler:when the Sendai Aka No Ou attempts to kill her]].
* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: Like Shinrei's, his attacks are dragon-themed.
* KnightTemplar: His drive to save the Mibu has changed him from a kindhearted leader to a ruthless WellIntentionedExtremist, willing to kill his own allies if it will further the Crimson King's agenda.
* MakingASplash: A master of the Mumyo Saigyo Ryu, his skills make Shinrei's (already damn impressive) look absolutely tame by comparison.
* MightyGlacier: He's not slow except by comparison -- he's the only one of the current Taishiro who doesn't fall into the LightningBruiser category, preferring to block and retaliate instead of dodging.
* MundaneUtility: Most people use necromancy to make zombie minions, or bring back loved ones. Fubuki uses it to resurrect dead cats and fix swords. [[spoiler:He tried bringing back loved ones, but because the Mibu are ArtificialHumans, it didn't work]].
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: He believes that the Sendai Aka no Ou is the only person capable of saving the Mibu clan, and so all of his actions -- no matter how horrific the consequences may be -- are justified.
* TheNecromancer: He can resurrect anything he has a piece of. Even ''swords''. [[spoiler:The reason he can't revive the Mibu is that they're all ArtificialHumans that dissolve into nothing when they die]].
* OnlySaneMan: Implied in an omake that he's this among the Taishiro whenever there is a decision or plan to be made. Yuan is disrespectful and regularly goofs off, Tokito is impulsive and childish, and Hishigi is on Fubuki's side but completely apathetic about anything beyond protecting him.
* ParrotPetPosition: His black cat, most of the time.
* PitifulWorms: When Shinrei confronts him near the end of the manga about the fact that he killed Taihaku, Fubuki refers to his subordinates as insects in the palm of his hand and says he will not hesitate to crush those who try to escape his control.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: When his Crimson Eyes activate, shit has officially gotten real.
* RedOniBlueOni: He has been each at different times.
** He's the red to Hishigi's blue in the current timeline. Fubuki isn't quite as "red" as some of the others, but compared to [[TheStoic Hishigi]], he's certainly more emotional and reactive.
** In flashbacks, Fubuki appears to be the serious, slightly snarky blue oni to Muramasa's friendly, energetic red.
* SelectiveObliviousness: Before stabbing himself in the heart to activate his DeadlyUpgrade, he thanks Hishigi for staying with him and says that he wishes for his friend to live. Hishigi has been a deteriorating terminal case for twenty years, and at this specific point in the fight, he's lying helpless in a pool of his own blood.
* UndyingLoyalty: To the Mibu clan.
* VillainousFriendship: With Hishigi. They have been close friends for centuries, and whether or not you believe there's [[HoYay more to it]], they clearly care deeply about each other.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hishigi]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hishigi_4.jpg]]

One of the current Taishiro, thought to be the most powerful ever (considering Muramasa and Shihodo and the rest, this is ''frightening''). Hishigi wields a ''huge'' Main/{{BFS}} named Hakuya ("White Night") and, when all else fails, his [[DeadlyGaze Devil Eyes]]. Inarguably the most intelligent character in the series. He appears to be reserved and calm at first, but as pretty much the entire cast discovers, he should not be underestimated.

->Voiced by: Creator/ShigeruNakahara (JP)
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* AlmostDeadGuy: He has been for a ''very'' long time.
* AnArmAndALeg: The Devil Eyes have been holding the deteriorating left side of his body together. After they are destroyed, he starts literally falling apart, his left arm and leg disintegrating during his [[TheDyingWalk dying walk]] toward Fubuki.
* AntiVillain: [[SlidingScaleOfAntiVillains Type II]]. Hishigi has been actively dying for a few decades, and StoppedCaring about the Crimson King's goals a long time ago. The only reason he's an antagonist at all is his UndyingLoyalty to Fubuki.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: During his battle with Yuan, it appears that he's using the same vocal tic that Shinrei does, meaning he has analyzed the way Yuan moves and can match him to evade.
* BadassBookworm[=/=]GeniusBruiser: He's a little bit of each -- he certainly doesn't look like a harmless bookworm, but he's not especially physically imposing either. Extremely intelligent and described as a genius on a regular basis.
* BadassGay: Implied. The level of HoYay with Fubuki is truly impressive, and he has some suggestive dialogue with Kyo as well.
* BadassLongcoat: Black leather with no sleeves and three tails.
* BarrierWarrior: He uses them to trap and/or protect other people, rarely to defend himself.
* BeatStillMyHeart: He rips out ''his own'' heart and implants it into Fubuki's chest when Fubuki's heart is destroyed by a DeadlyUpgrade.
* BerserkButton: He never quite loses his cool, but TranquilFury ensues when Fubuki is threatened or their sacrifices for the clan are insulted.
* BewareTheQuietOnes: He is soft-spoken, reserved, and ''incredibly'' dangerous.
* {{BFS}}: Hakuya, the most visually impressive sword in the series.
** CoolSword: Julian designed and forged Hakuya for Hishigi because his strength ''shattered'' normal swords.
** OneHandedZweihander: Hakuya is huge even by previously established {{BFS}} standards in the series. The length of the hilt (not to mention the size of the blade) suggests it's a two-handed sword, but Hishigi's left hand rarely if ever touches it. Possibly because his left arm has deteriorated badly from the Death Disease.
* [[{{Bishonen}} Biseinen]]: He's tall and lean with refined features, but has a more mature look than the {{Bishonen}} of the cast.
* [[RedOniBlueOni Blue Oni]]: To Fubuki's red in the current timeline, and to Shihodo's in flashbacks.
* BodyHorror[=/=]FacialHorror: Try not to think about how bad his condition must have gotten before he honestly thought being ''[[EyesDoNotBelongThere infested with parasitic eyes]]'' was better. The eyes themselves are bad enough; the way the skin around them looks, it's obvious they've done some serious damage to his body. The horror gets even worse as he dies -- he has to drag himself to Fubuki because he is literally ''falling apart''.
* BrokenAce: He's reportedly the strongest Taishiro member ''ever''. He's also SecretlyDying, wracked with guilt due to his failure to save his friends and the horrors of the Reconstruction Project, and an [[BrokenBird incredibly miserable person]] in general.
* BrokenBird: See DespairEventHorizon.
* CastFromLifespan: Any time he uses the Devil Eyes. They're a devastating weapon, but they're also the only thing keeping the Death Disease from killing him. If he exhausts their power, he's dead.
* TheComicallySerious: A contrast to {{Cloudcuckoolander}} Shihodo in flashbacks, and HotBlooded [[DeadpanSnarker snarker]] Yuan in the current timeline.
* CoolMask: Black leather covering the left side of his face. Also acts as an EyepatchOfPower, as it both conceals the Devil Eyes and conserves their energy (they can't be turned off).
* DarkAndTroubledPast: He's been trying to save the Mibu from the Death Disease for decades, and watched hundreds of people die as he was helpless to save them. By the time he contracted the disease himself, he was so broken that he tried to provoke Fubuki, his best friend, into killing him so it would finally be over.
* DeadlyGaze: Subverted in that the Devil Eyes are not ''his'' eyes, and he can't see out of them. His right eye is [[RedEyesTakeWarning red when activated]], but otherwise normal.
* DeadpanSnarker: ''Exceptionally'' heavy on the deadpan. We only get one moment of snark in a flashback, and a couple of snarky comments aimed at Yuan in the current timeline.
** During his fight with Yuan, he indulges in a little bit of TrashTalk.
-->'''Hishigi''': I get the feeling you are taking it easy on me, Yuan. Or more likely, your swordsmanship is not as good as you think it is.\\
'''Yuan''': ''Ouch''.
** In the same fight:
-->'''Yuan''': I'm nice and angry now. Just plain ''steamed''.\\
'''Hishigi''': What a wonderful coincidence.
** And in a flashback, after Muramasa and Fubuki have started [[LikeAnOldMarriedCouple bickering]].
-->'''Shihodo''': Aren't you going to stop them, Hishigi?
-->'''Hishigi''': They ''do'' love to fight.
* DeathSeeker: A flashback reveals that after Fubuki refused to MercyKill him, Hishigi promised that he would die protecting his friend instead. In the events of the manga, he places himself between Fubuki and deadly attacks on a regular basis, and has no intention of surviving long enough for the Devil Eyes to take over his mind.
* DespairEventHorizon: He hit it hard after implanting the Devil Eyes, saying that he wished someone would just kill him and attempting to provoke Fubuki into doing so.
* DespairSpeech: When Fubuki comes to visit him shortly after his DespairEventHorizon.
-->'''Fubuki''': I would prefer that my friends survive, no matter what the state may be.
-->'''Hishigi''': "No matter the state"? You are cruel and egotistical, as always. I am not like Muramasa. [[spoiler:If a manmade creation shows signs of flaws, it means that it does not have the right to exist any longer]]. I have [[StoppedCaring grown tired and uncaring]] of my fate, and the fate of the clan. I cannot imagine the peace I would feel if someone would just kill me.
* {{Determinator}}: It's hard to stand out as one of these in SDK, but Hishigi's final battle shows that he is about as definitive as Determinators get.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: He collapses into Fubuki's arms seconds before disintegrating.
* TheDreaded: Yuan describes him as an "incredibly efficient executioner", and once says that the reason no one knows how he fights is that no one has ''ever'' fought him and survived. His arrival is usually an OhCrap moment for the protagonists.
* DrivenToSuicide: He was very close in a flashback, before Fubuki told him that he wasn't allowed to die [[HoYay until Fubuki said he could]].
* DyingAsYourself: He plans to. The Devil Eyes have been trying to take over his mind since he implanted them, and Hishigi has ''no'' intention of living like that. In the end, he [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dies in Fubuki's arms]] after the Devil Eyes have been destroyed.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: UpToEleven. See RasputinianDeath below.
* TheDyingWalk: After the failure of his final attempt to [[TakingYouWithMe take Kyo with him]], his body starts to disintegrate. He still manages to drag himself to Fubuki's side in time to save his friend's life before dying in his arms.
* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Complete with black clothing. Just look at the picture.
* EvilutionaryBiologist: [[spoiler:He claims that he's given up on saving the flawed Mibu, and now focuses his experiments on attempting to create an improved species without the current clan's inherent defects. In reality, he never gave up, and kept trying to find a cure until the very end]].
* EyepatchOfPower: Something of an "entire left side of his body" patch of power. And holy shit, ''how''.
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: Several on the left side of his face under the mask, many more under the bandages on his torso.
* ForegoneConclusion: He starts talking about choosing where he will die almost immediately after his introduction. It's really only ''how'' that has any surprise to it.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: He used to be, according to flashbacks. It was the reason he [[BadassBookworm studied biology]].
* GoodScarsEvilScars: After the Devil Eyes die and fall out, he is covered in disfiguring scars from the damage they've done to his body over the years.
* GoOutWithASmile: His dying speech to Fubuki is delivered with the only smile we ever see on his face outside of flashbacks.
* HandicappedBadass: The Death Disease has pretty much destroyed the left side of his body. He's missing an eye, it's implied that his left arm doesn't work all that well, and he's ''still'' one of the most powerful characters in the entire story.
* HarmfulHealing: Subverted in that he ''knew'' his treatment (which isn't remotely healing, really just some [[LivingOnBorrowedTime borrowed time]]) would be a FateWorseThanDeath, and he did it to himself anyway. He implanted the Devil Eyes in the left side of his body to stop the Death Disease from killing him, which it probably would have done in a matter of months. This ''has'' apparently kept him alive for a few decades, but at a price: the Eyes are breaking down his body ''and'' trying to take over his mind.
* HellBentForLeather: His CoolMask and BadassLongcoat both appear to be black leather.
* HeroicSacrifice: The last twenty years or so have been both a moral and a physical one for Fubuki. Muramasa tried to convince Hishigi to leave with him, but he stayed. This meant giving up any semblance of a moral code, and knowing for a fact that he would die protecting Fubuki.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: You wouldn't think it, considering Hakuya's size and shape, but many of Hishigi's attacks are Iaijutsu-based; he attacks on the draw and immediately returns the sword to its sheath. It seems likely that he fights this way because the Death Disease has destroyed a substantial portion of the left side of his body.
* ICannotSelfTerminate: It's not that he ''can't'', exactly, but he ''won't'' because of his drive to protect Fubuki. He tries to get Fubuki to MercyKill him and set him free of it, calling his friend cruel for wanting to keep Hishigi alive "no matter the state". It also seems likely that if the Devil Eyes succeeded in taking over his mind, this state would be the result.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: He has the Death Disease, and everything that comes with it.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: When Akari lives his memories, she finds out how much he cared about her and sees his regrets over the Reconstruction Project. Before the disease and resulting panic, he was a FriendToAllLivingThings.
* LightEmUp: His sword is called "White Night", and he uses light-themed attacks.
* LightIsNotGood: He's an AntiVillain, but calling him "good" would be a stretch.
* LightningBruiser: He's capable of moving at a pace that occasionally reaches FlashStep territory, and his {{BFS}} can create [[SwordBeam energy blades]] described as moving at lightspeed. That's generally accepted to be an exaggeration, but they're still ''very fast'' and so strong they can one-shot the main character. And even disregarding his supernatural abilities, his raw physical strength is ''far'' out of even Kyo's league before Kyo [[TookALevelInBadass takes another few levels in badass]]. Yuan is shocked when Kyo is able to knock him back.
** One of his early scenes shows him saving a low-level Mibu mook from Tokito's sadistic torment by intercepting Tokito's [[DeathDealer weaponized cards]] so fast that they appear to vanish in midair before hitting the target.
* LivingOnBorrowedTime: The Devil Eyes support his deteriorating body, but it's only a matter of time before they either run out of energy or start taking over his mind. He has every intention of dying before the latter occurs, by his own hand if he can't convince Fubuki to MercyKill him.
* MadDoctor: His nickname, but he's a subversion. He's closer to the MadScientist type, though not prone to the typical mad scientist's deranged behavior and disheveled appearance.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: A variation. Hishigi ''hates'' his "masters" (the Former Crimson King and any potential successors) and says he hopes they all die, but he fights for the clan because that is what Fubuki needs, and [[TrueCompanions Fubuki]] is the only reason [[DeathSeeker Hishigi]] is still alive.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: He is [[InSeriesNickname known as]] "the executioner" and "the mad doctor".
* NoSell: Akari's "air vamp" attack has no effect on him.
* PeekABangs: Even before he started wearing the mask, his hair usually covered his left eye.
* PunchClockVillain: He is completely apathetic about fighting for the Aka no Ou; in fact, he flat out says he hopes the king ''dies''. In a flashback, after Fubuki refuses to kill him and demands that Hishigi stay with him, Hishigi responds with, "Your arrogance again... and yet it may be fitting to die as the 'villain'."
* RasputinianDeath: Let's go down the list here.
** He survives roughly twenty years of the [[IncurableCoughOfDeath Death Disease]] destroying his body and the Devil Eyes eating him alive.
** In his final battle, Hishigi shields Fubuki from Kyo's powered-up Suzaku, taking the full brunt of the attack with no chance to defend or block.
** The Devil Eyes that have been keeping him alive die and fall out because their energy is exhausted, which leaves him bleeding everywhere and barely mobile, not to mention the blood he's now coughing up.
** He somehow comes up with the strength to break out of Yuan's grip, leave his memories to Akari, and form barriers to protect Fubuki and the others before attempting to [[TakingYouWithMe take Kyo with him]] in a massive explosion fueled by the last of his energy, which ''still does not kill him''.
** He drags his disintegrating body to Fubuki's side, rips out ''his own fucking heart'', and implants it into Fubuki's chest. Then, and ''only'' then, does he [[DiedInYourArmsTonight collapse into Fubuki's arms]], [[SorryThatImDying apologize for leaving him alone]], and die.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: He unleashes a vicious one on the protagonists [[spoiler:after revealing that the Mibu are ArtificialHumans that are dying out]], triggered by their [[BerserkButton dismissal of Fubuki's sacrifices for the clan]]. It's easily the most he ever speaks at one time. He also gives one to Kyo [[spoiler:and the True Mibu in general]] while fighting him.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: His right eye turns crimson when he gets serious, and it is a massive OhCrap moment for the people fighting him.
* TheResenter: He despises [[spoiler:the True Mibu for creating the Battle Dolls (himself included) in the first place. They are all essentially condemned to a hellish death from inherent defects that the True Mibu failed to correct, and in their desperate fear of this, the Battle Dolls have destroyed other beings and produced their own doomed ArtificialHumans]].
* SecretlyDying: He has the Death Disease, but it's not revealed until his final battle. The Devil Eyes have been keeping it in check.
* SkunkStripe: There's a white streak in his black hair.
* SorryThatImDying: Pre-story, when he finds out he has the Death Disease and hits his DespairEventHorizon, he apologizes to Fubuki for [[StoppedCaring giving up]]. And his last words are an apology to Fubuki for leaving him alone.
* TheStoic: Reserved and logical at all times. You can count the times his facial expression shifts from deadpan on one hand.
** NotSoStoic: It's very rare, and ''very bad'' for the person who provoked him.
* StoppedCaring: He knows he's dying and that he has no chance of curing the disease that is killing the Mibu clan. Even as he continues to fight for his one remaining friend, he expresses the fact that he has grown tired and uncaring of the cause he's fighting ''for''.
* SuicideByCop: Tries to provoke Fubuki into killing him in a flashback.
* SwordBeam: Many of his attacks with Hakuya take this form. At one point he fires off seven of them with a single swing.
* TakingYouWithMe: Attempts this with Kyo in order to save Fubuki. It doesn't kill either of them.
* TranquilFury: Even in his NotSoStoic moments when he is at his most dangerous, he speaks in a very calm manner. He shouts ''once'' in the entire series, naturally because Fubuki is in danger.
* TransferableMemory: He gives his memories to Akari before he dies, so that she can continue researching the Death Disease and hopefully save the Mibu where he failed.
* TroubledButCute: Very attractive. Also extremely mentally ''fucked''.
* UncattyResemblance: Fubuki's black cat has a white left ear, which calls to mind the [[SkunkStripe white streak]] in Hishigi's black hair. In [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/early_hishigi_designs0.jpg early concept art of Hishigi]], the cat in question was seen at his feet.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Fubuki.
* VillainousFriendship: See Fubuki's entry above.
* VisibleSilence: Find a speech bubble with Hishigi underneath. Chances are it only contains an ellipsis.
* WorthyOpponent: It's rare that Hishigi looks like he's enjoying himself, but he seems to value an opponent who can actually challenge him, and says that he would have liked to fight with Yuan a bit longer.
* YouAreWorthHell: His response every time Fubuki tries to tell him to leave the Mibu.
-->'''Hishigi''': I vowed to follow you to the end. Even if that road carries us both to hell.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hishigi's Imperial Guard -- Ashura]]
-->See [[spoiler:'''Akari''']]
* ManchurianAgent: Ashura is a SuperpoweredEvilSide that emerges when Hishigi activates [[spoiler:the Devil Eye on Akari's hand]].
* MeaningfulName: "Ashura" is a god of death in Japanese mythology.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:Ashura is Akari's dormant SuperpoweredEvilSide]].
* WalkingSpoiler: Everything about Ashura is spoiler-heavy, on account of [[spoiler:being part of Akari]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tokito]]

One of the current members of the Four Elders, Tokito is the son of Muramasa and wielder of the last Muramasa sword set, Hokuto Shichisei. He views Muramasa's abandonment of the Mibu clan as an act of treachery and despises him for it, openly proclaiming his disdain for the former Elder on numerous occasions. Despite his child-like appearance he is incredibly strong and harbors a terribly cruel disposition towards his opponents.

It is later revealed that Tokito is in fact [[spoiler:not Muramasa's son, but Fubuki's ''daughter.'' She is ultimately defeated by Akira, which leads to her accompanying the heroes in their attempt to reach the Former Crimson King. During Fubuki's final moments, she is able to meet him one last time and acknowledge him as her father.]]

->Voiced by: Creator/YumiKakazu (JP)
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* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Tokito tells fortunes with Tarot cards and claims that people can never change their fates.
* BifurcatedWeapon: The Hokuto Shichisei appears to be a double-edged sword, but it splits into a DualWielding set of narrower blades.
* {{Bishonen}}: He's delicately-built and very pretty. [[spoiler:Though it turns out that SamusIsAGirl, so she's actually a {{Bishoujo}}[=/=]{{Bifauxnen}}]]
* BishonenLine: Tokito is very pretty to begin with, but [[spoiler:Akira's power boost forces her to release her full power. This causes her body to grow from that of a 14-year-old into her true form: a tall, stunning young woman with long hair and more mature features (though she's [[{{UsefulNotes/Pettanko}} flat enough]] that Akira still thinks she's a man until the post-fight [[TheReveal reveal)]]]].
* BullyingADragon: Even the fact that he antagonizes [[PersonOfMassDestruction Hishigi]] and [[LightningBruiser Yuan]] on a regular basis doesn't outdo his attempt to [[TooDumbToLive kill the Former Crimson King]].
* CryCute: [[spoiler:After Tokito loses to Akira and claims that her life is worthless, Bontenmaru goes into his speech about the "animal trails" that people make for themselves in hard times. Tokito breaks down crying, because even after everything she's done to him, Bontenmaru is still trying to make her feel better]].
* DeathDealer: When he's not swinging around his inherited Muramasa blade, he uses Tarot cards to slice and dice anyone unfortunate enough to cross him. The cards don't factor into his combat style when he's fighting seriously.
* DefeatMeansFriendship
* DespairEventHorizon: Subverted. After losing to Akira, Tokito ''acts'' as though hitting one, but gets over it after losing a hand of MiseryPoker and gaining some perspective.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Bontenmaru says he feels sorry for Tokito, making the astute observation that Tokito's constant vocal hatred for Muramasa stems from ''missing'' his DisappearedDad. Tokito ''does not take it well'' and responds by breaking Bon's arm.
* DualWielding: The Muramasa demonblade known as Hokuto Shichisei is actually formed by two swords (Tokai and Tohyou) that can merge into a single weapon.
* EnfanteTerrible: [[spoiler:Subverted; she's actually several decades older than her childish appearance suggests, and she can grow into her adult body to fight at full strength.]]
* FaceOfAnAngelMindOfADemon: A waifish, delicate beauty with a sadistic streak a mile wide and [[LackOfEmpathy zero empathy for the suffering of others]].
* FakeMemories: [[spoiler:Tokito's memories of her real parents (Fubuki and Hitoki) were suppressed and replaced by the idea of Muramasa as her father and a mother she never knew. When the real memories try to surface, she suffers from headaches and disorientation]].
* GenerationXerox: Played with. Tokito ''looks'' like Muramasa did when he was young, and as a child was expected to live up to that shining example. When he proved to be nothing like Muramasa (vicious, angry, violent), people turned on him and started to assume that he would betray them. And in terms of personality, they couldn't be more different - Muramasa was a FriendToAllLivingThings, and Tokito is a sadistic {{Jerkass}}. [[spoiler: And then there's the fact that she is a girl and not Muramasa's child at all. The looks come from her mother, Hitoki, who was Muramasa's sister]].
* IAmNotLeftHanded: [[spoiler:During her fight with Akira, she's forced to use her adult form to escape his "Heaven's Chill" attack and increase her power. She's ''pissed'' about it, because she hates her true appearance]].
* {{Jerkass}}: Vicious, remorseless, and sadistic. Tokito delights in hurting people and trying to [[BreakThemByTalking break their spirits]] with [[YouCantFightFate Tarot readings]] about their inevitable demises.
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: It's ''very'' well buried, but does surface eventually.
** KidsAreCruel: Tokito is very young compared to the other Taishiro [[spoiler:even taking into account her chronological age]], and the only one who seems to hurt and kill people [[ForTheEvulz just because he can]].
** LackOfEmpathy: Upon finding that Fubuki has lost to Kyo, [[spoiler:and having recently regained the memory that Fubuki is her father]], Tokito actually ''laughs'' at him. Then Akira points out that Fubuki hasn't just lost a fight -- he's dying. Cut to Tokito crying and begging the Former Crimson King to save him.
* JustToyingWithThem:
** When he fights Bontenmaru, Tokito says that he will let Bon and company pass if Bontenmaru can catch him. Every time Bon misses, Tokito inflicts some kind of punishment and kicks up the speed another notch.
** The fight with Akira starts this way too, with Tokito pretending that Hokuto Shichisei is a single blade and feigning a poor technique that makes Akira think his left side is unguarded. When Akira goes for it, Tokito splits the blade into its true form and stabs him.
* KnightOfCerebus: The first of the Taishiro to make an appearance, Tokito immediately [[TheWorfEffect Worfs]] Bontenmaru and establishes that the Mibu elite are untouchably out of the protagonists' current league. And Tokito is the ''weakest'' Elder.
* LightningBruiser: Even before approaching top speed, Tokito is far too fast for Bontenmaru to even touch, and hits hard enough to rip out his teeth and punch holes in him.
* MeaningfulName: The sword Tokito uses is called Hokuto Shichisei, named for the constellation. In China, the same constellation is split into two (Tokai and Tohyou), referencing the fact that the blade's true form is a DualWielding set.
* MusclesAreMeaningless: Tokito is small and waifish in physique, but is also capable of punching ''through'' [[TheBigGuy Bontenmaru]], whose biceps are bigger around than Tokito's waist.
* NeverMyFault: Even as Tokito denounces Muramasa and claims to hate him, he boasts about the power that Muramasa's blood affords him. When he loses to Akira, he throws a fit and claims he lost because his sword was too weak and he inherited weakness from his father. Akira points out that if this is true, Tokito has never done anything on his own.
* OneWingedAngel: Downplayed. [[spoiler:She can grow to her adult form to fight at full power.]]
* ParentalAbandonment: His mother is dead and his father abandoned him. Tokito is incredibly bitter about this and never shuts up about how much he hates Muramasa.
* PowerMakesYourHairGrow: Kind of. [[spoiler:Releasing her full power causes her entire body to age roughly ten years, with longer hair to match]].
* SelfImposedChallenge: An interesting variation. [[spoiler:Tokito uses the appearance (and by extension, power level) that she had at the age of fourteen because her adult body looks more like Muramasa, whom she hates because [[FakeMemories she thinks he was her father and that he abandoned her]]]].
* SmugSuper: Played with. Tokito is certainly very powerful, but is still definitely the weakest of the current Taishiro lineup. Despite this, he insults Yuan and Hishigi, randomly breaks things to show off how strong he is, and even briefly considers [[TooDumbToLive trying to kill]] [[BullyingADragon the Former Crimson King]] and take over the Mibu.
* SoreLoser: When it becomes clear that Akira has defeated him, Tokito tries to call the forbidden army troops to kill his weakened opponent. Thankfully, Benitora has massacred said troops by then.
* StalkerWithACrush: [[spoiler:She starts following Akira after he defeats her, similarly to how he followed Kyo as a child]].
* TheStarscream: For about a second, Tokito considers trying to kill the Former Crimson King, being convinced that the king is just a figurehead and Fubuki is actually leading them already. The king then crushes Tokito's idea of rebellion and reduces him to cowering on the floor in terror... just by ''looking'' at him.
* {{Tsundere}}: Toward Akira, and to a lesser extent Bontenmaru, after his defeat.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tokito's Imperial Guard -- Spade, Heart, Diamond, and Club]]
The four card-themed officers who serves under Tokito as elite troops and subordinates, with Spade being the strongest and closest to Tokito. They're first introduced when they attack Akira, Benitora and Bontenmaru in Tsukikage Castle. After Tokito's defeat, it's revealed that Spade is none other than Chinmei, who infiltrated as the Crimson King's agent in order to steal Hokuto Shichisei.
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* ActionGirl: Heart, who is unusually well built and muscled compared to other female characters.
* BadassInANiceSuit: Spade can defeat easily Bontenmaru, Benitora and Akira using his magic tricks and is always well dressed.
* FlatCharacter: Spade is the only one who has any impact on the plot, mostly because [[TheMole he's Chinmei]]. The other three seem to exist initially to establish that the Taishiro's guards are stronger than the Goyosei, and then they are quickly [[CurbstompBattle curbstomped]] to establish that Shinrei's subconscious powers have been released.
* {{Gonk}}: Club is a short, fat toad-like midget sitting on a peg leg.
* TheMole: Spade is Chinmei in disguise.
* OhCrap: Heart, Diamond, and Club when they realize that they have left Tokito's territory and wandered into Yuan's, which results in Anthony attacking them.
* PlayingCardMotifs: Naturally. The theme dovetails with Tokito's own TarotMotifs.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: They serve as this for Tokito, with Spade as TheDragon.
* ThemeNaming: [[CaptainObvious They're named after card suits]].
* WolfpackBoss: Club, Diamond and Heart seems to fight together to boost their chances. Spade is a loner.
* TheWorfEffect: Spade briefly inflicts this on Benitora, Bontenmaru and Akira, though he never gave them the chance to fight back. Diamond, Club and Heart started off inflicting it on Keikoku, Shinrei, Akira and Benitora -- only to be defeated first by Anthony and later by a powered-up Shinrei, neither of whom has to work hard to do so.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yuan]]
[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yuan5.jpg]]

Hotaru's mentor and something of a surrogate father figure since he found Hotaru and took him in when he was young. Yuan is one of the current Taishiro, having taken his mother's place after her death. It is revealed later that he and his entire family are essentially prisoners of the Taishiro and the Sendai Aka No Ou after Ian was executed under the pretense of treason.

->Voiced by: Creator/RyotaroOkiayu (JP)
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* AnimeHair: Not his ''hair'', technically. The tails of his blindfold appear to be hovering behind him at all times, though they're only [[ExpressiveAccessory expressive]] when he's comically aggravated.
* BadassFamily: Yuan himself is a LightningBruiser capable of such powerful physical attacks that the force of ''air'' moving from his kicks can cut like a blade. He's also the ''only'' character shown holding his own against Hishigi (for a while, anyway) before Kyo unlocks [[TookALevelInBadass another level]]. His mother was one of the Four Elders, and his father is the greatest swordsmith in Mibu history (he was ''Muramasa's'' master). And then there's Yuan's "personal guard"... AKA eight of his siblings. Some of them are goofy; ''all'' of them are badass. [[CoolBigSis Anna]] even scares Yuan. Finally, his older brother Anri is the infamous "Tengu of Mt Kurama", who developed the Sekireigan and taught it to Yukimura.
* BerserkButton: Threatening his family.
* BlindfoldedVision: His Shingan appears to be as good as or even better than normal sight.
* BlindWeaponmaster: ''Do not'' underestimate him because he can't see you. Sword or no sword.
* BoisterousBruiser: He's funny, enthusiastic, occasionally [[LargeHam hammy]], and ''incredibly'' strong.
* BookDumb: Particularly evident while trying to decipher [[EvilGenius Hishigi's]] notes. Like teacher, like student.
-->'''Hotaru''': Why do smart people use such difficult words?\\
'''Yuan''': Makes 'em sound smarter, I guess.
* TheBrute: His initial presentation; of the Taishiro, he relies most heavily on pure force and is the only one who fights hand-to-hand.
** TheBigGuy: After his HeelFaceTurn, he serves as one of these on the heroes' side (arguably replacing Bontenmaru, since Bon has been thoroughly [[TheWorfEffect Worfed]] by the stronger Mibu at that point).
* TheDogBitesBack: After his siblings are safe from the Taishiro and he is able to rebel without endangering them.
-->'''Yuan''': I've cast off the dog's collar, Tokito.
* DramaticWind: When his fight with Hishigi gets serious, his aura seems to create it.
* DisabilitySuperpower: He was born blind, and it is mentioned that his other senses are heightened because of this. His blindness has very little to do with his skill in combat, however. It's not specified if his "Shingan" ability actually allows him to see things or just perceive his surroundings on another level.
* EasilyForgiven: No one ever brings up the fact that he very nearly killed Okuni. Of course, they might not be aware of it -- at the time, she wouldn't have known his name and may not have even gotten a good look at him.
* ExpressiveAccessory: The "tails" of his blindfold stick up when he's yelling at Kyo for ruining his TrashTalk speech to Hishigi. It's not expressive when he's ''actually'' angry or in serious moments.
* EyepatchOfPower: Ian made the blindfold for him when his Crimson Eyes manifested in childhood, because Mibu who displayed the atavistic trait were disposed of if discovered. He is blind, but his [[ProphetEyes blank white eyes]] gain crimson irises (still no pupils) when he gets serious about a fight. The blindfold doesn't suppress his power, but it does hide it.
* ForcedIntoEvil: He's one of the Taishiro because he was forced into the position after his mother was executed as a traitor. If he hadn't agreed, his entire family would have been killed.
* HeelFaceTurn: After Hotaru defeats him, he takes the chance to fool [[AnimalEyeSpy Fubuki's cat]] with an illusion, giving his family time to hide so he can turn on the other Taishiro.
* HeroicSecondWind: He's TakenForGranite at one point and appears doomed, but he breaks free when his opponent reveals that he killed Ian. Yuan still doesn't ''win'', but at least he doesn't die.
* HurricaneKick: He spends the beginning of his fight with Hotaru using only his right foot, and much spinning ensues.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: Oddly enough, he reveals this well ''after'' his defeat at Hotaru's hands. While fighting Hotaru, Yuan kept up the pretense that he had no skill at swordplay, even when it cost him the fight (he didn't start with a blade because he didn't think Hotaru had any chance of defeating him, but the fight later became so intense that he wouldn't have had a chance to grab his sword even if he'd wanted to). When Yuan has to go up against Hishigi (who is much stronger, and absolutely ''will'' kill him), the kid gloves come off and he picks up a katana, proclaiming himself to be a MasterSwordsman. Hotaru is not pleased that Yuan lied about fighting him at full strength.
* ILetYouWin: Hotaru ''did'' defeat him... but he wouldn't have if Yuan had used a blade.
* JustToyingWithThem: The beginning of his fight with Hotaru. Yuan starts off saying he can beat Hotaru [[WithMyHandsTied using only his right foot]]. And he almost does. When Hotaru finally forces him to use one of his hands, Yuan is supposed to "spin around three times and bark", stakes that Hotaru had previously declared and at which Yuan had laughed. His acquiescence takes the form of three ''vicious'' [[HurricaneKick spinning strikes]] (punch, elbow to the face, and kick), followed by...
** MakeMeWannaShout: Yuan deafening Hotaru and sending him ''flying across the room'' with one loud bark. This is still Yuan playing around, but it's a devastating attack -- by the end of all that, Hotaru's left arm is broken in several places and he can barely breathe because of broken ribs.
* KeepingTheEnemyClose: Yuan suspects that this is why he was blackmailed into becoming one of the Taishiro -- he's a ''very'' dangerous enemy left unchecked. He also thinks this is why Tokito is one of them despite being the son of the traitor Muramasa, [[spoiler:but it's probably because Tokito is Fubuki's daughter]].
* MasterSwordsman: At first, it appears that he's a hand-to-hand specialist, and he certainly is deadly enough without a weapon. Later, however, he reveals that his true talent and power are in his skill with a blade.
* NoSell: Yuan is described as impervious to fire. Hotaru's flames can't damage him, for this reason and because Yuan taught him all of those skills. Until Keikoku Kien... which Hotaru developed on his own, and which burns from ''within''.
* ParentalAbandonment: [[MissingMom Ian]] was killed for learning too much about the Sendai Aka No Ou, and [[DisappearedDad Julian]] left his family and has been working ever since to set up a way to avenge her.
* PlayingWithFire: Even more impressive than Hotaru, Yuan is able to effortlessly conjure even the black Demon's Breath flames without preparation.
* PromotionToParent: Shares the role with his sister, Anna.
* ProphetEyes: When he takes the blindfold off, it's revealed that his eyes are totally blank. Yuan is blind, but his "Shingan" ability allows him to perceive the world around him without any apparent difficulty and can also search beyond the range of normal vision.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Eight of his nine siblings are his personal guard, and he refers to his father as his "henchman". Julian does ''not'' approve of the label.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: He has the Crimson Eyes, which his mother hid because they marked him as powerful and dangerous.
* RelativeButton: Twice. The first is a GenreSavvy taunt; saying that Yuan's family will be following him into death provokes him into a reckless attack that almost gets him killed. The second time, the same villain suddenly becomes GenreBlind and [[ReminiscingAboutYourVictims reveals that he killed Yuan's mother]] when he already has Yuan beaten. Cue HeroicSecondWind.
* SelfImposedChallenge: Fighting Hotaru using [[WithMyHandsTied only his right foot]]. He also primarily fights hand-to-hand, despite the fact that his greatest strength is in swordfighting.
* TakenForGranite: Temporarily, when he fights Hishigi and falls victim to the Devil Eyes.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Zigzagged during his fight with Hishigi. Yuan starts [[TrashTalk talking shit]], and it looks like this is being played straight when Hishigi himself does not immediately attack. But then the ''other'' ongoing fight interrupts when [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Akari]] [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom whacks Kyo across the battlefield]] and he topples Yuan.
* ThisMeansWar: After Hishigi one-shots Kyo, Yuan says he wasn't too invested in who won before, but he's nice and angry now.
* TrashTalk: Some against Hotaru, more against Hishigi. He even [[TemptingFate asks if Hishigi only carries his sword for decoration]].
* TokenGoodTeammate: Ultimately he's this among the Taishiro, though you wouldn't guess so at first glance.
* TricksterMentor[=/=]StealthMentor: To Hotaru, big time.
* TheUnpronounceable: Subverted. His name is very simple, but Hotaru ''cannot pronounce it'' and calls him "Yunyun" instead. This is phenomenally irritating to Yuan, who insists that Yunyun is actually ''harder'' to say, and it makes him sound like a panda.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Subverted. He starts off as a very dangerous antagonist, but [[HeelFaceTurn he ends up an ally]] and is pretty friendly in general.
* WorthyOpponent: He seems to consider Hishigi this, calling him the strongest of the Taishiro and saying he always wanted to know how a real fight between them would go.
* WouldNotHitAGirl: He says he doesn't want to fight [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Akari]] partially because she's a girl, but also because he's conflicted about fighting someone with no control over her own actions. He did [[CurbStompBattle stomp]] Okuni earlier, so maybe it's just "would not hit a girl he knows".
* [[YouKilledMyFather You Killed My Mother]]: Yuan ''[[BerserkButton loses]]'' ''[[UnstoppableRage his shit]]'' when he finds out who killed Ian (he knew the Former Crimson King had ''ordered'' her assassination, but not who had actually done it). Subverted in that Yuan is not the one who ends up defeating the villain in question.
* YourEyesCanDeceiveYou: He claims that his Shingan is better than normal vision, and once tells Hishigi that he "can't fool these eyes". His blindness also protects him from Kubira's illusions and Akari's Devil Eye, but the dozens under Hishigi's bandages are strong enough to [[TakenForGranite petrify him]] (temporarily).
* YourSoulIsMine: He claims he can eat the souls of his enemies. Subverted because his Genshisho is actually an illusion that breaks the minds of his opponents.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yuan's Imperial Guard -- The "An" Family]]

Yuan's personal guard is comprised of his eight younger siblings: Anthony, Anna, Angelica, and the quintuplets (Marian, Lilian, Yulian, Kirian, and Erian). Anthony starts off hostile toward the protagonists, but after being defeated by Hotaru he lends them his aid. His powers revolve around light manipulation and acupuncture. The others are never seen fighting -- unless you count Anna throwing things.
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* BadassFamily: All of them can speak with their weapons and are implied to be stronger than the Goyosei in combat, though Anthony is the only one who demonstrates that. Their mother was one of the Four Elders, and their father is the greatest swordsmith in Mibu history. The oldest brother is Anri, the infamous "Tengu of Mt Kurama", and the second is Yuan.
* BeamSpam: Anthony's Koryuuha technique involves this.
* BigDamnHeroes: Anthony takes down three members of Tokito's guard right before they can defeat Shinrei, Hotaru, Benitora, and Akira. Admittedly he wasn't doing this with any intention of saving them -- he was just punishing Heart, Club, and Diamond for entering Yuan's territory. And he disables the protagonist group with his needles directly afterward.
* CoolBigSis: Anna
* DeathGlare: Angelica has one that can cow her siblings instantly.
* GratuitousEnglish: Their names are composed of kanji arranged to spell them out.
* LightEmUp: Anthony's Koryuuha appears as a BeamSpam not dissimilar to Manga/DragonBall ki attacks. It's not entirely clear if he's actually using light-based powers or if he's just moving too fast for the others to perceive before their subconscious powers are unlocked.
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: There are ten of them overall, nine currently in Mibu territory.
* PromotionToParent: Anna and Yuan have been keeping the family together since Ian was killed and Julian left.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The spelling of the three male quintuplets' names varies a ''lot'' between translations. The above is the spelling as printed in the Tokyopop English volumes.
* SuperStrength: Anna's is PlayedForLaughs; she's seen ripping the head off of an enormous stone statue and dropping it on Yuan and Hotaru as punishment for scaring her.
* ThemeNaming: Every member of the family has "An" in his or her name, and their names are spelled out in kanji.
* TrainingFromHell: Anthony uses his needles to stab the heroes in their pressure points to awaken their true potential and give them a huge boost in power.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ian]]

Yuan's mother, who was part of the Taishiro before him. She was framed for treason and executed because she learned the Sendai Aka No Ou's true nature.
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* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: Sort of justified by her being a Mibu, but she had ''ten kids'' and still looked really damn good.
* GenderBlenderName: Ian is a name typically given to males in Western naming convention.
* GratuitousEnglish: Her name, like the rest of her family.
* PosthumousCharacter: She died before the events of the series, but she remains an important part of the story.
* SheKnowsTooMuch: The Former Crimson King had her killed because she learned the Mibu's greatest secret.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Muramasa]]

Kyo's mentor, Tokito's father [[spoiler:(actually her uncle, rather than "his" father)]], forger of the legendary Muramasa Demon Blades, and former leader of the Taishiro.
-----
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He's very friendly, polite, and kind to everyone. But do ''not'' endanger anyone he cares about.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Implied, considering all of the animals that hang out in his house.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: For all those who remember Muramasa as a vicious swordsmith consumed with bloodlust.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Due to the Death Disease.
* MasterSwordsman: The first time he's seen in action, he immediately overwhelms Shinrei, who was in the process of handing Kyo his own ass. Muramasa is also a master sword ''maker''; he forged the legendary "Demon Blades", one of which is Kyo's Tenro.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: He dies, but of the Death Disease; Kyo's enemies have nothing to do with it.
* MistakenForGay: By Okuni, of all people, after hearing Bontenmaru talk about his relationship with Kyo.
* OlderThanHeLooks: As he confirms to Okuni, he's incredibly old despite looking like a Bishonen.
* OldMaster: He can use the four ultimate techniques of the Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu school. Despite his age and deteriorating health, he's still one of only three people Kyo admits he can't handle.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Since he's enlightened, all animals can understand him and live alongside him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Muramasa's Imperial Guard -- Anri]]

The infamous "Tengu of Mount Kurama", and Yuan's older brother. Anri was Muramasa's personal guard, and left the Mibu with him. He developed the Sekireigan and taught the technique to Yukimura.
-----
* GenreSavvy: Anri knows damn well that [[{{Determinator}} Yukimura]] is going to overuse the DangerousForbiddenTechnique that Anri explicitly told him not to use more than five times in a day. So he teaches Yukimura an incomplete form of the Sekireigan instead -- a form that can still hurt him if he exceeds the limit, but won't kill him.
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: Following in his parents' footsteps. He has ''eleven'' children, with number twelve on the way.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: His wife is a mortal human.
* RedBaron: The Tengu of Mount Kurama.
* RetiredBadass: He hasn't done a whole lot of fighting since he left the Mibu, and it takes a significant level of pestering to get him to teach Yukimura the Sekireigan.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shihodo]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/122.png]]

The ''original'' leader of the Taishiro, and among the strongest members in history.
-----
* BareYourMidriff: She wears tiny shorts and a bandeau top, exposing everything from hipbones to bust.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: She's an odd one, but underestimating her is a ''huge'' mistake. Kyo, our favorite arrogant BloodKnight who has never admitted he's outmatched at this point, tells Sasuke that Shihodo is one of the few people he "just can't handle".
* BirdsOfAFeather: She and [[PlatonicLifePartners Julian]] are two of the most [[BunnyEarsLawyer absurd]] characters in the series, they've been friends for centuries if not millennia, and he's the only one who understands her and laughs at her stupid jokes.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: She's incredibly weird and ''shockingly'' powerful.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Her dialogue is peppered with weird euphemisms and esoteric figures of speech, she makes childishly vulgar jokes (usually about feces) constantly, and she might drop her [[ItMakesSenseInContext 10,000-pound hat]] on you if you try to get a straight answer out of her.
* CoolSword: Her Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (yes, that one), which she can use to summon clouds capable of "eating" and nullifying enemy attacks.
* DirtyCoward: By her own claim, though the accuracy of that assessment is debatable.
* HeartbrokenBadass: She was in love with the Former Crimson King before he became cold and cruel, and was unable to kill him as he'd asked because of her feelings. It's not entirely clear if they were ever involved romantically. Also applies after his death.
* ILetYouWin: She takes Byakko's attack without dodging. Kyo is not amused, as he knows she could have and that she's ''far'' stronger than she's been pretending during this fight. She says she's just getting old, but when he provokes her further, she wallops him and sends him flying into a stone wall hard enough to smash it.
* LoveHurts: See HeartbrokenBadass above.
* MyGreatestFailure: The Former Crimson King asked her to kill him if she saw him walking down the path of evil, which she couldn't bring herself to do because she loved him (and still does). It's why she hides in the labyrinth, overseeing her graveyard for the victims of the Mibu Reconstruction Project.
* NotSoDifferent: She tries to pull this on ''[[TheStoic Hishigi]]'' in a flashback, saying that he's a coward like her and that's why he's avoiding his moral qualms about the Mibu Reconstruction Project. Hishigi has to [[VisibleSilence take a second]] before he says that they're nothing alike.
* OddFriendship: The same flashback seems to indicate she was closer to Hishigi than she was to Muramasa or Fubuki. No, [[TheComicallySerious he didn't have much of a sense of humor then either]].
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Julian.
* Really700YearsOld: Several ''thousand''.
* RetiredBadass: For the above reason of heartbreak.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:The Aka no Ou (Crimson King) and The Red Cross Knights]]

[[folder:Shodai Aka no Ou (The First Crimson King)]]

The progenitor of the Mibu Clan and its first ruler.

The First Crimson King is encountered by Kyo, as he is in fact Kyo's ancestor and the soul of Tenro, Kyo's BFS. The Shodai Aka no Ou merely wanted his people to live lives of comfort and happiness, but ultimately realized that their godlike power only served to lead to their self-destruction, as the fulfillment of all their desires left them with only one source of true stimulation... slaughter through battle, most especially of each other. [[spoiler:He grants Kyo the mark of the True Crimson King after Kyo overcomes his demon blood (the very thing that brought about the downfall of the rest of the True Mibu).]]
-----
* TheAtoner: He regrets his failure to [[spoiler:save the True Mibu from their demonic nature, and guides Kyo in an attempt to fix his mistakes]].
* DarkIsNotEvil: He ''looks'' intimidating and has a darker color scheme, but he's the closest thing this manga has to a BigGood.
* {{Expy}}: He bears some notable similarities to [[Manga/YuYuHakusho Raizen]], being an ancient ancestor of the protagonist who at one point tries to [[GrandTheftMe take over the body of said protagonist to fight someone out of his league]].
* FriendToAllChildren: He appears to Kyo surrounded by cute Mibu tykes whom he happily allows to climb all over him. He also explains that the reason the Mibu became gods in the first place was because he wanted his children to lead happy and untroubled lives.
* HornedHumanoid: The horns are actually fake and removable.
* ItAmusedMe: The reason he even bothered with the above-mentioned horns and "Demon Lord" getup. He takes great pleasure in [[WackyParentSeriousChild messing with Kyo]].
* LukeIAmYourFather: He's heavily implied to be one of Kyo's ancestors, but probably not his actual father.
* {{Precursors}}: He's the first Crimson King.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He and Kyosaburo (the "current" Crimson King before the Former had him killed) are the only Mibu rulers shown who weren't megalomaniacal tyrants.
* SealedGoodInACan: His spirit is bound to Tenro and lives within the blade.
* WackyParentSeriousChild: He's probably not ''actually'' Kyo's father, but he is the only relative we ever meet. He's also ridiculous, wearing fake horns and pretending to be a scary demon lord as a joke. Before he releases Kyo from his pocket dimension inside Tenro, he even sticks the fake horns on ''Kyo's'' head.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sendai Aka no Ou (The Former Crimson King)]]

A mysterious figure in the story. His identity, nature and intentions are a mystery throughout much of the story. When the Former Crimson King first appears, he seems to have strangely benevolent inclinations towards Kyo. There are also mysterious hints that he seems to be setting up a competition between Kyo and Kyoshiro to see who will be the legitimate successor to his title.

[[spoiler:The Former Crimson King is initially presented as one of the last of the True Mibu (Kyo being the other). Kyoshiro and the other Red Cross Knights were created from his flesh and blood to serve as his own corps of secret assassins. However, all of this masks a still greater secret. The Former Crimson King is actually Mibu Kyoichiro, the first of the Red Cross Knights, and is himself a construct created by the True Mibu. When the True Mibu wiped themselves out, the Former Crimson King hid his status as one of their battle puppets and ruled over the Mibu in their stead]]. Over millennia, he has become overwhelmed by the depravity and violence he witnesses in the human world, and has come to the ultimate conclusion that everything must be destroyed in order for there to be true peace.
-----
* AdaptedOut: In the anime, the Mibu have no King, crimson or not. The same goes for all of the Red Cross Knights.
* AffablyEvil: He sounds perfectly reasonable and is surprisingly friendly toward the protagonists. At first.
** FauxAffablyEvil: Once pushed, he snaps and becomes ''far'' from affable.
* AGodAmI: Played terrifyingly straight. He even has the power to create and destroy at will. Subverted at the end when it is revealed that [[spoiler:he too is one of the True Mibu's battle dolls, attempting to rule in their stead to maintain their legacy. He was the closest they ever got to replicating themselves, so his power rivals theirs]].
* AllYourPowersCombined: He can use every technique ever developed by the Mibu. Including the Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He leads the Mibu and is far and away the most powerful of them.
* BadassBookworm: Initially, he pretends that he is badly nearsighted thanks to countless years of studying books and scrolls. Often quoted Confucius early on in the story.
** FourEyesZeroSoul: While its less obvious than Chinmei's, the goofy look and persona he portrayed initially were hiding his terrifying TrueColors.
* BeatStillMyHeart: [[spoiler:That sealed room that had to be unlocked with the four Muramasa swords, the one hiding the secret that cost Kyosaburo, Nozomu and Ian their lives? It contains his still-beating heart, removed from his body years ago. It has the Crimson Cross carved into it, which reveals that he is the first Knight, Mibu Kyoichiro -- not one of the True Mibu as he claims.]]
* BigBad: Of the series.
* [[{{Bishonen}} Biseinen]]: When he stops playing goofy.
* BlindWithoutEm: In his first non-silhouetted appearance, he talks to pillars and walks into walls, even ''with his glasses on!'' However, once he starts getting serious, this goes out the window.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: He runs into walls and goes into a daze, but this spacey quirk just makes him appear more disturbing because of his apparent detachment from reality.
* DisneyVillainDeath: Subverted. He's already dying when the Crimson Tower crumbles with him inside. The fall doesn't kill him, but his body disintegrates when he hits the ground in Shihodo's graveyard.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: He gets two.
** One of his first scenes is when he shows up in the dungeon where [[BarrierWarrior Hishigi]] has imprisoned Shinrei. At first he's just acting [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} silly and weird]], and Shinrei has no idea who he is. And then the mysterious stranger walks away, and the impenetrable cell crumbles. This establishes that he's much more powerful than his odd behavior implies.
** His next scene establishes his viciousness. He starts off spacey and talks to pillars thinking they're Fubuki. Tokito thinks he's ridiculous, believing that Fubuki is leading the Mibu already and the king is just a figurehead. But when the king senses Tokito's thoughts of attacking him, his KillingIntent shows Tokito his own death and reduces him to cowering on the floor, shaking in terror.
* EvilRedhead
* KillingIntent: It's so intense that he can make people see their own deaths and paralyze them with fear.
* LackOfEmpathy: His response to Muramasa's plea to help the Mibu Clan is to say [[WeHaveReserves he can just make more after they die off]], so they can feel free to do so.
* LightIsNotGood: Dresses in white and acts like a saint at first, but he is ''not'' a good person.
** DarkIsEvil: He has a darker outfit in his final battle with Kyo.
* MightMakesRight
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:After TheReveal that he is Mibu Kyoichiro, he realizes that he has lost himself in the hatred and destruction in which he has lived for ages. He recalls his heart into his broken body, causing the Crimson Tower to crumble as he dies]].
* NotSoOmniscientAfterAll: Near the end, he kidnaps Yuuya and believes that she's a seer of great power like Nozomu and Sakuya, even though she denies and there was no implication of such a thing in the first place.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: In his first real appearance outside of silhouette, he appears to be incredibly near-sighted, talking to pillars and walking into walls. But when Tokito steps out of line....
* OmnicidalManiac: Comes to the conclusion that mankind is beyond redemption and decides they must all be wiped out.
* StepfordSmiler: When he first appears, the Crimson King's appearance is positively goofy. At times he makes it incredibly intimidating. Later, we discover that [[spoiler:his smile hides the pain and madness that have resulted from watching the senseless violence in human society for millennia]].
* {{Synchronization}}: He does this to Sakuya and Yuya's hearts to deliver one hell of a SadisticChoice.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Has one when Benitora and Sasuke show everyone his heart, revealing the truth. He screams that he has surpassed the True Mibu, and that they were monsters who deserved to die out.]]
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He wants to save the Mibu clan, but time jaded him into becoming a tyrant who believes in MightMakesRight.
* XanatosGambit: He thinks he has one set up when he pits Kyo and Kyoshiro against each other. At this point, Kyoshiro is in Kyo's body and vice versa. No matter which one kills the other, [[spoiler:there will be no True Mibu left, because Kyo is the last and either his soul or his body will be destroyed. They escape it when Kyoshiro reveals that his defection to the King's side was false, and he has always planned to give Kyo's body back to him]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toudai Aka no Ou (The Current Crimson King)/Mibu Kyosaburo]]

He was intended to be the Current Crimson King, but was deposed and imprisoned by the previous one for developing the Mumyou-Jinpuu-Ryu (a school designed to be capable of killing God -- AKA the Former Crimson King) and teaching it to the renegade, Muramasa. He befriended a young Kyoshiro and introduced him to Sakuya. Many years later, when Kyoshiro had fallen under the thrall of the Former Crimson King, he no longer resembled the kind boy that he once was. Kyosaburo made a last ditch attempt to find the ultimate secret that lay behind the doors in the palace, only to be stopped and killed by Kyoshiro acting on the Former's orders. His death ultimately broke Kyoshiro free from the King's power and prompted Kyoshiro and Sakuya to leave the Mibu. Kyosaburo was the third of the Crimson Cross Knights.
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* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Does this to Chinmei, leading to the latter's redemption.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: At least he would've been if the Former wasn't such a power grubbing tyrant.
* YouWillBeAssimilated: He was re-absorbed into the Former Crimson King after his death.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mibu Kyojiro]]
--> See '''Chinmei'''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mibu Kyoshiro]]
--> See '''Mibu Kyoshiro'''
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Others]]

[[folder:The Bantoji Brothers]]

* AdaptedOut: They do not appear in the anime.
* AssholeVictim: They fully deserve what happens to them.
* BashBrothers: Subverted, though the duo fights together, ultimately Banji despises his brother.
* DropTheHammer: Banji's weapon of choice and source of his nickname, can crack the earth open.
* DumbMuscle: Banji is massive, doesn't look very bright and speaks with a stutter. Though he's not as dumb as he looks.
* {{Expy}}: They can call to mind the [[Manga/YuYuHakusho Toguro Brothers]], as in both cases we have a duo of brother with the elder being tiny compared to the younger.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Toji loses an arm and then is cut from shoulder to crotch in half. Banji is literally chopped to pieces with Mizuchi.
* FragileSpeedster: Toji is known as the "Wind" because he's so fast that he can backstab you when you think he's in front of you. He can't take a hit, though.
* GenreSavvy: Banji and Toji knew that the villagers they were asking tributes could revolt, so they brought a lot of mercenaries with them. Also Banji tries this by pointing out to Kyo that, after cutting through all the brigands like that, his blood-stained sword should have lost its edge. [[WrongGenreSavvy Too bad he's talking about an absurdly sharp Muramasa sword.]]
* {{Gonk}}: Oh my god, yes. Likely to make them even less sympathetic when they're killed by Kyo.
* MeaningfulName: The "To" in Toji stands for 10, while Ban in Banji means 10000.
* OhCrap: Toji when Kyo avoids his sneak attack and Banji refuses to help him. Banji after realising the effects of [[DiagonalCut Mizuchi]] on his body.
* RedBaron: Banji the Iron Hammer and Toji the Wind.
* StarterVillain: Manga only.
* WolverineClaws: Toji's weapon of choice.
* TheWorfEffect: They make Yuya useless in about two pages but are butchered without effort by Kyo.
* WouldHurtAChild: Banji nearly crushes a kid to teach the villagers a lesson.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Unlike the typical setting for this trope, is the dumb-looking brute Banji who pulls this on the smarter Toji when he loses to Kyo and begs for help. After his death he simply states that "Weaklings deserve death".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jimon]]

* AxCrazy: He killed 108 people with Hienken just to perfect the move for his battle against Kyo.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: How he's HoistByHisOwnPetard by Kyo.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Has a special move called Hienken which allows him to strike three times in a row.
* OneWingedAngel: Anime only, he turns into a spike-shooting serpent Ken'yo.
* PsychoForHire: In the manga, he works for a local governor as a bodyguard and is a psychopath.
* SmallNameBigEgo: He's a small fry, and Kyo doesn't even remember him.
* StarterVillain: Very early antagonist, no real threat, only exists to show off Kyo's skill.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Three Color Gang]]
A trio of assassins working for Genma Kido, who's an underling of the Lord (Nobunaga). Benitora used to be one of them.

* AffablyEvil: Shirogarasu is incredibly polite and even apologize when one of his mooks tries to cut down a unique cherry tree.
* AdaptationalWimp: Genma Kido in the Anime is killed by Okuni before he can even transform.
* AnimalMotif: Scorpions for Kurosasori and Ravens for Shirogarasu.
* BadBoss: Kurosasori kills his own underlings when they fail to hit Kyoshiro. Later Genma steps on Shirogarasu's body and mock him for his failure.
* BaldOfEvil: Kurosasori
* BeatStillMyHeart: How Genma meets his end in the Manga, thanks to Benitora.
* BoisterousWeakling: Despite his size, Kurosasori is this, with needles being his only weapon and no real melee technique. He still insist on taking on who he think is Demon Eyes Kyo.
* BreathWeapon: Kurosasori's Amata Shigyoku secret attack involves spitting thousands of poisoned needles from his mouth.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: How Kurosasori is killed by Shirogarasu in the manga.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Shirogarasu's illusionary technique is defeated by Kyo's own illusionary technique, Shin.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: Shirogarasu's weapon, Kageromaru, is halfway between a sword and a tonfa.
* OneWingedAngel: In the manga, Genma can HulkOut with his Dark Battle Aura. In the anime all three of them are Ken'yo and thus capable of transforming into monsters.
* PetalPower: Shirogarasu's main shtick. His secret attack, Ouka Mugen Kairo (Infinite Cherry Blossoms Corridor) traps the enemy into a storm of petals.
* MasterPoisoner: Kurosasori has several tipes of poisons and use them in tandem with steel needles.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Kurosasori.
* UniversalPoison: Subverted by Kurosasori, who fights with four poisons: one which burns the victim, one which causes hallucinations, one which causes deadly spasms and one that melts the victim whole.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Shirogarasu plays with this trope. He's a polite and respectful opponent, but he is a villain in the employ of a worse villain, nonetheless.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tokugawa Ieyasu]]

* AdaptationalVillainy: Anime only, he's manipulated by Santera and eventually turns into a Ken'yo which Benitora has to kill.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: In the manga, played straight. Not so much in the anime.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:Leads a giant army along with the Sanada and Date forces to defeat the Crimson King's blood soldiers in the end.]]
* FatBastard: Subverted by the real Ieyasu, who's pretending to be Hanzo Hattori. Played straight in the anime.
* ManipulativeBastard: Mostly shown in his interactions with his son.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He's an asshole and is the first to admit it, but he's genuinely working to form a peaceful Japan.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mahiro]]

* AbsoluteCleavage: Her outfit puts blatant and unnecessary focus on her bust.
* AnimalMotif: Spiders. According to her, is because female spiders eat their mates, referencing to her crush on Kyo.
* AnimeHair: Her hair seems to be messy everywhere, as if strong winds are blowing.
* BuxomIsBetter: When Yuya thinks about her being beautiful, the very next thing she thinks of are her huge breasts.
* DefrostingIceQueen: She gets better and better as the story goes on.
* DemotedToExtra: Her background is simplified in the anime: in the manga, Chinmei killed her sister, and it was revealed many chapters later in the story after her debut. In the anime, the culprit his her boss, a anime-only Spider Ken'yo disguised as a Iga ninja and everything is settled in the very episode she first appear in.
* FauxActionGirl: The only battle in which she accomplish something is the one against Chinmei. And by accomplish something we mean scratch his face after getting soundly beaten for about two chapters.
* HoneyTrap: Her first attempt on Kyo's life, while taking Yuuya's appearence. Kyo doesn't buy it, apparently because Yuuya isn't that charming.
* ItsPersonal: Her vendetta against Kyo and later Chinmei, which ends up with her going all out against him to both avenge her sister and release Kyo from Chinmei's gravity spell.
* LargeHam: Early on, she's quite melodramatic.
* {{Ninja}}
* PeoplePuppets: Uses her Kumo no Juubaku to paralyze and manipulate Yuuya to have her kill Kyo.
* RevengeBeforeReason: She's pursuing revenge against Kyo for murdering her sister Mayumi, and refuses to consider the possibility that he didn't do it. She eventually finds out the truth.
* ScarsAreForever: The reddish-purple streaks on her arms.
* SpidersAreScary: She can attack by throwing lots of poisonous spiders at once.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sakuya]]

A powerful {{Seer}} whose talents are coveted by . has won the loyalties of many people, including Sanada Yukimura. She can predict the future.

->Voiced by: Creator/{{Yukana}} (JP), Sonja Lingo (EN)
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* ChildhoodFriendRomance: With Kyoshiro.
* CordonBleughChef: Played for laughs and subverted, the tea she offers to Yuya looks like bubbling green magma, but the taste is excellent.
* DamselInDistress: During the Mibu arc, after being captured by the Former Crimson King.
* FreudianTrio: The Ego to Kyo's Id and Kyoshiro's Superego, pre-story. She took the role of mediator when their personalities clashed more violently than [[VitriolicBestBuds usual]].
* HimeCut: Her long hair is styled this way.
* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:She's Nozomu's sister by blood, and therefore Yuya's sister by adoption]].
* MsFanservice: She wears modest robes most of the time, but she does get a nude scene that shows off her beautiful figure. InUniverse, not only Kyoshiro, but also Kyo (and possibly Shinrei) fell for her.
* NiceGirl: An incredibly nice person to nearly everyone.
* NonActionGuy: She's not a fighter at all, just a seer.
* PowerTrio: Yuya's place as TheChick besides Kyo and Kyoshiro originally belonged to Sakuya.
* {{Seer|s}}: She has the gift of forseeing the future and read the stars, but she cannot change it in anyway.
* TheDitz: In the manga
* TheFaceless: Mentioned and appeared in flashbacks very early on, but it's not until the final arc that we get to see what's under her bangs.
* TheHeart: She was this before Yuya
* RedHerring: Some ambiguous flashbacks and sentences seemed to imply that she was in a relationship with Kyo in the past. [[spoiler:It's eventually revealed that she has only ever loved [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Kyoshiro]], and Kyo was never more than a friend to her.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jaki and Maki]]
Two elite soldiers of the Mibu army sent to kill Tokugawa Ieyasu, they're stopped and fought by Benitora and Sasuke. In the anime they appear instead as part of the troops sent to attack Muramasa, but their role is identical.
-----
* BaldOfEvil: Both guys.
* {{BFS}}: Jaki wields a generic oversized machete, Maki wields a massive crescent-shaped blade with wooden hilts on both ends.
* BreathWeapon: Jaki's technique, Flamethrower, allows him to puke copious amounts of molten metal.
* DumbMuscle: Both of them compared to the other Mibu, but mostly Jaki. Maki instead is quite talkative and seems brighter by comparison, like when he tells Sasuke about his origins.
* EliteMook: What they are, and what's worst, they're probably on the lowest level of Elite Mooks in the Mibu Army, and yet the two of them would have defeated the entire Iga Ninja army alone if Sasuke and Benitora hadn't figured out their weapons.
* InvisibleJerkass: Maki's power allows him to cancel his presence and appearence, so that he can slip unnoticed in the surroundings to attack.
* MadeOfIron: Jaki is a literal case, as he can turn his body in a metal-like state that not even Hokurakushimon alone can pierce.
* OhCrap: Both of them, before their opponents turn the table on them.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Maki taunts Sasuke about being a failure from the forest, and both of them constantly boast about how powerful they are as members of the Mibu clan. In reality, they're small fry, and not even considered Mibu within the clan itself -- they're "successful" experiments, but actually ''lower'' than Sasuke [[spoiler:because he's one of the near-perfect "rare breed" that Hishigi has developed]].
* SmugSnake: Maki, who constantly taunts both Mahiro and Sasuke and insults the name of the Sanada in front of the latter.
* TooDumbToLive: Maki, if the guy you're fighting is about to fry your ass on a molecular level, you might want to stop demeaning the person he's devoted his life to.
* TheWorfEffect: They establish themselves and the Mibu soldiers in general as strong enemies by stomping the Tokugawa forces, and then have the effect inflicted on them to show how powerful Muramasa's demonblades can be when wielded correctly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kitsunebi]]
The guardian of the Mibu Citadel outside the castle, he's the first opponent faced by Kyo inside the Mibu Land. He's also the one who reveals to Yuuya that Muramasa has died.
-----
* CallingYourAttacks: "Bakujin'en" (Explosive Powder Feast) is his only technique shown.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: He's completely wiped out by Kyo's new Mizuchi.
* SlasherSmile: Under his mask.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Just because he rules over one small civilian Mibu community, he thinks he can win against Kyo. The elite troops encountered after the Goyosei are probably more powerful than he is, and they're [[{{Mook}} faceless automatons]].
* StuffBlowingUp: He constantly sheds a peculiar powder that surrounds the enemy, and then throws sharp needles at them. If the enemy parries, the resulting sparks will ignite the powder and cause an explosion; if they dodge, it will spread the powder over a larger area and make it harder to escape.
* WeakButSkilled: His physical strength is pretty dismal compared to other Mibu, but his Bakujin'en technique shows his strategic ability and makes him formidable nonetheless.
* TheWorfEffect: Hey, he was there to show that Kyo did master Muramasa's teachings.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Julian]]

The greatest blacksmith of the Mibu clan, Muramasa's mentor, Yuan's father, and Shihoudou's best friend.
-----
* AnachronismStew: He wears a leopard-print cowboy hat. No, seriously. [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yuan_and_the_tacky_cape.jpg Yuan likes to steal it]].
* BadassGrandpa: He [[Really700YearsOld doesn't look it]], but he has to be hundreds of years old based on context. He's deeply distressed when he learns that the "grandpa" part has become literal eleven times over due to his son Anri's kids.
* BirdsOfAFeather: He and Shihodo are ridiculous and have been friends for a ''very'' long time (Shihodo is several thousand years old and Julian at the very least several hundred). He's the only one who understands her incomprehensible smoke signals and laughs at her stupid jokes.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: He's a pervert and a bad lyricist, but he's the greatest sword-smith ever.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: He writes and sings ridiculous songs, and talks to and about swords like they're people.
* EccentricMentor: He was Muramasa's.
* GratuitousEnglish: Like the other members of Yuan's family, his name is in kanji adjusted to read out as Julian.
* HeroicSacrifice: Tries against Hishigi and Fubuki, jumping between them and Yuan in order to get close enough to break their swords. Julian fails to die, and [[SenselessSacrifice Fubuki "resurrects" the shattered blades anyway]].
* LargeHam: Julian is hugely dramatic, loudly proclaiming his status as the greatest swordsmith in history and even demanding that Yuan praise him for forging the swords that Hishigi and Fubuki are ''actively trying to kill them with''.
* LetThemDieHappy: He stops Yuan from attacking Hishigi once he realizes that Hishigi is just [[TheDyingWalk trying to get to Fubuki before he dies]]. It's especially admirable on Julian's part because he has every right and every reason to ''hate'' Hishigi.
-->'''Julian''': It's the end. Let him go as he pleases.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After Hishigi one-shots Kyo, Julian quits bragging about having forged [[{{BFS}} Hakuya]] and regrets that he put such a powerful weapon in Hishigi's hands.
* NiceHat: Again. ''[[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yuan_and_the_tacky_cape.jpg Leopard-print cowboy hat]]''.
* NonActionGuy: He's perfectly capable of slaughtering {{Mooks}}, but he's hopelessly outclassed by the major characters. At one point, Yuan starts imitating his father and says something along the lines of, "My wife was an Elder and [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale she kicked my butt]]."
* PapaWolf: He's not much of a fighter, but don't threaten his kids. Just don't.
* PimpedOutCape: It's fur-trimmed. And leopard-print.
* RetiredBadass: He is the greatest smith in Mibu history, but seems to have stopped making weapons since his wife's death.
* SenselessSacrifice: His gambit to break Hishigi's and Fubuki's swords, which results in a OneHandedZweihander through Julian's abdomen. It buys Yuan a ''chance'' to attack, but that chance is immediately nullified by Hishigi's [[DeadlyGaze Devil Eyes]]. And then Fubuki resurrects the blades, so the protagonists end up in an even ''worse'' position.
* UnexplainedRecovery: Julian takes Hishigi's {{BFS}} through the gut in his attempt at a HeroicSacrifice. Hakuya is easily six inches wide, and would have severed Julian's spine and damaged some pretty important internal organs stabbing him where it did. He survives and seems to suffer no ill effects in the long run -- no one even mentions it after the fact.
* [[WackyParentSeriousChild Wacky Parent, Serious Horde of Children]]: Downplayed; only Angelica can really be called ''serious'', but none of them are even close to dad's {{Cloudcuckoolander}} status, and Julian's antics drive Yuan up a wall on a regular basis.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Migeira]]

Anime-Exclusive character, Migeira belongs to a secret sect of monk warriors bent on preserving the timeline. His right arm is replaced with a fifth lost Muramasa called Hajao, which he has reforged into a five-barreled cannon.
-----
* ArmCannon: Hajao is a five-barreled cannon, formerly a Muramasa weapon which was changed into its current form through western alchemy. [[spoiler:In the finale he first upgrades it after absorbing the other three Muramasa Hokurakushimon, Tenguko and Shibien, but later loses it entirely after entrusting the result to Kyo's Tenro.]]
* GuestStarPartyMember: Joins the heroes as they attack the Mibu Castle in Sekigahara and takes care of Saishi and later Shatora.
* HeelFaceTurn: He eventually sides with Kyo, the man he sought to destroy in fear he could cause a paradox.
* KnightTemplar: He ''will'' [[TimePolice defend time "as it should be"]], no matter what he has to kill or destroy in the process.
* LightEmUp: Hajao mostly attacks by shooting light beams.
* MaskPower: Never seen with his lower face uncovered.
* MismatchedEyes: One is blue, the other is red.
* TimePolice: Essentially he belongs to an order of monks with this purpose. He also seems to know the future, as seen when he reveals to Okuni how she's supposed to become the founder of Kabuki.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He wants to prevent paradoxes and stabilize time, but that mission is dangerous to innocent people and disregards the reality of those who exist in the alternate timeline.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Subverted, ultimately he's a good guy.
[[/folder]]
----

[[folder:The Shiseiten as a group]]

-->See [[spoiler:Akari]]

--> See Mibu Kyoshiro

[[folder:Kitsunebi

!Characters Appearing in ''Manga/SamuraiDeeperKyo''

'''Only MAJOR ENDGAME Spoilers are Marked. DeathTropes Applying to Villains will NOT be Marked'''

::'''Tropes applying to large groups or the entire cast'''

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Main Protagonists]]

::'''Demon-Eyes Kyo'''

The legendary slayer of a thousand men, not to mention the title character. Known as the single deadliest Samurai in the history of the world, Kyo is currently suffering from a tiny problem. He's stuck in the body of his most hated enemy, who sealed away his real body in a hidden location (Mt Fuji, to be exact). Over the course of the story, Kyo must contend with an [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil increasingly outrageous succession of enemies]], who range from crazed Samurai out to kill him for revenge or reputation to enemies who are more or less gods. Ultimately Kyo must fight his way through the legions of the infamous Mibu Clan, to which he used to belong, in order to learn the secrets surrounding his origin... or rather, that's why everyone else is going. Kyo maintains that he couldn't care less about that. Kyo fights using the [[RazorWind Mumyou-Jinpuu-Ryu]] school and wields the Muramasa "Demonblade" known as Tenro. By the end of the story, Kyo is without a doubt the most powerful character in the entire series.

* BloodKnight: A self-admitted case of the highest degree.

* CurbStompBattle: Whenever he recovers another part of his lost power, this is bound to happen.

* EnfanteTerrible: He killed Nobunaga for the first time when he was ''six''.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The first time Yuya tries to [[CooldownHug snap him out of his Demon God state]], he reacts by [[KickTheMoralityPet throwing her into a rock]]. This leads to him stabbing himself to keep from hurting her, and then finally regaining his mind, apologizing, and healing her before going to finish his battle with the Former Crimson King.

* OddFriendship: His camaraderie with Kyoshiro and Sakuya back when they first met in Edo. [[TheAtoner Gentle medicine man atoning for past crimes]], {{Seer}} on the run from people who would use her power for personal gain, and... murderous BloodKnight?

* SharingABody: In the anime, it's a LiteralSplitPersonality, in the manga however it's played straight.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: ... and hilarity ensues.

* UnstoppableRage: The direct result of someone touching [[BodyguardCrush Kyo's]] BerserkButton.


::'''Mibu Kyoshiro'''

* TheAtoner: He resents his murderous past and has sworn to never kill again. It might explain why he chose to become a medicine peddler.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: You can't possibly imagine...

::'''Shiina Yuya'''

* MoralityPet: Yuya occasionally is this to Kyo. When he's not being awful to her too.

::'''Benitora'''

* BladeOnAStick: He starts out with a collapsible, three bladed spear. Later, he upgrades to a trident-esque spear, the Hokurakushimon. It's one of Muramasa's demon blades and among the most powerful weapons in the series, [[EvilWeapon but...]]

::'''Sanada Yukimura'''

* OlderThanTheyLook: He's 37, but you'd be forgiven for assuming he's in his 20s or even teens. His current appearance is almost identical to how he looked at 18 in a flashback. He also looks exactly the same in the final chapter, in which he's ''41''.

[[folder:The Shiseiten (Four Emperors)]]

::'''Tropes that apply to the Shiseiten as a group'''

* BloodKnight: ''All of them''. Naturally, they are very impressed by and drawn to Kyo.

::'''Akira'''

One of Kyo's Four Emperors. Kyo found him as a child on the battlefield, the last survivor of a razed village. Kyo took a liking to Akira when the latter tried to threaten him; despite the fact that Akira had no powers and could be flattened in a split-second by Kyo and his cohorts, he still displayed no fear. Instead of killing him, Kyo took him in as an apprentice.

After Kyo's "death" at Sekigahara, Akira went on with his life, striving to achieve invincibility in battle. When Kyo finally returned, in the body of Mibu Kyoshiro, Akira had drifted so far off that he'd gone and become an antagonist.

::'''Bontenmaru'''

Another one of Kyo's Four Emperors, real name Date Masamune, Bontenmaru is TheBigGuy distilled. Huge and muscular, he fights with his bokken - and when the battle drags, he throws that away and wades into the enemy with his fists, tearing them limb from limb. He's not what you'd call "reliable" - one of his first moves was betraying Kyo and Muramasa to Keikoku, but he quickly [[EasilyForgiven rejoins the nakama]] after nothing comes of it.

* TheBerserker: Bon usually seems like the most level-headed of the Shiseiten, but when he enters his berserker state, he's completely wild. Hotaru recalls that when the Shiseiten were together, Bontenmaru was like a wild animal who tore everything in his path apart when he let loose. The other Shiseiten (every one of whom is a BloodKnight and OneManArmy on their own) would just ''get out of his way'' until he was done!

* TheWorfEffect: Tends to suffer this when he's confronted by Tokito.

::'''Hotaru'''

The third member of the Shiseiten to be introduced, Hotaru serves as the comic relief of the four, and by comic relief we mean "moving caterpillars out of the way so they won't be squashed in the middle of a battle". But under the facade of his constant deadpan expression and ObfuscatingStupidity lies a powerful fighter who possesses one of the most versatile fighting styles in the whole storyline.

It turns out that he was also spying on Kyo for the Mibu when they met, and is a member of the Goyosei. But he pulls a genuine HeelFaceTurn after Kyo defeats him in Mibu territory.

::'''Akari'''

[[folder: The Sanada Juyushi (Sanada Ten Braves)]]

::'''Sarutobi Sasuke'''

Everyone's favorite little ninja, Sasuke was a boy who grew up in Aokigahara until he was found by Yukimura.

::'''Kirigakure Saizo'''

::'''Anayama Kosuke'''

::'''Yuri Kamanosuke'''
->Voiced by:

* AmbiguousGender: Despite a feminine face, the character's body appears masculine, and according to the Japanese entry on TheOtherWiki, their gender is unknown.

::'''Nezu Jinpachi'''
->Voiced by:

::'''Miyoshi Nyuudo Isa & Seikai'''
->Voiced by:

* {{Gonk}}: They're not really that ''ugly'', but their eyes don't quite seem to fit their faces. There's a reason why they wear sunglasses. Of course, ''they'' say they wear the sunglasses because they are the most attractive of the Juuyushi and they don't want to make the others feel bad about themselves. Sakuya thinks their eyes are beautiful, to Yuya's utter confusion.

::'''Rokuro Mochizuki'''
->Voiced by:

::'''Juuzo Kakei'''
->Voiced by:

* BadassAdorable: Looks like a smiling little nerd, but carries an incredible amount of guns with him and is not shy about using them.

* MoreDakka: Carries a lot of guns

::'''Rokuro Unno'''

* BigDamnHeroes: Joins the final battle against Chinmei in time to help Sasuke and Yukimura.
* WarriorMonk: Has the looks of one, to say the least.

[[folder: Oda Nobunaga and the Jūnishinshō (Twelve Gods)]]

::'''Oda Nobunaga'''

::'''Shindara'''

::'''Antera'''

::'''Bikara'''

::'''Ajira'''

* PosthumousCharacter: Killed by Akira to set up his ReverseMole strategy, he is never shown, only alluded to.

::'''Basara'''

::'''The Fake Haira'''

::'''Haira'''

::'''The Fake Indara, AKA Izumo no Okuni'''

::'''Indara'''

::'''The Fake Kubira'''

::'''Kubira'''

::'''The Fake Mekira'''

::'''Mekira'''

::'''Makora'''

* TakingTheBullet: Jumps between Sasuke and Indara, and has his throat bit out for his trouble, leading to his death.

::'''Santera'''

::'''Shatora (manga)'''

::'''Shatora (anime)'''

[[folder: The Goyosei (Five Shining Stars)]]
::'''Tropes that apply to the Goyosei in general'''

::'''Shinrei'''

::'''Keikoku'''

::'''Taihaku'''

::'''Saishi'''

::'''Saisei'''

'''Chinmei/Mibu Kyojiro'''

[[folder: The Taishiro (Four Elders) and Imperial Guards]]

::'''Tropes that apply to the Taishiro as a group'''

::'''Fubuki'''

::'''Hishigi'''

::'''Hishigi's Imperial Guard -- Ashura'''

::'''Tokito'''

::'''Tokito's Imperial Guard -- Spade, Heart, Diamond, and Club'''

::'''Yuan'''

::'''Yuan's Imperial Guard -- The "An" Family'''

::'''Ian'''

* GenderBlenderName: Ian is a name typically given to males.

::'''Muramasa'''

::'''Muramasa's Imperial Guard -- Anri'''

::'''Shihodo'''

[[folder: The Aka no Ou (Crimson King) and The Red Cross Knights]]

::'''Shodai Aka no Ou (The First Crimson King)'''

'''Sendai Aka no Ou (The Former Crimson King)''' / [[spoiler:Mibu Kyoichiro]]

'''Toudai Aka no Ou (The Current Crimson King)''' / '''Mibu Kyosaburo'''

'''Mibu Kyojiro'''

'''Mibu Kyoshiro'''

--> See Mibu Kyoshiro

[[folder: Others]]

::'''The Bantoji Brothers'''

::'''Jimon'''

::'''The Three Color Gang'''

* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Shirogarasu


::'''Tokugawa Ieyasu'''

::'''Mahiro'''

* AbsoluteCleavage: A blatant one.

'''[[spoiler:Shiina]] Sakuya'''

A very powerful woman within the clan who has won the loyalties of many people, including Sanada Yukimura. She can predict the future.

* DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:During the last part of the story, after being captured by the Mibu soldiers.]]

::'''Jaki and Maki'''

::'''Kitsunebi'''

::'''Julian'''

::'''Migeira'''

%%* KnightTemplar

%%* WellIntentionedExtremist

* AGodAmI: He wholehearedly believes the Mibu to be divine. And he doesn't take it well when he finds out they aren't.

* AdaptedOut: There are elders in the anime, but not one of ''these'' elders exists; the anime elders are four nameless, faceless RedShirts who get flattened by Nobunaga. In dramatic contrast, Hishigi ''alone'' is capable of effortlessly one-shotting Kyo and rendering him unconscious for an entire volume of the manga.

* AxCrazy: Kyo is one hell of a bloodthirsty guy, and though he learns to control his killing intent, it still shows up whenever a serious fight comes along.

* BerserkButton: ''Do not'' hurt or threaten Yuya.

The Demon King of the Sixth Circle. Oda Nobunaga was the next puppet being set up by the Mibu Clan to rule Japan. However, history took a major turn when, during Akechi Mitsuhide's attempted assassination of him at Honnoji, a young Kyo showed up and killed him, completely derailing the Mibu's clans for the country. The Mibu took Nobunaga's soul and transplanted it into a new body in a second attempt, only for a grown-up Kyo to thwart their plans ''again'' at the battle of Sekigahara. As a consequence, the Tokugawa regime, which carried no allegiance to the Mibu, rose to power. Still not satisfied, the Mibu resurrected Nobunaga for a third time in yet another body, this time sending him to the secret cave at the base of Mt. Fuji, where Kyo's real body rested in hopes of transplanting Nobunaga's demonic soul into Kyo's incredibly badass body. Once again, this plan is headed off at the pass by Kyo and Kyoshiro, with Nobunaga dying ''yet again.'' But even this ''still'' isn't enough as the Mibu plan to resurrect him ''again'' after managing to steal Kyo's body back from where Akira had hidden it. However, Kyo's body is stolen yet again by someone else (later revealed to the Former Crimson King as a favor to Kyoshiro) and Nobunaga's soul is instead implanted into Shatora/Shiina Nozomu. After yet another battle, where Kyo is briefly granted use of his true body by the Former Crimson King, Nobunaga is defeated and killed a final time.

* BerserkButton: Threaten Yuya. Go on. See what happens.

* MoralityPet: Yuya, occasionally. When he's not being awful to her too.

* BifurcatedWeapon: The Hokuto Shichisei, which resembles a narrow double-edged sword, actually splits into two blades.
* {{Bishonen}}: [[spoiler:Though it turns out that SamusIsAGirl, so she's actually a {{Bishoujo}}[=/=]{{Bifauxnen}}]]

* DualWielding: The Muramasa demonblade known as Hokuto Shichisei is actually formed by two swords (Tokai and Tohyou) merged as one.

* AttackAttackAttack: Lampshaded by Saishi herself as her regenerative abilities remove any necessity for defensive measures...that is until Akira eliminates them.

* KillerRabbit: Saishi's fighting form is a bunny girl. Seriously. Despite the cute appearance, though, her superhuman strength allows her to beat her enemies to death. She doesn't ''look'' like a serious fighter, but when she cuts loose... holy shit!

::'''Tropes that apply to the Shiseiten as a whole'''

* CleanCut: One of the few aversions in this series; he fights with his fists or his bokken, but both are treated as blunt instruments.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis: She uses her zombies to get the measure of Kyo, Akira and Bontenmaru's abilities and plan for a future confrontation. However, this is averted as Akira easily surpasses her expectations.

* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Averted, he has no qualms about calling the recently departed Muramasa an asshole.