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* 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.
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* 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 and very voluptuous woman. He himself ''passes'' as female when he enters the Shogun's tournament, with only Kyo catching on right away.
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disambiguated, ZCE example
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* 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.
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Per TRS.
Bishonen is a Definition-Only fan-speak term used only for Japanese/East-Asian media. Examples or audience reactions are not allowed. Moving In Universe acknowledgements/relevance to Pretty Boy. Removing any ZCE or misuse.
Bishonen is a Definition-Only fan-speak term used only for Japanese/East-Asian media. Examples or audience reactions are not allowed. Moving In Universe acknowledgements/relevance to Pretty Boy. Removing any ZCE or misuse.Deleted line(s) 187 (click to see context) :
* [[{{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.
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trope disambiged
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* KansaiRegionalAccent: When he's fooling around.
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Blade On A Stick is now a disambiguation page.
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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...]]
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Asskicking Leads To Leadership is the new name of the trope.
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* 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.
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* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: 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.
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
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* {{Chickification}}: Less JustForFun/{{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.
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* {{Chickification}}: Less JustForFun/{{egregious}} than some cases; she never loses her abilities, but with the other characters constantly getting [[{{BFS}} new weapons]], [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique employing secret moves]], moves]] and [[TimeToUnlockMoreTruePotential taking their skills to the next level]], and generally going UpToEleven, she gets left behind in terms of power.
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* BerserkButton: During the Refugee Arc, he becomes unusually stern when he reproach the village chief's daughter for wanting to run away from her current life. Later, when Jimon kills several unarmed civilians left and right, Kyoshiro is clearly showing TranquilFury before releasing Kyo, who actually points out how the usually scaredy cat Kyoshiro is angry.
* BlackSwordsAreBetter: His former katana, Shibien, started as normal but cut down so many people its blade became pitch black.
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* 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.]]
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* 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.villainy, while Kyo himself butchered even more people and is flippantly unrepentant.]]
* MeaningfulName: His former sword is named "Shibien", the "Purple Enclosure": it's a term of Chinese uranography referring to the enclosure surrounding the Imperial Palace of the Heavens (located around the North Pole), [[spoiler: fittingly for his role as a Red Cross Knight, a servant of the heavenly Crimson King.]]
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* RedBaron: The "Demon God" Kyoshiro, first revealed by Okuni.
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* RedBaron: The "Demon God" Kyoshiro, first revealed by Okuni. The alternate reading is closer to "Ferocious Deity" (''Kishin'' literally means Demon God but refers to a God who looks as scary and ferocious as a demon), fitting his [[spoiler: status among the divine Mibu.]]
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* SirSwearsalot: His speech is liberally seasoned with profanity, more so when he's [[TrashTalk talking trash]].
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* SirSwearsalot: SirSwearsAlot: His speech is liberally seasoned with profanity, more so when he's [[TrashTalk talking trash]].
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This is not a trope anymore, just a redirect to the index Hair Colors.
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Or in this case, pink hair.
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Direct link.
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* 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?
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* OddFriendship: His camaraderie with Kyoshiro and Sakuya back when they first met in Edo. [[TheAtoner Gentle medicine man atoning for past crimes]], {{Seer}} {{Seer|s}} on the run from people who would use her power to hurt others, and... murderous BloodKnight?
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Renamed Belated Injury Realization. The trope is about not noticing you're injured
* {{Determinator}}: 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
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* 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.
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* 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.
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* DynamicEntry[=/=]BigDamnHeroes: In what is probably Yukimura's greatest CrowningMomentOfAwesome, he 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.
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* {{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.
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* {{Chickification}}: Less {{egregious}} JustForFun/{{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.
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A character subpage for Akimine Kamijyo's manga series ''[[Manga/SamuraiDeeperKyo Samurai Deeper Kyo]]''. For the SDK character index, go [[Characters/SamuraiDeeperKyo here]].
[[AC:Main Characters]]
[[AC:Main Characters]]
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[[AC:Main Characters]]
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* 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.
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* 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.UsefulNotes/SarutobiSasuke.
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* 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]].
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* PhysicalGod: By the end of the series, he's achieved his full potential [[spoiler:as the last True Mibu in existence (and possibly the only one ''ever'' to overcome their demonic nature)]], and there really isn't anyone left who can stand up to him in battle and not be [[CurbStompBattle curb stomped]].
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!!Main Characters
to:
[[foldercontrol]]
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Added DiffLines:
A character subpage for Akimine Kamijyo's manga series ''[[Manga/SamuraiDeeperKyo Samurai Deeper Kyo]]''. For the SDK character index, go [[Characters/SamuraiDeeperKyo here]].
!!Main Characters
[[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)
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* 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]]
!!Main Characters
[[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)
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* 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]]
