Samurai Deeper Kyo

Samurai Deeper Kyo (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 1999 to May 2006, with its chapters collected in 38 tankōbon volumes. Set during the Edo period, the series follows Demon Eyes Kyo, a feared samurai seeking to regain his body after his soul is sealed inside the body of his rival, Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo is joined in his search by the bounty-hunter Shiina Yuya, the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate Benitora; and Sanada Yukimura, a known rival of the Tokugawa. The manga was licensed in North America by Tokyopop (vol. 1–34) and Del Rey Manga (vol. 35–38; released in two omnibus volumes).

A 26-episode anime television series produced by Studio Deen was broadcast on TV Tokyo from July to December 2002. The series was licensed by Media Blasters and released on home video under its AnimeWorks label in 2003–04. It was broadcast in the United States on Encore Wam in 2006.

Plot
Set in Edo period, Shiina Yuya, a bounty hunter, is searching for her brother's murderer. However, Yuya quickly meets a medicine peddler named Mibu Kyoshiro, who turns out to be sharing a body with the feared samurai Demon Eyes Kyo. Kyo's only stated wish is to regain his own body. Following this path leads Kyo, Yuya and a variety of fellow travelers into conflict with both the Tokugawa shogunate and the Mibu tribe, a race of violent superhumans who have run Japan from the shadows for millennia.

Characters

 * Demon Eyes Kyo (鬼目の狂)
 * He is known for his demonic blood-red eyes and is one of the most feared samurai in the world. He carries a legendary ōdachi called Tenro (Heavenly Wolf), made by mastersmith Muramasa. In the manga, he is depicted as a cold, unbeatable samurai. When he was young, he was shunned by all of the Mibu clan for his demonic red eyes except for the Sendai Aka no Ou (Former Crimson King). After killing Oda Nobunaga, he was thrown into the Mibu dungeons until Muramasa rescued him and trained him in Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu. Kyo is the last remaining True Mibu. Sendai Aka no Ou asked Kyo to seek out the outside world and one day stop the former King himself if he was to become evil and destroy the world.
 * He is known for his demonic blood-red eyes and is one of the most feared samurai in the world. He carries a legendary ōdachi called Tenro (Heavenly Wolf), made by mastersmith Muramasa. In the manga, he is depicted as a cold, unbeatable samurai. When he was young, he was shunned by all of the Mibu clan for his demonic red eyes except for the Sendai Aka no Ou (Former Crimson King). After killing Oda Nobunaga, he was thrown into the Mibu dungeons until Muramasa rescued him and trained him in Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu. Kyo is the last remaining True Mibu. Sendai Aka no Ou asked Kyo to seek out the outside world and one day stop the former King himself if he was to become evil and destroy the world.


 * Mibu Kyoshiro (壬生 京四郎)
 * A remarkable and mysterious swordsman, depicted as the only rival to Demon Eyes Kyo. He wielded the Shibien (Black Sword), one of the Muramasa weapons. In the manga, he is depicted as one of the heirs to the Aka no Ou throne, the Red Eyes being proof of his Mibu lineage. He is a "Red Cross Knight", created from the flesh of the Sendai Aka no Ou. Though he is able to control the Red Eyes, he is not a true Mibu, but merely a more powerful battle doll resembling the first generation of battle dolls created. It is depicted that he is stronger than Demon Eyes Kyo until near the end of the manga.
 * A remarkable and mysterious swordsman, depicted as the only rival to Demon Eyes Kyo. He wielded the Shibien (Black Sword), one of the Muramasa weapons. In the manga, he is depicted as one of the heirs to the Aka no Ou throne, the Red Eyes being proof of his Mibu lineage. He is a "Red Cross Knight", created from the flesh of the Sendai Aka no Ou. Though he is able to control the Red Eyes, he is not a true Mibu, but merely a more powerful battle doll resembling the first generation of battle dolls created. It is depicted that he is stronger than Demon Eyes Kyo until near the end of the manga.


 * Shiina Yuya (椎名 ゆや)
 * A young woman who makes a living as a professional bounty hunter in order to track down her brother's killer, the "Man with the Scar on His Back". She uses a three barreled gun and small daggers as defensive weapons. Yuya is actually an orphan found by her "brother", Nozomu, and raised by him as an adoptive sister. He was Sakuya's biological brother. Unlike many of the characters, Yuya is a normal human without any powers, despite the former Crimson King suspecting she can see the future later in the story.
 * A young woman who makes a living as a professional bounty hunter in order to track down her brother's killer, the "Man with the Scar on His Back". She uses a three barreled gun and small daggers as defensive weapons. Yuya is actually an orphan found by her "brother", Nozomu, and raised by him as an adoptive sister. He was Sakuya's biological brother. Unlike many of the characters, Yuya is a normal human without any powers, despite the former Crimson King suspecting she can see the future later in the story.


 * Benitora (红虎)
 * Also known as Hidetada Tokugawa (德川秀忠), the heir to the throne of the Tokugawa clan. He is also known as "The Shadow Master" due to his ability to make multiple copies of himself. He first appeared in volume 2 of the manga, accompanying White Crow. He later challenges Kyoshiro, who he thought was Kyo, to a fight. Benitora loses and decides to join their group.
 * He immediately takes a romantic interest in Shiina Yuya, although the feeling is not returned. Note: Benitora translates to 'Red Tiger'.
 * He immediately takes a romantic interest in Shiina Yuya, although the feeling is not returned. Note: Benitora translates to 'Red Tiger'.


 * Sanada Yukimura (真田幸村)
 * A famous general who lost the battle of Sekigahara and ultimately Japan. He escaped Kudoyama and planned the assassination of Tokugawa Ieyasu, though it was never carried out. Yukimura travels with Kyo in order to defeat the Mibu Clan and Oda Nobunaga. In doing so, this would free Japan from the Mibu Clan's shadow governing and give Yukimura a chance at taking over Japan.
 * A famous general who lost the battle of Sekigahara and ultimately Japan. He escaped Kudoyama and planned the assassination of Tokugawa Ieyasu, though it was never carried out. Yukimura travels with Kyo in order to defeat the Mibu Clan and Oda Nobunaga. In doing so, this would free Japan from the Mibu Clan's shadow governing and give Yukimura a chance at taking over Japan.


 * Mibu clan (壬生一族)
 * Ruled by The Crimson King. Most of their members are humanoid in appearance but have very long lives compared to humans and have great strength and power. The lower ranked Mibu are sometimes in humanoid shape with abnormal bodies, i.e. three eyes or clawed hands. These were created by experiments on humans and animals to replenish the clan, because natural childbirth has stopped in the Mibu clan for unknown reasons. The Mibu clan are said to possess the most advanced knowledge in sciences and technology and have been manipulating the country's history from the shadows by helping the Shoguns. They decide to rule the country directly when Ieyasu Tokugawa becomes the first shogun to ever rebel against their power.
 * All of the current Mibu are battle dolls made by True Mibu, except for Demon Eyes Kyo, the last remaining True Mibu. But as generations passed, True Mibu started engaging in civil wars to seek greater power, which ended up in the destruction of their very clan with only battle dolls remaining. Present Mibu are dying off due to the Death Disease which is caused by their flaw as battle dolls created by True Mibu. Kyoshiro and Chinmei are also battle dolls, but a more powerful version created by the first generation battle doll, the former Aka no Ou. They are called "sons of the God", and have limited power compared to what a True Mibu has. Eventually, they will also inherit Death Disease and die.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo, Samurai Deeper Kyo was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 25, 1999, to May 10, 2006. Kodansha collected its chapters in 38 tankōbon volumes, released from October 15, 1999, to July 14, 2006.

In North America, the manga was first licensed for English release by Tokyopop; they released 34 volumes from June 10, 2003, to April 7, 2009. In August 2009, Tokyopop announced that their manga licensing contracts with Kodansha had expired. The series was then acquired by Del Rey Manga; the remaining chapters were released in two omnibus volumes; volume 35/36 was released on December 15, 2009, and volume 37/38 was released on July 27, 2010.

Anime
A 26-episode anime television series produced by Studio Deen, directed by Junji Nishimura with screenplay by Shō Aikawa, was broadcast on TV Tokyo from July 2 to December 24, 2002. The opening and ending themes, "Aoi no Requiem" (青のレクイエム) and "Love Deeper", respectively, are both performed by Yuiko Tsubokura.

The series was licensed in North America by Media Blasters. They released it on six DVD sets, under their AnimeWorks label, from June 24, 2003, to May 11, 2004. A complete box set was released on November 16, 2004. The series premiered in the United States on Encore Wam on July 31, 2006.

Video games
Two video games based on Samurai Deeper Kyo have been published by Bandai. The first, a versus fighting game for the PlayStation, was released in Japan on December 12, 2002. Alongside the regular edition of the game, Bandai released a "Limited Edition" bundled with a Samurai Deeper Kyo collectible card game. The second, an action-adventure game for the Game Boy Advance (GBA), was developed by Marvelous Entertainment and released in Japan on December 27, 2002. The game was later localized for North America by Destineer and bundled with a re-release of the anime series box set in 2008; it was the last game to be released for the GBA before the system’s discontinuation in North America.

Kyo is a playable character in the 2009 fighting game Sunday vs Magazine: Shūketsu! Chōjō Daikessen, released by Konami for the PlayStation Portable.