is a
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series written and illustrated by
Akimine Kamijyois a Japanese manga artist best known for creating Samurai Deeper Kyo. The name 'Akimine Kamijyo' is merely his pen-name. His doujinshi work was done under the name ....
. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in
Kodansha, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten...
's
Weekly Shōnen Magazine, also known as Shōnen Magazine, is a shōnen manga magazine published by Kodansha, first published on 17 March 1959. Despite some unusual censorship policies , its audience tends to skew older with some more mature works and a large portion of its reading population falling under...
, and collected over 38
volumes, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series, though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
.
Samurai Deeper Kyo follows the story of as he seeks to regain his body after his soul was 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 adapted into an
animatedis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
television series in 2002.
is a
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series written and illustrated by
Akimine Kamijyois a Japanese manga artist best known for creating Samurai Deeper Kyo. The name 'Akimine Kamijyo' is merely his pen-name. His doujinshi work was done under the name ....
. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in
Kodansha, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten...
's
Weekly Shōnen Magazine, also known as Shōnen Magazine, is a shōnen manga magazine published by Kodansha, first published on 17 March 1959. Despite some unusual censorship policies , its audience tends to skew older with some more mature works and a large portion of its reading population falling under...
, and collected over 38
volumes, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series, though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
.
Samurai Deeper Kyo follows the story of as he seeks to regain his body after his soul was 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 adapted into an
animatedis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
television series in 2002. The
Studio Deenis a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* 07 Ghost...
production aired on
TV Tokyois a television station headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a portmanteau of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
from July 2, 2002 until December 23, 2002, for a total of 26 episodes.
, 34 volumes had been released in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by
TokyopopTokyopop, stylized TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Original English-language manga in English, German, and Japanese. Tokyopop is incorporated in Tokyo, Japan, with headquarters in Los Angeles, California and branches in...
, at which point Tokyopop dropped the series; it was picked up by Del Rey, who have announced plans to release the remaining volumes. The series has also been released in
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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and
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[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
. It has also been adapted as a
Game Boy AdvanceThe Game Boy Advance is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color...
video game, released in Japan in late 2002. It was later released in North America in February 2008, as the last title for the system.
Plot
Underlying the principle story arc of Kyo's search to reclaim his body, there are many smaller arcs, each leading to the next one. The basis of many later revelations are established many volumes in advance. In the manga, it is revealed that all of the Mibu, except for Kyo, are descendants of "Battle Dolls", creatures created by the Mibu to fight for their amusement. In time, the Battle Dolls come to believe they were the real Mibu, and that the real Mibu were destroyed by in fighting. The extant Mibu are gradually being killed by the "Disease of Death". Muramasa's sister was the first to be killed by the Mibu Disease, but others soon followed. The disease manifests itself when the infected person reaches a certain age. For this reason, the aging process has been stopped in Antera, Tokito, and probably others.
Characters
He is known for his demonic blood-red eyes and is one of the most feared samurai in the world. He carries a legendary
nodachiA is a large two-handed Japanese sword. Nodachi approximately translates to "field sword". However, some have suggested that the meaning of "nodachi" is roughly the same as ōdachi meaning "large/great sword". A confusion between the terms has nearly synonymized "nodachi" with the very large "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.
A remarkable swordsman, depicted as the only rival to Demon Eyes Kyo. He wielded the
Shibien (Purple 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 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.
Also known as , 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, whom 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.
Most of their members are
humanoidA humanoid is a hybrid term from Latin humanus "human" and the Greek -oeides expressing likeness. The term was coined in the year of 1918 to refer to fossils considered close to human but not strictly human, including species now classified as Homo such as the Neanderthals.The term more generally...
in appearance but have very long lives compared to
humanHumans are bipedal primates belonging to the species Homo sapiens in Hominidae, the great ape family. They are the only surviving member of the genus Homo. Humans have a highly developed brain, capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving...
s 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
Shogun is a military rank and historical title for Hereditary Commanders in Chief of the Armed Forces of Japan. The modern rank is equivalent to a Generalissimo...
s. 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. 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.
Anime adaptation
The TV adaptation takes extreme liberties with the plot, and only vaguely follows the plot of the manga. Kyo is an artificial construct, born of Kyoshiro's attempt to purge violence and cruelty from himself. While Kyo is sealed inside Kyoshiro after losing a swordfight to him, the circumstances behind it are different. Kyoshiro confronts Kyo at the Battle of Sekigahara in order to stop his bloody rampage, rather than to protect Sakuya. Apart from these and flashbacks to his time with Muramasa, Akira and Hotaru, the anime provides fewer details of Kyo's past. The character of Yuya is often relegated to a peripheral character, while the role of the kenyou is enhanced.
Episodes
- Road to Armageddon
- Wanted (Dead or Alive) Man
- Red Mirage
- Sneaking Nightmare
- The Assassin's Tears
- The Duel of Hibiya Bay
- Keichou Battle Royal
- Demon Spear Cries
- A Blind of Smiles
- Cold-Blooded Illusion
- Pitch Black Flashback
- The Boy Who Came from the Deep Forest
- The Crossing Souls
- The Return of Satan
- Our Friend, Red Tiger
- Perfect Victory
- The Secret Talk of the Ladies
- The Nurse Devil
- Thunderbolt Attack
- Absolute Zero is Far
- The Hellish Mibu Castle
- Clockwork Doors
- Passionate Ecstasy
- Last Muramasa Awakening
- That Which Surpasses a Tachyon
- The Ballad of the Samurai
Music
Opening Theme
- Aoi no Rekuiemu (Blue Requiem) by Pipeline Project featuring Yuiko Tsubokura
Ending Theme
- Love Deeper by Pipeline Project featuring Yuiko Tsubokura
Character songs (from Samurai Deeper Kyo Vocal Album Kyousouka)
- Arboreus Mare by DRY
- PAX VOBISCUM -Negawaku wa Heian Najira to Tomo ni- by Hikaru Midorikawa
is a male Japanese seiyū from Otawara, Tochigi who is represented by Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Softon in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Tamahome in Fushigi Yugi, Seiran Shi in Saiunkoku Monogatari, Heero Yuy in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Kaede Rukawa in Slam Dunk, Zelgadis Greywords in...
(Migeira)
- Hanadoki by Megumi Ogata
is a female seiyū and singer from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She attended Tōkai University, but left due to lack of interest.-Personal history:...
(Yukimura Sanada)
- Kisugi Kanyou no Koto by Toshihiko Seki
is a popular veteran Japanese voice actor who was born in Tochigi. His bloodtype is A and he is a member of 81 Produce; apart from seiyū work, Seki sometimes does live action drama stage work...
(Benitora)
- Aosusuki by Yui Horie
is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. Horie's real name is , and she is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans. She is not to be confused with YUI, another J-Pop singer....
(Yuya Shina)
- Kohikoro mo by Yumi Kakazu
is a female seiyū from Kamifukuoka, Saitama . She is currently affiliated with Genki Project. Her blood type is O, and her constellation is Gemini...
(Okuni Izumono)
- Koran by Katsuyuki Konishi
is a prolific male seiyū from Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Ken Production. His bloodtype is B and his debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in GaoGaiGar.- Television animation :...
(Onime no Kyo)
- Ashikabi by Souichirou Hoshi (Akira)
- Zessou by Tomokazu Seki
is a popular and very famous seiyū in Japan. He formerly worked for Haikyou, now he is the head of Atomic Monkey.-Profile:*Blood type: AB*Favorite anime: Getter Robo*Favorite seiyū: Akira Kamiya...
(Shinrei)
- Youryuu Risui by Megumi Ogata
is a female seiyū and singer from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She attended Tōkai University, but left due to lack of interest.-Personal history:...
(Yukimura Sanada)
- Dokumyoufuu by Koyasu Takehito (Hotaru)
- Kinen by Katsuyuki Konishi
is a prolific male seiyū from Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Ken Production. His bloodtype is B and his debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in GaoGaiGar.- Television animation :...
(Kyoshiro Mibu)
External links
- Samurai Deeper Kyo Anime website (archive)
- Samurai Deeper Kyo (manga) at Tokyopop
Tokyopop, stylized TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Original English-language manga in English, German, and Japanese. Tokyopop is incorporated in Tokyo, Japan, with headquarters in Los Angeles, California and branches in...
's website
- Samurai Deeper Kyo at Shonen Magazine
- Samurai Deeper Kyo Special
- Samurai Deeper Kyo game at Bandai Games