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 manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from May 1999 to May 2006, with its chapters collected in 38 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 ( 1–34) and Del Rey Manga ( 35–38; released in two omnibus volumes).

A 26-episode anime television series produced by Studio Deen was broadcast on TV Tokyo 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

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:A fearsome samurai renowned for his demonic blood-red eyes. Wielding the legendary , Tenro (Heavenly Wolf), forged by the master smith Muramasa, he is an icy, undefeated warrior. As a child, he was shunned by the Mibu clan for his crimson gaze—except by the Sendai Aka no Ou (Former Crimson King). After assassinating Oda Nobunaga, Kyo was imprisoned in the Mibu dungeons until Muramasa freed him and trained him in Mumyo Jinpu Ryuu. Now the last True Mibu, Kyo was tasked by the Sendai Aka no Ou to explore the outside world—and to stop the former king should he ever turn to evil and threaten destruction.
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:A formidable and enigmatic swordsman, he stands as Kyo's only true rival. Wielding the cursed (Black Sword)—one of Muramasa's legendary blades—he is revealed to be an heir to the Aka no Ou throne, his crimson eyes marking his Mibu lineage. Though he is a "Red Cross Knight", forged from the flesh of the Sendai Aka no Ou, he is not a True Mibu—merely an advanced battle doll, surpassing even the first generation in power. For most of the manga, his strength eclipses Kyo's, until the final confrontation tips the scales.
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:A skilled and determined warrior, Yuya hunts bounties to track down her brother's killer—the "Man with the Scar on His Back". Armed with a triple-barreled pistol and concealed daggers, she relies on cunning and precision rather than supernatural power. Though raised as Nozomu's adoptive sister, she is an orphan with no blood ties to the Mibu clan. Unlike most warriors in her world, she possesses no extraordinary abilities—yet the Former Crimson King later suspects she may hold a latent gift for foresight.
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:Also known as , he is the heir to the Tokugawa clan, and is also known as "The Shadow Master" for his ability to create multiple copies of himself. He first appears alongside White Crow and later challenges Kyoshiro—mistaking him for Kyo—but loses the fight and subsequently joins their group. Though he quickly develops romantic feelings for Yuya, his affections are unrequited.
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:A renowned general who lost the Battle of Sekigahara—and with it, Japan itself. After escaping Kudoyama, he plotted to assassinate Tokugawa Ieyasu, though the plan was never executed. Now, Yukimura joins Kyo in his quest to destroy the Mibu Clan and Oda Nobunaga, hoping to liberate Japan from their shadow rule and seize power for himself.
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:The Mibu Clan is ruled by The Crimson King. Most members appear humanoid but possess extraordinary strength, agility, and longevity. Lower-ranked Mibu often exhibit grotesque mutations—such as third eyes or clawed hands—due to experiments fusing humans and animals, as natural reproduction has ceased for unknown reasons. Renowned for their advanced science and technology, the Mibu have secretly manipulated Japan's history by aiding successive shoguns. However, when Ieyasu Tokugawa rebels against them, they abandon subterfuge and seize direct control. Nearly all present-day Mibu are battle dolls—artificial constructs created by the now-extinct True Mibu, save for Demon Eyes Kyo, the last surviving pureblood. The True Mibu's civil wars for supremacy ultimately led to their self-destruction, leaving only flawed replicas behind. These battle dolls now face extinction due to the Death Disease, an inherent defect in their design. Kyoshiro and Chinmei are enhanced battle dolls, crafted by the original Aka no Ou ("Crimson King"). Dubbed "Sons of the God", they surpass ordinary constructs but remain inferior to True Mibu—and will eventually succumb to the Death Disease.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo, ''Samurai Deeper Kyo'' was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from May 25, 1999, to May 10, 2006. Kodansha collected its chapters in 38 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

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