Samurai Deeper Kyo is a Manga (turned into an Anime) about a Samurai who lost his body during the Battle of Sekigahara and now exists inside the body of his worst rival. Set during the Warring States era of Japan, Samurai Deeper Kyo rewrites history with a different set of events and new characterization of historical figures. This series incorporates demons and supernatural powers as well as a shadow clan who controls all of Japan.

The Characters

• Kyo - Known as Onime-no-Kyo or "Demon-Eyes Kyo". During the battle of Seikihara, Kyo fought with Mibu Kyoshiro and was sealed inside Kyo with the assistance of Sanada Yukimura. After regaining control of Kyoshiro's body, Kyo searches for his real body alongside Yuya and another characters who travel with him.

• Mibu Kyoshiro - Kyoshiro was to be the next leader of the Mibu clan however he decided to leave the clan and live the rest of his life in peace. He loved Sakura and split his soul in two. The side of him that enjoyed killing and fighting was placed into a new body and given the name Kyo. What remained was Kyoshiro. Eventually Kyoshiro fights Kyo with the assistance of Sanada Yukimura and together they seal Kyo back into Kyoshiro's body. Kyoshiro was the one who killed Yuya's brother and was the original one with the nickname Onime-no-Kyo.

• Sanada Yukimura - A famous general who lost at the battle of Seikihara and ultimately Japan. He escaped Kuroyama 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 Nobunaga. In doing so, Japan will be freed of the Mibu clan's shadow governing and allow Yukimura to have a chance at taking Japan over. He is shadowed by the Sanada Ten Braves, the two prominate members being Sarutobi Sasuke and Saizo.

• Yuya - A girl who makes a living bounty-hunting. She trickes Kyoshiro and plans to turn him in when she finds out that he is also Onime-no-Kyo. She plans on capturing Kyo and turning him in for money but ends up falling in love with him. Yuya's reason for bounty-hunting is to find the killer of her brother. In the manga, Yuya is a skiller fighter, much like Kaoru from Rurouni Kenshin is also a skilled swordswoman. However compared to the rest of the cast and their superhuman skills, both appear rather weak.

• Benitori - His true name is Tokugawa Hidetada. He first appears as part of a bandit group but decides to travel with Yuya after he falls for her. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, Benitori leaves Hattori Hanzo to play Ieyasu until Benitori can take his place as Shogun. Mahiro shadows him much like the Sanada Ten Braves shadow and assist Sanada Yukimura.

• Migera - A man from the future with a gun attached to his arm. Migera desired to change the past as Kyo and Kyoshiro are causing corruption in time due to being one soul in two bodies.

• Okuni - A woman who played the role of middleman between Kyo and Kyoshiro. She loves Kyo however he does not return the affection as he still has feelings for Sakura and eventually Yuya. Okuni then joins Nobunaga as Indara in an attempt to get Kyo to hate her. However he does not hate her even after that. Eventually she is detained by the Mibu clan alongside Sakura. She is resuced by Saizo and cuts her hair to shoulderlength soon after.

• Sarutobi Sasuke - A young boy who is one of two members of the Sanada Ten Braves who appears prominately. Sasuke is involved in most of Yukimura's plots however he was left out of Yukimura's deception of Mibu as Yukimura needed even Sasuke to believe he'd defected in order for Mibu to believe it also.

• Saizo - A ninja who never gets to tell the best part. Saizo moves to the background after Sasuke is introduced. However Saizo plays a key role in Yukimura's deception of Mibu.

The Anime

The anime is less violent than the manga with reduced blood, violence and nudity. The anime makes heavy use of stills during battle series. While this gives the animation more of an style, it leaves something to be desires in a series that's about action. Kennyo play a more important role than the manga.

The plot deviates from the manga at points and leaves out many characters. It also fails to explain Kyo's past in any real detail leaving him a flat character at times.

The Manga

The manga is more violent than the anime, containing far more blood, violence and nudity than its television counterpart. Kennyo do not play as large a role. Several characters that were kennyo in the anime are not in the manga.