Samurai Deeper Kyo is a Japanese manga series created by Akimine Kamijyo. The series was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine from May 1999 to May 2006, and its chapters were compiled into 38 tankobon volumes. Set during the Edo period, the story follows Demon Eyes Kyo, a notorious samurai whose soul is sealed inside the body of his rival, Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo's quest to reclaim his own body brings him into partnership with bounty hunter Shiina Yuya, Tokugawa shogunate heir Benitora, and Sanada Yukimura, a well-known adversary of the Tokugawa.
The manga was licensed in North America by Tokyopop (volumes 1–34) and later by Del Rey Manga (volumes 35–38, released in two omnibus editions). An anime adaptation produced by Studio Deen aired on TV Tokyo, spanning 26 episodes from July to December 2002. Media Blasters licensed the series for North American distribution, releasing it on home video through their AnimeWorks label in 2003–04. It was also aired on Encore Wam in the United States in 2006.
In the series, Shiina Yuya, a bounty hunter, searches for the murderer of her brother. She soon encounters Mibu Kyoshiro, a mild-mannered medicine seller who harbors the soul of the dreaded samurai, Demon Eyes Kyo. Kyo's sole objective is to reclaim his own body. This journey leads Kyo, Yuya, and their diverse group of companions into confrontations with the Tokugawa shogunate and the Mibu tribe, a secretive race of powerful beings who have controlled Japan from the shadows for centuries.
See also
-
Tatara Samurai
One day, bandits raid the quiet Tatara village, renowned for its steelworks and sword craftsmanship. Despite the arrival of samurai to protect the villagers, young Gosuke's mother is tragically killed while fleeing with him.
-
Samurai Fiction
Samurai Fiction is a 1998 samurai-comedy film directed by Hiroyuki Nakano. The movie stands out for being filmed almost entirely in black-and-white, paying homage to classic jidaigeki samurai films. However, what sets it apart from its inspirations, including the works of Akira Kurosawa, is its modern twist, notably Tomoyasu Hotei's rock-and-roll soundtrack. A loose spinoff, Red Shadow, was released in 2001.
-
Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story (Japanese: Hepburn: Rurōni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan-) is a Japanese manga series created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. Set in 1878, during the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan, the story follows a former assassin known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his role in the turbulent Bakumatsu period, he adopts the identity of Himura Kenshin, a wandering swordsman who vows never to kill again. He dedicates his life to protecting the people of Japan. Watsuki crafted this series with the intent to create a unique shōnen manga, distinguishing it with a protagonist who is a former assassin and a narrative that becomes increasingly serious as it progresses.
-
Samurai Spy
Samurai Spy (Ibun Sarutobi Sasuke), also known as Spy Hunter, is a 1965 film directed by Masahiro Shinoda, adapted from a novel by Koji Nakada. The film follows the legendary ninja Sasuke Sarutobi as he hunts the elusive spy Nojiri, while a shadowy figure named Sakon leads a group of men with their own designs on Nojiri. As the pursuit unfolds, the lines between allies and enemies blur, leaving everyone unsure of each other's true allegiance. Created during the height of the Cold War, the movie reflects the complexities and shifting loyalties of spies caught in the power struggles of their era.
-
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (Japanese: Hepburn: Miyamoto Musashi Kanketsuhen: Ketto Ganryūjima) is a 1956 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and starring Toshiro Mifune. Filmed in Eastmancolor, it serves as the concluding chapter of Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy.
-
Samurai Marathon
The producing team behind Takashi Miike's "13 Assassins," Jeremy Thomas and Toshiaki Nakazawa, reunite for another visually striking and action-packed samurai film. Based on a novel by Akihiro Dobashi, this film may not reach the same heights of relentless carnage or critical acclaim as its predecessor, but it still offers an exciting and occasionally humorous addition to the samurai genre, likely to resonate with festival audiences. This story of a literal running battle between rival samurai factions could see moderate success in theaters, though it may require more marketing effort without the ultra-violent appeal that made "13 Assassins" memorable.
-
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)
Duel at Ichijoji Temple (Hepburn: Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijōji no Kettō) is a 1955 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and starring Toshiro Mifune. Filmed in Eastmancolor, it is the second installment in Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy.
-
The Samurai I Loved (Semishigure)
The costumes, settings, and script of The Samurai I Loved immediately transport samurai film enthusiasts back to the golden era of classic black-and-white samurai masterpieces.
