There is one element to all Kamijyo series that I absolutely adore: CANONICAL SHIPS. GOOD CANONICAL SHIPS. GOOD CANONICAL SHIPS AND GOOD MALE CHARACTERS AND THE SUPER LOVELY GENKI GIRL OF LOVE AND JUSTICE OMG WHY DON'T ALL SHOUNEN SERIES LEARN FROM THIS GUY?!
Okay let me calm down and tell you some of the reasons why I love this guy, and this series.
1. Shiina Yuya.
She's that unendingly compassionate, slightly weak, but ever smiling heroine that I just want everyone to love. She's always being protected by the various guys around her and while yes I am raging jealous of her, I really don't mind because I love that they all love each other. And it's like in Code Breaker, where this group of former allies, enemies, bystanders all come together and become the biggest band of badass motherfuckers ever, and a big part of it is the innocent smile of the heroine. I especially like her friendships with Akari and Mahiro and Okuni because girl friendships are serious business. I liked how during the Aokigahara arc, when her life is in danger, everyone is putting their lives on the line to save her and she's trying to stay strong for them. Towards the end, when Akari, who should be a rival for Kyo's affections, is desperately trying to save her and Sasuke, who used to be a bystander for the Sanada, keeps calling out 'nee-chan' and that happens throughout because that thumbs up thing? The gesture that they put all their faith into at the very end, as nakama? That was Yuya's. And there's another reason why I love her, she's weak, always protected, and she knows it. She doesn't try to do stupid things with her gun that she knows she can't do, but she does the things she can. She still cries, and hesitates but there's always someone to remind her and in return her faith in them is absolutely unshaken. Within that is yet another reason why I love her and it's because she's weak. She's normal. Yeah, her adopted big brother turned out to be this great secret keeper of the Mibu but that's it. She isn't some long lost princess of the Mibu, she's not descended from seers, she's just a normal human being. And what's great is that at the end, when the Red King thinks that she can see the future, is that all that confidence and faith is just the strength of a normal girl who believes in her friends. And that's freaking awesome.
2.Ship Tease
Let me start off by telling you something; I was looking for the name of the Mibu forest by reading the character bio for Kyo and oh my god it's like the entire thing was written by one fangirl who was a big fan of the Kyo/Yuya ship because instead of a character summary it just sounds like a ship argument. "It is extremely weird that there is Okuni who is right there for her, but he prefer Yuya because that is his love." You are a terrible wiki editor. But seriously, I freaking love the ship tease. With only a few girls in the cast, I loved toying around with ships for everyone. The whole "I love Yuya and want everyone to love her" plays a pretty big role in it. But I was so disappointed they didn't take the Akira/Yuya ship further, because it wasn't even teasing like with Okuni/Benitora or Sakuya/Yukimura or Akira/Tokito, it was full-on canon. And ugh Akira is so tsundere and adorable sometimes like I can't. But in the end, my overwhelming love is for Kyo/Yuya/Kyoushiro. They are my OT3. The cold-hearted killer getting melted by the innocent smile of a girl who believes in him wholeheartedly? Their slow changes brought about the constant presence of a cutely pouting girl who gives him as good at she gets? Their rare, true anger when they think about losing her from their side? OH KAMIJYO SENSEI NEVER STOP. I already love Code Breaker for it, and Samurai Deeper Kyo just fed that obsession in all the best ways.
3. Pairings
This is different from shipping, and that is actually good. Because as much as this series throws around the ship tease, it never forgets about the importance of other bonds either. So I really loved it when their huge band of nakama are split up into different pairs all the time and all the different kinds of group dynamics show up, especially in the Mibu Castle arc.
4. Character Development
And how. For a show that's all about killers killing people, it teaches so many aesops about belief, and family and strength and I just can't even. All the true villains are killed, noble people are sent off with respect, and so many heel face turns are made. While some of said turns are taken at bit of a stretch, where no hint of good in a person show up until the last minute flashback, most of them are pretty well done. And I liked that there was a bit of unpredictability, where being redeemed didn't guarantee life.
5. Badassery
The point of this whole series. Everyone is a fucking badass. Like I can't even. When the Four Saints are together again? Fuck yeah. When their whole group is fight? Mhm. When Kyo unleashes a new attack? Yes please. When Kyoushiro comes out? I could go on, but you get the point. But not all of their badassery comes from just physical strength. For what reason do you become stronger?
6. The Cast
I think I just quit that this point, because I love pretty much everyone in this series. I'm trying very hard to think of a character that I hated. Most of the really evil ones are killed off pretty quickly, and adding on to what I said with the character development, it really leaves very little to hate. Kyo and Kyoushiro who are two very different flavours of badass but who I just want to be best friends forever. Kyoushiro who is just trying to protect everyone and at last finds his well deserved happiness. Kyo who slowly becomes a human in our eyes and the protagonist of the series, and in the process cuts a path with his sword that others follow. Yuya whose most human smile I love and everyone else loves. Okuni who you really can't detest for her obsessive love when she's working her strings in the background support. Benitora who even as a butt monkey is nevertheless a badass and devoted to the people he loves. Yukimura who is just all kinds of awesome and laidback and cool and cute and ugh I want to hug him like everyone else does. Sasuke who is the best and I love him and his maturity and growth into that maturity through the willing burdens he carries (unlike another emo ninja douche). Akira who was just lost but found people who helped him and cheered him on and pointed out the way and at the end even as he was wandering, he wasn't lost anymore. Bontenmaru who is a total giant teddy bear and the manga said so as much. Hotaru who's charm is in his carefree manner that hides a fierce will to protect the place he's found. Akari who'll beat you up in a second but put a bandaid over the wound just like a big sister. Muramasa whose kindness created hope. Nobunaga who was crazy and insane but in the end just looking for strength and found it in a demon. Antera who cried for her father even when she didn't understand it. Kubira who was a father until the end. Kotarou who in his last moments was a true friend. Santera who's clumsy moe and adoring devotion to Akari makes you want to hug her, deadly acid or not. Nozomu who taught Yuya how to smile and was a brother in all but blood. Shindara who passed on his name to someone else who had the same faith in Yukimura. The Red King who above all just wished for peace. Chinmei who remembered the reason why he cried. Fubuki who tried to protect the Mibu and its people the best he could. Hishigi who fought along his friend and gave Akari the key to the future. Tokito who found another family, tied by more important things than blood. Yuan who is a big brother, a mentor and a protector. Anthony, Anna, Angelica, Kirian, Yurian, Erian and Lilian who always have an extra bowl waiting because the size of a family isn't limited by anything. Shihoudou who never lost her kindness and passion and strength in her maze. Saisei whose pride and nobility and love paved the way for Akira first. Shinrei who was hotblooded and blindly devoted but who was strong enough to change. Taihaku who I desperately wanted to see standing beside Benitora in the new future. Julian who has a father's pride in his son and his swords.Nobuyuki who is another example of the strength of family. Saizo who is ever present at Yukimura's side. Kosuke who is the shadow backing Yukimura's light. Juzo, Isa, Seikai, Rokuro, Jinpachi, Unno, and Yuri who have in common bear stew and unwavering loyalty to Yukimura. Ieyasu who is both a good leader and a good father. Mahiro who finds new love and the power to forgive. Sakuya who I'm so happy for that she could see her two important people together, and see the sakura with the man she loves for years to come. And all of them who are finding themselves and kicking ass along the way.
7. The Epilogue
All those battles, all those tears, those vows and resolutions made and broken, it all led to this. A family who even living apart, is tied together by the blood they shed on that battlefield. The happiness that comes from being with the person you love, walking the road you believe in with a person you trust. It all started from a meeting, and that's what makes up the series. Meetings between life long friends, meetings between irreplaceable allies, meetings between sworn enemies, meetings between family, meetings between future lovers, meetings between warriors and their swords. Each meeting gave something to both side, and it just grew and and grew with every meeting new and old - and it's never going to stop. No matter what happens afterwards, they'll be together.
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