Katanagatari/Characters

The characters of Katanagatari.

Shichika Yasuri
"Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya"

A young martial artist, and head of the Kyoutoryu style, living with his sister on a desolate island. At the start of the series he is approached by Togame, an underling of the shogunate, to help her find the Twelve Perfected Deviant Blades. He falls in love with her and agrees.

Tropes that apply to Shichika:

 * Anti-Hero: Starts out as a type V, having no qualms killing women and children if ordered, but thanks to Character Development he mellows down to a type III.
 * Badass: Absolutely.
 * Badass Long Hair: His ponytail is around ankle-length.
 * Bare-Fisted Monk: A man whose own body is a sword. In fact, he's utterly incompetent with a real sword.
 * Bodyguard Crush: Invoked.
 * Catch Phrase: At Togame's suggestion, "However, by that point you will have been torn to pieces".
 * Does Not Like Shoes
 * Dull Eyes of Unhappiness:
 * Heroic Comedic Sociopath: He gets better.
 * No Social Skills: Sees himself as a sword that is meant for cutting. He does become visibly more emotional over time though.
 * Oblivious to Love: Most of the subtext between him and Togame goes right over his head, much to her annoyance. Despite this he still insists he loves her.
 * Older Than They Look: It may come as a surprise that he's 24 (pretty old for a Shounen hero), mainly due to the simple art style and his naive personality.
 * One Head Taller: Than just about everyone else. But particularly Togame.
 * Super Strength: Although it ain't as extreme as some other examples, and is at least partially justified by his rigorous training.
 * Undying Loyalty: He fights solely for Togame's sake, and is completely devoted to her.
 * Walking Shirtless Scene: Though he does put on a shirt for extreme cold weather, sword training, and
 * The funny part being that, while he is covering his chest, his FEET are still bare. As he carries Togame through a blizzard, while she whines about how cold it is. And then life-threatening Hilarity Ensues.
 * Willfully Weak: He's given orders by Togame to protect the swords, Togame, himself, and himself, which proves to make some of the fights more difficult. In the last episode,.
 * Super Strength: Although it ain't as extreme as some other examples, and is at least partially justified by his rigorous training.
 * Undying Loyalty: He fights solely for Togame's sake, and is completely devoted to her.
 * Walking Shirtless Scene: Though he does put on a shirt for extreme cold weather, sword training, and
 * The funny part being that, while he is covering his chest, his FEET are still bare. As he carries Togame through a blizzard, while she whines about how cold it is. And then life-threatening Hilarity Ensues.
 * Willfully Weak: He's given orders by Togame to protect the swords, Togame, himself, and himself, which proves to make some of the fights more difficult. In the last episode,.
 * Willfully Weak: He's given orders by Togame to protect the swords, Togame, himself, and himself, which proves to make some of the fights more difficult. In the last episode,.

Togame
"Voiced by: Yukari Tamura"

An agent of the shogunate who is trying to collect the Twelve Perfected Deviant Blades.


 * Animal Motifs: A snake.
 * Anti-Hero: For most of the series she looks like a type III or IV.
 * Awesome but Practical: Most of her strategies are this.
 * Awesomeness By Analysis
 * : She genuinely does during the series.
 * Catch Phrase: "Cheerio!", which she confused for "Chesto!". Even after everybody points it out to her, she still insists on using it.
 * The Chessmaster:
 * Clingy Jealous Girl: For most of episode nine.
 * Dangerously Short Skirt: Hers is so ripped-up that it is amazing how few panty shots she has over the course of the series.
 * Dark and Troubled Past
 * Defrosting Ice Queen:
 * Hair Tropes: Her hair is quite extraordinary:
 * Godiva Hair: An obvious use for so much hair.
 * Hime Cut
 * Important Haircut: Gets one during the fight against, turning her long hair into a bobcut.
 * Locked Into Strangeness: Her hair turns white after witnessing her father's death.
 * Princess Curls
 * Rapunzel Hair: She probably has more hair than body, and it's often wrapped around Shichika.
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl
 * Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Is about half of Shichika's height. But then, compared to Shichika, everyone is tiny.
 * Magic Skirt
 * : Koumori sites her willingness to use anybody to further her ambition as her most terrifying feature.
 * Mismatched Eyes: Her left eye sometimes takes on a snake-like appearance, giving her her nickname.
 * The Strategist
 * Tsundere: Parodied.
 * : Koumori sites her willingness to use anybody to further her ambition as her most terrifying feature.
 * Mismatched Eyes: Her left eye sometimes takes on a snake-like appearance, giving her her nickname.
 * The Strategist
 * Tsundere: Parodied.
 * The Strategist
 * Tsundere: Parodied.

Nanami Yasuri
"Voiced by: Mai Nakahara"

Shichika's older sister who is frail in health but much stronger than she looks.


 * Awesomeness By Analysis: Her main ability, which is how she learns techniques.
 * Badass Adorable
 * : Her view on her.
 * Catch Phrase: "Is it good, or is it bad?" and other variations of it.
 * Ill Girl: Due to her unnatural strength, although she can.
 * Lack of Empathy: She is not a particularly caring person when it comes to mooks.
 * Multicolored Hair: Has random pink blotches in it for some reason.
 * Pretty sure those pink blotches are just highlights. The artist(s) chose to use pink rather than a lighter green.
 * Older Than They Look: Yes, she's Shichika's older sister and pushing 30, but looks like a child.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Multicolored Hair: Has random pink blotches in it for some reason.
 * Pretty sure those pink blotches are just highlights. The artist(s) chose to use pink rather than a lighter green.
 * Older Than They Look: Yes, she's Shichika's older sister and pushing 30, but looks like a child.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With long black hair and a yukata she definitely looks the part, and with her sweet tone of voice she sounds the part. Even her method of fighting is more feminine than her brother's as she watches instead of trains.

Princess Hitei
"Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu"

A princess from Owari who is Togame's rival and also after the Deviant Blades.


 * Arch Enemy: To Togame.
 * Blue Eyes: Her theme music is named after them too.
 * The Chessmaster
 * Jerkass
 * Rapunzel Hair
 * Smug Snake: Has the personality,.
 * However, she doesn’t lead Emonzaemon on and clearly establishes that she wouldn’t want him to sacrifice his life for her, admits that she liked Togame even when she ordered her death, and is ready to be killed by Shichika. Her actions were irreproachable, but her personality doesn’t help her.
 * Smug Snake: Has the personality,.
 * However, she doesn’t lead Emonzaemon on and clearly establishes that she wouldn’t want him to sacrifice his life for her, admits that she liked Togame even when she ordered her death, and is ready to be killed by Shichika. Her actions were irreproachable, but her personality doesn’t help her.

Emonzaemon Souda
"Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama"

Princess Hitei's right hand man. A very calm and mysterious character, and former ninja. Apparently has a history with Houou Maniwa.


 * Ax Crazy: Maybe. He takes quite a lot of pleasure in killing and has flashed the occasional Slasher Smile.
 * Badass
 * Badass in A Nice Suit
 * The Dragon
 * Dual-Wielding: With both his swords and, later on, with.
 * Evil Redhead
 * Mysterious Past
 * My Master Right or Wrong: Will do whatever Hiteihime asks of him.
 * Ninja
 * Undying Loyalty:
 * Ninja
 * Undying Loyalty:

Ginkaku Uneri
A swordsman who lives in a vast desert in the country of Inaba. Second Deviant Blade user Shichika and Togame run into.


 * Anti-Villain
 * Badass
 * Deadly Upgrade: Covering Zantou Namakura in blood increases the speed of the Zerosen technique. After Ginkaku covered his sword with his own blood, his ultimate attack changed from 5 simultaneous slashes to ten.
 * The Fettered: He exaggerates this trope: The desert has invaded all his land. His castle is ruined; he is the only one left, when Shinizika ask him why he fights, he sincerely answers he doesn’t know. Even so, he’s willing to die defending his sword only because he must defend something.
 * Iaijutsu Practitioner: His Zerosen sword-draw was so fast that even Shichika couldn't see through it.
 * Master Swordsman
 * Split-Second Blade Spam: He can use his sword, Zantou Namakura, to strike five times a second.
 * The Stoic

Meisai Tsuruga
The head of the Sanzu shrine located in Izumo and the third Deviant Blade user.


 * Action Girl
 * Anti-Villain
 * The Atoner: Used to be a bandit.
 * Bottle Fairy: Carries around a massive bottle of Sake.
 * Field of Blades: Her ideal way of fighting, as her Sentouryuu style requires plenty of swords to be used effectively.
 * Miko
 * The Nicknamer: Calls Shichika "Kyotouryuu Boy".

Hakuhei Sabi
Known as the strongest swordsman in Japan and fourth Deviant Blade owner.


 * Bishounen
 * Badass
 * Catch Phrase: "I'll have you fall for me".
 * Phrase Catcher: "So...cool.."
 * Dude Looks Like a Lady: Togame mentions that people sometimes mistake him for a woman.
 * Master Swordsman

Kanara Azekura
A pirate who rules a small port town in Satsuma, he is the fifth opponent Shichika fights for the Deviant Blades.


 * Badass
 * The Big Guy
 * The Faceless: Save for one flashback scene of how he got the armor, Kanara is never seen outside Zukotou Yoroi.
 * Foe-Tossing Charge: With Zokutou Yoroi protecting him and the hidden blades in his armour adding to the damage caused by the attack, this is how he prefers to fight.
 * Graceful Loser: He does supply a boat for Togame and Shichika once they defeat him. Where that boat goes is another story.
 * Nigh Invulnerable: Yoroi, his Deviant Blade armour.
 * Power Armor

Konayuki Itezora
A small eleven-year-old girl who lives on Mount Odori. Sixth opponent Shichika fights for the Deviant Blades.


 * Badass Adorable: Isn't she just the cutest thing ever. She's also the first opponent to defeat Shichika.
 * Last of Her Kind: Her clan was wiped out by
 * Stepford Smiler: Tries to act like a Cheerful Child, but when your family was just killed...
 * Super Strength: Though as a child, she's still considered weak by her clan's standards.
 * Unskilled but Strong: Her "amateur" skills were what allowed her to defeat Shichika, in that since she has no true skill as a warrior she's basically just flailing her weapon around and is difficult to predict.

Biyorigou
Deviant Blade number eight. Protector of a dried lake.


 * Badass Automaton
 * Deceptively Human Robots: She seems fairly humanized at first glance, but she's never portrayed as anything but a particularly well-designed object,.
 * Steampunk: A robot? In 18th century Japan?
 * Justified Trope: Kiki Shikizaki was a.

Zanki Kiguchi
A calm and serious shogi player who runs a dojo and wields the ninth Deviant Blade.


 * Action Girl
 * Heir to The Dojo
 * Mistaken for Cheating: Togame's inner Clingy Jealous Girl manifests itself when she thinks Shichika and Kiguchi are going at it.
 * The Stoic

Rinne Higaki
A three hundred year old holyman and a close friend of the deceased Shikizaki Kiki. Owner of the tenth Deviant Blade.


 * Annoying Laugh
 * Badass Grandpa
 * Genre Savvy: Got rid of his deviant blade as soon as he he got it, knowing that no good can come of it.
 * Involuntary Shapeshifting: His appearance is a collection of his guests' regrets. For Shichika and Togame, he looks like Konayuki with Nanami's hair with the personality of Togame's dad.
 * The personality might be Hitei Hime's instead, as Togame might not want to openly admit and thus purposely came up with another person. At least to this troper, her father does not seem like this kind of person in the flashbacks.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Trickster Mentor: Loves screwing with people.

Kiki Shikizaki
A master blacksmith and  who created the Deviant Blades.


 * Ultimate Blacksmith
 * Ultimate Blacksmith
 * Ultimate Blacksmith
 * Ultimate Blacksmith
 * Ultimate Blacksmith
 * Ultimate Blacksmith

Houou Maniwa
De facto head of the Maniwa Ninja Corps and leader of its Bird Squad.


 * Animal Motifs: Phoenix.
 * Badass: With an attire like his, you kinda have to be.
 * The Charmer: He's polite and smooth-talking, and the waitress at Togame and Shichika's hotel dreamily calls him "handsome".
 * Eyes Always Shut
 * Handicapped Badass: He wasn't all that hindered by losing his arm.
 * Highly-Visible Ninja: Possibly most visible of them all.
 * Noble Demon: Takes promises very seriously and cares deeply for his fellow ninjas.
 * Noble Demon: Takes promises very seriously and cares deeply for his fellow ninjas.

Koumori Maniwa
A member of the Maniwa Ninja Corps and a wielder of one of the Deviant Blades.


 * Animal Motifs: Bat.
 * Highly-Visible Ninja: Like all the Maniwani.
 * Jerkass
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting: His main weapon.

Shirasagi Maniwa
A member of the Bird Squad who goes after Gikaku Uneri. Speaks backwards.


 * Animal Motifs: Crane.
 * Half the Man He Used To Be: How he learns not to disturb Ginkaku's nap time.
 * Strange Syntax Speaker: He speaks not only reversing his words but also the characters of each phrase.
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Kuizame Maniwa
Member of the Fish Squad, he fights for money and his own bloodlust, however respects his fellow members. He targets Meisai Tsuruga.


 * Animal Motifs: Shark.
 * Ax Crazy: He kills a bunch of people just because he was so "excited" about the upcoming battle.
 * Dual-Wielding
 * Epic Flail: Fights with two swords attached to a chain.
 * Expy: Very similar in appearance and personality to Akechi Mitsuhide from Sengoku Basara.
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Kamakiri Maniwa
The leader of the Insect Squad, a serious highly experienced and feared warrior. One of the three ninjas sent to capture Nanami.


 * Animal Motifs: Praying Mantis.
 * Badass
 * Villainous Valour:
 * Villainous Valour:
 * Villainous Valour:

Chouchou Maniwa
A member of the Insect Squad and in a relationship with a fellow ninja Oshidori. One of the three ninjas sent to capture Nanami.


 * Animal Motifs: Butterfly.
 * Badass
 * Tiny Guy Huge Girl: With Oshidori.
 * Villainous Valour
 * Villainous Valour

Mitsubachi Maniwa
A member of the Insect Squad, the most gentle, fair, and calm of its three members, preferring to avoid conflicts with his friends. One of the three ninjas sent to capture Nanami.


 * Animal Motifs: Bees.
 * Badass
 * Hidden Eyes
 * Let's Get Dangerous:
 * Villainous Valour
 * Villainous Valour

Pengin Maniwa
A member of the Bird Squad and a stuttering little child. Accompanies Houou personally throughout the series.


 * Animal Motifs: Penguins
 * Badass Adorable
 * The Dragon
 * Hyper Destructive Bouncing Ball: His weapon, Juukyuu.
 * Infant Immortality:
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
 * Winds of Destiny Change: His power is basically being so lucky that he's able to Screw Destiny to some extent.

Kyouken Maniwa
A member of the Beast Squad who despises Togame for the deaths of her fellow ninja.


 * Animal Motifs: Wolves.
 * Action Girl
 * Body Surf: Her ninja ability, only applies to women.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Stripperiffic
 * You Gotta Have Purple Hair

Kawauso Maniwa
The leader of the Beast Squad, he is invaluable to the Maniwa Corps as he can ascertain the locations of the Deviant Blades.


 * Badass
 * Off With His Head
 * Spider Sense
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Umigame Maniwa
The leader of the Fish Squad, as his name suggests, he wears a turtle-like uniform, wields a rapier.


 * Animal Motifs: Turtles
 * The Magnificent

Oshidori Maniwa
A member of the Bird Squad, she is the object of Chouchou's affection.


 * Action Girl
 * Stripperiffic
 * Sugar and Ice Girl
 * Villainous Valour:
 * Whip It Good
 * Whip It Good