Blade of the Phantom Master

""A long, long time ago in the east, there was a country called Jushin. In Jushin there lived secret agents known as Angyo Onshi. Angyo Onshi were special envoy designated by the king. They disguised themselves and roamed the country correcting corrupt governments and brought people to justice. However, Jushin has been destroyed, but there is still one Angyo Onshi wandering...""

- Opening lines

""ANGYO ONSHI OMEDASHIDA!!!!""

- by every angyo onshi known in the storyline

Shin Angyo Onshi (or Tale of the Phantom Blade Master) is the story of Munsu, one of the few surviving men of the fallen empire Jushin. He also happens to have been one of Jushin's Angyo Onshi, operatives who wandered the countryside in disguise, righting wrongs and triumphing over evil with the power of his magical medallion and an army of phantom soldiers. Despite the destruction of Jushin (by his own hand, so the stories go) Munsu carries out his duty out of a sense of loyalty to the king that he supposedly killed and a burning desire for revenge against the man who masterminded everything - Aji Tae.


 * Action Girl: Sando, Marlene von Lucid and Miss Hwang.
 * A God Am I: Aji Tae.
 * A Father to His Men: Munsu.
 * Actually, I Am Him: Subverted in the first chapter when the character the audience is led to believe is the Angyo Onshi is revealed to be the Evil Queen, and the Jerkass Munsu is revealed to be the the Angyo Onshi in disguise. Given a very disturbing and dark twist later on with Aji Tae and Munsu's friend the King.
 * Adaptation Distillation: The Movie follows the first three to four chapters of the Manga, and tells almost nothing about the actual plot of the series.
 * Anti-Hero: Munsu, who is perfectly fine lying and stealing, yet is a wonderful hero
 * Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: Dorso. Subverted in the fact that he
 * Ascended Extra: The prince from chapter three.
 * The Atoner: Munsu, for his
 * Authority Equals Asskicking: Munsu when he was a general, Aji Tae, General Urias von Lucid.
 * Awesome McCoolname: Munsu, Won Sul, Aji Tae, face it, who doesn't have an awesome Korean name?
 * Badasses abound:
 * Back-to-Back Badasses: Subverted in the final fight when
 * Badass Abnormal: Tae Yu. Originally, he was just a fast swordsman, before . Won Sul also counts, being just a simple badass swordsman before   He then ascended again when he
 * Badass Army: The Phantoms, and the Phantom women.
 * Badass Back: Won Sul never looks back at his dead opponents.
 * Badass Beard: Mito-Sama, Subverted in the fact that he can't use a sword, and double subverted when it is discovered he can.
 * Badass Boast: "The Legendary General Munsu will wipe you clean off the face of the earth," Said to a guy who See Throwing Down the Gauntlet.
 * Badass Cape: Sando and Lou.
 * Badass Grandpa: Mito,
 * Badass Longcoat: Munsu and Won Sul. The two of them standing next to each other is just so freaking cool. Munsu's was actually a plot point later on.
 * Badass Long Robe: Aji Tae
 * Badass Long Hair: We all remember Munsu when he was a general. Damn. Aji Tae also fits this trope. And Lou. And Bae Rong. And Tae Yu. And the unnamed Sword Master. And Tae Yu. And, well, you get the point. subverted in the fact that Wonsul with his short hair is the most badass of all
 * Badass Normal: Munsu, who is a man with Asthma who has no real supper powers other than his Mahai. However, he still is able to Kill a giant Snake Sorceress, fight against monsters much more powerful than him. The young ruler from chapter three who later  also counts.
 * Colonel Badass: Munsu, the famous General.
 * Cultured Badass: Lou and Aji Tae. Strangely enough, the heroes never seem to be cultured.
 * Handicapped Badass: Munsu, who suffers from asthma through a majority of the series . Lou can't see out of one his eyes, and Miho
 * Heartbroken Badass: again, Munsu, who . Won Sul also fits as heartbroken after  . the   didn't help either.
 * World of Badass: Obviously.
 * Bare Your Midriff: Hwang and Sando.
 * Battle Butler: Sando in a sense.
 * Beast Man: Aji Tae's Panther Girl bodyguard.
 * Berserk Button: Don't Mention Munsu's former lover or best friend in a negative light, or praise Aji Tae, or he will kill you.
 * Berserker Tears:.
 * BFS: Sando's sword is bigger than she is.
 * Big Bad: Aji Tae.
 * Big Damn Heroes:  made awesome by the fact that he.
 * Big Fancy House: Pyeonggang's house.
 * Big No: Munsu, when
 * Bishonen: Many of the characters could qualify for this trope
 * Bittersweet Ending:
 * Blessed With Suck: Won Sul.
 * Bodyguard Crush: Sando has one on Munsu
 * Body Horror:  Also, anything Lou does.
 * Break the Cutie: Bang Ja.
 * Brilliant but Lazy: Munsu.
 * Cain and Abel: Aji Tae and Munsu
 * Came Back Wrong: Won Sul, though he is still badass.
 * Cast From Lifespan:.
 * Character Development: Have you read the series. One time characters get freaking development.
 * Chekhov's Gun:
 * Chekhov MIA/Chekhov's Gunman: Aji Tae, though he does appear pretty quickly.
 * The Coats Are Off: Averted. Munsu does look pretty bad ass without his coat, but he never takes it off, and Won Sul
 * Cool Mask: Won Sul.
 * Crapsack World
 * Dark Action Girl: Aji Tae's shapeshifting bodyguard Mago. Depending on how you view them, Hong Gildong and Marlene von Lucid can count for a bit. Also, later on:
 * Darkest Hour:
 * Deadpan Snarker: Munsu
 * Deal With the Devil: anyone who deals with Aji Tae is doing this. Lou and Gallimard do so pretty literally..
 * Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Munsu does this a lot to Aji Tae
 * Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Munsu to Aji Tae, the first time literally
 * Doomed Hometown: Jushin
 * Dropped a Bridge On Him: This happens a lot later on.
 * The Dragon: Lou Ells fulfills this role for Aji Tae.
 * Dying Moment of Awesome:
 * Earn Your Happy Ending: Possibly one of the most triumphant examples, with one of the highest stake endings to be seen in a manga.
 * The Empire: Old Jushin.
 * Eye Scream:.
 * Face Heel Turn:
 * Fallen Hero: Most of Munsu's old comrades in the Kaidaten war crossed the Despair Event Horizon after Jushin's collapse, and by the time our story happens they've become underlings of Aji Tae, ironically the one who was responsible for the country's fall.
 * Also the three legendary generals of Jushin, one of whom even had his giant statue erected in the capital, who return to life to fight as Aji Tae's underlings. Now they're all Blood Knights, who finds pleasure and satisfaction in fighting.
 * First Episode Spoiler: Munsu is the Main character
 * Foe Yay: Aji Tae's attitudes towards Munsu come across as advances sometimes...
 * Gondor Calls for Aid:
 * Heel Face Turn:
 * Heroic Sacrifice:
 * Hero-Killer:
 * Honor Before Reason: Sando pulls it once when she prevents Munsu from shooting Mago in the back. Munsu slaps her in the face for it.
 * Hooker With a Heart of Gold: Nongae.
 * Ho Yay: Won Sul seems to have....strong feelings for Munsu.
 * If You're So Evil Eat This Kitten: 'The Attack of the Yojin Tribe' demonstrates why you should never ask a Master of Illusion to do this.
 * Ill Girl: Munsu's former fiancee, Kye Wol Hyang.
 * Incurable Cough of Death: Double subverted with
 * It Got Worse
 * Jerk With a Heart of Gold: Munsu
 * Light Is Not Good: Aji Tae. His Light kills people.
 * Mad Scientist: Yeong Sil. Sure he means well with his inventions, but....
 * Manly Tears: Won Sul.
 * Monster Clown: Munsu's Phantom Soldiers definitely have this vibe.
 * Mood Whiplash: Mong Ryong.
 * Please Wake Up:
 * Sinister Minister: Gallimard, one of Aji Tae's henchmen. A demonic former priest.
 * Rape As Drama: Subverted in the first chapter, where it appears the local guard's corrupt commander has had his way with one of the prisoners.
 * Slasher Smile: Aji Tae.
 * Stripperific: Sando's outfit. Hwang tends to wear revealing clothing, too.
 * Supernatural Martial Arts: Apparently Tae Kwon Do practitioners were among the elite of Jushin's forces.
 * Throwing Down the Gauntlet: Aji Tae meets Munsu.
 * The Un-Reveal:
 * Wicked Cultured: Aji Tae, Lou, and Gallimard.
 * Wicked Cultured: Aji Tae, Lou, and Gallimard.