Yaiba

Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. It ran in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from September 1988 to December 1993. It was collected into 24 tankōbon volumes.

It was adapted into an anime television series entitled Kenyū Densetsu Yaiba, aired on TV Tokyo from April 1993 to April 1994. In the Philippines, it was renamed as Yaiba: The Legend of the Master Swordsman where it was adapted into English Dub which was aired in ABC 5 now known as TV5 in 1995 to 1996 and was replayed in 1997 through 1998. This anime became the most popular show in the Philippines besides the Tokusatsu and Metal Hero series and the first one to be given commercial ads for its shirts and merchandise due to its popular demand.

Story
Yaiba is the story of an adventuring samurai named Yaiba Kurogane, who knows how to be a samurai and little else. Yaiba lives with his father, Kenjurou Kurogane, in the forest. One day, while Yaiba was eating, a troop of gorillas came to attack. Yaiba and his father escaped and hid inside a box, but they didn't know that the box was full of pineapples and was going to be transported into the city. In the city, Yaiba finds out that he is a legendary warrior and has to fight the evil of a demonic looking high-school student named Takeshi Onimaru.

The people that Yaiba meets along his journey to become a true samurai encourage him, train him, or inspire him to greatness, though at heart he is still a child, and his incredible skill with a sword is matched only by his kindness towards his friends. Though he tends to leap before he looks, and his thick-headedness tends to turn potential allies into enemies, his friends soon clobber him, and salvage the situation. This unlikely group embarks on a host of incredible adventures where they meet legendary figures from Japanese history, and finally overcome impossible odds, and put everything on the line, to save the entire planet from a threat not of this world.

Characters
In the Philippine-English Dub, their Japanese names are maintained as some characters were renamed in the dub.

Yaiba Kurogane- The title character. He is the Thunder God incarnate, and later acquires the legendary Dragon's Orb. Since he fights without the Thunder Orb in the socketed Thunder God's sword, he was spared the same fate of being possessed by the sword's owner that had befallen Onimaru. Aside from his skills with the sword and his keen senses, he is also able to converse with animals. For some time, Yaiba was fighting without any orbs. While this left him vulnerable because he had no divine assistance, it also let him master several techniques: the Senpūken (せんぷう剣, Whirlwind Sword), in which he spins the sword like a lawnmower blade by twirling it with his fingers in the hole where the orbs would usually go in. In the dub it was renamed as Cyclone Blade; the Kaminari Giri(かみなり斬り, Lightning Cut), in which he executes a downward slash in a furious zigzag pattern. In the dub it was renamed Thunder Blade, and finally; the Kazaguruma (風車, Windmill Slash), in which he executes a full-body vertical spin in the air by sticking his sword between his feet, using the momentum to create a buzzsaw-like effect. In the dub it was renamed Windmill Slash. Another technique, "The Wave of Wind Thunder", can only be used along with Takeshi Onimaru, for both Thunder God and Devil Wind Swords are needed in order to execute this technique. It is the resulting combination of Yaiba's "Lightning Blast" and Takeshi's upgraded Devil Wind Slash "Tornado Ripper".

Sayaka Mine- Sayaka is the deuteragonist and Yaiba's unlikely love interest. She originally had not intended to join Yaiba's journey, and simply found herself tied to Kagetora with Yaiba going towards the Thunder God's sword when she woke up. It is revealed during Kaguya arc that she is the Dragon Maiden incarnate, the key to Kaguya's true primal form.

Takeshi Onimaru- Takeshi is the primary villain in the series until he allies with Yaiba during the Kaguya arc. Originally a gifted highschool swordsman, but when the fight he had with Yaiba ended in a draw, he made himself train harder. He eventually found a hidden basement containing the statues of Thunder God and the Devil Wind which was holding a sword. Upon wielding the Devil Wind sword, he was possessed and grew horns, turning into the Devil Wind incarnate. Although he uses the Devil Wind sword, he gave it to Yaiba upon acquiring the "Mao-Ken" Devil King sword since Yaiba's Thunder God sword has been swallowed by Kaguya's true primal form in their difficult battles against her. Onimaru has entire hordes of faceless minions who are nothing more than humanoid black bodies with eyes, mouths, and a single horn sticking straight up from the center of their head.

Kagetora (Titan in the Philippine-English Dub)- Kagetora is Yaiba's friend tiger. He helps Yaiba with his training and lets Yaiba ride him when speed is needed. He is also shown a much higher intelligence than Yaiba when it comes to rock-paper-scissors. He was probably found on the same mountain where Yaiba and his father Kenjurou lived.

Shonosuke (Vultus in the Philippine-English Dub)- Shonosuke is Yaiba's friend vulture. He helps Yaiba with his training and lets Yaiba ride him when he needs to fly. Like Kagetora, he occasionally ups Yaiba. He was probably found on the same mountain Yaiba and his father Kenjurou lived.

Musashi Miyamoto- The legendary 400-year-old samurai Musashi took it upon himself to guard the Thunder God sword and lived as a hermit quite near it (although this is puzzling considering that the Thunder God's sword itself electrocutes all unworthy of it). Since his time on the mountain, he has taught one student which is Jubei Yagyu and started using two swords due to old age. He serves as Yaiba's teacher, especially upon controlling the Thunder Orb. He is also the old rival of Kojiro Sasaki and the teacher of Jubei Yagyu. In his youth during his duel to the death against Kojiro, he bears a close resemblance to his disciple Jubei.

Kojirō Sasaki- Kojirō has been dead for a long time, having been defeated, killed in a duel and buried by Musashi himself. However, he was given new life by Takeshi Onimaru, through Spiderman's reviving Ritual (or rather, it was the stench coming from the foul-smelling ingredients used for the reviving ceremony that brought Kojiro back, as well as the Hakki's facial slapping), on the condition that he kill Yaiba. After getting beaten by Yaiba while using the Thunder Orb, he becomes friends with them in order to beat them. Kojiro uses an enchanted sword (Washing Pole as he calls it) that grows longer on his whim, and thus the maximum length that the sword can attain is limited only by Kojiro's imagination. It doesn't seem to be particularly durable as the other mystical swords shown in the series, since various characters (even those with no mystical powers or weapons to begin with) have been known to cut the sword all the way down to the guard with apparent ease. Thankfully, Kojiro's sword's ability allows it to recover the severed blade simply by lengthening itself indefinitely. Perhaps the sword's only true weakness is the fact that it is very sensitive to salt water (even to teardrops); even a slight splash will cause it to spontaneously lengthen against Kojiro's will, making it inadvisable to use in a battle where a large body of salty water happens to be nearby. He is also a natural playboy – one of the series' many running gags. Kojiro usually needs to be manhandled by others in order to "help" him subdue his overwhelming idiocy. Despite this, he serves as one of the shows more prominent sword fighters in the series.

Jubei Mitsuyoshi Yagyu- Jubei is Musashi Miyamoto's disciple and was revived by Onimaru while he defeated Kojirō Sasaki by kicking his overextended sword straight down to Sayaka Mine's house. Before he defeated Yaiba, Musashi yelled at him and withdrew himself from attacking to join with Yaiba's group. What Onimaru didn't know about is that he is Musashi's disciple. He tends to be suicidal, as he always attempts to commit seppuku if he commits an error or feels that he did something dishonorable whenever he faces his teacher Musashi or Yaiba when both were trapped inside the Darkness Orb. When Jubei got drunk thanks to Musashi, who forcibly makes him drink sake (Japanese rice wine), Onimaru takes advantage of the situation and summons a demon while he's in a drunken state to turn him into a werewolf which has the same skills (albeit heightened to a degree) like a normal Jubei but is murderous and loves drinking sake. He can revert to Jubei when he's knocked out cold, but when he gets drunk again, he'll change into a werewolf. In the anime during Kaguya arc, he sacrifices for Yaiba's group to escape and ends up being held captive by the Moon Bunny forces led by Kaguya and Tsukikage and one of the Generals, Hangetsu fuses with him, making him force to battle Yaiba who tells him to kill him once he arrived at Sayaka Mine's house only to be diffused once he became a werewolf for drinking sake and immediately captures Hangetsu by Yaiba and his group.

Gerozaimon Geroda (Kroaker in the Philippine-English Dub)- The frog demon Gerozaimon is the first of Onimaru's demons to attack Yaiba, and was beaten by him when Yaiba called for his snake friends. When the second demon came and informed him he was to be disposed due to his uselessness, Gerozaimon was befriended by Yaiba. He uses his axe in battle. He also shows how good his tongue is against a battle with the chameleon demon. In the anime, his speech pattern forces him to either begin or end any sentence with "Gero" (ゲロ), which is Japanese for "Ribbit" while in the Philippine-English dub, he never says this speech pattern as he speaks normally. In the manga, he is shown to be somewhat easily depressed, having fallen to a state of despair after Snakeman told him that Onimaru already gave up on him. As a result, Gerozaimon brutally beats up the Kuro Oni who came with Snakeman in blind despair.

Namako-Otoko (Sea Slugman in the Philippine-English Dub)- Like Gerozaimon, he used to be one of Onimaru's demons. On his way to Izu he gets lost and is found by Yaiba's group. From then on he is always with them, usually seen on Sayaka's shoulder. He usually ends his sentences with "Zura" (ズラ). In the Philippine-English Dub, he never says this speech pattern as he speaks normally but in a deeper pitch.

Kerokichi- (Kero in most media) is a small Kappa lives inside the Darkness Orb along with the giant Kappa named Kerosuke who guards the waterfall where the spiral stairway exit was inside the falls. He assists Yaiba and Yagyu Jubei to get out of the orb by defeating Kerosuke. He was soon released by Yaiba when he succeeds in sucking Basho Matsuo with the Darkness Orb while he is about to be petrified. He is last seen working at Onimaru's flying fortress under Kumo-Otoko and he tells Yaiba and his group of where it leads the Ryuujin Orb within the depths of Mount Fuji.

Onimaru's Minions
Kumo-Otoko (Spiderman in most media)- He is one of Onimaru's demons and is loyal to Takeshi Onimaru throughout the anime series' run. He is initially hostile to Yaiba in his group until he ends up getting beat up by Yaiba when he saves Sayaka from getting webbed. He later became an assistant to Takeshi who calls him as Onimaru-sama. In the Philippine-English dub, he calls his first name as Master Takeshi. He is also responsible for recruiting new minions in dealing against Yaiba and his group who were searching for the six Orbs. In Kaguya arc, he and his minions are staying temporarily at Sayaka Mine's house after Onimaru was petrified by the freeze cannon owned by Kaguya until Yaiba slashes the stone to restore Onimaru by breaking the stones. He also helps Yaiba's group to assist many women including Sayaka who were currently absorbed their younger essence from Kaguya to become her true primal form.

Professor Kanabo- is the century year old scientist who is responsible of making inventions such as Onimaru's fortress and the machine that can restores the blade of Onimaru's Devil Wind Sword which was cut in half from the Thunder God sword wielded by Yaiba. He is also loyal to Takeshi Onimaru throughout the anime series' run. In their second assault in Kaguya's mothership during Kaguya arc, he was also responsible for making giant robots in the image of Yaiba when he activates the Giant Orb.

Julius Zupopotamus III/Hebi-Otoko (Snakeman in most media)- is one of Onimaru's minions who taunts Gerozaimon for his failures to defeat Yaiba and hates being laughed at by both Yaiba and Sayaka when he was introduced. Snakeman also wields a gold trident in battle and he was defeated by Yaiba by mastering his Senpuken, turning him back into a normal small snake.

Den-Chan (Snailman in most media) is one of Onimaru's minions who battles Yaiba twice. He was initially seen without a shell and regrows himself. But later gains a shell to cover himself and uses as a weapon which he propels himself to attack. His weakness is salt which causes him to transform back into a normal snail. In their second battle, both Gerozaimon and Yaiba are able to put Snailman into the boiling water to make him get out of the shell and was soon poured by salt by Yaiba and his group, forcing him to apologize for attacking them.

Bat-Guy- is one of Onimaru's minions who turns Yaiba and his group except Sayaka into werewolves by biting them. He is also a swordsman, taking an equal sword fight with Musashi with the use of his rapier. Although Yaiba and the group are able to return to normal by biting Bat-Guy after being outsmarted by Sayaka. He soon battles Yaiba in a sword fight until Yaiba cuts off the interior of the rooftop which led him to blind him into the sunlight after he loses his glasses. He was defeated by Yaiba from his Senpuken turning him back into a normal bat.

Hitode-Otoko (Starfishman in most media)- He is used to be one of Takeshi's minions alongside Namato-Otoko and Kamekiri-Otoko where they infiltrated Yaiba's group at the resort. But they soon change sides when they learn that Kumo-Otoko was behind of putting many people into enemies by eating an Onimaru biscuit. After rescuing Sayaka and most people return to normal, they manage to escape and no longer attacking the group. He later marries a fellow anthropomorphic starfish named Omipo and had a baby starfish as well as becoming the owner of a teahouse business. He assists Yaiba and his group to get through Mount Aso's caldera to get the Fire Orb which is at the center of the volcano. He sacrifices to get the Fire Orb and was burned and dried. After Yaiba defeats Shiro Tokimada Amakusa, he was recovered by getting washed up by Yaiba's Water Orb. As soon as Yaiba's group leave to find another orb, he returns to his family and continuing his teahouse business.

Kamekiri-Otoko (Mantisman in most media)- He used to be one of Takeshi's minions alongside Hitode-Otoko and Namato-Otoko where they infiltrated Yaiba's group at the resort. But they soon change sides when they learn that Kumo-Otoko was behind of putting many people into enemies by eating an Onimaru biscuit. After rescuing Sayaka and most people return to normal, they manage to escape and no longer attacking the group. He was last seen saying goodbye to Namato-Otoko when he is departed in the train as Yaiba's group were present who were now pursued by a revived Kojiro Sasaki and Kumo-Otoko.

Onick- is a self proclaimed bounty hunter who was recruited by Kumo-Otoko to defeat Yaiba. His weapon is a giant white gloves that can bend the blades of their swords with magnetism. He was easily defeated by Yaiba when he destroys his giant gloves with his newly mastered Kaminari Giri after he flattens the Thunder God sword back to its normal blade.

Chameleon Bonaparte- is a chameleon demon serving as one of Takeshi's minions being encountered by Yaiba and his group at the underground basement of Onimaru's fortress. He battles Gerozaimon Geroda in a tongue fight and he successfully defeats him. He also has an ability to transform by shapeshifting and Yaiba eventually defeats him with Kaminari Giri, turning him back into a normal chameleon.

Super Gorilla- is an anthropomorphic tiny monkey posing as a businessman and one of Takeshi's minions. He takes down Namato-Otoko upon learning he was tricking them, demonstrating his superhuman strength. He removes his clothes to reveal a superhero suit akin to Superman to battle Yaiba and also urges Kojiro Sasaki to change sides as he does that to distract him long enough for Yaiba to defeat it. As Yaiba defeats him with Kaminari Giri, he reverts back to normal but an aggressive giant gorilla only to be calm down and emotional when it was given a banana.

Miyoshi Seikai Nyudo- is a bald Japanese man who wielded a wooden bo staff being sent by Takeshi Onimaru to eliminate Yaiba after he was given life within his demonic powers. Once Yaiba defeats him to get the Water Orb, his true form as a red giant squid and Yaiba kills it with his Kaminari Giri turning him back into his normal state as a small red squid.

Kotaro Fuuma- is a shinobi being recruited by Kumo-Otoko at Onimaru's behest. He was sent to get rid of Yaiba when he found the Transformer Orb guarded by the Tanukis. He is able to transform into an anthropomorphic eagle to demonstrate his strength and speed and always wields both his kunai and his shurikens. After Yaiba gains more orbs during their travels, he was killed by the master thief, Goemon Ishikawa with his katana, turning him back into a normal eagle.

Shiro Tokimada Amakusa- is an anthropomorphic white fox warrior being revived by Onimaru at Kyushu and was found by Kumo-Otoko who easily noticed his disguise forms. He mainly wields a traditional spear when Yaiba and his group are present in Mount Aso to get the Fire Orb within it's caldera and he matches with Yaiba's tranformation in its Transformer Orb. He was burned to death by Yaiba from getting incinerated in his Fire Orb within his giant fox form causing his smoke soul to be sent off skyward.

Goemon Ishikawa (Barbarian in the Philippine-English Dub)- is a master thief and a swordsman being recruited by Kumo-Otoko who disguises himself as a wandering swordsman who likes to join in Yaiba's group. He is also responsible for killing Kotaro Fuuma for his nuisance. His main appearance is revealed as a man in a kabuki make up. He is able to transform into an anthropomorphic giant black bear in a kabuki make-up and wields a dual giant shurikens at his back after being overpowered by Yaiba who wielded the Fire Orb from his Thunder God Sword. He is soon defeated by Yaiba by stabbing through his stomach using a Tornado Spin to negate his giant shuriken throws and incinerates him and his smoke soul had sent off skyward.

Benkei Musashibo- is a fighter being recruited by Kumo-Otoko and a professional baseball player who transforms into an anthropomorphic bull and wields a black baseball bat which he is able to deflect most of Yaiba's newly learned Kazagurama only to be defeated when Yaiba activates the Ice Orb from his Thunder God Sword to freeze him into frozen solid as Musashi kills it with his dual swords to be shattered in ice pieces and Benkei's smoke soul had sent off skyward.

Basho Matsuo (Chimpang in the Philippine-English Dub)- is a scythe wielder and an orb guardian who allows Yaiba and his group to find the last and final Orb. Once they found the Orb, he snatches it and battles Yaiba and his group. He is able to transform into a tall anthropomorphic monkey but retaining his human face and he shoots needles that cause petrification and Yaiba and the others ended up getting petrified except Namato-Otoko. Before Yaiba gets petrified, he manages to suck Basho with the Darkness Orb and also frees Kerokichi.

Kaguya Arc
Ryuujin (Dragon God in most media)- is a priest who defeated Kaguya 1000 years ago when he activated the Ryuujin Orb since she strongly throws the orb thinking it was garbage. He is also responsible for cutting off Kaguya's rabbit ears when she fails to transform into her true primal form during their ensuing battle. In the present day, he is an elderly priest who guarded the Ryuujin Orb to test Yaiba to get the Orb within the depths of Mount Fuji and involving his friends into the latter's ordeal by falling them into the edge below using various traps and they were revealed to be alive by getting caught inside the cage. He allows Yaiba to inherit his Ryuujin powers once he acquires the Ryuujin Orb. He later reappears in the near end of the anime where Yaiba uses the Ryuujin powers to battle Kaguya's true primal form until she was defeated and neutralized. He soon departed along with the Ryuujin Orb.

Kaguya (Princess Moon in the Philippine-English Dub)- Kaguya is the current Moon Princess who led her rabbit people in the Moon and the one who successfully invaded on Earth. 1000 years ago, she wanted to acquire the Ryuujin Orb until she discards it, thinking it was garbage and the orb itself was used by one of their priests who is actually the priest of Dragon God, leading both into an ensuing battle. Kaguya was defeated by the priest of Dragon God by cutting off her rabbit ears after she fails to transform into her true primal form and ended up in slumber over the next 1000 years while in the manga, her powers were sealed within the Dragon Maiden. She soon awakens after sensing the dragon energy which Yaiba inherits the Ryuujin Orb and it's powers causing her to make a second invasion on Earth and capturing many young women so that she can absorb their youthful essence to maintain her youth with just a simple kiss. After learning that Sayaka is a descendant of the Dragon Maiden, she releases Gekko from imprisonment to capture her. During the second assault of her mothership she succeeds in absorbing Sayaka's youthful essence and restoring her rabbit ears. She also acquires the power to transform into her true primal form to defeat both Yaiba and Onimaru. Despite getting fused by her rabbit people and the entire Earth, she was sealed by Yaiba using Ryuujin's powers. In the anime, she was defeated by Yaiba using the Ryuujin's powers and using her own energy to protect the inhabitants on Earth causing herself to be sealed and was put into a slumber for another thousand years and her rabbit people including Tsukikage and Gekko are finally diffused and raining the youthful essence that she had absorbed to put all the women including Sayaka to restore their youth. Tsukikage leads the rabbit people back to the Moon while in her last words that they need to get back to the Moon so that she will stay on Earth.

Tsukikage (Moon Beam in the Philippine-English Dub)-

Mangetsu (Full Moon in the Philippine-English Dub)-

Hangetsu (Half Moon in the Philippine-English Dub)- Hangetsu is one of the four Generals under Tsukikage and he is responsible for fusing with the captive Jubei with "Gatai" Despite battling Yaiba at Sayaka Mine's house, he ends up diffusing with Jubei who became a werewolf when he was in a drunken state by drinking Sake and was beaten and captured by Yaiba and his group. He also knowledgable about Kaguya's true primal form while he was in their captivity and was soon killed by Gekko when he infiltrated the house to capture Sayaka and defeating Yaiba.

Shingetsu (New Moon in the Philippine-English Dub)- 

Mikazuki (Crescent Moon in the Philippine-English Dub)- is one of the Generals under Tsukikage and he and Shingetsu battles Yaiba during their infiltration on Kaguya's mothership. Like most of the Moon Rabbits, they can fuse using "Gatai" as he Mikazuki fuses with the Great White Shark to attack. He and Shingetsu were easily defeated by Yaiba by cutting off their ears. To avoid getting killed by Kaguya for their failures and their ears were cut off, both him and Shingetsu remained in their fuse state.

Gekko (Moon Light in the Philippine-English Dub)-