Suzuki Linn

Linn is the heroine of our story, a thirteen-year-old girl nicknamed "Kotetsu" by Miho. She is training at the Kyo Hatchi school of martial arts and must still prove herself to her mistress, Oni. However, Oni treats Linn very badly, and Linn runs away to Tokyo in search of her missing brother, Tetsujin.

Linn's weapon is her katana, or sword. The sword is a sakabatou, or reverse-bladed sword - that means that it has the sharp edge on the inside of the blade. The sword is said to have been forged on a demon's anvil for the legendary warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune. It is even said that the sword itself is possessed by a demon. Linn "borrowed" (*cough*stole*cough*) the sword from Oni when she ran away.

Linn is not very mature, and still seems to have the mind of a child. She is easily excited about anything and everything, panics when she thinks about sex, and tends to be annoyingly perky and care-free at times. In contrast, her speech pattern is quite formal and old-fashioned, due mostly to the fact that she was raised deep within the backwoods of old Kyoto. Despite her childish mannerisms, when forced into combat, Linn is a calm, controlled, and a deadly opponent.

Linn refuses to admit that she has any interest in Tatsuya, and can't really handle it at all when Miho teases her about him.

Mikado Tatsuya

Of short, pudgy stature and sporting unkempt hair and thick glasses, Tatsuya has the physical appearance of someone more laughable than threatening. In reality, however, enemies underestimate Tatsuya at their own peril. Tatsuya is a skilled Kugutsu Master, and his magical abilities allow him to manipulate both people and inanimate objects like puppets on strings. Tatsuya can also create magical puppets of his own, such as the body-double of Miho that he creates in the first episode.

Tatsuya is a member of the Syndicate, a shadowy organization about which the anime reveals very, very little. He will trail and blackmail victims on assingment from the Syndicate. Although the Syndicate does not participate in assasination, Tatsuya himself will hire out his murderous abilities for a large fee.

Tatsuya is at first fascinated by Linn, and then eventually quite smitten with her. He will go out of his way to help her out in battle and to be her friend, even though the two of them started out as enemies. Although Tatsuya is normally a lecherous womanizer (correction: a geeky lecherous womanizer), he is very careful to restrain himself around Linn.

Tatsuya gets a lot of nosebleeds. According to the KSS artbook, he is seventeen years old.

Kuon Miho

Miho is the founder of the Kuon Detective Agency. She is a colorful character who basically makes her living by blackmailing the clients that she "investigates." Miho is a very mature, sexy, sophisticated woman who delicately balances her own selfish interests with her desire to be (at least perceived as) a "nice person." She takes Linn under her wing because she feels guilty about the missing Tetsujin; however, she quickly discovers that she has a hard time being patient with Linn's childish behavior.

Kagari

Kagari is the spirit of an olive tree, and her presence is always signalled by the sweet scent of olive blossoms. She is commissioned by Taizo to kill Tatsuya; however, her *real* Master is someone other than Taizo, and she only cares about serving her real Master anyway.

Kagari is a skilled and deadly assasin with a number of supernatural abilities on her side. She can throw darts from her fingers, grow "branches" like a tree and use them to attack her opponents, and she can assume the shape and appearance of other people - including Linn. Kagari boasts that her powers are the strongest when she is in a forest.

Kagari hates being defeated by any opponent. After Linn manages to best her in battle, Kagari becomes consumed with a desire for revenge against Linn.

Mukai

Mukai is Miho's earnest, naïve young assistant.

Evil Miho

This is the puppet/clone that Tatsuya created and sent to kill the real Miho.

Minagawa Taizo

Taizo is the CEO of Daioh Construction Enterprises. He accepts bribes and payouts in secret.

Azami Oni

Oni is Linn's eccentric mistress from the Kyo Hatchi School. She is said to be over one hundred years old, and she retains her youthful appearance by "stealing" youth from others.

Suzuki Tetsujin

Tetsujin is Linn's missing brother, who once worked as Miho's assistant. Nobody knows where he has vanished to.