Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School

Real Bout High School (リアル バウト ハイ スクール) is a martial arts manga written by Reiji Saiga and illustrated by Sora Inoue that was serialized in Dragon Magazine from 1999 to 2003. It was adapted into a 13-episode anime series in 2001. It is set in a school called Daimon High, where disagreements among the student body are settled by matches called K-Fights. (The "K" stands for kenka, meaning "street fight".)

Light Novel
The series in which both the manga, and the anime is based upon is the light novel series which is still ongoing, written by Reiji Saika. Original name is Shoukan Kyoushi Real bout high school(召喚教師リアルバウトハイスクール), and unlike the manga and anime, it centres around a teacher who works in Daimon high school. The main story line has 16 volumes, the EX line has 5 volumes, and the ED line has 3 volumes. However, the characters that appear in the novel more or less is identical to the manga and anime (with a few minor adjustments).

Manga series
This is a manga about a school that doesn't break up fights, but rather, they grade them. The manga introduces Ryoko Mitsurugi, Daimon High's Current reigning K-Fight Champion and self described Samurai Girl. It also introduces Shizuma Kusunagi, a traveling Street Fighter with mysterious powers. The manga, while comedic in the beginning, becomes more serious as Ryoko and Shizuma find themselves caught up in the machinations of several student councils and a criminal organization with Ryoko teaming up with a band of female fighters named after the historical Shinsengumi.

Anime series
The events in the anime series take place after those in the manga (with several events moved). Ryoko Mitsurugi is the current K-Fight champion, whose skill at Kendo and her love for samurai dramas has led her to be known as the "Samurai Girl". One day, Ryoko finds a strange pendant which transports her to another dimension called Solvania, where she is expected to fight monsters. This is part of a bigger plot to revive Solvania the strong.


 * Ryoko Mitsurugi: A martial arts expert and Daimon High's current K-Fight champion. She seeks to learn the way of the sword, but is slightly self-conscious due to her height (she's 5'9" in the manga) and her samurai obsession. She is highly skilled in Kendo; only Tatsuya Shishikura, the captain of the kendo team, is able to beat her in formal kendo. Her rival is Shizuma Kusanagi, the "Red Monkey", as she is a highly skilled fighter and is also in love with Tatsuya Shishikura. She also helps out the drama club with the school plays. In the manga her goals are different; she seeks to become a great woman by using the way of the sword and acts as a vigilante in the name of justice. Later on she becomes the leader of an all female fighting group.


 * Shizuma Kusanagi: A year ago, this young, tough ruffian was the K-Fight champion until Ryoko beat him. He has now returned for a rematch. he is a street fighter who practices kamui: a method that gives him fire-ki abilities. Besides his strength and use of flames, he had no martial arts training but uses self styled methods from years of street fighting with this combination of his own personal style and kamui no ken makes him one of the strongest martial artist in the school. Unlike Ryoko, he is not a member of any school club. So, in the manga, he created his own fan club. Although very cruel at times, he shows a soft spot towards Miyuki (the Hiten Shrine girl and Tessai's granddaughter), Sara (his personal fan), and sometimes even towards Ryoko, whom he admitted having romantic feelings for during their battle in volume 6 of the manga. Due to his family musical background, he is skilled with the guitar and piano he also rides a Motorcycle. In his childhood, he was taught kamui no ken by an old homeless-looking man named Ryugan Higishikata for everyday use. Shizuma turned it into a fighting technique. He was obviously modelled after Kyo Kusanagi and has his last name. In the manga, he is modeled after Donnie Yen. As you can see in volume 6 of the manga, he had Nunchakus in his final fight with Ryoko.


 * Hitomi Yuki: Ryoko's best friend. She supports Ryoko in times of need.


 * Daisaku Kamiya: Ryoko's number one fan. He is a bit of a stalker but helps her.


 * Azumi Kiribayashi: Head of the Flower Arrangement Club, Azumi is Ryoko's rival for Tatsuya's affections. She is skilled with the naginata. It appears she's slightly older than Ryoko as she is referred as Senpai. It is Azumi who suggests in both the manga and anime that Ryoko train in actual Swordmanship.


 * Tatsuya Shishikura: Captain of the Kendo team. Ryoko and Azumi are fighting for his affections. He moves away in the middle of the manga (something that has not happened in the anime).


 * Miyuki Onizuka: A girl who resides at the Hiten Shrine. She has a small appearance in the manga.


 * Tessai Onizuka: Miyuki's grandfather and head of the Hiten Shrine. He teaches Ryoko the way of the sword, to be specific, the Hiten Style. He suggests Ryoko to keep using the bokken as it is two weapons in one.


 * Keichiro Nagumo: (Anime Only) A mysterious fighter locked in combat against a man known as Willard Gates. Due to his travels overseas, he has fought against many martial artists. He is the strongest man on Earth and the creator and champion of the K-Fight tournament. Like Shizuma, He possesses the fists of kamui. Only his technique, Shinken, uses energy based techniques. He is looking for the man who taught Shizuma.


 * Reiha: (Anime Only) War priestess of Solvania.


 * Takao Todo: Daimon High's principal, an avid supporter of the K-Fight system, and former teacher to Nagumo.


 * Magical Waitress Oyster Lulu: (Anime Only) During the anime (in episodes 5 and 9), Ryoko finds herself cosplaying as Magical Waitress Oyster Lulu. She is pushed into it by her friends.

Shinsengumi
These characters appear only in the manga, and were not included in the anime adaptation.


 * Ryoko Mitsurugi: Captain appointed leader of the Shinsengumi, Daimon High K-Fight Champion. Highly skilled Kendo artist and is the champion of the k-fights.


 * Megumi Momoi: Highly skilled Mixed martial artist and Grappler.


 * Xiaoxing Huang: Chinese martial artist. Specializes in Binding. (Must Bind 300 opponents before she can return to her master)


 * Asuka Kuronari: Specializes in Ninja Arts and Explosives. (While skilled in various ninja arts, she is only average in Martial arts skills)


 * Aoi Asahina: Highly skilled martial artist and swordswoman. (Sword Skill could match or even exceed Ryoko)


 * Midori Misato: Team Logistics and Communications Officer (Not a Fighter)