Legend of Basara (1998)

It's the 21st century and Japan is ruled by a tyrant right after a massive holocaust. A wise seer named Nagi predict that a savior is born within a small, remote village called Byakko Village. Fast-forwarded it to a few years and Tatara, also known as the Child of Destiny (the said savior) has already grown up to be a teenager, along with his twin sister named Sarasa. Their peaceful lives were shattered when the ruthless Red King's army marched into the village and killed Tatara. Determined to help her village people and avenge her family's death, Sarasa took on Tatara's identity before leading her villagers to safety.

With the help of Ageha, Sarasa set out to proclaim her brother's sword which had been stolen by the Red King's Army and injured herself in the process. While bathing in a nearby hot spring, she met a mysterious guy named Shuri, who's instantly attracted to her. Unknown to her, Shuri is actually the Red King himself as well as vice versa

Determined to release her people, Sarasa hastily plans to rescue them, despite Ageha's protest. On the way, she bumps onto Shuri again, where he'd given her a small pouch as a gift. Unfortunately, her plans backfired and had caused the death of her Grandpa and Yunoka, which devastated her greatly. Remembering her Grandpa's advice the night before, Sarasa sets out to find the ‘divine swords' alone. In order to get to Kyushu, Sarasa traveled with a group of performing gypsies, where she again met up with Ageha. While walking in town, Sarasa also encountered Shidou.

Ageha suggest to Sarasa the only possible way to Kyushu at that moment; through a secret tunnel. While they were discussing this, Sabo overheards Ageha refers to Sarasa as Tatara and boasted that he knew Tatara in town. That sends the Red Army into Madame Butterfly's camp, where they demand them to hand Tatara over to them until Shidou steps in and stopped them. While Ageha was busy performing on stage, he told Sarasa to leave and with a little help from Madame Butterfly, Sarasa set out to the tunnel. Realizing that something's up, Shidou captured Ageha for questioning.

Once inside the maze tunnel, Sarasa had to face many obstacles and found an old man trapped there for so long. Leaving an eagled embedded ring to be given to his surviving family in Kyushu, he quickly died as Sarasa journeys on to Kyushu. Arriving at the city via the sea, Sasara found a guy named Hayato who's masquerading as Tatara. Elsewhere, Shuri is planning to build a sewage system which will benefit his people. While planning it, Shuri realizes that Tatara may be heading to Kyushu through the ancient underground tunnel and ordered Shidou to act fast.

Wanting to help his bedridden mother, Hayato led the so-called supporters of Tatara into the gates of Shidou's castle despite Sarasa's warnings. They were instantly trapped by Shidou's men and was about to be massacred when Sarasa broke into the castle and saved Hayato. He then decided to follow Sarasa on her quest after his mother's death. While bathing at a nearby spring, Sarasa again met up with Shuri. They shared a moment together as Shuri was attack by an unknown assailant and Sarasa was by his side, nursing him back to health. Meanwhile, Shidou decided to postpone his marriage to Lady Shenju to prepare himself for war. Seeing Shenju's visible worries, Shidou eventually married her in a private ceremony.

Before leaving, Shuri gave Sarasa a red bird and a silent whistle as their way of communicating in the future. On their way to find the Suzaku sword, Sarasa and Hayato were captured by pirates who'd been hiding in an ‘invisible port'. The pirates were led by a woman named Chacha, who loves to do the ‘dance of death' along with her loyal assistant Saki. Back at Shidou's mansion, he revealed a bit of Shuri's past, which includes him being seen as a potential threat to his father's rule.

In order to have Chacha and her crew on her side, Sarasa propose to do the ‘dance of death' with Chacha which she eventually won. The pirates enemy's ship called the Boat of Koshou found the ‘invisible port' just as the duel ended and told them to hand Tatara over. On land, the Red elite army called the Red Lei Shin (led by Shidou) is approaching fast to the port while the Red Navy is also surrounding the port via the sea. Pondering on their next move, Ageha sends his owl to literary tell them about the cannons on board the Koshou's ‘main ship' that can be used to attack the Red Navy.

Sarasa and Saki made it safely to the ‘main ship'. Unknown to them, Hayato had been captured earlier by the Koshou brothers (who leads both the Boat of Koshou and the main ship). They revealed to him that the real symbol of leadership (the Suzaku sword) was buried somewhere on the bed of the ocean and what they had is a fake. No time to get the cannon back to the cave, Sarasa launch an attack from the main ship, which instantly destroyed some of the Red Navy's ships. The Koshou brothers decided to flee upon hearing the cannon's blasts but was intercepted by Hayato who'd unmasked their fraud to the ship's inhabitants.

The Sakura Island nearby had erupted rapidly. A man from a remote village called Seylla of Sakura Island had rowed to the ship, asking for Tatara's help to release his villagers from the clutches of the Red King. Right away, Sarasa set out to help him despite Saki disapproval. With Hayato on board, they set out to the unstable Sakura Island ahead. Using Ageha as a bait, Shidou and 3 of his generals manage to lure Sarasa and Hayato into a ruin city before attacking them. Sarasa was captured by one of Shidou's general when a gigantic earthquake pulls everything down.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, 2 of Shidou's generals had been killed while Sarasa, Shidou, Hayato and the remaining general survived with major injuries. Shidou then proceed with his intention to kill the weaken Sarasa but stopped at the very last moment when he saw the pouch hanging around her neck. Shidou realizes that Tatara and Sarasa is the same person but decided to kill her anyway. It was then that Hayato fired an arrow through his neck, killing him instantly. With the help of Yato, Sasara and Hayato manages to came out of the ruin city alive before the next earthquake.

News broke that the Blue Army is marching into the Red King's territory, prompting Shuri to go to the Blue King's capital Kanto to see him. Before departing, Shuri requested to meet Sarasa on a hot spring to seek comfort from the death of Shidou. The next day, Sarasa receive a message from the Blue and was reluctantly force to go since the Blue King has Tatara's sword. Sarasa and Shuri eventually ended up on the same ship to Kanto. While resting on deck, a Blue King's soldier named Asagi had mistakenly held both of them captive after discovering the slave tattoo on Shuri's back. They were taken to a coliseum in Kanto and were told to duel each other to death for the amusement of the Blue King.

Drugged, she was hoisted up in the air along with the Blue King, right above the lake where the ‘beast' will take its ‘sacrifice' in order for Kanto to remain peaceful. Things got out of control when Sarasa woke up in the middle of the ceremony and threaten to kill the Blue King if he didn't confess of being a fraud. Scared, the Blue King confess to everything and reveal that the ‘beast' was actually run mechanically by Asagi. Outrage, the civilians rebelled against the Blue King and with the Iron Mask leading them, they were unstoppable.