Zanya Kisaragi is a main character in the anime series and ranks among the best fighters in his grade at Aibo Academy. He specializes with a Ninja deck from Katana World, his initial buddy monster being Nanomachine Ninja, Tsukikage. Their bond is profound, evidenced when Tsukikage overcame partial mind control to protect Zanya and his brother, despite his ninja vow of silence. Zanya possesses long, dark blue hair tied in a ponytail and wears a distinctive white military-style uniform accented with purple. His glasses feature a built-in scope in the right lens for analytical purposes during fights. As a child, he wore a ninja costume resembling his brother Akatsuki's outfit. Deeply protective of his younger brother Akatsuki and placing immense trust in Tsukikage, Zanya approaches Buddyfights with confidence and strategic preparation, often researching opponents like Genma Todoroki to set specific traps. He struggles when plans unravel unexpectedly. Initially distrustful and preferring solitude, he gradually learned collaboration after joining Balle du Soleil, motivated by gratitude for Gao Mikado rescuing Tsukikage. Zanya suffers from severe gynophobia, causing misplays and fainting against female opponents like Suzuha Amanosuzu, leading to a tournament loss. Following advice from Akatsuki and adaptive strategies like an opaque visor, he managed to overcome this enough to defeat Kuguru Uki, later attributing his fear to a dislike of chatterboxes. His journey began in Season 1 during the ABC Cup, seeking a rematch against Genma Todoroki. After retrieving and studying Genma's stolen deck, his duel with Gao was interrupted by Genma; their rematch ended in Zanya's brutal defeat despite an early advantage. He later participated in missions rescuing Kiri Hyoryu and capturing the "Grim Reaper," during which Tsukikage was stolen and fell under Disaster's control. Gao's rescue prompted Zanya to join Team Balle du Soleil for the Gaen Cup. He initially rejected Tetsuya Kurodake but accepted him after testing his judgment in a duel. Gynophobia caused an early tournament loss, though he later defeated Magoroku Shido. Investigating Rouga Aragami's suspected criminal identity during the finals, he lost despite a strategic edge and later lied to his father to protect Rouga. In Season 2, Zanya served as a Buddy Police deputy alongside Gao and Tetsuya. His development included mentoring Akatsuki and battling threats like the Hundred Demons. During a confrontation with Kurooni Konmae, Akatsuki advised him further on overcoming his fear of girls. He later dueled Akatsuki using a temporary deck centered on Nanomachine Ninja, Byakuya and Shadow Dive abilities, winning. He subsequently integrated Byakuya into his primary deck without replacing Tsukikage as his buddy. His deck evolved to focus on Ghoul Deity, Gojinmaru and the Absolute Sword, Azure Cascade Formation impact card, enabling strategies to deal damage when his life hits zero. He later adopted "Kisaragi Legend of Wind and Cloud, Yasha Dance" in Season 3, featuring Tsukikage's "Kuroyasha Mode" and Byakuya's "Shiroyasha Mode." By Season 4, his deck transitioned to "Kisaragi Legend of Sky," and in Buddyfight Legends, he used "Kisaragi Ninja Arts: Ultimate." Relationships significantly shape him. He maintains a protective, mentoring role toward Akatsuki, scolding him when necessary. His rivalry with Genma involves deep respect despite their competitive history. Trust with Gao and Tetsuya evolved from initial skepticism to mutual reliance within Balle du Soleil. His father, a Buddy Police official, assigns him missions, creating familial duty conflicts. Zanya's combat evolution reflects deck changes and tactical growth. Early strategies leveraged Tsukikage's abilities combined with hand-enhancing monsters and predictive counter-traps like Secret Sword cards. Incorporating Byakuya added versatility, while Ghoul Deity tactics enabled aggressive damage manipulation. Later evolutions focused on sustaining field presence through abilities like Kuroyasha Mode and employing high-impact, multi-functional cards such as Gojinmaru's "Dance of Yashagami!" impact.