Dragon Shiryu
Encyclopedia
, also known as Shiryū, is a fictional character
from the Saint Seiya
universe
created by Masami Kurumada
as one of the protagonists of the media franchise
, which originated in the manga
written and illustrated by Kurumada, later adapted to anime
, and subsequently inspiring soundtrack
s, OVAs
, movies
, video games, and other collectible
s. He is considered the most mature of the five heroes, and thus the wisest. As the Bronze Saint of the Dragon constellation
, Shiryū dons the emerald Dragon Bronze Cloth, a jewel among the Cloths due to its legendary defense properties.
, a manga that Kurumada wrote and drew years before Saint Seiya, and that he considers his favorite creation. Also, Shiryū's appearance is almost identical to Azusa Ranmaru, from the work Kurumada authored before Saint Seiya, Otoko Zaka.
. This is reflected in his ability to win numerous battles without the Cosmo-augmenting capabilities of the Dragon Cloth. Shiryū trained at the in China to obtain the Bronze Cloth of the Dragon constellation, and his mentor was none other than the senior Gold Saint, Libra Dohko.
Shiryū sports a large tattoo-like image of a green and white dragon on his back. However, it is stated in the manga and the anime that it is not a tattoo, but it is connected to his guardian Dragon constellation and only appears as his Cosmo is rising. Whenever his life is in danger, the Dragon image begins to fade away—once it completely vanishes, it is a sign that Shiryū's Cosmo is nearing zero, thus being himself near death.
During his training in Rozan (as Lushan is known in Japanese), Shiryū awoke his Cosmo and learned various arts of combat, as well as fundamental wisdom for life, from Libra Dohko. During the Sanctuary Arc, Shiryū awakens the 7th sense in his fight against Cancer Deathmask. He awoke the 8th sense during the Hades Arc.
, and Gold Saint Capricorn Shura.
Rozan's Dragon Flight (Rozan Ryūhishō): He uses his whole body to move forward on the enemy, as if flying. Used on Saint corpses at Jamir, against Chrysaor Krishna, and also against Basilisk Sylphid.
Dragon's Kick (Dragon no Ken): Shiryū leaps toward the heavens and delivers a powerful kick to his enemy. Used only on Cancer Deathmask.
Rozan's One Hundred Dragons Force (Rozan Hyakuryūha): A technique that by far surpasses the destructive potential of the Rozan Rising Dragon Force or the Rozan Dragon Flight. Shiryū's Cosmo erupts at its maximum, and he plows through the enemy with both his arms and palms extended, emitting a devastating, virtually unstoppable burst of Cosmo. One hundred dragons made out of pure Cosmo march in the sky as the enemies are completely obliterated.
Rozan's Enraged Dragon Force (Rozan Kōryūha): It is a kamikaze technique similar to Seiya's "Pegasus Rolling Crush," except while Seiya normally intends to send both himself and his opponent back to the ground, Shiryū will continue to soar into the air and eventually into space—killing both himself and his enemy. Dohko had strongly discouraged Shiryū from using it, even going as far as putting a ban on its use.
Excalibur: Inherited by the Gold Saint Capricorn Shura, who gave Shiryū this power when he found himself defeated by him and realized Shiryū should live and continue to fight for Athena. A deadly Cosmo attack focused with precision on Shiryū's right arm in the form of a sword. Although Shiryū's version of the sword was not as defined as Shura's (Shiryū's Excalibur lies only in his right arm, while Shura's can be unleashed from any of his limbs), the Dragon later refined it enough to rival Shura's and used it to cut the unbreakable golden spear of Chrysaor Krishna, the powerful Mariner General, along with his Scales armor, during the Poseidon Arc.
In their battle during the first arc of Kurumada's manga, Seiya manages to destroy the Shield by tricking Shiryū into hitting his own shield. Shiryū's Cloth has suffered various damages throughout the series, and, of course, required repairing. With each revision its shape gained a new form. In the manga and the anime adaptation, the Cloth went through three different designs, each resulting from the reparations.
Due to having reformed from using a Gold Saint's blood, the third version of the Dragon Cloth (second in the anime adaptation) can suddenly become golden with power whenever Shiryū uses his Cosmo to the maximum. At that point, Shiryū has awoken his 7th sense, and is as powerful as a Gold Saint momentarily. However, in the battle with Chrysaor Krishna, Krishna comments that, even with the golden Dragon Cloth, Shiryū's power level is still that of a Bronze Saint, and continues to overpower him with his attacks.
The Dragon Cloth represents the constellation Draco
, which is associated to Ladon
, the hundred eyed dragon who guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides, in Greek mythology.
During times of extreme need, the main five Bronze Saints will be allowed to wear Gold Cloths for a temporary amount of time. In the Sanctuary arc, Shiryū showcased the 12 weapons of the Libra Gold Cloth when he, Seiya, and Shun needed help in freeing Cygnus Hyōga from Aquarius Camus' ice coffin. This was the first time Shiryū was allowed to make use of the Libra Cloth, but certainly not the last. In the respective battles against Poseidon, the Lord of the seas, and Thanatos, god of Death, Shiryū is assisted by the Libra Cloth.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Saint Seiya
Saint Seiya
, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
created by Masami Kurumada
Masami Kurumada
is a Japanese manga artist and writer, known for specializing in fighting manga featuring bishōnen and/or mahō shōnen. He is famous as the creator/author of popular manga, such as Ring ni Kakero, Fūma no Kojirō, Saint Seiya and B't X. His male protagonists are a reflection of the classical and...
as one of the protagonists of the media franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
, which originated in the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
written and illustrated by Kurumada, later adapted to anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, and subsequently inspiring soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s, OVAs
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
, movies
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, video games, and other collectible
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
s. He is considered the most mature of the five heroes, and thus the wisest. As the Bronze Saint of the Dragon constellation
Draco (constellation)
Draco is a constellation in the far northern sky. Its name is Latin for dragon. Draco is circumpolar for many observers in the northern hemisphere...
, Shiryū dons the emerald Dragon Bronze Cloth, a jewel among the Cloths due to its legendary defense properties.
Concept and creation
As Masami Kurumada uses the revered Osamu Tezuka's Star System technique, (a stable cast of characters which play a different or similar role in the author's various works, sometimes with the same personality and sometimes with an entirely new one), he designed Shiryū's appearance very similarly to that of Eidō Jun, a character in the successful Ring ni KakeroRing ni Kakero
, or Put It All in the Ring, is a manga created by Masami Kurumada. A total of 25 volumes were published in Weekly Shōnen Jump between 1977 and 1981.- Plot :...
, a manga that Kurumada wrote and drew years before Saint Seiya, and that he considers his favorite creation. Also, Shiryū's appearance is almost identical to Azusa Ranmaru, from the work Kurumada authored before Saint Seiya, Otoko Zaka.
The Saint of Dragon
Out of all five main characters, Shiryū is known as the calmest and most collected. His sheer physical strength is the greatest of the Bronze Saints, with the possible exception of Phoenix IkkiPhoenix Ikki
is a character from Saint Seiya, a manga written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada which was later adapted to anime. Ikki is the Phoenix Bronze Saint and older brother of Andromeda Shun...
. This is reflected in his ability to win numerous battles without the Cosmo-augmenting capabilities of the Dragon Cloth. Shiryū trained at the in China to obtain the Bronze Cloth of the Dragon constellation, and his mentor was none other than the senior Gold Saint, Libra Dohko.
Shiryū sports a large tattoo-like image of a green and white dragon on his back. However, it is stated in the manga and the anime that it is not a tattoo, but it is connected to his guardian Dragon constellation and only appears as his Cosmo is rising. Whenever his life is in danger, the Dragon image begins to fade away—once it completely vanishes, it is a sign that Shiryū's Cosmo is nearing zero, thus being himself near death.
During his training in Rozan (as Lushan is known in Japanese), Shiryū awoke his Cosmo and learned various arts of combat, as well as fundamental wisdom for life, from Libra Dohko. During the Sanctuary Arc, Shiryū awakens the 7th sense in his fight against Cancer Deathmask. He awoke the 8th sense during the Hades Arc.
Techniques
Rozan's Rising Dragon Force (Rozan Shōryūha): His signature technique. He concentrates his cosmo into his wrists, legs, and sometimes his whole body to punch or kick an enemy. Usually the punch comes from the bottom up. Unlike the favored techniques of the other Bronze Saints, Shiryū's Rozan Rising Dragon Force does have one weakness — while performing the move, his heart will be left open for a millisecond. Only three people in the series have noted this: his master Libra Dohko, Bronze Saint Pegasus SeiyaPegasus Seiya
, also known as Seiya, is a fictional character from the Saint Seiya universe created by Masami Kurumada as the main protagonist of the media franchise, which originated in the eponymous manga written and illustrated by Kurumada, later adapted to anime, and subsequently inspiring soundtracks, OVAs,...
, and Gold Saint Capricorn Shura.
Rozan's Dragon Flight (Rozan Ryūhishō): He uses his whole body to move forward on the enemy, as if flying. Used on Saint corpses at Jamir, against Chrysaor Krishna, and also against Basilisk Sylphid.
Dragon's Kick (Dragon no Ken): Shiryū leaps toward the heavens and delivers a powerful kick to his enemy. Used only on Cancer Deathmask.
Rozan's One Hundred Dragons Force (Rozan Hyakuryūha): A technique that by far surpasses the destructive potential of the Rozan Rising Dragon Force or the Rozan Dragon Flight. Shiryū's Cosmo erupts at its maximum, and he plows through the enemy with both his arms and palms extended, emitting a devastating, virtually unstoppable burst of Cosmo. One hundred dragons made out of pure Cosmo march in the sky as the enemies are completely obliterated.
Rozan's Enraged Dragon Force (Rozan Kōryūha): It is a kamikaze technique similar to Seiya's "Pegasus Rolling Crush," except while Seiya normally intends to send both himself and his opponent back to the ground, Shiryū will continue to soar into the air and eventually into space—killing both himself and his enemy. Dohko had strongly discouraged Shiryū from using it, even going as far as putting a ban on its use.
Excalibur: Inherited by the Gold Saint Capricorn Shura, who gave Shiryū this power when he found himself defeated by him and realized Shiryū should live and continue to fight for Athena. A deadly Cosmo attack focused with precision on Shiryū's right arm in the form of a sword. Although Shiryū's version of the sword was not as defined as Shura's (Shiryū's Excalibur lies only in his right arm, while Shura's can be unleashed from any of his limbs), the Dragon later refined it enough to rival Shura's and used it to cut the unbreakable golden spear of Chrysaor Krishna, the powerful Mariner General, along with his Scales armor, during the Poseidon Arc.
Constellation and cloth
The Bronze Cloth of Dragon is legendary for the large shield on its left arm guard. Its reputation is unmatched by any other Cloth among Athena's Saints, and only very few have ever shattered it. The Dragon Cloth itself is noted for its ultimate durability, as it spent the last two centuries and a half bathed under the mineral-rich waterfall of the Rozan mountains, which made it harder than diamonds. Also, its right-hand gauntlet is endowed with extremely powerful piercing capabilities. This is the origin of the Cloth's nickname, "The strongest Fist and Shield".In their battle during the first arc of Kurumada's manga, Seiya manages to destroy the Shield by tricking Shiryū into hitting his own shield. Shiryū's Cloth has suffered various damages throughout the series, and, of course, required repairing. With each revision its shape gained a new form. In the manga and the anime adaptation, the Cloth went through three different designs, each resulting from the reparations.
Due to having reformed from using a Gold Saint's blood, the third version of the Dragon Cloth (second in the anime adaptation) can suddenly become golden with power whenever Shiryū uses his Cosmo to the maximum. At that point, Shiryū has awoken his 7th sense, and is as powerful as a Gold Saint momentarily. However, in the battle with Chrysaor Krishna, Krishna comments that, even with the golden Dragon Cloth, Shiryū's power level is still that of a Bronze Saint, and continues to overpower him with his attacks.
The Dragon Cloth represents the constellation Draco
Draco (constellation)
Draco is a constellation in the far northern sky. Its name is Latin for dragon. Draco is circumpolar for many observers in the northern hemisphere...
, which is associated to Ladon
Dragons in Greek mythology
-Ladon:Ladon was the serpent-like dragon that twined round the tree in the Garden of the Hesperides and guarded the golden apples. Ladon was also said to have as many as one hundred heads. He was overcome and possibly slain by Heracles...
, the hundred eyed dragon who guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides, in Greek mythology.
During times of extreme need, the main five Bronze Saints will be allowed to wear Gold Cloths for a temporary amount of time. In the Sanctuary arc, Shiryū showcased the 12 weapons of the Libra Gold Cloth when he, Seiya, and Shun needed help in freeing Cygnus Hyōga from Aquarius Camus' ice coffin. This was the first time Shiryū was allowed to make use of the Libra Cloth, but certainly not the last. In the respective battles against Poseidon, the Lord of the seas, and Thanatos, god of Death, Shiryū is assisted by the Libra Cloth.