Ryu Hayabusa
Encyclopedia
is the protagonist
of the Ninja Gaiden
video game series as well as a player character
in the Dead or Alive series, both published by Tecmo. According to the game canon, Ryu (lit. "dragon") Hayabusa ("falcon") is a ninja
and the leader of the that has spiritual, physical and magical ties to ancient dragons
. He is often regarded as the most popular ninja character to be ever featured in video games.
In Ninja Gaiden, Ryu is known by some as "The Ninja Dragon" or "The Super Ninja". The CIA
knows about his clan, abilities, and history. Ryu has been betrayed by some of his alleged allies such as A. Foster (Ninja Gaiden NES), and his uncle Murai (Ninja Gaiden Black). He is the ninja Hayate's best friend and an ally of Kasumi
and Ayane
. Ryu has also befriended several people from the DOA tournaments, notably Jann Lee, with whom he shares a mutual respect.
. Two NES
sequels, Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
and Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
, followed in 1990 and 1991 to complete the trilogy. Also in 1991, Ninja Gaiden Shadow
for the Game Boy
. There is no story to the original arcade version of Ninja Gaiden, except that Ryu is beating up his foes throughout the United States
. Ryu's story commences in Ninja Gaiden for the NES, when he receives a letter from his father, who has departed to fight a life or death duel. This was followed by the next two games of the trilogy, which have mysterious introductions that unfolded in a similar manner. In Ninja Gaiden II, players are introduced to a new villain who wields the Dark Sword of Chaos. In Ninja Gaiden III, Ryu Hayabusa is framed for killing his girlfriend. Another Ninja Gaiden game
was released in 1992 for the Sega Master System
.
The series and Ryu returned with Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox
in 2004 (later remade as Ninja Gaiden Sigma
for the PS3
). The prologue explains the mythos of the Dragon Lineage who sided with the dragons against the Evil Deities, and how they slew the Dark Dragon a God of Death and Destruction. The Dragons are described as god-like, benevolent creatures with metallic bones, teeth and claws, created by Gurdu the Deity of Creation to counter the Evil Deities. The prologue includes a brief history of the two Dragon Swords. The first is the Dark Dragon Blade, carved out of the bone of the legendary Dark Dragon that betrayed his brethren out of jealousy and thirst for power, joining the Evil Deities. This blade consumes evil, charging as more evil is committed in its vicinity. As a result, the weapon turns its wielder into the devil incarnate. The second sword is the Dragon Sword, carved from the fang of a dragon, and bequeathed the Dragon Lineage from generation to generation, and finally to Ryu Hayabusa; it is the same sword used by Ryu in the NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy.
The story of the Xbox game deviated from the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy by a few small retroactive continuities. This game and its sequels Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (Nintendo DS
) and Ninja Gaiden 2/Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
(Xbox 360
/PS3) serve as prequel
s to the original Ninja Gaiden series, both series are connected to the Dead or Alive series. Timeline wise the events the current Ninja Gaiden series happen first, then the NES Ninja Gaiden series, and finally the Dead or Alive series. Ryu was confirmed to return in Ninja Gaiden 3
, a next game in the second series and the first one since Tomonobu Itagaki
left the Team Ninja. The game is supposed to showcase Ryu's "more human side".
In Ninja Gaiden (1988), his father disappears. Ryu finds a letter from his father, informing that he was on his way to a life or death duel, and instructing that, should he not return, Ryu is to go to the United States and find his friend Walter Smith. During his time in America searching for Smith, Ryu crosses paths with the CIA, in particular with Irene Lew, and is immediately spun into a globe-trotting adventure. He eventually crosses paths with Bloody Malth, the man who defeated Ryu's father. Ryu eventually finds his father then who tries to attack him, being under a spell that Ryu managed to break. However, Ken is killed by Bloody Malth's master, the Jaquio (whom Ryu encountered midway through his adventure). Ryu avenges his father's death by killing Jaquio and also the mighty Demon, one of the original Evil Deities alongside fellow Archfiends. After Ryu vanquished the evil beings, he is to be terminated by Irene Lew on Foster's orders, but she does not comply and Ryu vows to "get Foster" while Ryu and Irene begin a relationship. In Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, it is revealed that Ashtar, Jaquio's master and the Emperor of Darkness, planned to rule the world with the power of the Demon. His plans foiled, Ashtar kidnaps Irene to lure Ryu to his home dimension. Ashtar wields the Dark Sword of Chaos, made from the bone of the Demon at the same time that the Dragon Sword. Ryu eventually confronts and defeats Ashtar, but before he can get Irene to safety, she is captured by Jaquio, who now bears the Dark Sword. Ryu confronts and defeats the Jaquio a second time at an altar made from the Demon's bones. However, the Jaquio's blood flows into the Dark Sword, awakening it. The Jaquio is revived by its power and stabs Irene with the sword. Ryu slays the Jaquio again, but Irene's blood empowers the sword further, and revives the Demon. After Ryu kills the Demon again, the Dark Sword of Chaos shatters, and he carries Irene back to Earth, where she succumbs to her wounds and dies. Crying over her body, Ryu calls on the spirits of his ancestors, saying his victories are meaningless without her. The Dragon Sword then begins to hum and glow, emitting a blue light which flows into Irene, reviving her. The couple then watches the evening sunset (unlike the sunrise in the other two NES Ninja Gaiden games).
In Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Ryu's doppelgänger
supposedly assassinates Irene and frames the original for murder. During his quest to clear his name, Ryu discovers that Irene is really still alive and that his doppelgänger was a BIO-NOID sent by Irene's own boss and former acquaintance of his, Foster. This is followed by an engagement with Ryu's doppelgänger which ended in Ryu's defeat. In their second encounter, Ryu turns the tables, defeating his doppelgänger instead. Foster is then double-crossed by his accomplice, H.P. Clancy, who murders him and reveals the true nature of their location, the Castle Rock Fortress, as an inter-dimensional warship, which he intends to use for global dominance. With both Irene and himself caught up in Clancy's machinations, Ryu is forced to take action. Subsequently, he foils Clancy's plans and flees the crumbling Castle Rock Fortress with Irene. In Ninja Gaiden (1992), Ryu receives a message that the Dragon Ninja clan's village has been brutally massacred. The last survivor of the village tells Ryu with his dying breath that the Sacred Scroll of Bushido
, of power so strong that its owner can control the world, has been stolen. As the last ninja of the Dragon Clan, the fate of the world is in its hands, and he must embark on a trip to regain the scroll from the hands of the evil Shogun of Darkness and his minions.
In Ninja Gaiden (2004), the Hayabusa Ninja clan was annihilated including Ryu's childhood friend Kureha, and the Dark Dragon Blade was stolen by the evil Lord of the Greater Fiends Doku and his minions. Though killed by Doku, Ryu is revived by the clan's animal spirit, the falcon, and embarks on a journey in search of the stolen Dark Dragon Blade and avenge his clan's death. As he proceeds, he met the Fiend hunter Rachel, who is in search of her sister Alma. Ryu also came across Alma, who was morphed into a Greater Fiend but eventually saves Rachel from Doku. Eventually, Ryu defeats Doku and his overlord, the supreme evil god Holy Emperor Vigoor, and retrieves the Dark Dragon Blade. In the end, Ryu and Rachel come across the mysterious Dark Disciple, revealed to be Ryu's uncle Murai, who then betrays and challenges him. Despite wielding the evil Dark Dragon Blade, Murai is defeated and Ryu destroys the sword. He then lefts Rachel with no further comment and brings back the Dragon Eye he got from Kureha's grave. The story of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword takes place six months later, beginning as a female ninja named Momiji is kidnapped by the rival Black Spider ninja clan led by Obaba. Ryu sets out to find seven Dark Dragonstones, defeating several bosses along the way. At the climax of the adventure, the former Doku's servant Ishtaros (an Ancient Greater Fiend of Creation, once worshipped as Ishtar
) steals the Dragonstones from Ryu, who is left almost powerless and quickly defeated by Ishtaros. However, when Kureha, Momiji's sister, appears and fuses with Momiji's Dragon Eye, the sword becomes the Dragon Sword once again. After defeating Ishtaros and her sister Nicchae (an Ancient Greater Fiend of Creation, once worshipped as Nike
) in the form of the Dark Dragon, Ryu brings Momiji back home. All of the Hayabusa village mourn at Kureha's grave and Momiji once again starts training with Ryu, hoping to fulfill her promise to her sister to become stronger.
The story of Ninja Gaiden II begins with a CIA agent Sonia asking Muramasa if he knows the whereabouts of Ryu Hayabusa, telling him that she has information concerning the Archfiend Vazdah, the third evil god. Ryu arrives in the nick of time, but is unable to save her and she is kidnapped by the Black Spider clan. He eventually finds her after travelling through the skylines of Tokyo
, whereby she warns him of the plot of the Greater Fiends to steal the Demon Statue, which is being protected by the Hayabusa ninja village, in order to resurrect the Archfiend. Informed by Sonia, Ryu heads back to the village to see it burning once again. Fighting his way to the Castle of the Dragon where the statue is held, he finds his father, Joe, fighting Genshin, leader of the Black Spider clan. They are unable to stop the statue being stolen by the Queen of the Greater Fiends Elizébet. Ryu follows her trail, defeating the Four Greater Fiends along the way, as well as Genshin who just became a Greater Fiend himself. Ryu is unable to stop the resurrection of the Archfiend Vazdah, created by his High Infernal Priest Dagra Dai, but ultimately destroys Vazdah at Mount Fuji
. In the aftermath, Ryu reunites with Sonia, and is last seen placing Genshin's sword among many others in a field as a symbol of his grave.
, he moved to America where he married Irene and bought an antique shop he ran with her. His story is fleshed out more, as a new ninja clan is introduced, several other supporting characters, and a new, serpentine plot that he finds himself intertwined in. He has been a participant in every DOA tournament, canonically winning the second tournament by killing Tengu. His friends have also claimed the other contests, except Dead or Alive 4
.
In Dead or Alive, Ryu joins the first DOA Tournament looking for the disappeared Kasumi. In Dead or Alive 2
, Ryu joined the second tournament because he was informed by his own clan that a creature from another dimension named Tengu joined it to create chaos in the world. Eventually, Ryu came across his lost friend Hayate (as Ein and was still suffering from a memory loss) and defeated him, restoring his memory. Ryu then defeated Tengu to save the world from his evil plot and effectively won the second tournament, although it was Kasumi who defeated her clone.
In Dead or Alive 3
, Hayabusa faces off against Hayate, who has became the 18th leader of the Mugen Tenshin ninja clan after recovering from a memory loss. In his ending cutscene, Ryu receives a mysterious letter from an unknown ninja while he's fishing near the river. In the next game, Ryu joins Hayate, Kasumi and Ayane to stop DOATEC. He and Ayane come across with Christie who is trying to stop the ninja from destroying the DOATEC Tritower. In his ending, Ryu destroys three DOATEC special helicopters before disappearing into the night. In Helena's ending he destroys a single helicopter, showing a man trapped inside the aircraft who could have been Donovan.
, is the main character in the 1991 OVA
film Ninja Ryūkenden, released in Japan only. Ryu Hayabusa has a unique look in the animation.
In DOA: Dead or Alive
, the 2006 live-action adaptation of Dead or Alive, Ryu was portrayed by Kane Kosugi
.
Ryu, along with Ayane and Momiji, makes an unplayable guest appearance
in Koei's video game Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
, in commemoration of the 2009 merger between Koei and Tecmo. In 2010 GamesRadar
ranked their guest appearance in DW: Strikeforce as #49 on their list of 55 "awesome character cameos".
"Hayabusa Ninja" is an alternative costume for the character Max in Super Swing Golf: Season 2
. An armor similar to Ryu Hayabusa's outfit also makes a cameo in the Xbox 360
game Halo 3
, as an unlockable armor set called Hayabusa (for the player to obtain the chest, shoulder, and helmet pieces of the armor they must collect all hidden skulls in campaign mode). Additionally, a Halo 3 player is awarded an in-game (unusable) replica of Ryu's Dragon Sword if gets the gamerscore of 1000.
, Ryu, "as the world's most super ninja, is indeed a master of the devious arts" in DOA4, and "while some of his moves are difficult, the bulk of them are actually fairly easy to pull off, and he's quite fast to boot, making him an excellent choice of character for new players."
was also released the same year.
and ScrewAttack
(both in 2010), and machinima.com
(in 2011); PC World also commented that Ryu "has the most fearsome arsenal of weapons we’ve ever seen in a video game".
In addition, he was featured by Virgin Media
on the list of top ten video game ninja heroes in all media, as well as quite unusually ranked as second on list of top ten gaming ninja characters by 1UP.com
in 2004. In 2008, when readers of IGN
voted on which of the two ninja would win in a "Hero Showdown" between him and Joe Musashi
of Sega
's Shinobi series, Ryu won with 82% of the votes. That same year, the staff of GamesRadar
included him among the top video game assassins in the category "ninja" even as they have "never known Ryu to specifically take on assassination jobs". In 2010, Nintendo Power
listed Ryu as one of the best ninja characters on Nintendo
consoles, previously also having him nominated for their Nintendo Power Awards '89 and '91 in the category Best Character (Best Hero). He was also featured among the top ten ninjas for PlayStation
consoles by PLAY in 2011.
In 2008, The Age
ranked him as tenth best Xbox
character of all time, while IGN included him on the list of characters that should be included in a hypothetical ultimate fighting game as "few videogame heroes make killing look easier or more stylish than Ryu Hayabusa" and "all other ninja seem lame by comparison". In 2009, GameSpot
featured Ryu in their poll for the Greatest Game Hero, in which he has won against The Nameless One
(Planescape:Torment) and Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet
), but ultimately lost to Duke Nukem
. That same year, GameDaily
listed the "badass ninja" in their top 25 video game archetypes, using Ryu as an example, and featured him among the "gaming's greatest patriots" of Japan. In 2010, readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu
voted Ryu into 30th place in a poll for the best video game character of all time. Empire
also included him on their list of the 50 greatest video game characters, adding: "This is a man not to be messed with, and his honour, grace, and iconic image as the superlative gaming ninja, he'll never be forgotten."
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden
is a series of video games by Tecmo featuring the ninja Ryu Hayabusa as its protagonist. The series was originally known as in Japan. The word "gaiden" in the North American Ninja Gaiden title means "side-story" in Japanese, even though the Ninja Gaiden series is not a spinoff of a previous series...
video game series as well as a player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in the Dead or Alive series, both published by Tecmo. According to the game canon, Ryu (lit. "dragon") Hayabusa ("falcon") is a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
and the leader of the that has spiritual, physical and magical ties to ancient dragons
Japanese dragon
Japanese dragons are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and India. The style of the dragon was heavily influenced by the Chinese dragon...
. He is often regarded as the most popular ninja character to be ever featured in video games.
Character
As a son of Joe Hayabusa (Ken Hayabusa in the NES Ninja Gaiden), Ryu is the current heir to the Dragon lineage and is also the holder of the legendary Dragon Sword. Although his father should carry the sword, he passed the sword to Ryu early, due to his bravery and valor. His mother was neither mentioned nor seen in any NG games, although was mentioned in the Worlds of Power novel (where she gives Ryu the letter from his father). Ryu is 21 years old in Ninja Gaiden and two years older in the Dead or Alive series. Although he appears as a normal man, he is not completely human; this was discovered during the Dark Dragon Blade incident. Because his ancestors draw their blood from the same Deities as the Fiends and Vigoor, he is susceptible to the Blood Curse and therefore is able to be turned into a Fiend.In Ninja Gaiden, Ryu is known by some as "The Ninja Dragon" or "The Super Ninja". The CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
knows about his clan, abilities, and history. Ryu has been betrayed by some of his alleged allies such as A. Foster (Ninja Gaiden NES), and his uncle Murai (Ninja Gaiden Black). He is the ninja Hayate's best friend and an ally of Kasumi
Kasumi (Dead or Alive)
is a player character in Dead or Alive fighting game series by Team Ninja and Tecmo. Kasumi has served as the main character of the Dead or Alive franchise since its beginning in 1996, being the official protagonist in the first two main games in the series, and playing very important roles in the...
and Ayane
Ayane (Dead or Alive)
is a player character in the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden fighting game series by Team NINJA and Tecmo Koei. Ayane has also a complex relationship with Kasumi, the leading heroine of the Dead or Alive series, ever since they grew up together...
. Ryu has also befriended several people from the DOA tournaments, notably Jann Lee, with whom he shares a mutual respect.
In the Ninja Gaiden series
Ryu first appeared in the Ninja Gaiden in 1988, first for arcadeNinja Gaiden (arcade)
Ninja Gaiden, known in Japan as and in Europe as Shadow Warriors, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up originally released by Tecmo as a coin-operated video game. It was first released in North America in and in Japan and Europe in...
. Two NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
sequels, Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, known in Japan as and as Shadow Warriors 2 in Europe, is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed and published by Tecmo for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It was released in Japan on , in North America in May 1990, and in Europe on...
and Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, known in Japan as is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed and published by Tecmo. It was released in Japan on for the Famicom and in North America in August 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System...
, followed in 1990 and 1991 to complete the trilogy. Also in 1991, Ninja Gaiden Shadow
Ninja Gaiden Shadow
Ninja Gaiden Shadow, released in Japan as and in Europe and Australia as Shadow Warriors, is a side-scrolling action game released for the Game Boy in 1991 by Tecmo...
for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. There is no story to the original arcade version of Ninja Gaiden, except that Ryu is beating up his foes throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Ryu's story commences in Ninja Gaiden for the NES, when he receives a letter from his father, who has departed to fight a life or death duel. This was followed by the next two games of the trilogy, which have mysterious introductions that unfolded in a similar manner. In Ninja Gaiden II, players are introduced to a new villain who wields the Dark Sword of Chaos. In Ninja Gaiden III, Ryu Hayabusa is framed for killing his girlfriend. Another Ninja Gaiden game
Ninja Gaiden (Master System)
Ninja Gaiden is an action video game released for the Master System in 1992 by Sega with license from Tecmo.-Summary:This video game stars Ryu Hayabusa and is part of the Ninja Gaiden series, although it features a plot not connected to any of the other Ninja Gaiden games...
was released in 1992 for the Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
.
The series and Ryu returned with Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in 2004 (later remade as Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, also known as Ninja Gaiden Σ, is an action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3 video game console. Originally released on Xbox in 2004, it is an enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden and a continuation of a 1988 video game originally released for the Nintendo...
for the PS3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
). The prologue explains the mythos of the Dragon Lineage who sided with the dragons against the Evil Deities, and how they slew the Dark Dragon a God of Death and Destruction. The Dragons are described as god-like, benevolent creatures with metallic bones, teeth and claws, created by Gurdu the Deity of Creation to counter the Evil Deities. The prologue includes a brief history of the two Dragon Swords. The first is the Dark Dragon Blade, carved out of the bone of the legendary Dark Dragon that betrayed his brethren out of jealousy and thirst for power, joining the Evil Deities. This blade consumes evil, charging as more evil is committed in its vicinity. As a result, the weapon turns its wielder into the devil incarnate. The second sword is the Dragon Sword, carved from the fang of a dragon, and bequeathed the Dragon Lineage from generation to generation, and finally to Ryu Hayabusa; it is the same sword used by Ryu in the NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy.
The story of the Xbox game deviated from the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy by a few small retroactive continuities. This game and its sequels Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
) and Ninja Gaiden 2/Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, also known as Ninja Gaiden Σ 2, is an action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3. It is an enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden II.-Plot:...
(Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
/PS3) serve as prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
s to the original Ninja Gaiden series, both series are connected to the Dead or Alive series. Timeline wise the events the current Ninja Gaiden series happen first, then the NES Ninja Gaiden series, and finally the Dead or Alive series. Ryu was confirmed to return in Ninja Gaiden 3
Ninja Gaiden 3
Ninja Gaiden 3 is an upcoming action-adventure video game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo Koei. It is the sequel to Ninja Gaiden II and will be released in early 2012. It will be the first title in the series not to be directed by franchise mainstay, Tomonobu Itagaki...
, a next game in the second series and the first one since Tomonobu Itagaki
Tomonobu Itagaki
is a Japanese video game designer who created the Dead or Alive fighting game and beach sport simulation series and also revived the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004...
left the Team Ninja. The game is supposed to showcase Ryu's "more human side".
In Ninja Gaiden (1988), his father disappears. Ryu finds a letter from his father, informing that he was on his way to a life or death duel, and instructing that, should he not return, Ryu is to go to the United States and find his friend Walter Smith. During his time in America searching for Smith, Ryu crosses paths with the CIA, in particular with Irene Lew, and is immediately spun into a globe-trotting adventure. He eventually crosses paths with Bloody Malth, the man who defeated Ryu's father. Ryu eventually finds his father then who tries to attack him, being under a spell that Ryu managed to break. However, Ken is killed by Bloody Malth's master, the Jaquio (whom Ryu encountered midway through his adventure). Ryu avenges his father's death by killing Jaquio and also the mighty Demon, one of the original Evil Deities alongside fellow Archfiends. After Ryu vanquished the evil beings, he is to be terminated by Irene Lew on Foster's orders, but she does not comply and Ryu vows to "get Foster" while Ryu and Irene begin a relationship. In Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, it is revealed that Ashtar, Jaquio's master and the Emperor of Darkness, planned to rule the world with the power of the Demon. His plans foiled, Ashtar kidnaps Irene to lure Ryu to his home dimension. Ashtar wields the Dark Sword of Chaos, made from the bone of the Demon at the same time that the Dragon Sword. Ryu eventually confronts and defeats Ashtar, but before he can get Irene to safety, she is captured by Jaquio, who now bears the Dark Sword. Ryu confronts and defeats the Jaquio a second time at an altar made from the Demon's bones. However, the Jaquio's blood flows into the Dark Sword, awakening it. The Jaquio is revived by its power and stabs Irene with the sword. Ryu slays the Jaquio again, but Irene's blood empowers the sword further, and revives the Demon. After Ryu kills the Demon again, the Dark Sword of Chaos shatters, and he carries Irene back to Earth, where she succumbs to her wounds and dies. Crying over her body, Ryu calls on the spirits of his ancestors, saying his victories are meaningless without her. The Dragon Sword then begins to hum and glow, emitting a blue light which flows into Irene, reviving her. The couple then watches the evening sunset (unlike the sunrise in the other two NES Ninja Gaiden games).
In Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Ryu's doppelgänger
Doppelgänger
In fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
supposedly assassinates Irene and frames the original for murder. During his quest to clear his name, Ryu discovers that Irene is really still alive and that his doppelgänger was a BIO-NOID sent by Irene's own boss and former acquaintance of his, Foster. This is followed by an engagement with Ryu's doppelgänger which ended in Ryu's defeat. In their second encounter, Ryu turns the tables, defeating his doppelgänger instead. Foster is then double-crossed by his accomplice, H.P. Clancy, who murders him and reveals the true nature of their location, the Castle Rock Fortress, as an inter-dimensional warship, which he intends to use for global dominance. With both Irene and himself caught up in Clancy's machinations, Ryu is forced to take action. Subsequently, he foils Clancy's plans and flees the crumbling Castle Rock Fortress with Irene. In Ninja Gaiden (1992), Ryu receives a message that the Dragon Ninja clan's village has been brutally massacred. The last survivor of the village tells Ryu with his dying breath that the Sacred Scroll of Bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
, of power so strong that its owner can control the world, has been stolen. As the last ninja of the Dragon Clan, the fate of the world is in its hands, and he must embark on a trip to regain the scroll from the hands of the evil Shogun of Darkness and his minions.
In Ninja Gaiden (2004), the Hayabusa Ninja clan was annihilated including Ryu's childhood friend Kureha, and the Dark Dragon Blade was stolen by the evil Lord of the Greater Fiends Doku and his minions. Though killed by Doku, Ryu is revived by the clan's animal spirit, the falcon, and embarks on a journey in search of the stolen Dark Dragon Blade and avenge his clan's death. As he proceeds, he met the Fiend hunter Rachel, who is in search of her sister Alma. Ryu also came across Alma, who was morphed into a Greater Fiend but eventually saves Rachel from Doku. Eventually, Ryu defeats Doku and his overlord, the supreme evil god Holy Emperor Vigoor, and retrieves the Dark Dragon Blade. In the end, Ryu and Rachel come across the mysterious Dark Disciple, revealed to be Ryu's uncle Murai, who then betrays and challenges him. Despite wielding the evil Dark Dragon Blade, Murai is defeated and Ryu destroys the sword. He then lefts Rachel with no further comment and brings back the Dragon Eye he got from Kureha's grave. The story of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword takes place six months later, beginning as a female ninja named Momiji is kidnapped by the rival Black Spider ninja clan led by Obaba. Ryu sets out to find seven Dark Dragonstones, defeating several bosses along the way. At the climax of the adventure, the former Doku's servant Ishtaros (an Ancient Greater Fiend of Creation, once worshipped as Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
) steals the Dragonstones from Ryu, who is left almost powerless and quickly defeated by Ishtaros. However, when Kureha, Momiji's sister, appears and fuses with Momiji's Dragon Eye, the sword becomes the Dragon Sword once again. After defeating Ishtaros and her sister Nicchae (an Ancient Greater Fiend of Creation, once worshipped as Nike
Nike (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Nike was a goddess who personified victory, also known as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The Roman equivalent was Victoria. Depending upon the time of various myths, she was described as the daughter of Pallas and Styx and the sister of Kratos , Bia , and Zelus...
) in the form of the Dark Dragon, Ryu brings Momiji back home. All of the Hayabusa village mourn at Kureha's grave and Momiji once again starts training with Ryu, hoping to fulfill her promise to her sister to become stronger.
The story of Ninja Gaiden II begins with a CIA agent Sonia asking Muramasa if he knows the whereabouts of Ryu Hayabusa, telling him that she has information concerning the Archfiend Vazdah, the third evil god. Ryu arrives in the nick of time, but is unable to save her and she is kidnapped by the Black Spider clan. He eventually finds her after travelling through the skylines of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, whereby she warns him of the plot of the Greater Fiends to steal the Demon Statue, which is being protected by the Hayabusa ninja village, in order to resurrect the Archfiend. Informed by Sonia, Ryu heads back to the village to see it burning once again. Fighting his way to the Castle of the Dragon where the statue is held, he finds his father, Joe, fighting Genshin, leader of the Black Spider clan. They are unable to stop the statue being stolen by the Queen of the Greater Fiends Elizébet. Ryu follows her trail, defeating the Four Greater Fiends along the way, as well as Genshin who just became a Greater Fiend himself. Ryu is unable to stop the resurrection of the Archfiend Vazdah, created by his High Infernal Priest Dagra Dai, but ultimately destroys Vazdah at Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
. In the aftermath, Ryu reunites with Sonia, and is last seen placing Genshin's sword among many others in a field as a symbol of his grave.
In the Dead or Alive series
Taking place chronologically years after his exploits in the Ninja Gaiden series, he adopts a new, sleeker look. After the events of Ninja Gaiden for NES, as chronicled in the Ninja Gaiden animeAnime
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....
, he moved to America where he married Irene and bought an antique shop he ran with her. His story is fleshed out more, as a new ninja clan is introduced, several other supporting characters, and a new, serpentine plot that he finds himself intertwined in. He has been a participant in every DOA tournament, canonically winning the second tournament by killing Tengu. His friends have also claimed the other contests, except Dead or Alive 4
Dead or Alive 4
Dead or Alive 4 has received generally positive reviews. IGN gave the game 9.0/10, calling it "a move in the right direction for the series", and praised the fighting system as "deeper and more sophisticated". GameSpot awarded the game a score of 8.8/10, with one of its only negative comments going...
.
In Dead or Alive, Ryu joins the first DOA Tournament looking for the disappeared Kasumi. In Dead or Alive 2
Dead or Alive 2
Dead or Alive 2 is a fighting game in the Dead or Alive series. It debuted in arcades in October 1999 and was released on February 29, 2000 for the Dreamcast....
, Ryu joined the second tournament because he was informed by his own clan that a creature from another dimension named Tengu joined it to create chaos in the world. Eventually, Ryu came across his lost friend Hayate (as Ein and was still suffering from a memory loss) and defeated him, restoring his memory. Ryu then defeated Tengu to save the world from his evil plot and effectively won the second tournament, although it was Kasumi who defeated her clone.
In Dead or Alive 3
Dead or Alive 3
Dead or Alive 3 is a fighting game in the Dead or Alive series. It was released exclusively on the Xbox as a launch title.-Gameplay:...
, Hayabusa faces off against Hayate, who has became the 18th leader of the Mugen Tenshin ninja clan after recovering from a memory loss. In his ending cutscene, Ryu receives a mysterious letter from an unknown ninja while he's fishing near the river. In the next game, Ryu joins Hayate, Kasumi and Ayane to stop DOATEC. He and Ayane come across with Christie who is trying to stop the ninja from destroying the DOATEC Tritower. In his ending, Ryu destroys three DOATEC special helicopters before disappearing into the night. In Helena's ending he destroys a single helicopter, showing a man trapped inside the aircraft who could have been Donovan.
In other media
Ryu, voiced by Keiichi NanbaKeiichi Nanba
is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Aoni Production. He is married to fellow voice actress Mayumi Shō.-Anime:* Sailor Moon series as Gurio Umino, Zoisite, Alan* Trigun as Hoppered the Gauntlet-Tokusatsu:...
, is the main character in the 1991 OVA
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...
film Ninja Ryūkenden, released in Japan only. Ryu Hayabusa has a unique look in the animation.
In DOA: Dead or Alive
DOA: Dead or Alive
DOA: Dead or Alive is a 2006 ensemble martial arts film loosely based on the Tecmo/Team Ninja fighting game series of the same name. Directed by Corey Yuen and written by J. F. Lawton, Adam and Seth Gross....
, the 2006 live-action adaptation of Dead or Alive, Ryu was portrayed by Kane Kosugi
Kane Kosugi
born in Los Angeles, California is a American martial artist and martial arts actor. He is the son of martial arts star Sho Kosugi. In Japan, Kosugi is considered gaijin tarento due to his Nisei heritage....
.
Ryu, along with Ayane and Momiji, makes an unplayable guest appearance
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
in Koei's video game Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, originally released in Japan as , is a video game for the PlayStation Portable. It is based on Dynasty Warriors 6. It was released in Spring 2009 for North America and Europe. A console release of the game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was released in Japan on...
, in commemoration of the 2009 merger between Koei and Tecmo. In 2010 GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
ranked their guest appearance in DW: Strikeforce as #49 on their list of 55 "awesome character cameos".
"Hayabusa Ninja" is an alternative costume for the character Max in Super Swing Golf: Season 2
Super Swing Golf: Season 2
Super Swing Golf Season 2 is a golf game developed and published by Tecmo for the Wii. It was released in the North America on December 11, 2007...
. An armor similar to Ryu Hayabusa's outfit also makes a cameo in the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
, as an unlockable armor set called Hayabusa (for the player to obtain the chest, shoulder, and helmet pieces of the armor they must collect all hidden skulls in campaign mode). Additionally, a Halo 3 player is awarded an in-game (unusable) replica of Ryu's Dragon Sword if gets the gamerscore of 1000.
Gameplay
According to GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, Ryu, "as the world's most super ninja, is indeed a master of the devious arts" in DOA4, and "while some of his moves are difficult, the bulk of them are actually fairly easy to pull off, and he's quite fast to boot, making him an excellent choice of character for new players."
Merchandise
A Ninja Gaiden II statue of Ryu was released by First 4 Figures in 2008. A NGII action figure from NECANational Entertainment Collectibles Association
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association or NECA is an American manufacturer of collectibles typically licensed from films, video-games, sports, music, and television based in New Jersey...
was also released the same year.
Reception
Ryu Hayabusa has been an extremely popular character, especially among similar ninja-type characters. He was often ranked as the number one video game ninja character ever by various publications, including on the lists compiled by CrunchGear (in 2008), Unreality (in 2009), PC WorldPC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
and ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
(both in 2010), and machinima.com
Machinima.com
Machinima.com is a gaming and media streaming website, that aims to be a hub for machinima, the art of creating animated videos in real-time virtual 3-D environments. The site features machinima-related articles, and news. Machinima productions can be submitted for possible redistribution after...
(in 2011); PC World also commented that Ryu "has the most fearsome arsenal of weapons we’ve ever seen in a video game".
In addition, he was featured by Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
on the list of top ten video game ninja heroes in all media, as well as quite unusually ranked as second on list of top ten gaming ninja characters by 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
in 2004. In 2008, when readers of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
voted on which of the two ninja would win in a "Hero Showdown" between him and Joe Musashi
Joe Musashi
is a player character and main hero in Sega's Shinobi series of video games, first introduced in 1987.-Character design:When debuting in the Shinobi series, Musashi was designed with an outfit that would be described by IGN as "thoroughly traditional", whereas Sega would coordinate later characters...
of Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Shinobi series, Ryu won with 82% of the votes. That same year, the staff of GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
included him among the top video game assassins in the category "ninja" even as they have "never known Ryu to specifically take on assassination jobs". In 2010, Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed Ryu as one of the best ninja characters on Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
consoles, previously also having him nominated for their Nintendo Power Awards '89 and '91 in the category Best Character (Best Hero). He was also featured among the top ten ninjas for PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
consoles by PLAY in 2011.
In 2008, The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
ranked him as tenth best Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
character of all time, while IGN included him on the list of characters that should be included in a hypothetical ultimate fighting game as "few videogame heroes make killing look easier or more stylish than Ryu Hayabusa" and "all other ninja seem lame by comparison". In 2009, GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
featured Ryu in their poll for the Greatest Game Hero, in which he has won against The Nameless One
The Nameless One
"The Nameless One" is a fictional character from the Black Isle Studios computer role-playing game, Planescape: Torment and is the main protagonist of the story. The character was voiced by Michael T. Weiss and created by game designer Chris Avellone...
(Planescape:Torment) and Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet, commonly abbreviated LBP, is a puzzle platformer video game, based on user-generated content, for the PlayStation 3 first announced on 7 March 2007, by Phil Harrison at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California...
), but ultimately lost to Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem (character)
Duke Nukem is a fictional character and action hero who has been the protagonist in over a dozen video games.The character first appeared in the 1991 video game Duke Nukem developed by Apogee Software...
. That same year, GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
listed the "badass ninja" in their top 25 video game archetypes, using Ryu as an example, and featured him among the "gaming's greatest patriots" of Japan. In 2010, readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
voted Ryu into 30th place in a poll for the best video game character of all time. Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
also included him on their list of the 50 greatest video game characters, adding: "This is a man not to be messed with, and his honour, grace, and iconic image as the superlative gaming ninja, he'll never be forgotten."