Dragon Shiryu

Infobox animanga character
name = Dragon Shiryu
series = Saint Seiya


caption = Dragon Shiryu by Masami Kurumada
first = Saint Seiya manga chapter 4
Saint Seiya anime episode 1 (briefly)
Saint Seiya anime episode 2 (fully)
creator = Masami Kurumada
voiced by = Hirotaka Suzuoki
Chiyoko Kawashima
Takahiro Sakurai
age = 14cite book |title= Saint Seiya, Volume 13|year=2006|last= Kurumada |first= Masami |publisher= Viz Media |page=179|isbn= 1-4215-0236-4 ]
born = October 4
nationality = Japanese
class = Athena Draco (Dragon) Bronze Saint
paux4 = China (Lushan)
paux4 name = Trainingnihongo|Dragon Shiryu|龍星座の紫龍|Doragon no Shiryū|"shiryū" meaning "violet dragon", also known as Shiryu 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 soundtracks, OVAs, movies, video games, and other collectibles. He is considered the most matured of the five heroes, and thus the wisest. As the Bronze Saint of the Dragon constellation, Shiryu 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 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 Shiryu's appearance very similar to Eidou Jun, a character in the successful Ring ni Kakero, a manga that Kurumada wrote and drew years before Saint Seiya, and that he considers his favorite creation. Also, Shiryu's appearance is almost identical to Azusa Ranmaru, from the work Kurumada authored before Saint Seiya, Otoko Zaka.Fact|date=January 2008

Character Outline

The Saint of Dragon

Out of all five main characters, Shiryu is known as the calmest and most collected. His sheer physical strength is the greatest of the Bronze Saints, with perhaps the exception of Phoenix Ikki. This is reflected in his ability to have won numerous battles without his Dragon Cloth. Shiryu trained at the Five Old Peaks in China to obtain the Bronze Cloth of the Dragon constellation, and his mentor was none other than senior Gold Saint, Libra Dohko.

Shiryu sports a large tattoo-like image of a green and white dragon on his back (however it is said in the manga and the anime that it is not a tattoo but is connected to his guardian dragon star and only appears as his Cosmo is rising). Whenever his life is in danger, the tattoo-like image begins to fade away -- once it completely vanishes, it is a sign that Shiryu's Cosmo is nearing zero -- as in death.

Power and abilities

During his training in Rozan, Shiryu awoke his Cosmo and learned many fighting styles and fundamental wisdom for life, from Libra Dohko. During the Sanctuary Arc, Shiryu awakes the 7th sense in his fight against Cancer Deathmask and later he awoke the 8th sense during the Hades Arc.

His signature technique is nihongo|Rozan Rising Dragon Force|廬山昇龍覇|Rozanshōryūha. It is a blow that usually knocks the opponent soaring into the air as an image of a dragon devours him. The power of the Rozan Rising Dragon Force can vary from capable to explosively powerful, depending on Shiryu's Cosmo level at the time of execution. Unlike the favorite techniques of the other Bronze Saints, however, Shiryu'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 Seiya and Gold Saint Capricorn Shura.

Other attacks in his arsenal include nihongo|Rozan Dragon Flight|廬山龍飛翔|Rozanryūhishō, a straight-to-the-point, jumping attack where Shiryu charges through his opponents with a single fist and nihongo|Dragon's Kick|ドラゴンの蹴り|Doragon no Keri, that Shiryu has, to date, used only once, against Cancer Deathmask, in vol. 8 of the manga, and therefore, in episode 39 of the anime adaptation. Shiryu leapt high into the air and dived toward his opponent with a sharp kick to the head. Also, although he has only used it once to date, among his defensive techniques, Shiryu counts the fabled nihongo|Catch of a real sword's blade|真剣白刃取り|Shinken Shiraha Dori; the traditional technique used in Japanese Kenjutsu to repel an opponent's sword when unarmed, Shiryu used it to stop Capricorn Shura's attacks as his fists and legs were similar to a razor-sharp blade.

During the Hades Arc Shiryu learns the nihongo|Rozan One Hundred Dragons Force|廬山百龍覇|Rozanhyakuryūha. Shiryu learned it from watching his master's battle (although being blind in that moment). It is a technique that appears to be a 100x of the Rozan Rising Dragon Force or the Rozan Dragon Flight -- Shiryu's Cosmo erupts at its maximum, and he ploughs through the enemy with both arms and palms extended. 100 dragons march in the sky as the enemies are destroyed by this energy-based offensive attack.

The final move that Shiryu uses when all else fails is nihongo|Rozan Enraged Dragon Force|廬山亢龍覇|Rozankōryūha. 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, Shiryu will continue to soar into the air and eventually into space -- killing both himself and his enemy. The Rozan Enraged Dragon Force is something that Dohko had strongly discouraged Shiryu from using, even going as far as putting a ban on its use.

After defeating Capricorn Shura, Shiryu is entrusted with the Gold Saint's legendary technique nihongo|Excalibur|聖剣|ekusukaribā. It is not a physical sword, but a deadly Cosmo precision focused on Shiryu's right arm. Although Shiryu's version of the sword was not as defined as Shura's (Shiryu'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 during the Poseidon Chapter.

Constellation and cloth

The Bronze Cloth of Dragon is legendary for its large shield on the 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 had spent the last 200 years bathed under the mineral-rich waterfall of the Rozan mountains, which made it harder than diamonds, and that's the origin of its nickname "The strongest Fist and Shield".

Seiya manages to destroy the Shield by tricking Shiryu into hitting his own shield. Shiryu'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 anime, along with the same repairs from the manga, the Cloth went through three different designs. Changes:

Due to having reformed from using a Gold Saint's blood, the third version of the Dragon Cloth (second in the anime) can suddenly become golden with power whenever Shiryu uses his Cosmosto the maximum. At that point, Shiryu has awoken his 7th sense, and is as powerful as a Gold Saint momentarily (however, in the battle with Chrysaor Krishna, he comments that even with the golden Dragon Cloth, Shiryu's power level is still that of a Bronze Saint, and continues to overpower Shiryu 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 stress, the main five Bronze Saints will be allowed to wear Gold Cloths for a temporary amount of time. In the Sanctuary arc, Shiryu showcased the 12 weapons of the Libra Gold Cloth when he, Seiya, and Shun needed help in freeing Hyoga from the Aquarius Saint's ice coffin. This was the first time Shiryu 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, Shiryu is given the Libra Cloth to aid his friends.

Appearances in other media

* Dragon Shiryu makes a cameo appearance in the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! duel monsters episode nº 54

Reception

In Japan, Shiryu is the most popular character in Saint Seiya ranking in 1st in the main characters poll of the five Bronze Saints. [cite book |title= Saint Seiya, Volume 3|year=2004|last= Kurumada |first= Masami |publisher= Viz Media |chapter=Popularity polls|isbn= 1-59116-299-8 ]

Notes

*In Kurumada's canon, the zodiacal sign of a Gold Cloth bearer must match the sign his Cloth represents. The Capricorn Gold Cloth protected Shiryu despite his zodiacal sign is Libra, as it recognized him as a true Saint who fought to protect Athena and the peace of Earth.

*Dragon Shiryu is the only Saint who has been granted the honor of donning two Gold Cloths in different occasions: the Libra Gold Cloth and the Capricorn Gold Cloth.

References