Ryu Hayabusa

General CVG character
name=Ryu Hayabusa


caption=Ryu Hayabusa, as seen in "Ninja Gaiden"
series="Ninja Gaiden" series, "Dead or Alive" series
firstgame="Ninja Gaiden"
voiceactor=Justin Gross (NG), Josh Keaton (NG II)
japanactor=Hideyuki Hori, Keiichi Nanba (anime)
inuniverse=Fighting game character
nationality = flagicon|Japan Japan
bloodtype= A
occupation = Curio shop owner, Dragon Ninja
fightingstyle= Hayabusa style Ninjutsu

nihongo|Ryu Hayabusa|リュウ・ハヤブサ|Ryū Hayabusa is the protagonist and the player character of the Ninja Gaiden series

Personality

Ryu has the demeanor and wisdom of a man far older than himself, due to his prolific lineage and mantle of station as a respected ninja. His exploits have given him an attitude far removed from most others, and he understands things in more abstract and philosophical terms. Much like Gen Fu and Eliot, he adopts a tranquil nature, much akin to water; free flowing most of the time, but unforgiving and crushing when roused. Through the Dead or Alive tournament, he has extricated himself from many of the subplots involving other characters, concentrating instead purely on the larger goals that present themselves.

He is Hayate's best friend and an ally of Kasumi and Ayane. He and his ninja brethren have been direct players in the defeat of every major threat in the D.O.A. tournaments, himself defeating the rogue Tengu in single combat during the second tournament. Ryu has befriended several people from the DOA tournaments, notably Jann Lee, with whom he shares a mutual respect.

In Ninja Gaiden, Ryu is acquainted with female protagonists like Rachel and Irene. On the other hand, Ryu has been betrayed by some of his allies such as Foster (NG III: The Ancient Ship of Doom) and Murai (NG Xbox).

Game history

Ryu first appeared in the "Ninja Gaiden" beat 'em up arcade game in 1988. In that same year, "Ninja Gaiden" was released on the NES (Famicom, in Japan) and the Sega Master System, though these versions, being more centered around platformer-style gameplay, bore little resemblance to the original arcade game. Two NES sequels, ' and ', followed in 1990 and 1991 to complete the trilogy. Also in 1991, "Ninja Gaiden Shadow" was released on the Game Boy. Ryu's next few appearances were as a playable fighter in the "Dead or Alive" series, which saw releases on the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 platforms, as well as in arcades.

There is no story to the original arcade version of "Ninja Gaiden", except that Ryu and an unnamed red ninja sidekick who serves as the second player were beating up their 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. Players are left to guess as the story progresses throughout the game, as the young Hayabusa goes on his quest for revenge and to uncover the truth behind his father's disappearance. 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.

Eventually, Ryu moved from "Ninja Gaiden" to Tecmo's "Dead or Alive" series. Taking place chronologically years after his exploits in the Ninja Gaiden series, he adopts a new, sleeker look. 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 cohorts have claimed the other contests.

Finally, after the long wait, Ryu returned to Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox, in a 3D action game with new and original gameplay. The prologue explains the Mythos of the Dragon Lineage who sided with the Dragons against the Evil Deities and the Tribes, and how they slew the Dark Dragon. The Dragons are described as god-like, benevolent creatures with metallic bones, teeth and claws, created by 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 the 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 Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) deviated from the original NES "Ninja Gaiden" Trilogy by a few small retroactive continuities. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) and it's sequels Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and Ninja Gaiden 2 serve as prequels to the NES 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. [cite news
last = Mielke
first = James
title = Previews: Ninja Gaiden 2
publisher = 1Up
date = 2007-11-16
url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=1&cId=3164447
accessdate = 2008-07-04 Tomonobu Itagaki: "This is a new story starring Ryu Hayabusa. It takes place after Ninja Gaiden 1 for Xbox, and before the timeframe of the old Ninja Gaiden games on the NES."]

Ninja Gaiden

Before Ninja Gaiden

Ryu bears the name 'Hayabusa' when he graduated the Hayabusa School. He's the son of Joe Hayabusa and he's a member of his father's clan called the Hayabusa Ninja Clan. His mother was neither mentioned nor seen in any NG games. He has mastered everything he learned from his school, much to the delight of his father. He has earned the title 'Super Ninja'.

=Ninja Gaiden (NES)=

Ryu received a letter from his father, Joe Hayabusa, that said he had a duel to the death with another ninja. Ryu then prepared a keepsake sword he'd gotten from his father, the Dragon Sword, and went in search of his father. During his adventure, he met up with Irene Lew and faced the man who dueled his father, Bloody Malth, before being reunited with his father. However, Joe was killed by Bloody Malth's master, the Jaquio. Ryu avenged his father's death by killing Jaquio and also the Demon god.

=

Ashtar, Jaquio's master and the Emperor of Darkness, had planned to rule the world with the power of the Demon. With the Demon dead, 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 was forged from the Fang of the Dragon. 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 powerFact|date=August 2008, and stabs Irene with the swordFact|date=August 2008. Ryu slays the Jaquio again, but Irene's blood empowers the sword further, and revives the Demon. Ryu fights the Demon again in a battle similar to the one in Ninja Gaiden. 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).

A Ryu doppelgänger assassinates Irene and frames the original for murder. During his quest to clear his name, Ryu discovers that Irene is still alive and that his doppelgänger was a BIO-NOID sent by Irene's own boss and former acquaintance of his, Foster. This was followed by an engagement with Ryu's doppelgänger which ended in Ryu's defeat. But in their second encounter, Ryu turns the tables, defeating his doppelgänger instead. But in a shocking turn-of-events, Foster is double-crossed by his accomplice, Clancy, who murders him. Clancy 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, Ryu foils Clancy's plans and flees the crumbling Castle Rock Fortress with Irene.

Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)

The Hayabusa Ninja Clan was annihilated including Ryu's childhood friend Kureha, and the Dark Dragon Blade was stolen by the evil black samurai Doku, the Lord of the Greater Fiends, and his minions. Though killed by Doku, Ryu was revived by the clan's animal spirit, the falcon and goes on a journey in search of the stolen Dark Dragon Blade and avenge his clan's death. As he proceeded, he met the Fiend Hunter Rachel, who was in search of her sister. He was observed by Gamov and a mysterious associate of his, known only as the Dark Disciple. Ryu also came across Rachel's twin sister Alma, who was morphed into a Fiend. Eventually, Alma saved Rachel from Doku and Doku was defeated by Hayabusa. Ryu defeated the Vigoor Emperor and the Fiends and retrieved the evil blade. Ryu and Rachel came across two "observers" but Gamov was betrayed and killed by his own associate who was wielding the Dark Dragon Blade. The Dark Disciple was later revealed to be an ally of Ryu, Murai. Murai then betrayed him and challenged him. Despite wielding the evil blade, Murai was defeated and Ryu destroyed the sword. He then left Rachel with no further comment and brought back the Dragon Eye he got from Kureha's grave.

The story of Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword takes place six months after the events of Ninja Gaiden (Xbox). A female ninja named Momiji makes her first appearance in the Ninja Gaiden series. The story begins as Momiji is kidnapped by the Black Spider clan led by Obaba, an elderly woman. Ryu sets out to find seven Dark Dragonstones, defeating several bosses along the way. At the climax of the adventure, Ishtaros, (an ancient Fiend, who is said to have ruled over the land along with her sister, Nicchae) steals the dragonstones from Ryu, making her stronger, and making Ryu's sword weak and useless. Ryu is quickly defeated by Ishtaros, but when Kureha, Momiji's sister, appears and fuses with Momiji's Dragon Eye, the Dragon sword becomes the True Dragon Sword once again. Once Ryu defeats Ishtaros, he must meet with Muramusa (the old man who sells wares to people in Hayabusa Village) then, after defeating the rest of the Black Spider ninja's, he meets up with Nicchae, who tried to fuse Ishtaros together with the dragonstones. The process goes awry, and after Ryu fights with Nicchae, she accepts her fate and is drawn into the cocoon with her sister, warning Ryu of what is yet to come, something she even fears. With this, Ryu must fight the final boss in the game, a dragon which emerged from Ishtaros' cocoon. When Ryu defeats the dragon, he 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.

Ninja Gaiden II (Xbox 360)

The story begins with Sonia, a CIA agent, asking Muramasa if he knows the whereabouts of Ryu Hayabusa, telling him that she has information concerning the Archfiend. Before long, the store is attacked by the Black Spider Clan. Ryu arrives in the nick of time, but is unable to save her and she is kidnapped. 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.

The Hayabusa Ninja Clan, who protect the Demon Statue, are now in grave danger. 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 Elizébet - one of the greater fiends - and so Ryu follows her trail in the hope of retrieving the statue. Defeating all four greater fiends along the way and later Genshin, Ryu is unable to stop the resurrection of the Archfiend. However, he ultimately destroys it before it can escape. 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.

=Dead or Alive=

Before Dead or Alive

Ryu had some adventures with his love interest Irene Lew and is a member of his father's clan, the Hayabusa Ninja Clan. He's also best friends with the Mugen Tenshin ninja Hayate and became acquainted with his friend's clan. He's also acquainted with Hayate's sister Kasumi and half-sister Ayane. After the events of Ninja Gaiden for NES, as chronicled in the Ninja Gaiden OVA, he moved to America where he married Irene and bought an antique shop he ran with her.

Dead or Alive

One day, Ryu heard that Kasumi's brother Hayate disappeared. He also heard that she joined the DOA Tournament so he joined the tournament as well.

Dead or Alive 2

Ryu joined the 2nd DOA Tournament because he was informed by his own clan that a creature from another dimension named Tengu joined the tournament 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 won the second tournament.

Dead or Alive 3

Genra was captured by DOATEC and became a superhuman known as "Omega." In the tournament, Hayabusa faces off against Hayate, who became the 18th leader of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan after recovering from a memory loss. In his CG ending, he receives a letter from an unknown ninja while he's fishing near the river. It is not known what is said on this letter but it might have something to do with the plans to attack DOATEC in DOA4 from Ayane and Hayate, whom would need his assistance.

Dead or Alive 4

Ryu joins Hayate, Kasumi and Ayane to stop DOATEC. Ryu and Ayane come across with Christie, who is trying to stop the ninjas from destroying the DOATEC Tritower. In his CG ending, He destroys three DOATEC special aircraft, first by making it self destruct, second by a slash of his sword into two and the last with a ninpo attack (possibly the Art of the Piercing Void) he produced from his palms before disappearing into the night. He produces another ninpo attack in Helena's CG ending onto a single chopper to destroy it, showing a man trapped inside the aircraft who could have been Donovan.

Moreover, Ryu appears in Kasumi's and Ayane's DOA4 story mode but not as an opponent. He's an opponent in Jann Lee's and Christie's DOA4 story mode (in Christie's story mode, she faces either Ryu or Ayane randomly).

In other media

"Ninja Ryūkenden" OVA

Ryu (voiced by Keiichi Nanba) is the main character in the 1991 OVA version "Ninja Ryūkenden", released in Japan only by Pack-In Video. His character in the anime does not wear a ninja-mask, but wears a bandanna instead.

"Dead or Alive" film

He is portrayed by Kane Kosugi in where he performs a role similar to the games. He is shown as faithful friend to Kasumi and Hayate. His fights are against Eliot, and Bayman, both of whom are defeated. He is the only male character who makes it to the semi-finals (the others are Kasumi, Tina Armstrong and Christie).

References

External links

* [http://www.tecmoinc.com Tecmo]