Details
Ryuga (リュウガ) is the successor of Taizan Tenrōken and the central antagonist of the arc that bears his name, situated between the Yuda arc and the Nanto Goshasei arc. A lieutenant of Raoh, he represents the star Tenrō, the solitary Celestial Wolf: a star independent of both the Hokuto and Nanto constellations. A late revelation in the story, Ryuga is in fact the biological older brother of Yuria and the older half-brother of Jūza, making Kenshiro his brother-in-law. His design is directly inspired by British singer and actor David Bowie.
Ryuga is represented by the star Tenrō (天狼, Sirius), nicknamed the solitary Celestial Wolf for its singular brilliance and its independence from the two major constellations of the series. His school, the Taizan Tenrōken (泰山天狼拳, Poing du Loup Céleste du Mont Tai), belongs to neither Hokuto nor Nanto and thus constitutes a unique case in Hokuto no Ken. The style is distinguished by extreme speed and slashing strikes that cut through the opponent's flesh, causing an intense sensation of cold before death, as exemplified by his signature technique Tenrō Tōga Ken (天狼凍牙拳, Poing du Croc Glaçant du Loup Céleste). Ryuga frequently adopts wolf-like stances during his attacks.
Convinced that only a conqueror with absolute strength can impose order in a post-apocalyptic world given over to chaos, Ryuga rallies to the empire of Raoh, becoming one of his chief lieutenants. During Ken-Oh's convalescence after his first confrontation with Kenshiro, it is Ryuga who watches over the kingdom. But encountering the compassionate philosophy of Kenshiro, the successor of Hokuto Shinken who places the protection of the weak above conquest, gives rise in him to a fundamental doubt about the path he has chosen.
To settle this doubt, Ryuga decides to put Kenshiro to the test in the most brutal way possible. He unleashes a wave of massacres across several villages in Raoh's name, then assaults the refuge of Toki, already dying from the effects of radiation. He wounds the eldest of the Hokuto brothers, holds him prisoner in his castle, and uses him as bait to lure Kenshiro to him. This entire setup is designed to receive the fist of the man he senses is the true answer to the chaos: if Kenshiro defeats him, Ryuga will have his answer.
Even before Kenshiro crossed the gates of his castle, Ryuga had already performed a kagebara, a hidden disembowelment intended to atone for his crimes in advance, regardless of the outcome of the duel. He nevertheless fought with all his strength against Kenshiro, unleashing the full power of the Taizan Tenrōken, but the successor of Hokuto Shinken ultimately prevailed by channeling the weight of the sadness and anger he carried within him, which helped awaken in him the first signs of the Musō Tensei.
Defeated, Ryuga then revealed the truth to Kenshiro: he was the elder brother of Yuria, whom he believed to be dead. He ended his life by declaring the successor of Hokuto Shinken, and not Raoh, as the man who would save the world. His death marked a major turning point in the saga and paved the way for the appearance of the Last General of Nanto.
Ryuga appears in the original manga as well as in the 1984 anime series, where he is voiced by Hideyuki Hori. His role was subsequently reprised in several installments of the metaseries: Daisuke Sakaguchi in Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu : Yuria Den, and Daisuke Matsubara in Raoh Den : Gekitō no Shō.
Articles related to Ryūga
Sega has announced the return of Ryūga in his “The Celestial Wolf Who Judged His Era” (時代を見定めし天狼) variant in the…
Continuing our coverage of the parody manga Hokuto no Ken – Seikimatsu Drama Satsuei-den: the official site Comic…
The parody manga Hokuto no Ken – Seikimatsu Drama Satsuei-den (Fist of the North Star: Post-Apocalyptic…
