Be the Hero: Ryu Hayabusa

By Luke Judge

Super-ninja Ryu Hayabusa has set the standard for what martial-arts-stealth agents can accomplish. As the star of both theNinja Gaiden® andDead or Alive® series, Ryu has been kicking some serious tail for the better part of two decades.

Though his personal life is largely a mystery, Ryu is known as a superior martial artist, with catlike grace and balance, who fights equally well with or without weapons. He was trained by the ninja Dragon Clan and eventually earned the right to be its fighting champion. He has been an active participant in the Dead or Alive tournaments over the years, winning Dead or Alive® 2 (at least in the official recap). When his clan is attacked and its ancestral sword is stolen in Ninja Gaiden, Ryu sets out to reclaim it … and deliver some payback.

Dragon Clan champion.

Ryu can do all the things most video ninjas can do. He’s fast, good with a sword, and acrobatic enough to run up or along walls. What sets Hayabusa apart from the rest of the black pajama crowd is the sheer scope of his abilities and how seamlessly they translate into on-screen action. Take wall runs, for example. These days, everyone from the Prince of Persia to I-Ninja can do wall runs, but nobody does it better than Ryu. InNinja Gaiden, you just have to run at the wall and jump; it’s that simple. Once you’re on the wall, Ryu can turn corners, flip off the wall to attack his enemies from above, or even jump to another wall to stay above it all.

Ryu’s style of combat takes full advantage of his acrobatic skills, making extensive use of blocks, dodges, and rolls to stay alive against the huge numbers of (or just plain huge) foes he faces. By staying away from them (or staying on defense), Ryu waits for the moment when his blows will do the most damage. Playing as Ryu teaches you the patience of a ninja and the value of planning your attack—pure brute force is rarely the way to win for this night tiger.

A storm of sharp steel.

Even with sword (or Vigoorian Flails) in hand, Ryu relies on his clan’s special style of hand-to-hand combat. There’s a reason Ryu has been included in all those fighting games, after all. He’s a great fighter, no matter what genre he’s in. InNinja Gaiden, he smoothly alternates between punches, kicks, and sword strikes via the same attack buttons, depending on what buttons you press where you foes are on screen. Killer moves like the Guillotine Throw (leap over a foe, grab him by the head, and tosses ‘em across the room) or the Izuna Drop (juggle a foe, grab them in mid-air, and deliver a head-first pile-driver) made the transition from Dead or Alive toNinja Gaiden, much to fighting fans’ delight. It’s worth mastering all of Ryu’s combos just for the sheer visual pleasure of seeing them in action.

Ninja magic.

Ryu has many weapons to choose from, but one of the most potent is his Ninpo magic. The Art of the Inferno shoots a cannonball of fire at enemies in front of Ryu, the Art of the Ice Storm surrounds him with a tornado of slashing crystals, and the Art of the Inazuma creates an electrical field that fries anyone standing nearby. Even when he can’t outfight or outmaneuver an enemy, Ryu still has what it takes to win. Plus, he’s invulnerable while the spell is being cast, which can often make the difference between victory and a dead ninja.

Ninja Gaiden is a huge, sprawling adventure in which Ryu must face countless challenges. Thankfully, Hayabusa has been training all his life for such missions, and if you’re ready for action, he’s ready to serve it up.

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