Dragon Shiryū

This article is about the fictional character. For the professional wrestler Shiryu, see Kaz Hayashi.

Dragon Shiryū
Saint Seiya character
Dragon Shiryū, as seen in the Hades chapter OVAs
First appearance	Manga vol. 1, chapter 4 Anime episode 1 (briefly) episode 2 (fully)
Created by	Masami Kurumada
Voiced by	Japanese Hirotaka Suzuoki Chiyoko Kawashima Takahiro Sakurai English Jay Hickman

Dragon Shiryū (龍星座の紫龍, Doragon no Shiryū, Shiryū meaning violet dragon) is a fictional character from the Saint Seiya universe created by Masami Kurumada. As one of the protagonists of this media franchise, he has made appearances in the several manga, the original anime adaptation, OVAs, films and video games. He has also inspired a large amount of collectibles. Considered the most mature and wisest of the five heroes, Shiryū is the Bronze Saint of the Dragon constellation, whose Cloth possesses legendary defensive and offensive properties.

Concept and creation

As Masami Kurumada subscribes to Osamu Tezuka's Star System technique, consisting of maintaining a stable cast of characters who play a different or similar role in the author's various works, he designed Shiryū's appearance very similarly to that of Eidō Jun, a character from Ring ni Kakero, a manga which Kurumada wrote and drew years before Saint Seiya and that he considers his favorite creation, and to that of Azusa Ranmaru, from Otoko Zaka.^{[citation needed]}

Character outline

Out of the five main characters from Saint Seiya, Shiryū is the calmest and most collected. He greatly respects his master Libra Dohko, from whom he learned not only how to use his Cosmo to fight, but also fundamental wisdom for life. He trained at Rozan for six years under his tutelage, during which time he befriended the old master's protegé Shunrei.

In addition to possessing great physical strength, Shiryū owns one of the most durable Bronze Cloths. Having spent the last two and a half centuries under the mineral-rich waterfall of Rozan, it is harder than diamonds. It is also legendary for the shield on its left arm and its right gauntlet, endowed with powerful piercing capabilities, which have earned the Cloth its nickname as "the strongest fist and shield". In times of extreme need, the five main Bronze Saints are also allowed to temporarily wear Gold Cloths. In the Sanctuary arc, Shiryū used the weapons of the Libra Gold Cloth to free Cygnus Hyōga from Aquarius Camus's ice coffin. In the two battles against Poseidon and Thanatos, he wore the Libra Cloth.

Shiryū has mastered the following techniques:

• Rozan's Rising Dragon Force (Rozan Shōryūha). His signature technique, with which he can punch or kick an enemy by concentrating his Cosmo. It has one weakness, as while performing the move Shiryū drops his guard for a millisecond and leaves his heart exposed. Only three people in the series have noted this: his master Libra Dohko, Pegasus Seiya and Capricorn Shura.
• Rozan's Dragon Flight (Rozan Ryūhishō). Using his whole body, he advances on the enemy as if flying. Used against the Saint corpses at Jamir, Chrysaor Krishna and Basilisk Sylphid.
• Dragon's Kick (Dragon no Ken). Shiryū leaps and delivers a powerful kick to his enemy. Used only on Cancer Deathmask.
• Rozan's One Hundred Dragons Force (Rozan Hyakuryūha). Shiryū's Cosmo flares to the maximum, emitting a devastating, virtually unstoppable burst. One hundred dragons made out of Cosmo march in the sky as enemies are obliterated.
• Rozan's Enraged Dragon Force (Rozan Kōryūha). A suicidal technique that sends Shiryū and his enemy soaring into space, killing both. Dohko had strongly discouraged Shiryū from using it, banning its use.
• Excalibur. Inherited from Capricorn Shura, who gave Shiryū this power when he realized Shiryū should live and continue to fight for Athena, it is a deadly Cosmo attack that gives Shiryū's right arm the cutting power of a sword. It was used to cut the golden spear and armor of Chrysaor Krishna during the Poseidon arc.

Shiryū sports the image of a green and white dragon on his back which is connected to his guardian constellation and only appears as his Cosmo is rising. Whenever his life is in danger, the image begins to fade. Once it completely vanishes, it is a sign that Shiryū's Cosmo has reached zero and he is dead.

Appearances

In Saint Seiya

Six years after the Graude Foundation sends Shiryū to train at Rozan's Five Old Peaks (廬山五老峰, Rozan Gorōhō) in China, he obtains the Bronze Cloth of the Dragon constellation from Libra Dohko. He then returns to Japan to participate in the Galaxian Wars tournament. When Phoenix Ikki steals the Gold Cloth, Shiryū becomes involved in the battles to recover it from the Black Saints and eventually discovers that Saori Kido is the Goddess Athena whom he swore to protect. In the following battles against the Silver Saints, Shiryū is forced to blind himself to achieve victory against Perseus Algol. His injury does not keep him from battle and he joins his fellow Bronze Saints as they go to Sanctuary to depose the false Pope, Gemini Saga. He recovers his sight upon awakening his seventh sense in the fight against Cancer Deathmask.

In the Poseidon arc, he confronts the General Chrysaor Krishna. Having been repaired with the blood of the Gold Saints after the battles of the Twelve Temples, the Dragon Cloth becomes golden whenever Shiryū uses his Cosmo to the maximum and awakens his seventh sense. However, even that added protection is unable to keep Shiryū from losing his eyesight a second time to Krishna's overwhelming attacks. In the end, he manages to cutting through the General's chakras and defeat him. He then destroys the Pillar guarded by Krishna and joins Seiya to free Athena and reseal Poseidon.

Shiryū defeats several Specters during the Hades arc. He awakens his eighth sense and his Cloth is endowed with the power of Athena's divine blood by Aries Shion, which enables him to travel to Elysion and deliver Athena's divine Cloth to her. After a confrontation with the twin gods Hypnos and Thanatos, he awakens the Dragon God Cloth and successfully helps Athena defeat Hades.

Reception

In Japan, Shiryū is the most popular of the Saint Seiya protagonists, ranking first in the main characters poll of the five Bronze Saints.