| Ryūga Dōgai | |
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| Ryūga in The One Who Shines in the Darkness | |
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| Ryūga in Gold Storm | |
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Ryūga Dōgai is the primary protagonist in The One Who Shines in the Darkness and Goldstorm. He is a Makai Knight and the current wielder of the Garo within the Ryūga-verse.
Personality & Character
Ryūga is a young Makai Knight that inherited the title of Golden Knight Garo. As the successor of the previous Garo, there are a lot of expectations for him to be strong and worthy to honor the title, however, such things never mattered to him. Like any young warrior, he's emotional, less disciplined, brash, and frequently bends and/or blatantly breaks rules established by the Makai Order. However, his emotions also makes him more compassionate, merciful, and warm towards others.
He originally trained to be Garo for his mother, Priestess Hakana Dōgai. In conjunction to her mission, Ryūga would train under Priest Burai to become Garo while she attempted to re-energize the armor's power; due to the intervention of Tousei Kaneshiro, there was an incident that lead Burai to believe she died. Ryūga had a deep affection for his mother and was motivated to become Garo to make her happy. Unfortunately, when he finally succeeded in gaining the armor, he was furious to learn of her death after succeeding. He was also angry at Burai for not telling him just to complete his training. He stormed off and ignored authority for some time.
Living as a knight, Ryūga independently traveled from one place to another to clear all threats of Horrors before moving on; he lacks subtlety and his handiwork risks public exposure to the Order's rule of secrecy. He had Zaruba with him, but the ring didn't like him and didn't want to form a contract with him, leaving him to fend for himself. However, he's confident in his abilities as he believes he's strong and his abilities will protect humanity against Horrors. To honor his mother's memory, he would always erect a small memorial at the best spots to show the beauty of every place he's been. Unknown to him, Burai kept tabs on him as the priest feels responsible for his actions; things would dramatically change after his time at Volcity.
Ryūga answered an Orders Document to Volcity. He was upset Burai summoned him and against following him, but the priest reminded him it was he duty to fight evil and Ryūga reluctantly cooperated. Burai gathered Garo, Flaming Sword Knight Zen, Sky Bow Knight Gai, and Priestess Rian for this special operation, however, the team had friction. After enduring hardship and finding common ground, Ryūga eventually learned to be a team player and earned everyone's respect. He would have his closure after the past catches up with him.
Eventually, Ryūga and his team learned that a lot of the misfortunes that happened in the past is linked to Tousei Kaneshiro and Zedom. Tousei secretly kidnapped and made Ryūga's mother breed Madou Horrors and killed Rian's father. Ryūga was happy to be reunited with his mother and stopped blaming Burai. Despite rescuing Hakana, her long term exposure to Zedom was slowly turning her into a Horror. Wishing to die as a human than a monster, Ryūga ended his mother's suffering. Hakana had the chance to see him become Golden Knight Garo and was happy to know her life's work wasn't in vain and proud of Ryūga. After vanquishing Zedom, Ryūga found closure with his past and now happily moves forward.
After Volcity, Ryūga is now partnered with Rian and now answers to High Priestess Ryume. He has since matured, but he remains passionate, volatile at times, and always looking for food from D Ringo. Despite everyone able to tell Rian's romantic feelings for Ryūga, he wasn't able to tell at all (despite born empathic).
Skills & Abilities
- Skilled Martial Artist - Ryūga is a trained Makai Knight; he's highly skilled in martial arts and hunting down Horrors.
- Parkour - He's a skilled acrobat as he is able to leap tall bounds and jump across buildings while doing flips mid-air.
- Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) - Ryūga has extra-sensory empathic abilities. By touching objects that had physical contact with other beings, humans and/or Horrors alike, he can sense their emotions, intentions, and past conversations to reveal the truth. He can confirm if a person (or entity) is good or bad, truthful or dishonest, and uncover certain past events. However, it only works if he focuses on something or someone. If he doesn't believe there's a reason to validate a person's honesty or check on something (which he does often), a person can bypass his ability undetected.
Ryūga throwing shuriken
Tools & Equipment
Magical Forearm Shield
- Garo Sword & Shurikens- When the armor lost its shine, the sword also changed color. From a red grip and red scabbard, it changed into white. After the armor's shine was restore, it returned to it's original red for. However, the scabbard has since been modified with an extra layer of black covering in a diamond pattern, containing 3 shurikens. Whenever Ryūga needs to use them, he holds the scabbard and channel is energy into the scabbard to activate the shurikens and they'll fly off when he releases them.
Flight Pelt
- Garo Flight Armor - The enhanced version of Garo, after Priestess Ryūme cleansed the armor of its darkness, it was permanently enhanced into Garo Sho (flight).
- Forearm Shield - Given to Ryūga by D Ringo, it's a leather forearm armor, enchanted with magical energy to repel powerful physical attacks.
- Flight Pelts - Resembling two smaller brushes attached to a pelt, it gives the user temporary flight.
History
Origins
Growing up as a child on an isolated island, Ryuga had always been fascinated with the long blackened Garo armor since his visit to the Tower of Heroic Spirits as a child, and promised his mother Hakana that he would be the Golden Knight one day. Ryūga trained under Burai's instruction on the island for ten years with Rago as his training partner before attaining the armor. Though he defeated Rago to complete his training, Ryuga takes his training partner's fang as a keepsake and began a life of solitude after being told that his mother died during his training, resenting Burai for not being able to protect his mother and informing him earlier. Not stationed in one place like Makai Knights usually are, Ryuga travels across Japan's cities to slay Horrors and erecting crude tombs overlooking them in memory of his mother.
The One Who Shines in the Darkness
Eventually, Ryuga is sent to Vol City where he is reunited with Burai and reluctantly agrees to help him and the other Makai Knights stationed there. Finding himself facing Madō Horrors, Ryuga sees visions of his mother whenever hit by golden shock waves and emitted by the Madō Horrors' wounds that cause the Garo armor to momentarily regain its golden appearance as brief as the pain associated with it. While learning that they are behind the Horror residence of Vol City, Ryuga unwittingly gives the Kaneshiro Group enough evidence of his actions to create propaganda portraying him as a serial killer, and placing a ¥300,000,000 bounty on his head. However, Ryuga resolves the matter by going through with an meticulously elaborated plan to confirm Rivera's identity as a Madō Horror, retrieve a piece of material off of her for developing a Madō Horror Detector while faking his death at the Vol TV station.
After his confrontation with Hyena, Ryuga makes a grave marker for his mother on the cliff overlooking the Vol City with Rian's help. Though his mind is racing with thoughts of Vol City and the mystery of his armor's connections to them, Ryuga reaches the conclusion that destroying the Madō Horrors is the only way to obtain answers. After the revelation that Tousei is responsible for the Horrors in Vol City, learning that he is human, Ryuga is once more portrayed as a terrorist along with the rest of his group. Though he evades Tousei's attempt to make him into a Madō Horror, Ryuga ends up being blinded by Sonshi with the Garoken thrown into the lobby of Tousei's office where it remained. Despite extremely unfavorable odds due to his blindness and placed in solitary confinement, Ryuga escapes the SG1 prison and with timely aid from his fellow Knights, retrieves the Garoken. Soon after, finally acknowledged by Zaruba as they form a contract, Ryuga is reunited with his mother and learns that she was used by Tousei to sire Madō Horrors who are revealed to hold her memories. After Hakana gives up her own eyesight to restore his, Ryuga races off to the Hill of Zedom's Arm to save Rian, and finally kill Enhou through the combined efforts of him and Rian. After killing Enhou, hearing the last trances of the woman's humanity through her necklace, Ryuga vows to never have another innocent be sired as a Madō Horror.
In a bid to stop Zedom's resurrection, the group head for the slowly crumbling Hill of Zedom's Head and Ryuga knows right from the start that Burai intends to sacrifice himself. He eventually thanks Burai for all the priest has done for him, before heading to fight Sonshi and defeating him with the aid of his friends. With the Garo armor finally regains its brilliance, forced to kill his mother to spare her from becoming a Horror, Ryuga battles Zedom. During the fight, as the Horror attempts to consume him, Ryuga tells Zedom that the eyes he gained from his mother are a symbol of hope and future before he and the Makai Knights destroy him. With Vol City saved, Ryuga parts ways with his friends to not only build a grave marker for his mother in the Makai Priest ruins, but also deal with Tousei since he is now a Horror. After Rian kills Tousei in his stead, Ryuga accepts her request for her to join him in his southward journey.
Gold Storm
At a seedy bar, Rian awaits for Ryūga to join her in their mutual hunt for a horror, Murado. While waiting for him, two thieves tricked Rian into lowering her guard and they took her Madō Gun, giving it to Murado and well compensated for their troubles. Murado, taking the identity of a local gang boss, prepares to overwhelm Rian in superior numbers, but Ryūga arrived to join the fight. Still confident in his numbers, Murado told his gang to attack.
With her gun and bullets scattered throughout the floor, Ryūga created a shockwave that lifted the gun and bullets in mid-air, allowing Rian to regain her gun and loaded a bullet into the chamber. Once all her other bullets aligned in a straight pattern, she fired her gun, where she ignited all her rounds and Ryūga guided the magical bullets to kill all the other horror henchmen. With only Murado left, he attempts to flee, but Ryūga gives chase. It was outside that Murado revealed his true Horror form, but was shocked to discover Golden Knight Garo is before him with his radiant golden shine back (it was known to many dark forces that the legendary armor lost its radiant powers). Ryūga made quick work of Murado and slayed him, however, upon releasing the armor, the knight experienced great pain. Ryūga has been actively using his armor to slay Horrors for some time, causing a massive buildup of jaki (dark energies); Zaruba warns the armor must be purified or it will devour Ryūga. To remedy the problem, Rian suggests they head to Line City to meet a famous powerful priestess, Priestess Ryūme.
At Line City, Ryūga thought it was strange that a famous priestess would be hidden within the concrete jungle of a city; Rian couldn’t help find Ryūga being a simpleton that a priestess would merely stay within the confines of a forest and a shrine (how it was done in the old days). It was while using a Madō Compass that the two encountered the makai couple, D Ringo and Yukihime, selling kebabs as a side business. D Ringo encouraged them to join him, but the two ignored him and continued their search for Ryūme. It was while lost around a pier that the duo heard the voice of an old woman and a gateway opened that they would meet Ryūme.
In a sealed subway station, the duo meets Ryūme and Ryūga was surprised to see a youthful-looking girl as the voice suggested to Ryūga they were expecting a very old woman. The two guards that protects Ryūme explained her priestly powers are so great that she has stopped aging. A playful spirit, Ryūme decided to take a more girlish voice to fit her youthful image. Knowing the reason why the duo had arrived, Ryūme took the Garo armor and used her powers to form the armor into a golden sphere, where all the jaki will be expelled; it will take over a day to complete the process. Ryūme encouraged the two to head out to explore the town.
Curious as to why they are able to enjoy themselves so freely, it was discovered that Ryūme has the power to neutralize all dark energies within the city limits. Using her magical powers, she’s able to create a monthly shockwave that can prevent the formation of any dark gates, essentially purifying the entire city from dark spiritual influence. Ryūga was genuinely impressed by her powers, however, it left Rian feeling a bit down as she wants to be a great support to Garo, but feels her abilities are lacking. However, the conversation was cut short as the two enjoyed the kebab specials from D Ringo.
In an abandoned facility, several priests watches over a dangerous object: the hand of Demon Beast Degor. Being an indestructible object of great evil, the priests have taken it to be sealed and guarded by priests until Agō intervened. Desiring the dark item for himself, Agō killed all the priests, but encountered Rian and Ryūga. The two fought, but the battle was a draw and the duo returned to Ryūme to report recent events; Ryūga kept a fragment of Agō as a clue.
At the hidden shrine, Ryūme explained that Degor’s hand can’t be destroyed by any known means; the hand was taken to her city limits, where her powers can prevent the dark influence of Degor from awakening. It was there that Rian realized that Agō intends to use the hand for terrible destructive reasons. For now, the duo continues to keep tabs on the developing situation as Garo has yet to be fully purified. The duo decided to split up to investigate into matters.
Ryūga was at D Ringo’s spot when he realized that the circular symbol drawn on his truck is actually the same fragment he got from Agō. Realizing Ryūga would seek answers, D Ringo takes Ryūga to his private quarters, to review a Mado Tome that explains the origins of Agō and Sōtatsu. Rian later made it back to D Ringo’s spot, where she found the surviving thief (she encountered earlier) just stealing a woman’s purse. Angered by his actions, Rian gave the thief a beating until Ryūga stopped her from beating him down. Surprised by Rian’s actions, she explained the thief steals precious things from people without a thought and helped Murado against them. However, Ryūga reminded her that he’s still a human being.
It wasn’t long that Zaruba detected a disturbance in the energy flow of the city. Agō found Ryūme’s hidden shrine and defeated her; he plans to use her body to overwhelm Line City with jaki to help revive Degor to wipe out the city (eliminating the Horror’s food source). D Ringo knew where this was happening and he gave the duo a ride on his food truck over to the site to rescue Ryūme. To increase their odds of victory, D Ringo offered the two his small collection of Makai wares, from weapons, armor, and enchanted items. Armed with new magical gear, Ryūga and Rian rush to take on Agō.
At the secret dome location, Ryūga and Rian faced Agō, attempting to negotiate Ryūme’s freedom. However, despite both opposing parties sharing the same dream of having a Horror-free world, their solution to the problem was vastly different and Agō battled Ryūga while Rian freed Ryūme. Thanks to D Ringo’s magical forearm armor, Ryūga was able to take the brunt of Agō’s sword attacks. Agō then tried to use his enlarged saber to smash Ryūga, but the ceiling got in the way and the two fought on top of his giant sword instead.
Agō flew away with his built-in rockets, but Ryūga pursued with his enchanted flight gear. Taking the battle on a busy highway, the two continued to fight, exposing civilians to danger. Ryūga tried to reason with Agō, telling him that what his creator wished for, what they wished for, wouldn’t result in humanity’s destruction. While reflecting his maker’s smile upon his final days, Degor awakened. Sensing Agō’s desire to destroy humanity, Degor told Agō they should unite to achieve that goal. Despite Agō’s power, Degor absorbed Agō and revived himself in the form of a cursed spirit beast. Ryūme was present at the scene and realized the purification process to Garo finally ended; she returned Ryūga his armor, but enhanced as Garo Sho (flight).
Garo was able to fight on equal terms with Degor, but Horror is highly formidable. It was while blocking Degor’s claw-strike that Ryūga tried to tell Agō that he’ll help him achieve his dream. After hearing Ryūga’s words, Sōtatsu’s spirit came to tell Agō to entrust their failed dream to Garo and for Agō to finally rest after a life time of battle against evil. Agō deactivated himself, but not before giving Garo a major advantage. Agō gave his giant saber to Garo, allowing Ryūga to enhance the weapon with Garo’s golden powers and smite Degor; he was finally destroyed. In the aftermath, all that was left of Agō was a coin-sized object, in the form of Sōtatsu’s insignia.
With the battle over, Rian and Ryūga reported to Ryūme. It was there that Ryūme also enhanced Zaruba with a knight helmet. Zaruba himself was wondering why he got a cover on and Ryūga hilariously thought it was a way to shut him up. Ryūme laughed and said the mask gives her the ability to sense them whenever they’re in danger; she offers her aid if they’re ever in danger. Grateful for the gift, the two left to new hunting grounds. It was while walking, the two encountered D Ringo and both parties wished each other well before parting ways. While walking to other parts, Rian was irritated why didn’t Ryūga asked D Ringo for a ride; he thought it was the priest’s job as she said she wants to support Garo. However, Rian reminded Ryūga she wanted to be a great priest like Ryūga's mother, not become his mother. The two continued to walk on their journey, passing right by Agō’s resting place.
Gold Storm Flight
After the events of Goldstorm, Ryūga and Rian now serve Ryūme to protect Line City. Ryūme's original method of cleansing the city from darkness has been ruined because of Agō. Now the duo must patrol the city to protect people. While walking with Rian, the duo noticed a red beam flying across the skyline and investigated. Ryūga intervened and gained the dagger. With the help of Ryume, the duo learned about Radan and went to investigate the original hidden tomb, now exposed. Radan is long gone, however, there was a rise on horror activity and two had to respond.
Unknown to Ryūga, a dark couple has been creating Horror gateways within objects throughout the city. By "accidentally" dropping parcel around the city, unfortunate victims touch the objects and become possessed by Horrors. Rian and Ryuga eventually tracked the source and befriended Beast Body Knight Giga, Daigo Akizuki, during their quest. Unknown to both parties, a pair of stealthy priests were also at play.
Gald and Haruna are young priests, charged with the mission of sealing Radan. Gald has been aware of the two parties, but remain hidden until the time was right. It was when Ryūga and Rian had a battle with Jinga and Amily that Gald appeared. While fighting in a warehouse, Gald finally made his move and regained both daggers and reformed them back into the Hōken Sword and escaped. With the dark couple at play, Rian and Ryuga had to trust Gald's motives are for good and attempted to defeat the dark couple. Unfortunately, they were highly formidable and they were forced to retreat.
Gald would later get himself captured, but not before giving away the Hōken Sword to Ryūga and cluing his location to his sister. Haruna would entrust Garo to help her rescue her brother. Despite having a strong distrust over Makai Knights, both Rian and Ryuga helped soften his position as the siblings realized they needed to work with Garo's team to fulfill their duty to seal Radan. With the teaming of Gald, Haruna, D Ringo, Daigo, Ryume, and Rian, Ryuga plans to take Jinga head on at his secret HQ.
Team Garo managed to battle through all of Amily's dark magical defenses and Horrors to face the dark couple. It was while having the upper-hand in superior numbers that Radan activated itself. Because the item is bonded with Jinga, the dark crystal enhanced his powers and allowed him to flee, taking Rian as a hostage. The whole team eventually found Jinga and attempted to end things, but Ryuga was sucked into the Amily's dark mirror, where the item would strip away his spirit and kill him with his own darkness. Unexpectedly, Ryuga overcame his darkness and it also enhanced Garo with a new form: Dark Garo. A darkened form which allows temporarily flight. Ryuga successfully defeated Jinga, but not before Radan was activated and Jinga transferred his spirit into Rian.
Now taking the body of Rian, Jinga uses her body as a hostage against Ryuga. It was through Jinga that Ryuga found out that Rian is in love with him and wants to start a new life with him. Ryuga thanked Jinga for informing him and he managed to knock out Rian's body and taken Rian back to Ryume in attempts to exorcise Jinga out of her. However, Amily appeared and recovered Jinga's spirit into her own body, making the couple a single entity; Rian was safe. Jinga would battle Daigo and critically injured him before fleeing.
In a final showdown, Team Garo attempts to take on the dark couple and attempts to stop Radan from being fully activated, but it failed. Jinga managed to recover enough of his powers to create a new body for Amily and the couple resumed their schemes. Radan revealed itself as a giant dark wizard-like golem that absorbs all life force and unleashes Horrors with every step it takes. The team knew that Amily is the power source for the behemoth and Rian managed to defeat Amily to power down the fortress. Jinga would kill his own wife and then forcefully make Rian the new power source for Radan and began sucking the life force away from the citizens of Line City while shooting large ballistics at the city. Fortunately, D Ringo used a powerful magical guitar, linked with Agō's surviving medallion, to protect all incoming fire.
Rian was unwilling to become a pawn of Jinga's destruction and she self-destructed the orb than contained her, blasting her inflamed body away. Enraged what had just happened, Ryuga reacted with his armor and the life force around him. Suddenly, the life force that Radan absorbed now sided with Ryuga and formed a giant version of Garo. Ryuga used all his might to successfully defeat Radan and then slayed Jinga, ending the dark threat. Gald used the Hōken Sword to seal Radan and send it to the Makai realm, where it was destroyed. However, Rian died to save everyone. At first mourning for her death, everyone realized the life force energies that were drained earlier was returning back to the lands and some of it touched Rian. The drops of life force revived Rian and the two happily were together again. In the aftermath, Ryuga and Rian continued on their journey as protectors under Ryume.
Makai Tales
Rian decides to employ the help of a vagrant to help her collect the celestial energies of the moon. In order to protect Ryūga from jaki build-up, Rian had a metal fang charged with the moon's power to help Ryūga ward off darkness while fighting Horrors. When she finished, she joined back with Ryūga after he defeated a Horror. Touched she would through the trouble of helping him, he wanted to express his feelings for her. Rian can sense Ryūga's hesitation and insisted him to be more direct about his feelings. Ryūga agreed and swears to be more open and the two walked off for their next mission.
Fang of God
Ryūga and Rian would join forces with Takeru and Aguri as Jinga and Amily makes their return.
Pics Gallery
Relationships
- Hakana (mother)
- Zaruba (partner)
- Rian (love interest)
- Burai (surrogate father and mentor)
- Takeru Jakuzure (best friend)
- Aguri Kusugami (friend)
- Daigo Akizuki (friend)
- Gald (friend)
- Enhō (reluctant enemy)
- Sonshi (arch-enemy)
- Tousei Kaneshiro (enemy)
- Zedom (enemy)
- Jinga (arch-enemy)
Articles & References
Notes & Trivia
- Ryūga is currently the only Garo possessor to not enter the Lost Soul Beast mode.
- Both Ryuga and Leon Luis, protagonist of Garo, Honoo no Kokuin appear to share similar fighting stances, holding their blade against the outside of their opposite hand.
- Also, Ryuga, along with Leon, is one of the only Golden Knights throughout the series, that does not wear a white coat, instead opting for a black coat (though Leon later don white coat which represent his maturity and noble mindset).
- Ryuga is the only Garo to have gone through a major hairstyle change through out his multiple appearences, going from a spiked back style to a more reserved pushed downward style. Perhaps to represent his growth and changes in personality
- Ryuga is the only Wielder of the Golden Armor to have obtained not only 2 upgrades to the original Golden armor on his own, but to have those upgrades be permanent and appear more than once.
- Ryuga's actor, Wataru Kuriyama has said to be a fan of the original Garo series, and was hoping to be able to emulate Kouga in his role of Ryuga, however during production he was told to be nothing like Kouga and instead be able to smile.