Kiryu Kazumanosuke

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Kiryu Kazumanosuke
RGGK!
Also Known As
Aliases	Kiryu Kazumanosuke Dragon of Gion Wakaino/Musashi-chan/Kiryu-chan (by Majima)
Biographical
Place of Birth	Mimisaka Province, Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Physical
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Brown
Height	184 cm (6' 0")
Weight	88 kg (194 lbs)
Associations
Relationships	Shirai Ageha (fiancée) Haruka (adoptive daughter) Ito Ittosai (friend) Majima Gorohachi (friend) Sasaki Kojiro (former rival, ally) Marume Nagayoshi (complicated ally)
Occupation	Dept collector
Other
Fighting Style	Unarmed Single-sword Greatsword Dagger Dual Sword
Appears In	Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!
Counterpart	Kazuma Kiryu
Actors
Japanese	Takaya Kuroda
Modeled After	Takaya Kuroda

Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵), also known as is Kiryu Kazumanosuke (桐生 一馬之介), is a legendary Japanese swordsman and the protagonist of Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan!.

Personality

Musashi is a stoic and brave person. This can be seen many times when he is faced against his strongest enemies, like Marume Nagayoshi, Sasaki Kojiro and Nankobo Tenkai. Especially for Tenkai, as he didn't stop at nothing to take him down for the abduction of his daughter-figure, Haruka.

He is also known to be a relaxed individual, as whenever he can, he'll sit in his home, smoking his pipe.

He is shy towards Shirai Ageha, as they both have romantic feelings for eachother. While Ageha always wants to show her feelings towards Musashi, he would usually keep it hidden, only showing signals of his feelings through mutual talks.

Musashi can also be described as forgiving, as despite everything Kojiro had done to try and kill him under Tenkai's orders, Musashi still let him live and even come back to Kyoto.

Appearance

Musashi is identical to Kazuma Kiryu, with the excepton of a few things. In general, his hair is done in a similar way to how Musashi is historically depicted. During his time in Gion, he dons his white kimono with the infamous Dragon imprinted on it. Whenever he travels to Rakugai, he dons his swordsmen gear on, with a stuffed blue shirt, large brown pants, socks and sandels.

Background

In 1600 b.c., Musashi is first seen training in his dojo that he had set up in the Mimasaka Province. He demonstrates his students about his famous duel-wielding style, before debunking that no swordsman has ever used it as a fighting style. However, Marume Nagayoshi of the Tokugawa clan interupts the lesson and says otherwise. After Musashi trains his students some more, he and Marume talk in private. Marume is looking for Musashi in order to find a good instructor for his swordsman camp. After a duel between the two, Musashi is defeated, but is accepted into Maruma's forces.

During this time, he met Majima Gorohachi. During his first days at the camp, Nankobo Tenkai arrives to talk to Marume. During Tenkai's visit, Tenkai inspect the newly recruited Musashi and predicts that he can be of good use due to his swordsmanship. He and Majima are then sent out on a mission to execute Yuki Hideyasu, under the impression he was an anonomyous traitor of the camp.

Realising they had just killed the eldest son of the Tokugawa family, Musashi and Majima run away, hiding in a temple. Marume catches them, however, and fights them. After the fight, Sasaki Kojiro arrives to finish the job. However, Kojiro only manages to slice Majima's eye. Musashi takes the wounded Majima into the dark forests nearby, as Kojiro looks on.

During his and Majima's escape from the Tokugawa troops, Majima sacrifices himself so that Musashi can run away. After his sacrifice, Musashi hands Majima's sword to his adoptive sister, Shirai Ukiyo. She refuses to take the sword as she storms back into her house, only to apologize and explain that Majima wasn't her real brother. After this, he would stay with her for a time. DUring a bandit raid, Ukiyo is killed with Musashi's own sword, as she tried to defend herself. Musashi holds the dying Ukiyo as she gives him a new purpose for his swordsman skills.

After travelling around Japan, he meets a mysterious monk, who is revealed to be Yagyu Sekishusai. Sekishusai shows Musashi to the city of Gion, and gives him the new name of Kiryu Kazumanosuke.

Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!

The game starts in 1605 b.c, five years later. Musashi is living comfortably in Gion as Kiryu, working as a Kakemawari, a dept collector of sorts for the Tsuruya. Musashi and Ahega seem to be on familiar terms as they regularly visit eachother, and are implied to be in a sexual relationship. After Ahega's visit, Ito Ittosai sees him as Musashi is given a new job to collect some depts around Gion.

After the job is done, he is visited by a small girl, known as Haruka. Haruka asks Musashi, under the name of Kiryu, if he is able to be of hire as a mercanary. A little while later, Haruka decides to join the Landlady of Tsuruya as a kamuro. Musashi is shocked when he later finds out she gave 1 Ryo, which was the currency back in the 1600's. Haruka arrives at Musashi's place to talk about her request, as Musashi advises her that killing won't bring her family back. After they come to an agreement, she gives him 1 Ryo.

As he explores the Koetsu Estate in Rakugai, Musashi meets Hon'ami Koetsu, a famous painter who is soon revealed to be an information broker. Musashi asks him where the Musashi he is looking for is, but Koetsu explains he wants something before he can give Musashi the news. Apparently one of his art pieces was stolen by a man named Shishido Baiken, and wants it back before he can give his info to Musashi.

Musashi travels to a rocky cave near the Forest Road, and starts looking the Baiken. However, he comes face to face with the thought to be dead Majima, who was now unde the name Shishido Baiken. After a duel between eachother, they start talking about what had been going on for the past four years. Majima had been found by an old man who had the name Shishido Baiken. He taught Majima how to use his new sickle-and-chain style, and told Majima to take his name once he dies. After he dies, Majima then starts to lead a pack of gold thieves, who Majima himself is disinterested in.

After Musashi gives Koetsu back his gold statue, Koetsu reveals he knew Kiryu was Musashi all along. Despite this, Koetsu gives Musashi the locatio of where the other Musashi might be; the Yoshioka dojo. Musashi goes to visist Shigari Ageha, but is instead a witness to Haruka being abused by two other women. After they leave, a young man appears and tries to charm Haruka into being his woman. However, Musashi confronts him and he reveals his name; Gion Toji. He also reveals his connection to the Yoshioka dojo. Musashi hands him 2 Ryo in order to gain entry, but Gion warns he'll still have to perform a duel test against one of the students.

After Musashi gets done with some training around town, he visits the dojo with Gion, witnessing the brutal Ueda Ryohei. After he is introduced to the dojo, he and Ryohei duel. In the end, Musashi wins but not before both of the Yoshioka brothers arive. Yoshioka Denshichiro arrives and humbly welcomes the new student, then Yoshioka Seijuro arrives and decides to give Musashi a second test. This time, Musashi wins and snaps Seijiro's sword. After he leaves, Gion reveals to Musashi that Seijiro's sword was just an imitation instead of a real blade.

Gion and Musashi leave the dojo, and Gion reveals he knew he had been talking to Musashi Miyamoto the whole time since his visit with Haruka. Gion also reveals that he wasin the battle of Sekigahara alongside Marume Nagayoshi, but deserted after failing to fight. He retreated into the Yoshioka dojo and conducted a plan; to take out Seijiro and put Denshichiro as the head of the dojo. He tells Musashi that the fake Musashi is also in on the plan.

Seven weeks later, Musashi continous training and investigating the dojo, but is interrupted by Ittosai's sudden arival. He takes Musashi to a faraway river, and duels him, finding out that Kiryu was really Musashi. Before and after the fight, Ittosai reveals that their duel will decide who will get to face against Kojiro. Once Ittosai is beatem several times, he gives up. He tells Musashi about his past, revealing that he was a famous swordsman. He was even known to rival against Yagyu Sekishusai himself. But it all changed when Kojiro was hired to kill Ittosai's family and destroy his dojo. Ten years later, he would hide out in Gion the same way as Musashi. According to Ittosai, the Tokugawa clan targeted him because they thought he would become a solder for the Toyotomi, the Tokugawa's rivals.

Musashi goes to visit Koetsu together with Ittosai in order to find out about Kojiro's wherabouts, pointing him directly to that night's banquet for Itakura Katsuhige. At night, Musashi and Ittosai sneak in and watch what happens, only for Kojiro to invade the banquet and kill several people. As Musashi and Ittosai confront him, a fire breaks out, sworming the entire place. Soon, he finds assasins sent by Kojiro to take Musashi out, but he quickly disposes of them before finding Marume. They start to duel, only to be interrupted by the fire. Marume kills Katsushige in front of Haruka, and runs away. Musashi arrives to rescue Haruka, but she confuses the bell ringing from Musashi to that of Marume, and screams.

After the incident at Tsuruya, Musashi tries to speak with Haruka, but is unavaliable. He visits Koetsu on some new info on the other Musashi, and states that he is at the Hozoin temple, in Nara province. He visits the temple and finds Hozoin Inei, who challanges him to fight in order to gain entry. Inei is beaten, and reveals to Musashi about the tournament, which his pupil Hozoin Inshun is a part of. Musashi signs into the tournament and faces off against two opponnents before facing Inshun. He beats Inshun, and Inshun is shocked at the lose. After the fight, Inei takes Musashi to a room, where he and Marume see eachother once again. Musashi is clearly frustrated, but Marume reassures him and tells him the true purpose of Katsushige and his banquet. Katsushige was looking for Haruka, so that he could take her away and kidnap her. According to Marume, Haruka herself is important to the shogunate in some way.

Musashi visits the Yoshioka dojo after some time, and is seen witnessing an arguement over the Yoshioka brothers, where Seijiro refuses to duel against Musashi. Gion informs Musashi that the Musashi he has been looking for will appear at the Rendai fields, at sunset. Once there, Musashi sees Seijiro arriving. As Musashi questions Seijiro being there, Seijiro quickly strikes at Musashi, leaving a wound above his eye. Seijiro knows who Musashi really is, and wants to stop at nothing to kill him. They duel, and Seijiro is mortally wounded. In his dying words, Seijiro asks Musashi to rescue his brother. As Seijiro lays dying, Ueda Ryohei and some students appear from the fields, telling Musashi about what was really going on; Gion and Ryohei wanted to take the dojo themselves, and wanted the Yoshioka brothers disposed of by using Musashi to their ends. Ittosai arrives to help, and Musashi is able to escape the fields into town. Once there, he arrives at the Sanjusangendo, where Gion is about to kill Denshichiro. Musashi and Gion fight, only for Musashi to kill Gion. Denshichiro watches in silence, and is in disbelief of what is going on. Musashi tries to run away, but his injuries catch up with him.

As he rests, Ittosai reveals to Ahega that he and Musashi were famous swordsman, leading to the revelation of who Musashi really is. After resting, Musashi goes to see Koetsu about their next course of action. They are interrupted, however, by a strange old man who requests for Musashi to lead him around Tsuruya. Musashi instead decided to give the old man a tour around Gion, since he claimed he was new to the area. At night, the old man comes across Majima, who has finally found where Musashi was now. After some talking, the old man reveals the relative he came to visit was Haruka, leading to Musashi to suspect he is someone familiar. During Ahega's performance, she notices Majima, and becomes upset, leaving the room. Majima soon leaves after her, resting on top of the roof. As Musashi is about to know who the old man is, one of the clerks tells Musashi that Majima has just took Haruka hostage at Kiyomizudera. Musashi arrives and Majima accuses him of selling Ukiyo into the Tsuruya. He duels Majima one last time, and beats the madman, getting him to his senses. Ahega arrives despite Musashi's arguement and tends th Majima, telling him she isn't who he thinks she is. Soon after, Musashi reveals to Ahega that he was the one who killed her sister Ukiyo. But Majima comes to the conclusion of the Tokugawa being the ones to kill her. Soon, Kojiro arrives and reveals what happened in the fire; Ahega started the fire in order for Kojiro to buy her contract, making her a free woman. But she stayed in order to find out wether it was Musashi who killed her sister. The old man appears, and forces Kojiro to leave. He gives Haruka back to Musashi and promises to give him the answers he is looking for.

The next day, an escort arrives for Musashi and Haruka on behalf of Tokugawa Ieyasu, muh to Musashi and Haruka's surprise. They arrive at Ieyasu's place as they start to talk. Ieyasu revealed to Haruka her parents weren't her real parents, and that Yuki Hideyasu is her real father. He also revealed that Kojiro sent an assassin to kill Haruka's family, the assasin being Marume. He revealed that Marume might've killed Haruka's family in order to control the shogunate. By killing any trace of Hideyasu, his brother Tokugawa Hidetada would become shogun, as he was easy to manipulate. Ieyasu gives the revelation that Nankobo Tenkai is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

After the metting with Ieyasu, Musashi sets off to the Yagyu domain. There, he finds the grandson of Yagyu Sekishugai, Yagyu Hyogonosuke. He and Hyogonosuke talk inside the domain's house, and reveal that Sekishusai is there to see Musashi. He arrives and they talk about what happened in a past few years. Sekishugai reveals that his son, Munenori, is also known by the name Sasaki Kojiro. He also revealed that Kojiro was just another one of Tenkai's puppets, and that it was all a plot to make Hidetada the new shogun. Sekishugai had been trying to make sure Hideyasu's children were safe from Tenkai's plot, and to try and stop Kojiro's schemes. According to Sekishugai, Kojiro only allied with Tenkai in order to boost the power of the Yagyu domain, and make his prowess as a swordsman known. He also reveals that Marume was working with Sekishugai all along, but was forced to do Kojiro's, and in turn Tenkai's, plots. Soon, Musashi finds Marume sitting nearby, and Marume decides to test Musashi one last time, in order to give an advantage in Kojiro's duel. They fight, and Musashi is able to overcome the mysterious style. Marume wishes Musashi farewell, as Musashi leaves to face against Kojiro.

A week later, Ittosai finds Musashi relaxing in his home, informing him about Ahega's retirement party. Musashi reveals he's been looking for Haruka since he came back from the Yagyu domain. Once he arrives in the Tsuruya, he becomes frustrated at the fact Haruka has disappeared. Soon after storming out, he comes fact to face with Kojiro once again. Kojiro tells Musashi of his and Tenkai's plans, and reveals that Tenkai had kidnapped Haruka in order to take control of the shogunate. Since Hidetada was starting to get suspicious of his brother's death's circumstances, Tenkai started to make new plans in order to use a new shogun at his will as an advisor. Kojiro tells Musashi Haruka is being held at the Ganryu island, before telling Musashi why he warned him beforehand; he wants to duel him as Yagyu Munenori. The reason Kojiro joined with Tenkei was so that he could become nothing more than Sasaki Kojiro. He wanted to be more ruthless than even Tenkei, so that once he duels Musashi, the Yagyu family name would gain more respect. If Kojiro defeats Musashi, he'll drop his philosophy of the sword, claiming he can be at peace if that happens.

Once Musashi arrives at the Ganryu Island, he meets Kojiro. They face off against eachother in a heated duel, but Musashi manages to stay on top, throwing Kojiro's long sword right out of his hand. As Musashi and Kojiro lay on the sand next to the waters, Kojiro begins to accept his life as Munenori. But suddenly, he is shot by an officer led by Tenkai, who is holding Haruka hostage. After dealing with Tenkei's officers, he is faced by a group known as the Five Demons. Musashi moves through the rocky caves, dealing with each demon. Once he defeats the final demon, he moves along to the nearby cliff, where Tenkei has stopped in his tracks. Haruka manages to flee, as Musashi draws his swords towards Tenkei. Tenkei, in a sadistic manner, pulls out a pistol, ready to battle the duel wielding swordsman. He is defeated, and thrown off the cliff. Musashi comes over to Tenkei, and is ready to execute him. However, Hidetada appears and confronts Tenkei on his corruption. Despite their mutual feelings towards Tenkei, Musashi tells Hidetada revenge isn't the right way to fix what Tenkei has done. Tenkei proceeds to taunt the swordsmen as ships from the coast arrive. However, Kojiro proceeds to strike at the monk, ending his life. Musashi hands Haruka over to Kojiro and Hidetada, as Musashi proceeds to sacrifice himself in order to give them time to escape the island.

In the epilogue, Majima, who survived his fall, wonders wether Musashi was killed by Tenkei's allies, or is alive and well, living with Ahega.

Fighting Style

Musashi uses several different sword styles in the game. His single-sword style is a medium-speed style with not many attacks. Most attacks are a zooming slash, most of them not stunning the enemy. He also has a dagger style, which is used throughout the Yakuza series as a generic moveset. The Greatsword style is unique, in that it is slow, doesn't have many attacks but is very high in power. Musashi's signature duel wielding style is also avaliable, and is the most expanded moveset in Kenzan!. It has a 5-string normal attack, and also has heat attacks that would only work on this moveset. Musashi can also fight barehanded, albiet without any skill. He palm-punches, and has no attack to follow along with his normal attack string, even with training.

Trivia

• Kiryu Kazumanosuke appears as a test card for character renderings in Yakuza 3's game data.
• An oar can be found and picked up during Sasaki Kojiro's boss fight, and when picked up it fills your heat gauge to max. This is in reference to the famous duel between the two where Musashi defeated Kojiro using only a shaved oar.
• Various references to Musashi and Kenzan! itself can be found in later Yakuza games.
  • Four journals of Musashi's can be found in Yakuza 3 & 4 to obtain six of Musashi's Heat Actions for Kiryu.
  • A wooden statue of Musashi doing his dual-sword pose can be bought from the pawn shop in Yakuza 4 by Saejima to give him access to three of the six Kenzan! Heat Actions Kiryu can use.
  • Multiple swords from Kenzan make their way into Yakuza 3, including dual-swords being moddable over Kali Sticks.
  • Musashi's wooden swords and Baiken's sickle are both craftable weapons in Yakuza 0, and buyable weapons in Kiwami 1.

Gallery

Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan!

Yakuza 3

Kiryū Kazumanosuke's test render in Yakuza 3