Rikiya Shimabukuro

Rikiya Shimabukuro
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I've got a viper on my back. The soul of Okinawa. No matter what comes my way, I'll strike at it, fangs out.

— Rikiya to Utabori, Yakuza 3

Rikiya Shimabukuro (島袋 力也, Shimabukuro Rikiya) is a supporting character in Yakuza 3. He is the captain of the Ryudo Family, a yakuza family situated in Ryukyu, Okinawa.

Profile

Appearance

Rikiya's tattoo after the eye is filled in by Utabori.

Rikiya wears a white and orange floral shirt along with a pair of black dress pants. When traveling to Kamurocho, he wears a dark pinstriped jacket. He also wears a silver watch and snakeskin belt in both variations of his usual outfit.

While dressed as his wrestling persona, Ricky Mask, he wears blue and yellow spandex with bird wings on the eyes of the mask. He has リッキー (Rikkī, Ricky) across his behind, and the first character of his given name, 力 (riki, lit. power), on his forehead.

His hair is short, black, and styled into a punch perm.

His tattoo depicts a viper - most likely the Okinawan habu, a pit viper native to the Ryukyu Islands - the eye of which remains unfinished until Kiryu brings him to have it completed by Utabori.

Personality

Rikiya is idealistic and naïve, oftentimes rushing headlong into danger and ending up hurt, relying on Kiryu to save him. This is likely due to his laid-back lifestyle in Ryukyu, where it appears he and Mikio Aragaki rarely came into contact with real danger. Despite this, he still manages to be a formidable fighter, and an invaluable ally during his time with Kiryu.

He is extremely proud of his Okinawan heritage, and seems to treat those who hail from Japan's mainland with disdain. Although initially hostile towards Kiryu, he gradually comes to respect him, referring to him as his aniki. He looks up to Kiryu and holds him in high regard, though he has no qualms with opposing him if the two disagree.

His pride in the things that he believes in makes him extremely loyal to those he follows, and he is shown to be well-liked and respected by the community.

Involvement

Yakuza 3: 2007-2009

SPOILER WARNING: Plot details for Yakuza 3 follow. (Skip)

Rikiya first appears when he and Mikio deliver an eviction notice to Morning Glory Orphanage. Kazuma Kiryu runs into the two in town, and Rikiya proclaims his distaste for "arrogant mainlanders", instigating a fight with Kiryu. After Rikiya's loss, he brings Kiryu to the Ryudo Family office, where Kiryu meets with with his boss, Nakahara. He quickly warms up to Kiryu and the children at Morning Glory, taking to affectionately calling Kiryu "aniki".

A year later, Rikiya rushes to the orphanage to deliver the news to Kiryu that Nakahara has been shot and is in surgery. Kiryu accompanies him to the hospital, where they discover that Saki has sketched the man responsible. With a lead on the shooter thanks to Kashiwagi's phone call, Rikiya begs Kiryu to allow him to accompany him to Kamurocho.

Kiryu tells Rikiya that they'll depart the next night, though he had planned to leave several hours earlier. Despite the setback and Kiryu's insistence on Rikiya staying back in Okinawa, he ends up following along shortly after Kiryu himself departs.

The two meet up and follow their lead to a love hotel where Tsuyoshi Kanda is staying for the night. Masquerading as a couple to get past the receptionist, they burst into Kanda's room and chase him down.

Kiryu takes Rikiya on a tour of Kamurocho, ending up back at New Serena where Kiryu leaves Rikiya while he goes to confront Goro Majima.

While Kiryu is down in Purgatory with Majima, Rikiya is kidnapped by Lau Ka Long's men in an attempt to get revenge on Kiryu, but he is saved at the last minute by Joji Kazama. The experience appears to traumatize Rikiya, and he does not object to Kiryu's request for him to return to Okinawa. Kiryu walks him to a taxi and says his goodbyes.

He and Mikio resist Yoshitaka Mine, Tetsuo Tamashiro and his men when the orphanage is attacked, but ultimately fail to fight them off, leading to its destruction. He argues with Kiryu, who tells him to stay behind as he goes to confront Mine and rescue the injured Nakahara, who has been taken captive. Rikiya refuses to sit idle as his patriarch is in danger and the source of their despair is so close by, but Kiryu tells him not to be so reckless, that there's no use throwing his life away for nothing. Rikiya reluctantly agrees to stay with the children at the orphanage.

Saki, determined to help rescue her foster father, sneaks away to follow Kiryu, and Rikiya trails close behind. He arrives at the bull ring and announces that he has called the police and they'll be there to arrest Tamashiro and his lackeys. Enraged, Tamashiro fires his gun and sets off the bulls in the pit with Nakahara.

After Tamashiro is seemingly defeated, Saki and Nakahara are reunited, causing Kiryu to turn his back to Tamashiro. Seizing the opportunity, he picks up his discarded gun and shoots at Kiryu, but the bullet is intercepted by Rikiya, who is shot through the chest. He tells Kiryu not to let Mine get away with everything he's done, and speaks his final words to a hysterical Kiryu.

Fighting Style

His fighting moves mainly consist of evasion, precise punches, and jump kicks.

Trivia

• The family name Shimabukuro is common in Okinawa, and is strongly associated with the Yamato people.
• He appears to have an affinity for yakiniku.
• Rikiya makes an appearance as a Super Rare attack soldier card in Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin!'s Battle Dungeon minigame under the name Ryūdo Rikiya.
• Rikiya's reputation as The Fighting Viper could be a reference to SEGA's video game franchise Fighting Vipers.