Yanagi Ryuko appeared in the Most Evil Death Row Convicts arc of the Baki series. He is a Japanese death row inmate who is known for his mastery of a killing technique called "Kudo." Yanagi Ryuko has a unique presence in the Baki series, which is known for its powerful striking techniques. In this article, we will look at the characteristics, personality, and strength of Yanagi Ryuko, who is attracting attention as the Most Evil Death Row Convicts arc is adapted into an anime in 2018.
1. What are Yanagi Ryuko's characteristics?
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
Ryūko Yanagi is not like many of the other characters in the Baki series, who are muscular and overwhelm their opponents with their strength. It can be said that the strength of Ryūko Yanagi is characterized by his hands. Ryūko Yanagi is skilled in the technique of "kudō". Karatedo is a technique that uses the hands to create a vacuum, and includes special techniques such as "Kuken," "Dokusute," and "Whipped." Here, we will introduce these techniques that Ryuko Yanagi has mastered.
①Empty Fist
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
He creates a vacuum state with an oxygen ratio of 6% or less, which is harmful to humans, in his fist, and by contacting an object and pushing it back suddenly, he sucks in and gouges out that part, or makes a person lose consciousness by sucking it in. Ryuko Yanagi uses this technique to destroy bulletproof glass and escape from his cell.
②Poisonous Hand
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
This technique makes bare hands highly poisonous. By repeatedly thrusting the hand into a jar filled with poisonous sand, the toxins are deposited on the skin. It is said that if one is hit by the poisonous hand, even a minor injury can cause the flesh and bone marrow to become infected, leading to death.
③Whipping
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
This is a striking technique that makes the body as relaxed as possible, and the limbs are bent like a whip to strike the skin. Since it targets the skin that covers the whole body and cannot be trained, there is no defense and it is extremely painful. Also, the place where you are hit immediately becomes a vital spot, so you can take advantage of the battle. Ryuko Yanagi tormented Baki with a technique that combines this whipping and poisonous hand.
2. What is Ryukou Yanagi's personality like?
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
There are few episodes that express Ryukou Yanagi's personality in one shot, but there are scenes where his personality can be seen in various places. For example, Ryukou Yanagi once fought Gouki Shibukawa and crushed Gouki Shibukawa's left eyeball. For this reason, in the Most Evil Death Row Convicts arc, there is a scene where he shows his determination in his showdown with Shibukawa. Also, when he first appears, his expression generally remains the same, giving off a cool impression, but when he is defeated by Izo Motobu, and Hanma Yujiro appears immediately afterwards and declares his defeat, he bravely retorts, "It's not up to you to decide who wins this match." In the end, that comment is the trigger that gets him beaten up by Yujiro.
3. How strong is Ryuko Yanagi?
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
Ryūko Yanagi's strength can be seen in the power of his karate. In his fight against Baki, he showed his true strength by briefly knocking Baki out. In his rematch with Baki, he is humiliated when he is outmaneuvered and Baki escapes, but he pushes Baki to the brink of death by combining his poisonous hand and empty fist. However, after relying too much on weapons such as poisonous hand and chain weights in battles, he loses sight of his true strength, and is defeated by Motobu Izo. He only appears in the Most Evil Death Row Convicts arc, so there isn't much time left of his fighting history, but his superhuman strength and high level of skill are remarkable. His strength can also be seen from his extraordinary skills, such as breaking bulletproof glass with just one hand. Like Shibukawa Gouki, he is a character with a soft strength rather than a tough one.
Summary
Source: Baki © Itagaki Keisuke (Akita Shoten) / Baki Production Committee
Ryūko Yanagi is one of the death row inmates who appears in the Most Evil Death Row Inmates arc. His distinctive fighting style and many techniques were very impressive. The Baki series is attracting more and more attention with the Most Evil Death Row Inmates arc, which has been decided to be animated in the summer of 2018, and among them, Ryūko Yanagi is a character worth seeing.
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