| Kaiou Ryuu | |
 | |
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Kanji Name | 劉 海王 |
| Kana Name | りゅう かいおう |
| First Appearance | |
| Anime | The Reason I Cannot Lose |
| Manga | The Man Who Inherits the Name of Kaiou |
| Information | |
| Origin | China |
| Age | About 100 |
| Hair Color | Gray (beard) |
| Height | About 200 cm (6'7") |
| Weight | About 100 kg (220 lbs) |
| Fighting Style | Chinese Kenpo |
| Original Dub | Mitsuru Ogata (2001) Shouzou Iizuka (2018) |
| English Dub | Darin De Paul (2018) |
| Relations | Kaiou Kaku (Grandmaster) Kaiou Retsu (Disciple) Youou Chou (Disciple) |
Kaiou Ryuu (劉 海王, Ryū Kaiō; Chinese pinyin: Liú Hǎiwáng) is a fictional character from Baki the Grappler series. He is the head of the temple in Heilong-Jiang, China and mentor of Kaiou Retsu. He is an aged warrior, though not as old as Kaiou Kaku.
Personality[]
Kaiou Ryuu has displayed to be very strict, disciplined and unaccepting of failure as shown when his disciples take the test so he can pass on the name of Kaiou, believing that the next Kaiou should be strong and skillful; it is shown he, at first, denied Retsu Shaoron the title, but changed his mind when under the recommendation of Kaiou Dorian.
He has also shown to have a very strong sense of strength orientated meaning that only those who are strong can participate in the Raitai tournament, such as challenging Yuujirou Hanma to a tameshiwara contest by breaking 40 stone tiles.
During his short match with Yuujirou, he tells the latter that by breaking materials that can't fight back is important in martial arts because it strengthens the fighter without hurting anyone, showing a belief that he is against senseless violence amongst people. Ryuu has also shown a strong sense of pride with a slight sly underhanded tactic, such as yelling "Don't you ever insult me like this!" at Retsu for trying to fight Yuujirou when the fight was still between Yuujirou and himself, and then throwing his bloody towel at Yuujirou to kick him in the chest, only for Yuujirou to comment what a sly old man he was and kick him back.
Ryuu Kaiou is the mentor of Retsu, and the latter has shown a lot of great respect for his teacher, even going as far as to avenge his master when Yuujirou rips off Ryuu Kaiou's face, despite being yelled at by Ryuu to never insult him saying the match was not over between him and Yuujirou. Retsu is also thankful for his master by "saving" him if it were not for Ryuu showing Retsu the tunnel and making him realize that Retsu was still not skillful enough, giving him a sense of great appreciation towards Chinese Kenpo.
Appearance[]
Ryuu is an aged warrior being 100 years old and still retains a massively muscled physique. He is bald with a white beard and matching eyebrows his eyes seem to be cross eyed or simply not focusing. Attire wise he wears a white sleeveless shirt, black kung fu pants with the ends wrapped in cloth and kung fu shoes.
During his fight with Yuujirou, Ryuu has his faced ripped off and is unknown what he currently looks like.
History[]
Baki[]
Past[]
It is shown during a flashback of Retsu Kaiou that when a test was being held that when Ryuu Kaiou was searching for the next disciple to inherit his name. He is truly disapointed when none of the selected candidates all failed he steps ups and faces the test himself and lectures on to his disciples that the only one who can inherit his name of Kaiou needs to be strong and skillful as he proceeds to punch the stone water tank an escaped Retsu punches the other side of the tank and both waves colide breaking the tank. The other monks yell at Retsu while Ryuu comments on his escape just to partake in the test. He then ask Retsu to follow him to a part of the temple that Retsu has not seen before to a large door. Ryuu breaks open the door revealing a large tunnel and tells Retsu the reason why he cannot make him a Kaiou was because the man who carved out the tunnel used only his bare hands and feet in a single night to carve the tunnel on the side of a mountain he goes on to tell Retsu that he is not yet skillful enough to earn the title of Kaiou.
It is unknown when at what point that Dorian came up to Ryuu to recommend that Retsu recieve the title of Kaiou. Through unknown reasons why Dorian nominates Retsu is still yet to be explained.
Great Chinese Challenge Saga[]
In the second series, Ryuu Kaiou appears being told by Retsu that Baki Hanma was going to be participating in the great 100 year old age traditional martial arts competition the Raitai Tournament. Much to an angered and displeased Ryuu he only agrees to let Baki compete if he can face the temple's top student the next one to inherit the next title of Kaiou; Youou Chou. After watching the fight between Baki and Chou he allows the sickly Baki to participate in the Raitai. The following next day Ryuu along Retsu, Baki and Kozue appear in Hong kong for the Raitai Tournament where he, Retsu and the other Kaious are announced as well as Baki, Alai Jr and Yuujirou.
At the start of the match it is Ryuu Kaiou vs Yuujirou Hanma after Yuujirou is given a trial test to prove that he is worthy of participating by breaking forty roof tiles in a breaking contest. As Ryuu prepares to fight Yuujirou and land the first hit on Yuujirou with a white crane fist Yuujirou quickly places one hand behind Ryuu's face seemingly piercing through the skin and warns the old fighter not to move but Ryuu retaliates and grabs Yuujirou arm only for Yuujirou to flip the giant fighter and rip off his face and throw it in the crowd stand where many are horrified. While an unconscious Ryuu was being treated Retsu jumps into the arena trying to avenge his master a very angry Ryuu shouts "Don't you ever insult me like this!" and throws his bloody towel at Yuujirou and quickly kicks at the Ogre ripping his shirt but only for Yuujirou to return the favor and kick him back quickly ending the match again.
It is unknown what happen to Ryuu Kaiou or even what he looks like, but while Retsu is preparing for his upcoming fight, an attendee informs him about a surgery being successful, and how the patient is likely going to live. Given Retsu's close relationship with his Master, the information was most likely about Kaiou Ryuu, but this is unconfirmed.
Abilities[]
Being able to earn the title of Kaiou it is implied that Ryuu is very strong and skillful enough to be given the name. Being the mentor of Retsu Kaiou it is implied that he is a master of Byaku-Rinji style of Kung Fu. He has displayed great strength being able to pass his own strength test until interrupted and evenly matched by Retsu. He is shown being able to push open large doors with a large barricade on it, and crush part of his arm chair with relative ease when Retsu tells him he wants to enter Baki in the Raitai Tournament very much upsetting the Ryuu Kaiou.
Ryuu has shown to have great endurance and pain tolerance being able to continue his short lived fight after having his face ripped off by Yuujirou. Even though he is not shown but is implied being able to perfectly carve a large stone into a sphere called the "great hitting stone" Retsu was shown Ryuu Kaiou's hitting stone as an example to Ryuu's hard work.
Gallery[]
