- "I am an 'offering' to 'Him'... and you have harmed me. You must pay with your life."
— Kiryu threatening Nikaido Ren[2]
Kiryu Setsuna (
Appearance
Kiryu is an effeminate-looking young man with long black hair that falls down his back and frames his face in two long bangs, gentle livid-colored eyes and he has an incredibly defined musculature.
Two years after the Tournament, Kiryu sports bob-cut black hair reminiscent of the style when he was younger.
Personality
Outwardly, Kiryu is a very polite and friendly person,[6] belying his true obsessive nature directed towards Tokita Ohma, with an irrational hatred towards Tokita Niko. While his obsession in Ohma initially appears to be sadomasochistic and sexual, it's more of religious fervor: He worships Ohma as a god who will give him destruction and loathes Niko as the devil who defiled his god.[7] Kiryu also suffered a severe form of psychosis due to overusing the Fallen Demon technique, causing him to hallucinate that Niko is still alive and taking the form of different people and that he must kill Niko in every form he takes.[7]
Two years later, his personality seems to have taken an even darker turn, even after being freed from the side effect of Fallen Demon by Ohma. He now becomes interested in "grooming" Ryuki into becoming his new "God", even mentoring him in learning the Koei Style to prepare him to defeat Ohma, his old "God".
History
Kiryu was born in the Inside as organ stock for his wealthy biological father and spent his entire life beaten, detained, and unwanted. Before his captors harvested him, a young Tokita Ohma killed his captors because he believed them to be edging in on his turf. Believing Ohma to be a god that would destroy him for his sinful nature, Kiryu chased after him and remained within the Inside so he could find "god" again. Selling himself into child prostitution to gain money and connections, he soon earned the favor of one of the most powerful men in Goyu Ward. Going to the "Outside," Kiryu found and killed his biological father, stealing his money and using his connections to find "god" again. Two years after their first encounter, Kiryu learned of Ohma's location in the Inside and ran happily to his "punishment" only to find that Ohma had been "defiled" by the devil, Tokita Niko, Ohma's master.[8] It was here that Kiryu met The Other Tokita Niko, who informs Kiryu about Tokita Niko as well as teaching him the Niko Style.[9] Informed by The Other Niko about Taira Genzan, Kiryu later encountered the martial artist and became his student.[10]
Two years later, Kiryu returned to the Inside[8] and found Ohma once again. Accosting Ohma, Kiryu forcibly activated the Possessing Spirit after it was bestowed upon him by The Other Niko, causing him to violently rampage.[9] Ohma nearly killed Kiryu but was stopped at the last minute by the arrival of Tokita Niko.[11] With Niko stopping Ohma's rampage, Kiryu then watched as Niko fought The Other Niko.[12]
It was very soon after this that Kiryu's master Taira Genzan challenged and killed Niko when they were young. Then, during the ten years, Kiryu and Genzan fought in the Death Fights. In this time, before Ohma could exact revenge on Kiryu's master, Kiryu killed him first, intentionally earning Ohma's wrath.[13]
Plot
Kengan Ashura
Setsuna nonchalantly appeared, sitting down during Koyo Academy's battle royale 'examination.' With Ozu Toshio confidently challenging him, Kiryu made quick work of him, much to Soryuin Shion's surprise. Coming down, Soryuin asked him how he managed to find out about the 'exam' with Setsuna merely replying that people will talk. Being asked why he wanted to fight in the Kengan matches, Setsuna explained that he wanted to see "him." With Soryuin agreeing, Kiryu thus became Koyo Academy Group's affiliated fighter.
A few months later, Setsuna found Ohma training by himself in a park. Making himself known, Ohma suspiciously backed off until he realized who it was. Kiryu drew close to Ohma, admiring his physique, before revealing that he had already killed Taira Genzan. Almost begging for Ohma to strike at him with all his hatred, Ohma cleared the air and told Kiryu that he didn't care about revenge and only wanted to confirm he was the strongest.
Days later, Kiryu looked on in delight from above after Ohma (and the other preliminary winners) boarded the S.S. Kengan. Seeing a Bodyguard splash Ohma with Hassad's blood after knocking him off the ship, Kiryu became fueled with ire due to Ohma being 'defiled.' Later, Kiryu confronted the Bodyguards in question and brutalized them. Before the ship arrived at Ganryu Island, he was seen naked and cuddling a large Ohma-shaped plushy while fantasizing about eventually killing him.
During the opening day of the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, Kiryu quietly observed all of the matches preceding his own with Soryuin Shion and Matsuda Tomoko; in particular, he took pleasure in watching Ohma fighting against Inaba Ryo and orgasmically celebrated Ohma's victory afterward. After the Kiozan Takeru vs Sekibayashi Jun fight, Kiryu purposefully encountered Kure Karura and warned her that he wouldn't fault her if her feelings for Ohma were nothing more than adoration. Eventually coming up to his turn, Kiryu represented the Koyo Academy Group in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, fighting Nikaido Ren. Confounding Ren with his skills, Kiryu eventually defeated him and won his match.
Setsuna fought against Kuroki Gensai in the second round and, despite initially keeping Kuroki on the defensive with his relentless assault, he was eventually defeated, almost dying at Gensai's hands.
After his defeat, Setsuna wandered the halls of the Kengan Dome aimlessly. During Hayami Katsumasa's attempted coup, Kiryu inadvertently aided the squashing of Hayami's plans by mercilessly killing any of the Guardians that came his way. After this, Kiryu traversed the Kengan Dome under the delusional belief that he was protecting the "savior and saved" from being hunted by Tokita Niko.
In his "noble" efforts, Kiryu eliminated the "Nikos" that came to kill him. Believing that he needed to evacuate everyone from Niko, he eventually encountered Yamashita Kazuo and brought him outside. When he saw Kazuo hallucinate into Niko, he attacked him, only for Kazuo to be saved by Tokita Ohma.
Confused that Ohma would defend his defiler, Setsuna attacked him and wondered aloud if Ohma was still under Niko's curse. With Ohma reiterating that Niko died ten years ago and recounting what happened, Setsuna incoherently revealed his side of the story of what happened that day. With the past shown, the two resumed their battle with Ohma dominating with his mastered Niko Style. With Fallen Demon activating, Kiryu attempted to activate Ohma's Advance, with Ohma countering and subduing him. Knocked out, Kiryu was captured by the Bodyguards and put in the island's holding cells.
After the Tournament had ended, Setsuna broke out of his cell and vanished.
Kengan Omega
Setsuna made a sudden appearance during the Kengan Association VS Purgatory Tournament. Approaching a crestfallen Gaoh Ryuki, when asked who he was, Setsuna merely answered that he was "just a man who lost his beloved, forever." Listening to Ryuki's grief, Setsuna compared Ryuki to himself and, lamenting his mistakes, asked Ryuki if he was ready to "go through hell for his loved one."
Power & Abilities
Setsuna is a powerful and dangerous combatant, who was able to effortlessly defeat Ozu Toshio, an undefeated Kengan fighter,[14] and later, onboard the S.S. Kengan, he easily defeated two of Metsudo's Bodyguards, men who are renowned for their impressive strength.[15] With his natural aptitude for martial arts, Kiryu has proven himself to be a skillful fighter, able to pressure people of Ohma and Kuroki Gensai's level in battle.
Setsuna is also a noted prodigy in martial arts. While it takes normal people at least eight years to complete the training needed to use Rakshasa's Palm, Setsuna managed to master it in only a year.[16]
Kiryu proves to be a master of stealth and infiltration, as shown when he broke out of his imprisonment without alerting the Bodyguards as well as the the fact he was able to leisurely meet up with Ryuki and Akoya despite currently being manhunted by the Kengan Association ever since Kengan Annihilation Tournament.
Koei Style
Setsuna uses the long-lost martial art revived by his master Taira Genzan. However, Genzan was only able to salvage two techniques before his death at Setsuna's hands. Kiryu uses the Koei Style's techniques very well, mastering them in a short time and even improving them, highlighting his fighting genius.
Niko Style
Before learning the Koei Style, Setsuna learned the Niko Style from The Other Niko. While not nearly as skilled in the style as Ohma is, he can combine its techniques with the Koei Style to compensate for his shortcomings and use the knowledge he has to counter Ohma's techniques.
Fallen Demon
The secondary secret technique of the Niko Style is demonstrated only by Setsuna. This technique only activates whenever Kiryu is in a critical situation.[17] It allows him to react to his opponents more quickly, letting him dodge and counter attacks that would otherwise land.[18][17] However, due to the drawbacks of the technique, and the fact he's used it too much, it causes him to see hallucinations of his 'devil,' Tokita Niko, still alive and taking the form of other people.[17]
Artistically, the state has Kiryu's face drawn in shadow, with narrow white eyes and an unnerving smile. His face is reminiscent of the twin theatre masks' comedy mask.
Mingling of the Tiger and Fox
Mingling of the Tiger and Fox (
Not only does Kiryu deliver a rush of blows with unpredictable and quickly-altering trajectories, but each of the blows also has the lethal twisting force of the Rakshasa's Palm behind it.
Gaoh Style
From watching his student Gaoh Ryuki use the Gaoh style, Setsuna was able to pick up the Air Rending fused with the Rakshasa's Sole technique in his fight with The Sixth Tokita Niko.
Etymology
- Kiryu is a surname that uses the kanji for "paulownia" (桐, Kiri) and "life, living" (生, Yu).
- Setsuna (
刹 那 ) can mean either "instant" or "moment".
Trivia
- Before the Annihilation Tournament, Kiryu spent his time wandering Koyo Women's University (because he had no job and regularly had time on his hands) and became quite popular with the students there.[6]
- Setsuna makes a silhouetted cameo in Sandrovich Yabako's other series, Danberu Nan-Kiro Moteru?.[20]
- Setsuna's theme in the anime is Beautiful Beast by Yasuharu Takanashi.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Kiryu Setsuna's profile
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chapter 95
- ↑ Presumably a fair amount of other wins in the yakuza-funded armed underground martial arts promotion Death Fights.
- ↑ 1 win prior to the Kengan Annihilation Tournament(Ch95)(Ep16)
1 win during the tournament against Nikaido Ren(Ch97)(Ep16) - ↑ After defeat to Kuroki Gensai during the Kengan Annihilation Tournament(Ch157)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 4-koma: Neighborhood Cat
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Chapter 208
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chapter 155
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chapter 210
- ↑ Chapter 156
- ↑ Chapter 209
- ↑ Chapter 211
- ↑ Chapter 24
- ↑ Chapter 12
- ↑ Chapter 34
- ↑ Chapter 212
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Chapter 213
- ↑ Chapter 97
- ↑ Chapter 157
- ↑ Chapter 28 (Dumbbell)
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