Ryu Hayabusa's abilities, equipment and titles

Ryu Hayabusa from the Vampire War comic book illustrated and written by Team Ninja

Ryu Hayabusa's abilities, equipment and titles are astonishing feats controlled by the player throughout the Ninja Gaiden series, utilized and earned by the main character Ryu Hayabusa as he walks the path of the ninja. Most of his skills come from rigorous training throughout his childhood and young adult life, but he is also descended from a line of warriors known as the Dragon Lineage, giving Ryu a greater connection and understanding of philosophical and spiritual arts, as well as granting him greater ease in enhancing his physical prowess. giving him the ability to defeat supernatural foes and even supreme deities.

Skills & Abilities

General

Disarming a Van Gelf.

Trained intensely from childhood in the ways of Hayabusa Ninjutsu, Ryu had to adapt to survive the harsh ninja life and live up to a birthright placed upon him. Eventually he earned the right to bear the Hayabusa clan legacy in his name and excelled as a top student amongst his peers, gaining skills and abilities that are signature of the Hayabusa Clan Ninja:

• Agility: Ryu is able to move unimaginably beyond the speed of light, leaving after images of himself when taking out enemies in less than a blink of an eye. His reflexes are immensely sharp, allowing him to effortlessly block and dodge bullets from multiple automatic assault rifles shooting at him from all directions all at once. Ryu is also able to successfully dodge and even outrun Surface-to-Air Missiles (which fly at Mach 3-6), and even react to instantaneous things, such as enemies' teleportation, or the Blinks of his foes. He was able to effortlessly dodge and react to ranged lightning attacks from Alexei, which his lighting is way faster and stronger than regular lighting, Ryu was capable of reacting to quantum interactions that appear at the speed of light in the simulator VR create by Lovelace, as well as seemingly teleport while in combat. Ryu is also able to outpace beams of light from searchlights while water running, in the jungles of South America. His dexterity and agility is trained to sheer perfection. In combat, he is extraordinarily evasive, able to utterly outfast highly agile Black Spider Ninjas and speed type Fiends, even defend and counter their incredibly quick attacks.
• Strength: Ryu has immense superhuman strength, able to lift huge weapons with ease, as well as effortlessly cutting through thick tank steel and jets in half. He is also able to easily and quickly wield hefty weapons such as the Dabilahro, Enma's Fang, and the gigantic Eclipse Scythe, while not any losing of his high levels of speed and agility, For short movements, Ryu is able to move the 100 lbs Dabilahro fast enough to block bullets shooting at him from all sides with multiple automatic assault rifles. In addition, Ryu is also able to break out of the likes of a T-Rex's foot from crushing him, the jaws of powerful beasts and demons, and the grips of his enemies, as well as slam an opponent hard enough to shatter their skull. Ryu can block immensely powerful strikes from the colossal Goddess who has supernatural strength and powerful enough to destroy and cut through skyscrapers, as well as having enough strength to give a kick powerful enough to hurt or even behead an enemy in one blow. The force Ryu applies into his weapon strikes are powerful enough to cause significant damage to the Greater Fiends and even the Archfiend Vazdah. He could also bisect the Giant sized Goddess from the right shoulder down to the hip with the Blade of the Archfiend.
• Stealth: A specialized ninja skill, Ryu is able to infiltrate many areas skillfully, including heavily guarded territories, observing things undetected from afar, and sneaking up on enemies to perform stealth kills. He also has the ability to seemingly turn invisible, aiding him in his stealth.
• Acrobatics: Another ninja specialized skill, this skill enables Ryu to use his ninja acrobatics to move about his environments and surroundings, reaching places that would normally be unreachable by others such as non-ninja. He is also able to land in such a way that he is unharmed from drops of great heights, including heights exceeding 1000 ft. Ryu is also capable of adapting acrobatics into fighting, able to evade multiple enemies from all directions and counterattack just as quickly. His acrobatic prowess is immense even by the standards of well trained Ninjas; Ryu could jump and leap enormous heights and distances, as well as scale and fit through the most complex and dangerous terrains and environments. His most prominent feat of acrobatics is to jump between two jets in mid flight in order to reach the Black Narwhal.
• Senses: Honed from childhood, each of Ryu's 5 senses have become extremely acute, most notable of which are his ability to feel displacements through the air, focus his eyes to zoom into targets from afar, and accurately detect the sound of slight far off footsteps in the midst of being next to a body of running water. With the help of items such as the Owl's Eye, Ryu can see in pitch black darkness. Due to his intense mental training, Ryu possess a superhuman state of mentality, his perception of the world around him being much greater than a normal person, making him extremely alert to danger, allowing him to react to things most cannot. He also possesses nearly unbreakable concentration, being able to focus on other tasks such as regeneration in the midst of battle, and even possessing willpower and discipline great enough to break through the effects of illusions and curses.
• Stamina: Ryu possesses enormous amount of superhuman stamina. He is able to fend off large arenas and areas filled with enemies continuously without tiring. Ryu is able to physically exert himself for extremely extended periods of time far beyond that of a normal human, before fatigue toxins begin to impair his abilities. Even while cursed with the Grip of Murder, Ryu was able to defend himself against some foes when the curse would flare up, despite the immense amount of pain that nearly crippled him. Ryu can be dipped in lava and walk for a long time without tiring. Ryu has virtually never shown a sign of fatigue against great adversity.
• Ninja Sense: A 6th sense possessed by the ninja, allowing them to sense potential enemies and dangers around them, often guiding them in a direction towards a main objective.
• Hand-to-Hand: One of the world's top hand-to-hand combatants and supreme master in Hayabusa style ninjutsu, Ryu has proven his mighty skill during the second Dead Or Alive tournament by defeating the Tengu of Destruction in hand-to-hand combat, preventing the world from being plunged further into chaos by the monstrous creature. Ryu has also studied other forms of Martial Arts to further increase and refine the versality of his Ninjutsu based fighting style . His reaction, execution time, dexterity in punching,kicking and grappling throws are all hone to utmost perfection , making him a perfectly balanced fighter in offense and defense and his mix-up ability is excellent. His mix-ups and "surprise" attacks keep many opponents guessing which angle or height he will strike from. Ryu's immense hand to hand combat skills also allow him to maximize the full lethality of the Falcon's Talons when used allow him to decimate numerous skilled Black Spider Ninjas and ferocious Fiends effortlessly.
• Weapon Master: In addition to the katana, a Samurai skill assimilated into the Hayabusa clan and mixed with ninja acrobatics, Ryu has completely mastered many other weapons including weapons that are difficult to wield such as the customized Tonfa and Kusari-Gama , quickly becoming skilled and masterful with any new weapon he picks up. Ryu often pushes his weapons to their physical limits, requiring the skilled master weapon smith Muramasa to upgrade these weapons so he may push their boundaries even further. Able to combat opponents advanced to fencing as Genshin,Yaiba or the Regent of the mask
• Master Swordsman : Ryu is an exceptional master swordsman able to wield mystical blades such as the True Dragon Sword and the Blade of the Archfiend with tremendous dexterity and precision,his mastery of the sword is supreme being able to defeat Genshin,the Supreme Ninja Overlord of the Black Spider Ninja Clan and Yaiba the Demon Ninja of the Kamikaze Ninja Clan in a sword fight.
• Master Marksman : Ryu is a tremendously skilled marksman, having learnt archery from Omitsu the Hayabusa Clan's legendary master archer,and is able to fire arrows with deadly accuracy even from vast distances as shown when Ryu precisely shoot down one of the many hordes Juvenile Quetzalcoatls flying in the skies of New York City from the top of a skyscraper,Ryu is also highly proficient in Shurikenjutsu, he is able to hurl shurikens with sufficient velocity and precision to kill LOA Soldiers who were holding Mizuki hostage utterly outfast the modern firearms that they are armed with.
• Ki Manipulation: Through intense meditation and spiritual training, Ryu has gained the ability to manipulate the laws of nature with his mind. Appearing as magic to those out of tune with the universe, this Ninja art is known as Ninpo and techniques for them are usually found written in ancient scrolls or passed down from generation to generation.

Dismembered by Doku.

• Regeneration: Being more in tune with his spiritual side, Ryu has developed a immensely higher than usual spiritual life force or health. By manipulating this tremendous spiritual life, Ryu is able to regenerate from wounds that would otherwise be fatal, such as a slice through the jugular or a stab through a vital organ like the heart. Ryu also has a higher durability and endurance than the average human; this endurance is increased further with the Life of the Gods. Once his spiritual health is depleted he would be unable to heal from wounds. However, spiritual health can be replenished with the aid of elixirs, herbs, blue essence, Dragon Statues and even his spiritual animal, the Falcon. The full extent of this ability is unknown, but in the most extreme case Ryu has managed to hold his body together and come back to life after being dismembered from shoulder to hip by Doku via the Dark Dragon Blade early on during the Dark Dragon Blade Incident. Ryu could also regenerate his spiritual life and maximum Ninpo if health reaches zero.
• Durability: His durability is at a extraordinary superhuman level. Ryu's endurance augmented with his unique regeneration ability allows Ryu to survive many hazards such as a barrage of bullets, fatal stabbings, rockets & explosives, and being submerged in pools of acid & molten lava without any lasting damage to his body. Ryu is also able to easily withstand magical fireballs, razor sharp winds, demonic beams and flying blunt objects like large telekinetically thrown pillars. Ryu's endurance can increased further with the Life of the Gods. Ryu is highly resistant to extremely deadly toxins, such as the Devil Way Mushrooms, which contain highly toxic poisons, although Ryu consumes them rather easily. Ryu also possesses a extremely high resistance to intoxicants and drugs, as it took enough tranquilizer to bring down a scientifically enhanced Giganotosaurus to knock Ryu out momentarily. Ryu perhaps has an immunity to time manipulation. Suggested by the NES games, in which the Time Stop ability does not freeze Ryu. He can survive explosions at close range and being chewed by dragons. Ryu also managed to survive an explosion large enough to cover the diameter of Mount Fuji which is about 20-30 miles long without any scratch. Can take a lot of destructive damage against a Supreme deity. Ryu would be able to resist deformation of the reality of the Vigoor Emperor. Ryu can also be crushed and milled in the hands of big demons and be violently thrown to the ground. Ryu could survive having a chainsaw revved up in his innards by a Spriggan, only to knock it away and resume battle. He can survive being violently stabbed by enemies that pin him down, resuming battle as if he were fine. Ryu survived the curse of Doku retaining his humanity and rejecting the powers of the Fiends.
• Spiritual Life Regeneration: Ryu is able to regenerate his spiritual life by concentrating to focus his energy after battles and gain some of his lost spiritual life back.
• Ninjutsu: Ryu is extraordinarily skilled in the art of Ninjutsu,being the most powerful and skilled Ninja the Hayabusa Clan has ever produced, his skill far exceeding the rank of a Master Ninja.
• Technique/Ninpo Creation: Ryu 's understanding of Ninpo is great enough to create his own Ninpo, and abilities at random. Examples of this skill are his spontaneous creation of the Art of the Floating Earth Platforms, the Flying Jump, and Art of the True Inferno. Ryu usually creates these abilities in last ditch efforts to defeat foes of great power.

Techniques

These are the many tactical skills utilized by Ryu in battles and in navigating through hazardous environments. Ryu starts off with most of these techniques. However, some require the purchase of a scroll or a special event to learn.

• Wind Run Technique: Able to blindly sense where his enemies are, Ryu will quickly home in on the nearest enemy, even if out of his line of sight.
• Wind Path: Ryu uses his opponent's head as a footstool to jump off of. He also shows an adapted version of this move during the DOA tournaments, jumping off his opponent's head with such force that it sends his opponent face planting head first into the ground.
• Guillotine Throw: Ryu jumps over his opponent, grabbing them by the head against his shoulder and then does a centrifugal flip, throwing his opponent a long distance or slamming hard into a wall. It can also be initiated through the use of his Wind Run Technique. This is one of his throws in the Dead or Alive Series. (First introduced in Ninja Gaiden (Arcade))
• Thunderclap Kick: Ryu jumps kicks forward two times while dashing, knocking his opponent over. In Dead or Alive series it's called Kikoku-Shintei Kyaku, and Ryu can kick up to three times. This technique appear again when Ryu uses the Tonfas in Ninja Gaiden II and its remakes. (Appears in the Dead or Alive series and Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) and its remakes.)
• Double Jump: After his first jump, Ryu is able to jump again without a need for physical structures to push off of. Ryu has only been shown performing this move in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword.
• Flying Bird Flip: While running up a wall, Ryu does a back flip jumping up further, he uses this technique to scale walls by jumping in between two walls until he reaches the top. During the Dead Or Alive tournament, he adapted this move by jumping on top of his opponent and locking his feet on the head and then back flipping his opponent. This variation is similar to the Guillotine Throw but instead of tossing his opponent, Ryu slams them into the ground while standing above them with his arms crossed.

Decapitating a Werewolf

• Water Running: Ryu's ability to run and fight on the surface of deep bodies of water, similar to a Basilisk Lizard.
• Shadowless Footsteps: Better known as wall running, it is a basic ninja technique.
• The Invisible Path: Wall running and then jumping from one wall to the other while still wall running.
• Unrivaled Soaring: Similar to the Invisible Path Technique, except Ryu wall runs around a room from corner to corner scaling a tall building's interior.
• Reverse Wind Technique: A dodging maneuver, it originally started out as a roll, but evolved into a ninja dash technique. It is now a ninja slide which Ryu can use offensively to initiate an attack, capable of stunning weaker enemies.
• Furious Wind Technique: Similar to the Reverse Wind Technique, while blocking an attack that is landing, Ryu is able to quickly dodge the attack. This technique is used by Ryu when his guard is broken to dodge any further attacks.
• Counter Attack/Sabaki: While blocking an attack, Ryu quickly launches a counterattack, attacking when his enemy is still recoiling from the strike.
• Intercept: A special technique where Ryu intercepts an attack just as it is about to land, resulting in a slight blue flash and preventing him from receiving any damage. This technique is even able to cancel damage from fireballs, flying pillars and rockets. It is also able to charge an instant Ultimate Technique if there is enough essence floating around to fuel it, making it the ultimate counterattack.
  (Only available in Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) with the Hurricane Pack downloaded)
• Projectile Deflection: Carefully timing a slash, Ryu is able to deflect projectiles such as arrows and fireballs back at his enemies. (Only available in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword)
• Violent Wind: While running Ryu quickly does a ninja dash and slashes his enemy at blinding speed. Ryu does a similar move during the Dead Or Alive tournament, using his arm instead of a sword to slash his opponent as he dashes through them, he also does a double dash as a tag team move if his partner is Kasumi.
• Violent Gale: Multiples of the Violent Wind Technique, Ryu slashes over and over with blinding speed.
• Flying Swallow: Ryu jumps forward into the air and propels himself at his opponent in a lightning fast slash, sometimes using his Blink technique to aid in increasing his speed.
• Flock of Flying Swallows : Multiples of the Flying Swallows Technique, Ryu attacks with lightning fast aerial slashes. The True Dragon Gleam Ultimate Technique features an advanced version of this technique where Ryu launches his enemy into the air and relentlessly flies at his enemy, slashing over and over.
• Raptor: A variation of the Flying Swallow. During a Falcon Dive or Flying Swallow, Ryu will grab the enemy by the head for support, land behind them, and stab them with his sword. (Only in Ninja Gaiden 3.)
• Izuna Drop : A signature move of the Hayabusa clan, Ryu does this technique by launching his opponent into the air and then doing a spinning pile driver and slamming his enemy head first into the ground, creating a shockwave that damages any enemies near by. Depending on the force Ryu uses, his enemy's head may explode upon impact. Ryu has mastered this technique so well that he has adapted it to any weapon he happens to be using, creating many variations of the Izuna Drop, such as the River Styx Drop with the Eclipse Scythe and the Underworld Drop with the dual wielded Blade of the Archfiend and True Dragon Sword. When performing this move without using weapons, Ryu launch the opponent to the air and teleport next to them in order to perform the Drop. (First introduced in Dead or Alive (1996))
• Underworld Drop: A technique used by Genshin, Ryu learned it after acquiring Genshin's Blade of the Archfiend in Ninja Gaiden II and Ninja Gaiden 3. They both do this technique by stab their enemy in mid-air and then doing a vertical spinning similar to the technique Blade of Niritti. After slamming the enemy down onto the floor, they hop away while removing the Blade.

Vs Godomus

• Obliteration Technique: A finishing move, Ryu finishes off a wounded enemy with a brutal, but quick, fatality. Though this is mainly used on wounded or dismembered enemies to put them out of their misery, Ryu is also seen easily slicing enemies at full health in half with one strike, such as Werewolves.
  (Available in Ninja Gaiden II & Ninja Gaiden 3)
• Essence Technique: A devastating attack, Ryu charges essence from his surroundings and releases a flury of powerful attacks. The charge time can be reduced by absorbing essence into the Technique. In modern Ninja Gaiden and its remakes, the technique animation is the same as the slightly held strong attack but more damage.
• Ultimate Technique: An advanced form of the Essence Technique, it is more lengthy and deadlier, but requires more time or essence to charge. Depending on the weapon, various forms of this technique would result. During his battle against Jaquio's forces, the ultimate technique for the Dragon Sword was the Spinning Windmill Slash which, if timed correctly, would kill a boss character at full heath in one hit. In Razor's Edge Ryu can charge the ultimate technique up to 3 times as opposed to the usual 2 charges in the previous games. Additionally, when in Bloody Rage, Ryu can instantly perform a more powerful Ultimate Technique.
• Steel on Bone: A technique where Ryu slices his enemy all the way through, slicing the enemy into two pieces, either leaving them open for an Obliteration Technique or killing them outright. (Introduced in Ninja Gaiden 3)
• Four Rings: A surprising accurate technique, wherein Ryu spins and throw Shuriken, stopping any enemies around him. (Introduced in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge)
• Falcon's Eye: A "godly" technique that has the user concentrate hard enough to stop the very flow of time before loosing an arrow. Even master Ninja are not capable of using this technique without feeling drained. Ryu, however only experiences slight fatigue and a significant drain in his Ki reserves. (Introduced in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge)

Ninpo

Ninpo is the spiritual arts of the ninja, allowing the caster to manipulate the very laws of nature, physics, even time, in contrast to Ninjutsu's martial arts. Ninpo require intensive meditative focus to master, as well as secret instructions to initiate them which are usually found in ancient scrolls. Ryu has mastered many of these Ninpo Arts and learned to perform them while on and in water after the Dark Dragon Incident. Ryu's powerful spirit further increases the power of these Ninpo.

• Art of the Fire Wheels: Ryu focuses his mind on spiritual waveforms around himself and focuses his Ki energy into the waveforms, creating fire wheels that encircle him. This is mostly a defensive ninpo used as a shield in the heat of battle but also has a very important function: entrapping large enemies in the fire wheels, resulting in constant damage to them.
• Art of Flying Fire Wheels: A variation of the fire wheel art, except Ryu mentally focuses the circling flames in an upwards direction once they form. (Exclusive to the NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy)
• Art of the Flame Phoenix: This Ninpo art allows Ryu to convert his Ki to summon the sacred spirits of phoenixes who protect him with their holy flames. It is similar to the Art of the Fire Wheels except it lasts longer. However, the length of time this ninpo is active for diminishes as the phoenix spirits take damage.
• Art of the Inferno: Focusing his mind, Ryu creates flames that envelop him and then uses his telekinetic ability to control these flames. Over the course of his journeys, Ryu has varied this Ninpo, mastering it into a deadlier form each time. Originally it was an enveloping flame Ryu focused into a fireball and blasted it into his opponent. Later on it evolved into a large ball of fire that would move where ever Ryu willed it, and hot enough burn through steel-like substances. Finally Ryu perfected the art, matching the flames of a dragon's breath. In this variation Ryu would form multiple dragon flame like fireballs over his head, and send them slamming down on any enemy unlucky enough to get caught in the blast.
  • Art of the True Inferno: The "perfect" version of the Art of the Inferno. While performing this, Ryu transforms into a flame dragon that swallows his enemies whole.
• Art of the Ice Storm: By manipulating the atmospheric conditions around him, a vertical whirlwind of ice emerges encircling Ryu. Any enemy caught in this Ice Storm will be frozen in place as ice shards repeatedly pierce into them. Later Ryu improves his skill with this art to the point that he is able to launch ice shards in which ever direction his mind wills it to. Out of battle it can be used to put out fire barriers.
• Art of the Hurricane: Concentrating on manipulating the air in front of him in a spinning motion Ryu creates a twister, which leaves a path of devastation for enemies caught in the twister as Ryu guides it's movements with his mind. Outside of battles it is used to turn ancient wind turbines found in ruins. (Exclusive to Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword)
• Art of the Wind Blades: 1-3 sharp waves of vacuum are created and amplified as Ryu moves his arms at lightning fast speeds, they then radiate outwards in the directions Ryu swings his arms, slicing everything in their path. Crowds of enemies caught directly in the path of these vacuum blades are cut to pieces while those on the outer edge only lose a limb or two.
• Art of Vacuum Wave: This is a variation of the Wind Blades Ninpo, which instead sends vacuum blades simultaneously in an upwards and downwards direction, even though solid objects to strike at out of reach enemies. (Exclusive to Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom)

Art of the Inazuma

• Art of the Inazuma: Amplifying the bio electric currents in his body, Ryu is able to quickly charge up electricity in his body, which is then instantly blasted outwards as lightning striking all enemies in the vicinity. Outside of battle this is used to destroy large boulders. Ryu gains the ninpo scroll for this ability after defeating the gigantic Inazuma worm.
• Art of Divine Life: By concentrating and focusing ki into healing energy with his mind, Ryu is able to turn ki energy into blue essence, fully restoring his spiritual health. (Exclusive to Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword)
• Art of the Piercing Void: The most destructive ninpo in Ryu's arsenal. Ryu first focuses his telekinetic energy created by centripetal vibrations in his lower dantian or ki focal point, then forms the energy using gravitational waves propagated from his conscious spirit, resulting in a rotating black hole trapped inside a semi permeable spiritual force field that keeps it stable. Because of the semi permeable nature of the force field around the black hole, time space fluctuations occur around the black hole as Ryu sends it flying off, it's gravitational pull is great enough to rip the environment around it apart and pull debris encircling into the black hole as it speeds away. Enemies caught in its path are instantly destroyed, even piercing through multiple enemies before dissipating. Most boss enemies can survive the black hole, but suffer massive damage, leaving them vulnerable to a finishing blow.

Unique Ninpo & Abilities

• Time Stop (JP) Time Freeze (NA): This item was only used in Ninja Gaiden (NES). By collecting this, Ryu is able to temporary freeze normal enemies and their shots in place for 5 seconds, while he is able to continue to move about freely with no resistance. Despite its name, the item doesn't affect the game's timer.
• Doppelganger: Unique to Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, this is Ryu's ability to create Shadow Clones of himself that mimic his moves and aid him in battle.
• Sword Extension Wave: This is the unique ability for Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom. With it every slash of Ryu's Dragon Sword is sharp and fast enough to produce cutting vacuum wave, extending the range of the Dragon Sword.
• Flying Jump: A special jump where Ryu tenses his legs slightly and then springs high up into the air, the vast distances of these jump heights range from tall buildings to partial or full heights of a volcano. In one instance it was high enough to battle 3 jets while free falling from high up, seemingly like a Peregrine Falcon as the name Hayabusa suggests.
• Flying Earth Platforms: Through special Ninpo chants and concentration Ryu was able to summon flying platforms from the earth that moved to the will of his mind, giving him a chance against the Vigoor Emperor's size advantage during the battle. Ryu's control over the earth platforms was great enough to have a second back up flying platform catch him if he were to be knocked off his current platform. This is likely possible through the combination of telekinesis and gravitational distortions similar to the Art of the Piercing Void.
• Blink: Seen mostly in Dead or Alive, it is Ryu's ability to dash a distances instantaneously during a fight, sometimes leaving smoke or leaves in the wake of his Blinks. Other Dead or Alive ninja characters are sometimes seen using this move as well, particularly Kasumi who leaves a trail of cherry blossom petals as she Blinks, while the other ninja characters Ayane and Hayate do not Blink on the scale of Kasumi and Ryu.
• Teleport: The long distance teleport instantaneously used more in travel than battle. Having used the Twin Serpent statue's teleportation portal to teleport vast distance, Ryu gains the ability teleport long distances similarly, using it at the end of the Dark Dragon Blade Incident. In Dead or Alive he is often seen teleporting into and out of battles, even teleporting with Kasumi in and out of fights when partnered with her.
• Wall Cling: Ryu's ability to cling to walls in Ninja Gaiden (NES), either using concealed teko-kagi or vander waals force given his ability to manipulate his internal bio electric currents. With this he can ascend walls by jumping back and forth between two walls similar to the flying bird flip.
• Wall Climb: Upgraded wall cling allowing Ryu to climb up and down walls, he uses this in the NES Ninja Gaiden 2 and 3.
• Kunai Climb: Ryu's wall climbing ability introduced in Ninja Gaiden 3, where he scales walls using two kunai blades in each hand.
• Falcon Dive: A move from Ninja Gaiden 3 where Ryu dives down from high places usually tall buildings, it is used to ambush enemies from the air. Ryu is seen gliding through the air in many cutscenes prior.

Ryu using his heal ability to revive Ayane.

• Heal: Ryu's ability to instantly heal dying allies by placing his hand over the top of them and blasting them with healing energy for a few seconds. It is only used in co-op mode for Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.
• Hayabusa Spirit: This is the guardian animal spirit that helps resurrect Ryu after he dies from being sliced in half by the Dark Dragon Blade. Its ethereal spirit form is seen merged within Ryu, its corporeal physical form can be seen after Ryu disappears into the night. Ryu sometimes drops a few of peregrine falcon feathers in his wake. It serves as the force of Ryu's Indomitable Will, as he is able to overcome any challenge presented.
• Transformation: Ryu has the ability to transform into the spirit of the Falcon.
• Grip of Murder: A deadly Slavic curse used by the members of the Lords of Alchemy on victims they're trying to eliminate. Ryu received the curse from the Regent of the Mask. The Curse grants Ryu incredible attack power, able to kill an enemy in one strike when active. However, each killing will bring more pain to Ryu and eventually, he will die from it. The Curse was removed by the Regent after his final fight with Ryu. (Only used in Ninja Gaiden 3)
• Cicada Surge: A short range teleport frequently compared to the duplicate technique, it is actually unique to the Hayabusa clan.
• Ultimate Ninpo: A powerful Ninpo spell that can be used by all of the playable cast of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, in which the casters stand back to back, recite an incantation and summon a portal from which a massive energy comes crashing down, creating an enormous explosion that affects everything around the casters destroying regular enemies and heavily injuring boss enemies, while the casters themselves are unharmed.
• Blood of the Ryujin (Dragon Gods): Those of the Dragon Lineage possess the blood of the 12 Dragon Gods flowing through their veins. This blood has been shown to have mystical and powerful qualities, as it resurrected the Archfiend Vazdah into his true form after being slain by Ryu in the events of Ninja Gaiden 2. And being able to create the powerful clone of Ryu, the Epigonos, in Ninja Gaiden 3. The Dragon Gods blood also grants descendants of the Dragon lineage such as Ryu a superiorly higher potential to gain superhuman physical abilities as well as a stronger spiritual affinity for mystical arts such as Ninpo. The Lords of Alchemy even went to tremendous length of sacrificing numerous soldiers and resources just to acquire a sample of Ryu's blood in order to further empower the Goddess.

Abilities in Other Media

• Gessen Goryu Ha: Ryu is seen using this move in the Dead or Alive series. It acts as his Power Blow in Dead or Alive 5. A powerful Ninpo that is shown to be able to barrel through targets such as armored helicpoters.
• Art of Substitution: An illusionary move where Ryu substitutes a log in his place, leaving his opponent to fight the log thinking it's Ryu. Ryu used this move to toy with Hayate and test his abilities.

Equipment

Melee Weapons

• Dragon Sword: Ryu Hayabusa's signature weapon, said to be created from the fang of the now extinct Dragon Deities and containing their souls and strength. Its true strength is revealed when combined with the Eye of the Dragon. However, once combined, the power of this weapon is so great that it upsets the very balance of the universe and may very well destroy it should it exist long enough. As a result, the Dragon Sword and the Eye of the Dragon are kept separated and only combined during dire times. It is the only weapon to appear with Ryu in every installment of Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, and Ryu's cameo appearances. It is said that the Dragon Sword can slice through anything.

Finishing off Rasetsu.

• Lunar Staff: A staff created from a strong piece of willow treated with special wax and oils, wrapped in a layer of a Qilin tendons held on by bone glue, which is then encased in an other shell of steel, with two spiked weights on the ends made from a heavy alloy containing Iridium derived from meteorites and attached by chains. This staff is said to harbor the mystical powers of the moon and gets heavier during the full or new moon phases.
• Nunchaku: An East Asian weapon consisting of two hard blunt sticks linked together by a rope or chain. It is a useful fast weapon early on but as better weapons emerge and stronger enemies appear, it quickly becomes obsolete.
• Vigoorian Flail: An offshoot of the European spiked mace flail from the medieval period, this weapon was created in the Vigoorian Empire, resembling two sickles attached together with flexible link.
• War Hammer: The signature weapon of Rachel's, this heavy weapon resembles a war axe halberd but is considered a hammer due to its immense weight and lack of sharpness. The hammer is large and blunt on one end, while spiked on the other end making both sides deadly, designed to slay fiends. Ryu finds this weapon on the monastery floor after Rachel is captured by Doku. However, because he did not possess the superhuman strength of Rachel's fiendish bloodline, he was unable to wield it as effectively and at times struggled to keep balance with its heavy weight.
• Dabilahro: A large 100 lbs sword used by the Elite Berserker Knights of the Vigoorian Empire. Like the war hammer Ryu sometimes struggled to stay balanced when using this weapon.
• Kitetsu: The signature weapon of Doku's, it is a cursed Japanese blade. Ryu loots this weapon from Doku's corpse after slaying the Greater Fiend. However, the blade's vampiric nature required it to constantly taste blood when wielded by anyone other than it's true master Doku, as a result when inactive it would slowly sap away Ryu's life force. But in battle it had the ability to drain the life of enemies replenishing Ryu's life energy as it did with Doku when it was wielded by its original wielder. The Kitetsu appears to be able to split into two separate swords.
• Wooden Sword: Also known as a bokken, it is more of a practice tool than a weapon. This sword is the least effective of all weapons. However, it has plenty of potential. Ryu buys this sword from Muramasa; this particular wooden sword is rumored to have belonged to the great Kensei or Sword Saint Miyamoto Musashi. After upgrading the wooden sword seven times, the end result is the Unlabored Flawlessness, one of the most powerful weapons. When the life bar is very low, the kanji on the Unlabored Flawlessness will start to glow and its damage output increases significantly. At this point it is able take out bosses in a few swipes. The Unlabored Flawlessness is basically a powerful heavy paddle. The Kanji on the Unlabored Flawlessness reads "Ten I Mu Hou" when translated essentially means "Perfect Beauty with no trace of Artifice, Flawless!"
• Dark Dragon Blade: An evil blade said to be carved from the bone of the Dark Dragon and containing its dark essence as well, the blade becomes stronger with every kill. Once unsealed, it can turn its wielder into the Devil Incarnate. This weapon's unsealed power can only be matched by the True Dragon Sword and is considered indestructible against anything else. Since according to canon the blade is destroyed by Ryu once retrieved, it is never canonically used by Ryu but rather is a secret bonus weapon.
• Dragon's Claw and Tiger's Fang: These are specialized twin katana swords, designed with light weight close to the hand guards so they may be dual wielded without too much difficulty. They were first introduced in Ninja Gaiden Sigma.
• Falcon's Talons: Making a martial artist even deadlier, these large steel claw gauntlets on the hands and feet transform Ryu's strikes and kicks into lethal slices and impalements. The Falcon's Talon's design is based on the Hayabusa or Falcon as it's name suggest, embodying the Peregrine Falcon's deadly talons. These are deadlier combat claws compared to the smaller teko-kagi or ninja claws which were mostly used for scaling walls and trees.
• Tonfa: Tonfa are stick like weapons which nightsticks are base on. It originates from the Ryukyu martial arts of Okinawa, along with nunchaku and karate which means empty hand, during a time when weapons such as swords were outlawed under Japanese rule. The specialized Tonfa used by Ryu Hayabusa, however, are heavier, with high density, super hard tungsten carbide plating, giving them immense pulverizing damage, at the expense of being difficult to wield.
• Kusari-Gama: The kusari-gama is an iconic weapon of the ninja said to be invented out of farm tools by the ninja when the laws stated that only the Samurai class were allowed to carry weapons. It consists of a sickle attached to long chain, attached to a weight on the other end. This specialized Kusari-Gama used by Ryu Hayabusa was crafted by Shishido Tessai, unique from the average kusari-gama as it pushed the absolute usable limit of this weapon with a longer chain and heavier weight, making this already difficult to wield weapon even more unpredictable and difficult to wield.

The Eclipse Scythe.

• Eclipse Scythe: This is Volf's signature weapon; as the name suggests, it's design was based on the phenomenon of the Solar Eclipse. It is made from Damascus Steel and the body of an overthrown Lycanthrope king, once shaped it was cooled by plunging it into the bodies of live humans, this gruesome process is said have taken 9 full days to completely cool and harden. Unlike other weapons made from Damascus steel, the Eclipse Scythe lacks the grain pattern typical of Damascus steel when Ryu first finds it (though the scythe acquires the pattern later). Ryu adds this weapon to his arsenal after slaying Volf and looting it from the greater fiend's corpse as vengeful werewolves rush in.
• Enma's Fang: A large sword with an unsettling nature; its crystalline matrix becomes harder when blood is spilled on it. It laid dormant for a long period of time until it's rediscovery when it was named Enma's Fang after Enma, the ruler and judge of the afterlife realm.
• Blade of the Archfiend: A blade of unknown origin rumoured to be forged from a meteorite that the Archfiend breathed on, with incomprehensible divine runes across the blade. It is powerful enough to match even the Dragon Sword. This is a favourite weapon of Genshin, passed down from generation to generation in the Black Spider Clan, only to the most ruthless and powerful of the Black Spider clan. It is eventually given to Ryu by a dying Genshin out of mutual respect. Ryu dual wields the Blade of the Archfiend with the True Dragon Sword in Ninja Gaiden II, combining their immeasurable ancient power to form the ultimate weapon. Ryu used the Blade as his final weapon in Ninja Gaiden 3. It was eventually destroyed by The Goddess.
• Jinran-Maru: The katana of Ryu's friend Hayate. He sent Ayane to borrow Ryu the sword, he uses it in Ninja Gaiden 3 when the Dragon Sword merges into his arm due the Grip of Murder curse. Ryu soon returned to the Hayabusa Village to get the Blade of the Archfiend. Unlike Hayate, Ryu can utilize Jinran-Maru's Storm power, but only when performing the Ultimate Technique with the Blade of the Archfiend.
• Plasma Saber/Plasma Saber Mk II: A high voltage super heated blade of green plasma, capable of cutting through anything.

Projectile Weapons

• Shuriken: The iconic throwing star of the ninja, this weapon is mostly used by Ryu to quickly stun enemies leaving them open to more lethal attacks. It has appeared in every installment of Ninja Gaiden.
• Incendiary Shuriken: These are kunai style shuriken with grenade like explosives attached to them. The pin on the grenades part is pulled and then it is thrown, after a certain time frame this shuriken explodes. It is effective on large slow enemies and bosses.
• Windmill Shuriken: A large foldable shuriken that acts similar to a boomerang returning to its thrower, it is folded attached to a holder on the forearm when not in use. This unique weapon of the Hayabusa clan is passed down the generations within the clan. It makes the 3rd most appearances in the Ninja Gaiden series after the Shuriken and the Dragon Sword.

Fiend's Bane Bow and Two-Pronged Arrow

• Bow: A basic bow found in the Hayabusa village, used to launch arrows.
• Strong Bow: A composite Bow made during the Medieval period in the Vigoorian Empire, the Strong Bow is more powerful than the regular bow and cannot be pulled by a human of average strength.
  • Arrow: A basic arrow with a pointed arrowhead used for piercing targets.
  • Explosive Arrow: A specialized arrow with an explosive tip that explodes upon impact.
  • APFSDS Core Arrow: A specialized arrow made from heavy tungsten material giving it good penetrating ability, able to penetrate thick armor such as tanks.
• Fiend's Bane Bow: This state of the art composite bow was developed in the Hayabusa village, made from high tensile carbon fibers, it is able to rival the modern sniper rifles in accuracy as well as penetrate 40mm bullet proof armor plating.
  • Two-Pronged Arrow: A Japanese style arrow preferred by certain ninja, it is designed to tear flesh rather than penetrate.
• Spear Gun: A weapon used to hunt fish and other aquatic creatures, acts similar to a hunting rifle on land. As a result it has a long cool down between bursts, no defensive capabilities, and is seldom used by Ryu on land.

Ryu's Howling Cannon

• Gatling Spear Gun: An out of place artifact crafted in 10th century Europe. It uses hydraulics to launch exploding spears in rapid successions. Due to this design it is useless on dry land.
• Howling Cannon: A heavy cannon that fires slow but powerful flaming projectiles.
• Lock-On Bow: A special bow provided by Cliff that locks on to a target. The bow was eventually destroyed by Cliff himself.

Tools

• Smoke Bomb: Not so much a weapon but a distraction tool used by the ninja to throw off enemies. Enemies with high sensory perception are immune to smoke bombs.
• Grappling Hook: Used in Ninja Gaiden Shadow and in his Dead or Alive 4 ending, the grappling hook allows Ryu to cling to ceilings and surfaces from afar and climb quickly.

Armlets & Attribute Items

Armlets were used in Ninja Gaide to increase certain attributes. However, as of Ninja Gaiden II, Ryu has more or less mastered all of these attributes and abilities and no longer requires the use of armlets or attribute items from Ninja Gaiden. If Ryu is playing on the easy "Ninja Dog" mode, he can receive ribbons from Ayane which seem to function the same as Armlets. These ribbons are found in chapters 1, 3, 4, 6, 10 & 16.

NG1 Armlets

NG1 Band Of Strength

• Armlet of the Sun: An orange armlet engraved with a picture of the Sun, when equipped increases Ryu's attack power by 5%.  Applies to all attacks, including melee weapon attacks, projectile attacks, ninpos, kick & throws.
• Armlet of the Moon: An aqua armlet engraved with a picture of the Moon, when equipped increases Ryu's defensive abilities, reducing damage taken by 5%.
• Armlet of Potency: A gray armlet emblazoned with the picture of a Horse, when equipped it increases the strength of Ryu's kick & throw attacks by 40%.
• Armlet of Benediction: A yellow armlet emblazoned with the figure of a Goddess, when equipped it increases Yellow Essence absorption by 21%.
• Armlet of Fortune: A red armlet emblazoned with the figures of two Elephants, when equipped it increases the chance of Red Essence appearing and Ryu will regain two Ki slots per every Red Essence absorbed.
• Armlet of Tranquility: A blue armlet engraved with the figure of an Angel, when equipped Ryu gradually regenerates his spiritual life.  Regenerates 2 pixels of health per second.  For the sake of reference, in Ninja Gaiden 1 Black, Ryu's health bar starts at 208 pixels wide and has a maximum of 745 pixels wide if all health upgrades are obtained.
• Armlet of Celerity: A green armlet engraved with the figure of a Dragon, when equipped it decreases the time needed to charge an Ultimate Technique.  See this image for more information.  
• Band of Power: One of Ayane's (deep-gold colored) ribbons, when equipped increases Ryu's attack power by 15%!  Three times the amount given by Armlet of the Sun!  Applies to all attacks, including melee weapon attacks, projectile attacks, ninpos, kick & throws..
• Band of Protection: One of Ayane's (white colored) ribbons, when equipped increases Ryu's defensive abilities, reducing damage take by 5%.
• Band of Strength: One of Ayane's (purple colored) ribbons, when equipped it increases the strength of Ryu's kick & throw attacks by 40%.
• Band of Wealth: One of Ayane's (yellow colored) ribbons, when equipped it increases Yellow Essence absorption by 21%
• Band of Spirit: One of Ayane's (red-orange colored) ribbons, when equipped it increases the chance of Red Essence appearing and Ryu will regain two Ki slots per every Red Essence absorbed.
• Band of Light: One of Ayane's (yellow-green colored) ribbons, when equipped it decreases the time needed to charge an Ultimate Technique.  See this image for more information.  
• Owl's Eye: A charm made in the shape of an owl. With it Ryu is able to see even in pitch black darkness.  Used to complete a puzzle in NG1's "The Path To Zarkhan" chapter.
• Oxygen Cylinder: A tank filled with compressed oxygen gas, it allows Ryu to stay underwater without holding his breath.

Costumes

Main article: Costumes

• Legendary Black Falcon: This is Ryu's main costume and a modern incarnation of the traditional ninja costume, though details change slightly from game to game it remains fairly consistent. The black costume consists of an aerodynamic sleeveless leather suit, ninja tabi boots, shin guards, forearm guards, fingerless gloves, ninja mask/hood, scarf or muffler and a head crest/forehead protector. Notable is the silver head crest which changed from a dragon design in Ninja Gaiden to a falcon design in Ninja Gaiden II and the 3 kunai shuriken attached to the left thigh (and in later revisions, both) that are rarely used.
• Traditional Dark Blue (Legendary Ninja): Ryu's original main costume from the NES trilogy, it is similar to the traditional ninja costume except sleeveless. It consists of a blue ninja suit, black/blue tabi boots, black scarf, blue ninja mask/hood, black fingerless gloves and red forearm bands.

The Original Fiend Costume

Fiend Hayabusa Concept Art

• Traditional Hayabusa Clan: A traditional purple ninja gi that covers from head to toe leaving only the eye area exposed. It is the standard Hayabusa clan uniform and the costume Ryu starts out with in Ninja Gaiden (Xbox).
• Fiend: Ryu took this form after Doku cursed him into a fiend, only appears in chapter 15 in NG1, NGB (18 in NGS). It look exactly like the Legendary Black Falcon, except that Ryu's skin is blue and his eyes are red. As heard in the cutscene before he fights the Emperor, his voice is also changed into a demonic tone, but this doesn't change in gameplay.
• Ninja of the Future: A white and black costume futuristic in style, gives off a golden after image instead of a blue one, originally the default weapon for this costume was the green Plasma Saber instead of the Dragon Sword.
• Dark Dragon Skin: This is the red and black costume covering completely from head to toe; its bone details on the head resemble Ashtar as a homage to the classic NES boss. Doppelganger Fiends usually take on the appearance of this costume.
• Red Muffler: As the name suggest this costume has a crimson red muffler or scarf. It is a homage to Hotsuma of the Shinobi franchise. Doppelganger Fiends also take on the form of this costume. This costume gives off a pink after image instead of a blue one.
• DOA Throwback: Ryu's Dead or Alive costume, it is somewhat of a cross between a traditional ninja gi and Ryu's current Legendary Black Falcon, except decorated in gold and without a hood piece, exposing his hair.
• Dark Blood: A variation of the Legendary Black Falcon, except blood red and gold instead of black and silver.
• Type 20: A military camouflage variation of the Legendary Black Falcon.
• Black Jaguar: Another variation of the Legendary Black Falcon, with jaguar spots.
• Tribal Spirit: A sleek gold variation of the Legendary Black Falcon.
• Biometal: A cyborg ninja costume that resembles the cyborg ninja of the Metal Gear franchise and Guyver.
• Shadow Walker: This costume is a hybrid of the Ninja and Samurai costume, including samurai fangs on the head piece.
• Fiend Hayabusa: Resembling a Falcon demon, this costume gives Ryu the appearance of a fiend.
• White Prologue Costume: This is white ninja costume similar to what Ryu's father Jô Hayabusa wears in the Vampire War prologue, resembling Jô Musashi the original star of the Shinobi franchise.
• Choun Shiryu: This shining armor costume is a homage to Zhao Yun from Dynasty Warriors 6.
• Hayabusa Powered Assault Armor: An armor in Halo 3. Although the armor is named after Ryu, he doesn't wear the armor. The helmet is exactly the same copy as the ninja of the future costume; its shoulder plates are in a sode shape.
• The Grip of Murder: Ryu's newest and latest default costume in Ninja Gaiden 3. It's the Legendary Black Falcon with different texture, the right gauntlet is missing, as his right arm is infected by the Grip of Murder. This is also his bonus costume in Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus.

Titles

Dragon Ninja

These are a line of warriors said to have ties to the extinct Dragon Deities of ancient times, for eons the Dragon Deities fought other Deities before their eventual eradication, passing on their remaining strength to a bloodline of human warriors in a form of a fang as they died. This bloodline is known as the Dragon Linage, the ancestors of Ryu Hayabusa and the Dragon Ninja. During an age of myth when the human race was ruled by pantheons of Deities throughout the ancient world, Ryu's ancestors waged wars and sealed these Deities away and their demonic fiend race, liberating the human race. As the only current descendants of these warriors, Ryu and his father are the only living Dragon Ninja, a title of inheritance which Ryu is at the last end of the line until he produces an heir. This is why many characters such as Genshin and Zedonius refer to Ryu Hayabusa as the last Dragon Ninja.

Master Ninja

Through intensive training during his early life, Ryu quickly rose through the ranks of his clan distinguishing himself as one of the top ninjas of the Hayabusa clan. His master skills in all the ninja arts of stealth, combat and the mystical has earned him the title Master Ninja. A title that extends even to other Ninja clans, with Mugen Tenshin ninja Kasumi and Ayane addressing him as Master Ryu. Ryu and his father Joe Hayabusa are the only surviving Master Ninjas of the Hayabusa clan after their clan was massacred during the Dark Dragon Blade Incident. Unlike Dragon Ninja, this title is not inherited, but earned, as such many other Master Ninja exist, such as Genshin of the Black Spider Clan, Murai of the Shadow Ninja Clan and Hayate of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan.

Modern Day Ninja

The Hayabusa Clan have adapted throughout the times into the modern day. Where the majority of the Ninja clans only used traditional ninja skills such as stealth and agility, the Hayabusa clan has incorporated Samurai swordsmanship into their clan, creating deadly agile stealth warrior who were just as skilled in katana duels as the Samurai. Over the centuries many non Japanese styles would emerge such as the Okinawa martial arts which used tonfas and nunchaku and be adopted by the clan, all the way to the modern era. This modern version of the Hayabusa clan has adapted their weapons with the time, such as bows that match accuracy of modern sniper rifles while still retaining the stealth of a bow, and grenade style shuriken that operate similar to grenades. Producing ninja that are able to operate in the modern world, with Ryu Hayabusa as their deadliest modern day ninja. The term "Modern Day Ninja" was first coined up during the Dead or Alive tournaments as DOATEC categorized their fighters, during which Ryu Hayabusa infiltrated many times to assist the fighters, where as the more traditional Mugen Tenshin ninja Hayate, Kasumi and Genra fell prey to DOATEC's capture and experiments. This title was later combined with Super Ninja during the 3rd tournament, listing him as the Modern Day Super Ninja.

Super Ninja/Singular Super Ninja

It is not know who first uttered the phrase, but tales of Ryu's extraordinary exploits and abilities are well known, as such he has been categorized and known by people as a "Super Ninja". The abilities of the Super Ninja are proven time and time again as Ryu slays hordes of deadly supernatural beings and destroys armies armed with weapons of the modern era, such as the fighter jets of DOATEC. The only other Ninja to earn the title Super Ninja was Genshin, but the harsh path of the Ninja and generations of clan rivalries resulted in a clash between the two Super Ninja, leaving only one standing. In the end, the two Super Ninja gained a mutual respect for each other, knowing each did what they had to do. Currently Ryu is the only known living Super Ninja, thus his current title "The Singular Super Ninja."

Ultimate Ninja / Legendary Ninja

Due to the many legendary tales of Ryu's exploits and his status as the most powerful ninja in the world, Ryu Hayabusa is now known as the Ultimate Ninja and sometimes as Legendary Ninja. Having faced and defeated everything from the most powerful of beings and deities to technologically advanced military machines and biological experiments.

See also

• Ryu Hayabusa
• Biography of Ryu Hayabusa

Gallery

NG1: Charge guide

NG1:Black health bars / health upgrades measurments

NG1-Black: Ninpo damage increase measurements per level

NG1 Weapon damage chart

NG1: Speargun