Fans of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima quickly learn that not everyone is who they seem - especially with Ryuzo. After all, the warrior Ryuzo immediately gives off the impression of a rival figure to the protagonist Jin Sakai. However, Ryuzo's affiliation with the Straw Hats and the Mongol Invasion of Japan easily complicate matters between him and the protagonist. Unfortunately, these differences soon form a divide in their friendship.
As such, Ryuzo ends up being one of Jin's closest friends and fiercest enemies. Moreover, his character development helped players understand just how complicated people can get, even in fictional stories like Tsushima. However, it seems Ryuzo has more secrets to hide under his role as Jin's close friend and rival. Just what secrets does this ronin hold?
11 Actions Reflect Jealousy, Admiration
Outside Khotun Khan, Ryuzo's role as a secondary antagonist stems from his jealousy and admiration towards Jin. Interestingly, Ryuzo reflects themes of striving for honor and pride, things samurai value the most in most samurai literature. In turn, most of Ryuzo's actions reflect on his desire to have power and be respected, albeit in his own unique way. This explains why Ryuzo tells off Jin from ordering the Straw Hats, which Ryuzo considers his men.
However, Ryuzo's aspiration for leadership doesn't stem out of ill intent. In fact, Ryuzo has deep care for his Straw Hats, with their survival the main reason why he joined Khotun Khan in the first place.
10 Creatives Stuck With The Theme
As with other characters in the game, Ryuzo's design heavily captures the theme of being a ronin and leader of the Straw Hats, Ryuzo's costume design does reflect these elements. For instance, Ryuzo wear simple clothing compared to other samurai, most especially Jin. And while Jin rocks a body suit for his nightly incursions as the Ghost, Ryuzo wears for comfortability.
In turn, Ryuzo's clothes offer more room for movement for the ronin - unlike the samurai who may have armor that restrict movement. Interestingly, Ryuzo also has a penchant for straw hats and a straw cape, reflecting on both his status as a Straw Hat ronin and as their leader.
9 Ryuzo Might Not Even Be A Ronin
Aside from his rivalry with Jin Sakai, fans know Ryuzo as the ronin who led the Straw Hats. However, fans need to remember that Ryuzo led the Straw Hats after losing to Jin in Lord Nagao's tournament. However, this tournament wasn't any other - his loss in the tournament meant Ryuzo lost his chance in becoming a samurai. Moreover, only masterless samurai became ronin.
Interestingly, if Ryuzo didn't even become a samurai, could he be classified as a ronin? Granted, his combat skills make him on par with most samurai. However, status-wise, Ryuzo might not even be a ronin himself.
8 Ryuzo Became A Master
Interestingly, Ryuzo's leadership of the Straw Hats ronin meant he became their master instead, forming an interesting dynamic in their status as ronin. Remember, masterless samurai become ronin. However, if the Straw Hats follow Ryuzo, wouldn't Ryuzo serve as their master?
For instance, riches and property serve as the only things that separate Ryuzo from ordinary daimyo that employ samurai among their forces. However, strictly speaking, Ryuzo's leadership of the Straw Hats means that others may not consider them as ronin anymore, but rather a unit of their own.
7 Khotun Khan Played Ryuzo, Sun Tzu Style
Players would most likely remember Ryuzo for his affiliation with Khotun Khan and his Mongols, and his leadership of the Straw Hats ronin. Interestingly, Ryuzo "follows" Khotun Khan not necessarily out of loyalty or admiration. Rather, Khotun Khan essentially played Ryuzo - taking a page off Sun Tzu's Art of War.
In Art of War, Sun Tzu elaborates that eliminating the enemy's supply line means targeting the heart of the enemy. When Khotun Khan became the "savior" of the hungry Straw Hats, Ryuzo had no choice but to join Khotun to ensure their survival.
6 It's Rare To Lead A Group
In Tsushima's depiction of Feudal Tsushima, its ronin mostly operate alone. Moreover, it's quite rare to see ronin organized in "formal" groups. As such, it's considered a rarity for Ryuzo to have organized a troupe of ronin in the form of the Straw Hats. This rarity becomes something to reflect in-game.
For instance, Jin encounters ronin as enemy units most of the time beginning in Act 2. Unlike other Mongol units that appear in waves, ronin often act in groups of three or four. Moreover, a lot of ronin appear as a backup for Mongol units. Interestingly, despite their small numbers, a small group of ronin end up almost always being skilled duelists.
5 Fights Don't Have Much Difference
Players might face a bit of irritation when facing Ryuzo for the first time in combat. Aside from his standard Katana strikes, Ryuzo has an irritating set of red attacks and blue attacks. Unless players perfect their dodges and have Unyielding Sword Parry, fighting Ryuzo the first time can get tough.
Interestingly, Jin's second outing with Ryuzo doesn't have many changes. Ryuzo still has the parry-able standard strikes, the must-dodge red attacks, and the blue strikes that require Unyielding Sword Parry to counter. However, this time around, Jin has more skills and experience - making the second fight much easier than the first.
4 Ryuzo Has A Rival Outside The Straw Hats
Despite his visible rivalry with Jin Sakai, the Ghost of Tsushima serves as only one of Ryuzo's few "rivals" in the game. Interestingly, Ryuzo might see a rival in the form of Lady Sanjo, the leader of Umugi Cove. Fans will remember this charming leader for her leadership of the Cove, a safe haven for everyone - be it thief, bandit, or ronin - who follows her rules.
Unlike Ryuzo's ronin who also work as mercenaries, the ronin under Lady Sanjo's command primarily protect her and the Cove's various residents. Interestingly, these ronin act as enforcers of Lady Sanjo's will. These often include hurting or kill people prohibited from entering the Cove, among others.
3 Ryuzo Has A Rival Within The Straw Hats
It seems even some members of the Straw Hats pose a threat to Ryuzo's leadership of the group. Jin eventually meets the violent Kojiro and his group of five former Straw Hats members. Prior to their battle, Jin learns that Ryuzo's Straw Hats kicked Kojiro and his troupe off the group for their ruthless and violent tendencies.
In turn, this implies some Straw Hats may not show contentment over the way Ryuzo runs things within the team. Interestingly, Ryuzo's successful elimination of Kojiro and his team off the Straw Hats does reflect the strength of his popularity within the Straw Hats.
2 Ryuzo Has No Direct Successors
At this point, fans know little about the full history of the Straw Hats as a group. However, what they do know is that Ryuzo joined the group shortly after his defeat in Lord Nagao's tournament. Somehow, the leader of the Straw Hats died and Ryuzo has taken his place. It's unknown whether Ryuzo was chosen as a successor, if Ryuzo served as the former commander's second-in-command, or if Ryuzo wrestled for control.
Interestingly, there's no indication of Ryuzo having a second-in-command, either. After Ryuzo's death at the hands of Jin, there's no news whether the Straw Hats have officially disbanded, or if they currently lie low under new leadership.
1 Without A Japanese Voice, Model
Fans of Tsushima appreciate Sucker Punch's efforts for remaining faithful and respectful to Japanese culture, especially during its Feudal Period. Moreover, main character Jin Sakai even has a Japanese model and voice actor (Daisuke Tsuji for the mocap and the English voice, with Kazuya Nakai providing the Japanese voice). Interestingly, eagle-eyed (and bat-eared?) fans might notice this isn't the same case with the other cast.
In particular, Ryuzo's voice Leonard Wu is Chinese-American, and not Japanese. Granted, fans might consider this nitpicking. After all, there's nothing wrong with a person of a different ethnicity playing the role of a character, especially if they do it faithfully and respectfully. However, this does make for an interesting factoid regarding Ryuzo.