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"You understand... that we assassins can only live in the heart of battle."
— Inaba to Urita Sukizo[4]


Inaba Ryo (因幡 (いなば) (りょう) , Inaba Ryō; "Ryo Inaba"), also known as The Black Phantom ( (くろ) (じゅ) (ぼう) (れい) , Kuroju no Bōrei), is an assassin that hails from the Inaba Clan as well as the clan's current heir. He represented Penasonic as their affiliated fighter during the Kengan Annihilation Tournament and was one of three assassins in the tournament.

Appearance[]

Inaba Ryo is the smallest fighter in the tournament, standing at 155 cm, with a slight yet well-defined frame, notably pale skin, and dead-looking eyes with large bags under them. His most distinguishing feature is his extremely long, flailing black hair that he usually lets drape over his face and on to the ground; under the hair, Inaba has a decidedly cute face.

Ryo tends to wear a plain black vest and plain black bottoms, and is usually seen barefoot.

Personality[]

Ryo is particular known for his eccentric behaviour,[5] such as his tendency to walk on all fours like an animal. Despite this, he has a surprisingly agreeable side.[1] Because of the relationship he has with his friend and employer Urita Sukizo, Inaba subdued his true sense of identity: the bloodstained karma of his assassin's blood and the fact that assassins could only really live in the heart of battle, something which he regained after his fight with Tokita Ohma.

History[]

Because the assassins of the Inaba Clan had served the Uritas for generations, as the current head of the household, Inaba Ryo was no exception. Because he was always at Urita Sukizo's side as his bodyguard ever since they were children, they had a bizarre relationship that was not of master and servant but more like that of close friends. To that end, Sukizo never ordered Inaba to commit any assassinations.[4]

Plot[]

Kengan Ashura[]

Inaba was first seen walking around creepily on the S.S. Kengan.

On the first day of the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, Inaba represented Penasonic, fighting against Tokita Ohma in the first round. Initially overwhelmed by Ohma, Inaba turned the tables when he began using his prehensile hair. However, Inaba was defeated when Ohma activated the Advance and dominated him.

While recovering from his fight in the medical bay, Inaba watched the rest of the first round with Urita. Two days later, during the first match of the second round, between Imai Cosmo and Akoya Seishu, Inaba helped to subdue the bodyguards hired by Hiyama Shunka, so that Nishihonji Akira could intervene in Hiyama and Akoya's ploy. Returning to the medical bay Inaba, then watched the rest of the second round. After the close of the second round, when Hayami Katsumasa began his "revolution", Inaba helped to fend off the assailing Guardians alongside Hanafusa Hajime, Murobuchi Gozo, Kono Haruo, Sawada Keizaburo and Sekibayashi Jun.

On the final day, Inaba watched the rest of the tournament unfold along with the other fighters who had been knocked out of the tournament.


Kengan Omega[]

Four years later, Inaba assisted Urita in a Anti-Worm meeting, giving the crime lords present at the meeting a list of Worm members hidden among their subordinates.

Power & Abilities[]

Ryo comes from the Inaba Clan of assassins, in which they have a special treatment for their hair to be used as a weapon. Apart from this, Inaba is a fast and agile combatant, albeit not as fast as Tokita Ohma. He is shown to be capable of matching Ohma's blows for a short while, before being overwhelmed. Despite being small, Inaba is stronger than he looks: using his big toe he can both propel himself quickly and can easily root himself to the ground; when wrapping Ohma's leg with his hair, Inaba easily swung him around like a ball on a chain using his arm or his neck.[6]

Inaba Style[]

Main article: Inaba Style

The martial arts style created and utilized by the Inaba Clan.

Etymology[]

  • Ryo means "good, virtuous, respectable" (良).
    • He shares his first name with Himuro Ryo, one of Ginokuniya Bookstore's affiliated fighters. However, both names are composed of different characters and thus, have different spellings and meanings.

Notes & Trivia[]

  • Inaba Ryo usually has his hair bonded with a special drug, but he left it undone for the purposes of the Kengan Annihilation Tournament.[6] To that end, he enjoys getting his hair groomed and dislikes getting haircuts.[1]
  • Ryo is able to knit and has been known to weave garments out of his own hair.[7]
  • In the anime his theme is Black Phantom by Shuji Katayama.

References[]

Site Navigation[]

v  e Kengan Ashura Characters
Assassins & Mercenaries
Heavenly Wolves Nikaido Ren
Inaba Clan Inaba Jozaemon · Inaba Ryo
Kure Clan Kure Erioh · Kure Fusui · Kure Henzo · Kure Hollis · Kure Horio · Kure Hoshiya · Kure Karura · Kure Kuro · Kure Raian · Kure Reiichi
Mikazuchi Clan Mikazuchi Byo · Mikazuchi Rei
Unaffiliated Aku Fujio · The Black Messengers · Kuroki Gensai · Meguro Masaki · Muteba Gizenga
Athletes
Athletics Murobuchi Gozo
Combat Sports Anderson Arona · Kaolan Wongsawat · Haga Haruki · Ivan Karaev · Kaz Fujita · Ko'ozan Shinobu · Kiozan Takeru · Kureishi Mitsuyo · Okubo Naoya · Ryuozan Ken
NHL Adam Dudley
Pro Wrestling Babadozan Hiroshi · Kurachi Karugo · Sekibayashi Jun
Kengan Association
22th Fax Corporation Jerry Tyson
Ajiro Fisheries Ajiro Korinmaru · Karo Yoshinari
Boss Burger Adam Dudley · Ronald Haraguchi
Byakuya News Akano Tesaki · Nikaido Ren · Takemoto Hisayasu
Dainippon Bank Bodyguards (Extermination Force) · Kanoh Agito · Katahara Metsudo · Katahara Retsudo · Katahara Sayaka · Omori Masamichi · Takayama Minoru
Fujima Shipping Harada Tokujiro
Furumi Pharmaceuticals Furumi Heihachi · Wakatsuki Takeshi
Gandai Sekibayashi Jun · Shikano Gen
Ginokuniya Bookstore Himuro Ryo · Kaneda Suekichi · Ohya Ken
Gold Pleasure Group Kurayoshi Rino · Mikazuchi Rei · Mion · Mori Masashi · Otoichi
Greater Asia Airlines Shimoda Saji
Iwami Heavy Industries Hong Xiao-Hu · Muteba Gizenga · Togo Tomari
Izumi Foodstuffs Ushiroda Takero
Juoh Communications Bando Yohei · Takada Seisuke
Kaoin Construction Aki Saito
Koyama Mart, Inc. Kaburagi Koji · Koyama Taisho
Koyo Academy Group Kiryu Setsuna · Matsuda Tomoko · Ozu Toshio · Soryuin Shion
Magatanien Akiyama Sakura · Kiozan Takeru · Magatani Juzo
Motorhead Motors Kuroki Gensai · Takakaze Kirimi
Muji TV Atami Hisashi · Ohkubo Naoya
Murder Music Sawada Keizaburo · Togawa Yoshiko
Nentendo Kono Akio · Kono Haruo
Nishihonji Security Services Imai Cosmo · Nishihonji Akira
Nogi Group Akiyama Kaede · Hatsumi Sen · Komada Shigeru · Nogi Hideki · Yamashita Kazuo
Penasonic Inaba Ryo · Urita Sukizo
Persia Petroleum Hassad
Sentory Hashida Takashi · Mokichi Robinson
SF Cold Storage Lihito
Suoh Steelworks Suoh Mihono
Teito University Dazai Yukio · Hanafusa Hajime · Yoshizawa Kokomi
Tochigi Destiny Land Nezu Masami · Yumeno Kunihiro
Toyo Electric Power Co. Guardians · Hayami Katsumasa · Julius Reinhold · Kito Gunji · Long Min
Umiichi Securities Inui Machizo · Meguro Masaki · Nomura Kohei
Under Mount, Inc. Kure Raian · Motoyama Hotaru · Ohta Masahiko · Yamashita Kenzo
United Clothing Murobuchi Gozo · Yanagi Makoto
Ushitami Food Services Nabe Mikio · Yokota Masayasu
Village of the Dawn Yoroizuka Sanemitsu · Yoroizuka Saw Paing
Wakasa Life Insurance Akoya Seishu · Hiyama Shunka
Yamashita Trading Co. Kushida Rin · Tokita Ohma · Yamashita Kazuo
Yato Trading Co. Kaolan Wongsawat · Iida Tadashi
Yoshitake Real Estate Chiba Takayuki · Yoshitake Yoshiro
Referees
Referees Anna Paula · Cheetah Hattori · Tashiro Mosashi · Yamamoto Koishi
Others
The Inside The Black Messengers · Gaoh Mukaku · Himuro Ryo · Kiryu Setsuna · The Other Tokita Niko · Tokita Niko · Tokita Ohma
Miscellaneous Edward Wu · Elena Robinson · Nagashima Ginji · Rama XIII · Taira Genzan · The Tiger's Vessel · Xia Ji · Yamashita Ichinoshin · Yamashita Yasuo
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