Although primarily known as a video game character, Hiryuu debuted in 1988 as the protagonist of a manga published exclusively in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten.
He made his first video game appearance in the 1989 arcade game Strider. Since his debut, Hiryuu ("Hiryuu" usually interpreted to mean "Flying Dragon") has appeared in various video games produced by Capcom.
In most versions of the Strider story, Hiryuu is an elite-class member of a group of futuristic, high-tech ninja known as the "Striders", who specialize in various kinds of wetworks such as espionage, sabotage, and assassinations. Hiryuu is the youngest Strider ever to earn an "A" class rank, what makes him a formidable warrior in any type of battle. His signature weapon is the "Cypher", a plasma sword with a tonfa-like handle able to cut through anything.
