Summary
Riku is a large, white canine companion who travels alongside Shizu and is characterized by a perpetual smile. Despite being a talking dog, his vocal abilities are treated differently across various adaptations. In the anime series, Riku speaks exclusively to Hermes, with Kino remaining skeptical of his ability to communicate even after hearing their conversation. However, the original anime version depicts Riku also speaking to Shizu, whereas the English dub limits his interactions in those scenes to barks or whimpers. In the light novels, Riku communicates freely with both Kino and Hermes.
