Summary
Ryuu stands out as one of the few non-Shohoku members within Mitsui’s gang, sharing the distinction of being the other character, besides Tetsuo, who receives significant narrative depth. His involvement in the conflict begins when he confronts Rukawa during Mitsui’s assault on the basketball team. Although Ryuu manages to inflict a bloody head wound on Rukawa using a broken mop handle, he is ultimately knocked unconscious by the skilled player. The dynamic shifts in the anime adaptation when Ryu seeks to usurp Tetsuo’s leadership by recruiting new members and turning against him after Mitsui returns to play basketball. However, the arrival of Sakuragi’s Gang alters the course of events, allowing Mitsui and Sakuragi to break free and rush to the third-round match. This intervention leads to the decisive defeat of Ryu and the complete dismantling of his gang.
