Ryuko Tatsuma - Ryukyu

Ryuko Tatsuma (竜たつ間ま龍りゅう子こ, Tatsuma Ryūko?), also known as Dragoon Hero: Ryukyu (ドラグーンヒーロー リューキュウ, Doragūn Hīrō Ryūkyū?), is the current No. 42 Pro Hero, and was the previous No. 9, and later No. 10 Pro Hero eight years ago.

She employed Nejire Chan, Uravity, and Froppy during the Hero Work-Studies.

Appearance Ryuko is a woman with chin-length blonde hair, which she wears swept back with a headband, a long fringe over the right side of her face, covering her eye. She has thin, yellow, inward-tilting eyes with slit pupils and notably sharp teeth, these aspects are purposefully reptilian as a reference to her Quirk. Eight years later, Ryuko has gained wrinkles around her cheeks, wears her hair much shorter.

Her hero costume consists of a dark red, traditional qipao with a pale green scale trim around her shoulders, which seems to only be slit on the left side, with yellow claw patterns on the bottom and smaller ones around her neck. She wears knee-high boots and a strap around her exposed thigh. She wears long, almost sleeve-like white gloves that nearly reach her shoulders, with higher tabs on the outer sides, and they expose her hands from the wrist. She wears a matching green headband with four large, pale purple claws attached, covering the right side of her face, and a set of small black dragon wings protrude from the back of her head, with a number of gold spiked cartilage piercings decorating her left ear. She wears several more piercings years later, and now has a spiked one underneath her lip.

When she activates her Quirk, her body transforms into that of a large, winged dragon with pale gray scales, although she still has the same skin tone, hair, and eyes. Her hero costume remains visible bar her boots and the claws that were on her face have transferred to her right hand.

Personality Ryuko is a humble and gentle person, giving praise where it is deserved and not expecting gratitude in return. She always keeps her composure in a combat situation. Ryuko sees talent where it's due and is willing to hand difficult tasks to those who she thinks can handle them.

Her humble side is further highlighted when she considered herself the only one responsible for dropping to the tenth spot on the Japanese Hero Billboard Chart, and admitting that she could have done better. On top of that, when asked to give a speech as the no. 10 hero, she mentioned that she would have refused this rank if it was possible, as she doesn't believe herself worthy of this spot after failing to save a person.

Ryuko seems to have a soft spot for children, as shown by her caring and tutoring side towards her trainees. She was also saddened upon learning that Overhaul was using his own "daughter" to create Quirk-Destroying Drugs, and made it clear to the other heroes that rescuing Eri should be their top priority.

Abilities Enhanced Strength: Ryuko's dragon form gives her great strength, which she demonstrated by blocking Rikiya Katsukame's punch, a large yakuza member who also has increased strength, and then smashing him into the ground. Later, despite her stamina having been drained, she was able to grapple with him for a few moments as well as knock him back, hurting him in the process. The latter feat is particularly significant, as Rikiya had just shrugged off a powerful attack from Nejire. During the Paranormal Liberation War, Ryuko teamed up with the Flame Hero Endeavor, to double team the 75% enhanced Tomura Shigaraki while he was in the air, and managed to hold her own for an extended period of time before being knocked out. She later regained consciousness and managed to restrain him with Izuku Midoriya's aid, though once the villain regained use of his Quirks, he easily incapacitated her out once again with a shockwave.

Immense Durability: Ryuko is extremely resistant to blunt trauma in her dragon form. Despite being weakened by Rikiya's Quirk, she took no damage when Nejire used her most powerful attack to drive Rikiya and her into the ground, a move that knocked him out, despite Ryuko being the only one who was hit by the shockwave directly.[6] Later during the Paranormal Liberation War, Ryuko managed to endure hits from the body-enhanced Tomura Shigaraki, who had strength comparable to that of All Might.

Quirk Dragon (ドラゴン, Doragon?): Ryuko's Quirk gives her the ability to transform into a large western dragon. This form grants her a good increase in strength and durability, powerful jaws and claws, and wings which allow her to fly.

Equipment Size Changing Costume: Ryukyu's Hero outfit enlarges upon her dragon transformation and returns to normal size as she does.

Claw Guards: Ryukyu wears a set of claw guards sized for her dragon form on her head, which she dons when she transforms.

Ryuko Tatsuma, known as Ryukyu, is a professional hero in My Hero Academia and holds the number 10 spot in Japan's hero rankings (at the beginning of the series). Her dragon-like appearance and abilities make her one of the most prominent heroines in the series. Here’s a summary of her story up to the present:

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Past and Origin as a Hero

Ryuko Tatsuma was born with the Dragon Quirk, which allows her to partially or fully transform into a dragon, granting her immense physical strength, the ability to fly, and exceptional defensive capabilities. This power made her stand out as a promising hero from the start of her career.

Thanks to her natural talent and calm, professional demeanor, Ryuko quickly rose through the hero rankings, earning the respect of both her peers and the public.

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Role as a Mentor and Interactions with Students

Ryuko is well-known for her role as a mentor to U.A. students. During the internship arc, she took Nejire Hado (of The Big 3), Ochaco Uraraka, and Tsuyu Asui as apprentices in her agency. Ryuko proved to be a reliable leader and a model of professionalism, teaching her interns not only how to use their abilities in combat but also how to handle rescue situations and protect civilians.

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Shie Hassaikai Arc (Raid on the Eight Precepts of Death)

One of Ryuko’s most notable moments was during the operation to rescue Eri from the Eight Precepts of Death. As the leader of her team, she worked closely with other heroes such as Sir Nighteye and Eraser Head.

Ryuko directly confronted the villains in an intense battle, using her dragon form to contain adversaries and protect her team. Her performance was crucial in neutralizing threats and ensuring the heroes achieved their primary goal.

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Paranormal Liberation War Arc

In this arc, Ryuko fought on the frontlines against the villains of the League and the Paranormal Liberation Front. Her size and strength in dragon form allowed her to take on multiple enemies simultaneously and withstand devastating attacks.

Throughout the battle, she stood out for her coordination with other heroes and her protection of younger allies, demonstrating her commitment not only to the fight but also to leadership.

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Final Arc (Final War)

In the current saga, Ryuko continues to serve as a key hero in the fight against All For One and his followers. Despite overwhelming challenges, she remains a crucial figure of support, fighting bravely to protect society and her fellow heroes. Her experience and power make her a cornerstone of the resistance against the villains.