White Ryu

"Not knowing where you belong is rough on anyone. But, it’s times like that, you gotta keep your eyes and ears open. One day, you’ll find somebody who feels the same way you do. I’m talking to you, right now, aren’t I? That means you’re not alone. You might forget all about me after tonight, but still, connecting with you over the airwaves is something I’ll remember for life. The next time you start to feel like you’re alone in the world, you’ll have this place to come back to."

- White Ryu, during his radio show,

White Ryu (ホワイト竜, Howaitoryū) is Saki Nikaido’s childhood idol who inspired her to become the person she is today from when she was in middle school. He is a minor character who made his debut in “The SAGA of an Almost-Broken Radio”.

Young
A fairly athletic man in his 35s. He has peculiar long hair and a retro look that stands out from the rest of the artists; his pompadour is extremely long and stocky.

Present
Regardless of the era, White Ryu proudly sports a hairstyle with a pompadour and sunglasses. His hairstyle, straight in the 90s, falls on his face, he has to push it with his hand to show his face. With age, his hair changes from dark brown to a grayish color. In 2019, White Ryu is older than he was at the beginning of his career and his face is slightly wrinkled, Lily finds White Ryu's appearance cheesy while Saki discovers that he hasn't changed almost anything since the 90s.

Personality
Although at first glance he seems the typical conceited artist who thinks of himself, he is a good guy who continues to maintain his style from when he was mostly seen and constantly tries to give a message to people about finding their way and making others shine. Although his advice is out of date, he always tries to strive to find the path that leads to the truth and likes to guide and inspire others. In his debut episode, he shows his cool personality by leaving Saki his legacy of continuing on the radio because he knows that Saga needs new energy.

Etymology

 * White Ryu and Hakuryu literally translate to “White Dragon”, Ryu means dragon in Japanese, and Haku means white.

Trivia

 * His appearance and demeanor are in many ways based on satire of the Japanese youth motorcycle gangs “Bosozoku”, which were popular from the 70s to the 90s and to which female part Saki and Reiko belonged to.
 * White Ryu's character is inspired by the real Japanese singer and actor Hakuryu. The latter interprets the character and the song “Do You Hate Windy Days?”. He also participated in the first announcement trailer for Zombie Land Saga Revenge, in July 2019, where he plays a mysterious character who wishes to take revenge.
 * Hakuryu is quite known for his Yakuza movies and his collection of sunglasses.
 * Hakuryu is from Imari, a city located in Saga Prefecture.
 * In Episode 24, Ryu is seen arriving in Saga with the US military, but they carry a blue US flag, indicating that they came from international aid.
 * For the origin of the character White Ryu, it was decided that he would not be an ordinary person, but someone who would turn out to be cool and passionate. A person who anyone would think is rare at first glance. Perfect qualities for Saki, who, like her, don't care what others say.

White Ryu White Ryû