Have you guys every thought about Shiryu’s rather odd epithet? He is called “Shiryu of the Rain”.
There are characters with similar epithets in One Piece. And nearly all of them are from Wano: Raizo of the Mist, Kikunojo of the Lingering Snow, Hyogoro of the Flower.
Kiri-sute gomen – The right to strike, an old feudalistic samurai expression
Often translated to “license to kill”. When Shiryu was first introduced and released from his prison cell, he immediately cut down the guards to test his meito with the excuse of , or a samurai’s honour. Back in the day, samurai had the right to kill any lower class citizens who they felt had compromised their honour. It’s similar to the practice of the shady Wano magistrate who killed random people in the streets.
Raiu – Thunderstorm, Shiryu’s Cursed Meito
With its size, square hand guard and bloodsplattered pattern, Raiu doesn’t seem like your average meito. I think it’s a cursed one that thirsts for blood and is one of the 21 great grade swords, among the likes of Enma, Shusui and Wado Ichimonji. He’s definitely taking good care of it, just like Zoro and the Monk Gorosei.
It’s also interesting to note that Raiu’s name (雷雨) includes the kanji for rain just like Shiryu of the Rain’s epithet (雨のシリュウ) . Why’s that important? Well, it isn’t but it’s a nice side fact and instantly makes me think of Wano’s northern regions for some reason.
It may not seem that way at the first glance, yet Shiryu’s character design is actually Japan themed. His outfit should resemble the uniform of a Japanese imperial lieutenant. His desgin is based on the character Katō Yasunori from the fantasy/scifi book series Teito Monogatari.
Teito Monogatari is a sourcerer and mystic, skilled in dark magical arts. Apparently his whole clan were considered heretics and therefor destroyed by the Empire. Yasunoris main goal is to take revenge and destroy the Japanese Empire. He even infiltrated the Japanese Army and became lieutenant. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? This reminded me of Orochi’s hatred for Wano and its people, because of what they did to the Kurozumi clan.
It seems to me that some Kurozumis have left Wano. The old hag, Kurozumi Higurashi even mentioned that she has left Wano for a time. Could it be that Shiryu is actually an exiled Kurozumi?
What I think is the case is that Shiryu is a fallen, cast-out or simply evil heir of the Shimotsuki clan, because that’s exactly the theme of the Blackbeard Pirates.
*Theory by Cassius96
