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Don't admit defeat to yourself; rather than your body, use your spirit!! Don't forget it is your life force what controls your body!!
(「自分に負けをみとめるな肉体ではなく精神を使え!! 生命力が肉体を支配することを忘れるな!!」)
—Kuramoto's words to Hiryu

Kuramoto (クラモト) is a character exclusive to the Strider Hiryu manga and its NES adaptation, where he's simply called The Chief (きょくちょう, roughly director)[1]. His function in both versions is basically the same, but the manga gives him much more prominence and actually shows his fighting abilities, while in the NES game he is merely a minor character the player must encounter once to proceed further.

Kuramoto is the founder and present Director of the Striders organization[2]. Back in his active days, he was feared for his skills and known as the Shinigami (死神, lit. "God of Death")[2]. As the head of the Striders he's both an important and well-respected man worldwide, with strong connections to several heads of state, and very popular among the Striders themselves[3]. Kuramoto is a stern but fair leader, and while sometimes he gives off a cold demeanor on the surface, there's no doubt he's very caring of his men. Despite his advanced age and the appearance of being frail and senile, Kuramoto is still a very capable fighter that can take on multiple assailants at once with little effort.

He's shown fighting with a sword concealed in his walking cane, using the Japanese art of Iaido and moving and attacking with incredible speed despite his age.

Story[]

Strider Hiryu Gaiden[]

During the incident in which Mariya suddenly became insane, no agent could match her skills, and so Kuramoto decided to send in her own brother, Hiryu, to take her down[4]. Kuramoto would later regret this decision, as her death took a heavy toll on Hiryu's mind and he became erratic and borderline suicidal as a result.

Six months after the incident, Kuramoto assigned Hiryu a very difficult mission: he had to rescue Dr. J. Hogan from the terrorist group known as the Phantom Unit, led by the dangerous Zangi Brothers. When Kain storms into his chamber angrily demanding to know why he sent Hiryu alone knowing very well his state of mind, Kuramoto coldly reminds him that Hiryu is no novice and that the group has no need for "emotional" agents carrying around past traumas. When he's alone meditating on the outside of the headquarters' hangar, however, he reveals he sent Hiryu on this mission knowing that, if he survives, he'll be able to overcome his grief and move on. He then prays for Hiryu's success against the Zangi Brothers.

After the mission's end, Kuramoto is visited by Kain again. He tells the old man that he has figured out his plan: since death is the only way to leave the group, he granted Hiryu a special way to retire once he completes the mission, considering that he's no longer fit to be an agent. Kuramoto simply tells him that "Strider Hiryu" is dead.

At some point afterward Kuramoto probably paid Hiryu a visit to his new home in Mongolia, as Hiryu was certain the only person who knew his whereabouts was him.[5]

Manga[]

Kuramoto1

Kuramoto (Manga)

At some point in the following 2 years, Kuramoto's faculties started to falter and he displayed signs of senility. As a result of this Vice-Director Matic took over all leadership duties within the organization as the de facto leader. While Matic led the group with tyranny and associated himself with Enterprise and their ZAIN Project, Kuramoto spent his days watching historical Japanese drama movies and plays in his chambers within the Striders' base, his favorite being The Seven Samurai. Even though Matic kept an eye on him, everything indicated Kuramoto was afflicted by senile dementia.

While Hiryu and Kain infiltrated Enterprise' headquarters, a group of Striders violently entered Kuramoto's room, with orders from Matic to force him to broadcast his retirement and Matic's official promotion to new Director of Striders worldwide, after which they would kill him. Kuramoto at first seemed scared and confused, but just as the leader of the group turned his back on him, he revealed his true character. Unleashing his hidden sword, Kuramoto slaughtered the whole group. His senility was a ruse as he waited for the traitors within the group to reveal themselves. With a revolt going on between his sympathizers and Matic's followers, Kuramoto rallied his supporters in the Striders and recovered his authority over the group, taking care of all of Matic's loyalists.

Now with the Striders on his side, Kuramoto raided the Enterprise building and faced Matic during the latter's battle with Hiryu. Cornered by Kuramoto and the Striders, Matic attempted to stall by threatening them with a bomb, but before he could finish his sentence the Mother ZAIN awakened and pierced him through with a cable. Kuramoto and everyone else were witness to Hiryu eliminating the large ZAIN computer and escaped as the building caved in following its destruction. Kuramoto is last seen together with Kain, discussing Hiryu's quick departure from the area, which Kuramoto joyfully remarks is what he expected of Hiryu.

Strider (NES)[]

Kuramotones

Kuramoto (NES)

After having his powers all but stripped by Matic, Kuramoto was forced into a temporary retirement within his residence in Japan, where he's kept under surveillance by Matic's men. He's aware of the existence of the ZAIN Project but is unable to do much in his current position. When Hiryu comes looking for information about the project, Kuramoto comments on Hiryu's strength and gives him a disk recording revealing the true nature of the project, and commands him to destroy the ZAIN Terminal found in China.

After the destruction of Yggdrasil, Kuramoto asks Hiryu to return to the Striders. Hiryu declines the offer and leaves, throwing his Cypher away.

Design Notes[]

Kuramoto is one of two manga characters appearing in Isuke's scenario draft. In this text, he's established as the Headmaster (宗家) of the Striders' central or funding family, rather than its direct founder. Following an enduring crisis of the organization in the modern world, where young Striders departed and ignored the group to use their skills for individual gain, Kuramoto pushed forward a restructuring of the organization to modernize and restore it to its former glory. He made use of the rogue Midori's sudden assault on Japan in 2006 as evidence of the skills a Strider possesses while also joining in the hunt to capture Midori, having forged documents that her actions were ordered by the Soviet state. He encouraged Strider agents to master specific skills, created a system where members were assigned teams based on the skill requirements for each mission and pushed for the creation of a weapons development division, leading to the creation of the Cypher.

In 2024, he offered Midori a chance to rejoin the Striders, but after she bluntly rejected his offer expressing no desire to associate with his Striders, Kuramoto was forced to kill her in a brief battle. He offered the same deal to her daughter, Shusui, who accepted it on the condition that she and her lineage would remain independent outside assignments, which Kuramoto agreed to. Years later, Shusui would hand him over his son, Hiryu, to be trained.

Once his training was finished, Kuramoto personally certified Hiryu as the youngest ever Special-A Class Strider after he showed outstanding talent and skills during missions. Following Hiryu's deployment to eliminate the "Man" ruling the world, Matic led a revolt within the Headquarters which ended in the Striders' disbandment. After beheading Matic, Kuramoto pondered over the reasons behind Matic's betrayal, considering he was a member of one of the most prestigious families in the organization and he would have expected betrayal from Midori's more rebellious and self-centered lineage. Once Hiryu returns to HQ, he and Kuramoto discuss this matter, focusing on whether handling the group as a business endeavor was the correct choice.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. This is how he's called in the Strider Hiryu famicom prototype
  2. 2.0 2.1 Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 119. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  3. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 120. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  4. Wada, Tatsumi (December 1988). "Monthly Comic Comp". Strider Hiryû Gaiden, Pg. 311. Kadokawa Shoten.
  5. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 1, Pg. 31. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
Strider Manga/NES Series
Main Articles Manga (Gaiden) • Strider (NES)Moto KikakuTatsumi WadaMasahiko Kurokawa
Characters AranaCommanderFaceas ClayHiryuKainKubiraKuramotoMaticPolice ChiefScientistSheena
Game only: BadgerDragon FiendFlash BladeKodiakRyuzaki
Manga only: Commander KeithDr. HoganFlower GirlDirectorMariyaMinor StridersRinYuriZangi Brothers
Stage Enemies BirdClawed StridersDobermanEgypt SoldierGiant RobotMachine CannonMechanical SnailRobot Arm
Robot ClawRobot FrongRussian InfantrymanScuba SoldierSharkmanSky WingSpark Machine
Turret/Laser TurretTwin Bats
Technology Assault RifleBootsCypherKaliKunaiPhantom TrainRescue AircraftShadow Tag BulletsStealth Chopper
SystemT-48Transport TubeZAIN Project (ZAIN TerminalZainsYggdrasil)
Locations AmazonKazakh Federation (KazakhMental Institute) • Los AngelesMongoliaStrider Headquarters
AfricaAustraliaChinaEgyptJapanRed Dragon
Techniques Acceleration JumpBoomerang ThrowCypher AttackPlasma ArrowSlide InTriangle JumpTricks
Groups EnterpriseKazakh Secret PolicePhantom UnitRebel ArmyStriders
Strider Matic UnitSpecial Forces
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