Ryu Hayabusa (Japanese: リュウ・ハヤブサ/隼 龍, Hepburn: Hayabusa Ryū) is a fictional character who serves as the main protagonist of Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden action-adventure video game series, in addition to featuring as a player character in the Dead or Alive fighting game franchise by Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja where he serves as the protagonist in Dead or Alive 2. He is a dragon-human hybrid who wields an ancestral weapon called the Dragon Sword, and is the leader of the Hayabusa ninja clan. One of Tecmo's most enduring characters, Ryu has appeared on official series merchandise as well as the feature film DOA: Dead or Alive, and has made many crossover appearances in other games. He has received public and critical reception as one of the most iconic ninjas in video games.
