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Shenmue's protagonist goes up against...pretty much himself/his dead ringer look-alike flash-forward twenty some odd years: the Yakuza/Ryu ga Gotokou series protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. Both are shown to have gone up against many nigh unspeakable odds and opponents, but against eachother, who would come out on top? Ryo has youth and Kazuma has experience, which one gives the win?

As for their feats, here're a couple for each:

Ryo taking on an estimate 70 gang members (with assistance from only one guy, Gui Zhang--keep in mindthis was directly after they fought eachother to a draw)
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There's also his raid of the Yellow-Head bulding (a base of operations for a small crime syndicate) in Shenmue 2, leading up to his rooftop battle with their massive leader, Dou Nyu (can't find any video of it that isn't a Let's Play).

For Kazuma, there's the Yakuza 2 fight where he's put up against two feral tigers to save Haruka (his unofficial adoptive daughter, if you will). Keep in mind that even though Yakuza's fight system is kinda hyperbole-laced, the feat itself still stands storywise.
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I'll go with Kazuma.

He pretty much takes on 30/40 gang members by himself, and that was in Yakuza 1.

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In Yakuza 2 he is likely stronger, I guess.

This is so a tie.

The one who can knock a huger tiger back with a punch. Could be the style of game or the time but his one shows him to be the more skilled of the two.

Well, like I said, Yakuza's fight system and most of the actions shown within them are pretty much hyperbole in the actual in-game display.

But again, beating up two tigers is still canon nonetheless.

I'm pretty much leaning towards the Kazuma >/= Ryo opinion. All the masters that Ryo usually fights and never actually lands hits on and whatnot (like Xiuying in Shenmue II), are usually just PIS to show that he's good for his age, but still no master; there's no real way of telling how Kazuma would hold up against the likes of Xiuying or Lan-Di (the latter of whom is arguably the most dangerous fighter in the series). Kazuma's more of a rough houser, his fighting style seems more idiosyncratic, and is supposedley a combination of street fighting, wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu (which is actually the basis for the Hazuki style in Shenmue, not counting the Chinese martial arts Ryo learns in Shenmue II). Kazuma also has skills in alot of different weapons (Nunchaku, Katanas, Tonfas, Eskrima Sticks, etc.). I don't recall if Ryo knew how to use any weapons.

I think Lan-Di could kill a Tiger...easily. The whole pressure point thing is kind of a big deal. Wasn't Ryo taught some of those type of techniques?

I don't recall there ever being any major emphasis on pressure point strikes in Shenmue from Lan-Di or anyone else-let alone Ryo-except for one brief instance in Shenmue II with Xiuying testing Ryo. However subduing an 18 year-old Jiu-Jitsu practitioner(although technically speaking, if Ryo and Kazuma were real, they'd actually be about the same age today) with minor Chinese martial arts experience isn't quite on the same level as doing so against two wild tigers, even though Xiuying states herself that even she's nothing compared to what Lan-Di could do, and Ryo couldn't even land a hit on her.

But ultimately, Lan-Di being able to take on a tiger or two doesn't necessarily warrant Ryo being able to, especially since Ryo's very clearly leagues below Lan-Di.

There's also the instance in Yakuza III where Kazuma overpowers a charging bull and threw it (a much older, less fit, and recently shot Nakahara managed to do the same earlier, granted).

Originally posted by BloodRawEngine
I don't recall there ever being any major emphasis on pressure point strikes in Shenmue from Lan-Di or anyone else-let alone Ryo-except for one brief instance in Shenmue II with Xiuying testing Ryo. However subduing an 18 year-old Jiu-Jitsu practitioner with minor Chinese martial arts experience isn't quite on the same level as doing so against two wild tigers, even though Xiuying states herself that even she's nothing compared to what Lan-Di could do, and Ryo couldn't even land a hit on her.

But ultimately, Lan-Di being able to take on a tiger or two doesn't necessarily warrant Ryo being able to, especially since Ryo's very clearly leagues below Lan-Di. Although technically speaking, if Ryo and Kazuma were real, they'd actually be about the same age today.

Yeah. I might have to run through Shenmue II again. I thought he trained under the old Tai Chi guy for a bit too.

You mean Jianmin at the park? When you meet him, he does offer to spar with you. I think it actually IS possible to land a hit on him, just really really difficult. As far as moves go, he teaches Ryo the Iron Palm, which you then practice on a tree to make the leaves fall (and plotwise, Ryo 'learns' one of the rules of the "Four Wude", to "Practice regularly without neglect".

One thing is that afterwards actually, Jianmin kinda shows his mastery by very casually placing his hand on a tree, at which point a whole ton of leaves rain down at once. I'll see if I can find a vid.

EDIT- Found this (f**k you, english dubs):
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Yup, that's it. Phuckin' cool!
I'm sure Ryo's Palm Stike is not as strong but I'm sure it serves a similar (less effective) purpose. Using less external effort and channeling chi to accomplish great feats (one of it's uses, anyway).

Imo, I'm sure a Tiger could be victim to such a strike. I mean, an ostrich can kill a Lion in a single kick to the head and I'm pretty sure an ostrich can't do what Ryo did to that tree. I could be wrong, who knows.

-edit-
There are real cases of men killing wild animals with their barehands. Seriously!

bump

Dunno why I bumped without saying anything else, but Kiryu picks up a motorcycle and beats Ryo to death with it.

Ryo is likely more skilled, but that doesn't matter when it comes to the fact that Kiryu's physicals are just flat-out superhuman.