ONA
Description
Gerry Strydum is a high-ranking officer in the United States Army, eventually attaining the rank of general. He is an American man of about fifty years of age, possessing a tall and well-built physique standing approximately 195 centimeters (6 feet 5 inches) and weighing around 100 kilograms (220 pounds). Strydum has gray-blue eyes, short-cut hair that has transitioned from blond to grey, and a face marked by numerous scars from his extensive combat experience. He almost always appears in a military uniform and beret.
His background is rooted in the Vietnam War, where he first encountered Yuujirou Hanma as an enemy during a brutal assault on an American base. Strydum, expressing admiration for Yuujirou's fearsome abilities, recklessly attempted to shake his hand, a gesture that nearly cost him his life. Yuujirou used him as a human shield against gunfire from his own men, and Strydum survived only because he was unknowingly wearing a bulletproof vest, sustaining broken ribs. This near-death experience paradoxically marked the beginning of a complex and lasting association.
Personality-wise, Strydum is defined by a compelling duality. On one hand, he is a tough, calm, and courageous career soldier with a deep, almost reverent admiration for Yuujirou's power, even traveling alongside him and fighting on battlefields across the world. He has a unique understanding of Yuujirou's mentality and acknowledges him as the only individual to have brought the United States to its knees. On the other hand, Strydum consistently cannot stand Yuujirou's excessive brutality and ruthlessness. He frequently disagrees with his companion's actions, demonstrating a clear moral compass and a caring, almost paternal side, particularly concerning Yuujirou's son, Baki Hanma. This courage extends to confronting other dangerous individuals, such as calling out Hector Doyle for his underhanded tactics and even directly challenging Yuujirou on one occasion, albeit with poor judgment.
His role in the story is that of a unique bridge between the world of the military and the world of underground martial arts, serving as a companion to the strongest creature on earth and a mentor to its aspiring successor. Strydum is a loyal friend and comrade-in-arms to Yuujirou, yet he also acts as a friend and mentor to Baki, keeping the younger fighter informed of his father's whereabouts. Strydum takes a significant interest in Baki's development from a young age, helping him train and even arranging for him to travel to Hokkaido to face a group of five elite soldiers, an act that accidentally pitted the boy against the legendary super-soldier Gaia, which caused Strydum great fear and concern. He later organizes the site for the fateful duel between father and son at a US Armed Forces Base in Japan, using extraterritoriality to prevent outside interference. Witnessing the brutal beating Baki receives and the death of Emi Akezawa at Yuujirou's hands fills Strydum with profound regret over his role in the conflict.
Key relationships define his actions throughout the narrative. His relationship with Yuujirou is one of a companion who understands the Ogre's wild thinking but serves as a rare voice of dissent against his actions. His relationship with Baki is more sympathetic and supportive; though he never directly states it, he seems to side with the son in the family conflict, feeling sorry for the hardships the young fighter endures and the lack of proper love from his parents. He is also shown to have old friends from the war, such as a man named Sir.
Strydum demonstrates notable development over the course of the series, primarily through his changing perspective on the conflict he helped facilitate. While initially showing a degree of admiration for Yuujirou's power, he becomes increasingly troubled by its consequences, moving from an active facilitator of the father-son duel to an observer filled with regret. In a later story, he takes command of a US Army unit tasked with pacifying Pickle, a reanimated prehistoric human. After conventional methods, including an advanced mech suit, fail, Strydum exhibits his characteristic unorthodox bravery by stripping off all his clothes and approaching the caveman naked to demonstrate non-hostile intent, successfully calming him and later escorting him to Japan.
Regarding his abilities, Strydum is a highly experienced and effective soldier. His fighting style is pragmatic and rooted in military combat, focusing on practicality and often ruthless methods such as groin kicks, rather than formal martial arts. He has demonstrated effectiveness against other trained fighters. However, while courageous and skilled by normal standards, his abilities are far below the superhuman level of characters like Yuujirou or Pickle. His defining trait is not his physical power but his immense courage, which repeatedly leads him to take reckless actions, such as his initial handshake attempt and a later, ill-fated challenge against Yuujirou while wearing mechanical armor. This blend of bravery and poor judgment is a consistent and defining aspect of his character.
His background is rooted in the Vietnam War, where he first encountered Yuujirou Hanma as an enemy during a brutal assault on an American base. Strydum, expressing admiration for Yuujirou's fearsome abilities, recklessly attempted to shake his hand, a gesture that nearly cost him his life. Yuujirou used him as a human shield against gunfire from his own men, and Strydum survived only because he was unknowingly wearing a bulletproof vest, sustaining broken ribs. This near-death experience paradoxically marked the beginning of a complex and lasting association.
Personality-wise, Strydum is defined by a compelling duality. On one hand, he is a tough, calm, and courageous career soldier with a deep, almost reverent admiration for Yuujirou's power, even traveling alongside him and fighting on battlefields across the world. He has a unique understanding of Yuujirou's mentality and acknowledges him as the only individual to have brought the United States to its knees. On the other hand, Strydum consistently cannot stand Yuujirou's excessive brutality and ruthlessness. He frequently disagrees with his companion's actions, demonstrating a clear moral compass and a caring, almost paternal side, particularly concerning Yuujirou's son, Baki Hanma. This courage extends to confronting other dangerous individuals, such as calling out Hector Doyle for his underhanded tactics and even directly challenging Yuujirou on one occasion, albeit with poor judgment.
His role in the story is that of a unique bridge between the world of the military and the world of underground martial arts, serving as a companion to the strongest creature on earth and a mentor to its aspiring successor. Strydum is a loyal friend and comrade-in-arms to Yuujirou, yet he also acts as a friend and mentor to Baki, keeping the younger fighter informed of his father's whereabouts. Strydum takes a significant interest in Baki's development from a young age, helping him train and even arranging for him to travel to Hokkaido to face a group of five elite soldiers, an act that accidentally pitted the boy against the legendary super-soldier Gaia, which caused Strydum great fear and concern. He later organizes the site for the fateful duel between father and son at a US Armed Forces Base in Japan, using extraterritoriality to prevent outside interference. Witnessing the brutal beating Baki receives and the death of Emi Akezawa at Yuujirou's hands fills Strydum with profound regret over his role in the conflict.
Key relationships define his actions throughout the narrative. His relationship with Yuujirou is one of a companion who understands the Ogre's wild thinking but serves as a rare voice of dissent against his actions. His relationship with Baki is more sympathetic and supportive; though he never directly states it, he seems to side with the son in the family conflict, feeling sorry for the hardships the young fighter endures and the lack of proper love from his parents. He is also shown to have old friends from the war, such as a man named Sir.
Strydum demonstrates notable development over the course of the series, primarily through his changing perspective on the conflict he helped facilitate. While initially showing a degree of admiration for Yuujirou's power, he becomes increasingly troubled by its consequences, moving from an active facilitator of the father-son duel to an observer filled with regret. In a later story, he takes command of a US Army unit tasked with pacifying Pickle, a reanimated prehistoric human. After conventional methods, including an advanced mech suit, fail, Strydum exhibits his characteristic unorthodox bravery by stripping off all his clothes and approaching the caveman naked to demonstrate non-hostile intent, successfully calming him and later escorting him to Japan.
Regarding his abilities, Strydum is a highly experienced and effective soldier. His fighting style is pragmatic and rooted in military combat, focusing on practicality and often ruthless methods such as groin kicks, rather than formal martial arts. He has demonstrated effectiveness against other trained fighters. However, while courageous and skilled by normal standards, his abilities are far below the superhuman level of characters like Yuujirou or Pickle. His defining trait is not his physical power but his immense courage, which repeatedly leads him to take reckless actions, such as his initial handshake attempt and a later, ill-fated challenge against Yuujirou while wearing mechanical armor. This blend of bravery and poor judgment is a consistent and defining aspect of his character.