ONA
Description
Kure Raian, also known as "The Devil," is a character from the Kengan Ashura universe who appears in the crossover special Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura. He is a member of the Kure Clan, an ancient family of assassins that has spent over a millennium refining its genetics and combat techniques through selective breeding and the adoption of external martial arts. Raian stands out even within this exceptional lineage, having achieved the rare hundred percent Removal, a secret technique that temporarily unlocks the body's latent power, allowing him to fight far beyond normal human limits.
Personality-wise, Raian is defined by an intense love of violence and domination. He is aggressive, sadistic, and shows no remorse for the harm he inflicts, often behaving in a manner that can appear psychopathic. His speech is laced with profanity and arrogance, and he genuinely relishes combat, viewing opponents as prey rather than rivals. Beneath this brutality, he is a supremely confident fighter who takes pride in his clan's heritage and his own natural-born talent as a killer.
His main motivation is simply the thrill of fighting and proving his superiority. He has little interest in wealth, ideology, or corporate politics; his driving force is the exhilaration of a blood-soaked battle. In the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, he represented Under Mount, Inc. as their affiliated fighter and was considered one of the three assassins in the tournament, a testament to his lethal skill.
In the Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura crossover, Raian faces Jack Hammer, a Canadian fighter who enhanced his body through extreme doping and unconventional training. The match is exceptionally brutal, with both fighters pushing to kill each other. Raian ultimately wins by knockout, but the battle escalates beyond the ring when another combatant, Pickle, attempts to intervene, forcing officials to restore order. The outcome leaves Raian unsatisfied, as his hunger for a decisive, bloody finish was not fully met.
Key relationships for Raian include his bond with the Kure Clan, particularly its head Kure Erio, who believes Raian will one day surpass even his own prime. He shares a mutual recognition of strength with the protagonist Ohma Tokita, though Raian often treats him with the same mocking contempt he reserves for most. His relationship with other fighters is primarily adversarial; he views them as toys to be broken rather than as peers.
Regarding development, Raian's core personality does not dramatically change; he remains a feral force of nature. However, his experiences in the tournament and the crossover encounter push him to acknowledge that even his raw power has limits when facing truly monstrous opponents. After the tournament, he went into hiding during internal clan conflicts and began training with the legendary weapon Otakemaru, indicating a willingness to expand his arsenal beyond pure hand-to-hand savagery.
His notable abilities include complete mastery of both branches of the Kure Clan's martial arts, which blend ancient assassination techniques with modern hand-to-hand combat. His physical attributes are monstrous: immense strength, speed, endurance, and an inhuman pain tolerance. Even without his Removal, Raian is a devastating brawler capable of overwhelming most fighters through sheer force. With the technique activated, his already formidable capabilities spike dramatically, making him a terrifying close-quarters opponent. He is also known for a high battle IQ, instinctively adapting to opponents' styles without resorting to complex strategies, relying instead on a killer instinct honed across generations.
Personality-wise, Raian is defined by an intense love of violence and domination. He is aggressive, sadistic, and shows no remorse for the harm he inflicts, often behaving in a manner that can appear psychopathic. His speech is laced with profanity and arrogance, and he genuinely relishes combat, viewing opponents as prey rather than rivals. Beneath this brutality, he is a supremely confident fighter who takes pride in his clan's heritage and his own natural-born talent as a killer.
His main motivation is simply the thrill of fighting and proving his superiority. He has little interest in wealth, ideology, or corporate politics; his driving force is the exhilaration of a blood-soaked battle. In the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, he represented Under Mount, Inc. as their affiliated fighter and was considered one of the three assassins in the tournament, a testament to his lethal skill.
In the Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura crossover, Raian faces Jack Hammer, a Canadian fighter who enhanced his body through extreme doping and unconventional training. The match is exceptionally brutal, with both fighters pushing to kill each other. Raian ultimately wins by knockout, but the battle escalates beyond the ring when another combatant, Pickle, attempts to intervene, forcing officials to restore order. The outcome leaves Raian unsatisfied, as his hunger for a decisive, bloody finish was not fully met.
Key relationships for Raian include his bond with the Kure Clan, particularly its head Kure Erio, who believes Raian will one day surpass even his own prime. He shares a mutual recognition of strength with the protagonist Ohma Tokita, though Raian often treats him with the same mocking contempt he reserves for most. His relationship with other fighters is primarily adversarial; he views them as toys to be broken rather than as peers.
Regarding development, Raian's core personality does not dramatically change; he remains a feral force of nature. However, his experiences in the tournament and the crossover encounter push him to acknowledge that even his raw power has limits when facing truly monstrous opponents. After the tournament, he went into hiding during internal clan conflicts and began training with the legendary weapon Otakemaru, indicating a willingness to expand his arsenal beyond pure hand-to-hand savagery.
His notable abilities include complete mastery of both branches of the Kure Clan's martial arts, which blend ancient assassination techniques with modern hand-to-hand combat. His physical attributes are monstrous: immense strength, speed, endurance, and an inhuman pain tolerance. Even without his Removal, Raian is a devastating brawler capable of overwhelming most fighters through sheer force. With the technique activated, his already formidable capabilities spike dramatically, making him a terrifying close-quarters opponent. He is also known for a high battle IQ, instinctively adapting to opponents' styles without resorting to complex strategies, relying instead on a killer instinct honed across generations.