Japanese RPG words – Ryuujin

HEED THE SPOILER WARNING!

In Japanese fantasy oriented games and literature, we encounter from time to time anthropomorphic dragons. These are in part derived from much older Asian mythology, particularly that of the legendary dragon gods and kings of the ancient East, such as those appearing in the fairy tale of Urashima Tarou (浦島太郎), where the titular hero ends up visiting the dragon king and queen at their underwater palace, receiving a reward for rescuing their princess.

In Japanese role-playing games, such as Elden Ring, the player will encounter creatures called “dragonkin”, which in the Japanese version are called ryuujin (竜人, “dragon person”).

In one instance their origins are hinted at in the item description for the Dragon Halberd, an weapon used by the Dragonkin:

竜姿を象ったハルバード
氷雷の力を帯びている

竜人兵は、竜たる者として産まれ
だがそうなることはできず
老いた竜擬きとして滅んでいった

Ryuu sugata o katadotta harubaado, suirai no chikara o obite iru.
Ryuujinhei wa, ryuu taru mono toshite umare, daga sou naru koto ha dekizu, oita ryuu-modogi toshite horonde ittta.

"A halberd fashioned in the shape of a dragon. Its power enwreathes (the weapon with) water lightning. Dragon Person Soldiers were those who were born as dragons, but never were able to become it. They perished, as decrepid sham dragons."

Thus artificially created dragons, but malformed ones that never fully realise the potential of the actual wyverns and bosses popilating the game's vast world.

Other prominent examples include the Digimon franchise where an entire race of monsters are named as such, including the armoured WarGreymon.