Shinobu Hiryūin

Shinobu Hiryūin|火竜院 忍|Hiryūin Shinobu}}, known as The Invincible Salamander, is one of the main protagonists of Beyblade Shogun Steel.

As an advanced Blader, he was Metal Bey City's best blader, becoming the biggest rival of the endeavor-filled series protagonist, Zero Kurogane, who defeated Shinobu in the finals of the 1-Day Tournament. He uses Ninja Salamander SW145SD.

Physical Appearance
Shinobu has a rather "large" size of beige hair with "zig-zag" designs throughout. The hair is so large, is covers his whole forehead, at least onto his eyes. He has a tanned skin tone and has somewhat curved eyes with his eyes coloured light-green. Shinobu also wears a thin-stringed necklace with a blue triangle as part of it, and a light-red coat with darker-red highlights on it. A white undershirt is also worn, with a collar, and slightly opened. Shinobu wears black, jagged pants, and dark-red dress shoes with a light-brown accent.

Personality
Shinobu is a curious person. Like Teru Saotome, he can be very quiet at times. Shinobu is a calm person who is usually never loud. He is nonetheless a determined personality ready to take on any challenger.

Shinobu also cares for the BeyPark, as he is the Best Blader around there, and will do anything, should someone come and think otherwise.

Shinobu is a serious person and is a very confident blader. Shinobu is also a cool and collective person.

Shinobu is a blader that doesn't like to be treated as if he was weaker than another blader.

Shinobu is a dignified blader and has a strong beyblade spirit and treasures friendship which he shows in The Emperor of Ultimate Destruction, Bahamdia in his battle with Kira Hayama in Neo Battle Bladers where he refuses to fall on his knees and say that his friends and beyblade spirit have been useless even if it means that Ninja Salamander will be crushed to pieces.

History
Prior to the events of Beyblade: Shogun Steel, Shinobu Hiryūin became the Best Blader of the Metal Bey City, BeyPark and owns to that title. He also became an advanced Blader, presumably sometime before he became the BeyPark's best.

Meeting the Gang
During a match at the Metal Bey City BeyPark, Blader, Zero Kurogane won a 7 vs. 1 battle in victory. Afterwards, he shouted to the crowd to find the Best Blader there, Shinobu Hiryūin, and once he heard his name, Shinobu appeared out of nowhere. Showcasing his Beyblade, Ninja Salamander SW145SD, Shinobu wanted to show Zyro what happens when Bladers disturb the peace and tranquility of the BeyPark battles; he challenged Zyro to a battle, with Zyro eagerly agreed.

Taking place in the, Shinobu toyed with Zyro, having an easy battle on his side. Zyro attempted to counter this by commanding his Beyblade, the Samurai Ifraid W145CF to the air and clash down to hit Saramanda. Despite this attempt, Shinobu quickly commanded Shinobi Saramanda to evade, in a quick reflex. As a result, Zyro's Ifraid was trapped and Shinobu saw this as his chance and used his Saramanda to knock-out Samurai Ifraid and take the win.

A few days later, Shinobu was surprised when he saw Zyro running uphill, tied to three weight pullers in training. Shinobu wondered what Zyro was doing, yet Zyro did not see Shinobu. Afterwards when Shinobu lost to Zyro in a battle in the Zero-G Stadium, Shinobu joined Zyro's team. He teamed up at an Synchrom partner with Zyro and beaten Kite and Eight. Then he battled Takanosuke and won with a new special move. He with to the beach and found a sea monster named Gen. Later he battled Sakyo and lost.

Neo Battle Bladers
Shinobu has also entered the Neo Battle Bladers tournament after Tsubasa opened it thanks to the DNA organization lead by Team Garcias. During his participation, he battles his way through random opponents, making his place in the Final Eight for the finals.

During the elimination round, he is first to battle against DNA member Yoshio Iwayama for the first time. During the battle, he keeps his cool and uses Ninja Salamander's Special Move, Infinite Fire Stream Assault, to keep Bandit Goreim from hitting the real clone which made Yoshio flip out. He then uses a new Special Move, Soul Ring Assault, and defeats him. Because of this, Shinobu makes it into the semi-finals.

Later in the semi-finals against Kira Hayama once again, Shinobu uses all of his strength during the battle. But  because he is fighting against Kira's new Beyblade, Gladiator Bahamut SP230GF he has trouble due to its powerful strength and suffers for it. Because Soul Ring Assault was not strong enough to defeat the Emperor of Destruction, Kira and Bahamut use Gladiator Demolition, causing destruction on the stadium and destroying Bahamut in the process. Shinobu, now injured and unconscious due to the new bey's unbeatable strength, has lost a chance to enter the finals. Zero avenges his loss by beating Kira and winning Neo Battle Bladers. Shinobu comes out to congratulate his friend. Tsubasa says there will be a world tournament coming soon causing all the bladers to get exited about it. Zyro begins a new battle with his friend and rival Shinobu, who is now fully healed from his injuries, as he and his friends begin their next step toward the new Beyblade World Championships.

Beyblades

 * Ninja Salamander SW145SD: Shinobu's Beyblade. Using this Bey, he can utilize Synchrome and create Salamander Ifrit with Zyro Kurogane.

Special Moves

 * Phantom Fire Shot: Salamander's first, stand-alone Special Move. In it, Salamander's beast moves at a high speed to seemingly create multiple copies of itself; just like a ninja. After which, it charges into the opponent with its clones, while the opponent unaware which one will deal the powerful blow. Of course this technique's flaws are that if the opponent can figure out which "clone" will strike, or they can hit Salamander no matter where he is they can effectively counter it.
 * Blazing Ring Shot: Salamander's second Special Move. In it Salamander starts Infinite Fire Stream Assault, then the Salamander duplicates start circling the stadium at high speeds creating a large ring, which is then ignited and closed on the enemy (The enclosing flame ring evolves into a tornado which conceals all Salamanders). Salamander then violently smashes into the opponent and blasts them into the air.

Synchrome Special Moves

 * Super Burning Uppercut: Samurai Ifrit's upgrade of Burning Uppercut that can be shared with Salamander through Synchrome. The Bey charges around the Stadium at a high speed, seeming to catch on fire in the process. Then the opposing bey is pulled up into the path of the user's bey and then is dealt a powerful strike.

Beyblade Tournaments

 * Day 1 Open Tournament (Runner-Up)
 * Neo Battle Bladers (Top 4)

Trivia

 * Shinobu (忍) is a Japanese given name that means "stealth" or "endure", which is fitting considering his bey is Ninja Salamander.
 * Much like Hyoma he is the first rival to the main protagonist. He also beat Zero in there first battle much like how Hyoma beat Gingka when they first fought.
 * Also, like Daidouji, he keeps his Launcher in his coat. This was seen in Zero-G Battle!.
 * His red jacket and personality is quite similar to Teru Saotome's.
 * Just like Kai Hiwatari of the Original series, Shinobu has defeated the primary protagonist (and rival) of their series' in their first battle.
 * He is seen as Tsubasa's Zero-G counterpart,
 * He's a big fan of Tsubasa Otori as seen in The Crimson Challenger.
 * Shinobu is the only Blader who has lost in the semi-finals of Neo Battle Bladers to Kira, a DNA blader much similar to how Kyoya lost to Ryuga, a former member of the Dark Nebula, in the Battle Bladers semi-finals prior to seven years ago.
 * Shinobu's English voice actor, Christopher Jacot is also the same voice actor as Sho Tenma in BeyWheelz.
 * Shinobu is the second character to use a Salamander-based Beyblade, the third is Suoh Genji, who uses Hell Salamander 12 Operate.