Burai (Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger)

"Yamato Tribe Prince! Burai!"

- Burai's first line, after being released from his stasis pod.

"DragonRanger! Burai!"

- DragonRanger's roll call.

Yamato Tribe Knight Burai (simply known as Burai) is a supporting protagonist in the early 1990s Super Sentai series, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Initially a villain for the first five episodes of his appearance (17-22), he eventually became the sixth member of the Zyurangers, and the first 'official' sixth member of any Sentai.

The Zyurangers find their mentor Barza and his friend Gnome acting very weird, along the lines of trying to kill the latter's grandson, Ryota. Geki and Mei later find out that Ryota has the key to a sixth member of the Kingdoms of Ancient Mankind. When Bandora finds out about this, she dispatches some of her minions to aid Ryota in opening the cave this person lay in. With the aid of Grifforzer, Bukkubakku and Tottopatto (despite the warnings of Barza and Gnome), Ryota releases the sixth warrior. He identifies himself as Burai, the Prince of Yamato Tribe. This is big news for the Zyurangers, especially for Geki, as he didn't have any brothers.

He used the same transformation shout as the other Zyurangers "Dino Buckler!". Burai then removes a gold-coloured device from his belt, and transforms into a powerful figure dressed in emerald green, identifying himself as "Dragon Ranger! Burai!".

While the Zyurangers discuss the mysterious character, Burai/Dragon Ranger jumps up onto Daizyujin's head and breaks down the door to the cockpit. He tells the Zyurangers to 'Go to Hell!' and begins beating the snot out of them, to the point where they fall out of Daizyujin.

In the aftermath of the Burai beating up the Zyurangers, Ryota seeks comfort from his grandfather, who gives him comfort, reluctantly accepting the damage is done; Barza, on the other hand, says that Ryota isn't to blame, because Burai coming back was destined to happen. Meanwhile, Burai/Dragon Ranger has beaten the Zyurangers so hard that they are back in their normal attire, while the former is still Dragon Ranger, and has climbed to the top of an outcrop, where he laughs evilly and escapes.

Past
In Episode 18, Barza reveals that Burai and Geki are brothers born to the Black Knight, a warrior of the Yamato Tribe. When Burai was eight years old, Geki was born. The Black Knight never got on with the king, especially when the latter tried to take new-born Geki, to which the Black Knight responded by challenging the king to a swordfight. The king won and killed the Black Knight, who, before dying, ordered eight-year-old Burai to avenge him. Burai accepted, and his father died. Meanwhile, the king and queen adopted and raised Geki as their own son.

After the duel, Burai fled the Yamato Tribe's kingdom, to the forest, where he trained, every single day of his life, living with Gnome and Ryota. Living with them, Burai upheld the vow he made to his father, but he made his own vow; be a hero, against the monsters destroying the Earth. However, when Bandora was defeated and she and her minions had been imprisoned on the Planet Nemesis, the Yamato King and Queen, along with their unnamed 10-year-old princess (who Geki believed was his sister), had been murdered by Bandora, so Burai couldn't avenge his father, so he set his eyes on getting rid of Geki. In the aftermath of the war, the five tribes (Yamato, Sharma, Etof, Daim and Risha) had each selected a warrior (Prince Geki (Tyranno Ranger), Knight Goushi (Mammoth Ranger), Knight Dan (Tricera Ranger), Knight Boi (Tiger Ranger) and Princess Mei (Ptera Ranger)) and placed them in stasis pods in a sacred temple, to be awakened when Bandora returned. Somehow, Burai heard about this, and placed himself in a separate stasis pod in the mountains, in order to avenge his father (by killing Geki).

At some point, there was an avalanche in the mountains where Burai was buried, and he was crushed to death. A demigod, Clotho, gave Burai a magical drug which would prolong his life for a certain time, yet he would eventually die upon reawakening (N.B. The avalanche was only revealed when the Zyurangers had to face DoraFranken/ZombieFranken/SatanFranken, by which point Burai had joined his brother as a hero).

Assault on Daizyujin
Towards the end of Episode 19, Bandora prophesized that Daizyujin would die soon. In Episode 20, an eclipse was scheduled to happen, which would limit the sunlight powering Daizyujin. To draw the Guardian Beasts out, Bandora sends her thugs out to capture a bus full of people. When the Zyurangers summon their Guardian Beasts and they form Daizyujin, Bandora uses gigantic-proportion Grifforzer, Lamie and Burai, who destroy Daizyujin, casting the Guardian Beasts into the molten mantle of the Earth.

Confinement to the Lapseless Room
Bandora and her minions party, celebrating the destruction of Daizyujin. Bandora rewards Burai with the Sword of Hellfriede, which belonged to a dangerous (though now deceased) warrior back from their day. Little did Bandora mention, Hellfriede would drive the wielder mental; during the party, Burai got thrown out of Bandora's palace, for attacking Bandora.

On Earth, Burai was captured by a mysterious little girl robed in white, from head to toe, and was thrown into a chamber identified as the Lapseless Room. Here, the figure, identifying itself as Clotho, the Spirit of Life, told Burai that this was his new home; here, he would not age, because he only had 30 hours left to life in the real world. This time was represented as a green candle, which would melt away as his time in the real world elapsed. Clotho also presented Burai with a gift; the Zyusouken (translates as 'Beast Play Sword'). She told him that he could leave the Lapseless Room by wishing on the Zyusouken, but he had to bear in mind his lifespan.

Burai teleported out of the Lapseless Room, to the top of a skyscraper near Tokyo Harbour. He played one note of it first, not believing that a weapon could do such a thing. He played it again, and something magical happened; a great big beast climbed out of the sea, onto the harbour. This was Guardian Beast Dragon Caesar, Burai's personal Guardian Beast, despite his lifespan. He played the Zyusouken some more, and Dragon Caesar stepped on a few oil drums at the harbour.

Fight against Geki and redemption
The Guardian Beasts returned from the mantle, to the surprise of the Zyurangers. The mantle was revealed to have been strong in Gaiatron, the energy which Daizyujin depends on. Then, Geki and his Guardian Beast Tyrannosaurus left the temple to fight Burai and his Guardian Beast Dragon Caesar. The warriors and the Guardian Beasts fought, and Burai and Dragon Caesar lost both their duels. As Tyrannosaurus prepared to kill Dragon Caesar, the gods told Geki that he must kill Burai, but Geki couldn't bring himself to do it. Burai saw this as his opportunity to kill Geki, but his brother's words made him change his mind. Both brothers started crying, and Burai's tears reduced Hellfriede to ashes, purifying him of his hatred. Daizyujin then decreed that the evil in Burai had gone, and there would be six Zyurangers from then on, as Geki and Burai hugged and decided to make amends, with Burai saying that he wanted somebody to blame for his father's death.

All six then transformed into the now 6-strong Zyurangers, and Daizyujin said something magical would happen if Burai played his Zyusouken and merged Guardian Beasts Dragon Caesar, Zyumammoth, Triceratops and Sabre Tiger. Burai played, and a new mecha combination appeard before them: Gouryujin (translates as 'Mighty Dragon God'), armed with his Dragon Antler. Geki, Goushi, Dan, Boi and Mei were happy with what they saw, but Burai had disappeared, back to his Lapseless Room.

As part of the Zyurangers
For many adventures afterwards, Burai and Dragon Caesar would only show up if battles were too hard, as the candle would show how much time Burai had left in the world of the living.

Eventually though, while dealing with Great Satan and Satan Franke, the others were sent to his cave and Clotho in white explained, despite Burai's protests, what was going on. It turned out that Burai's life was limited; his sleep chamber had caved in and crushed him, but Daizyujin had the Spirit of Life Clotho bring him back to life so he can be given the Zyusouken, as Dragon Caesar would be needed by the Zyurangers. Things were complicated by Geki's refusal to kill Burai, but now things would work out fine. He would die, and Daizyujin would still have Dragon Caesar. Though the god was happy, this arrangement did not suit Geki at all. He started to get antsy about Burai coming out of the cave and Bandora started to make certain that this would happen.

Eventually, Clotho appeared to warn the Zyurangers that Burai was down to 4 hours and the next time he came out of the cave would be the last. Meanwhile, Burai was having dreams, where in he would get in a rickshaw cart and the driver would tell him he was riding to the Land of the Dead. And there was a little boy waiting at the next stop. Bandora found Burai's cave and destroyed it, leaving him out in the cold with only 4 hours left. He set off to find the boy he was always dreaming about, and did. The kid, whose name was Kota Matsui, was a big fan of Dragon Caesar and was ecstatic to meet Burai.

Meanwhile, the other Zyurangers found out about the Water of Life. It was in a special fountain, and all you had to do was drink it and it would renew your lifeforce. Between Bandora's attacks and the time limit, they had to split up. Goushi and Dan went off to find the water. The others stayed to join Burai and fight Bandora's Dora Fake. Kota was injured by falling rubble and hospitalized. He was dying.

Burai knew it and left his medal in Kota's palm. They fought and at last defeated Dora Fake with Ultimate Daizyujin. But then, Burai vanished from the cockpit, to the dismay of Geki, Boi and Mei. Goushi and Dan made it to the water, fought their way past the Guardian and at last got the water, only to be informed that they were too late for Burai.

Geki, Boi, and Mei searched until they found him, lying as though dead on the beach. With his last few moments, he passed the Dragon Armor, Zyusouken and Dragon Caesar to Geki. His last words to Geki were to save the world and protect all children. With that, he died in his brother's arms; his body then vanished, and he fully departed for the afterlife. The Zyurangers gave the water to Kota instead, and he was fine, but wondered what had happened to Burai, whose medal vanished the moment he opened his hand. And Burai, riding on the road to the Land of the Dead, looked out and smiled when he saw that the stop Kota had been at was empty.

As a spirit
In the finale, Burai's spirit appeared before the Zyurangers to tell them that the Guardian Beasts were in Bandora's Magic Realm.

Gokaiger
Years later, DragonRanger somehow returned and fought alongside not only his own team, but every single Sentai ranger in existence, against the Empire of Zangyack when it attacked the Earth in the Great Legend War. After fighting against hundreds of Gormin and their Zgormin commanders. AkaRenger noticed the fleet moving towards them, before gathering all the Rangers together and giving them the order to sacrifice their powers to wipe out the first invasion's armada.

Burai's spirit later appeared to Gai Ikari about his becoming Gokai Silver, along with Naoto Takizawa and Mikoto Nakadai. He also grants Gai the Greater Power of the Zyurangers.

After the defeat of Ackdos Gill, Captain Marvelous returned all the Ranger Keys to the former Sentai heroes. It is assumed Burai and his teammates received their keys, allowing for them to utilize their powers once again. Since Burai could still transform in his deceased state, it's assumed its return was a symbolic measure as opposed to the actual return of his powers.

Zyuohger vs. Ninninger
DragonRanger appeared with his team among the first 38 Super Sentai whom collectively empowered Wild Tousai Shuriken King in its fight against the titanic Gillmarda, granting the Ninningers and Zyuohgers the power to perform the Zyuoh Ninnin Super Sentai Burst which destroyed Gillmarda with the combined power of all 40 Super Sentai.

Trivia

 * Burai's actor Shiro Izumi previously played Yuuma Oozora (ChangePegasus) from Changeman and later played a lead human character in Super Sentai World and Kamen Rider World.