- "Forgive me... for leaving you alone... Your friends... Keep friends... those you love... close to you..."
- ―Iwao's final words to Ryo.
Iwao Hazuki (Kanji: 芭月 巌, Rōmaji: Hazuki Iwao) was the father of Ryo Hazuki and the owner of the Hazuki Dojo.
Personality[]
Iwao is a man of high morals who respects devotion to one's convictions, proper manners and above all, trust. He is very calm and composed, personifying simplicity and courage.
His only hobby is calligraphy which he often uses when writing letters and postcards.
As a master of martial arts, he is strict and is never satisfied with relying solely on one's natural talent. He has continued to adhere to a strict training regimen throughout his adult life. Although his son Ryo sometimes rebels against his strictness, he still respects him as a mentor and dreams of becoming like him.
Biography[]
About 20 years before the series, Iwao went to China in search of martial arts, and befriended Kai.
At the Hazuki Dojo, Iwao taught martial arts to Ryo and also a live-in student, Masayuki Fukuhara. Iwao was also friends with Shigeo Yamagishi.
He is held in high regard within the community because of his devotion to the martial arts.
Not much is known about Iwao's wife except that her name was Akane, and that she died of an illness when Ryo was only three years old.
Shenmue[]
While Iwao is in the dojo with Fuku-san, three men break in the dojo: two wearing black suits, and one Lan Di, wearing traditional Chinese clothes. Lan Di approaches Iwao. Fuku-san is thrown out of the Dojo as Ryo turns up and is told by Iwao to stay back. Lan Di asks Iwao where the "mirror" is. Iwao refuses to tell him. Iwao attempts to attack Lan Di but he is quick to dodge and knocks Iwao to the ground, Ryo tries to help but is also knocked down. Lan Di threatens to kill Ryo if Iwao doesn't give him the "mirror", so Iwao is forced to respond. The men in black suits retrieve the "mirror" then Lan Di asks Iwao if he remembers Sunming Zhao and states that's the man Iwao killed in Mengcun.
Iwao struggles to get up then once he gets up, Lan Di delivers the death blow. The men in black suits return with the Dragon Mirror and with Lan Di they leave the Dojo. Iwao dies in the arms of his son Ryo telling him "Forgive me for leaving you alone. Your friends, keep friends, those you love, close to you".
Since then, Ryo has sworn vengeance on Lan Di for Iwao's murder.
Shenmue II[]
Later it is revealed that when Iwao was young he traveled to China to undergo martial arts training and met many people, and brought back the Phoenix and Dragon Mirrors from there. Iwao was fascinated with the Chinese martial systems and wanted to learn several kung-fu techniques into the Hazuki style.
Yuanda Zhu says that Iwao murdered Sunming Zhao (the man Lan Di asked about) accidentally in Mengcun, and that is the reason Lan Di hates him and went to kill him. Although, Zhu believes that it happened, and it could not be true.
Shenmue the Animation[]
Iwao about to face Lan Di.
Iwao appears in Shenmue the Animation Episode 1. Iwao is first seen with his friend Shigeo Yamagishi, at the Hazuki Residence, who was visiting the Hazukis and admiring the fish in Iwao's pond. Then as Ryo is about to head off to a karate event at his high school, Yamagishi wishes him the best of luck, and Iwao tells Ryo that he's still lacking and to be mindful of that.
Iwao then is seen again, when Lan Di and his men enter the Hazuki Dojo. Lan Di murders Iwao and steals the dragon mirror from him. Iwao's role in this scene is exactly how it is in the game. Later on, when Chai ambushes Ryo at the Hazuki Dojo, demanding the other mirror from him, Ryo has a flashback of Iwao when Chai gets the upper hand in the fight, and realizes that he hasn't really been listening to his father's advice. He then listens to his father's advice and defeats Chai.
Relationships[]
- Unnamed wife - Not much is known about his wife and his relationship with her, except that she died of an illness when Ryo was three years old.
- Ryo Hazuki (son) - Ryo is his son and he was very influential to Ryo. He taught Ryo martial arts since he was seven years old. He also taught him not to waste carrots and the values of friendship. His death by the hands of Lan Di, made Ryo swear vengeance for his murder. Iwao wanted Ryo to look over the Hazuki Dojo after he died, but Ryo is more focused on getting revenge.
- Masayuki Fukuhara (live-in student) - Fuku-san is Iwao's live-in student and he took care of him for ten years since he was fifteen years old. Iwao was like a father to him and he wanted to get vengeance for his death too, but Ryo refused to let him join him on his quest, due to the fear of Fuku-san being killed too. He is a brother-figure to Ryo.
- Ine Hayata (live-in housekeeper) - Ine-san is the live-in housekeeper of the Hazuki Residence. She honors Iwao and worries that Ryo seeking vengeance will upset his spirit since he wanted Ryo to take care of the dojo after he died and because he wouldn't want him to seek revenge. She is a mother-figure to Ryo and knew him since he was three years old.
- Longsun Zhao (his killer) - Lan Di avenged his father's death, fought Iwao, killed him and stole the dragon mirror. He was also looking for the phoenix mirror, but did not realize he had it. Ryo finds it hidden in the Hazuki Residence Basement.
Killed Victim[]
- Sunming Zhao (possibly)- According to Yuanda Zhu, Iwao killed Zhao in Mengcun and stole the dragon mirror. Due to this Lan Di swears vengeance for his father's murder.
Etymology[]
- The name Iwao means "rock, crag, boulder" (巌).
- Iwao's surname Hazuki means "banana" (芭) (ha) and "moon" (月) (tsuki/zuki).
Trivia[]
- Iwao was murdered on November 29th, 1986 which is Ryo's birthday.
- Iwao zodiac sign is Taurus and he has a A blood type.
- Iwao's Japanese voice actor in the games, Hiroshi Fujioka is well known for his role as Segata Sanshiro in Japanese Sega Saturn commercials. He was a major Sega icon during the Saturn-era.
Gallery[]
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Shenmue Wiki has a gallery for Iwao Hazuki. | 
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