Now that Miho has been covered, we move on to Shiryuu's love interest, Shunrei.  To summarize briefly, Shunrei is a pretty Chinese girl who was adopted by Roshi in Rozan.  Shiryuu grew up with her, and the two have developed a very close relationship--almost that of brother and sister, except for the romantic tendencies.  For some reason, one of the American dubs decided that Shunrei and Shiryuu should be siblings for real...which just confounds me.  I mean, there are some pretty obvoius scenes in there.  Anyway, Shunrei takes care of both Roshi and Shiryuu, and is always waiting for Shiryuu's return. 

 

Everyone knows that Shunrei and Shiryuu are in love.  Seiya and the others can tell.  Athena can tell.  Ohko can tell.  Roshi consistently tries to push them together.  The problem lies in that they themselves are too shy to see if it will go anywhere. 

 

I like Shunrei a lot, personally.  A lot of people complain that she is too weak, and can never do anything, like Miho.  But I like Shunrei.  She is a girl who understands a lot of things other thirteen-year-old girls do not even have to consider. She has to watch the man she loves leave her to go get himself into near-death situations several times in the same month.  And yet, she does not despair.  When Shiryuu must leave, she lets him go.  She does not attempt to stop him, because she knows this is what he must do.  She is incredibly strong, and would do anything for Shiryuu. 

 

Something that really bothers me personally is when people pair Shiryuu with other characters randomly.  The show makes it pretty obvious that it's Shunrei he loves.  And I really appreciate the romance between them.  I don't necessarily find it romantic in the kissing-whispering-cheesy way.  It's a sweet, pure love, but it's also a very simple one.  Shunrei would give up everything for Shiryuu--in fact, what she has to do for him is far beyond anything most people have to face.  While she never dies for him, she has to do something far more painful.  She has to live for him.  Death is simple.  You can die for someone more easily than you can live for someone, because death just releases you from all the pain.  Life, however, means you have to face the pain every day.  When you rise, when you eat, when you rest.  Shunrei faces this and conquers it.  Romeo/Juliet couples kill themselves when things become difficult.  But Shunrei...even knowing he may not return, she prays for him, and waits for him, and stays alive for him.  That is a love worth imitating.