Ruka Rengoku

Ruka Rengoku
Kanji	煉獄 瑠火
Rōmaji	Rengoku Ruka
Characteristics
Race	Human
Gender	Female
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Dark Red
Personal Status
Status	Deceased
Relative(s)	Shinjuro Rengoku (Husband) Kyojuro Rengoku (Son) Senjuro Rengoku (Son) Tojuro Rengoku (Descendant)
Debuts
Manga Debut	Chapter 64 (Flashback)
Anime Debut	Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Movie - Mugen Train
Portrayal
Japanese VA	Megumi Toyoguchi
English VA	Suzie Yeung
Stage Play	Mayuko Ohara

“	It is the obligation of those born strong to defend the weak. Your mission requires you to fulfill your mission properly. Don't ever forget that.	”
	— Ruka Rengoku to Kyojuro Rengoku in The strength of the Hashira

Ruka Rengoku (煉 (れん) 獄 (ごく) 瑠 (る) 火 (か) , Rengoku Ruka^?) was the late wife of Shinjuro Rengoku, and the mother of the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku and Senjuro Rengoku.

Quick Answers

What is the meaning of the name 'Ruka Rengoku'?

In Japanese, 'Ruka Rengoku' is written as 煉獄 瑠火. 'Ruka' (瑠火) signifies 'lapis lazuli fire', and 'Rengoku' (煉獄) means 'purgatory'.

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How did Ruka die?

Ruka died due to an incurable disease. Her death occurred post the birth of her younger son, Senjuro, and deeply affected her family, particularly her husband, who turned neglectful and abusive.

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What are the defining physical features of Ruka Rengoku?

Ruka Rengoku was a young woman known for her defined facial features. These included a sharp nose, long eyebrows, and a pale complexion. Her large dark red eyes with circular white pupils were somewhat reminiscent of the Kamado family. She also had a small mouth and semi-long black hair, which she typically wore tied up.

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What role did Ruka have in Kyojuro's life?

Ruka was responsible for instilling in Kyojuro his core belief to use his strength to protect anyone who could not do so themselves. It was this message she shared shortly before her death that intensely motivated Kyojuro into becoming the Flame Hashira, to use his strength and abilities to save people from demons, and even face off against Lower Rank One and Upper Rank Three, allowing no casualties apart from himself.

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Appearance

Ruka was a young woman with defined facial features, such as her sharp nose, long eyebrows, and pale complexion. She had large dark red eyes with circular white pupils, similar in appearance to the Kamado family, and a small mouth, with semi-long black hair tied loosely at the end in a ponytail.

She was only seen wearing a traditional kimono in a series of flashbacks.

Personality

As opposed to her husband Shinjuro's loud and brash personality, Ruka was depicted as being wise, gentle and graceful. In the manga, she was seen having strong morals, teaching Kyojuro the importance of his life and the need to use his strength in order to protect the weak and helpless people in the world as his primal duty.

Later, her husband speculated that their two sons have wonderful personalities mainly because of her biological influence before she passed away, musing both boys were more like her than like him despite appearances.

History

Ruka embracing her son Kyojuro.

Ruka was the mother of both Senjuro and Kyojuro, and the wife of Shinjuro. Sometime after giving birth to Senjuro, she developed an untreatable disease and was left bedridden up until her death. Before she died, she instilled a moral code within Kyojuro to use his strength to help the weak, a lesson he took to heart until his own death.

She was sorely grieved by Shinjuro, who became an alcoholic to drown his sorrows and pain and left his position as the Flame Hashira shortly afterwards.

Synopsis

Mugen Train Arc

During the confrontation between her son, Kyojuro and Upper Rank Three Akaza, the Flame Hashira received a mortal wound and he recalled a last conversation he had with his mother shortly before she passed away, in which he never ceased to emphasize the values ​​that he loved. These words motivated Kyojuro to draw strength from the depths of his being (despite the seriousness of his wound) to try to behead Akaza before he fled. Shortly after when Kyojuro was practically on the brink of death, he sees his mother for the last time who congratulates him on his task before Kyojuro passed away.

Abilities

As an ordinary human, she doesn't possess any superhuman powers or abilities.

Trivia

• Ruka's first name contains the On'yomi reading for the kanji for both "lapis lazuli" (瑠 (る) , ru^?) and "fire" (火 (か) , ka^?).
• According to the pamphlet given in select Japanese theaters for the Mugen Train film release, for Ruka and all wives in the Rengoku household, a tradition of theirs is for women during pregnancy to stare into flames for hours without end, periodically as a charm to make their child grow strong, it is also a mythical explanation for why Ruka's eyes are crimson red. It is called "Kankagari" (觀 (かん) 篝 (かがり) , "Kankagari"^?).
• Ruka shares her English voice actress with Amane Ubuyashiki.

Quotes

• (To Kyojuro Rengoku) "Listen Kyojuro. Only the Flame Hashira may wear that Haori. And you will be great flame Hashira like your father."
• (To Kyojuro Rengoku) "The Rengoku Family has hunted demons for generations. And becoming Hashira is our pride. Like your father, you will become a great Hashira. Bear the flame in your heart. Burn evil demons and shine gently on human beings. Hold your heart a flame like the sun. Become the Flame Hashira."
• (To Kyojuro Rengoku) "People who were born and blessed with greater abilities than others, have to use their power for the world, for the people. Hurting others with your power which was gifted from the heavens, and soiling your clothes is unforgivable. I will not be alive for much longer. It was a blessing to become the mother of such a strong, gentle child."
• (To Kyojuro before his death) "You did a wonderful job."

Relatives

Shinjuro				Ruka
Kyojuro				Senjuro
				Tojuro

*The story does not indicate which child of Senjuro carries on the lineage nor the quantity of generations that follow prior to Tojuro.