Dragon Spirit & Cultural Dedication: Hiryu Rin’s Quiet Power During Black History Month
Rise Beyond Legacy x My Hero Academia Final Season Preblogs
By Sterling, Founder of Black Cards Of History LLC
Intro: Discipline, Culture & Global Reverence
If there’s one thing I respect in both activism and anime, it’s discipline. Not the loud, performative kind, but the internal compass that moves people to act with quiet precision and purpose. That’s why Hiryu Rin stands out to me.
In the world of My Hero Academia, Rin might not get the same screen time as Bakugo or Todoroki, but his 9/10 rating in my Rise Beyond Legacy series isn't about flash—it’s about intentionality, respect, and cultural connection. Rin represents the kind of ally who listens first, acts with humility, and recognizes that supporting Black excellence is a global responsibility, not just a local obligation.
The Beauty of Intentional Support
Rin is the type of person who wouldn’t wait until February to show his support. His personality—disciplined, honorable, and deeply respectful of cultural traditions—tells me he’d approach Black History Month not as a chore or a trend, but as an opportunity to uplift.
What I imagine from him is intentional engagement—he wouldn't flood the feed with hashtags for attention. Instead, he'd be the one:
- Organizing a martial arts workshop exploring the deep African roots of fighting styles, from Capoeira to Nubian wrestling.
- Creating a curated lecture series highlighting Black martial artists, writers, and thinkers who fused discipline with rebellion.
- Bridging Eastern and African diasporic traditions, reminding us that excellence isn’t confined to borders or binaries.
Why He’d Make a Powerful YouTuber
If you told me Hiryu Rin had a YouTube channel, I’d subscribe in a heartbeat—no gimmicks, no clout-chasing thumbnails, just content rooted in global reverence and deep thought.
His video title alone says it all:
"Dragon Spirit: Black Heroes in Martial Arts and Culture"
I imagine visuals of Bruce Lee juxtaposed with Jim Kelly. Or a segment on Florence “Flo Jo” Griffith Joyner and her aesthetic influence, paired with traditional Shaolin values. Or how African warrior traditions shaped both resistance and resilience across continents.
What makes Rin different is that he would highlight without co-opting. Celebrate without speaking over. Learn while teaching. His content would challenge the Western-centric lens of Black history and instead open it up to global intersections—the very point of Black Cards Of History.
Ambition Without Ego
I often think about economic justice as a form of discipline, too. Staying consistent with your values. Not cutting corners for short-term gain. Rin embodies that. He’d understand that Black entrepreneurship, Black art, and Black liberation aren’t separate—they're all parts of a larger system that demands respect, visibility, and funding.
And even though Rin’s own story is rooted in a different country, I believe that’s exactly why he’d show up. Because true allies don’t only fight when it benefits them. They fight because it’s right.
Final Thoughts: More Than a Side Character
In the grand anime lineup, it’s easy to overlook someone like Hiryu Rin. But I’ve learned in both life and fiction that it’s often the “side characters” who hold the real power. The ones who choose humility over hype, structure over chaos, and meaning over noise.
Rin wouldn’t just post about Black history—he’d weave it into his own story, finding ways to stand in solidarity through culture, discipline, and deep respect. In my book, that earns him a high spot in this final season of Rise Beyond Legacy.