Shiro Kurita (Kanji: 栗田 士郎, Rōmaji: Kurita Shirō) is the manager of Kurita Military Surplus in Dobuita, Yokosuka, Japan in the game Shenmue.
Biography[]
Shiro comes from a rich family in Yokosuka that is well known. He has never had a problem with money. He is a military maniac and had hoped to join the Japan Self-Defense Force after graduating from junior high school, but because of his parent’s opposition, he gave up on his dream and reluctantly went to high school. After graduating, Shiro decided to go to the National Defense Academy and worked hard to enter, but he was rejected twice. After that, he stayed unemployed, dependent on his parents for living expenses.
Shiro’s parents encouraged him to get any job he could for appearance’s sake, so he opened Kurita Military Surplus with his father’s monetary backing. His father owns both the shop and the Okayama Heights apartment building, where Shiro lives.
Because he thinks of his shop as just an extracurricular activity, he doesn't mind whether it makes money or not, but does care a great deal about the authenticity of the goods he stocks. He often travels overseas to buy new goods, closing the shop for long periods of time.
Recently Shiro started dating Yuriko Kikuchi from the Smiley Flower Shop. While he desires to settle down, he often wonders if he is ready to get married. If Ryo Hazuki talks to Shiro on the day he gets fired from his job, he will reveal that he and Yuriko broke up.
Shenmue the Animation[]
Shiro helping Ryo in the anime.
Shiro very briefly appears in Shenmue the Animation Episode 2. When Ryo is looking for Charlie Grant, he asks Shiro about him, and he tells him about the tattoo parlor at Okayama Heights.
Etymology[]
- The name Shiro means "samurai, warrior, gentleman" (士) (shi) and "son" (郎) (ro).
- Shiro's surname Kurita means "chestnut" (栗) (kuri) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta).
Trivia[]
- In Shenmue the Animation, Shiro's camouflage hat and jacket is green rather than yellow like it is in the games.
- Shiro's zodiac sign is Aquarius and he has a B blood type.
- Shiro's Japanese voice actor in Shenmue is Takahiro Sakurai who also is the Japanese voice actor for the main antagonist of the series, Lan Di. Sakurai also is the Japanese voice actor for Goro Mihashi and Kouji Hase in Shenmue and Zongquan Bai and the original male version of Yuan in Shenmue II. Shiro's English voice actor in Shenmue is unknown.
- Shiro lives at Okayama Heights in room 102.
Video Clip[]
