Rido Kuran

Rido Kuran (玖蘭 李土, Kuran Ridō), was a Pureblood vampire and one of the major antagonists of the Vampire Knight series. He is the older brother of Haruka and Juri Kuran, and was Shizuka Hio's fiancé. With his reappearance, it was revealed that he was the true head of the Kuran family, not Kaname. He is the uncle of Yuki and the father of Senri.

Appearance
Rido had the typical Kuran features, which resembles his younger brother Haruka Kuran and his nephew, Kaname Kuran. He is a tall man with red-brown wavy hair that stops roughly at his shoulders. His distinguishing characteristics are his eyes with complete heterochromia iridium; his left eye is reddish-garnet color like the rest of the Kurans, whereas his right eye is an icy blue.



Personality
Rido was a very entitled character who takes pleasure in antagonizing others. He believes in indulging his desires and to have power is to crave for more and sees nothing wrong in taking more power at other's expense. Lascivious, self-centered and cruel, Rido is powerful and will not hesitate to use power for personal gain and the destruction of others. A good example of this is how unlike Kaname, he has no problems with using his Pureblood powers to control lower vampires, as seen with Hanabusa Aido. Rido is a noted sadist and wants to cause pain.

History
Born over 3,000 years ago, he was in love with his sister, Juri Kuran, who ultimately rejected him. Until his death, he continued to desire her. He even drank Juri's blood at some point but described that she cried out in pain for Haruka to save her, and he merely enjoyed her screams. Rido devoured his parents and used this to make Juri subservient and afraid of him.

Despite his love for his sister and anger at her loving Haruka over him, he had other lovers including Senri Shiki's mother. This fling resulted in him fathering Senri Shiki. It is unclear to what extent Rido knew of Senri, however, Senri states he never met his father. He was engaged to Shizuka Hio, but she confessed she did not love Rido.

Sometime in the past, he stole Haruka and Juri's first born child (named Kaname after their ancestor) and sacrificed the infants' flesh and blood to awaken the ancestor Kaname from slumber. Rido reveals he intended to devour the ancestor Kaname and receive his power. Instead, he was attacked and drained by the starved ancestor and left unconscious. He was then seized and monitored by the vampire Council until he confronted his siblings years later.

Yuki has nightmares of Rido's eyes staring at her as if he wanted to "eat" her, suggesting that he has the ability to enter and manipulate a person's subconsciousness. Ten years prior to the beginning of Vampire Knight he leads an attack on the Kurans, who are his siblings, attempting to take the Kuran Princess. After a brief battle, he managed to kill his brother but failed to take Yuki. A young Kaname then confronted him and Rido revealed that despite Kaname's desire to kill him, he was unable to so as Rido was the master who awoke him from his slumber. Instead, Kaname "obliterated" Rido's body, leaving him to slowly recover while he devised a plan to kill Rido.

During the ten years that followed and as his body recovered, he maintained the power to transfer his soul and continued interfering in other people's lives. In order to subdue Shizuka's spirit, he was able to get her ex-human lover's name on the Hunter's execution list. He continued to work through Asato Ichijo, who willingly obeyed Rido's orders out of loyalty to the head of the Kuran family.

Plot
Rido was introduced to the story in the disguise of a little vampire child who lures Yuki to a back alley and then steals some of her life essence, causing her to pass out. He reappears at the Vampire party held by Aido's father, coaxing Yuki to follow him to the main hall. He stays in this body until Senri returns home and is lead by his great Uncle to a chamber secretly holding Rido's body. Rido then successfully transfers to his son's body, disregarding Senri's opinion.

Rido attends Cross Academy in Senri's body with Takuma Ichijo at his side, who is forced to protect him. Ichiru Kiryu also reveals he is working for Rido, attempting to engineer Rido's plan of giving his blood to Yuki to awaken her memories. Rido confronts his distasteful nephew, Kaname, and thanks him for getting rid of Shizuka for him. Kaname begins to attack Rido but is forced to stop when Takuma steps between them, afraid of the damage it would cause Senri's body. Rido then taunts Kaname until he runs off to Yuki's side.

Rido was not bothered by Yuki's awakening as a vampire. Rima Toya confronts him, trying to get Senri to take back the control of his body. Rido injures Rima and reveals that he could now engineer Ichijo's wish to dispatch the resistance to the Council. Senri fights against Rido's control and Rido retires. Kaname then uses his blood to fully revive Rido's body. The next day, Rido's body has recovered and his vampires start arriving at the school, finding victims for Rido to feed on. Following his awakening, Ichiru takes his sword and tries to kill Rido as revenge for Shizuka, despite knowing that his efforts are futile and Rido counters him easily, dealing him a fatal blow.

Once Rido was fully recovered, he goes to find prey. He spies on Aido and commands him. Aido, unable to disobey the Pureblood, obliges until he is saved from Rido's clutches by Yuki. Seeing Yuki, he tries to lull her into his arms, but she is saved in turn by Aido. Yuki turns to face Rido in a fight when he is simultaneously attacked by Zero. He reveals to Yuki that Zero has eaten his twin and calls Zero his prey. Both Yuki and Zero viciously attack Rido. Zero flings Yuki off the building and attempts to finish Rido himself. They destroy the building, as it comes down, and Rido spares one last glance for his son.

Back on the ground, Yuki and Zero once again fight against Rido together. Rido expresses one last desire for Yuki, in place of her mother before he is stabbed through the chest by Artemis.

After his death, Rido appears to exist in a shadow form that exists as a part of Kaname, currently seen only by Kaname and taunting him about his precious Yuki.

In the anime, Rido is confronted by all of the Night Class students, however, they were unable to harm him since he was a Pureblood vampire. Rido attempted to feed on Yuki's blood to increase his power, but she was able to push him back with the Artemis Scythe. When Zero interferes with Rido's thirst for Yuki, Rido witnesses Zero's Vampire Hunter power about to explode uncontrollably but was suppressed and maintained by Yuki's Artemis. Upon controlling his unrivaled power, Zero goes to kill Rido, though the latter escapes from his death. While in the woods to recover, Rido is confronted by Kaname, yet he cannot deal the final blow. Zero arrives late, and Kaname and Zero face off against Rido. The battle ends with Rido's death by Zero's hands and is left to dust by Bloody Rose.

Powers & Abilities
Rido possesses all the powers that Purebloods have, such as immortality and the ability to heal from any wound except an anti-vampire weapon to the head or heart. Like all vampires, he can absorb the powers of vampires whose blood he drinks and also has enhanced speed and strength.

His powers included wielding an anti-vampire sword,  using his blood as a weapon (the 'Blood Whip')   along with the ability to transfer his soul into another body (possession), , with the body retaining his eyes.

Juri Kuran
Juri was Rido's younger sister. Rido was in love with Juri to the point of obsession and his hobby was his "Juri Collection". They appear to have an amicable relationship until Rido kills her firstborn child, an event that Juri holds a grudge against him for. Juri had since developed a hatred for her eldest brother and desires to kill him.

Kaname Kuran
Rido arrived to greet Juri and Haruka's first born child whom they named Kaname after their ancestor. Arriving under the disguise of congratulations, he took the child in his arms and disappeared, much to Haruka and Juri's surprise. He then sacrificed the infant to awaken the ancestor Kaname. Rido expressed no remorse or regret in killing his nephew.

Upon awakening the ancient Kaname from his eternal slumber, Rido became Kaname's master. Rido found himself unable to control the ancestor who became too strong. When Kaname overpowered Rido upon awakening, Rido retreated but was weakened significantly. After taking control of Senri Shiki's body, Rido returns to Cross Academy and confronts the now-grown Kaname. Rido throws insults at Kaname and taunts him, and threatens to take Yuki away and sacrifice her for his own power. This infuriates Kaname, but ultimately he is forced to retreat since he cannot kill Rido himself. Upon Rido's death mainly by the hands of Zero, Kaname leaves Cross Academy with Yuki.

Haruka Kuran
Haruka was Rido's younger brother. They appeared to have an amicable relationship until Rido killed Haruka's first child. Rido killed Haruka ten years before the start of the story when Rido tried to take Yuki. Rido had hated Haruka for taking Juri from him as both of them were in love with their sister though his love for her was more an obsession than love. Haruka loved Juri and married her, but still showed love for his older brother. He trusted Rido enough to let him come see their newborn child Kaname when he was just days old. Haruka was devastated when he discovered his first born was sacrificed by Rido and placed his brother in the custody of the vampire Council thereafter.

Many years later, Haruka confronted Rido when he planned to take Yuki Kuran and sacrifice her as he did to Haruka and Juri's first child. Haruka was unable to defeat Rido and died by his brother's command.

Senri Shiki
Senri was Rido's illegitimate son. Rido thought of Senri as more of a puppet than as his son. In Vampire Knight Guilty, he possessed Senri's body without any concern or guilt. After much struggling and help from Rima, Senri was able to regain control of his body. Rido did not play a part in Senri's childhood, as Senri reminds his mother that he never met his father.

The Kurans (His Parents)
In Vampire Knight: Fleeting Dreams, his parents did not have a good relationship with him after Juri was born, because they said his 'love' was perverse, thus, him being too attached to Juri. When he learned that he was betrothed with the princess Shizuka Hio he argued with his parents, saying, "I know it's supposed to protect our bloodline, but why with this tiny child?" Rido asked, and his father asked, "Is there anyone else in mind?" and Rido asked again, "You know I'm in love with [Juri], right?" with his father saying his love was perverse; and when they finished arguing, his father said, "You will join with the Hio princess." It ends with Rido killing his parents.

Rido later taunts Juri and claims that he devoured their parents, possibly referring to having drunk their blood before they died to obtain their power.

Quotes

 * "Why won't you love me, Juri? Why? What do I lack? How can I make you love me...? I... love you... so much that I want to devour you, Juri..." (To Juri)
 * "Your weapon isn't what I want..." (To Yuki)

Trivia

 * Rido can mean a feud between a family or clan.
 * Rido Abilities: Purebloods have Almighty powers, but they especially excel in permeating others bodies and transforming them.
 * Rido Respects: Juri.
 * Rido Taste in Women: "A strong -minded woman like Juri."
 * Rido Hobbies: His Juri collection.
 * Rido reveals in the manga that he changed his siblings' diapers.
 * Rido Favorite Fashion: clothes he looks good in.
 * According to the official Fan book, Rido has another son beside Senri. His other son's name is unknown.

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Rido Kuran