Characters
Rao Singha
Age: 26
Rao Singha ( 拉奥·辛哈) is a mysterious world traveling magician skilled in the martial arts who holds the legendary Chinese wine, The Everlasting Shenjiu. In his stop to Yishu Village, a village famous for its performing arts in Guilin, China, Rao was impressed with beautiful Chinese dancer Fenghua Jian at a festival and was befriended by her while others in the village shunned him due to him being an outsider. When hearing about Fenghua’s illness, Rao was determined to find a cure and knowing about the legend of the Everlasting Shenjiu, he used his ability to connect with the celestial world to meet the Eight Immortals at Mount Penglai. Rao was given the opportunity and ultimately earning the Everlasting Shenjiu by passing the trials given by the Eight Immortals. The exploit made Rao a legend throughout the village and became well known throughout China. Always loving a challenge, Rao made it known that whoever beats him in a contest can win a gourd of the Everlasting Shenjiu. Rao has received many challenges from various people, most of them fighters, only for them to fail in defeating him. Drinking the Shenjiu has amplified Rao's fighting skills creating a powerful signature attack known as the Singha Fist. Rao uses a variety of fighting styles such as Wing Chun, Boxing, Grappling, Muay Thai, Baji Quan, Drunken Fist and many more, making him a very dangerous, well-rounded combatant. Rao is fond of the arts and often gets involved in the performing arts. It is for this reason that Rao has made his residence in Yishu performing for and with the villagers and living comfortably nearby his ginkgo tree and the Lijiang River. Fenghua, who grew devoted to Rao after saving her life, often visits to drink and dance with him. Rao's meeting with the American dancer Cat Hellshire will trigger events that will involve the Everlasting Shenjiu.
Cat Hellshire
Age: 22
Catherine Hellshire is an American dancer from New York City. Nicknamed Cat, she was raised by her father after her mother passed shortly after Cat was born. With her father involved in the performing arts, Cat became involved as well, mostly with ballet and modern dance. As Cat got older, she discovered her ability to create powerful impacts with her hips, a talent that runs in the female side of her family and in great use when defending herself. Cat is a fan of pro wrestling, as she uses pro wrestling moves in her repertoire of attacks which includes very powerful and swift hip attacks known as the Hell Hip Whip and Hell Hip Cannon. Cat is a quick learner and isn't afraid of getting into fights when it comes to standing up for her friends. But has very impulsive tendencies that often gets her into trouble. Cat also enjoys traveling the world with her friends with her favorite destination being Japan. While traveling throughout China, her traveling partner, fellow dancer Henry Tian, became very sick with what seemed to be an incurable illness. It was during their stop at Guilin that Henry told her about Rao Singha and the Everlasting Shenjiu. Little did she know that her meeting with Rao and challenging him to win a gourd of the Everlasting Shenjiu will change the trajectory of her life forever.
Fenghua Jian
Age: 25
Fenghua Jian ( Jiàn Fēng Huā 剑风花 ) is a Chinese dancer living in Yishu Village in Guilin, China. As an only child, Fenghua has been trained in Chinese classical dance by her mother at a very young age and has devoted her life to dancing. She is very friendly and popular throughout the village often performing in the village’s annual dance festivals captivating audiences who have the privilege of witnessing her dance. Rao Singha was one of them when he first arrived in Yishu. Fenghua’s life was in danger when she suffered a serious illness. Her illness was cured, however, by The Everlasting Shenjiu to which Rao has won for her. In addition, the divine wine has given her extraordinary powers of flight as well as weather manipulation which she can do at will. Grateful that her life is saved, Fenghua became loyal and devoted to Rao and became his best friend and student of the fighting arts. Fenghua would often call Rao, Rao Xiansheng ("Xiansheng" means "Mister" in Chinese) out of respect. Through Rao’s teachings, Fenghua learned how to incorporate her dancing into a fighting style and created a signature move called Fan Shen Quantou or the Rolling Turnover Fist based on the dance, Chuan Fan Shen. Fenghua enjoys her time with Rao often drinking and dancing with him and for him. Spending time with Rao made Fenghua curious of the world outside of Yishu Village. Fenghua's desire is to learn more dance styles to share with the villagers and to see the world with Rao. Destiny will fulfill those desires when she meets another dancer from the United States, Cat Hellshire…
Henry Tian
Age: 23
Henry Tian is a dancer who was born in Yishu Village in Guilin, China but is raised in New York City. Henry is a very talented dancer who has a lot of female admirers during his time in New York University. However, he had his eye on Cat Hellshire and formed a friendship with her when she needed help with her dance routines for her classes. Henry mostly acts jokingly and sarcastically around Cat and is always willing to help her whenever she needed anything. After graduating from NYU, Henry invites Cat to take a trip with him throughout China to see the performing arts in the country. Henry's goal is to join a prestigious touring dance company and become a world famous dancer. During a stop to Wuhan, Henry confronted a bunch of ruffians harassing Cat and ended up breaking his hand after punching one of them. He also ended up sick with a strange illness endangering his health. When Henry and Cat visited Yishu, Henry witnessed villagers reasoning a sick erhu player to not perform but the player stubbornly refused. A moment later, the erhu player was playing happily in front of the crowd, no longer sick. Curious on what just happened, Henry spoke with the villagers and they explained that it was the work of Rao Singha and the Everlasting Shenjiu and he was told stories about the legendary figure and his wine. Henry tells Cat about Rao and the divine wine at their hotel room and inadvertently influences a concerned Cat to challenge Rao on her own to win a gourd of the Everlasting Shenjiu.
Erhu Player Po
Age: 60
Erhu Player Po is a musician in Yishu Village who entertains and enjoys playing his erhu. Stubborn but kind hearted, Po would always keep the village festive and lively with the beautiful sound of his erhu. Po was once cured by the Everlasting Shenjiu by Rao when he was ill at the resistance of his fellow villagers, when Po stubbornly wanted to perform for the village's annual performance festival. When Rao was aware of the situation, Rao personally cured Po simply to get the show going. Since then, Po became Rao's confidant and would always be open to play a song for Rao.
Spider Fist Gang
Age: (Chow) 32, (Zhu) 35, (Yuen) 29
Spider Fist Zhu are a villainous martial arts gang based in Zhizhu Village in Guilin, China. The gang are involved in various illegal activities, such as robbery and murder, and kill whoever gets in their way. They rely on strength in numbers and have abilities to crawl like an actual spider to confuse and repulse their opponents. The leader of the Spider Fist Gang, Spider Fist Zhu, is arrogant, rude, and vile but also a fierce fighter who is a master of the Spider Fist style and deals in poison using his signature poison needle attacks. After knowing about the Everlasting Shenjiu from his right hand man Chow (left), Zhu became skeptical about the existence of such a wine. But when Zhu heard that Rao Singha owns it and that he is challenging anyone who can beat him for a gourd of the divine wine, Zhu became very curious and overconfident that he can beat Rao and win the wine. Zhu gathers his gang including Chow and his big enforcer Yuen (right) and travels to Rao's residence to see if the legendary wine is true.
Milton Cheng
Age: 25
Milton Cheng is a millionaire from Hong Kong. Raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, Milton is spoiled by his rich parents who deal in Pharmaceuticals. Cocky, smug, but insecure, Milton is always accompanied by bodyguards, most of whom are rumored to be triad. Milton has a hidden grudge against Curtis Lo, who is Hong Kong's top billionaire, who would often see Milton as a spoiled degenerate involved in illegal activities. Furious at being condescended by Lo, Milton is determined to get rid of Lo and surpass him as the top billionaire of Hong Kong. Wanting to make his own wealth away from his parents, Milton started investing within the entertainment industry, becoming a director at Hong Kong Stadium for its events, as well as often gambling within the Hong Kong underground fight circuit. Milton's wealth grew when he began betting on a young prodigy named Ligon Wu who have been making a name for himself in the circuit. The more Ligon won his fights, the more money Milton made. When Ligon retired from underground fighting to live a healthy and honest life, Milton went to Ligon's bar, Bar Fei Hung, and tried to convince Ligon to come out of retirement. It was around this time when Milton heard of the stories of the Everlasting Shenjiu from Ligon and his customers. Milton traveled to Yishu Village in Guilin to see the divine wine for himself when he witnessed Rao Singha cure one of the villagers suffering from a mysterious sickness. Since witnessing this, Milton saw dollar signs and becomes obsessed in buying a gourd from Rao, only to be constantly turn down by him. But knowing what the Everlasting Shenjiu can do for his wealth and his image throughout the world, Milton would be willing to go to great, and even dastardly lengths, to get the wine from Rao. Milton's luck would change when one day he meets a mysterious mercenary named Kurokage...
Kurokage
Age: ??
Not much is known about this mysterious mercenary named Kurokage other than he is reputed as a highly paid mercenary with supernatural powers in the criminal underworld. Kurokage has unusual powers who posesses close to supersonic speed as well as an ability to teleport. His signature attack is Blinding Blast, an explosive ki attack that affects the vision while blasting whatever comes near it. Kurokage has sadistic tendencies and has zero remorse in hurting others in route to being paid. Kurokage is hired by a mysterious client who is interested in doing business with Milton Cheng and makes a deal with Milton to obtain Rao's Everlasting Shenjiu in exchange for financial cooperation with the client. Kurokage's involvement would trigger unusual events in the world.
Ligon Wu
Age: 25
Ligon Wu, better known by Hong Kongers as "The Dancing Fist of Wan Chai" is a man who holds a variety of jobs to make ends meet in the tough economic climate of Hong Kong. He's popular in the city for his amazing work ethic, positive attitude, and amazing skills as both a dancer and a fighter. He's the head instructor at the Dancing Fist Kung Fu School, which his family ran for generations, in Wan Chai teaching kung fu and lion dance classes. He owns a bar called Bar Fei Hung named after the main character of Drunken Master and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung. He is a multiple time Lion Dance Champion where his team won the national championships in Hong Kong Stadium for 5 years straight. He is a director of dance concerts within the Hong Kong performing arts community. Ligon was an underground fighter where he is once considered a prodigy due to fighting at the young age of 18. It was during this time where he met Milton Cheng, who made a fortune from Ligon's victories. His English name 'Ligon' (pronounced Lai-ghen) means half lion/half dragon due to his great abilities as both a lion and dragon dancer. He would later retire from street fighting after a couple of years to focus on the school and his bar. Ligon would be entertained by his elderly customers at his bar who would tell wonderful tales that deal in Chinese mythology. One of these stories would be of Rao Singha and the Everlasting Shenjiu. Ligon had no idea that he would be involved in the tale of the Everlasting Shenjiu that would begin one fateful day when two women signed up for his Lion Dance class: Cat Hellshire and Fenghua Jian.
Barty McGuigan
Age: 28
Barty McGuigan, known throughout the world as "The Barbarous Bad Boy", is a Mixed Martial Artist who is currently the undefeated world middleweight champion for the Super Fighting Championships League. Growing up in Belfast, Ireland, Barty had a rough upbringing relying on criminal activities to survive and would eventually be involved in the Irish mob. Barty entered MMA as a way out of the life. His brutal striking power which has developed in his involvement in several street fights over the years along with his brash charisma would make him popular in the sport, gaining a record of 12-0, all by first round knockout. Barty would become a superstar when he won the world middleweight championship from the then undefeated and feared Brazilian fighter, Serpent Morais, in the first round by knockout. It was in this fight that he debuted his signature attack, The Barbarous Rush, a series of brutal non-stop consecutive strikes. Along with successful title defenses, fame, and money comes controversy and infamy as his hot temper would get him in trouble with the law numerous times including DUI and assault charges. However, Barty would use his influence and wealth to have those charges dropped. Barty became acquainted with Milton Cheng who convinced Barty to stop by Hong Hong to help train for his next title defense in Japan. Milton's true intentions was for Barty to challenge and defeat Rao Singha for a gourd of the Everlasting Shenjiu, an encounter that would change Barty's life.
Grace Yi
Age: 25
Grace Yi is a dancer from Hong Kong who trains at the Dancing Fist Kung Fu school. Grace is trained in a variety of dances including Classical Chinese Dance where she developed a variety of tricks with water sleeves. She can use water sleeves for grabbing objects from afar as well as for self-defense. Grace is a dedicated dancer and a reliable friend who doesn't hesitate to do the right thing. Grace has developed feelings for Ligon Wu ever since Ligon saved her from local thugs in Wan Chai. Grace takes classes from Ligon on how to defend herself and would always audition for him for his dance concerts. Grace always arrives at rehearsals and performances very early for concerts that Ligon directs before anyone. She also helps out at the Dancing Fist Kung Fu School, sometimes looking after the school while Ligon is away. Ligon would realize how great of an asset Grace is to the school, as the number of male students has increased ever since she joined.
Giant Guai
Age: 38
Giant Guai is a seven-foot, five-hundred-pound street fighter who fights at the Monster Building at Quarry Bay where he would often offer money challenges to anyone who can knock him down or throw him over a wrestling ring, which would usually result in a violent end for his challengers. Guai is incredibly cruel, vulgar, and overconfident in his power and size, always referring to himself in third person. No one has ever succeeded in defeating Guai's challenge, until Rao, Cat, and Fenghua took him on during their sightseeing venture at the Monster Building.
Maltia Kamiyama
Age: ??
Maltia Kamiyama is a British-Japanese stage actress from Japan who stands at an imposing 6'3''. Maltia was once a member of the prestigious Takarazuka troupe and has developed a huge following for her dynamic performances for playing male and female roles. Maltia would leave the troupe for unknown reasons but would later become an entrepreneur forming a winery business called Kamiyama Winery and would form her own theatre company: Gekidan Kamiyama. Divided under four ensembles based on the heavenly beasts, Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku, and Seiryu, Gekidan Kamiyama would quickly make an impact within Japanese Theatre with its amazing shows that combines storytelling, magic, and martial arts. Much of Maltia's past is a mystery and she seems to have connections at very high places and has influence in the criminal underworld throughout Asia, though this is not publicly known. What also isn't known is that Maltia has knowledge of the dark arts, which would help her create the Kami no Hakai Talisman that would destroy the divine protective barrier of the Everlasting Shenjiu. It is revealed that Maltia is Kurokage's client and is working on a special project which requires "financial assistance" from Milton Cheng. This special project would be The Gekijo Kumite, a series of combative contests between performing artists skilled in martial arts. Maltia uses her surveillance drones to get info that would help her gain advantages over her enemies and blackmail to get what she wants. Maltia would place a mysterious lock on Rao's Everlasting Shenjiu as both an insurance policy and blackmail for Rao to compete in the Gekijo Kumite and currently holds Cat's Everlasting Shenjiu to continue establishing the Shen Cheng Miracle business to which she now holds 50% ownership much to Milton's dismay.
Hina Chiba
Age: 23
Hina Chiba is the manager of Kamiyama Winery and the stage manager of Gekidan Kamiyama. As the cheerful second in command to Maltia, Hina helps out Maltia's theatre empire and organizes the matches for The Gekijo Kumite project. Alongside her managerial duties, Hina is also an artist and would enjoy drawing Chibi Art of members of Gekidan Kamiyama. Hina has developed admiration for Fenghua Jian since watching her at the Hong Kong Lunar New Year dance concert which was broadcasted online. Hina would guide Rao, Cat, and Fenghua through the Gekijo Kumite.
"Genbu the Actor" Genichi Kamekura
Age: 27
Genichi Kamekura is a Japanese stage actor and one of the four ensemble leaders of Gekidan Kamiyama. Under his leader name, Genbu the Actor, Genichi leads the Genbu Ensemble presenting and performing stage plays at the Genbu Theatre in Tokyo, Japan. Genichi's love of acting causes him to overact and become overdramatic both vocally and physically and often considers himself as god's gift to acting. His fighting style is Snake Fist and given his own gourd of Shenjiu, Genichi developed powerful finger strength that allows him to obliterate anything in his path giving him numerous victories within the Gekijo Kumite contests. Despite this, Genichi is the least skilled fighter out of the ensemble leaders, which he makes up with sneaky underhanded tactics with the help of his Genbu Ensemble members.
Age: 35
Torashiro Chiba is a fight choreographer, actor, director, and world fencing champion who is one of the four ensemble leaders of Gekidan Kamiyama. He is also the uncle of Hina Chiba. Under his leader name, Byakko the Fencer, Torashiro leads the Byakko Ensemble which primarily focuses on stage combat presenting shows at Byakko Theatre in Kyoto, Japan. As an actor, Torashiro's most famous acting role was in Gekidan Kamiyama's production of 'Legend of Musashi: The Stage Play' where he played Musashi Miyamoto. Torashiro's performance as Musashi received rave reviews, to which Torashiro constantly gloats over much to the annoyance of everyone in Gekidan Kamiyama. One particular review that he is fond of from a respected critic includes these words: "Chiba Torashiro doesn't play Miyamoto Musashi. He IS Miyamoto Musashi." As the head fight choreographer of Gekidan Kamiyama, Torashiro is strict towards his ensemble members as he maintains high standards and strives perfection in the fight scenes he directs. He was unimpressed by the fight choreography between Ligon and Fenghua at the Hong Kong Dance Concert by how unsafe and reckless the performance went and is baffled as to why Fenghua is given great praise, especially from Hina. As a competitive fencer, Torashiro is undefeated winning many national and world championships intending to compete for the 2020 Japanese Olympic fencing team to spread the name of Gekidan Kamiyama. Torashiro is not only a skilled fencer but also a practitioner of kenjutsu which aided his critically acclaimed performance as Musashi. Because he is naturally skilled, Torashiro has a tendency to become too arrogant and complacent. Given his own but limited gourd of Shenjiu by Maltia Kamiyama, Torashiro's precision has increased dramatically which gives him a big edge in battle. Torashiro hopes to win his own gourd of Everlasting Shenjiu from Rao to solidify his status as the best swordsman in the world and to make Gekidan Kamiyama the number one theatre company in the world.
"Byakko the Fencer" Torashiro Chiba
"Suzaku the Singer" Natsu Nakitori
Age: 24
Natsu Nakitori is a singer, actress, and pro wrestler who is one of the four ensemble leaders of Gekidan Kamiyama. As Suzaku the Singer, Natsu leads the Suzaku Ensemble which focuses on musical theatre and is based in Yokohama, Japan. Daughter of a Chinese mother who is a singer and Japanese father who is a pro wrestler, Natsu excelled naturally in both singing and pro wrestling. At 18, Natsu would join a Japanese women's pro wrestling promotion which would occasionally go on an excursion to Mexico and studied Lucha Libre. Her pro wrestling career lasted only two years so she can focus on her love for singing as she relocated to New York City to build a Broadway career. Natsu's singing would attract a lot of attention and praise from Broadway's theatre community and she would participate in performing many shows in the area. Natsu's performance also attracted Maltia Kamiyama, who offered her an ensemble leadership role in Gekidan Kamiyama to lead the Suzaku Ensemble in Japan to which Natsu accepts mostly because she is generally bossy and controlling. As Maltia has plans of expansion to the west, Natsu's important connections on Broadway would be useful and would be the main reason why Natsu became leader in the first place. Natsu's abuse of power and horrid attitude rubbed a lot of the Suzaku Ensemble members the wrong way, especially towards The Mui Twins, who wish to take over the leadership of the Suzaku Ensemble. Maltia's attention towards Fenghua Jian has conjured jealousy within Natsu. Given her limited gourd of Shenjiu, Natsu has developed the ability to fly which matches Fenghua's ability to fly. Now Natsu is determined to get rid of Fenghua in the Gekijo Kumite to show Maltia that she soars higher and become the biggest star of Gekidan Kamiyama.
Janni Linette
Age: 27
Janni Linette is a Broadway singer, actress, and pro wrestler from New York City. Nicknamed "The Broadway Strong Songbird", Janni has captivated many with her physical presence and beauty and has won many awards with her singing and acting talent including a "Best Lead Actress in a Musical " Award. At the same time, she involves herself in pro wrestling adoring the theatrics it brings and has studied Brazilian Jiujitsu. However, Janni has gained a reputation for being very violent with an unusual pleasure of breaking human bones. Janni tends to be jealous towards the women who she believes is flirting with Barty McGuigan, who Janni has an odd relationship with. One example of this is the incident where Janni tracked down a young woman who simply waved at Barty at a press conference for one of Barty's fights. Janni found the young woman and broke the arm that she waved Barty with, with Janni stating that she's the only woman who gets to wave at Barty. Janni agreed to an invitation by Natsu Nakitori to compete in the Gekijo Kumite in Japan to primarily help Natsu destroy Fenghua Jian and Cat Hellshire, who Janni wants to rip apart after finding out that Cat interacted with Barty in Hong Kong and, being manipulated by Natsu and Maltia, was told that Cat flirted with him.
The Mui Twins
Age: (Sina) 25 (Sara) 25
Sara and Sina, The Mui Twins, are members of the Suzaku Ensemble under Gekidan Kamiyama serving as musicians, singers, magicians, pro wrestlers, and costume designers. Coming from a family of Chinese magicians who love to perform music, The Mui Twins grew up in Yokohama, Japan and are highly popular in the city for their magical musical presentations with the Sanxian, a three string Chinese lute. Sara Mui is the oldest of the twins and the more cynical while Sina Mui, born right after Sara, is the more optimistic. At a Yokohama talent show festival, The Mui Twins presented a show where they combined their Sanxian performances with magic and pro wrestling, where the twins wrestled each other in a match to see who the better performer is of the two. Despite not formally trained in pro wrestling but have a love for it, The Mui Twins managed to entertain the audience, and their show won them first place at the festival. This show caught the eye of Maltia Kamiyama who offered them work within the Suzaku Ensemble of Gekidan Kamiyama. Both Sara and Sina wish to become ensemble leader after seeing "Suzaku the Singer" Natsu Nakitori abuse her power as leader even not allowing the twins to sing, mostly out of fear that they would outshine her and would restrict them in just playing musical instruments. The twins would often bicker at each other over which one of the two would be leader. Despite that, the level of teamwork of the The Mui Twins remain flawless as displayed when competing in the Gekijo Kumite as a tag team. The Mui Twins would serve as a test for Cat and Fenghua to prepare them ahead of their challenge against Suzaku the Singer.
Sina Mui Sara Mui
Age: ??
Seiryu the Dancer is the leader of the Seiryu Ensemble based in Osaka, Japan which focuses on Dance. His info and identity are currently unknown but he became the ensemble leader when he challenged and defeated Marisol Saiga for the leadership. Marisol fell in love with him right after and she has then since shown devotion to him. Seiryu has interest in Cat Hellshire, which infuriates Marisol. Seiryu is set to battle Rao Singha in the Gekijo Kumite. (MORE DETAILS TO COME)
Seiryu the Dancer
Marisol Saiga
Age: 26
Marisol Saiga is the hot blooded dancer, former world featherweight boxing champion, and the former leader of the Seiryu Ensemble. Raised in Puerto Rico by a Japanese father (a boxer) and a Puerto Rican mother (a dancer), Marisol studied both boxing and dance and grew to love both. Marisol can dance salsa, merengue, and ballroom dance. Marisol went on to compete in amateur boxing before going pro and quickly gained notoriety in the boxing world for the way she won her fights. During her illustrious boxing career, Marisol is nicknamed "The Dragon Goddess of Boxing" and went on to become world champion in the featherweight division. She would win her fights with a signature move called "The Final Torrent": a series of fast, sharp jabs finishing with a right cross ultimately ending in a brutal knock out. After witnessing both her fight and her dancing during Marisol's title defense in Japan, Maltia Kamiyama offered her a position as the ensemble leader of Seiryu Ensemble, a position which she accepted as Marisol knew of Maltia's grand reputation in the Japanese performing arts scene as well as a chance to cultivate a dance career. After accepting, Marisol would retire undefeated with a 35-0 record with 35 knockouts. As she performed and even taught dance within the Seiryu Ensemble, Marisol met a young man who would confidently challenge her for the leadership of the Seiryu Ensemble. Marisol would accept the challenge in order to teach him a lesson but would surprisingly end up losing to him. Marisol would fall in love with him as she relinquished her position. Only Marisol and Maltia know the true identity of the man who would be the new Seiryu the Dancer. Marisol requested to fight Cat in the Gekijo Kumite out of jealousy as Seiryu the Dancer has shown romantic interest towards Cat.
Haruna Tatsushima
Age: 21
Haruna Tatsushima is a dancer in the Seiryu Ensemble who is a world champion in Karate. Raised in Osaka, Japan, Haruna started studying Karate at the young age of 6. As she grew older, Haruna's skills grew stronger as she would move on to compete in the national junior karate tournaments winning every single one she has competed in. She would develop a signature attack known as the Monsoon Kick, A powerful jumping kick aiming for the head. Haruna's looks and competitive ferocity earned her the nickname "Dragon Princess of Karate". While she trained in Karate, Haruna would also be enamored with dance. Since watching the movie "Shall we Dance?" Haruna's interest in dance grew and would then secretly attend dance classes that would include Salsa, Waltz, and even Hip Hop. At the age of 19, Haruna won gold in the Women's World Karate Championships. But she would retire from competition to focus on dance and would later join Gekidan Kamiyama's Seiryu Ensemble under then ensemble leader Marisol Saiga, who she shares a close friendship with. Haruna would then compete in dance competitions within the Seiryu Ensemble, ranking high in the competitions and making herself known within the dance world by posting her dance videos on social media. Haruna would compete against Fenghua Jian in the Gekijo Kumite.