Haven't posted in quite a while, but loved this first episode and wanted to do a bit of an overall analysis of what I think this episode is doing with Ryo's character whilst looking at story, theme and so on.
So the first thing to say is it actually gives Ryo a mini-arc, so as to get him to a certain place by episode end, and imo follows through on it rather well.
An aspect of Ryo's "aloofness", (Yu's words) are seen at episode start, where, supremely confident, Ryo takes out his opponent in the tourney, "it's not your fault. Nobody has ever managed to land a punch on me before" (also his semi-dismissal of the teacher i.e. "I know".) He's supremely confident, and has never lost a fight.
After Iwao's death, the anime translates the Iwao flashbacks from the S1 game, not only with its own flashback, but also by way of Ryo more overtly pondering that he isn't "strong enough" - after all he was nearly killed by Lan di, couldn't save his father, and has been outclassed for the first time. A theme/subtext in the game flashbacks is that young (child) Ryo, and then 17 yr old Ryo, hasn't yet understood the true nature of Iwao's teachings. And so the anime finds itself in the same position, with its own version: Ryo just thinks you have to be generally "stronger" than your opponent, but Iwao tells him that isn't the case, and that he'll understand one day.
At episode end with the Chai fight, Ryo is initially defeated with a mirror of his defeat to Lan di earlier in the episode: a cut across the face followed by the gut punch that sends him sprawling across the dojo (and in the same location!). Chai's gloating "strength not enough" line echoes Iwaos earlier words, and Ryo finally recognises that his "aloof" concept of "strength" was never enough. So he turns it on its head: assume lack of strength, and instead precisely study your opponent to win.
The ensuing victory then represents a "first step" in Ryo's understanding: he has finally, finally understood his father, the "day has come" (Iwao's words) in that respect, albeit tragically as a result of Iwaos death. This essentially completes ryo's mini arc, and to my mind also incorporates some of the "polished mirror" themes from the game (especially if you add in the "perserverance" banner shot from earlier in the episode.)
It's unsurprising, and smart actually, that ep 1 would conclude with this first little arc: not only do we get a dramatic battle but it gets Ryo to where he needs to be for ep 2.
I think this development and the slight motivational shift away from the game is indeed a change, but I think its one which will turn out well based on how the series is going to unfold.
Ryo now verbalises that part of his motivation is not only to find out who his father really was, but to prove that he really was the man he thought he was.
"I've trained my entire life to surpass my father, but I never truly paid attention to him. That's why I need to learn about my father's past...Then I can be sure that my father was really the man I thought he was!"
By episode end, Ryo is now the man who has listened to his father at last (in this respect at least.) It doesn't preclude revenge as a big motivational factor still either - we see that when we see the way Ryo clenches his fist when thinking of Lan Di. Honestly I loved this whole speech and it got me emotional. I also love the way Ryo gives Fuku the credit with Chai, basically saying Fuku scared Chai off when it was Ryo who sent him packing.
All in all I loved how Ryo was represented here: his "aloofness" (already discussed), the inherent kindness/manners he shows, (the boy, Nozomi and Fuku) and his mopey irritability after Iwao's death. It's all there.
More thoughts to come!
BTW, if you've got a moment...
