Shura is the captain of the Kairyu Pirates, named after the island where they originated.

The Kairyu Pirates were founded by Shura's father to feed the poor fisherman village that was failing on the island. The inhabitants took up arms, only stealing from those who gained their wealth through corrupt means. After their success, however, the pirates became corrupt themselves, and after Shura's father died and Shura became the leader, the corruption began to take hold and the pirates sought more than just food for the village. Shura stayed true to her father's justice, making her very unpopular. After Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke take a job to protect a boat which is in danger of being attacked by the pirates, Kaoru is abducted by one of the pirates to be tortured and killed. After Kenshin battles the previously undefeated captain after taking a poisoned dart from another pirate, and then spares her life, she is shocked by his character. When Kenshin offers to trade his life for Kaoru's, Shura accepts on the grounds that they do not kill women and children, and brings Kenshin to Kairyu island to be excecuted. She challenges him to a fight, however, but he refuses since she saved Kaoru's life. She ties him up to kill later, but before she is able to the members of her crew rebel and try to kill her. Kenshin saves her from death and once she regained conscience, she realizes that she has fallen in love with Kenshin. But when she goes to settle the score with the leader of the betrayers, she is tricked at the last second, but is saved by Kenshin just in time. After seeing Kenshin's strength, a member of the pirates panicked and set off one of the bombs the pirates had collected for their future corrupt actions, setting off the other materials they had collected, including a large amount of gunpowder. The explosion and resulting fire destroyed the island and the only one's left alive were Shura, Kenshin, the only two men loyal to Shura on her crew, and Kenshin's friends who had come to rescue him. After they got to safety, Shura departed on the sea to search for a new meaning for her life, promising to meet Kenshin again someday.