Ryo Watanabe is a Japanese American street racer featured in Need for Speed: ProStreet and is a member of the Apex Glide racing team. He is associated with the Super Promotion racing organisation and is the Showdown King. He is one of the racing discipline kings to be challenged by Ryan Cooper.
Ryo is first introduced to the player at the D-Day event hosted by the Battle Machine organisation. Ryo openly detests Ryan and directly insults their driving abilities whilst on stage at the D-Day event.
Ryo drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X throughout the career with the same vehicle featuring a blueprint for each of the four racing modes. Many of his records held by other racing organisations and course locations can be beaten by the player in career mode.
Ryan Cooper is required to dominate all three Showdown events within the Super Promotion organisation before they can challenge Ryo's Showdown King title at the Showdown King Challenge: Nevada and Showdown King Challenge: Tokyo racedays.