I never played any Yakuza Series, but i know that it's a popular game. So, i was wondering why this game is so popular and started to gather up information. Starting point should be reading the story and i think its quite interesting
■ INTRODUCTION
The latest numbered entry in the Yakuza series for PlayStation 4, this is the story of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. In the new setting of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, the story of the hot-blooded thugs stirred up by Ichiban Kasuga will begin.
If the protagonist changes, so does the gameplay. This is a new Yakuza experience!
■ STORY
Protagonist Ichiban Kasuga makes his way up from the depths of despair. Depicted until the becoming of a new “Dragon,” this is the ultimate story of overcoming the higher ranked and rising to new heights. The future is in your hands!
January 1, 2001. The yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, who belongs to third generation family of the Tojo Clan—the Arakawa Family—was asked to take the fall for the crimes of wakagashira Jo Sawashiro by his boss Masumi Arakawa, which he agreed to do. For the family that he loves, for the respect of his boss… Kasuga served 18 years in a strict penitentiary, and in 2019, was finally released.
However, there was no one there to greet him upon his release. With no one to welcome him, Kasuga returned to his hometown of Kamurocho. But the Kamurocho was not the Kamurocho that Kasuga once knew.
Thanks to a police policy known as the “Kamurocho 3K Operation,” the Tojo Clan had fallen. The police and the Omi Alliance of Kansai yakuza had completely taken over. And the one who created this new Kamurocho was none other than Masumi Arakawa.
“How could the boss do something like this!?”
In order to ascertain the truth for himself, Kasuga went to go see Masumi Arakawa. After getting past obstacles like Omi Alliance members and his former superior Sawashiro, Kasuga manages to make his way to Masumi Arakawa.
“Boss!”
A reunion 18 years in the making with the “Boss” he loved like a father, the yakuza he admired—But what awaited him there was not the smiling face of a reunion, but rather the cold barrel of a gun.
“I’m sorry, Ichi… you need to die.”
The gunshot echoed. Kasuga’s vision dimmed—.
“Wha….!”
While wandering the depths of life or death, Kasuga somehow regained consciousness. But when he came to, he was at a dumpsite in homeless town lined with cardboard houses.
“…Where am I?”
Kasuga’s question is answered by a homeless man.
“Ijincho… Isezaki Ijincho. This is Yokohama. Got that? Yokohama.”
■ CHARACTERS
➣Ichiban Kasuga (2000 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)
The Tojo Clan is Kanto’s largest yakuza organization. Ichiban Kasuga is a wakashu of the Arakawa Family, a third generation family of the Tojo Clan. Since he was born in Kamurocho soapland Shangri-La, he is called “Soap Ichiban” by the older residents. Although he grew up without knowing his true parents, he was charmed by the manly spirit of Masumi Arakawa, who he met at age 15, and joined the Arakawa Family. Since then, he has lived with resolute loyalty to Arakawa, but since he is not good when it comes to earning money, he is shunned by the wakagashira Jo Sawashiro, who stresses the importance of money.
He takes the fall for Sawashiro, who committed murder, at the request of Arakawa Family leader Masumi Arakawa, who is like a father to him. After that, he spends 18 years in penal servitude. After he is released, the Tojo Clan has fallen, and the Kansai yakuza known as the Omi Alliance has taken control over Kamurocho. Finding out that Masumi Arakawa was behind it all, Kasuga goes to see Arakawa to asertain the truth at its source.
A wakagashira with a sense of duty and humanity towards his boss Arakawa, who stresses the importance of money. He would beat Ichiban Kasuga down with his fists as a daily occurrence, as he was unable to earn money. He single-handedly takes on the role of the “whip” within the Arakawa Family.
A martial artist yakuza who serves Masumi Arakawa from the era of the Tojo Clan. He hated Ichiban Kasuga back in the day, and after 18 years, that hatred has not changed. Since Arakawa became an substitute wakagashira of the Omi Alliance, he has the same authority as an Omi Alliance executive directly reporting to the boss.
The leader of the Arakawa Family of the Tojo Clan. Born and raised as the son of a popular theater troupe, he has been all over the country, but someone shot and killed his father, the chairman of the troupe, which led him to the yakuza. In the past, he was known as the best martial artist in the Tojo Clan, and for that reason the Arakawa Family was established as a third generation family of the Tojo Clan, and he was feared as “Killer Arakawa.” He meets Ichiban Kasuga by chance as a boy and becomes his sponsor.
While he was once the head of a Tojo Clan third generation family, the Arakawa Family, after information about the Tojo Clan was leaked to the police, the Tojo Clan was eliminated from Kamurocho, which provided a major service to the Omi Alliance’s advance into Kamurocho. With his achievements recognized, he is currently the substitute wakagashira, essentially the Number 2 man in the Omi Alliance.
A man who was stripped away of his nursing license after challening the medicine from the hospital he worked for to the black market, and now lives in the depths of poverty in Isezaki Ijincho. After Ichiban was shot by Masumi Arakawa and lost consciousness, Namba saves his life and begins working with him.
When he was working as a criminal investigator for the police, he was handed an unreasonable demotion by his boss Juurou Horinouchi, the current Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police, for defying Horinouchi regarding the true culprit of a case. After investigating Horinouchi’s affairs, he arrived at a bribery scandal between Horinouchi and Masumi Arakawa. Adachi works with Ichiban Kasuga to get close to Masumi Arakawa, who seems to have the evidence he needs.
She works for the cabaret club run by Nonomiya, owner of the long standing soapland (brothel) Otohime Land. Nonomiya has great faith in her, and even entrusts her to running the shop. She gets to know Ichiban Kasuga after a certain event.
➣Arakawa Masato (voiced by Kousuke Toriumi)
He has no gang affiliation, but he’s Masumi Arakawa’s only son, who is adored by Ichiban Kasuga. He has to use a wheelchair because he suffered from hypothermia right after his birth. In his daily life he relies on Ichiban Kasuga to act as a kind of manservant, but he also has great trust in the Arakawa wakagashira Jo Sawashiro.
➣Mitsuo Yasumura (voiced by Satoshi Tsuruoka)
Also known by the nickname Mitsu. During Ichiban Kasuga’s wakashu days in the Arakawa Family of the Tojo Clan, Yasumura was considered his only brother and the two shared a strong bond. He continues to serve Masumi Arakawa, even after the Arakawa Family switched from the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance.
➣Yousuke Tendou (voiced by Miou Tanaka)
A wakagashira assistant of the Omi Alliance. He was once a famous professional boxer, but ended up in the world of the yakuza after a scandal.
➣Reiji Ishioda (voiced by Shou Hayami)
A wakagashira assistant of the Omi Alliance. He is a violent yakuza known for his daring behavior, who takes what he wants through brute force.
➣Ryuhei Hoshino (voiced by Tetsuo Kaneo)
The chairman of the the Yokohama Seiryu Clan, the sole yakuza organization in Isezaki Ijincho. He is a genuine yakuza who values duty, humanity, and honor, and is committed to the ways of old-fashioned chivalry. While he is a big-shot who has controlled the underworld of Isezaki Ijincho for many years, he is also a gatekeeper who has continued to protect Ijincho from the invasion of foreign enemies.
➣Mamoru Takabe (voiced by Taichi Endou)
The sharp number two of the Yokohama Seiryu Clan. He has sworn his allegiance to Ryuhei Hoshino, who has placed great trust in him as his right arm. While he has a calm and collected personality, his hot-bloodedness allows absolutely no tolerance for his enemies.
➣Seong-Hui (voiced by Hana Takeda)
The leader of the mysterious organization Geomijul, which is nested in a stronghold where electric lines run throughout like spiderwebs. She almost never makes an appearance outside the stronghold, and is feared as a mysterious woman of power in the underworld of Isezaki Ijincho. (I read that as isekai lol XD)
➣Joon-gi Han (voiced by Yuichi Nakamura)
The right arm of Geomijul leader Seong-Hui. Together they sustain the organization. While can be rational and calm, he also has a ruthless side as a hitman who will calmly eliminate anyone in his way.
➣Tianyou Zhao (voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto)
The leader of the Yokohama Liumang Chinese mafia gang., an organisation that prides itself on its fighting, and sees anyone other than its fellows as enemies. He’s friendly enough, but he’s also a schemer whose true feelings are hard to discern. In a fight, he handles his Blue Dragon sword with skill, and his cooking is top-class too. His hideout is in the high end Chinese restaurant Keikin Hanten.
➣Mabuchi Akira (voiced by Masanori Takeda)
The Yokohama Liumang’ advisor and the organisation’s number 2. He manages the import/export business, and his skills provide the organisation with a plentiful supply of cash. He’s extremely ambitious, and in some ways sees Zhao as his rival.
➣Hamako (voiced by Jun Karasawa)
The manager of a small restaurant located in a corner of Isezaki Ijincho. She is helping women who have no choice but to sell their bodies to live.
➣Nonomiya (voiced by Youhei Tadano)
The manager of the Isezaki Ijincho brothel Otohime Land. Since he comes down very strongly on the women that work there, throwing out one harsh comment after the other, his reputation among the girls is not a good one.
■ Successful Audition Characters
Eri Kamataki, who won the grand prize in the Yakuza: Like a Dragon female co-star audition, will fight alongside Ichiban Kasuga in battle as a party member. Additionally, four judge recognized special prize winners will support Kasuga as residents of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama.
➣Eri Kamataki (voiced by Eri Kamataki)
The president of a small Japanese confectionery company called “Ichiban Seika” (Number One Confectionery). When she was stuck at a deadlock in management and thought about closing the company, Kasuga encourages her and they work together to rebuild the company. She assigns Kasuga the position of president and supports his management from as secretary. She is usually cool and collected, but can also be comical in that she faints when something unexpected happens…
➣Iroha Yanagi (voiced by Iroha Yanagi)
A show girl who works at the bar Survivor, which Kasuga and company use as a meeting spot. Popular among patrons as the “Good Listener Iroha,” she always enjoys listening to Kasuga’s stories. And while she is always a good listener, she can also be assertive at times.
➣Sumire Sawa (voiced by Masa Sumire)
The sole factory manager of the “Romance Factory” in Isezaki Ijincho. While her mending skills are unmatched, there is a worrisome lack of factory equipment for some reason. Perhaps because she is a reformed delinquent, she tends to get fired up whenever she is doing repairs.
➣Manae Miyakoshi (voiced by Manae Miyakoshi)
A woman who works reception at the Ocean Qualification School. She sincerely wants to support those who come to grow through the acquisition of qualifications. She has good manners and has secretly won the hearts of many. There are even rumors that some people enroll in the school just to see her.
➣Ririka (voiced by Ririka)
A level-headed woman who works the counter at Hello Work. She introduces Kasuga and company to new jobs. A straightforward woman, she will state her opinion without fear, even she is talking to her superior. However, Kasuga’s “do everything at my own pace” attitude drives her mad.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon was released on Jan 16, 2020 in Japan for PlayStation 4. No western release date announcement so far
Source: Yakuza: Like a Dragon Official Site (JP), Dojima's Dragon Girl, Gematsu
He has no gang affiliation, but he’s Masumi Arakawa’s only son, who is adored by Ichiban Kasuga. He has to use a wheelchair because he suffered from hypothermia right after his birth. In his daily life he relies on Ichiban Kasuga to act as a kind of manservant, but he also has great trust in the Arakawa wakagashira Jo Sawashiro.
Also known by the nickname Mitsu. During Ichiban Kasuga’s wakashu days in the Arakawa Family of the Tojo Clan, Yasumura was considered his only brother and the two shared a strong bond. He continues to serve Masumi Arakawa, even after the Arakawa Family switched from the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance.
A wakagashira assistant of the Omi Alliance. He was once a famous professional boxer, but ended up in the world of the yakuza after a scandal.
A wakagashira assistant of the Omi Alliance. He is a violent yakuza known for his daring behavior, who takes what he wants through brute force.
The chairman of the the Yokohama Seiryu Clan, the sole yakuza organization in Isezaki Ijincho. He is a genuine yakuza who values duty, humanity, and honor, and is committed to the ways of old-fashioned chivalry. While he is a big-shot who has controlled the underworld of Isezaki Ijincho for many years, he is also a gatekeeper who has continued to protect Ijincho from the invasion of foreign enemies.
The sharp number two of the Yokohama Seiryu Clan. He has sworn his allegiance to Ryuhei Hoshino, who has placed great trust in him as his right arm. While he has a calm and collected personality, his hot-bloodedness allows absolutely no tolerance for his enemies.
The leader of the mysterious organization Geomijul, which is nested in a stronghold where electric lines run throughout like spiderwebs. She almost never makes an appearance outside the stronghold, and is feared as a mysterious woman of power in the underworld of Isezaki Ijincho. (I read that as isekai lol XD)
The right arm of Geomijul leader Seong-Hui. Together they sustain the organization. While can be rational and calm, he also has a ruthless side as a hitman who will calmly eliminate anyone in his way.
The leader of the Yokohama Liumang Chinese mafia gang., an organisation that prides itself on its fighting, and sees anyone other than its fellows as enemies. He’s friendly enough, but he’s also a schemer whose true feelings are hard to discern. In a fight, he handles his Blue Dragon sword with skill, and his cooking is top-class too. His hideout is in the high end Chinese restaurant Keikin Hanten.
The Yokohama Liumang’ advisor and the organisation’s number 2. He manages the import/export business, and his skills provide the organisation with a plentiful supply of cash. He’s extremely ambitious, and in some ways sees Zhao as his rival.
The manager of a small restaurant located in a corner of Isezaki Ijincho. She is helping women who have no choice but to sell their bodies to live.
The manager of the Isezaki Ijincho brothel Otohime Land. Since he comes down very strongly on the women that work there, throwing out one harsh comment after the other, his reputation among the girls is not a good one.
■ Successful Audition Characters
Eri Kamataki, who won the grand prize in the Yakuza: Like a Dragon female co-star audition, will fight alongside Ichiban Kasuga in battle as a party member. Additionally, four judge recognized special prize winners will support Kasuga as residents of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama.
The president of a small Japanese confectionery company called “Ichiban Seika” (Number One Confectionery). When she was stuck at a deadlock in management and thought about closing the company, Kasuga encourages her and they work together to rebuild the company. She assigns Kasuga the position of president and supports his management from as secretary. She is usually cool and collected, but can also be comical in that she faints when something unexpected happens…
A show girl who works at the bar Survivor, which Kasuga and company use as a meeting spot. Popular among patrons as the “Good Listener Iroha,” she always enjoys listening to Kasuga’s stories. And while she is always a good listener, she can also be assertive at times.
The sole factory manager of the “Romance Factory” in Isezaki Ijincho. While her mending skills are unmatched, there is a worrisome lack of factory equipment for some reason. Perhaps because she is a reformed delinquent, she tends to get fired up whenever she is doing repairs.
A woman who works reception at the Ocean Qualification School. She sincerely wants to support those who come to grow through the acquisition of qualifications. She has good manners and has secretly won the hearts of many. There are even rumors that some people enroll in the school just to see her.
A level-headed woman who works the counter at Hello Work. She introduces Kasuga and company to new jobs. A straightforward woman, she will state her opinion without fear, even she is talking to her superior. However, Kasuga’s “do everything at my own pace” attitude drives her mad.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon was released on Jan 16, 2020 in Japan for PlayStation 4. No western release date announcement so far
Source: Yakuza: Like a Dragon Official Site (JP), Dojima's Dragon Girl, Gematsu
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