The Man Who Erased His Name - An enjoyable appetizer
One of the biggest hurdles when you’re passionate about a long running series, with an overarching plot spanning multiple chapters, is convincing others, your friends in particular, to join in the fun.
It doesn’t matter how well written, thrilling and touching it could be, it’s hard to make them invest a large chunk of free time in a series that, in the case of Yakuza, has now reached its eighth canonical entry.
It’s for this reason that I was happy when in 2020, Yakuza: Like a Dragon marked a turning point for the series, with a new cast of characters people could latch on to. As much as the story still has some threads from the past, it’s an entirely new beginning for the series, and a passing of the torch from Kazuma Kiryu to Ichiban Kasuga as the new face of the series.
If you never played a Yakuza game and the Kiryu saga feels too overbearing, Yakuza: Like a Dragon can be the perfect compromise, since it doesn’t carry such a continuity baggage that makes you feel completely lost while playing it. And from there, if looking at the past feels too daunting, you can look forward to the future with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth…
Or so I thought
It’s 2023, and the previews for Infinite Wealth show us Kazuma Kiryu, with a slightly different design, next to Ichiban. Once again in the role of the main character in what, for now at least, seems to be his last adventure. But that’s not all, SEGA also decided to give us a little appetizer, a spin off game which expands on what was happening with Kiryu during the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which will also serve as a bridge for his role in Infinite Wealth.
I’m not gonna lie, a part of me isn’t entirely happy with this choice. Kiryu had a fantastic story and Like a Dragon has been the perfect passing of the torch, the future of the series should’ve had Ichiban, and only him, as the face of the series. Having Kiryu in Infinite Wealth as the co-main character it’s also a big hurdle for new fans of the series who at this point are forced to start everything from the beginning.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
About the Plot
Warning, some of the plot points discussed in this blog might spoil some events from Yakuza 6. I'll try and keep it as vague as possible.
It’s 2019, it’s been 3 years since the events of Hiroshima where Kazuma Kiryu died, at least unofficially. He now lives as Joryu, locked in a temple managed by the Daidoji: secret agents of the Japanese government. Between one protection job and the other, days inexorably pass by, his contact with the outside world kept to a minimum, hidden in the shadows without standing out, because the world cannot find out that the Dragon of Dojima is still alive.
All changes after his colleague Kihei Hanawa lands him an important job. There’s an exchange of gold ingots at the Yokohama pier: a work that seemed easy at first, but quickly turned into a Yakuza ambush in which Hanawa gets kidnapped.
Turns out the whole operation was set up by Yuki Tsuruno, captain of the Watase family, tied to the Omi Alliance. He did it out of suspicion that Kiryu might still be alive and he needed his collaboration. Masaru Watase, the current president of the Omi Alliance, is planning a dissolution of the entire organization on the day he comes out of prison, the effect of this choice might kickstart a chain reaction that would lead to the end of the Yakuza in Japan.
Tsuruno is fully supportive of this choice, but he’s well aware that in a clan as massive as the Omi, some families would violently oppose this edict, with risk of an all out war. This is where Kiryu is gonna fit in: either he decides to help them clear the road for the dissolution, or Hanawa is going to die.
To make matters worse there’s the Daidoji. For them, the fact that the Yakuza was able to pull such a stung is unacceptable, and they’re fearful for them being aware of Kiryu’s existence. The order is clear: ignore everything that happened, stay at the temple and let Hanawa die. If Kiryu doesn’t comply, the Daidoji already have agents set up at Okinawa, ready to storm Morning Glory orphanage.
So Kiryu is at a crossroad, he cannot risk the life of his family, but at the same time cannot allow Hanawa to die. What choice is going to make in the end?
Kiryu, a man that lost his way
“Another night descends over Tokyo, another night spent being the shadow of some rich politician or spoiled kid, who plays a big game with his father’s name. Another night punching idiots who harass my clients.
A dull routine that leaves me empty.
Every night I end up here, in a lousy bar with a drink in my hand and a cigarette in the other.
In the chaos of this city that cannot stop, I reminisce of everything I left behind, it was the price I had to pay to protect the ones I love.
I gave up my life, my family, my friends, even my own name, my existence is nothing but a shadow. Every day a new job, mixing with the crowd, going unnoticed, with the fear of being recognized.
My world is enclosed between a temple’s walls. An eternal prison for the safety of those I hold in my heart.”
This game has a wonderful start, from the outset we can already perceive all the bitterness Kiryu has for this new life: without his iconic attire he looks like a regular salary man. In the bar he’s always hidden in dark corners, all the enthusiasm drained from his face, overwhelmed by the weight of his sacrifice. A life caged in the walls of a temple, at the back and call of the Daidoji with no chance to reply, when he isn’t even allowed to observe his old world from afar.
I’ve never seen Kiryu so full of resentment. Compared to the previous titles, we have a man that's literally dragging himself through his days, and in spite of it all, he cannot help himself but being faithful to his principles. He made a promise, so he’ll pay the price and give all of himself to the cause. But that doesn’t mean he has to show gratitude to the jailors who treat him like a plague, and also feel like they would be very happy to kill him for good. But alas, even them have enough shred of decency to uphold their part of the deal, or so it seems at least.
If you already played Yakuza: Like a Dragon, then you most likely already know how this story is going to end up. That doesn’t mean it’s not engaging, as the characters are extremely enjoyable.
Hanawa, is a character I really wanted to punch at first, since he treated Kiryu like shit, but moving on with the game, after seeing how far Kiryu is willing to go in order to save him, he mellows out a lot, becoming one of the best parts of this game, especially in the ending.
Yuki Tsurino is my second favourite character in this game. While it’s clear he just wants to take advantage of Kiryu, he honestly tries to help him and he confides with him about the current state of the Yakuza, and how it’s about time for it to disappear. The two develop a very cool relationship, although Tsuruno often ends up as the comic relief, being the straight man to Kiryu’s most extreme behaviours.
Homare Nishitani III deserves a prize as one of the most over the top villains I’ve seen in this series, and that’s quite an accomplishment next to complete nutcases like Goro Majima! Nishintani is the patriarch of the Kijin Clan, and for as much as Watase is like a father to him, he would be the first to rise up against the dissolution, since he loves the Yakuza lifestyle way too much. He’s an exalted rich kid with too much power, too much money and completely nuts: basically a character you love to hate.
My absolute favourite scene in this game is when Kiryu tries to lure Nishitani into a direct confrontation by spending the entire night boasting through the streets of Sotenbori, while also inviting the entire Tsuruno family clan to the party. Can you really say you’re living the life, without witnessing a group of Yakuza in their 50s singing Christmas songs at a Karaoke? I don’t think so!
Fun scenes like these, absurd as they feel, are the main reason I love this series.
Knowing how the plot is going to end is not the problem of this game, as much as its length, at least for me. This game is the shortest of the entire series, and as such there’s a couple of points where the story moves a bit too fast. For as full of fantastic moments as it is, it left me with the feeling that with a couple more hours it could’ve felt even more fulfilling. I realize this wasn’t the main course, it was just needed to re-introduce Kiryu as a character, just in time for Infinite Wealth, which succeeded in doing.
About the gameplay
In spite of the JRPG detour of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, for this chapter it was decided to revert back to the action style that was typical of the series.
We find ourselves in Sotenbori, Osaka, the heart of the Omi Alliance. One of the smallest cities in the game but not less dense in terms of content. The classic entertainments like Karaoke, Gambling Dens, Arcade Shops, Golf Courses and Billiards are always present; along with the return of the Mini 4WD races minigame and the city is always chock full of people in need of our help to resolve their problems.
In particular, do not hesitate about throwing the tech bro, with an addiction to ChotDDT, into the Sotenbori river so that he can refresh his mind.
Thanks to the Akame Network in this game, it will be extremely easy to keep track of every secondary objective. It’s also an extremely easy way to accumulate money, which would be more important than ever in this game.
Due to his short and speedy nature, the system in place for powering up the main character is limited and basic. We don’t need experience to level up, instead the abilities at our disposal are locked behind a money paywall, so be generous with helping your neighbor.
Another excellent way to hoard up money is getting involved in the new arena, which in this game will become your main minigame, if you aim in being a completionist. Usually I don’t spend too much time in the arenas of the various Yakuza titles, but I made an exception here. Not just for the very substantial rewards, but also because I had a lot of fun with the team system in this game.
By doing side missions and speaking to arena promoters, you can assemble a team of fighters. They’re split into typical roles: attackers, defenders and healers. Once the team is assembled, they will follow Kiryu to fight a very chaotic battle where the last team standing is the winner.
This little addition has made the arena a lot more fun, in spite of the sudden peaks of difficulty which will force you into grinding a couple of times. The chaos that was brought by this setup was incredibly enjoyable, and it helps that the combat in this game is probably the best ever in the series.
Kiryu moves as smooth as butter, there’s no loading times between fights and we also have two combat styles to choose: Agent and Yakuza. Yakuza is the classic Kiryu combat, honestly a bit barren, but if you look for a simple style focused on pure damage you don’t have to look elsewhere.
Agent instead is fun as hell. It does less damage, especially if we limit ourselves to punching, but the core of this style is an amazing crowd control, with a ton of counters and most of all, gadgets!
The gadgets in this style will make you feel like you just stepped out of the set from the latest Mission Impossible movie. We have shoes with built in rockets to charge and burst enemy defences, exploding cigarettes which can do ungodly damage with good timing, drones to annoy enemies and make them drop their guards, and finally the best of them all: a grappling hook from your wrist watch.
You can’t even imagine how much fun I had messing around with all these objects! Especially the grappling hook which, against weaker enemies, was the gateway for a lot of juggle combos. The combat system was so fun that I ended up going through all the challenges and, without even intending to, I ended up unlocking the superboss for the very first time, the assassins of the Amon clan.
It was a very tough battle, even in normal mode it put me through the wringer, a tough as hell wall that I managed to bring down through sheer attrition, nerves of steel, constant healing and a quick getaway approach, where the most important part was being able to survive and not get hit. I was exhausted by the end, but it was also my very first platinum trophy in a Yakuza game, all in just 30 hours!
In Conclusion
While I still have some reservations about Kiryu’s return in such a prominent role, I can’t help but adore this chapter. It's maybe a bit too short and might leave you wanting more, clearly an appetizer rather than a full course meal.
This is the story of a man that feels distraught between two worlds, feels the weight of his choices, yet he hungers for the life he left behind and wants to return to, all this perfectly conveyed from a Kiryu much more pessimistic than usual.
I don’t think I can recommend this title if you’ve never played a Yakuza game. This is definitely not a title for someone with a fresh start. Instead if you’re fan of the series it’s almost mandatory to play this before jumping into the next adventure with Infinite Wealth.
So, do not hesitate further. The game is available everywhere and if you’re worried about the short length you can easily wait for a discount, they happen often for this series. Unfortunately this game is only available digitally in the west, and you’re gonna be forced to import the physical version if you want it, making the price higher. Honestly I feel SEGA really screwed us over with this.
I really care about my Yakuza physical collection!
So if you haven’t played it already, go for it and let me know how much you enjoyed your adventure. Next time with the Yakuza series, we’re going to tackle the eighth chapter: Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth! For those who’re still with me, follow me to the…
SPOILER SECTION - Proceed at your own risk
I wanna briefly talk about Shishido, a character that is presented as kind of a rival, to then becoming the true final boss of the game, a twist that honestly surprised me.
Kosei Shishido didn’t have an easy life. When he was young he found himself knee deep in debts and in order to pay them back he ended up in the pits of the arena, under Nishitani’s fist. Nishitani in his madness always pushed Shishido over the limit, not only with the constant fights but also spending days of endless tortures, just to test his survival. Shishido, to his credit, never broke down.
It was Tsuruno who saved him from that life and found him a place in the Watase family, away from that nightmare. But thanks to those experiences that strengthened his physique, Shishido was able to climb the ranks very quickly becoming a fearful lieutenant, imposing like a mountain, but still feeling like a small fish in an ocean.
Shishdo hates Kiryu because of what he represents: a man that was able to reach the top of the mountain, becoming a living legend, but that always ran away from his responsibilities instead of keeping his place at the top of the clan. For him the fact that Kiryu prefers civilian life it’s an insult, just like the fact that he wants to help Watase dissolve the Yakuza.
For Shishido the only place for men like him it’s in the shadow of the law, outside of everyday routine. As normal civilians they’ll be nobodies. What's gonna remain for them? Being the filth of society?
Shishido is a man that only knew abuse, violence and the survival of the fittest. For him it’s the only way he knows to keep going and survive: demonstrate to be the strongest and crush everyone that could undermine his authority.
Shishido is from the various Yakuza villains, maybe the most visceral and brutal in terms of pure motivation, completely understandable for a man like him that only found strength and stability in the criminal world. For him there’s no other place, and he’s ready for everything to defend it. Considering also that he gets kidnapped by the Daidoji at the end of the game, we might still see him in action in the future.
Lastly I have to talk about the most beautiful scene in the game, a scene that you probably already seen countless times as a GIF that doesn’t entirely convey the impact of this moment.
At the end of the game, Hanawa, to show some gratitude to Kiryu, decides to give him a gift, a recording of a surveillance camera at Okinawa. Yumi and Taichi, two of Kiryu's children, are visiting his tomb at the graveyard where they notice the camera. The two think it was Kiryu who put it there, and thus decide to leave him a message.
They tell him about their lives in the last few years, of how they always kept his teachings close to their hearts, of how they’re hoping he’s still alive and keeping them safe, in how his influence has made them the men and women they are today and how they’ll always remember him.
During the video we see the screen slightly tremble, the weeping of Kiryu getting more intense and the screen getting stained with his tears, that just burst with no restraint in an explosion of pure emotion. Finally he got to see his kids after all these years.
A man like Kiryu that even in the saddest moments has always kept up his stoic expression, cannot control himself here and just crumbles. It’s an exceptional scene, and moments like these are the reason I hold this series so dear to my heart.
Often with my friend I end up sharing more exaggerated and funny moments, because I don’t wanna spoil moments like these to whoever is gonna play it for the first time. I realize that I’m probably doing a disservice because between all the laughs and the absurdities of this series, it’s also able to kick us to the ground and make us cry.
So what do you think? Did you enjoy this spin off? Are you happy about Kiryu’s return? Did you feel this game was too short for what it was? Did you think it had nothing of substance? Let me know in a comment, I’ll anxiously wait for them!
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