Yakuza
Like a Dragon
Sega's Yakuza series blended crime drama with absurdist side content, creating urban sandboxes where brutal combat coexisted with karaoke and arcade games.
Overview
Yakuza (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) follows Kazuma Kiryu through the criminal underworld of fictional Tokyo districts. The main story delivers serious crime drama; side content ranges from real estate management to pocket racing to helping a dominatrix with her confidence. This tonal whiplash became the series’ defining characteristic and earned a devoted following.
Fast facts
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (Sega).
- Director: Toshihiro Nagoshi (original series).
- Protagonist: Kazuma Kiryu (main series); Ichiban Kasuga (newer entries).
- Setting: Kamurocho (fictionalized Kabukicho, Tokyo).
- Combat: beat-em-up action (turned to RPG in Like a Dragon).
- Series: eight mainline entries plus spin-offs.
The formula
What defines Yakuza:
- Dense urban sandbox: detailed city blocks to explore.
- Serious main plot: crime family betrayal and loyalty.
- Absurd substories: wildly comedic side quests.
- Mini-games: hostess clubs, arcades, karaoke.
Western discovery
Building an audience:
- Initial obscurity: niche in the West.
- Yakuza 0 (2017): breakout success.
- PC releases: expanded platform availability.
- Like a Dragon: rebranding for Western markets.