Like a Dragon
From WE Computers Museum
| |
| Like a Dragon | |
| Developer | NE R&D Dept., Ryū ga Gotoku Studio, Sega CS1 |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Sega |
| Platforms | As noted below |
| Released | 2005-present |
| Added to Museum |
As noted below |
Like a Dragon (龍が如く, "Ryū ga Gotoku") is a multimedia series by Ryū ga Gotoku Studio consisting of video games, films, a television show, magazines, books, comics, and music.
The series was known outside of Japan as Yakuza until the official reveal of in-progress projects by Ryū ga Gotoku Studio on September 14, 2022.
It was spun-off into the Judgment series.
Fictional character biographies
Most games in the series focused on a former Yakuza named Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima. Kiryu took the blame for a murder that he didn't commit, and spent ten years in prison. He became the sixth chairman of the Yakuza's Tojo Clan until he left to raise the daughter of his only love, who was murdered by her ex-husband, a crooked politician.
In Like a Dragon Online, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the main series protagonist is Ichiban Kasuga, the Rock-Bottom Dragon. He was a low-level Yakuza, who was abandoned at birth and raised in the streets of Tokyo. Like Kiryu, he took the blame for a murder he didn't commit. However, when he was released from prison eighteen years later, he was shunned by his former yakuza family.
Other playable characters include:
- Koichi Adachi, a former police officer: Like a Dragon Online, 7, and 8
- Shun Akiyama, a loan financier that ran Sky Finance: Yakuza 4, 5, Dead Souls, and Online.
- Daigo Dojima, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan: Like a Dragon Online and Gaiden.
- Ryuji Goda, the main antagonist of Yakuza 2, the Dragon of Kansai: Yakuza: Dead Souls and Online.
- Joon-gi Han, a villain in Yakuza 6 that is an identity assumed by many people: Like a Dragon Online and 7.
- Eri Kamataki, the owner of Ichiban Confectionary: Like a Dragon Online and 7.
- Goro Majima, Kiryu's rival, the Mad Dog of Shimano: Yakuza 0, Kiwami 2: Majima Saga, Dead Souls, Online, and Gaiden.
- Saeko Mukoda, a mama of a hostess bar: Like a Dragon Online, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Online, and 8.
- Miyamoto Musashi, a historical rōnin: Like a Dragon Kenzan!
- Yu Nanba, a homeless man that was formerly a nurse: Like a Dragon Online, 7, and 8
- Sakamoto Ryōma (Saito Hajime), two historical samurai combined into one: Like a Dragon Ishin!
- Taiga Saejima, Majima's sworn brother, and shooter in the Ueno Seiwa massacre: Yakuza 4, 5, Online, and Gaiden.
- Haruka Sawamura, Kiryu's adopted daughter and a former idol: Yakuza 5 and Online.
- Tatsuo Shinada, a former baseball player for the Nagoya Wyverns: Yakuza 5 and Online.
- Masayoshi Tanimura, a member of the Tokyo police that is of Japanese and Korean descent: Yakuza 4 and Online.
- Tatsuya Ukyo, the Mad Dragon of Kamuro: Black Panther: Like a Dragon 1 and 2.
- Tianyou Zhao, the leader of the Yokohama Liumang: Like a Dragon Online and 7.
Video games
| Title | Developer | System | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakuza | Sega New Entertainment R&D Dept. | PS2 | 2005 | Not yet | Takes place in 2005, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 2 | Sega New Entertainment R&D Dept. | PS2 | 2006 | Not yet | Takes place in 2006, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon Kenzan! | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2008 | October 26, 2018 | Takes place in 1605, with the historical rōnin Miyamoto Musashi as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza 3 | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2009 | October 26, 2018 | Takes place in 2009, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 4 | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2010 | October 26, 2018 | Takes place in 2010, with Kazuma Kiryu, Masayoshi Tanimura, Shun Akiyama and Taiga Saejima as the playable characters. |
| Black Panther: Like a Dragon - New Chapter | Sega CS1 Syn Sophia |
PSP | 2010 | September 6, 2021 | Takes place in 2010, with Tatsuya Ukyo as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza: Dead Souls | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2011 | August 6, 2020 | Takes place in 2011. A zombie shooter with Shun Akiyama, Goro Majima, Ryuji Goda, and Kazuma Kiryu as playable characters. |
| Black Panther 2: Like a Dragon - Ashura Chapter | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio Syn Sophia |
PSP | 2012 | September 6, 2021 | Takes place in 2012, with Tatsuya Ukyo as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Like a Dragon 1&2 HD Edition | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3 | 2012 | Not yet | Japanese-exclusive remaster of Yakuza and Yakuza 2: Takes place in 2005 and 2006, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 5 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3 | 2012 | October 26, 2018 | Takes place in 2012, with Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, Haruka Sawamura, and Tatsuo Shinada as the playable characters. |
| Yakuza Kiwami | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2013 | July 17, 2018 | Remake of Yakuza: Takes place in 2005, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza Kiwami 2 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2017 | October 18, 2018 | Remake of Yakuza 2: Takes place in 2006, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. The unlockable Majima Saga adds playable chapters as Goro Majima. |
| Like a Dragon: Ishin! | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2014 | October 26, 2018 | Takes place in 1863, with the historical samurai Sakamoto Ryōma as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza 0 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2015 | October 24, 2018 | Takes place in 1988, with playable characters Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. Released on PS4 worldwide and on PS3 in Japan only. |
| Yakuza 6: The Song of Life | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2016 | July 17, 2018 | Takes place in 2016, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 3 Remastered | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2018 | August 21, 2019 | Remaster of Yakuza 3: Takes place in 2009, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon Online | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | Android | 2018 | January 20, 2019 | Takes place in 2018. An online turn-based RPG with gatcha mechanics, with Ichiban Kasuga as the main character. |
| Yakuza 4 Remastered | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2019 | August 21, 2019 | Remaster of Yakuza 4: Takes place in 2010, with Kazuma Kiryu, Masayoshi Tanimura, Shun Akiyama and Taiga Saejima as the playable characters. |
| Yakuza 5 Remastered | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2019 | August 21, 2019 | Remaster of Yakuza 5: Takes place in 2012, with Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, Haruka Sawamura, and Tatsuo Shinada as the playable characters. |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2019 | August 13, 2021 | Takes place in 2019. A turn-based RPG with Ichiban Kasuga as the playable character. |
| Yakuza Remastered Collection | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2019 | August 21, 2019 | Remaster of Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5: Takes place in 2009, 2010, and 2012, with Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, Masayoshi Tanimura, Haruka Sawamura, and Tatsuo Shinada as the playable characters. |
| Like a Dragon: Ishin! Kiwami | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | Xbox One | 2023 | February 21, 2023 | Remake of Like a Dragon: Ishin!: Takes place in 1863, with the historical samurai Sakamoto Ryōma as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2023 | Not yet | Takes place between 2016 and 2019 with Kazuma Kiryu, as Joryu, as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4 | 2024 | Not yet | Takes place in 2024 with Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu as the playable characters. |
Films
| Title | Production company | Distributor | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Like a Dragon: Prologue | Art Port | Sega | 2006 | July 27, 2020 | Prequel to Yakuza. |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Art Port | Toei | 2007 | August 1, 2020 | Based on Yakuza. |
Television series
| Title | Production company | Distributor | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Panther: Like a Dragon - New Chapter | TBS Television | TBS Television | 2010 | Not yet | Adaptation of Black Panther: Like a Dragon - New Chapter. |
| Black Panther 2: Like a Dragon - Ashura Chapter | TBS Television | TBS Television | 2012 | Not yet | Adaptation of Black Panther 2: Like a Dragon - Ashura Chapter. |
Other games with Like a Dragon characters as playable characters
| Title | Developer | System | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everybody's Golf 6 | Clap Hanz | PS3, Vita | 2011 | Not yet | Kazuma Kiryu is a DLC character in the Japanese version of this golf game. |
| Binary Domain | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3 Xbox 360 Windows |
2012 | December 23, 2018 | Kazuma Kiryu, Shun Akiyama, Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima, and Ryuji Goda were available as DLC in the Japanese version of this third-person shooter set in 2080 in a Tokyo that has been ravaged by global warming. |
| Project X Zone 2 | Monolith Soft | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 | Not yet | Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima are in this crossover tactical role-playing game with characters from franchises by Bandai Namco, Capcom, Sega, and Nintendo. |
| Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PlayStation 4 | 2018 | October 26, 2018 | A Kiryu skin is available as DLC. |
| Streets of Kamurocho | Empty Clip Studios | Windows | 2020 | October 20, 2020 | Beat-em 'up in the 16-bit Streets of Rage style, with Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga as the playable characters. |
Pachinko games
| Title | Developer | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Like a Dragon Kenzan! 2 Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! 2 (龍が如く 見参!, "Like a Dragon Arrives! 2") |
Taiyo Elec | 2014 | Not yet | Pachinko game. |
| Like a Dragon: Of the End Ryū ga Gotoku OF THE END (龍が如 OF THE END, "Ryū ga Gotoku") |
Taiyo Elec | 2015 | Not yet | Pachislot game. |
Soundtrack albums owned by WEC Museum
| Title | Studio | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Song: Like a Dragon - Karaoke Best Selection | Sega | 2011 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon Of the End. |
| Dragon Song: Like a Dragon 5 The Best Songs Selection | Sega | 2012 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 5. |
| Like a Dragon Series: Best Soundtrack | Sega | 2014 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon Ishin!. |
Magazines owned by WEC Museum
| Title | Publisher | Release | Added to museum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamutai Magazine: December 2006 | Sega | 2006 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 2. |
| Kamutai Magazine: March 2008 | Sega | 2008 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon: Kenzan! |
| Kamutai Magazine: February 2009 | Sega | 2009 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 3. |
| Kamutai Magazine: March 2010 | Sega | 2010 | June 20, 2023 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 4. |
| Like a Dragon: Hot•Dog Press | Sega | 2015 | August 15, 2022 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 0. |
