Like a Dragon
From WE Computers Museum
(Redirected from 龍が如く)
| |
| 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 created by Toshihiro Nagoshi of Ryū ga Gotoku Studio that consists 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
Kazuma Kiryu, the main protagonist in most games in the series, is a former yakuza based in the Kamurocho district of Tokyo nicknamed 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 organization named the Tojo Clan. He left to raise the daughter of his only love, who was murdered by her ex-husband, a crooked politician.
Ichiban Kasuga, the series protagonist of the series after Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, is nicknamed the Rock-Bottom Dragon and later the Hero of Yokohama. He was abandoned at birth and raised in the streets of Tokyo, leading him to become a low-level yakuza in the Tojo Clan. 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 shot after trying to reconnect with his yakuza family and was left for dead in the Isezaki Ijincho district of Yokohama.
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.
- Makoto Date, Tokyo detective: Yakuza Kiwami and Online.
- Daigo Dojima, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan: Like a Dragon Online and Gaiden.
- Chitose Fujinomiya, Ichiban Kasuga's birth mother's personal maid: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
- 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, 7, and 8
- Toru Higashi, a former yakuza from the Judgment series: Like a Dragon Gaiden in the colliseum.
- Masaharu Kaito, a yakuza-turned detective from the Judgment series: Like a Dragon Gaiden in the colliseum.
- 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, Gaiden, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
- Saeko Mukoda, a mama of a hostess bar: Like a Dragon Online, 7, 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.
- Seonhee, a minor antagonist in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the leader of the Geomijul: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
- Tatsuo Shinada, a former baseball player for the Nagoya Wyverns: Yakuza 5 and Online.
- Fumiya Sugiura, a former thief and private detective from the Judgment series: Like a Dragon Gaiden in the colliseum.
- Masayoshi Tanimura, a member of the Tokyo police that is of Japanese and Korean descent: Yakuza 4 and Online.
- Eric Tomizawa, a corrupt taxi driver: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
- Tatsuya Ukyo, the Mad Dragon of Kamuro: Black Panther: Like a Dragon 1 and 2.
- Tianyou Zhao, the former leader of the Yokohama Liumang: Like a Dragon Online, 7, and 8.
Video games
| Title | Developer | System | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakuza | Sega New Entertainment R&D Dept. | PS2 | 2005 | Takes place in 2005, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 2 | Sega New Entertainment R&D Dept. | PS2 | 2006 | Takes place in 2006, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon Kenzan! | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2008 | Takes place in 1605, with the historical rōnin Miyamoto Musashi as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza 3 | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2009 | Takes place in 2009, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 4 | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2010 | 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 | Takes place in 2010, with Tatsuya Ukyo as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza: Dead Souls | Sega CS1 | PS3 | 2011 | 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 | 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 Wii U |
2012 | Japanese-exclusive remaster of Yakuza and Yakuza 2. Known as Like a Dragon 1&2 Wii U Edition on Wii U: Takes place in 2005 and 2006, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 5 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3 | 2012 | 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 | PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 2013 | Remake of Yakuza: Takes place in 2005, with former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza Kiwami 2 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 2017 | 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 | PS3, PS4 | 2014 | Takes place in 1863, with the historical samurai Sakamoto Ryōma as the playable character. Released in Japan only. |
| Yakuza 0 | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 2015 | 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, Windows, Xbox One | 2016 | Takes place in 2016, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Yakuza 3 Remastered | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 2018 | Remaster of Yakuza 3: Takes place in 2009, with Kazuma Kiryu as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon Online | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | Android, iOS, Windows | 2018 | 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, Windows, Xbox One | 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, Windows, Xbox One | 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 Remastered Collection | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 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. |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S | 2020 | Takes place in 2019. A turn-based RPG with Ichiban Kasuga as the playable character. |
| Like a Dragon: Ishin! Kiwami | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S | 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, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S | 2023 | 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, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S | 2024 | Takes place in 2024 with Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu as the playable characters. |
| Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Series X/S | 2025 | Takes place in 2025 with Goro Majima as the playable character. |
Films
| Title | Production company | Distributor | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Like a Dragon: Prologue | Art Port | Sega | 2006 | Prequel to Yakuza. |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Art Port | Toei | 2007 | Based on Yakuza. |
Television series
| Title | Production company | Distributor | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Panther: Like a Dragon - New Chapter | TBS Television | TBS Television | 2010 | Adaptation of Black Panther: Like a Dragon - New Chapter. |
| Black Panther 2: Like a Dragon - Ashura Chapter | TBS Television | TBS Television | 2012 | Adaptation of Black Panther 2: Like a Dragon - Ashura Chapter. |
| Like a Dragon: The Song of the Soul | Avex Entertainment | Avex Entertainment | 2016 | Series with an original storyline created to advertise Like a Dragon: The Song of Life. |
Other games with Like a Dragon characters
| Title | Developer | System | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everybody's Golf 6 | Clap Hanz | PS3, Vita | 2011 | Kazuma Kiryu is a DLC character in the Japanese version of this golf game. |
| Taiko no Tatsujin Portable DX | Taiko Team | PSP | 2011 | MachineGun Kiss has cameos from Shun Akiyama, Ryuji Goda, Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, Haruka Sawamura, and cabaret club hostesses. |
| Binary Domain | Ryū ga Gotoku Studio | PS3, Xbox 360, Windows | 2012 | 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 | 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 | A Kazuma Kiryu skin for Kenshiro is available as DLC. |
| Streets of Kamurocho | Empty Clip Studios | Windows | 2020 | Endless 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 | 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 | 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 | Pachislot game. |
Soundtrack albums
| Title | Studio | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Song: Like a Dragon - Karaoke Best Selection | Sega | 2011 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon Of the End. |
| Dragon Song: Like a Dragon 5 - The Best Songs Selection | Sega | 2012 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 5. |
| Like a Dragon Series: Best Soundtrack | Sega | 2014 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon Ishin!. |
Magazines
| Title | Publisher | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamutai Magazine (December 2005) |
Sega | 2005 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon. |
| Kamutai Magazine (December 2006) |
Sega | 2006 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 2. |
| Kamutai Magazine (March 2008) |
Sega | 2008 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon: Kenzan! |
| Kamutai Magazine (February 2009) |
Sega | 2009 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 3. |
| Kamutai Magazine (March 2010) |
Sega | 2010 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 4. |
| Young Kamutai (September 2010) |
Sega | 2010 | Preorder bonus for Black Panther: Like a Dragon New Chapter. |
| Hot•Dog Press (March 2015) |
Sega | 2015 | Preorder bonus for Like a Dragon 0. |
