Aliases Kasuga wakes up under a pile of garbage in Isezaki Ijincho, having been patched up by Yu Nanba. 18 years later, Ichiban is released from prison. Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Characters - TV Tropes Described as having been born with "nothing but physical strength," Kasuga has a very muscular build that gives him the opportunity to be proficient at a variety of fighting styles. His personal skills revolve around healing for his allies and himself. I used both 1,2,3 in the final fight, 3 works the best. Relationships IchiIcchanKasugacchiSoapy IchibanIchi-badNumber One Ichiban's investigation embroils him in a conspiracy involving a massive counterfeiting ring being run by the Ijin Three at the behest of a powerful Japanese politician, Yutaka Ogikubo. He and his friends are asked to hold the invading Omi Alliance at bay until they can burn down their operation. Aliases They find Nanba collaborating with Mabuchi, Bleach Japan, and Hajime Ogasawara. Kasuga defeats Tendo, and engineers a confession with the help of Mirror Face to end Aoki's political career. A masked Joon-gi Han frees them and they rush to Chinatown to stop a war between the Liumang and the Seiryu Clan. Black Born and raised in a popular theater troupe called Araboshi-za, Masumi surpassed Toshio as a top-billing actor in the taish engeki genre by the age of fourteen and was celebrated for his female roles as an onnagata. Ryo Aoki rose to power with a group called Bleach Japan, which focused on getting rid of "gray" areas and crimes in Japan, like the Yakuza and brothels. Relationships Yakuza: Like a Dragon / YMMV - TV Tropes Daigo Dojima ( , Djima Daigo) is a recurring supporting character in the Like a Dragon series introduced in Yakuza 2. 185 cm (6 1)[c] The tattoo represents the strength and perseverance of the koi as it struggles upstream, as well as a greater destiny that lies ahead, as the koi has not fully finished its transformation into a dragon. Associations Ichiban starts accepting work from an employment agency to earn a living, and later investigate the Liumang with his friends to learn the truth behind the murder of one of their employers, a soapland proprietor named Nonomiya. He left Kamurocho for several days following the incident. Despite sharing certain traits in their backstories, both characters have little in common with each other in terms of personality, as Ichiban is written to be more emotive and outspoken in temperament. With the rough events, Kasuga starts to lose himself, but an exchange of blows with Kazuma Kiryu gets him back to his senses. [15] A cologne label titled "Ichiban Kasuga Eau de Toilette", which was developed as a collaboration with fragrance company Fits Corporation, was unveiled during the franchise's 15th anniversary live stream by Sega. Patriarch of the Arakawa FamilyCaptain of the Omi Alliance They meet Hamako and Bleach Japan after a bodyguard job, and Adachi rejoins them afterward. The patriarch of Hikawa Family eventually arranged a relationship between his daughter and Masumi. He ended up joining the yakuza at the age of seventeen under the Hikawa Family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary. as far why he didnt send someone else to prison.. Well even if u r the patriarch.. No wud just accept to go away for years. They summoned Arakawa to their office and asked him to collect Kasuga in person, assuming Kasuga was part of his family. To Yokoyama, Ichiban's comical "fool" deliberately contrasts the dark setting of Like A Dragon, and that his most important role in the game is to overturning "worldly prejudices" and fight against "invisible discrimination". An orphan, raised by homeless people, pledging himself to the service of the Arakawa Yakuza Family, after their boss sacrificed a finger to save Ichiban from harm. [Spoilers] Why did Arakawa have only Ichi go to prison despite considering him as a son ? Yakuza: Like A Dragon: Chapter Guide & Plot Summary - TheGamer Occupation [Spoilers] Why did Arakawa have only Ichi go to prison despite For Yakuza: Like a Dragon on the PlayStation 4, a GameFAQs message board topic titled "What do you want to see in a sequel? Biographical Information Kasuga bluffs to Aoki of having incriminating evidence to lure him and Tendo to the Millennium Tower. Despite the amount of bloodshed throughout the story, this is one of the most optimistic endings in the series. Part of his little finger on his left hand is missing. Kamurocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan [25] On the other hand, Dia Lacina from Paste Magazine expressed mixed feelings over Ichiban's portrayal: while Lacina liked that Ichiban is more imminently relatable and achievable as a hero archetype, she criticized the naive speech Ichiban gives to defend Nonomiya's reprehensible behaviour based on his own experience of having grown up under the care of a brothel manager as unconvincing and somewhat insulting. Ichiban Kasuga He is a former member of the Arakawa Family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary. [13] A 2019 gameplay trailer featuring Ichiban and his party engaging enemies in a turn-based RPG battle system was initially interpreted as an April Fools' Day joke due to its gameplay mechanics which was considered unusual for the series, as well as the timing of its release date and its proximity to the 1st of April. It also has been revealed that Aoki used the Yakuza to help him attain power, which is why the Tojo and Omi were disbanded. Masumi Arakawa | Yakuza Wiki | Fandom 4 0 comments Best Add a Comment Place of Birth Ichiban did turn out fine in the end. After a discussion between Yokoyama and Nagoshi, Nakaya was chosen for the role. Actors Aoki escapes, leading him and Ichiban to the lockers where they were put as babies. He later takes Masato to the cabaret club he frequents and receives money from him, which he tries to use as payment for his captain, who realizes where the money actually came from. One of Like a Dragon's main characters is Saeko Mukoda, a mama at a hostess bar who joins Ichiban's party. The men demanded he takes responsibility for Kasuga's actions. Nationality 6 Persona Connection. Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Recap - TV Tropes Masumi, Tendo, Watase's mysterious bodyguard, and Kasuga and his party fight the opposition and win, allowing the dissolution to succeed. Y:LAD Afterwards, he interrogates Ogasawara to learn of Aoki's ambitions and plans to use the Omi. In winter 1999, six years after joining the Arakawa Family, Kasuga is tasked to accompany Daisaku Kuze, who was recently released from prison, on a mission to assassinate Ryuji Goda and Joon-gi Han. Kasuga decides to head to Sotenbori after becoming restless waiting for an update from Mitsuo. Granted, he had a good reason to do so, but when it turns out that Ichiban is Arakawa's biological son, must've been quite painful for him to have to shoot his own son (or rather someone that he regarded as a . Ryu Ga Gotoku OnlineYakuza: Like a DragonLike a Dragon 8 High chance to land a critical hit. Damage an enemy by putting them in a headlock and throwing them. Several hours later, he received a phone call from Akane, who told him that Hikawa Family yakuza were closing in, prompting her to run away with the newborn baby to Shinjuku Station. [32][33] Anime News Network in particular enjoyed Tang's performance as "absolutely spot-on" due to the multiple expressions he gives to his character. However, one day, he severely injured and hospitalized a yakuza. Discover more experts answers from Gaming. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, character_model_model_data (.BIN file), ONLINEPS, , Yakuza: Like a Dragon Playable Characters, Ryu Ga Gotoku Online#Wanderings of the Golden Dragon, https://www.thegamer.com/like-a-dragon-ishin-interview-hiroyuki-sakamoto/. The "ultimate example of not living up to your name," who'd get the ass-end of life despite the name Ichiban and live it to the fullest like he doesn't see the ironythat's the thinking behind it. They later meet the heads of the Ijin Three at Heian Tower and learn about the scheme they set up with Yutaka Ogikubo, but for information on Kasuga's fake bill, he is asked to retrieve Nanba. It depicts a dragonfish (, rygyo), the in-between state of the koi in the legend of a koi that swims up to the top of a waterfall and is rewarded for its tenacity by being transformed into a dragon. [21] Jorge Jimenez from PC Gamer praised Ichiban's optimistic characterization, a "goofy, happy go lucky gangster who loves classic JRPGs", as an effective way of explaining the franchise's drastic genre shift with Like a Dragon. [14][9] A line of Yakuza franchise merchandise developed by apparel company SuperGroupie was launched in June 2021, including watches, bags, jackets, and shoes, all of which will have details inspired by Ichiban's appearances in the games. [7] Following the worldwide release of Like A Dragon by late 2020, Nakaya indicated in an interview with Famitsu that Ichiban will lead the series for the foreseeable future, and that he was grateful for the support from Takaya Kuroda, Kiryu's voice actor, with regards to the transition. Arakawa is with Daigo Dojima, the sixth and current chairman of the Tojo clan. Ichiban Kasuga (Japanese: , Hepburn: Kasuga Ichiban), also nicknamed Ichi (), is a character from Sega's Ryu ga Gotoku media franchise, known internationally as Yakuza. [29] Chingy Nea from Kotaku praised Ichiban as the Yakuza series most relatable protagonist and one of its best characters, and the main reason why Like a Dragon was a source of comfort and joy for her in late-2020. Ryu Ga Gotoku Online: Masumi has a solid build. Hair Color Character appears in 4 games. [26], In a year as tough as 2020, many video game fans looked to the media as a vicarious escape from the misery of an unjust world. Is Arakawa Ichiban's dad? The next day, Watase and Dojima declare the dissolution of both of their organizations and are met with resistance from the Omi officers. Arakawa is murdered shortly after he and Ichiban part ways, and Ichiban believes that Jo Sawashiro, one of Arakawa's captains, killed him. Due to how often the troupe moved from place to place, Masumi never developed friendships in school. Chapter 15 is the final chapter of the game and culminates with a fight against Ryo Aoki, the son of Arakawa and the governor of Japan. Brown Actors Sawashiro reveals that he did not commit the murder all those years ago, but it was in fact Arakawa's own son. Ichiban is presented with the chance to choose his own path for the first time in almost 18 years. Affiliation Is Arakawa the coolest character in Yakuza history? Ichban's hero character skill "peerless resolve" - protects himself from being knocked out Sacrifice Stone - protects anyone who wears it (I got 2 at the end of the game) Poundmate Mr. Masochist - makes EVERYONE in the team immune to knock out for once!!! In doing so, he decisively changed the course of Kasuga's life. Although he had never met Kasuga before, in order to maintain his reputation, he agreed to the rival family's demands. In 2019, now 42, Kasuga is freed from prison with no one from his old days waiting for him. He told her to hide the baby in a coin locker and to get to a safer location as soon as possible to ensure their safety. They get what Zhao wanted, but an established conflict between the Geomijul and Nanba causes him to leave and Han to fight the others. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Kamurocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Arakawa's son Masato, whom he used to serve as his personal attendant, had apparently died due to illness, the tragedy of which supposedly fuels Arakawa's ruthlessness behind his rise to power. Initially a street thug, Daigo becomes the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan by Kazuma Kiryu's recommendation, representing a new generation of yakuza. Kasuga puts all his energy into a single punch that may leave the enemy stunned. He also wears his short black hair parted to the right. Tendo now has a chance at the top and shoots Masumi to get back in the Omi remnants' good graces after betraying them. Some time following the events, Masumi and Kasuga meet at the docks in Yokohama at night and spend some time together. Having turned over to the Omi Alliance, he is now a direct patriarch under the Omi banner. Ichiban identifies Arakawa, and while he did shoot Ichi and probably doesn't like him anymore he's still the kind of man Ichiban aspires to be. A destitute Ichiban starts a new life and forges new connections in an unfamiliar city, where he is eventually thrust into a conspiracy involving a money laundering scheme which involves Japan's political establishment. The announcement is made the following day, when Ichiban and company must fight off the angry former Yakuza. Hair Color The duo eventually encounters their targets in Nagasugai, Fukuoka. He meets Koichi Adachi, who did his research on Kasuga, but he is not interested in partnering with the detective. The Rock Bottom DragonPrisoner 1119 Basically, everyone is backstabbing everyone. Ichiban is shot by Arakawa when he attempts to confront him. [Spoilers] Why did Arakawa have only Ichi go to prison despite Prior to this, his hair was styled into a much shorter punch perm, growing out long enough during his time in prison to be tied into a short ponytail. On his 24th birthday, Kasuga is called into the Arakawa Family office, where Arakawa informs him of Sawashiro's involvement in the murder of a member of the Sakaki Family. Interestingly, in the English dub, Saeko is voiced by Elizabeth Maxwell, and Nanoha is voiced by Cherami Leigh. [6], Auditions of the character started early in development to appreciate him sooner. Search for hidden treasures scattered throughout the city. There, he explains that Arakawa is at peace, and that Ichiban should get revenge on Aoki. It represented the leverage Masumi had over the Ijin Three, as he had the ability to make the counterfeiting operation public knowledge. [2] As a major story theme in Like A Dragon concerns the struggles of individuals who are not clearly defined by moral absolutes, this allowed the game's writers to position Ichiban from a perspective that humanizes such individuals as common everyday people. All rights reserved. They attempt to expose the company's counterfeiting scheme, but their plan goes awry and they are captured and framed by Mabuchi. Daigo goes on to explain that he asked Arakawa to play the role of "traitor" leading him to shoot Ichiban. Chapter 12: The End of the Yakuza - Yakuza: Like a Dragon - GameFAQs Sneaking into the Omi Alliance Headquarters to meet Arakawa, he and his party are met upon by Goro Majima and Taiga Saejima. As part of Hikawa Family, Masumi came to be a hardened killer. 1959/1960[d] Japanese Chapter 13 (Major Spoilers) - Yakuza: Like a Dragon Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review Ichiban is Number One! - DualShockers Yokoyama does not believe in portraying unconditional good and evil, as he believes that people with criminal records are capable of righteousness, while members of society who are respected by the public are capable of evil. 23-41 (The Legend of Ichiban Kasuga: Part 1). The end of development for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, which brought Kazuma Kiryu's story arc to a close, coincided with the commencement of development for the 2018 mobile title Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE. Although Black cards are normally upgraded versions of existing cards, SSR Masumi Arakawa (Black) is the first and only Black card to serve as a character's "debut" card. It explains this and technically he didnt send him to prison ichiban went willingly out of his own choice but it explains he went for masato so masato doesnt get the blame, I know that. His plans, besides shooting Ichiban, actually make a lot more sense than Kazama. Ichiban Kasuga ( , Kasuga Ichiban) is the protagonist of the Like a Dragon series from Yakuza: Like a Dragon onward, as well as the protagonist of The Legend of Ichiban Kasuga: Part 1 in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. He also makes use of a baseball bat in an extremely professional manner. Eye Color The family gained notoriety due to its militant nature and became feared among the residents of Kamurocho, with Masumi himself earning the nickname "Arakawa the Assassin." Ichiban first appears in the 2018 Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, which presents an alternate version of his character arc following his release from prison. Yakuza Like a Dragon - Ichiban Confronts Masumi ArakawaTwitter: https://twitter.com/Santosx07 [27], Several publications rated Ichiban as among the best video game characters featured in 2020, a year where Like A Dragon saw an international release. GameSpot compared him to Goro Majima based on similar traits they share "though a lot less deranged", while also noting that he is quite different from Kiryu despite sharing other traits in their backstories. Age Kenyu Horiuchi Kazuhiro Nakaya It is the second card released as part of a series of SSR cards known as Black cards, which center around various antagonists in the Yakuza series. Kazuhiro Nakaya, who previously voiced recurring franchise character Akira Nishikiyama, was one of the candidates who read for the role. After the whole Sotenbori business is done you can meet him in Ijincho and he'll tell Ichi about his dream that his son was born at a Soapland. (Kasuga Ichiban) Kazama machinations are pretty much the plot calls for it, whereas Arakawa is basically a tired dad that wants the fighting to stop, but will fight as needed. [28] Hayes Madsen from Screen Rant said Ichiban is the most important protagonist in games for the year 2020, and called him an inspiring character due to his unfailing kindness and warmth of humanity, and that his story arc in Like a Dragon put forward meaningful commentary on the inequalities of society. Also Known As [8][9], Ichiban's English voice actor, Kaiji Tang, describes him as a "whimsical" character who, despite being the game's protagonist, also serves the role of a supporting character due to how he often assists his allies. Along with Dojima and Watase, he plans to start up a security company in Sotenbori to serve as a home for the yakuza who would have nowhere else to go after the dissolution.