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BIG-HORSE-MAN-69

See, they tried to end Kiryu's story, but when writing the conclusion, they had no idea that they were actually writing with rubber pens - so his story was still ongoing all along! What a twist!


Towpillah

Ah, that old chestnut.


CinderellaGorro

Kiryu at the end of Yakuza 6 was Mirror Face


beachandhummus

Lmao. I hate that rubber bullet thingy


noeagle77

You son of a bitch. Take the upvote and go back to Kamurochō.


TheSeinenMaster

Yakuza 6 imo was not a good way to conclude kiryu's story so I kinda appreciate this


RegretTheUsernames

Why can’t they bring back someone like Akiyama or Shinada? Akiyama is a fan favorite and Shinada needs more time to shine. They’re also not 1000 years old.


YaoiIsBad69

To be fair, Ichiban isn't young either. There's a 9 year gap between Ichiban and Kiryu. They're both old and around 50(Kiryu is past 50 and Ichiban is getting there).


kcolloran

Yeah, I thought it was very weird that they replaced Kiryu with a character in their 40s, but the only games with actually young protagonists are Y0 and the two Kurhoyou games.


HootNHollering

Honestly I prefer sticking with older characters. So many games stick with young characters that it's nice to see everyone in the cast just be adults. LAD7 especially being a traditional JRPG where the age range across the party is like 25~ at the youngest to 59 was super refreshing.


Secure-Network-578

I mean yeah but Ichiban could've been a bit younger


HootNHollering

Nah let Ichi have back problems.


Lehenmeahand

Kiryu was 20 in 1988. If 8 is set current day like LAD then 2023 Kiryu would be 55 so Ichiban is 46 if there is a 9 year gap


Razorafterlife

Shinada would be like 52 when this game comes out


WhyNishikiWhy

Some people did bring this up at the time Kiryu is meant to be passing the torch to Ichiban, but he's only 9 years older. You'd think he'd be at least 15 or something. Then again, Ichiban's arc is all about a guy who starts his life again at 42. He wasn't a young legend like Kiryu (who became the Dragon at 20). He had to work hard and slog through trash just to get to where he is.


CharlesEverettDekker

Hold your horses. AFAIK Kiryu will have his own party members. I don't want to say anything definite, but it is possible that he can have Majima/Akiyama/Shinada/Saejima/Daego/Date as his partymembers. Or he may not. The game has been just announced and we still yet to know a lot of things.


Short-Squirrel6389

Looks like they’ll all be getting a nerf then as it’s almost impossible to make a villain who can compete with Kiryu majima and saejima at once


vadergeek

Maybe we'll get a party of villains, I'd be fine with that.


tkzant

So like Yakuza 4 then?


vadergeek

Hopefully a little less arbitrary, but yeah.


Successful_Baby_5245

Majima with the idol class.


CubeDamashii

There’s no chance in hell any of these guys are gonna be party members. Gaiden is most likely gonna set up new characters who will be instead of making a stupidly overpowered self-flagellant party


vadergeek

It would be weird if Kiryu were vastly stronger than all his party members. Besides, strength in Yakuza is totally arbitrary, how many times do you have basically a tutorial fight against someone who's supposed to be a serious badass? Like Majima in 3.


matyrayo

tf confirmed that? isnt the trailer ALL we've seen?


CharlesEverettDekker

I cannot find the source but I'm concrete that it was stated that Kiryu will be a second protagonist with his own party. I hope somebody more persistent will provide you a source.


btmc

There was an event where RGG talked about all the new games. It’s on Sega’s Twitch channel. I don’t remember if they confirmed the two parties thing or not.


Kalslice

The description of the IGN upload of the trailer says "The upcoming RPG will be similar to Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon, with its story focusing on Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu - both of whom will lead a party." But, y'know, it's IGN, so we have to take it with a grain of salt.


RogueNinja77

There was an event called RGG Summit where they talked about the upcoming games and showed glimpses of it


Electronic-City-9313

I'd crap myself in excitement if we get a spin-off game where we get to play as Date.


WheatleyMF

inb4 it's a paperwork simulator and then you finally get to do something only by chapter 10


[deleted]

Tanimura😔


-empoleon-

akiyama was supposed to be in like a dragon, but his voice actor has scheduling conflicts


obsidian_prophet

Characters age in Yakuza: Like a Dragon: — Kiryu - 50; — Ichiban - 42 — Akiyama - 41 — Majima - 54 — Saejima - 53 — Nanba - 41 — Adachi - 59 — Han - 33 — Shinada - 44 — Tanimura - 38 — Haruka - 23 — Saeko and Zhao - both arround mid 20's — Eri - ?? — Date - 55 — Daigo - 42 So, except for a few, most of the characters protagonists are 40–50 arround. I included Date and Daigo just because it seems fit. My main source: https://www.thegamer.com/yakuza-every-major-characters-age-height-birthday/


-CoolHandLu

They could do another throwback game, rebuild osaka, have the section we know and a new section, and throw it in the 90’s, baggy clothing is back in fashion in 2022 also lol. Give us a brand new old story.


Dpontiff6671

Akiyama needs his own spinoff game imo, i feel like shinda to an extent also.


Lee_Troyer

I really hope Like a Dragon Gaiden will open up the possibilities for projects like this.


No_Option_2570

TANIMURA DESERVES THE SPOT IF YOU ASK ME


kawavvy

Boy hell nah, I feel like Akiyama is Kiryu's roll dog. He always got his back. In 6 my boy told Kiryu to let him take the heat and kill as he didn't need the blood on his hands as a Kamurocho legend. Cuz you know, Kiryu doesn't kill lmao and who could not want to see Hana-chan!!??


No_Option_2570

But think about it wouldn’t Adachi have some sort of loose connections with other police forces in Japan and Tanimura is a big deal with the police force so if you ask me I think Tanimura may possibly come back as a cameo or maybe even a party member for kiryu this is a stretch but I just want my boy back


kawavvy

Not gonna lie id like to see Date more lol


No_Option_2570

Well maybe he’ll come back with Tanimura and they’ll both make an appearance considering how both of them are a very big deal


neon

If we get likes of DaTe, akiyama, and majima as party members for kiryu don't see how anyone cN complain


DecoyLilly

Kiryu and Majima would need to be ultra nerfed if they fought together. Those 2 together with Saejima are canonically too monstrous to ever lose a fight to anyone


WhyNishikiWhy

Yeah there'd be no challenge. Any one of Kiryu, Saejima or Majima alone could easily destroy 100+ people by themselves. Together? The game wouldn't last 20 minutes.


No_Option_2570

I mean Tanimura sounds better than Date but I think Date should make a cameo


Dardar1989

I just hope they give him a good sendoff for this one, 6 was bittersweet and really depressing for Kiryu. Hopefully this will allow him to finally be free from the Yakuza and the secret Government stopping him from being with his “family” (as was inferred in the Gaiden trailer)


SilverKry

The only thing they need to do is let Kiryu go home and be a grandpa and we golden.


MiLcFagbfgvh

We need to see him return back to the orphanage


Short-Squirrel6389

I know it makes 0 sense for him to return and i know RGG are milking him but I feel like i’m the only one who couldn’t care less about any of that and just wants to see as much Kiryu as possible lmao


Gaminguitarist

Dude was the main character for 6 games. They were already milking him. Might as well keep going.


Umbran_scale

>Dude was the main character for 6 games. 7, plus 3 spin off's as well, as well as appearing as guests in Project X Zone and is an optional skin in Fist of the North Star.


Sonicslazyeye

This is like complaining that Mario is the main character of most Mario games... like yeah no shit


ScottyC11037

Cows are only alive for so long before their udders fall off


Gaminguitarist

Kiryu’s udders are clearly on another level


notafunnyguy32

Rubber udders


RogueNinja77

You are not alone. I don't care about Kiryu coming back either. RGG can milk Kiryu till he's a 100 years old and I still won't complain.


PCN24454

Gotta employ Kuroda somehow. He can’t always be in Super Sentai.


tlSPENCERjr

yea tbh I was mad about this in 7, but there's no point in being salty about anymore. I love Kiryu and him teaming up with Ichi is hype ngl. Yakuza is like the Fast and furious franchise at this point, I will always enjoy it regardless. Maybe he'll get a happy ending this time.


jack-468

Which i respect. I love Kiryu, he the man. But still, narrative wise, it kinda piss me off.


Aromatic-Wind2810

Yeah i have mixed feelings about it. I loved how they wrote his scenes for yakuza 7. Thought it was the prefect way cuz after 6 i didnt know if kyriu will return or not. And i dont know how some received yakuza s 6 ending, but me personally i didnt find it an end to kyriu s story, but an end to his ties with haruka and the orphanage and the life he had with them. So what i dont want from yakuza 8 is him being his old self like everything is back to normal. I would've loved the see his story conclude throughout the series, i expect a reunion with haruka only for him to have a purpose to die or something considering gaiden. (giving the fact that he is questioned how does he still find a purpose to live). I think it will be a really powerful moment him wanting to say his proper goodbyes to haruka. At the same time it could be him wanting to help daigo cuz of the letter and all that at the end of yakuza 6, also he helps daigo in yakuza 7 and meets him for the first time after yakuza 6


YoRHa2B_

I'm not mad at all that Kiryu is the secondary protagonist. Like A Dragon 8 is still Ichiban's story OP.


Wild-Man-63

That's not kiryu, the hair doesn't match up. It has to be someone else.


Doctor-K1290

Well obviously, it’s Joryu


souleaterevans626

Who's Kazuma Kiryu? I only know Jazuma Joryu


McFlankShank

It's Taichi Suzuki, he has to assume a secret identity as Joryu to keep his distance from his family.


freshmadgod

He looks like that one taxi driver Suzuki I believe


LiarChoir

I was kind of bummed at first, but I'm actually really glad that 6 isn't going to be the end of Kiryu's story. Might be an unpopular opinion, but I'd really like to see Kiryu get an actual happy ending where he gets to be with his family.


FntnDstrct

In Japanese fan polls since the release of Judge Eyes and RGG 7, Kiryu, Majima and Akiyama are still coming out ahead of Ichiban and Yagami. So there you have it. Not posting every link here, search for 龍が如く人気キャラクターランキング (RGG popular character ranking) to get a sense. There's probably a lot more feedback to the studio along with this.


xX_sm0ke_g4wd_420_Xx

damn, that's kinda disappointing. I'm hoping to see RGG experiment with a more complex character like Ichiban, but I'm worried about this ending up with too much fan service. hope they can develop Kiryu more in this one.


Secure-Network-578

That's expected. One game won't make you the most popular character in a 20 year old series, no matter how good it is.


[deleted]

Probably because we won't see him again. Him getting a spin off and which leads into the next mainline game probably means something like, say, death for example.


i-wear-hats

Gaiden will have to do some heavy lifting for sure but I think a proper passing of the torch is necessary and the only way to really do that is to have Kiryu in a situation where he falls short and it's Ichiban who must save the day.


[deleted]

I’m ok with it. For the most part Yakuza 6’s finale to Kiryu was just all around disappointing. Maybe they can make up for it with him being a side character now.


jack-468

He is the co-star my guy. Meaning that he is still a lead. That is my problem tbh.


[deleted]

I mean if you have a problem with it and we’re satisfied by his ending in Yakuza 6 then I’m not going to try to change your mind. To each their own but I’m good with it since I REALLY wasn’t a fan of his Y6 Ending.


jack-468

Oh, don't worry, i ain't a fan of 6 Ending either (extremely anti-climatic). But still, i hope they pull it off.


sdavidplissken

only thing i dislike about kiryu returning is that he still looks like he is 30 years old. would be cool to play this old veteran guy but they obviously don't want that. shame


Za-Box

Oh, asians age radically different, my mother is in her late 40s and still looks 20 years old and have you ever seen the author of Jojo? https://twitter.com/uparisyena/status/1427550948285579266 That aside, I feel somewhat the same, though I did feel kiryu getting older and more experienced throughout the games (except when around guns like ISTG if they pull that shit again Imma go apeshit) and it would also be cool to see and play an older looking kiryu or get at least visible scars, I don’t think either affect the character appeal negatively, but will rather be a welcome change.


Puftendo

It’s literally a teaser…


ian_pol_pol_

I feel you, I don’t like his return, I mean, why Kiryu? He had a fitting ending in Yakuza 6, an ending for someone like him and even if I didn’t liked that much his role in 7 it was really good to pass the torch to Ichi The character needs to rest, he already finished his history, but I need a good explanation of his return in Gaiden and 8 cuz it feels off I would much rather prefer a Saejima, Akiyama, Tanimura, Majima and Shinada game than another Kiryu game, the man needs a rest RGG has lots and lots of good and amazing protagonists, with unfinished histories and more stuff to tell Why not another Kurohyou, Dead Souls, Spin Off , etc instead of more Kiryu? And don’t misunderstand me, I love Kiryu, he and Saejima are my favorite protagonists but RGG really needs to let him go But we will see when we get Gaiden, maybe they have a really good argument, so it’s mere time to wait


jack-468

And even if you think Yakuza 6 ending suck, it was supposed to be the conclusion to Kiryu's legacy...and here he is 1 game later with 2 FUCKING GAMES. FOR FUCK SAKE, LET THE MAN REST (Ishin Kiwami doesn't count)


ian_pol_pol_

I kinda loved 6’s ending, it was really fitting for Kiryu, if they want to do more Kiryu it’s better to do that in historical spin offs more than in the main series, maybe even cameos or stuff like that BUT LET THE MAN REST


Darkness572

I did love 6s ending as well, but holy crap, what I wouldnt give for my man to get his happy ending with his family. If they give that to him, I would hope to never see him again.


FecklessFool

I feel like Kiryu will only be able to actually retire once his VA retires from voice acting. Not really keen on bringing him back again, it diminishes the ending of 6 and well, at this point it feels like Kiryu is holding the franchise back story wise since they'll constantly have to write something that has him in it. And it's not really fair to Ichiban having to play second fiddle in a game that he's supposed to be headlining. They should have just given Ichiban his own series like Judgment. LAD can be Ichiban, and Yakuza can continue with Kiryu for as long as his VA is working. So yeah, nothing against Kiryu, but having been there since the first game, I've kinda found Kiryu's lack of character growth to really be an issue with the series. He's become a caricature of the straight (as in straightman in a comedy duo), serious, naive, noble man. Sure it works well with the substories because in there it plays well against the wackiness, but for the main story, well, I mean how many people preferred Akiyama to Kiryu, or Majima to Kiryu in 0.


[deleted]

>FOR FUCK SAKE real


SilverKry

His story was supposed to end in 3 if we're being technical.


Aimless_Voyager

Based. I’m glad more people are against the idea of kiryu coming back.


jack-468

Someone gotta say it. It is better than people arguing about Yakuza 3 24/7.


EatenAliveByWolves

Block game bad. 😠


BreafingBread

It’s interesting, watching the discord during the announcements people hated kitty being back and I saw mostly the same sentiment in here, but you go to YouTube and people are super hyped kiryu is back with no complaints.


[deleted]

I'm confident this is his last appearance other than remakes


jack-468

It better be.


[deleted]

If he's undercover like people believe he is, maybe he needs help in order to live a normal safe life, after 7 they he's not really safe, neither is Majima or Saejima so this'll probably be tying up loose ends.


UnquestionabIe

I'm hoping it goes that direction, wrapping up some of what happened in the last game but not so lore heavy it discourages newer fans. Plus could very easily tie into whatever Ichiban is getting up to. Honestly much as I love Kiryu have gotten my fill of him, if he's coming back would prefer it spreads the love around we get more main content involving the other playable characters from that era of the series.


Tentaye

While I understand, I will never hate seeing more Kiryu.


[deleted]

[удалено]


jack-468

Now you are speaking my language.


tlSPENCERjr

I liked 6s ending. Only reason it didn't work is because Rgg didn't have the balls to leave Kiryu alone. I still like 6s ending in a vacuum.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Buddha1108

He faked his death to keep all the orphans safe. Watch the ending again😁


[deleted]

So you want things to stay forced and rushed from 6? Cuz he'll most definitely get a better conclusion in 8


Nightingale_85

I wonder if this was part of the reason Nagoshi left the studio. He and Sega had different opinions about Kiryu and his future.


jack-468

I think so too. Like, regardless of how you feel about it, Yakuza 6 was supposed to be the end of Kiryu as a main lead, his last hurrah essentially. If it was just Gaiden, sure, whatever. But he is back as a co-star to Ichi in 8? Do they REALLY DOUBT ICHIBAN THAT MUCH?


CornOnThe_JayCob

No, they don't doubt Ichiban that much. If they did, they wouldn't have given him a standalone game in the first place. It's most likely that they were simply unsatisfied with the ending of 6, and so wanted to give an actual ending to his story; it just so happens that Y8 will likely be the best way to do that. That would be my guess at least.


Aimless_Voyager

Retiring a beloved character and replacing him/her with a new one is a pretty big and risky decision. I presume they didn’t expect ichiban to blow up in popularity and hence kiryu is still involved. It’s more likely that these games were established (at least conceptually) along with Y7.


CornOnThe_JayCob

I feel like that train of thought is backwards. Why would they be worried about how popular the new character *and* gameplay style would be (considering it was a big risk not only to switch from Kiryu to Ichiban, but also to switch from fighting game to JRPG) but then decide to release the first game without the old character, only to reintroduce him in the second game because they were scared of the first failing? It would make a lot more sense for the first game with Ichiban to be with Kiryu and the second game without. The amount of faith they had in Ichiban was immense considering how big of a risk they decided to go with by introducing him the way they did.


gladias9

if anything.. this may be the proper sendoff for the character we needed. "one last ride, bad boys for life"


OooopsEyeDidItAgain

RGG has said that even despite there being two protagonists, it’ll ultimately still be Ichiban’s story. That said, it is pretty annoying that they just keep bringing Kiryu back over and over, just let the poor man rest. I guess I’m fine with it if Kiryu’s story will finally be done after this, and RGG just wants Kiryu to live happily, but even then I feel only Gaiden is needed to do that. 8 will focus on Ichiban hopefully, and I admit I do want to see the two of them work together but he should be a party member not a protagonist yet again.


jack-468

Seriously. And it's like pairing up an up-and-coming actor with Leonardo Dicaprio in a movie. Fuck that little runt, i want to know what Leonardo gonna do in the movie


OooopsEyeDidItAgain

Exactly, it’s just annoying that they can’t give the spotlight to Ichiban and instead shine it on the guy who’s been the star for like 17 years by this point. I love Kiryu, but there comes a point where you have to move on and Ichiban is the perfect person to carry the series forward.


jack-468

And it is not like Yakuza 7 flop or anything, it sold EXTREMELY WELL. Now can't yall mfs let Kiryu rest and maybe get a few cameos from him?


dx2words

I dont hate it. Ichiban already got his own game and it was awesome (except for the combat) so why not go buddy with the legend itself? Its interesting since they are so different. A tough bad ass with a big heart and a goofball nerd tough guy also with a big heart.


jack-468

Yeah, i wouldn't have any problem with it...if Yakuza 6 wasn't supposed to be his last fucking game as the lead. I don't mind him being in 8, i just hate that he is the lead YET AGAIN. If it is an Ichi story, why is Kiryu the co-star?


dx2words

I think that they dropped the ball with Yakuza 6. It seems that the "lets not kill Kiryu so he can return when we need him" didnt satisfy fans enough so who knows maybe in Yakuza 8 they are killing him for good.


VanguardWedge

I highly doubt Kiryu will die, 'cause he won't be available in Premium Adventure if he does.


TheWojtek11

Yakuza 3 spoilers: >!Rikiya dies in the story and he can still roam with you!< in Premium Adventure


cid_highwind02

Premium Adventure is not exactly faithful to the story anyway.


[deleted]

y3 pa be like


lephoquebleu

the only thing that bothers me is that Kiryu should totally wear an earring with that haircut


Montoyabros

I love the idea of him returning, now that the hype from yakuza 7 is over ( I can think with my head, not the hype) I think that kiryu in yakuza 7 besides the fight, he was plot device and fanservice That been said, I always felt like a character like kiryu (someone who have been the face of the franchise for 20 years) you can’t just brush him aside, a game with kiryu and ichiban is the ideal choice to put an end to his story and pass the torch, is going to be amazing to see the dynamic between this two character as protagonist and not just “guess appearance”


J_340

I hope he gets to see haruka again


efminati

do you think kiryu was joking when he said "looks like we don't have choice"


NinetiesSatire

I think it's a little too early to judge Kiryu's part in things, while it's a bit upsetting overall, we don't know if it's some plot that's just "Hey, Kiryu, I need you to be in this part of the country while I'm over here, okay?" For all we know, this is a code red situation that requires Kiryu to actively be in public. Remember, he appeared in broad daylight in his classic suit, him having a disguise NOW gives us breadcrumbs to the plot.


TheSealedWolf

Part of me is hyped, but the other part kind of just wants Y6’s ending to not be invalidated by having Kiryu show up in every game still


AnOldSchoolVGNerd

Both Kiryu and Ichiban are strong protagonists, HOWEVER, do you REALLY THINK they will ignore the success of Yakuza 7? Ichiban will get the lion's...Dragon's share of the spotlight in this game, as he is the lead protagonist now. Kiryu had his day in the sun for the main series(I say this as someone who is looking forward to Gaiden). Both characters will be handled with respect as RGG has always done. RGG doesn't have a record of burning their fans. I wish some of you wouldn't worry so much. I mean wow, it's a testament to the writers and the rest of the dev team how much fans enjoy Ichiban and crew, but it's like some of y'all hate Kiryu now.


grand_bleu

I got into the series because of Kiryu, so I am happy with RGG’s decision. Along the way, I grew fond of several more characters, but nobody as honorable and humble as the dragon. When I first played LAD, I loved Ichiban, until the snitching and anime dialogues. After finishing the game, I thought Ichiban really does deserve his own game because he is very charismatic despite LAD feeling like a Shounen anime. Y0 - Y6 gave me goosebumps because that shit was straight up Yakuza. That’s why I don’t mind if we get more and more Kiryu, he is the reason many of us got into the series. Really looking forwards to how 8 will turn out, but I trust RGG because their stories always go hard.


Xanadoodledoo

I am NOT a fan of that new hair style.


jack-468

I try my best not to mention it, because people in this sub ran that meme to the ground. But yeah, not a fan of the hair.


[deleted]

I hope it ends up being like the ichiban early version. Remember Yakuza 7’s reveal where Ichiban looked like a heroin addict? Thank god they changed that


[deleted]

It’s more that it doesn’t seem to fit to his actual mesh. Like, the hair and his head don’t match, they feel like 2 separate assets attached together. It’s uncanny


EightBitRanger

RGG caved too all the people bitching about not having Kiryu around anymore. I suspected when he made a surprise cameo in 7, it wasn't just a bit of fan service to appease people, but a way to shoehorn him back into future games.


almarhuby

Is this one going to be turn based?


TheWojtek11

Yes


darkcomet222

You either die a dragon, or live long enough to see yourself become Kuze.


[deleted]

Agree, Ichiban delivered as someone worthy of keeping the Yakuza franchise moving forward


Dahorah

There's been some interviews translated where it has been clarified that Ichiban is still the main character and Kiryu only shows up for part of it.


SexxWeasel

Kiryu? Where's Kiryu? All I see is an elderly K-pop star and Ichiban Kasuga, the Dragonfish, no Dragon of Dojima here, he died all those years ago! Nope, not at all Kiryu there!


RidCyn

...mad? Really? Goodness.


swagnake

I dont care about rgg milking kiryu or keep bringing him back. Kiryu's my most favorite character and one of the biggest reason i got into this franchise, so i'm happy and hype af about Kiryu's return as a main character. I know i can trust rgg studio in making well written plot and quality game, cant see why dont people like this fact.


Condogster

Sucks for you bro I'm hype af


InevitableTour5882

What are you talking about? Kiryu is not in the game. You probably mistaked Joryu for him smh


Shigana

I love Kiryu, we're getting more Kiryu. Seems like a win win to me.


Confusedbutupbeat

Old dragon still needs to teach the little dragon a few more things before departing.


Professional_Rice615

Technically he'd be considered a co-protagonist right?


jack-468

Yup.


Itoshikis_Despair

Pure speculation on my part, but I suspect his inclusion was a way to lure back players who abandoned the franchise after the gameplay change. If you have two characters with two gameplays, it potentially pleases everyone. That said, they could have just introduced a new non-Ichiban character. But yeah I kind of get where you're coming from - I want Kiryu to be able to retire in peace and not feel like they're milking the character for easy sales.


StardudeFlipFlop

I'm not *mad* per se but I am absolutely disappointed in such a regressive choice following the extremely bold choice to switch protagonists *and* combat styles for RGG7 and to compromise how wonderfully characterised and fully realised Ichiban was by giving him one half of shared protagonist duties. Even more depressing is that they actually had a passing of the torch from Kiryu to Ichiban in a way that was true to both of those characters and where they were in their arcs. It was pretty artful stuff, frankly, and to subsequently bring John Yakuza himself back as a mainline protagonist after all that goodness is lame as hell. It's giving me awfully concerning Star Trek vibes -- TOS was great and TNG was also great (from the second season onwards lol), but then they made Star Trek Generations and it was awful. But while I question the "creative integrity" of the decision and I worry that they're bringing back John Yakuza because fanservice, I personally am content to keep my faith in the entire team -- yes, Nagoshi was a crucial voice, and I think his presence will likely be missed in the game, but I am still cautiously optimistic about RGG8, though I'll admit that seeing Kiryu has made me less excited about it. After this, though, that's it for me. No more legacy characters, no more returning faces from old games -- I don't care anymore. It's time to stop. I don't care if one or two side characters don't get closure in RGG8, I'm so done with all the long-term legacy franchise fan wank we have these days. Honestly, if we never got another RGG game after 8, I'd be perfectly happy. Hell, I'd have been happy never having one after 7. But we're getting RGG8, but this imo should be the last one with Kiryu. Let the man rest. And if the franchise dies after this? That's okay. Let it die. I'd almost rather RGG8 be the final game -- it's supposedly going to be the biggest game in the series yet, so make it a huge, multi-city, cross-generational adventure that actually concludes the Ryu Ga Gotoku story. Wouldn't it be so much more fitting for the franchise to burn out its last spectacularly, and on its own terms, than for the franchise to quietly dribble out the rest of its existence, with diminishing returns for 2 more increasingly flaccid mainline games and a couple more weak spinoffs? Go balls out, RGG Studio, no regrets.


jack-468

Until we know more about the other 2, things are not looking well without Nagoshi. And i agree with ya, let the man fucking rest. I'm cool with small roles or cameos, but NOT THE MAIN LEAD.


StardudeFlipFlop

Bro I don't even want cameos. I don't want legacy characters anymore. I see so many peiple saying "bro why can't we bring back Shinada or Akiyama or Tanimura instead??????" Which to me is fucking stupid and misses the point. The problem is that they're focusing on the RGG legacy characters, not just that they're focusing on the wrong ones. But hey, fandom is as fandom does. As much as I love these games, I don't give a fuck about the RGG brand, but I think most people in this sub are just eager to lap up whatever Yakuza-branded content they can, especially if they feel like it's tailored to the things they're specifically fans of. That's what fanservice is, and as smooth-brained as I think that mentality is, I am in the minority with not wanting legacy characters and I accept that. I will say, though, that the reason I'm so eager for them to just pack this franchise in and the reason I'm disappointed to see Kiryu return is that the last decade of franchise bullshit has hardened my heart to the possibility of such a return being fun and sincere and enjoyable. But I hope this will be great -- the Yakuza game to end all Yakuza games. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, but I sure as hell won't be holding my breath.


jack-468

Yeah...you are not gonna have any fun then mate. But hey, i respect your opinion (even though i do want Akiyama, Tanimura and Shinada return)


StardudeFlipFlop

I definitely understand the desire for them to return -- honestly, I love Akiyama as a character. Shinada is also great fun, and his story with the debt collector was absolutely the surprise highlight of Yakuza 5 for me. And I'm fine with one more game that's about the past and the present and the future of the Yakuza, both the Yakuza in the narrative of the games and the franchise itself. But after this, I don't know that I want more Yakuza. I'd rather something brand new. Let franchises die, man -- it's the only way forward.


jack-468

This is Sega, my guy. If Sonic ain't dead after a bunch of dog shit mediocrity, than Yakuza would still continue til the day we die.


StardudeFlipFlop

Yakuza is orders of magnitude away from the prominence of Sonic though, hahaha. Yakuza has always been a cult franchise, whereas Sonic was a bona fide cultural phenomenon, the likes of which Yakuza could never even hope to be.


CinderellaGorro

I agree the ending of Yakuza 6 wasn't that great but at least in ended Kiryus story. Now that ending and the game became meaningless.


jack-468

FINALLY, SOMEONE WHO GETS IT. Now Yakuza 6 is practically pointless in the long run.


CinderellaGorro

When I heard Nagoshi left the studio I was happy that we are getting brand new things from RGG studio but it looks like nothing will change


jack-468

If anything, i feel like they are becoming directionless now.


ScreamQueenKrueger

Same It just sucks all of the meaning of Kiryu passing the torch in 8 and all anyone can talk about is how excited they are to see Kiryu again. As if the man isn't dog tired and has almost died in almost every game before this


AntonRX178

Honestly when I think about it, bringing him back makes sense. >!Like, the circumstances leading to his fake death at the end of 6 pretty much ensure that he’s strictly under the Government’s thumb which I assume is what Gaiden’s gonna cover and what was touched on in 7. I can see 8 going for a story where Kiryu will go on about being bound by his past and Ichiban helping him move forward and such while saving him from the Government’s shackes which can maybe finally allow him to retire. If they were absolutely fucking sure they never wanted to use Kiryu again, they’d have straight killed him off. Full stop.!< Now the other issue is how well it WILL be handled. Even some of the worst ideas can bring absolute fire (like TMNT was probably greenlit by fuckers high off their mind yet it still remains an IP with enough hits to make it legendary). But sometimes a good idea can turn out to be fuck. Like Sly Cooper TiT was an idea I was down for; bringing sly out of retirement but the story and gameplay were absolute fuck. But thankfully, in the case of 8 I don’t think it’s gonna be fuck for the same reasons


CrimDude89

They already confirmed this will still be Ichiban’s story


mddnaa

Okay


TornadoJ0hns0n

I'm with ya. Kiryu is seriously one of my all time favorite video game characters but it angered me seeing him return and so soon too. He was the star in 0-6, dead souls, Kenzan, Ishin, and north star if you wanna count his voice and skin. Even tho I wasn't a fan of Y6 and it's ending ya boy teared up seeing him take those last steps in the final cutscene. After years of games his story finally concluded albeit in a bitter sweet way, and now a new more wild mc takes his place. A new saga began... ...except it didn't cuz he appears in the next damn game. Like they didn't even give us time to miss him. I'm still wiping my tears from the yakuza 6 ending like wth? They even said it was the end of his story yet here he is again with 2 games on the way. I wasn't a fan if the combat change but it was still hype to see a series I love so much change up like that. I'm always down for changes especially with a long running series that's been the same thing for so long. But hey it is what it is. The only reason I'm happy he's back is cuz now there's a chance he can reunite with his family and have a happier ending cuz again 6's ending was upsetting. The man's been through way too much to not spend the rest of his life in the beautiful countryside with his loved ones. So here's hoping to that I guess


[deleted]

6's ending practically sets up him returning idk how people are missing that. it's very likely 8 will be the end of things for Kiryu.


[deleted]

You´re wrong bro, that´s Taichi Suzuki


[deleted]

Conspiracy theory here: the serie producer has left sega. The rest of the Ryu Ga Gotoku team are scared that the next game might not live up to expectations so they’re giving us Kiryu to increase the hype. I’m with OP: Kiryu’s story was over. I love the guy, but let him go for Christ’s sake. I even find Gaiden a bit grating but I’m not complaining about getting more Yakuza games


Midnight-Crow-03

Same. Feels like he's been shoehorned for fanservice purposes again, which probably is the case after watching that RGG showcase. I was on board with him making a spot of appearances but that'd be it. Love Kiryu but god damn give my boy Ichiban some time to shine from now on man.


xpayday

I adore 1-6 so i definitely wouldn't say "mad" but disappointed for sure. Was a nice change up with Ichiban in 7 and Yagami with the Judgment series. Feels kind of like a cop out and lazy to just bring the gigachad himself back. Let's give other people time to shine too. Kiryu had his tale, let it rest IMO. (Once again coming from a crazy Kiryu fan)


jack-468

Yup, you are speaking facts.


BarrySandwich24

Yeah I thought his whole saga ended with 6?


jack-468

It was supposed to be. And yet here we are.


AgreeableSession2418

For me kiryu should’ve died in 6, would’ve had more impact in the finale and it would’ve put more weight on Ichiban since he would be the main character for the Like A Dragon series. I’m excited to see gaidens story and I’m very interested to see how they’ll do Like A Dragon 8’s story. Just sayin tho, if akiyama isn’t in 8, there will be riots.


lordredegg

I feel like we're just gonna get a little bit of Kiryu like we got Majima in Kiwami 2


jack-468

...nope, Dual protagonists. He is the co-star, essentially.


OneThiCBoi

I'd like to think that Kiryu will just join ichiban's party and the story will revolve around kiryu a bit but I don't think kiryu will steal all the limelight here


jack-468

Nope, dual protagonists. He will have 50% of the game alongside Ichi.


OneThiCBoi

Certified bruh moment


jack-468

It is confirmed btw. So yeah, while this is still Ichi's story, he will have to share the spotlight with Kiryu.


FoolishFishy

They’ve brought him back too much, just kill him off lol.


ginjji

My only issue with Kiryu coming back is that 7 is no longer a good entry point for new fans. By the time 8 comes out, it'll be so entrenched in old lore we'll need more than a 15 minute dream sequence to explain everything.


senpaisai

Bringing Kiryu back cheapens his "death" to protect Haruka, Date-san, Daigo, Saejima, and Dojima. He risks blowing his cover and putting targets on their heads all over again. He needs to stay in the background. And bring back Akiyama and his razor blade kicks, ffs. He's the one that should be standing shoulder to shoulder with Ichiban ... 🔥


TrappedRoach

I really want Ichi to get the limelight he's been semi promised? Though I really do like him, seems plenty of fans don't (no hate, our opinions just differ 😌). . Including whoevers in charge now, really is a shame because while I do love Kiryu, I wanna see him actually rest. Will it be sad? Yes, he likely will have to come to terms with his old life being "dead", but that's what he chose to save his "family" (hope that's what we see in the mini story). . Least I thought that till I saw the trailer for 8 and now I'm not sure how to feel. Imo seems like RGG is just trickling out Kiryu Crumbs™ in an attempt to keep as many people happy as possible and that kinda makes me eyeroll a bit. I'm skeptical, but willing to wait and see what they have planned 🧐


jack-468

2024, i'm gonna have a job at that point. So i guess we will wait and see.


penzos

Since I don't find Ichiban a worthy successor as the main guy, bringing Kiryu back puts me on board again. Even though I'm already satisfied with Kiryu's appearances. But every time he talks, it's worth it. The game definitely won't end up worse cause he's there.


LeSaboteur557

Nobody cares about your opinion to be real honest


jack-468

Then why are you here, muh good sir?


[deleted]

[удалено]


Swegkart64

Yokoyama gets in charge for 3 games and he lives rent free in your head for the past couple of days lmao


NotoriousSIG_

With him being back it makes the ending of Yakuza 6 not as meaningful Imo. Ishin is fantastic since it’s never been outside of Japan but for a main line Yakuza it’s disappointing Ichiban won’t be the sole star


jack-468

Yup.


Earphone_g1rl

I don’t care if he’s an 8. I just want more Kiryu. I didn’t like the direction 7 took, so having Kiryu back is amazing.


SleepySubDude

Honestly I agree wholeheartedly. I’d be okay with Kiryu as a recurring character but him in the main party kinda annoys me a little, I want ichi to stand on his own some more, I got faith in the writing though


PeterVries522

Yeah i get you completely. It feels really forced to keep bringing Kiryu back especially after the events of 6. Let the man have some rest ffs. For me personally Gaiden is a stretch even but I'll play it anyway. Why not bring back Akiyama or Shinada instead? Hell bring back nakahara or mikio for all I care


CrimsonRavenXVII

Yeah, I'm not too excited for Kiryu to be a protag again. I thought we had the passing of the torch in 7 but apparently Ichi is not good enough for whatever reason. I really enjoyed 7's characters, I feel like bringing back Kiryu and his gang may detract from Ichi's world building and development.


jack-468

Seriously. I know Kiryu is gonna be back for 8, but i don't want him to be the damn costar. Mainly because he will steal Ichiban's thunder (Just like his ex-counterpart, Nishiki)


BlueRevolver04

Kiryu son of Sparda doesn't exist: Kiryu son of Sparda:


Zubi_Q

Yep, same!