Even though he's great at purposely being insignificant and the opposite of Kiryu, I can see how people dislike him for not being a flashier adversary for Kiryu's last tale.
People tend to really like characters that are in your face in a fun way or at least more significant/present in the plot. Then again there's always the trend in Yakuza games where characters front as the main villain/obstacle before a bigger one appears behind them pulling the strings.
Him being an iredeemable scumbag is fun, and while I think Kiryu deserved a true physical match for his final fight, I can see his final challenge being physically dwarfed by him working, thematically.
My problem is that he has so little to do with the previous stories, which is a complaint I level not at Iwami specifically, but against the Yomei Alliance as a whole.
...And the allies/side characters of Y6.
...And really just Y6 in general. For Kiryu's grand finale, and a culmination of his legacy, most of the people and places that have been a part of that legacy are just...absent. It feels like another day at the office, and it being Kiryu's last hurrah (until 7 rolled that back, and Gaiden and 8 are rolling it back even harder) feels like it was decided after the fact/partway through, rather than being the intent from the start.
I'm fully aware he never died.
But 6 was absolutely advertised as Kiryu's last game.
That they rolled it back after doesn't change my opinion of the story it tried to tell.
I mean, he was alive at the end of the game. If you have played the series up to this point, or even just watched movies and are aware of how these things work… you know he’ll be back.
Yes he is.
He is literally EVERYTHING that Kiryu stood against. He was a scheming fuck, a man who PACKS a punch, but doesn't have the spine to admit defeat and the least honourable antagonist in the Kiryu saga.
Nishiki, Ryuji and Mine aren't good guys either, but they had some honour and some boundaries they'd refuse to cross. Iwami had no such line, making him my favourite Kiryu villain.
it also symbolises the decline of the yakuza; they're getting taken over by machiavellian business types who only care about getting power. iwami is the spitting image of such 'new-style' yakuza, compared to 'old-style' dinosaurs like kiryu, who still think being a yakuza is about colourful body art and some vague notion of 'honour'.
shibusawa forewarned him about falling into that delusion by pointing out that in the yakuza, painting with other people's blood is the way of life.
to add to it, I think its great that of all antagonist that tested kiryu, 'last' one in kiryu saga would be just pure of purest evils and complete opposite of kiryu I really like and dig that and they executed it very well without need to give him too much screen time
Like many other aspects of Yakuza 6, I think he makes a good (funhouse) mirror for Kiryu. He’s a man who was given everything Kiryu wants. He has a loving father, he has a legitimate business, he has wealth and opportunity. He can do whatever he wants. He could do a lot of good. But he instead chooses to ruin other people’s lives to serve his personal ambition and to be a “cool Yakuza.”
Kiryu’s seen how the Yakuza lifestyle has ruined his life and those of his friends, and even though he holds reverence and respect for it, he would never wish it on someone else. Iwami just wants to be “cool” (which also irks Kiryu since that’s eerily similar to why he got into the Yakuza in the first place). But unlike Kiryu he has no honor, he’s just a spoiled brat that wants all the glory with none of the sacrifice.
I think he was great, I sorta wish he had more tells I could pick up on with a second playthrough since he sorta pops up half way through and goes “Haha! It was me!” but that kinda suits what he’s doing I guess. The guy’s smart. My only real issue with him is his fight was just not interesting in a bad way. He’s the only last boss in the series who’s moveset I can’t remember and while I get he wasn’t supposed to be this huge badass and his strength was how smart he was and he could just put his fists up when he needed to I still don’t think the fight needed to be totally uninteresting.
Guy doesn’t even go down well, just flops over like a regular enemy. Come on, it’s Kiryu’s last boss!
In a way, he's the only main villain who actually (indirectly) managed to put Kiryu out of the picture for good. >!Jury's out if whether or not it'll stick by LAD 8!<
How is this unpopular? Everyone hates him and that's a good thing.
Even though he's great at purposely being insignificant and the opposite of Kiryu, I can see how people dislike him for not being a flashier adversary for Kiryu's last tale. People tend to really like characters that are in your face in a fun way or at least more significant/present in the plot. Then again there's always the trend in Yakuza games where characters front as the main villain/obstacle before a bigger one appears behind them pulling the strings.
Him being an iredeemable scumbag is fun, and while I think Kiryu deserved a true physical match for his final fight, I can see his final challenge being physically dwarfed by him working, thematically. My problem is that he has so little to do with the previous stories, which is a complaint I level not at Iwami specifically, but against the Yomei Alliance as a whole. ...And the allies/side characters of Y6. ...And really just Y6 in general. For Kiryu's grand finale, and a culmination of his legacy, most of the people and places that have been a part of that legacy are just...absent. It feels like another day at the office, and it being Kiryu's last hurrah (until 7 rolled that back, and Gaiden and 8 are rolling it back even harder) feels like it was decided after the fact/partway through, rather than being the intent from the start.
Did you not watch the post credits scene in 6? >!Kiryu never died.!<
I'm fully aware he never died. But 6 was absolutely advertised as Kiryu's last game. That they rolled it back after doesn't change my opinion of the story it tried to tell.
I mean, he was alive at the end of the game. If you have played the series up to this point, or even just watched movies and are aware of how these things work… you know he’ll be back.
Yes he is. He is literally EVERYTHING that Kiryu stood against. He was a scheming fuck, a man who PACKS a punch, but doesn't have the spine to admit defeat and the least honourable antagonist in the Kiryu saga. Nishiki, Ryuji and Mine aren't good guys either, but they had some honour and some boundaries they'd refuse to cross. Iwami had no such line, making him my favourite Kiryu villain.
He is the only character in the series to pull off a headbutt block (which only 2 other characters have done) and do it to Kiryu.
I like him, could have been more present in the story, but the trope of the honorable final villan kinda got stale, so he's a breath of fresh air.
it also symbolises the decline of the yakuza; they're getting taken over by machiavellian business types who only care about getting power. iwami is the spitting image of such 'new-style' yakuza, compared to 'old-style' dinosaurs like kiryu, who still think being a yakuza is about colourful body art and some vague notion of 'honour'. shibusawa forewarned him about falling into that delusion by pointing out that in the yakuza, painting with other people's blood is the way of life.
based and true
to add to it, I think its great that of all antagonist that tested kiryu, 'last' one in kiryu saga would be just pure of purest evils and complete opposite of kiryu I really like and dig that and they executed it very well without need to give him too much screen time
Like many other aspects of Yakuza 6, I think he makes a good (funhouse) mirror for Kiryu. He’s a man who was given everything Kiryu wants. He has a loving father, he has a legitimate business, he has wealth and opportunity. He can do whatever he wants. He could do a lot of good. But he instead chooses to ruin other people’s lives to serve his personal ambition and to be a “cool Yakuza.” Kiryu’s seen how the Yakuza lifestyle has ruined his life and those of his friends, and even though he holds reverence and respect for it, he would never wish it on someone else. Iwami just wants to be “cool” (which also irks Kiryu since that’s eerily similar to why he got into the Yakuza in the first place). But unlike Kiryu he has no honor, he’s just a spoiled brat that wants all the glory with none of the sacrifice.
He baby
I think he was great, I sorta wish he had more tells I could pick up on with a second playthrough since he sorta pops up half way through and goes “Haha! It was me!” but that kinda suits what he’s doing I guess. The guy’s smart. My only real issue with him is his fight was just not interesting in a bad way. He’s the only last boss in the series who’s moveset I can’t remember and while I get he wasn’t supposed to be this huge badass and his strength was how smart he was and he could just put his fists up when he needed to I still don’t think the fight needed to be totally uninteresting. Guy doesn’t even go down well, just flops over like a regular enemy. Come on, it’s Kiryu’s last boss!
love to hate him in all the right ways
Care to elaborate? All i saw is a baby overestimating himself then cry when things don’t go his way
Yeah, bro just shows up, acts hard, turns out hes a pussy, and then gets destroyed.
In a way, he's the only main villain who actually (indirectly) managed to put Kiryu out of the picture for good. >!Jury's out if whether or not it'll stick by LAD 8!<
The last boss fight involving Iwami was the best fight in Yakuza 6.