Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii had a difficult quandary to face: what sort of role to give to Kazuma Kiryu, the Yakuza series' most frequently occurring protagonist. With Kiryu's longtime rival and friend Goro Majima taking the spotlight as Pirate Yakuza's sole lead character, and Kiryu's fate left ambiguous at the end of Infinite Wealth, completely excising him from the game would be impossible - but if he played too large of a role, Kiryu risked stealing the spotlight from Majima. The game's ultimate handling of Kiryu was perfectly balanced, with developer Ryu ga Gotoku making the best decision possible about the Dragon of Dojima's inclusion.
This article contains SPOILERS for Like a Dragon; Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
One Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Plot Element Is Surprisingly Resonant With Its Audience
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's focus on illness is extremely relevant to its players in a post-pandemic world.
Kiryu Isn't Physicall Present, But His Presence Is Felt
With Goro Majima suffering from amnesia for most of the game, Kazuma Kiryu's absence makes sense - Majima cannot remember him, nor the many times they both fought one another and worked together. When Majima regains his memory late in the game and recalls his long history with Kiryu, it is an extremely touching and emotionally impactful moment. The impact is made even greater when it is revealed that Majima's primary reason for traveling to Hawaii in the first place was not truly to clean up radioactive waste on Nele Island, but to seek out a mythical treasure supposedly capable of curing any illness - even cancer, which Kiryu was diagnosed with in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Ultimately, Majima is unable to use the treasure to fix Kiryu, something he is forced to come to terms with. By the end of the game, he has taken steps towards processing the potential loss of his friend, and has resolved to spend what time he can with Kiryu and help protect the next generation of heroes, as Kiryu asked him to do in Infinite Wealth.
The final scene of the game sees Majima, now back in Japan, visiting Kiryu's hospital room alongside his blood brother Saejima. Kiryu is never physically shown - the door closes, and the camera does not follow Majima and Saejima into the hospital room, although Majima's voice is heard beginning to recount his adventures to his longtime friend. This strikes a perfect balance: Kiryu is confirmed to still be alive, so fans are not left hanging about his fate, but he is kept offscreen so that the game can fully focus on Majima and his journey.
Deluxe Edition DLC Offers Optional And Humorous Kiryu Content
However, fans who are wanting a little bit more Kazuma Kiryu can purchase the Deluxe Edition of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which features a large amount of Kiryu-themed content. This includes Kiryu-patterned sails and a Kiryu figurehead for the Goromaru, several CDs of Kiryu singing various karaoke songs from throughout the Yakuza series, an outfit for Majima inspired by Kiryu's Infinite Wealth look, and the option to recruit Kiryu himself as a Goromaru crewmate.
This is a perfect happy medium: it doesn't influence the story at all, but players can have Majima and Kiryu sailing together or decorate their ship to honor Majima's dear friend. Majima may not be able to remember Kiryu, but, through DLC, the Dragon of Dojima can man the ship's cannons, lead a boarding squad, or even serve as the Goromaru's first mate.
There is really only one thing missing when it comes to optional Kiryu-related content in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii: an optional battle against him. Since their multiple battles in the first Yakuza game, combat has defined Kiryu and Majima's relationship, and it would have been a fun treat to get to fight the Dragon of Dojima using Majima's new Sea Dog fighting style. This aside, however, Pirate Yakuza's handling of Kiryu and his role was done expertly, letting Majima take center stage without discounting the importance of their relationship.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- February 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
