While Goro Majima is certainly the type of character who would simply decide to become a pirate and sail the seas on a whim, his journey in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii begins for a reason. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees Majima become the captain of the Goromaru to help his new friend, Noah Rich, who wants to travel the world after spending his life stuck on Rich Island. Noah's story, which is of someone struggling with a chronic illness and a desire to travel despite it, is surprisingly resonant to audiences who recently survived a pandemic and may still be dealing with its after-effects.
How Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Substories Enrich Goro Majima’s Character Arc
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s substories are a pivotal part of the game's overarching narrative, as they help flesh out Majima's character.
Noah Rich's Illness Drives Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii's Story
After washing up on the beach of Rich Island, Goro Majima meets Noah Rich, a young boy who calls the island home. Noah explains that he has asthma, and, due to this, his father, Jason, had moved the entire family to Rich Island, as the air quality and atmosphere were supposedly beneficial for his condition. Prior to the events of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Noah spent all of his life on Rich Island, which frustrated him greatly, as he dreamed of traveling - specifically, sailing the seas and hunting for treasure as his father once had.
Much of the game's first chapter is spent convincing Jason to allow Noah to travel, as he believes that leaving Rich Island would be bad for his son's illness. It is ultimately revealed that the treasure Jason sought during his own time sailing the seas was a mythical "universal cure" that would be able to heal any illness, including Noah's asthma. After Jason comes to understand that he has been stifling his son, Noah is able to travel with Majima to locations including the pirate haven of Madlantis, the bustling city of Honolulu and, of course, the open sea.
Noah's Story Resonates With Experiences Of Pandemics And Chronic Illness
The release of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is only a few years removed from the COVID-19 pandemic, and most of the game's players have likely lived through some or all of this world-changing event. Many players will have experienced something similar to Noah: feeling stuck in one place, unable to see the world without putting their health at risk. Many people still find their travel limited due to COVID-related complications or other chronic illnesses, and can empathize with Noah's willingness to leave the island and sail on the Goromaru even if it does put his health at risk.
The Yakuza series is no stranger to handling the topic of illness with gravity and dignity. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth revealed that longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu had developed cancer, and the Dragon of Dojima was forced to confront his own mortality. Throughout Infinite Wealth, Kiryu reflected on his life, sought out people to protect Japan after his passing, and wrestled with whether to seek treatment.
Noah's struggle with illness is a similar one, although his never-flagging optimism and the genuine hope of a universal cure result in an overall more positive tone compared to Infinite Wealth's cancer storyline. However, it is still a deeply emotional story that can potentially be highly relatable to audiences who have lived through a time when the topics of illness and its restrictions are more relevant than ever before. While "Goro Majima becomes a pirate captain" may seem like a bizarre and humorous premise on the surface, beneath this goofy facade is a genuinely emotional story about a little boy who wishes to overcome the limits imposed by his illness and see the world aboard a pirate ship.
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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
