Like a Dragon Director Wanted to Make a Tuna Fishing Spin-Off Starring Kazuma Kiryu Before Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Came to Fruition

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As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that the announcement of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has sent waves of excitement coursing through the gaming community. Having grown up playing the Yakuza series, I’ve always been captivated by the rich narrative and unique characters, and this spin-off promises to deliver more of the same.

Masayoshi Yokoyama, Director at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, shared the origin story behind “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii“, a concept born from his brainstorm for a spin-off series featuring Kazuma Kiryu as a tuna fisherman battling competing fishing boats.

In an interview on the PlayStation Blog, Yokoyama shared that for a while, he had envisioned a game titled Like a Dragon: Tuna. The storyline centered around Kazuma Kiryu, who transformed from a street fighter to a tuna fisherman venturing out to sea to combat other fishing boats. Regrettably, this idea never materialized. However, key themes such as ‘ship,’ ‘sea,’ and ‘fighting’ that remained etched in his mind eventually morphed into the concept of pirates.

As a gamer, I’d say that the full Like a Dragon games are like an endless feast at a buffet, offering a rich variety of experiences. On the other hand, spin-offs like The Man Who Erased His Name and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii are more like carefully crafted meals, perfect for savoring as you grow older and appreciate the subtleties they offer.

In the game “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii,” character Goro Majima will have amnesia, allowing his unique characteristics to emerge as the narrative progresses. According to Yokoyama, Majima is an unusual protagonist choice because of his unpredictability, which makes him fascinatingly different from typical characters.

Having Majima as the main character can cause a mismatch between his actions and the feelings they evoke; it’s perplexing when we feel upset in a scene but Majima remains unfazed. It seems that without amnesia, Majima wouldn’t have been effective as a lead character.

In the upcoming release of “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” on February 28, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC, Majima will have the ability to leap during battles, blending his iconic Mad Dog style with a fresh Sea Dog fighting technique.

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2024-10-08 16:12