The Legend of Kiryu Kazuma(Character analysis)

VIDEO Review can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ii5Qtgx9Tg

The Legend of Kiryu Kazuma has been woven across the Yakuza series; through a combination of extreme violence, strong friendships and many, many renditions of Baka Mitai. In many ways, Kiryu – or rather, the Dragon of Dojima, is a legendary figure that makes for a really fun protagonist.

Slayer of thugs. Paragon of goodness. Daddy. Kiryu Kazuma, the main protagonist of the Yakuza series,  is a character of many simple, well-defined traits. 

I think most fans will agree that there is little grey area when it comes to Kiryu; especially compared to more morally ambiguous characters, such as series rival / ally / fanatic stalker, Majima. Inherently, Kiryu as a character isn’t particularly complex to understand. 

He is a good guy. He is a hero. And, he tends to solve most of his problems with two fists and little forward-thinking. I love Kiryu for this.

That being said, Kiryu is still an incredibly interesting protagonist; his motivations and beliefs are well defined throughout the Yakuza series, his relationship with other characters feels genuine and he is just so incredibly likeable. In many ways, Kiryu truly embodies the status of a ‘Legendary hero’ and we are going to take a further look at that in today’s video.

Welcome to The Gaming Conversation., as we take a look at the iconic badass that we all love, and explore some of the nuances to his character. 

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Kiryu is a superman who has never killed anybody:

Okay, lets first get this lovely old chestnut out of the way. No matter how meme-worthy it may be, the fact is, canonically Kiryu has never killed anyone. 

Yes, for a guy who is always ready to throw down; for a man with such awesome strength and a concerningly creative mind for delivering various forms of punishment; Kiryu is not a killer.

This is a really important statement; and Kiryu’s unwillingness to cross ‘the line’ is one of the most important traits of his character.

Cutscene Kiryu(as I shall now so lovingly refer to him as), is pretty much the closest thing to a superhero that we will get in the Yakuza series. His grey and maroon suit is just as iconic to Yakuza, as the blue and red is to Superman. He is always ready to help out anyone who is affected by injustice.

The man is basically immortal; having been subjected to various forms of torture; and not to mention, all the mental suffering he has faced at the loss of many loved ones. Kiryu is a character whose life is regularly subject to tragedy and yet, he somehow always manages to make it through; seemingly stronger than ever before.

Kiryu is virtually superhuman; the kind of individual that many of us as kids would’ve aspired to be like. And this makes Kiryu appear larger than life; more akin to a figure spoken about in myths and fairytales, than one grounded in a gritty crime drama. I believe this juxtaposition is what makes Kazuma Kiryu so memorable. He is fundamentally a bit of an absurd character; capable of superhuman feats and incredible levels of human compassion to match.

Unlike an anti-hero such as Majima, Kiryu isn’t as relatable; he is absolutely unbelievable. He’s the Dragon of Dojima; a man spoken about like that of a great fable hero. 

This is what makes Kiryu so great.

Now, with that being said, I can see why for some people there is a big issue here. The contrast between the violence that Kiryu displays in gameplay and even some cutscenes(such as the bullet filled car chase from Yakuza 0), can be really quite ridiculous. You could make a case that this breaks immersion, and the fact it is unclear whether Kiryu has actually killed someone, is a failing in storytelling.

 But, the Yakuza series just is a bit absurd – is it not? There has always been a distinction between the series’s absurd side-content and fairly serious story(most of the time…). I think we, as players, are meant to recognise that cutscene Kiryu isn’t literally bashing thugs around with motorbikes, or burning them with cigars. This is just there purely for gameplay reasons. I can accept that.

The straight man(substory Kiryu):

If an average Yakuza story could be described as a gritty, macho crime drama with Soap Opera esque twists, then a Yakuza substory would be more suitably described as a ‘slice of life’ experience; with absurdity, hilarity and tragedy all being common themes.

Whilst the substories in Yakuza are often acclaimed for how funny and absurd they can be, there is also some great character development found in them, especially for the man most commonly swept up into these stories: Kazuma Kiryu.

I mentioned earlier how Kiryu is kind of an absurd character. Well, somewhat ironically, Kiryu in substories is very much the straight-man; contrasted with the gyrating Mr Libido, endearing Pocket Circuit Fighter and all the other ‘interesting’ individuals that Kamurocho so reluctantly houses. Naturally, this leads to many moments of hilarity and memes.

This is one of my favourites, for example: ‘insert what am I doing with my life’.

I love this contrast. Whereas in the previous section of this video, I spoke about how Kiryu is essentially a mythical hero inserted into a crime drama, but in the case of substories, Kazuma is portrayed – for the most part – as the normal guy, amongst a world of, to put it plainly, weirdos. Loveable weirdos – but 

weirdos nonetheless.

This role-reversal is incredibly effective. In many ways, Kiryu’s kindness is reinforced, as no matter how odd the situation or person – or both may be; he is never unwilling to lend a helping hand. 

Not only a helping hand for that matter, but also some moral advice. 

Let’s take a look at one of my favourite substories, that really exemplifies the point I am making.

In Yakuza 0, Kiryu encounters a young woman who is struggling with a new job. We can all relate. ‘How to Train your Dominatrix’ is a hilarious substory, with some of the most awkward moments in the series. 

The premise is so fantastically ridiculous; training a young dominatrix to be better at her job – by simulating the role of client – might just seem like a play for laughs, however there is more here than you might initially think.

It is also a story that shows how much Kiryu’s kindness can impact upon others. Kiryu puts himself out there – to the extreme – to ultimately help someone who is suffering from a crisis in confidence. By the end of the story, he has genuinely helped someone’s life. 

I think I chose one of the more absurd examples to really stress how effective these substories are in presenting Kiryu as a person who puts others first. He takes people at face value(which can cost him sometimes), and is so non-judgemental. This is just one of hundreds of stories where Kiryu positively impacts someone’s life. Most of the time, with a guaranteed serving of humour as well. 

Paragon of goodness and virtue? I think so.

His relationship with others:

When taking a look at why Kiryu is such a fantastic character, I believe it is essential that we examine some of the key relationships that have been developed between Kiryu, and some of the other major characters in the Yakuza series. As we will discuss, many of Kiryu’s relationships succeed in focusing on certain aspects of his character.

Be aware there will be some light spoilers in this section.

There are so many meaningful relationships that Kiryu has developed throughout the Yakuza series, but in the interest of time, I will focus on a few that I think best represent elements of his character.

We will begin by taking a look at the complicated relationship between Kiryu and my beloved Majima.

In many ways, Goro Majima is presented as the perfect foil to Kiryu – the chaotic side of the same coin. Initially, Majima was Kiryu’s greatest – somewhat friendly, occasionally extremely hostile – rival. Throughout Yakuza 1/Kiwami, Majima is ‘everywhere’; trying to fight Kiryu so that the latter can become stronger. This dynamic, whilst on the surface mostly absurd and hilarious, also does a great job of presenting a quite compelling, complex relationship. 

Majima cares about Kiryu; often articulated in an obsessive way befitting of the ‘Mad Dog’ – and, as the game goes on, you start to get the sense that there is a great deal of mutual respect between the characters. This is key. Whilst the characters are in many ways rivals, Kiryu does not hold anger or hate towards Majima, but rather respect. This is an element of his character that pops-up throughout the series.

Kiryu holds very little room in his heart for hate or malice, and even though he might engage in fisti-cuffs with you; that doesn’t mean there is any lack of respect. Take a look at the dynamic between Kiryu and Ryuji Goda as another example; whilst throughout Kiwami 2 they are each other’s enemies, there still remains an underlying respect towards Ryuji. Because the likes of Ryuji and Majima are direct; they take matters into their own hands and Kiryu respects this, even if he doesn’t necessarily agree with their methods. 

These dynamics reflect a very simple trait of Kiryu’s character: he takes people at face value – and admires those who can stand-up for what they believe in; even if it materialises in the form of them punching him in the face. In simple colloquial terms: ‘Kiryu respects real’.

But – as well all know – Kiryu is more than just a macho, finely chiseled badass with incredible suit removal ability. Kiryu is also someone who cares deeply about others, and is always looking out for those less fortunate. 

Afterall, Kiryu himself had a very tough upbringing; losing both his parents at a young age and growing up at an Orphanage. Kiryu is someone who has been to rock-bottom, turned around and gone: ‘nah, you’re alright mate’. In many ways, this ‘never say die’ attitude is what puts in motion a number of the series events. 

But what would happen when he comes up against someone else just like this? And how does this develop his character; his legend?

 Enter my personal favourite antagonist in the series: Daisaku Kuze. 

The three lieutenants – the metaphorical Hydra that the young Dragon would have to face in 0,  exemplify Kiryu’s never say die attitude. In particular, the persistent, dangerous, primary foil for Kiryu, Kuze.

Throughout Yakuza 0, Kuze presents a consistent threat to Kiryu, pushing him to his absolute physical and mental limit, and ultimately helping demonstrate Kiryu’s never say die attitude. 

I mentioned earlier how Majima is one side of the same coin to Kiryu, and in a number of ways, as much as Kiryu would initially hate to admit, there are a lot of parallels between himself and Kuze. 

Like Kiryu, Kuze is fairly straightforward, tough and led by a certain code of honour. His resilience and determination throughout 0, in trying to take down the young Dragon of Dojima, mirrors Kiryu’s perseverance in every Yakuza game thereafter. 

Like Kiryu, you cannot simply put him down. Kuze, a former boxer, often talks about ‘toughing it out’ and that it is not always about who wins the initial fight; but rather, about the one who can keep getting back up. Much like Kiryu, in the face of all sorts of adversity, throughout the Yakuza series. 

Interestingly, much like with Majima, Kuze begins to develop a certain respect towards Kiryu, so much so that by the end of the game, he even assists him. 

Okay, let’s move away from the many macho-men that Kiryu bonds with now(that sounds a bit too much like a substory), and instead take a look at the softer side of Kiryu.

When Kiryu isn’t dealing with a Tojo clan coup, he actually really quite enjoys the simple things in life. These moments, away from the action, are rare for our hero, but again allow us players to see a different side to his character.

Take a look at Yakuza 3, which shows Kiryu living a more peaceful life in the awkwardly named ‘Morning Glory Orphanage’. Here Kiryu acts as a father figure to the orphaned children. Of course, we already have seen instances of Kiryu as a father figure, through his relationship with Haruka, but not quite as full-on as we get in Yakuza 3. 

This part of the series is honestly one of my favourites, as it does a great job of demonstrating Kiryu’s nature; outside of the often chaotic environments he finds himself in. He is a kind-hearted man, who just wants the best for his children. Whilst the gameplay often brings tedium in this section, the story being told is just delightful. We get to see, for at least a brief moment, a glimpse of what Kiryu’s life could have been like if not for the Yakuza. 

Of course, I cannot discuss the relationships that Kiryu has, without mentioning probably the most important of them all: his relationship with adoptive daughter Haruka. Since the start of the series(discounting the prequel in 0), Haruka has been an integral part of Kiryu’s life. Haruka’s inclusion in Kiryu’s life reminds the player that he is not only fighting for his ideals alone, but also for her.

Much like Kiryu, Haruka’s upbringing is complicated and certainly not lacking in adversity. She is not only a daughter to Kiryu, but also the last connection he has to his one true love: Yumi. Haruka as a character does a great job of grounding Kiryu; acting as the perfect counterweight to the Yakuza life. She gives Kiryu a real, clear purpose.

Even when their relationship isn’t perfect, we can still see how much Kiryu tries to selflessly help and support her. The beginning of Yakuza 5 being a great example, as Kiryu creates a new life away from Haruka, all because he doesn’t want to taint her new career as an idol.

I could honestly speak forever about all the intricacies and nuances found in Kiryu’s relationship. He really is a great character, and this is shown clearly by how many meaningful, unique relationships he has developed throughout the series.

Is Kiryu a particularly complex protagonist layered in multiple levels of nuance? No, not particularly. Is Kiryu a badass hero that lives up to his legendary title? Yes, absolutely.

Conclusion:

Thank you all for tuning into this week’s deep dive into Yakuza  series protagonist, Kiryu Kazuma. If you enjoyed the video, a like rating is greatly appreciated.

For more gaming critiques, discussion and investigations, maybe consider subscribing. Next up, we take a look at Yakuza like a Dragon.

Let’s continue the conversation down below, where you can tell me what your thoughts are on Kiryu as a character?

I have been Michael JH, and at times, wishing I could be half the badass Kiryu is, peace.