While this game did have some messy moments, I really enjoyed the experience overall. Would even rate it above Y3, personally. Also, that ending was pretty amazing.
Yep, that's generally where I stand on the game. (But with stronger nostalgia, since it was my entry into the series.) The game has its stumbles, but the stuff it gets right still far outshines its weaknesses. I'm glad you were able to leave the game with a positive impression.
It's even worse in Japanese when he says I'm gonna make you feel that weight of leading the Tojo Clan on your body. Like he has the right to give that Sermon.
I'm uhh...feeling a bit mixed about how Kiryu is portrayed in this game. His whole story is about wanting to get away from the Yakuza, but getting dragged back into it for (usually) personal reasons. I don't think he cares much about the system or its hierarchy, he only helps out for the sake of the people around him and usually feeling an obligation to respect their wishes. Nishiki, Daigo, Terada, etc. So now when he talks to Daigo about responbillity with leading the clan, well it feels almost out of character.
To clarify, Kiryu's not returning to the Tojo, he's just there to give Daigo some guidance, that's what he meant by not running away, like why would he go back when he has an orphanage to run?
I feel like nobody wraps their wads of cash in Yakuza games, but I love how they actually had a reason for spreading the cash into the air, all just for the sake of keeping everyone's attention on the ground and then drop the newspapers. Honestly that may be the smartest plan the main characters ever pulled at the end of these games.
That helicopter scene was basically one big "You mad, Bro?" moment from Akiyama. To quote a certain former pair of best friends: "Hey guys! Are you mad that I blew away my own money?" Also quoting them, this is one of the rare instance that the villains are monologing to each other and not the heroes.
So when that one comment was talking about Cyborg Jingu.... they werent totally wrong Yes Munakata, who is the final boss of this game, essentially is Jingu but much harder. He has so many guys with him (more than Jingu) and of course they have guns. That is the main reason why the Sacred Wood Armor is so good and important. It makes this fight with Tanimura bearable cause I can only imagine what it would be like without the armor. All in all, Munakata is one of the hardest bosses in the series overall, right alongside Saejimas prison escape.
I like to imagine Munakata really did die, but Jingu's ghost came back just to reanimate his corpse and call up a bunch of gun dudes to help him in the final boss battle.
I'd say Munakata is actually EASIER than Jingu due to the fact that Tanimura has alot of invincible tools to deal with everyone there. Kiwami Jingu seriously drove me up the wall more than him.
I have a hard time deciding which fight I like the least. Tanimura's combat is all about defence and without the blocking bullets abillity he's just ganged up on. It's not built to fight agressively against so many enemies like Saejima does. Jingu meanwhile forces you to clear his gauntlet of enemies everytime you die. The only difference there is that you're playing as Kiryu who's OP.
I did it without the armor (played with no equipment in general) and it wasn't that bad. Just spam grabs (because of the insane I-frames) and the parry heat action and your good. It does take a while though.
@@harushion Amen to that. Maybe it's because I was still a bit of a Yakuza newbie when I played Kiwami since it was my second game (0 was my first), but him and most of the bosses in that game (seriously, fuck the Akai brothers) I'd argue had worse boss fight designs than Munakata. Hell, even after having enough of experience of these games under my belt, when I revisited Kiwami 2 on Legend difficulty, everything was mostly smooth sailing except that Man in Black boss fight, which I'd also say to my dying breath that that boss fight is worse than Munakata.
Munakata shoots Arai Arai: double over in pain Nico: That’s okay…those are also rubber bullets. Arai: Gets back up immediately after to prove Nico BS powers supreme 😂😂😂
*Final Note for Yakuza 4:* Well _aint_ that such an epic as heck finale! For a finale like this calls for a comment to express just how clever the final boss themes are. Let’s GO! You might have noticed but each of the protagonists’ final boss themes are *ACTUALLY THE SAME BOSS THEME (For Faith) BUT 3 OF THE 4 ARE REMIXES OF TANIMURA’S.* The REALLY clever thing about “For Faith”’s remixes is that _their names_ are PUNS of the original names as well, _corresponding to what the final bosses *First,* Akiyama’s Final Boss (Arai)’s theme is *”Four Face”.* This _references_ how Arai was a four faced man to the protags: *_how he was seemingly on Akiyama’s, Shibata’s, Kido’s, and Munakata’s side at some point._* The quadruple agent was living a lie to nearly everyone only to betray the side he was supporting all along after he figured that it wasn’t worth supporting Munakata anymore. *Second,* Saejima’s Final Boss (Kido)’s theme is *“Four Faith”.* This _references_ how Kido had 4 different people of varying sides *place their faith in him at some point.* Akiyama placed his faith in Kido to help find Arai back in Part 1, Saejima placed his faith in Kido to go balls out in what Kido thinks should do in Part 2, Katsurgai placed his faith in Kido to follow his command to shoot Kiryu and Yasuko when the moment mattered (which Kido denies in Part 4), and last, Daigo, since the beginning, placed his faith in Kido to help the Tojo Clan against Ueno Seiwa Clan. *Third,* Kiryu’s Final Boss (Daigo)’s theme is *“For Face”.* This one is obvious. Daigo is the chairman of the Tojo Clan trying to save face and protect the clan through a number of actions. _Letting the Ueno Seiwa Clan corner him due to the equals agreement, Letting Majima get arrested, and agreeing to Munakata’s arrangement._ All of this trying to save face as best as he could despite not being a bad man._ (Too soft and yet saving face) *And Best (Or worst depending who you ask) for Last,* Tanimura’s Final boss (Munakata)’s theme is indeed the non-remix, og instrumental ver. of *”For Faith”.* Tanimura’s final boss theme is special. *Not only its the base of all the last 3 final boss theme remixes,* it is not about the final boss this time. *”For Faith”* is referencing the ACTUAL PROTAGONIST of Yakuza 4, that’s right TANIMURA HIMSELF. The faith he places on himself to find his father’s killer, the faith in himself to discover all loose ends of the case, and the faith in himself to proceed forward in catching the person behind the police’s corruption. *The final boss theme could quite literally be interpreted as “Tanimura’s faith in himself”* hence “For Faith”. Now, I believe there are much more epic, emotional, and greater themes than even this very amazing music track “For Faith”. *But I will say it is one of the most creative and thematically made themes to have all four versions’ names be sound-likes to each other, in accurately characterizing the fights as well.*
I really do like how the game implicitly says that Tanimura is *the* main protagonist of the game via the final boss gauntlet. I wish they'd bring back the character at some point, even if it's just in a spin-off, especially since they have a new VA and face after the old one left (rip OG Tanimura).
@@Omeyrolx_OhMayRolks It's not just the final boss but how well the substories for Tanimura fleshed out his character and backstory to give him a holistic view in just a single game entry. None of the other substories for the other characters do this in this much detail which really signifies it is his story and would probably was the focus since this was meant to be side game without Kiryu at first.
Bro, I beg you to tell me where you're getting this info. Every episode, you've typed out a novel's worth of commentary. Where are you discovering all these facts? Lol
Yeah, this sequence of final songs is so good, it even makes me tear up a little! I wonder sometimes if it would ever be possible to make a character/final boss fight (if there isn't already one out there) that has all of these tracks fit for that one character... I love that after the charismatic first half of Four Face, there's the emotional conviction of the second half, represented by the piano. Similarly, among the masculinity of Four Faith, there's also a hint of emotional conviction with the small piano/string section and "climbing" guitar/turntable riff.
As someone else who analyzed this game brought up, it really would have been the ultimate punchline if after Munakata shot himself it cut to him sitting in a prison cell with a big rubber bullet bruise on his forehead.
I can Munakata sitting there pissed off and plotting when he first gets out he is banning rubber bullets out of spite. Not getting revenge on the four just damning the rubber bullets to oblivion.
A cool thing I noticed is how Arai has blue heat and red heat(albeit different shades of blue and red), like Kiryu, Akiyama did believe at the start of the game Arai would become "Dragon of Dojima" big.
Oh yeah and one other hilarious fact! So in the crossover game Project X Zone 2, Majima and Kiryu are characters in that along with Phoenix Wright, and it's suggested from in-game dialogue, in that universe anyways, that Phoenix Wright got Majima out of jail following the events of Yakuza 4.
the final boss theme has lyrics, but they aren’t heard in game. This version was used as the install screen theme on the ps3 and, as such, is not found in the remastered version. The lyrics are in English though. (These are my interpretation of the lyrics mixed with others since the singer is kind of hard to understand) Violence is meaningless You have to see that now we’re not so gracious But when it comes to actually Y’know, feel it The thought is raised to the real world. If you have the love somewhere a love you can’t deny The selfish deed is not freedom. In the end, life’s cruel This selfish deed is not freedom Can’t justify- This selfish deed is not freedom Even if it’s so sad We’re walking that way With pride To the very next stage. These lyrics mimic the yakuza 4 and their ideals and it’s a crime shame only the instrumental are in the game
I really like Yakuza 4 despite how messy it gets later on it created 3 well crafted protagonists despite them only being four chapters long for each of them it just goes to show how great the Yakuza franchise really is. I don't know what the next let's play will be but I'm hoping for Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga next if not I will enjoy the next let's play regardless. I'm also hoping for Three Houses to return later on this year or maybe next year would be great to return.
21:23 Kido seeing Saejima of all people approaching him:- No......no no no.....wait wait wait wait....pls anyone but saejima this dude hits like a truck
As someone who started with 0, I fucking LOVED the post-credits scene. Everything Majima went through in 0 led to that, finally setting things straight with Saejima and getting him a place back in the clan again.
@@Swishyhead what we got was enough for me. Seeing everything from Saejima's perspective, while also keeping the things Majima went through in perspective, gave me a whole new appreciation for how close these two are. And for how many times Kiryu and Majima have clashed in the past, there's a side of him he'll never know, a side only Saejima sees.
Easily one of my favorite finale in the series and a big part of why this game has still stuck with me and is one of my favorites. I'm super happy you also had such a great time with it despite the hiccup of part 4, thanks for such a fun LP! I can't wait to see you continue further since 5 is my personal favorite Kiryu saga game. Excited for the next LP n will keep rooting for Trails one day~
Oh god! That one guy predicted the final boss! But instead of Jingu, it was another coward who would shoot you multiple times and have a million guys attacking you!
Think it's pretty fitting for Date to go back to the force since, A) He's the true "nail to the coffin" of Munakata's career. B) The force is in complete chaos now that both Munakata and Arai's absence have left a hole within their powerhouse. C) The people need more genuinely honorable police to look to since the Yakuza are also in disarray after this and will likely cause trouble. Plus it sounds like a cute ragtag team having Date, Tanimura, and Sudo as the main force of the law. I only wish they could appear in either other games or their own spinoff, cause they're really cool.
So Nico, now that you're done with Yakuza 4, I'm sure you're considering doing Like a Dragon: Ishin next, but I would REALLY suggest holding off on that until after you finish 5. For one, Ishin came out between 5 and 0 originally, so it makes sense from an order perspective. Second, while the rerelease of Ishin replaced a lot of character actors with other actors, there's still a few faces that will give away details regarding characters in 5. Likewise, there's not very many people included from 6, and the few characters added from 7/Like a Dragon you're likely going to forget by the time you get there. Plus, it'll be easier to talk about WHY the characters from 5 were chosen in the roles they were in Ishin when you've played that game, on top of talking about who replaced who. This isn't a HUGE dealbreaker or nothing, but I just thought I'd give my two cents before you make a decision a while from now. This LP was a great time though and I'm glad you got to enjoy it fully.
So the fights all makes sense narratively. -Akiyama going against Arai is due to how they have the most history. -Tanimura going against Munakata is for justice. Justice for what had happened to his father. -Saejima against Kido can be seen as a teacher going against his student. Calling back to how Saejima wanted to be a teacher. -Kiryu vs Daigo actually makes sense. As it was Kiryu who forced Daigo into becoming the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. And as such, he's facing the mistake of leaving Daigo without Guidance.
Hey Nico, do you like Tanimura, Kido, or Arai? Well thats a shame, cuz you'll never see them or hear from them ever again. See, pretty much starting with this game is what I like to call the "Curse of the Face Actor". Basically, RGG started to use actual famous actors, and scan them into the game as characters. You see this in this game with the three previously mentioned (Well, Tanimura being replaced for the remaster) as well as Sugiuchi and Yasuko. This often results in RGG finding the characters too expensive to bring back in future games, which means they've gotta do something with them. In the case of Sugiuchi and Yasuko, they get killed off. Or in the case of Tanimura, Kido, and Arai they just disappear, never to be seen again. The fandom calls this "going to America", based off of Sayama's random disappearance to America. RGG does this A LOT with every subsequent game, so you'll see this problem come up a lot. Its very rare a face actor will actually return in another game, the standouts being Yagami and Genda, as well as some of the returning likenesses in Ishin.
Come to think of it, Akiyama didn't know how to fight before he met Arai. I guess that means since they have pretty much the same move sets he's the one who taught Akiyama everything he knows so that he can defend himself and others. And that really makes their fight more legit.
As much as i love Nico's Let's Plays, the Yakuza Series became a hard hitting Highlight for me on this channel the periods of when Nico uploads Yakuza videos is almost like a holiday season and it's always sad when that one ends and the "wait" for the next one begins :D But it is a good idea to not burn yourself out as you say. Yakuza 5 will be my most hyped series on this channel cuz it is my favorite of them so far. But first we gotta save Hyrule yet again from angy Pig Demon Ganon and play the Game of the Year FF16 in June. That's gonna be some fire projects too
Thanks for the lets play as always, Nico. This game was really great apart from all the contrivances late in the plot. Happy to see you continue Yakuza, and am really looking forward to you getting to Yakuza 7 (as well as 5 and 6 which I haven't played/seen). Keep hearing you loving all the continuity and characters in this series and I continue to hope you will get into the Trails series as it's just an absolute fountain of satisfying character arcs and continuity. Really enjoying paranormasight as well.
I'm not sure what Nico has in place for the next lp considering how much closer to Tears of a Fallen Kingdom releasing but I'm hoping that JoJo part 2 is next since it has been a good while and also the memes. I know people request this a lot but I also hope that you can return to Three Houses at some point would love to see more of it.
@@fafaaf61 Honestly Paranormasight is fairly short, only around 12 hours for most people, but obviously longer when you need to read out the lines. But still, he’ll likely beat it within a week or two.
Anime videos probably wouldn't be the best move right now. A lot of channels have been getting hit with strikes lately. Although the main targets seem to be Naruto, Bleach, and HxH
I don't know when Nico will let's play Yakuza 5 but I hope it won't be a long wait anyway this let's play was a great one the new protagonists were great and they really to make Kamurocho stand out the most In all the Yakuza games (imagine if Yakuza 4 was in the Dragon engine). I will say I am intrigued into what the next let's play will be I'm personally guessing either Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga or JoJo part 2 being next. I really hope that this year will be the year of the return to Fire Emblem Three Houses (hopefully as the Black Eagles) it's been so long.
He tends to play at least 1 Yakuza (or Judgement) game once a year. So sometime in 2024, we'll see Yakuza 5. But yeah, wholeheartedly agree it's time to do a return to Three Houses. Though I'm not opposed to him doing Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, or maybe giving the first Paper Mario a shot.
As much as I can't wait to see Nico play Yakuza 5, I REALLY hope he will play Dead Souls next. That game has so much amazing fanservice and the playable characters alone would make it worthwhile for Nico!
>Going old school now A very important aspect to Saejima and why he and Kiryu gel well together. They are both old school, they are both symbolic of the tiger and the dragon, a rivalry of equals. The Vermillion Bird - Shun Akiyama The White Tiger - Taiga Saejima The Black Tortoise - Masayoshi Tanimura The Azure Dragon - Kazuma Kiryu. The four gods of Kamurocho. Also notice for the first time Majima is letting his mad dog style move to the side and we are seeing the real him again, he no longer needs it to cope, he's actually smiling solemnly at the end.
Yeah, Munakata suspected Arai would betray him. He basically told Arai to go after the orphanage as a test. He probably figured that Arai was wavering in his loyalty when he both didn't kill Kido and didn't take the money back. So he told Arai to go to the orphanage and threaten the kids, but gave him a gun loaded with rubber bullets because he wanted to see what he would do. If he went to the orphanage, great, he's still loyal and no harm done, the plan can proceed. If he instead decides to shoot Munakata, however, then he would be safe, would know Arai for a traitor, and be able to proceed accordingly. I didn't appreciate Munakata's character before this LP, but now that I'm watching these scenes again, the guy's actually really smart. I never gave him much credit before now.
Kido and Saejima is a pretty cool one, cause it's like the new generation of Yakuza vs. Old generation who try to uphold the pride of their mark. Yet even when they're on different sides of the spectrum, they still share many feelings of doubt and desire to make something of themselves within their underworld. I feel like if Kido had gone ahead to get a tattoo for himself, it'd probably be the fox. It seems like a fitting animal motif because, while he's definitely strong in the physical sense, he's also a cunning opportunist. He only ever shows his fangs and claws when he's forced into a corner. And it's a pretty cool image of a Tiger taking on a trickster fox god.
Yeah, I think Kido's been a very underrated character in the Yakuza fanbase. tbh he's one of my favorite Yakuza characters and I really love the parallels between him and Saejima
Well fun fact that the reason Arai took off his shirt is that even though he's an undercover cop, he still follow the yakuza rules... in his own terms. I don't need to explain on why Akiyama and the other police forces don't take their shirts off. It's just the law of the yakuza when they go one on one battle.
If i'm not wrong, when you stop eating (like she mentioned doing) during a time you lose weight really quickly(before you start gaining it again) but I don't think it happens that fast So, the real answer I would give: son muñequitos deje de chingar y disfrute (Just kidding, I actually don't have a real answer so meme time)
that's true, diago got mega shafted. i'm glad kiryu finally took accountability, too. a lot of this is kinda his fault, and then, as arai said, when stuff hits the fan, he's always really late to come fix it.
To this day, Akiyama putting a giant pile of his own money on the roof of the Millennium Tower just to blow it all away to annoy the bad guys is the most baller move in the entire series.
So as you noticed, each song playing during the final boss is a variation of the music that plays after you wait a while in the main menu. Let's break down each one in the order of first fight to last. First one is Akiyama's, which is called Four Face. The title represents Akiyama's ability to judge people and his tests to clients in order to prove themselves and show their true character. It's also the most catchy, or you can even say the most charismatic of the songs, which describes Akiyama as well, having the strings and guitar playing throughout the song. Next is Saijima's, called Four Faith. This represents his loyalty to his yakuza family, like Sasai and Majima, and how he's willing to do so much for their sake, such as the solo Ueno Seiwa attack in '85. He also puts his faith in Hamazaki during their break out in prison, even though he convinced him through somewhat deceitful means of lying about Majima. The song also has the most heavy beats, which represents his brute playstyle. Kiryu's song is called For Face. This song is the most melancholic of the four, with the sad string instrument music playing, which represents Kiryu's suffering throughout the series so far, and is the reason why he's getting involved in this game, the connection back to the events of Yakuza 1. And on that note, if you think about the order of the songs and how they sound, they pretty much tell the story of how every Yakuza game has turned out, we have the catchy beginning, to get the player's attention, followed by the action packed build up to the climax, and now the tragedy that usually involves the death of a major character/NPC, which makes sense why Kiryu is the second to last fight. And finally, we have Tanimura's, and the orignal song, For Faith. While this song doesn't have any noticable parts, that represents his personality and his justice, so in a way, the song is in a sense, "uncorrupted". And so the final part and the final music ends with the protagonist triumphing in the end, through a long and difficult struggle, which is represented by Munakata's guards. So yea, this is my favorite final boss in the Yakuza series.
Was looking for a comment like this! I really hope Nico reacts to the versions with the vocals on stream since it’s the actual original version of the song
Yeah, this sequence of final songs is so good, it even makes me tear up a little! I wonder sometimes if it would ever be possible to make a character/final boss fight (if there isn't already one out there) that has all of these tracks fit for that one character... I love that after the charismatic first half of Four Face, there's the emotional conviction of the second half, represented by the piano. Similarly, among the masculinity of Four Faith, there's also a hint of emotional conviction with the small piano/string section and "climbing" guitar/turntable riff.
It's funny how there's a comment in this format about the song except they say the titles are about the antagonists instead save for Tanimura which holds together. The concept of four in the title does translate better for the antagonists cos there is'nt much of an explanation on why that is used here. Like you could have at least went with Kiryu being the 4th person Saejima had faith in to round out that number for example.
Unfortunate you didn't title it "For faith", the combined ost name of all four battles, but oh well. I'm with you tbh, this game has its bs with the asspull betrayals, but I really like it. Akiyama and Saejima are great additions to the rgg universe. I did try to warn you about the final boss battle with tanimura, but oh well, at least you pulled through. Thanks for a great lp again, and can't wait until 5 starts!
I actually love how Akiyama responded to Hana-chan. He was concerned, and instead of going ga-ga, he praised her nonchalantly. It strikes me as really sweet because whatever she looks like, he likes and respects Hana-chan the way she is!
Back when Nico made a joke about Shiobara shooting Akiyama, he did not know Akiyama did get shot in the end, that was so funny. And the reason we like Makoto Makimura over Yasuko is because Makoto at least listen to us, except for that one time she got shot by Lao Gui. Yasuko keep running and sneaking away from everyone and ended up getting caught out of stupidity and impulsiveness. The Saejima siblings are quite a pair. One is a serial killer who will attain their goal by any means necessary out of loyalty, and the other has a tiger tattoo on their back.
Even though this game is my least favorite, the finale is one of my favorites. It's just so cool. And all 4 versions of "For Faith" (Yakuza 4's main theme) are amazing. I have to mention again how Tanimura is my favorite character from this game. I adore him! But I have a soft spot for Kido, too! And Daigo, my son...Fighting him makes me so sad and the theme always makes me so emotionnal. You mentionned Mine during the boss fights, and, yes, Mine's boss fight was just so good that a lot of boss battles and ennemie's moves that came afterwards were inspired by him! Anyway, can't wait to see the next step of your Yakuza journey with one of my favorites! Yakuza 5!
Tanimura is also my favourite protag from this game! I really liked how his arc was an inversion of the dirty cop arc, not to mention all the amazing social commentary we got from the Asian Gateway sidequests.
23:34 Dang the really denied us shirtless Akiyama here. Also I'm so used to the shirt pull off being a thing that reveals the character's tattoo, but there was no tatto this time which is kinda weird. lol 27:16 Kido doesn't have tats either????? I was not expecting that. Man, here I was getting excited to see what his tat would be, but nope. nothing.
Congratulations on beating Y4. It was actually my entry into the Yakuza series. Now your next Yakuza game is my actual favourite game in the entire series.
I want to thank you for being happy and want you to know that by making videos, you help those like me gain comfort. I'm sorry if this sounds weird, but your videos make me happy. My family's dog got hit by a car, and my mom had to see it happen. Everybody is sad, and right now, watching through your videos makes me happy and stops me from thinking of the situation I'm in now. Sorry for rambling right now it's hard to put my feelings into words.
This was so entertaining to watch. As someone also coming into these lps blind with you it’s enjoyable to hear your takes on the characters. The ending was especially great. I do feel however Hana Chan was done kinda dirty and I almost expected her to jump out of the shadows and do some kinda gotcha moment. Also just kind of wondering if the people of kamirocho are gonna get spoiled and expect raining money every few years…
It's a shame: The storyline of Kiryu having to beat Diago to his senses after Diago loses his way and nearly ruins the Tojo Clan in a desperate attempt to fix it could have been enough for an entire game itself. Unfortunately, it's awkwardly crammed into the last quarter (if that) of a game where Kiryu and Daigo have no real reason to be major players.
17:35 I FREAKING KNEW IT WHEN THERE WAS NO BLOOD SPLATTER AND CLOSE UP OF HIS FACE LIKE THEY DID WITH KATSURAGI'S DEATH. I'VE LEARNED FROM THE 18 COUNTS INCIDENT.
And with that, another fantastic Yakuza LP by Nico has been completed. Sayonara Kiryu & Kamurocho! Got the feeling it's gonna be 2024 next time we see them.
This was a great let's play really enjoyed Yakuza 4 despite the messy parts I can't wait for Yakuza 5. I recommend for the next let's play it to be Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga you will will love it Nico. I don't know when Three Houses will return but I really hope it can come soon.
God, I remember seeing someone play the final boss fight, but they were just rushing through all the games, and since they didn't have all the skills, and no proper gear, it was hell witnessing the pain of Munakata's boss fight. lol
Saejima definitely felt the most fulfilling because of the fact it is the big payoff of the prior foreshadowing in earlier games. A story or arc tends to stand out the most if it's been given the right setup that makes the fans anticipate the big reveal. And finally getting all the answers and reasons for this character's role really makes the wait and development worthwhile. Even more so that Saejima comes full circle by reviving the Sasaki Clan (via Saejima Clan) within Tojo, which is honestly well deserved after what Katsuragi and co. put them all through. And assuming Kido didn't go to jail or anything, I'd think it'd be pretty cool if he is Saejima's right-hand, as he deserves to also rise up in ranks for all that he did. Now I'm only wondering how they'll "salvage" the Tojo Clan when it was "disbanded" later down the line.
I'm playing Y5 right now and all I can think about is listing all the reasons why Nico needs to jump straight this game. Without spoilers, I can say that it's going a never-ending barrage of "I get to do *what* now?!" or "I get to play as *who* now?" and "I get to punch *who* now?!". Even past 5, there are so many moments yet to come that will make Nico kick himself for not getting to these sooner. But all I will say is... **3 different versions of BAKA MITAI!!**
Congrats man. I've been watching you since I discovered your Ace Attorney series. I have especially enjoyed your Yakuza LP's. Now there's Yakuza Dead Souls but then there's Yakuza 5. There's a surprise that you will enjoy in 5. You will enjoy what you missed. Edit: I see you won't play dead souls. Its fine. Can't wait for 5!
While this game did have some messy moments, I really enjoyed the experience overall.
Would even rate it above Y3, personally.
Also, that ending was pretty amazing.
Your intro's are really amazing too
Yep, that's generally where I stand on the game. (But with stronger nostalgia, since it was my entry into the series.)
The game has its stumbles, but the stuff it gets right still far outshines its weaknesses.
I'm glad you were able to leave the game with a positive impression.
Suggestions:
1. Alan Wake
2. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
3. Deadly Premonition
I really hope you will play Yakuza: Dead Souls someday. I like to see how you make voice acting about this game.
@@evanallaire2829 1. Nico played it himself, 2. Nico's not into Pokemon. 3. That one's better for a stream.
Finally, the long awaited fight against Cyborg Jingu and his 80 million grunts. Truly, one of the endings of all time.
They were waiting in the building but the party skipped all that by using the chopper.
It’s only available if you decide to play the game without doing any of the sun stories.
I read this before I started watching, and I was absolutely bracing myself for Cyborg Jingu to show up
@@OtakuD50 They used fast travel
"Leading the Tojo is a heavy cross to bear. It's time you learn just how heavy."
-Kazuma Kiryu, who led the Tojo for one day before quitting
*15 minutes
Dont you know daigo i was the fourth chairman
D:for 15 minutes
K: THE FOURTH CHAIRMAN
Saejima: WTF?
It's even worse in Japanese when he says I'm gonna make you feel that weight of leading the Tojo Clan on your body.
Like he has the right to give that Sermon.
I'm uhh...feeling a bit mixed about how Kiryu is portrayed in this game. His whole story is about wanting to get away from the Yakuza, but getting dragged back into it for (usually) personal reasons. I don't think he cares much about the system or its hierarchy, he only helps out for the sake of the people around him and usually feeling an obligation to respect their wishes. Nishiki, Daigo, Terada, etc. So now when he talks to Daigo about responbillity with leading the clan, well it feels almost out of character.
To be fair, the Tojo Clan did screwed Kiryu over through out Yakuza 1/Kiwami
23:25 "Akiyama, you getting shirtless too?"
The world isn't ready for something so glorious, Nico.
To clarify, Kiryu's not returning to the Tojo, he's just there to give Daigo some guidance, that's what he meant by not running away, like why would he go back when he has an orphanage to run?
Watch as Kiryu immediately runs away yet again at the start of the next game. - Honest Trailer Guy probably
@@mechashadow*Gulping Intensifies*
I feel like nobody wraps their wads of cash in Yakuza games, but I love how they actually had a reason for spreading the cash into the air, all just for the sake of keeping everyone's attention on the ground and then drop the newspapers.
Honestly that may be the smartest plan the main characters ever pulled at the end of these games.
With that much turbulence, it wouldn't have mattered too much if they were. Or maybe not wrapped as tightly as they should.
That helicopter scene was basically one big "You mad, Bro?" moment from Akiyama. To quote a certain former pair of best friends: "Hey guys! Are you mad that I blew away my own money?"
Also quoting them, this is one of the rare instance that the villains are monologing to each other and not the heroes.
"I don't have to fight a gauntlet of enemies"
Jingu 2.0: "Allow me to introduce myself"
Well it seems like that "Cyber-Jingu" comment was more accurate than we gave it credit for
THis entire let's play Nico was asking who was going to be the big shirtless battle on the rooftop at the end.
The answer was Yes.
So when that one comment was talking about Cyborg Jingu.... they werent totally wrong
Yes Munakata, who is the final boss of this game, essentially is Jingu but much harder. He has so many guys with him (more than Jingu) and of course they have guns. That is the main reason why the Sacred Wood Armor is so good and important. It makes this fight with Tanimura bearable cause I can only imagine what it would be like without the armor. All in all, Munakata is one of the hardest bosses in the series overall, right alongside Saejimas prison escape.
I like to imagine Munakata really did die, but Jingu's ghost came back just to reanimate his corpse and call up a bunch of gun dudes to help him in the final boss battle.
I'd say Munakata is actually EASIER than Jingu due to the fact that Tanimura has alot of invincible tools to deal with everyone there. Kiwami Jingu seriously drove me up the wall more than him.
I have a hard time deciding which fight I like the least. Tanimura's combat is all about defence and without the blocking bullets abillity he's just ganged up on. It's not built to fight agressively against so many enemies like Saejima does. Jingu meanwhile forces you to clear his gauntlet of enemies everytime you die. The only difference there is that you're playing as Kiryu who's OP.
I did it without the armor (played with no equipment in general) and it wasn't that bad. Just spam grabs (because of the insane I-frames) and the parry heat action and your good. It does take a while though.
@@harushion Amen to that. Maybe it's because I was still a bit of a Yakuza newbie when I played Kiwami since it was my second game (0 was my first), but him and most of the bosses in that game (seriously, fuck the Akai brothers) I'd argue had worse boss fight designs than Munakata. Hell, even after having enough of experience of these games under my belt, when I revisited Kiwami 2 on Legend difficulty, everything was mostly smooth sailing except that Man in Black boss fight, which I'd also say to my dying breath that that boss fight is worse than Munakata.
Y'know coming from kiryu's perspective in this game (main story wise) this might be the shortest adventure he's ever had.
"To you this might be a whole game, but to me, it was a just a substory" Bison, Street Fighter.
Munakata shoots Arai
Arai: double over in pain
Nico: That’s okay…those are also rubber bullets.
Arai: Gets back up immediately after to prove Nico BS powers supreme
😂😂😂
Kiryu didn't rejoin the yakuza. He's just actually helping them now.
11:05 Me and the Picky Penguins when Nico drops a new video
*Final Note for Yakuza 4:* Well _aint_ that such an epic as heck finale! For a finale like this calls for a comment to express just how clever the final boss themes are. Let’s GO!
You might have noticed but each of the protagonists’ final boss themes are *ACTUALLY THE SAME BOSS THEME (For Faith) BUT 3 OF THE 4 ARE REMIXES OF TANIMURA’S.*
The REALLY clever thing about “For Faith”’s remixes is that _their names_ are PUNS of the original names as well, _corresponding to what the final bosses
*First,* Akiyama’s Final Boss (Arai)’s theme is *”Four Face”.* This _references_ how Arai was a four faced man to the protags: *_how he was seemingly on Akiyama’s, Shibata’s, Kido’s, and Munakata’s side at some point._* The quadruple agent was living a lie to nearly everyone only to betray the side he was supporting all along after he figured that it wasn’t worth supporting Munakata anymore.
*Second,* Saejima’s Final Boss (Kido)’s theme is *“Four Faith”.* This _references_ how Kido had 4 different people of varying sides *place their faith in him at some point.* Akiyama placed his faith in Kido to help find Arai back in Part 1, Saejima placed his faith in Kido to go balls out in what Kido thinks should do in Part 2, Katsurgai placed his faith in Kido to follow his command to shoot Kiryu and Yasuko when the moment mattered (which Kido denies in Part 4), and last, Daigo, since the beginning, placed his faith in Kido to help the Tojo Clan against Ueno Seiwa Clan.
*Third,* Kiryu’s Final Boss (Daigo)’s theme is *“For Face”.* This one is obvious. Daigo is the chairman of the Tojo Clan trying to save face and protect the clan through a number of actions. _Letting the Ueno Seiwa Clan corner him due to the equals agreement, Letting Majima get arrested, and agreeing to Munakata’s arrangement._ All of this trying to save face as best as he could despite not being a bad man._ (Too soft and yet saving face)
*And Best (Or worst depending who you ask) for Last,* Tanimura’s Final boss (Munakata)’s theme is indeed the non-remix, og instrumental ver. of *”For Faith”.* Tanimura’s final boss theme is special. *Not only its the base of all the last 3 final boss theme remixes,* it is not about the final boss this time. *”For Faith”* is referencing the ACTUAL PROTAGONIST of Yakuza 4, that’s right TANIMURA HIMSELF.
The faith he places on himself to find his father’s killer, the faith in himself to discover all loose ends of the case, and the faith in himself to proceed forward in catching the person behind the police’s corruption. *The final boss theme could quite literally be interpreted as “Tanimura’s faith in himself”* hence “For Faith”.
Now, I believe there are much more epic, emotional, and greater themes than even this very amazing music track “For Faith”. *But I will say it is one of the most creative and thematically made themes to have all four versions’ names be sound-likes to each other, in accurately characterizing the fights as well.*
I really do like how the game implicitly says that Tanimura is *the* main protagonist of the game via the final boss gauntlet. I wish they'd bring back the character at some point, even if it's just in a spin-off, especially since they have a new VA and face after the old one left (rip OG Tanimura).
@@Omeyrolx_OhMayRolks It's not just the final boss but how well the substories for Tanimura fleshed out his character and backstory to give him a holistic view in just a single game entry. None of the other substories for the other characters do this in this much detail which really signifies it is his story and would probably was the focus since this was meant to be side game without Kiryu at first.
Bro, I beg you to tell me where you're getting this info. Every episode, you've typed out a novel's worth of commentary. Where are you discovering all these facts? Lol
Yeah, this sequence of final songs is so good, it even makes me tear up a little! I wonder sometimes if it would ever be possible to make a character/final boss fight (if there isn't already one out there) that has all of these tracks fit for that one character...
I love that after the charismatic first half of Four Face, there's the emotional conviction of the second half, represented by the piano.
Similarly, among the masculinity of Four Faith, there's also a hint of emotional conviction with the small piano/string section and "climbing" guitar/turntable riff.
@@OssyLucky14 Probably just looks it up on RUclips for those "entire history" Yakuza vids lol
As someone else who analyzed this game brought up, it really would have been the ultimate punchline if after Munakata shot himself it cut to him sitting in a prison cell with a big rubber bullet bruise on his forehead.
I can Munakata sitting there pissed off and plotting when he first gets out he is banning rubber bullets out of spite. Not getting revenge on the four just damning the rubber bullets to oblivion.
A cool thing I noticed is how Arai has blue heat and red heat(albeit different shades of blue and red), like Kiryu, Akiyama did believe at the start of the game Arai would become "Dragon of Dojima" big.
Oh yeah and one other hilarious fact! So in the crossover game Project X Zone 2, Majima and Kiryu are characters in that along with Phoenix Wright, and it's suggested from in-game dialogue, in that universe anyways, that Phoenix Wright got Majima out of jail following the events of Yakuza 4.
Man this let’s play felt like it flew by so fast… I’m looking forward to Yakuza 5 when it finally happens!
it did fly by. he started the game a little over 2 months ago!
ngl, this finale is the one i've been waiting for nico to experience. it is one of the best in the series
the final boss theme has lyrics, but they aren’t heard in game. This version was used as the install screen theme on the ps3 and, as such, is not found in the remastered version. The lyrics are in English though. (These are my interpretation of the lyrics mixed with others since the singer is kind of hard to understand)
Violence is meaningless
You have to see that
now we’re not so gracious
But when it comes to actually
Y’know, feel it
The thought is raised to the real world.
If you have the love somewhere a love you can’t deny
The selfish deed is not freedom.
In the end, life’s cruel
This selfish deed is not freedom
Can’t justify-
This selfish deed is not freedom
Even if it’s so sad
We’re walking that way
With pride
To the very next stage.
These lyrics mimic the yakuza 4 and their ideals and it’s a crime shame only the instrumental are in the game
To clarify, that last scene was not Kiryu rejoining the Tojo.
I think he was supposed to and it just gets retconned later
@@xyenia0122 If so, then that's good cuz tbh that would be like going backwards. I don't think it fits Kiryu's character at all
I really like Yakuza 4 despite how messy it gets later on it created 3 well crafted protagonists despite them only being four chapters long for each of them it just goes to show how great the Yakuza franchise really is. I don't know what the next let's play will be but I'm hoping for Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga next if not I will enjoy the next let's play regardless. I'm also hoping for Three Houses to return later on this year or maybe next year would be great to return.
Now, time to wait another 2 years for Yakuza 5
And boy would it be LONG!
And he'll take another two to beat the game. It's a T H I C C B O I.
or 4 years if a Judgment game comes out in 2025
He makes let's plays of these games less than a year apart.
@@kartikayysola Yeah, Yakuza 5 is so dense it might even edge out Lost Judgement for the title of his longest LP.
11:06 "We are the Yakuza 4"
Munakata: Jesus, I have been shooting this guy for the whole fight, HOW IS THIS GUY NOT DEAD?!
Tanimura: Sacred Set, son!
Daigo’s tattoo is Fudo Myoo, the Immovable one. I believe it’s the god of wisdom and fire.
saejima vs kido was the definition of "hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby" before that meme came into existence
Hydrogen Bomb vs Resigned Baby
Bombs out, kido
11:04 me and the girls rolling up to watch the nicob yakuza 4 lp finale
21:23 Kido seeing Saejima of all people approaching him:- No......no no no.....wait wait wait wait....pls anyone but saejima this dude hits like a truck
I thought the same thing haha. He took it like a champ though.
It is telling that in the finishing QTE against Kido, Saejima is basically toying with him
As someone who started with 0, I fucking LOVED the post-credits scene. Everything Majima went through in 0 led to that, finally setting things straight with Saejima and getting him a place back in the clan again.
Right??? I am sad that we didn't get to see much of Majima in this game, particularly in terms of emotional payoff with Saejima.
@@Swishyhead what we got was enough for me. Seeing everything from Saejima's perspective, while also keeping the things Majima went through in perspective, gave me a whole new appreciation for how close these two are. And for how many times Kiryu and Majima have clashed in the past, there's a side of him he'll never know, a side only Saejima sees.
One of my favourite moments in the series is Arai's VA peaking his microphone screaming "AKIYAMAAA" it adds so much to the finale
Easily one of my favorite finale in the series and a big part of why this game has still stuck with me and is one of my favorites. I'm super happy you also had such a great time with it despite the hiccup of part 4, thanks for such a fun LP! I can't wait to see you continue further since 5 is my personal favorite Kiryu saga game.
Excited for the next LP n will keep rooting for Trails one day~
I mean it was Arai who threw his gun down Tanimura just put his away...the protagonists did learn lol!
Oh god! That one guy predicted the final boss! But instead of Jingu, it was another coward who would shoot you multiple times and have a million guys attacking you!
Damn, Kiryu got tiger dropped so hard he turned into the Judge
Think it's pretty fitting for Date to go back to the force since,
A) He's the true "nail to the coffin" of Munakata's career.
B) The force is in complete chaos now that both Munakata and Arai's absence have left a hole within their powerhouse.
C) The people need more genuinely honorable police to look to since the Yakuza are also in disarray after this and will likely cause trouble.
Plus it sounds like a cute ragtag team having Date, Tanimura, and Sudo as the main force of the law. I only wish they could appear in either other games or their own spinoff, cause they're really cool.
you could say that bundle of money was Akiyama's life savings
So Nico, now that you're done with Yakuza 4, I'm sure you're considering doing Like a Dragon: Ishin next, but I would REALLY suggest holding off on that until after you finish 5.
For one, Ishin came out between 5 and 0 originally, so it makes sense from an order perspective. Second, while the rerelease of Ishin replaced a lot of character actors with other actors, there's still a few faces that will give away details regarding characters in 5. Likewise, there's not very many people included from 6, and the few characters added from 7/Like a Dragon you're likely going to forget by the time you get there.
Plus, it'll be easier to talk about WHY the characters from 5 were chosen in the roles they were in Ishin when you've played that game, on top of talking about who replaced who.
This isn't a HUGE dealbreaker or nothing, but I just thought I'd give my two cents before you make a decision a while from now.
This LP was a great time though and I'm glad you got to enjoy it fully.
Yeah honestly I'd agree with holding off on Ishin
Did you watch the end of the video? Nico said he wont be playing ishin until after y6
@@FlareSouL Yeah I did that thing where I commented before watching the full video, my bad.
The new Ishin takes character models from 6 and 7 so…
"Everyone pick an ass to kick" is my favorite line in all of Yakuza and at least 75% of the reason Yakuza 4 is my 2nd favorite game in the franchise.
Whats your first
@@bamdaddonyavi8490 0
In the original y4 the line was translated as "so, who's going to kick who's ass?"
"I swear to god, if Munakata grabs that gun that just got tossed on the ground, I'm gonna lose it."
Me: (jim halpert stare at the camera)
So the fights all makes sense narratively.
-Akiyama going against Arai is due to how they have the most history.
-Tanimura going against Munakata is for justice. Justice for what had happened to his father.
-Saejima against Kido can be seen as a teacher going against his student. Calling back to how Saejima wanted to be a teacher.
-Kiryu vs Daigo actually makes sense. As it was Kiryu who forced Daigo into becoming the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. And as such, he's facing the mistake of leaving Daigo without Guidance.
"Balls out Kido" is the greatest line from Yakuza series.
I love how the four final bosses each try to kill one another over the money but the main groups just wants to kick ass
Hey Nico, do you like Tanimura, Kido, or Arai? Well thats a shame, cuz you'll never see them or hear from them ever again.
See, pretty much starting with this game is what I like to call the "Curse of the Face Actor". Basically, RGG started to use actual famous actors, and scan them into the game as characters. You see this in this game with the three previously mentioned (Well, Tanimura being replaced for the remaster) as well as Sugiuchi and Yasuko. This often results in RGG finding the characters too expensive to bring back in future games, which means they've gotta do something with them. In the case of Sugiuchi and Yasuko, they get killed off. Or in the case of Tanimura, Kido, and Arai they just disappear, never to be seen again. The fandom calls this "going to America", based off of Sayama's random disappearance to America.
RGG does this A LOT with every subsequent game, so you'll see this problem come up a lot. Its very rare a face actor will actually return in another game, the standouts being Yagami and Genda, as well as some of the returning likenesses in Ishin.
21:45 I love how Kiryu apologizes to Daigo because he really did put him in a tough spot and his help last game only really hurt Daigo
The title should’ve been “Ours *Yakuza 4* the taking”.
Come to think of it, Akiyama didn't know how to fight before he met Arai.
I guess that means since they have pretty much the same move sets he's the one who taught Akiyama everything he knows so that he can defend himself and others.
And that really makes their fight more legit.
The student must surpass the master as their final test.
@@mechashadow Definitely fitting. And it explains why he believed in Arai since the first episode.
I love how this LP started with "Kiryu, Kirryyyuuu!". And now it's ending with "Nico, Niiicoooo!". Nice attention to detail there, Nico.
As much as i love Nico's Let's Plays, the Yakuza Series became a hard hitting Highlight for me on this channel the periods of when Nico uploads Yakuza videos is almost like a holiday season and it's always sad when that one ends and the "wait" for the next one begins :D But it is a good idea to not burn yourself out as you say. Yakuza 5 will be my most hyped series on this channel cuz it is my favorite of them so far. But first we gotta save Hyrule yet again from angy Pig Demon Ganon and play the Game of the Year FF16 in June. That's gonna be some fire projects too
Saejima: "Balls out, Kido."
Kido: (takes off pants)
Saejima: "Not that way!"
In No More Heroes, yes, that is what Thunder Ryuu meant.
And then this game takes an interesting turn...
28:19 For Balls Out, Kido!
Thanks for the lets play as always, Nico. This game was really great apart from all the contrivances late in the plot. Happy to see you continue Yakuza, and am really looking forward to you getting to Yakuza 7 (as well as 5 and 6 which I haven't played/seen).
Keep hearing you loving all the continuity and characters in this series and I continue to hope you will get into the Trails series as it's just an absolute fountain of satisfying character arcs and continuity. Really enjoying paranormasight as well.
I'm not sure what Nico has in place for the next lp considering how much closer to Tears of a Fallen Kingdom releasing but I'm hoping that JoJo part 2 is next since it has been a good while and also the memes. I know people request this a lot but I also hope that you can return to Three Houses at some point would love to see more of it.
To be fair, he's likely to finish Paranormasight right around when TotK releases so that's probably a better timeframe.
@@fafaaf61 Honestly Paranormasight is fairly short, only around 12 hours for most people, but obviously longer when you need to read out the lines. But still, he’ll likely beat it within a week or two.
Anime videos probably wouldn't be the best move right now. A lot of channels have been getting hit with strikes lately. Although the main targets seem to be Naruto, Bleach, and HxH
Congrats, you called it!
I don't know when Nico will let's play Yakuza 5 but I hope it won't be a long wait anyway this let's play was a great one the new protagonists were great and they really to make Kamurocho stand out the most In all the Yakuza games (imagine if Yakuza 4 was in the Dragon engine). I will say I am intrigued into what the next let's play will be I'm personally guessing either Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga or JoJo part 2 being next. I really hope that this year will be the year of the return to Fire Emblem Three Houses (hopefully as the Black Eagles) it's been so long.
He tends to play at least 1 Yakuza (or Judgement) game once a year. So sometime in 2024, we'll see Yakuza 5. But yeah, wholeheartedly agree it's time to do a return to Three Houses. Though I'm not opposed to him doing Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, or maybe giving the first Paper Mario a shot.
All things considered at the end of the day; "For Faith" is easily my favourite track in the entire series.
As much as I can't wait to see Nico play Yakuza 5, I REALLY hope he will play Dead Souls next. That game has so much amazing fanservice and the playable characters alone would make it worthwhile for Nico!
I would wait on Ishin until after LAD. It got remade to have cameos from that game.
I was gonna comment this too
11:07 We are the Yakuza 4 *play for faith*
>Going old school now
A very important aspect to Saejima and why he and Kiryu gel well together. They are both old school, they are both symbolic of the tiger and the dragon, a rivalry of equals.
The Vermillion Bird - Shun Akiyama
The White Tiger - Taiga Saejima
The Black Tortoise - Masayoshi Tanimura
The Azure Dragon - Kazuma Kiryu.
The four gods of Kamurocho.
Also notice for the first time Majima is letting his mad dog style move to the side and we are seeing the real him again, he no longer needs it to cope, he's actually smiling solemnly at the end.
Yeah, Munakata suspected Arai would betray him. He basically told Arai to go after the orphanage as a test. He probably figured that Arai was wavering in his loyalty when he both didn't kill Kido and didn't take the money back. So he told Arai to go to the orphanage and threaten the kids, but gave him a gun loaded with rubber bullets because he wanted to see what he would do. If he went to the orphanage, great, he's still loyal and no harm done, the plan can proceed. If he instead decides to shoot Munakata, however, then he would be safe, would know Arai for a traitor, and be able to proceed accordingly. I didn't appreciate Munakata's character before this LP, but now that I'm watching these scenes again, the guy's actually really smart. I never gave him much credit before now.
Kido and Saejima is a pretty cool one, cause it's like the new generation of Yakuza vs. Old generation who try to uphold the pride of their mark.
Yet even when they're on different sides of the spectrum, they still share many feelings of doubt and desire to make something of themselves within their underworld.
I feel like if Kido had gone ahead to get a tattoo for himself, it'd probably be the fox. It seems like a fitting animal motif because, while he's definitely strong in the physical sense, he's also a cunning opportunist.
He only ever shows his fangs and claws when he's forced into a corner. And it's a pretty cool image of a Tiger taking on a trickster fox god.
Yeah, I think Kido's been a very underrated character in the Yakuza fanbase. tbh he's one of my favorite Yakuza characters and I really love the parallels between him and Saejima
Well fun fact that the reason Arai took off his shirt is that even though he's an undercover cop, he still follow the yakuza rules... in his own terms. I don't need to explain on why Akiyama and the other police forces don't take their shirts off. It's just the law of the yakuza when they go one on one battle.
Wow, this is like top tier Yakuza/RGG series let's play on youtube! Good job
The title should have been "We are the Yakuza 4"
Did Hana-chan hit the hyperbolic time chamber after part 1? How tf did she lose like 30 pounds in less than a month?
If i'm not wrong, when you stop eating (like she mentioned doing) during a time you lose weight really quickly(before you start gaining it again) but I don't think it happens that fast
So, the real answer I would give: son muñequitos deje de chingar y disfrute
(Just kidding, I actually don't have a real answer so meme time)
Considering the entire arc of Shiobara happens in such a short time, I suppose Hana used the same trick - a time machine!
Depression can cause a massive weight loss, though the idea of the hyperbolic time chamber is a funny idea
that's true, diago got mega shafted. i'm glad kiryu finally took accountability, too. a lot of this is kinda his fault, and then, as arai said, when stuff hits the fan, he's always really late to come fix it.
Holy fuck are you gonna love Yakuza 5, IT IS AS YAKUZA AS IT GETS
To this day, Akiyama putting a giant pile of his own money on the roof of the Millennium Tower just to blow it all away to annoy the bad guys is the most baller move in the entire series.
He wanted to be rid of it, and yet in the end, those fat wads saved him.
So as you noticed, each song playing during the final boss is a variation of the music that plays after you wait a while in the main menu. Let's break down each one in the order of first fight to last.
First one is Akiyama's, which is called Four Face. The title represents Akiyama's ability to judge people and his tests to clients in order to prove themselves and show their true character. It's also the most catchy, or you can even say the most charismatic of the songs, which describes Akiyama as well, having the strings and guitar playing throughout the song.
Next is Saijima's, called Four Faith. This represents his loyalty to his yakuza family, like Sasai and Majima, and how he's willing to do so much for their sake, such as the solo Ueno Seiwa attack in '85. He also puts his faith in Hamazaki during their break out in prison, even though he convinced him through somewhat deceitful means of lying about Majima. The song also has the most heavy beats, which represents his brute playstyle.
Kiryu's song is called For Face. This song is the most melancholic of the four, with the sad string instrument music playing, which represents Kiryu's suffering throughout the series so far, and is the reason why he's getting involved in this game, the connection back to the events of Yakuza 1. And on that note, if you think about the order of the songs and how they sound, they pretty much tell the story of how every Yakuza game has turned out, we have the catchy beginning, to get the player's attention, followed by the action packed build up to the climax, and now the tragedy that usually involves the death of a major character/NPC, which makes sense why Kiryu is the second to last fight.
And finally, we have Tanimura's, and the orignal song, For Faith. While this song doesn't have any noticable parts, that represents his personality and his justice, so in a way, the song is in a sense, "uncorrupted". And so the final part and the final music ends with the protagonist triumphing in the end, through a long and difficult struggle, which is represented by Munakata's guards.
So yea, this is my favorite final boss in the Yakuza series.
I agree. The best theme from a mile
Was looking for a comment like this! I really hope Nico reacts to the versions with the vocals on stream since it’s the actual original version of the song
Yeah, this sequence of final songs is so good, it even makes me tear up a little! I wonder sometimes if it would ever be possible to make a character/final boss fight (if there isn't already one out there) that has all of these tracks fit for that one character...
I love that after the charismatic first half of Four Face, there's the emotional conviction of the second half, represented by the piano.
Similarly, among the masculinity of Four Faith, there's also a hint of emotional conviction with the small piano/string section and "climbing" guitar/turntable riff.
It's funny how there's a comment in this format about the song except they say the titles are about the antagonists instead save for Tanimura which holds together.
The concept of four in the title does translate better for the antagonists cos there is'nt much of an explanation on why that is used here.
Like you could have at least went with Kiryu being the 4th person Saejima had faith in to round out that number for example.
Unfortunate you didn't title it "For faith", the combined ost name of all four battles, but oh well. I'm with you tbh, this game has its bs with the asspull betrayals, but I really like it. Akiyama and Saejima are great additions to the rgg universe. I did try to warn you about the final boss battle with tanimura, but oh well, at least you pulled through. Thanks for a great lp again, and can't wait until 5 starts!
I actually love how Akiyama responded to Hana-chan. He was concerned, and instead of going ga-ga, he praised her nonchalantly. It strikes me as really sweet because whatever she looks like, he likes and respects Hana-chan the way she is!
Back when Nico made a joke about Shiobara shooting Akiyama, he did not know Akiyama did get shot in the end, that was so funny.
And the reason we like Makoto Makimura over Yasuko is because Makoto at least listen to us, except for that one time she got shot by Lao Gui. Yasuko keep running and sneaking away from everyone and ended up getting caught out of stupidity and impulsiveness.
The Saejima siblings are quite a pair. One is a serial killer who will attain their goal by any means necessary out of loyalty, and the other has a tiger tattoo on their back.
In another worldline, where things could've happened differently, we can hear it echo in the Kamurocho night sky....... "Balls out, Kazuma!"
No way they let Munakata grab the gun lying on the ground TWICE... after having Katsuragi do the same thing earlier
Even though this game is my least favorite, the finale is one of my favorites. It's just so cool. And all 4 versions of "For Faith" (Yakuza 4's main theme) are amazing.
I have to mention again how Tanimura is my favorite character from this game. I adore him! But I have a soft spot for Kido, too! And Daigo, my son...Fighting him makes me so sad and the theme always makes me so emotionnal.
You mentionned Mine during the boss fights, and, yes, Mine's boss fight was just so good that a lot of boss battles and ennemie's moves that came afterwards were inspired by him!
Anyway, can't wait to see the next step of your Yakuza journey with one of my favorites! Yakuza 5!
Tanimura is also my favourite protag from this game! I really liked how his arc was an inversion of the dirty cop arc, not to mention all the amazing social commentary we got from the Asian Gateway sidequests.
23:34 Dang the really denied us shirtless Akiyama here. Also I'm so used to the shirt pull off being a thing that reveals the character's tattoo, but there was no tatto this time which is kinda weird. lol
27:16 Kido doesn't have tats either????? I was not expecting that. Man, here I was getting excited to see what his tat would be, but nope. nothing.
Congratulations on beating Y4. It was actually my entry into the Yakuza series.
Now your next Yakuza game is my actual favourite game in the entire series.
Dead souls is a janky but hilariously cheesy game. I don’t get why it’s your favorite but to each their own
I want to thank you for being happy and want you to know that by making videos, you help those like me gain comfort. I'm sorry if this sounds weird, but your videos make me happy. My family's dog got hit by a car, and my mom had to see it happen. Everybody is sad, and right now, watching through your videos makes me happy and stops me from thinking of the situation I'm in now. Sorry for rambling right now it's hard to put my feelings into words.
This was so entertaining to watch. As someone also coming into these lps blind with you it’s enjoyable to hear your takes on the characters. The ending was especially great. I do feel however Hana Chan was done kinda dirty and I almost expected her to jump out of the shadows and do some kinda gotcha moment.
Also just kind of wondering if the people of kamirocho are gonna get spoiled and expect raining money every few years…
Now that we are the end of the series let me ask something completely different....................are you gonna return to Three Houses? .........No?
It's a shame: The storyline of Kiryu having to beat Diago to his senses after Diago loses his way and nearly ruins the Tojo Clan in a desperate attempt to fix it could have been enough for an entire game itself. Unfortunately, it's awkwardly crammed into the last quarter (if that) of a game where Kiryu and Daigo have no real reason to be major players.
All four of the final boss tracks are so good.
17:35 I FREAKING KNEW IT WHEN THERE WAS NO BLOOD SPLATTER AND CLOSE UP OF HIS FACE LIKE THEY DID WITH KATSURAGI'S DEATH. I'VE LEARNED FROM THE 18 COUNTS INCIDENT.
I'm glad Nico enjoyed Y4 so much despite its flaws, that always makes an LP great.
Now to wait at least a year for Yakuza 5 playthrough
Well, if we've learned anything from this lp, it's that the selfish deed truly was not freedom. Thanks for another great series, Nico!
In Yakuza 5 the floor will be made of loaded guns to justify characters' deaths
And with that, another fantastic Yakuza LP by Nico has been completed.
Sayonara Kiryu & Kamurocho! Got the feeling it's gonna be 2024 next time we see them.
30:35 Saejima: "Sleep little cub, you are not old enough yet to take on GROWN-UP!"
This was a great let's play really enjoyed Yakuza 4 despite the messy parts I can't wait for Yakuza 5. I recommend for the next let's play it to be Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga you will will love it Nico. I don't know when Three Houses will return but I really hope it can come soon.
Really enjoyed watching this Let's Play.
57:20 Btw nico that is essentially kiryu's theme if you forgot, it's name is Receive you and in every yakuza game it gets a sorta remix
God, I remember seeing someone play the final boss fight, but they were just rushing through all the games, and since they didn't have all the skills, and no proper gear, it was hell witnessing the pain of Munakata's boss fight. lol
Saejima definitely felt the most fulfilling because of the fact it is the big payoff of the prior foreshadowing in earlier games.
A story or arc tends to stand out the most if it's been given the right setup that makes the fans anticipate the big reveal.
And finally getting all the answers and reasons for this character's role really makes the wait and development worthwhile.
Even more so that Saejima comes full circle by reviving the Sasaki Clan (via Saejima Clan) within Tojo, which is honestly well deserved after what Katsuragi and co. put them all through.
And assuming Kido didn't go to jail or anything, I'd think it'd be pretty cool if he is Saejima's right-hand, as he deserves to also rise up in ranks for all that he did.
Now I'm only wondering how they'll "salvage" the Tojo Clan when it was "disbanded" later down the line.
I legit thought the video froze when the “and now back to” had nobody for like 5 seconds. Brilliant nico.
I'm playing Y5 right now and all I can think about is listing all the reasons why Nico needs to jump straight this game. Without spoilers, I can say that it's going a never-ending barrage of "I get to do *what* now?!" or "I get to play as *who* now?" and "I get to punch *who* now?!". Even past 5, there are so many moments yet to come that will make Nico kick himself for not getting to these sooner. But all I will say is...
**3 different versions of BAKA MITAI!!**
I'm excited for the day Nico plays Yakuza 5!
Congrats man. I've been watching you since I discovered your Ace Attorney series. I have especially enjoyed your Yakuza LP's. Now there's Yakuza Dead Souls but then there's Yakuza 5. There's a surprise that you will enjoy in 5. You will enjoy what you missed.
Edit: I see you won't play dead souls. Its fine. Can't wait for 5!