Kiryu's speech to Aoyama actually highlights an interesting point about his character. Despite all the "Kiryu never kills" memes there's actually something worth pointing out: there is almost never a time in any of the prior Yakuza games where Kiryu has explicitly stated that he is averse to killing. Sure he clearly values life and would rather spare an enemy rather than kill if he can help it. But at no point does he explicitly say that if the cards were down he would not resort to murder. The closest is in Yakuza 0 where Nishiki tries to convince him to not kill Shibusawa but even that scene was punctuated by the understanding that one day, Kiryu and Nishiki would have to cross that line. Any time he DOES talk about not killing it's usually in the sense that he wants to prevent someone else from doing the deed rather than anything about his own moral philosophy. This implication highlights that there's actually a lot more nuance to his ideals than he lets on. After all, he's not stupid, he's perfectly aware that Yakuza are criminals and that killing is a necessary part of that life. Moreover, when other Yakuza kill he doesn't think less of them for it if it was truly necessary such as not commenting on Daigo killing Shindo in Yakuza 2 or that fact that he so easily accepts Saejima in Yakuza 4. Hell the very first event in the entire series is him taking the heat for Nishiki killing Dojima. However, just because he recognizes that killing is necessary doesn't mean that he doesn't think that it's wrong. He may accept it as a reality of the Yakuza lifestyle and be more than willing to kill in self-defense, but he does sincerely want to live up to the ideal of a Yakuza that doesn't kill even while he acknowledges that in reality that's impossible. The conflict between the reality of the Yakuza and Kiryu's idealized view of it and how to reconcile those has always been a central theme and this aspect is no different. Kiryu knows that he will need to kill and in fact probably already has but even if he can't live up to his ideal of a Yakuza, doesn't mean that he won't at least try to emulate that morality, even if he recognizes its futility.
@@gamerman782 Yeah, but that was him acting to defend himself from the gunman shooting plot bullets at him, instead of going out of his way to kill someone that's a threat who's already stopped fighting, like Aoyama, or Shibusawa at the end of 0. It's a weird line to draw in the sand. Bringing things like stubborn idealism and whatnot into a job that naturally requires killing people kinda tends to do that. It's something that can and I'm sure has been talked about at length multiple times by countless people across God knows how many conversations, and potentially even in the exact same God damn sitting.
@@colt1903 Glad I am not the only guy that felt this way and holy shit Kiritsugu and Kazama san have parallels too being assassins that were badasses with guns
What he pretty much established in this scene is he doesn't want to finish off people intentionally , but if they die in the middle of his beating unexpectedly... that's another thing . Of course he won't directly say that to Aoyama either just to put the fear in him , Aoyama was under the impression Kiryu makes sure not to k*ll so far , now he didn't even know if Kiryu wouldn't make sure to k*ll him.
Alright so the “Kiryu Never Kills” meme is actually a mistranslation, which is why I’ll address it here. The original quote is closer to “Kiryu tries to not kill anyone”. This means that while Kiryu has killed, it was out of safety for his own life and not a case of him actively murdering people. And it means a lot that Aoyama of all people was the one Kiryu almost broke this rule with, not mine, Richardson, or Jingu, a sniveling twerp like aoyama.
@@bigounce2651no it is only that way in the original PS3 version, the remaster clarified it better but since Kiryu never kills is such a huge meme, I figured to bring it up.
@@ronaldood4678fair enough. My Japanese is shoddy at best so I didn’t know the exact translations and I edited my comment to be more accurate. Thanks for bringing it up
(After Majima's funeral) Kiryu, standing next to Majima's coffin: "You were a good man. A bit out there with the ways you'd fight me, but I'll miss you." Majima, opening the coffin: "I'll miss you too Kiryu-chan!"
And here we are…the iconic 100 man Tojo Clan fight. Without a doubt, one of the most badass sequences in the entire franchise, not just for the fight itself (which is phenomenal), but for the cutscenes as well. This is the first time in the series, where the “Kiryu never kills” meme is actually challenged, and by Kiryu himself no less lol. It is so satisfying to see him go to town on Aoyama and threaten him with the simple fact that he was “never a saint”. Being a yakuza is an indelible part of his identity and no matter where he goes or what new path in life he walks (or drives in this case haha), that will never change. Kiryu’s entire arc here is about him begrudgingly accepting this fact and that internal conflict is a huge reason why he is so depressed. From having to leave Okinawa to avoid ruining Haruka’s reputation and career, to having that heart to heart with Watase about potentially rejoining the Tojo, everything so far has been building up to this epiphany. To reinforce this, the track that plays during the fight is called “The Place Where I Used To Be” and I could not think of a more thematically appropriate name for it if I tried. It’s been 7 years since the events of the first game, and here is, putting the Tojo Clan in its place yet again. This is indeed where he used to be and what the world expects of him, but is it where he wants to be? If you read the subtext, it’s more than a fight against 100 expendable thugs, it’s a desperate fight for his own identity. Honestly, I could gush about this segment for hours so I’m just gonna leave it here, but we got a new part to see and I can’t wait for you to experience it! Oh yeah btw, the remaster cuts out a subtitle during the end fight QTE. Kiryu says: “All that for me…but you forgot who I am”. F@cking. Raw.
So we run into 2 of the coolest moments of Kiryu’s Part. The first being the fact Kiryu just anime dodges rockets coming at him like a boss, it's so silly and badass that I can’t even lmao. But I wanna place much more emphasis on the 2nd badass moment. Where Kiryu just absolutely destroys Aoyama physically and _verbally._ Like for him to call Aoyama’s perspective of Kiryu not being able to kill anyone *_absolutely bullz@t_* is one of the biggest highlights toward Kiryu’s character and Y5. So why does this scene go so hard here? Well, out of pretty much all the games up to 5, *not ONCE did the games or the characters within the games really mention Kiryu not being able to kill anyone.* Yakuza 5 is the first game to actually point and straighten this out. *No, Kiryu is **_not a saint._** He himself tells Aoyama and by meta extension, the players that he is a yakuza and is NOT above killing if it means to protect his family/friends.* And _that’s what most players misinterpret about Kiryu actually._ It isn’t that he _can’t_ kill in terms of story context. *It’s that he wouldn’t kill **_out of bloodlust or cold blood._* It doesn’t break character because in past games he tends to think the enemies aren’t a threat anymore once they are struggling on the floor after he beats them even tho his reasoning is dumb lol. *This admittedly causes confusion whether or not Kiryu is willing to kill someone even under pressure to which I kinda blame the past writers for tbh.* One last thing, remember that one line in Yakuza 3 where Kiryu said if Majima became a threat to him and his allies he _would have to kill him?_ Kiryu *was not joking about that.* He knows if Majima were to turn evil, he would have to stop him at any cost, even meaning killing in only defense of others.
And here we get to the one of the most iconic and badass moments of Yakuza 5, Kiryu vs. the Tojo Clan. It's an amazing moment to be sure, but I'd like to highlight the scene where Kiryu threatens Aoyama instead. It might be understandably unintentionally humorous, but I think it’s also a very powerful scene that clears up a big misconception people may or may not have had on Kiryu as a character. We always joke that Kiryu never kills anyone despite doing all kinds of very violent and pretty lethal looking moves in gameplay, and even in cutscenes/QTEs on some occasions. But the games up until this point have never really addressed this in any way, and we’ve simply assumed Kiryu has a no-killing policy due to the many times he’s left his opponents alive or even hesitated to finish them off. However, the truth is that while Kiryu does not kill in cold blood (or at the very least avoids it), Kiryu does in fact kill if the situation forces him to. So when Kiryu shot all those guys in the highway back in 0 and Kiwami, those do indeed count as “kills” for Kiryu, but they were done in self-defense rather than finishing off a defenseless opponent. To add to that, in a few of the Dragon Engine games, the objective for most normal fights is “defend yourself”. In other words, any kills Kiryu may have had throughout the series, be it in gameplay or cutscenes, have always been in self-defense or defense of others (though I suppose that too is debatable in some cases lol). Like Kiryu tells Aoyama, he is not a saint. And while he has values that may or may not differ from most “modern” yakuza, deep down he still feels a pull to the yakuza life, and a lot of his philosophy has been shaped by that lifestyle. He prefers to solve problems with his fists, he enjoys fighting strong opponents and respects strength in general, and will even resort to killing, either in self-defense or if the man he’s facing is simply that much of a threat to him and the people he loves. No matter how much he may hate it, no matter how much he wants to hide, Kazuma Kiryu will always be yakuza.
When you think about it, Kiryu’s section in this game is the exact opposite of his section in Yakuza 4. Not only is it the first section instead of the last section of the game, it’s arguably one of the best in the game!
One of the reasons Majima's death hits really hard here is because, as some commenters may have pointed out, he didn't have a big, dramatic speech, or even go out with a bang. He most likely got caught off guard and was killed instantly offscreen. After Yakuza 1 had Kazama and Yumi die in Kiryu's arms and Nishiki gave his last words to Kiryu, Kiwami 2 and 3 had Ryuji and Mine die after a big fight and speech before they could really do more with them, and we see the natural evolution of that change in character deaths here. Majima was probably sneak-attacked, and he doesn't get a dramatic moment before he bites the dust, or even an internal monologue of contemplation over his life. He's just dead, offscreen at that. Just like how it happens all too often in the real world. You can really see how RGG improves in writing these death scenes as they go through each game, and it's a big, if tragic, highlight of Yakuza 5 and beyond.
You can see the tears in Kiryu's eyes starting to form once he hears that Majima is dead, the man that, while he brought some really unnecessarily hardships (and Very very many times in Kiwami timeline) still means a lot to Kiryu, as they go from Rivals to Friends, and now this is the last straw to bring him back in.
Aoyama: They said you never kill. That you're merciful. Kiryu: Who told you I was involved in a car shootout twice, shot down a helicopter, and nobody died? Aoyama: Well... Weren't those rubber bullets? Kiryu: Who told you I used a waiter as a meatshield to avoid getting shot and he walked out alive? Aoyama: But the other guy was shooting at him... Kiryu: Who told you I shoved a guy out of a moving truck and his head got squished like a grape, and survived? Aoyama: Didn't you later faced him in Kamurocho Hills afterwards... Kiryu: As I said, who told you I never killed anyone? Aoyama: T-the Penguins.
So back when the physical edition for the remaster collection came out in the west, Sega released a kind of interview video with series writer/new studio head, Masayoshi Yokoyama, Kiryu's VA, Takaya Kuroda, and Majima's VA, Hidenari Ugaki, with them briefly talked about each game. When it was time for Yakuza 5's part, Ugaki accidently spoiled Majima's death in the video, and fans were advised to avoid it until they got to the end of Kiryu's part. For you I still recommend not watching until the end because they do talk about other playable characters. Definitely caught some new fans off guard with that reveal. Ugaki even joked and said that he was sure the series was most likely dead after what happened to Majima. The studio may have felt that way as well, since after this game, RGG would make Yakuza 0, as a way to make up for what happened and give Majima a staring role in their game. Also another reason why they added more scenes with Majima in the remakes Kiwami 1 and 2. So at least theirs that. We're gonna miss you, you crazy Mad Dog. Rest well. Edit: At 1:15:26 Kiryu says something that didn't get translated in the remaster (for some reason), but was in the original release. What Kiryu said was, "All this for me, yet you forget who I am." Which is so Raw. What is also raw, is the music, like that's a suprise. Whenever shit gets real, the music goes even harder than it already does. This track is named "The place where I used to be", and was composed by the games music director Mitsuharu Fukuyama. He is also the composer for Baka Mitai, with lyrics from Ryosuke Hori.
*General Notes:* Looks like Minamida makes another return as well. There’s isn't really much to speak about this since a lot of IF8 is locked by needing all the other characters also interact with the machine so you can do all stages for all characters You can’t do this *UNTIL THE FINALE* but later you can upgrade the machine to max for even more upgrades. *So yeah, you are gonna be doing this throughout the game but the Finale chapter is where you actually can do IF8 fully and upgrade then.*
1:10:07 Nico, that's kind of kiryus catchphrase for when he gets serious, and while he didnt say it alot, its most notably known for kiryu saying it here, and from what i recall, the start of the final long battle in yakuza 1
I believe he says in the sequence of 1 where hes out in the street by stardust with Haruka and the whole mob fodder is out there which is also in the intro cutscene could be wrong its been years since i played 1 too
I really like Majima's off screen death. It sadly fits as Majima has been there since the first game, he's been the loudest character in these games, even when he's more mellow in 4 or 0, he still gives the impression of loud. So in a beautiful twist of irony, his death is one of the few to be quiet. No fan-fare or anything, it's just the radio announcement. It also really works well for kiryu too, Kiryu has barely interacted with Majima since Yakuza 3 and at possibly the worst moment in his life up until this point, the one person he's known the longest is finally gone. I won't say where the game will take Kiryu's character from here on, but that honking of the horn is powerful.
"but that honking of the horn is powerful". Yes, it reminds me of the Klingon ritual of screaming to the sky when a friend dies to signal the gods above of their arrival.
The track that plays in this ultra badass sequence is called "The Place Where I Used To Be", surprisingly similar to the title of the 3rd episode of your LP actually! It's composed by Mitsuharu Fukuyama who also worked on 4's OST and a big chunk of 5's (including Bakamitai!) It balances a somber, melancholic tone with a feeling of being overcome by a surge of power and finally letting go. I think it's very reflective of Kiryu tackling the past he so desperately wants to escape head on, channeling his old identity as the legendary Dragon and releasing all these pent up strong emotions that lead to him feeling unstoppable in this moment. All so he can protect the residents of a city he now cares about. Who could have guessed our friendly neighborhood taxi driver Suzuki-san had this in him all along??
Nico running into the flames after shouting "I'm a fire fighter" prolly wasn't intentional, but kiryu shouting "I'm a fire fighter" and running into the flames to try and punch them definitely was.
I just played Taiko no Tatsujin in arcade! It's so amazing in person. When you're playing in real life, it's very natural to alternate quickly between left and right for fast rhythms or the drumroll. It doesn't matter if you hit left or right, as long as you correctly hit the middle of the drum or the outer ring correctly (unless it's a giant note, in which case the game obviously wants you to use both). They expect the same technique on controller, which didn't appear to come naturally to Nico, and he tried to mash the right button in a fast rhythm. For anyone seeking rhythm keeping advice, you don't want to just alternate for the heck of it. Try to dedicate one hand, probably your dominant hand) for either odd beats or on beats, and use your other hand for even beats or off beats. If you meter it out right, then when the rhythm repeats, you don't have to flip hands and muscle memory can kick in.
it's a similar method to when the Project Diva games get really fast just with more buttons. In those the icons are of the face buttons but you can also use the matching d-pad to hit that (so left for square or down for X for example). And by "you can" I mean you FUCKING WILL on the higher difficulties because the beats get so fast that you basically have to alternate sides especially if the pattern goes something like XOXOXOXOXO.
I don't think anyone has told you about a combat mechanic that only exists in this game, or at least one that's just as busted. During a random encounter, in the group of enemies there is a leader, usually the same dude in the overworld. Once you've dealt with him, all the other enemies get spooked. Those affected will either try to flee the fight (you'll know this by seeing "Escaped" in the bottom right-hand corner), get far away from you and try to call reinforcement, get stunted by fear (but still standing tall) for a little bit, get enraged and aggro you, OR, and most importantly, they'll cower on the ground and plea, and if you hit them in this frightened state once, just once, you'll ONE-HIT kill them.
To explain the taiko game- The arcade machines make use of the massive taiko drum in the middle (No duh) which you hit with 2 sticks like you're actually drumming. The idea here with the right half and left is to help with the more frequent hits of the drum. Part of the reason why in here, the hardest difficulty in the arcade is at most 6/10 stars. Having to somehow mash your thumbs to the beat in the same speed as a flick of the wrist from BOTH hands is kinda ridiculous. There is also a home version which does come with a miniature version to help with actually playing it properly. The idea works the same as DDR, hit it in the silhouette of the circle as perfectly as you can to better your score. Small notes are a tap from one half while the bigger ones are a simultaneous hit from both sides. The videos of people playing this game is honestly insane, seeing their taiko sticks basically triple from the sheer afterimages of how fast they are going.
Back in Yakuza 4 Tanimura proclaimed any one of the men allied with him would fight a hundred guys if they had to. Yakuza 5 is all about fulfilling that boast beyond belief.
Remember when Kiryu said he'd rather fight 100 Tojo grunts than fight Kuze before their fifth boss fight in 0? This is the moment Kiryu's been waiting for.
Nico in LJ: oh, the big spoiler was that? I was worried it'd be that majima died or something. The monkeys paw that I'm pretty sure is nico's roommate at this point who's reading a newspaper: welp. Here we go again
I love how the three goons with the fire extinguishers are considered the hardest goon fight in the series because it's possible for them to stunlock you to death.
The fight on the pier is one of my favourite moments from Yakuza 5! The whole sequence Kiryu is just wiping the floor with the Tojo clan and it not only establishes how easy it is for him to take on the entire Tojo Clan by himself calling back to Yakuza 0 when Kiryu told Kuze that if anyone layed a finger on Makoto that he’d bury the Tojo Clan, but also shows how tired he is of the Omi and Tojo dragging him back to these conflicts that he wants no part of. Kiryu is clearly exhausted because the yakuza life has already taken so much from him and is the reason why he can’t even live with the kids at the orphanage anymore. He views it as a curse that he has to live with and hates the fact that he can never escape it no matter how hard he tries, which is why that scene with Aoyama really showcases that we are going to see a different more angrier side of Kiryu in this game. The way he brutalized Aoyama really puts into perspective how dangerous Kiryu could really be if he didn’t have any morals and In a way shows us how Kiryu would’ve turned out if Haruka didn’t come into his life when she did.
Kiryu stating that he's not a Saint works to show that he's willing to kill and reinforces that he's not adverse to the idea. And it makes clear that the meme of "Kiryu never kills" is more mistranslation due to how its suppose to be "Kiryu tires not to kill anyone". After all, the previous games never stated that Kiryu was against killing someone. In fact, he would most likely do such only in self defense. Of course, what Watase said earlier in game most definitely struck with Kiryu. After all, they both have similar values when it comes to the Yakuza and the paths that they're both on. There are clear differences between their values and what they believe in. Which is good, since having them be the same in that regard would have been boring. Now as for Majima's death. Like what others had pointed out, it's a twist that wasn't expected and embodies how yakuza dies in the modern era. No going out with a bang and on terms they have no control over. Granted, there's details missing. Such as the context of what was happening and his goal at the time. Especially since we have no idea what Saejima was doing at the time.
Comment of the day! Thanks, that's definitely a highlight of my year! And I can't believe Bernie is still a streetracer who is going to be in the next Air Bud movie! Air Bud 22: The Fast and the Furriest.
Man, I love Kiryu's section in 5. Even if its only for his last chapter, that slow reigniting of the fire he used to have for The Life is such an amazing layer to his character that I will forever be fascinated by
Nico, this is very important, for the next character you play as, when the game tells you to go to the batting center, before you do that, PUT EVERYTHING FROM YOUR INVENTORY INTO THE ITEM BOX, that includes your money, spend your money on bronze, silver plates, etc and put those into the item box, there are also 2 substories(you have to complete the first one to unlock the second one) you can do at the start of the next characters chapter, otherwise if you progress without doing them, you'd have to wait until the end of the game to do them.
Kiryu doesn’t want to get involved no matter what. (turns on radio) “Majima is dead.” Kiryu, on the verge of tears, immediately puts on the gray suit to leave for Kamurocho.
I’ve been dreading this day that Nico finally sees Majima’s ultimate fate. I think this is what pushed RGG studios to make Y0 a big bombastic game for Majima in particular. RIP we are going to miss you, you mad dog you.
They genuinely did Majima dirty here with his offscreen death, but sadly it's a pretty realistic scenario of how most yakuza die in the modern era. Not with a bang or a legacy, but just as any other criminal, killed without any warning, even though he wasn't playable until Y0 and K2 people still had a soft spot for the guy, Goodbye Goro Majima you absolute mad lad and kiryu's best friend
Okay, this is probably the most epic Yakuza has gotten to this point. Damn it got wild, really got me hooked to the screen. Really wanna see what Watase is going to do next.
All I'm saying is, if I were one of these thugs, and I saw our target effortlessly dodge TWO GODDAMN MISSILES, I'm getting the fuck outta there. I don't care if I get in trouble for treason or have to cut off a finger, NO WAY I'M FIGHTING A GUY LIKE THAT!
yeah like they already knew he was the motherfucking Dragon of Dojima who would regularly fight with GORO MAJIMA, seeing that missile dodge would just make me think "oh so ALL those rumors I thought were exaggerated are just true. Yeah fuck this"
RIP Majima, you will be missed. It's no wonder that RGG Studios gave him special attention in 0, Kiwami 1, and Kiwami 2. They just knew they fumbled him hard after 5. Kiryu going against the Tojo Clan like that mainly by himself is just.... man. No wonder Y5 Kiryu is peak Kiryu if you ask me. I guess it shows that Kiryu's a Japanese Underground legend for a reason. I also find it hilarious RGG's tongue-in-cheek way of acknowledging the "Kiryu doesn't kill" mentality. Also, Nakajima is such a bro too. He is just completely understanding of Kiryu's situation which no doubt not a lot of people would be willing to do.
This is the KH2 1,000 Heartless battle equivalent to yakuza. And its f*cking awesome!!! Also, in the next part when you switch protagonists, make sure to do all of the sub stories you can possibly do. Because otherwise you'll only be able to do them until the end of the game.
And there we are. One of the greatest Kiryu scenes in the entire series. There's so much of his character pushed into that fight and the Aoyama scene, and it's done perfectly. But it also has another one of my favourite scenes of the series: the taxi scene afterward with the Detective. I can confidently say that even though it's quick, with him deliberately goading Kiryu into getting more involved with that little radio hint, his tiny, cruel half-smirk still sits with me even a couple years after my initial playthrough. Just one of those great character beats you don't forget. I love it.
*Kiryu staring at a photo of Majima* “DAME DA NE DAME YO” Oh, and just so you know, some of the weapon revelations are a LOT easier to unlock when you get to Kamurocho. For example, Nakamichi street in Kamurocho has like a billion trash bins to get Kiryu’s weapon revelation with.
The whole "Kiryu never killed anyone" meme is supposed to be more like "Kiryu never murdered anyone in cold blood". He'll try his best to avoid senseless death, because he values life, but he'll absolutely kill in self-defence. That's why Nishiki stopping Kiryu from killing Shibusawa in 0 works even though he just annihilated a highway pull of people. At that point, Shibusawa was no threat to anyone, and killing him would just have been senseless murder. And that's the line Nishiki pleads with Kiryu to not cross. And since Kiryu values life so much, and tries his hardest to avoid senseless violence, it's not difficult to imagine what sort of stories the Tojo Clan people spin about him, who are probably a lot more comfortable with death. Aoyama kind of took those stories at face value, believing the Kiryu genuinely doesn't kill anyone. Also, I like how people are surprised when Kiryu challenges all the Tojo members in Nagasugai to a fight and comes out on top. Mind you, in the previous game, Katsuragi told Kiryu that he'd have to fight an entire skyscraper full of goons to get to him just because he wanted him to be tired when he reached him. Katsuragi knew that an entire building worth of goons would only make Kiryu tired at most. Kiryu being a one-man army should be expected at this point.
The fight against those 100 Tojo men reminded me of the time Kiryu had to fight his way out of Tojo HQ in Yakuza 0. Granted he wasn't alone, it was still impressive. After seeing Kiryu and his two allies fight their way through, the 2nd chairman said "The boy's gonna become a monster one day." Now we've come full circle. We can see that Kiryu is reaching/has reached a breaking point when it comes to his yakuza side. He wants nothing more than to live a peaceful life, but the yakuza will always be a part of him. I believe this is the first time in the series that we see him confront and accept it. And having him basically challenge the notion that he never kills anyone, or mainly Aoyama's perspective of it, was the cherry on top. That whole sequence is was great from a story standpoint and for Kiryu's character. This was a strong start to the game and imo it did Kiryu justice after he got shafted in the last one where his story arc was lackluster. Everything that happened at the end from the cutscenes to the fight will forever be one of the most peak moments in the series.
46:03 Previously, on Yakuza 0 part 43: Kuze: "You planning to make an enemy of the entire Tojo Clan?" Kiryu: "You lay one goddamn finger on Makoto Makumura... and I'll bury the Tojo Clan. I'll crush it down to the last man. That I swear to you." 24 years later, looks like Kiryu somewhat made good on that promise.
If only Majima had also played it,maybe he would've seen Goofy get killed by a rock but not really and said "Holy shit!" ,learning how to avoid his death 😢
This is Kiryu at his most powerful. He fought a hundred guys, half of them had weapons, and dodged two missiles. If after playing 0 you were told this would happen, you'd call bullshit.
This Kiryu vs the Tojo Clan fight is basically a modern day Dynasty Warriors fight. A hundred guys vs the hero with a super attack (Climax Heat Action) and a Rage mode that basically makes them invincible (Dragon Spirit Mode.) Kiryu also can use a pole or a sword, adding to that feeling. Fun fact: there’s a QTE that you can get during this fight, if you get knocked down and you’re being attacked, which is like a safety net if the enemies get too aggressive and stun lock you on the ground.
Can’t believe Kiryu scared two rockets just by staring at them, so much so that they got out of HIS way, like they’re in animate objects how did he even DO that
Something cool that I've not seen anyone else mention. In the past, when Kiryu couldn't light his cigarette, Morinaga tried to light it up for him, as is customary in yakuza, subordinates lighting the cigarette for someone higher rank than them, but Kiryu refused as he didn't feel like a yakuza anymore. This time, when the detective offered him a light, Kiryu accepted. This is such a subtle detail that shows his growth perfectly.
Kiryu dodges the rocket in a cool way, looks behind him and remembers that where the rocket was headed was the Yakuza group he was supposed to be protecting.
Small explanation on how to play Taiko: red notes want you to hit the front of the drum, right or left doesn't matter. Blue wants you to hit the rim, side still doesn't matter. Any of the yellow notes just want you to mash the front buttons as much as you can. And the large notes will earn you more points if you hit them with both the left and right versions of the note color. It's a little bit more intutive with the actual taiko drum.
Ah the hundred man fight. One of the hypest Kiryu moments in the whole series. Just that non-chalant dodge of the rockets, just so awesome. Also I don't remember if I've said it before but I do like Kiryu taxi suit even more than the grey suit in this game. Though I feel it might be intentional from the devs. Like just look at the grey suit in this game. Remember how shiny and prestine it was back in 0? Now it looks unironed, unkempt just.....washed up. It's almost like Kiryu himself wasn't keeping it in good condition because this time more than others, he just didn't want to return to that life. He's just tired of everything and the condition of the classic suit reflects that pretty well. So while I don't like how his drip isn't as sharp as it used to be, I do appreciate the possible narrative reason as to why his suit doesn't look as sleek as it does in other games.
One Taiko / general rythem game tip i have for you. if 2 notes are in quick succession, you can alternate between equivalent buttons. so if there are many blue notes for example you can alternate between both rim buttons to make it easier, or even possible, to hit them all.
Fun fact Nico the dinosaur game In yakuza 5 is called “dinosaur king” not only is it a card collecting game but it was also made into an anime. Sadly I don’t think there’s a mesuking style mini game like Kiwanis 2 in this but if it did include it that would be so badass. I could see kiryu playing as a T. rex since he’s such a beast.
Holy shit i was on the edge of my seat for this one. And man the face kiryu made when he heard the name on the radio hurt man. I don't believe for a second that Majima kicked the bucket but it's a lot seeing Kiryu think he could have.
Nakajima has to be the coolest boss ever! Even after Kiryu comes out he was an ex-Yakuza, he still is supportive of him and still welcomes him in the taxi company.
I think this was an amazing episode. I have been waiting a while to see how you was gonna react to these whole cutscenes, and Kiryu fighting an army(Not just normal men, but men that are tough and have weapons). Your reactions to the story and Kiryu's cutscenes were awesome and were every bit as good as I thought they would be. I agree that this is the most epic Kiryu has been since his fight with Kuze in terms of who he is and his integrity and pride. Kiryu has always been close to as pure as they come in the Yakuza world, but he has an edge and does not consider himself to be a saint, which makes him more amazing that he has never seen himself as that great. I also enjoyed the race you did with the taxi missions and was wondering how you was gonna do in that last race. You are something else; you're crazy good at knowing the right answers to choose to the substories and hostesses(Sometimes it's luck, but I think a lot of luck takes talent, too), you also beat the last taxi race on the first try, even if he did get stuck. I also like how you switch up your combos to be unpredictable to the enemy.
The music when listening to the news at the end there is so good to really shows how dire the situation is. And also the music and sound effect they use before kiryu beats aoyama really elevates the feeling of kiryu is not saint and he is not messing around this time 😅
The moment from 4 where he goes and beats up the Ueno Seiwa to get to Katsuragi at the end of his part is great... but god damn the 100 men Tojo fight. He deflected an RPG round for gods sake. This is just pure bad ass Kiryu straight up. Even before the fight with him talking to Yahata on what to do. And the song that plays called "The place where I used to be" calls back to what Watase was saying. He does like fighting deep within and miss the good old days. One of the greatest moments in the series for sure.
The idea of Majima dying being the thing that breaks Kiryu's hesitancy is so perfect. It genuinely makes 0 feel so much more impactful to me, which is crazy cuz it's already my favorite game in the series because of how impactful it already feels. Majima is Kiryu's longest running friend that isn't either dead or out of the game, and to find out that he's lost him after losing so many other people? It'd be devastating to anyone. Hell, we joked about it in one of the Kiwami games when everyone from 0 was dyin', but real talk, who's actually left for Kiryu at this point if Majima truly is dead? It'd really only be Haruka and the other kids. Daigo as well, but I mean, who else? Aside from them, I can't really think of anyone he has a deep connection with that are still alive and/or active in the games. Kiryu is gonna PERSONALLY kill someone at this rate.😂
Imagine having a hundred Tojo clan men taken out by a single taxi driver. Also, the badass beatdown with Kiryu and his beating of Aoyama proves that Kiryu is not above the idea of killing, if it meant protecting those important to him. That's why he threatens Aoyama that this is his last straw. That if he continues, Kiryu will not hesitate to kill. That moment clarifies his character that he is indeed not above killing, but he does not do it out of anger or cold-bloodedness. He does his best to avoid killing people as much as possible, no matter how bad they are.
I didn't think a game about the Japanese yakuza would contain Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony in any way. As far as that dinosaur game you mentioned at 19:22, it looks like it could be a game known as Dinosaur King state-side and unless the game devs feel like adding a card game with complexities like 72 different dinosaurs with elemental strengths and weaknesses, summoning other dinosaurs for certain attacks, status ailments like burn, poison, paralysis, confuse, and sleep, attacks with life steal features, multi target attacks, insta-kill attacks, and special element dinosaurs, (unless some of all that was just for the Nintendo DS version) you're NEVER going to see it as a game within a game like Virtua Fighter here. P.S. I own the Nintendo DS version of this game P.P.S. Aoyama: Kiryu never kills right? Kiryu: Who decided that? Aoyama:😰 Best scene in the game so far
This is why I love Y5 Kiryu so much. He is so done with everyone's shit. Edit: One of my favorite scenes in the series is after this, with who's in it I hope you get enjoyment out of it too!
Love yakuza 5. Of all the games, I felt like this game really just slaps you in the face and reminds you how good the series is. Not saying it is the best in the series (it is up there with 0 and k2) but it really feels like this game just gets things back onto greatness with 6, 7, 7.5, and 8.
It's always great to see Kiryu just be the badass he is without restraint. So often he keeps this kind of shit under heavy lock and chain. Granted, dude could cave your face in with a single punch, so it's understandable he wouldn't go all out physically 24/7. But socially? Like, this is a guy that has been through hell multiple times over and still going strong. I feel like every scene should be one where I have a stronger grasp on that sort of vibe from him, but he keeps his aura of badassery buried most of the time when he really has no reason to.
Kiryu didnt dodge those rockets aiming towards his face. He mean mugged them so hard, they had to fly away in fear and blow themselves up in the process. He's just that good.
Holy shit, this is probably the most bad ass Kiryu's been since his sewer fight with Kuze.
The most goated man on the planet. Kiryu Kazuma
This is gonna be awesome
The most badassest yet not the most sadest that's for sure!
i just finished the whole thing….holyyyyyyyy
The hype is real
Kiryu's speech to Aoyama actually highlights an interesting point about his character. Despite all the "Kiryu never kills" memes there's actually something worth pointing out: there is almost never a time in any of the prior Yakuza games where Kiryu has explicitly stated that he is averse to killing. Sure he clearly values life and would rather spare an enemy rather than kill if he can help it. But at no point does he explicitly say that if the cards were down he would not resort to murder. The closest is in Yakuza 0 where Nishiki tries to convince him to not kill Shibusawa but even that scene was punctuated by the understanding that one day, Kiryu and Nishiki would have to cross that line. Any time he DOES talk about not killing it's usually in the sense that he wants to prevent someone else from doing the deed rather than anything about his own moral philosophy. This implication highlights that there's actually a lot more nuance to his ideals than he lets on. After all, he's not stupid, he's perfectly aware that Yakuza are criminals and that killing is a necessary part of that life. Moreover, when other Yakuza kill he doesn't think less of them for it if it was truly necessary such as not commenting on Daigo killing Shindo in Yakuza 2 or that fact that he so easily accepts Saejima in Yakuza 4. Hell the very first event in the entire series is him taking the heat for Nishiki killing Dojima. However, just because he recognizes that killing is necessary doesn't mean that he doesn't think that it's wrong. He may accept it as a reality of the Yakuza lifestyle and be more than willing to kill in self-defense, but he does sincerely want to live up to the ideal of a Yakuza that doesn't kill even while he acknowledges that in reality that's impossible. The conflict between the reality of the Yakuza and Kiryu's idealized view of it and how to reconcile those has always been a central theme and this aspect is no different. Kiryu knows that he will need to kill and in fact probably already has but even if he can't live up to his ideal of a Yakuza, doesn't mean that he won't at least try to emulate that morality, even if he recognizes its futility.
Literally Emiya Shirou, Yakuza Edition 😂
He has technically killed one person on screen, when he used the waiter as a meat shield back in 1.
@@gamerman782 Yeah, but that was him acting to defend himself from the gunman shooting plot bullets at him, instead of going out of his way to kill someone that's a threat who's already stopped fighting, like Aoyama, or Shibusawa at the end of 0.
It's a weird line to draw in the sand. Bringing things like stubborn idealism and whatnot into a job that naturally requires killing people kinda tends to do that. It's something that can and I'm sure has been talked about at length multiple times by countless people across God knows how many conversations, and potentially even in the exact same God damn sitting.
@@colt1903 Glad I am not the only guy that felt this way and holy shit Kiritsugu and Kazama san have parallels too being assassins that were badasses with guns
What he pretty much established in this scene is he doesn't want to finish off people intentionally , but if they die in the middle of his beating unexpectedly... that's another thing . Of course he won't directly say that to Aoyama either just to put the fear in him , Aoyama was under the impression Kiryu makes sure not to k*ll so far , now he didn't even know if Kiryu wouldn't make sure to k*ll him.
Alright so the “Kiryu Never Kills” meme is actually a mistranslation, which is why I’ll address it here. The original quote is closer to “Kiryu tries to not kill anyone”. This means that while Kiryu has killed, it was out of safety for his own life and not a case of him actively murdering people. And it means a lot that Aoyama of all people was the one Kiryu almost broke this rule with, not mine, Richardson, or Jingu, a sniveling twerp like aoyama.
Wasn't the "i thought you never kill" line also in the original ps3 release? Did they actually just flunk the same line twice in a row?
A literal translation is 四代目は人は殺さない (4th chairman is a person who doesn’t kill), 情けのある男だって (because he is a especially a man of compassion).
I guess Yakuza 1 doorman doesn’t count
@@bigounce2651no it is only that way in the original PS3 version, the remaster clarified it better but since Kiryu never kills is such a huge meme, I figured to bring it up.
@@ronaldood4678fair enough. My Japanese is shoddy at best so I didn’t know the exact translations and I edited my comment to be more accurate. Thanks for bringing it up
(After Majima's funeral)
Kiryu, standing next to Majima's coffin: "You were a good man. A bit out there with the ways you'd fight me, but I'll miss you."
Majima, opening the coffin: "I'll miss you too Kiryu-chan!"
How that wasn't a thing in the Majima Everywhere System back in Kiwami, I'll never know😂
"HOW ABOUT ONE MORE GO AT IT KIRYU-CHAN!?!"
"Nani!?"
(Recieve and Slash you begins)
TOJO SUBSIDARY
*EX-PATRIARCH OF THE MAJIMA FAMILY*
*GORO MAJIMA*
I like to imagine everyone in Japan was always aware that Suzuki was Kiryu and they only went along with it just to be nice to him
And here we are…the iconic 100 man Tojo Clan fight. Without a doubt, one of the most badass sequences in the entire franchise, not just for the fight itself (which is phenomenal), but for the cutscenes as well. This is the first time in the series, where the “Kiryu never kills” meme is actually challenged, and by Kiryu himself no less lol. It is so satisfying to see him go to town on Aoyama and threaten him with the simple fact that he was “never a saint”.
Being a yakuza is an indelible part of his identity and no matter where he goes or what new path in life he walks (or drives in this case haha), that will never change. Kiryu’s entire arc here is about him begrudgingly accepting this fact and that internal conflict is a huge reason why he is so depressed. From having to leave Okinawa to avoid ruining Haruka’s reputation and career, to having that heart to heart with Watase about potentially rejoining the Tojo, everything so far has been building up to this epiphany.
To reinforce this, the track that plays during the fight is called “The Place Where I Used To Be” and I could not think of a more thematically appropriate name for it if I tried. It’s been 7 years since the events of the first game, and here is, putting the Tojo Clan in its place yet again. This is indeed where he used to be and what the world expects of him, but is it where he wants to be? If you read the subtext, it’s more than a fight against 100 expendable thugs, it’s a desperate fight for his own identity.
Honestly, I could gush about this segment for hours so I’m just gonna leave it here, but we got a new part to see and I can’t wait for you to experience it!
Oh yeah btw, the remaster cuts out a subtitle during the end fight QTE. Kiryu says: “All that for me…but you forgot who I am”. F@cking. Raw.
@@FlameOfUdun96 peak comment, writing down a lot of thoughts I also had perfectly!
@@StefKa02 👊
That last line is amazing, I dunno why they cut it out of the subtitles for the remaster-
Oh hey, Flame! 👋🏿
@@Weirdgirl213 sup
So we run into 2 of the coolest moments of Kiryu’s Part. The first being the fact Kiryu just anime dodges rockets coming at him like a boss, it's so silly and badass that I can’t even lmao.
But I wanna place much more emphasis on the 2nd badass moment. Where Kiryu just absolutely destroys Aoyama physically and _verbally._ Like for him to call Aoyama’s perspective of Kiryu not being able to kill anyone *_absolutely bullz@t_* is one of the biggest highlights toward Kiryu’s character and Y5.
So why does this scene go so hard here? Well, out of pretty much all the games up to 5, *not ONCE did the games or the characters within the games really mention Kiryu not being able to kill anyone.* Yakuza 5 is the first game to actually point and straighten this out.
*No, Kiryu is **_not a saint._** He himself tells Aoyama and by meta extension, the players that he is a yakuza and is NOT above killing if it means to protect his family/friends.* And _that’s what most players misinterpret about Kiryu actually._ It isn’t that he _can’t_ kill in terms of story context. *It’s that he wouldn’t kill **_out of bloodlust or cold blood._*
It doesn’t break character because in past games he tends to think the enemies aren’t a threat anymore once they are struggling on the floor after he beats them even tho his reasoning is dumb lol. *This admittedly causes confusion whether or not Kiryu is willing to kill someone even under pressure to which I kinda blame the past writers for tbh.*
One last thing, remember that one line in Yakuza 3 where Kiryu said if Majima became a threat to him and his allies he _would have to kill him?_ Kiryu *was not joking about that.* He knows if Majima were to turn evil, he would have to stop him at any cost, even meaning killing in only defense of others.
And here we get to the one of the most iconic and badass moments of Yakuza 5, Kiryu vs. the Tojo Clan. It's an amazing moment to be sure, but I'd like to highlight the scene where Kiryu threatens Aoyama instead. It might be understandably unintentionally humorous, but I think it’s also a very powerful scene that clears up a big misconception people may or may not have had on Kiryu as a character.
We always joke that Kiryu never kills anyone despite doing all kinds of very violent and pretty lethal looking moves in gameplay, and even in cutscenes/QTEs on some occasions. But the games up until this point have never really addressed this in any way, and we’ve simply assumed Kiryu has a no-killing policy due to the many times he’s left his opponents alive or even hesitated to finish them off. However, the truth is that while Kiryu does not kill in cold blood (or at the very least avoids it), Kiryu does in fact kill if the situation forces him to.
So when Kiryu shot all those guys in the highway back in 0 and Kiwami, those do indeed count as “kills” for Kiryu, but they were done in self-defense rather than finishing off a defenseless opponent. To add to that, in a few of the Dragon Engine games, the objective for most normal fights is “defend yourself”. In other words, any kills Kiryu may have had throughout the series, be it in gameplay or cutscenes, have always been in self-defense or defense of others (though I suppose that too is debatable in some cases lol).
Like Kiryu tells Aoyama, he is not a saint. And while he has values that may or may not differ from most “modern” yakuza, deep down he still feels a pull to the yakuza life, and a lot of his philosophy has been shaped by that lifestyle. He prefers to solve problems with his fists, he enjoys fighting strong opponents and respects strength in general, and will even resort to killing, either in self-defense or if the man he’s facing is simply that much of a threat to him and the people he loves.
No matter how much he may hate it, no matter how much he wants to hide, Kazuma Kiryu will always be yakuza.
1:15:29 This line is translated in the non-remastered version as "All this for me, but you forgot who I am."
When you think about it, Kiryu’s section in this game is the exact opposite of his section in Yakuza 4. Not only is it the first section instead of the last section of the game, it’s arguably one of the best in the game!
One of the reasons Majima's death hits really hard here is because, as some commenters may have pointed out, he didn't have a big, dramatic speech, or even go out with a bang. He most likely got caught off guard and was killed instantly offscreen. After Yakuza 1 had Kazama and Yumi die in Kiryu's arms and Nishiki gave his last words to Kiryu, Kiwami 2 and 3 had Ryuji and Mine die after a big fight and speech before they could really do more with them, and we see the natural evolution of that change in character deaths here.
Majima was probably sneak-attacked, and he doesn't get a dramatic moment before he bites the dust, or even an internal monologue of contemplation over his life. He's just dead, offscreen at that. Just like how it happens all too often in the real world. You can really see how RGG improves in writing these death scenes as they go through each game, and it's a big, if tragic, highlight of Yakuza 5 and beyond.
"I feel like we've been here before, have we been here before?" -TFS Frieza
Man, what a bizarre ass comment. Took me on an adventure.
You can see the tears in Kiryu's eyes starting to form once he hears that Majima is dead, the man that, while he brought some really unnecessarily hardships (and Very very many times in Kiwami timeline) still means a lot to Kiryu, as they go from Rivals to Friends, and now this is the last straw to bring him back in.
Aoyama: They said you never kill. That you're merciful.
Kiryu: Who told you I was involved in a car shootout twice, shot down a helicopter, and nobody died?
Aoyama: Well... Weren't those rubber bullets?
Kiryu: Who told you I used a waiter as a meatshield to avoid getting shot and he walked out alive?
Aoyama: But the other guy was shooting at him...
Kiryu: Who told you I shoved a guy out of a moving truck and his head got squished like a grape, and survived?
Aoyama: Didn't you later faced him in Kamurocho Hills afterwards...
Kiryu: As I said, who told you I never killed anyone?
Aoyama: T-the Penguins.
So back when the physical edition for the remaster collection came out in the west, Sega released a kind of interview video with series writer/new studio head, Masayoshi Yokoyama, Kiryu's VA, Takaya Kuroda, and Majima's VA, Hidenari Ugaki, with them briefly talked about each game.
When it was time for Yakuza 5's part, Ugaki accidently spoiled Majima's death in the video, and fans were advised to avoid it until they got to the end of Kiryu's part. For you I still recommend not watching until the end because they do talk about other playable characters. Definitely caught some new fans off guard with that reveal.
Ugaki even joked and said that he was sure the series was most likely dead after what happened to Majima. The studio may have felt that way as well, since after this game, RGG would make Yakuza 0, as a way to make up for what happened and give Majima a staring role in their game. Also another reason why they added more scenes with Majima in the remakes Kiwami 1 and 2. So at least theirs that.
We're gonna miss you, you crazy Mad Dog. Rest well.
Edit: At 1:15:26 Kiryu says something that didn't get translated in the remaster (for some reason), but was in the original release. What Kiryu said was, "All this for me, yet you forget who I am." Which is so Raw.
What is also raw, is the music, like that's a suprise. Whenever shit gets real, the music goes even harder than it already does. This track is named "The place where I used to be", and was composed by the games music director Mitsuharu Fukuyama. He is also the composer for Baka Mitai, with lyrics from Ryosuke Hori.
*General Notes:* Looks like Minamida makes another return as well. There’s isn't really much to speak about this since a lot of IF8 is locked by needing all the other characters also interact with the machine so you can do all stages for all characters
You can’t do this *UNTIL THE FINALE* but later you can upgrade the machine to max for even more upgrades.
*So yeah, you are gonna be doing this throughout the game but the Finale chapter is where you actually can do IF8 fully and upgrade then.*
1:10:07 Nico, that's kind of kiryus catchphrase for when he gets serious, and while he didnt say it alot, its most notably known for kiryu saying it here, and from what i recall, the start of the final long battle in yakuza 1
I believe he says in the sequence of 1 where hes out in the street by stardust with Haruka and the whole mob fodder is out there which is also in the intro cutscene could be wrong its been years since i played 1 too
I really like Majima's off screen death. It sadly fits as Majima has been there since the first game, he's been the loudest character in these games, even when he's more mellow in 4 or 0, he still gives the impression of loud. So in a beautiful twist of irony, his death is one of the few to be quiet. No fan-fare or anything, it's just the radio announcement.
It also really works well for kiryu too, Kiryu has barely interacted with Majima since Yakuza 3 and at possibly the worst moment in his life up until this point, the one person he's known the longest is finally gone. I won't say where the game will take Kiryu's character from here on, but that honking of the horn is powerful.
Yup Yakuza 3 is the last time Kiryu fights Majima
"but that honking of the horn is powerful". Yes, it reminds me of the Klingon ritual of screaming to the sky when a friend dies to signal the gods above of their arrival.
"If you wanna die, then step up!" Is a common thing Kiryu says before a big fight in the story throughout the games
(spoilers)
And after Like A Dragon, it triggers everyone's PTSD😂
The track that plays in this ultra badass sequence is called "The Place Where I Used To Be", surprisingly similar to the title of the 3rd episode of your LP actually!
It's composed by Mitsuharu Fukuyama who also worked on 4's OST and a big chunk of 5's (including Bakamitai!)
It balances a somber, melancholic tone with a feeling of being overcome by a surge of power and finally letting go. I think it's very reflective of Kiryu tackling the past he so desperately wants to escape head on, channeling his old identity as the legendary Dragon and releasing all these pent up strong emotions that lead to him feeling unstoppable in this moment. All so he can protect the residents of a city he now cares about.
Who could have guessed our friendly neighborhood taxi driver Suzuki-san had this in him all along??
Nico running into the flames after shouting "I'm a fire fighter" prolly wasn't intentional, but kiryu shouting "I'm a fire fighter" and running into the flames to try and punch them definitely was.
I just played Taiko no Tatsujin in arcade! It's so amazing in person.
When you're playing in real life, it's very natural to alternate quickly between left and right for fast rhythms or the drumroll. It doesn't matter if you hit left or right, as long as you correctly hit the middle of the drum or the outer ring correctly (unless it's a giant note, in which case the game obviously wants you to use both). They expect the same technique on controller, which didn't appear to come naturally to Nico, and he tried to mash the right button in a fast rhythm.
For anyone seeking rhythm keeping advice, you don't want to just alternate for the heck of it. Try to dedicate one hand, probably your dominant hand) for either odd beats or on beats, and use your other hand for even beats or off beats. If you meter it out right, then when the rhythm repeats, you don't have to flip hands and muscle memory can kick in.
it's a similar method to when the Project Diva games get really fast just with more buttons. In those the icons are of the face buttons but you can also use the matching d-pad to hit that (so left for square or down for X for example). And by "you can" I mean you FUCKING WILL on the higher difficulties because the beats get so fast that you basically have to alternate sides especially if the pattern goes something like XOXOXOXOXO.
I don't think anyone has told you about a combat mechanic that only exists in this game, or at least one that's just as busted.
During a random encounter, in the group of enemies there is a leader, usually the same dude in the overworld. Once you've dealt with him, all the other enemies get spooked. Those affected will either try to flee the fight (you'll know this by seeing "Escaped" in the bottom right-hand corner), get far away from you and try to call reinforcement, get stunted by fear (but still standing tall) for a little bit, get enraged and aggro you, OR, and most importantly, they'll cower on the ground and plea, and if you hit them in this frightened state once, just once, you'll ONE-HIT kill them.
I love that
To explain the taiko game-
The arcade machines make use of the massive taiko drum in the middle (No duh) which you hit with 2 sticks like you're actually drumming.
The idea here with the right half and left is to help with the more frequent hits of the drum. Part of the reason why in here, the hardest difficulty in the arcade is at most 6/10 stars. Having to somehow mash your thumbs to the beat in the same speed as a flick of the wrist from BOTH hands is kinda ridiculous.
There is also a home version which does come with a miniature version to help with actually playing it properly.
The idea works the same as DDR, hit it in the silhouette of the circle as perfectly as you can to better your score. Small notes are a tap from one half while the bigger ones are a simultaneous hit from both sides.
The videos of people playing this game is honestly insane, seeing their taiko sticks basically triple from the sheer afterimages of how fast they are going.
yeah I have Drum N Fun for Swtich & even imported the drum controller. The game is fun but TOUGH
Back in Yakuza 4 Tanimura proclaimed any one of the men allied with him would fight a hundred guys if they had to. Yakuza 5 is all about fulfilling that boast beyond belief.
Remember when Kiryu said he'd rather fight 100 Tojo grunts than fight Kuze before their fifth boss fight in 0? This is the moment Kiryu's been waiting for.
Akihiko: I been waiting for this!
Kiryu: you are you
Nico in LJ: oh, the big spoiler was that? I was worried it'd be that majima died or something.
The monkeys paw that I'm pretty sure is nico's roommate at this point who's reading a newspaper: welp. Here we go again
I love how the three goons with the fire extinguishers are considered the hardest goon fight in the series because it's possible for them to stunlock you to death.
The fight on the pier is one of my favourite moments from Yakuza 5! The whole sequence Kiryu is just wiping the floor with the Tojo clan and it not only establishes how easy it is for him to take on the entire Tojo Clan by himself calling back to Yakuza 0 when Kiryu told Kuze that if anyone layed a finger on Makoto that he’d bury the Tojo Clan, but also shows how tired he is of the Omi and Tojo dragging him back to these conflicts that he wants no part of.
Kiryu is clearly exhausted because the yakuza life has already taken so much from him and is the reason why he can’t even live with the kids at the orphanage anymore. He views it as a curse that he has to live with and hates the fact that he can never escape it no matter how hard he tries, which is why that scene with Aoyama really showcases that we are going to see a different more angrier side of Kiryu in this game. The way he brutalized Aoyama really puts into perspective how dangerous Kiryu could really be if he didn’t have any morals and In a way shows us how Kiryu would’ve turned out if Haruka didn’t come into his life when she did.
Kiryu stating that he's not a Saint works to show that he's willing to kill and reinforces that he's not adverse to the idea. And it makes clear that the meme of "Kiryu never kills" is more mistranslation due to how its suppose to be "Kiryu tires not to kill anyone". After all, the previous games never stated that Kiryu was against killing someone. In fact, he would most likely do such only in self defense.
Of course, what Watase said earlier in game most definitely struck with Kiryu. After all, they both have similar values when it comes to the Yakuza and the paths that they're both on. There are clear differences between their values and what they believe in. Which is good, since having them be the same in that regard would have been boring.
Now as for Majima's death. Like what others had pointed out, it's a twist that wasn't expected and embodies how yakuza dies in the modern era. No going out with a bang and on terms they have no control over. Granted, there's details missing. Such as the context of what was happening and his goal at the time. Especially since we have no idea what Saejima was doing at the time.
Comment of the day! Thanks, that's definitely a highlight of my year! And I can't believe Bernie is still a streetracer who is going to be in the next Air Bud movie! Air Bud 22: The Fast and the Furriest.
Man, I love Kiryu's section in 5. Even if its only for his last chapter, that slow reigniting of the fire he used to have for The Life is such an amazing layer to his character that I will forever be fascinated by
17:06 that song that song plays in the crocodile versus Luffy fight in one piece as soon as that started playing nostalgia just started hitting me😂❤❤
1:18:11 And there it is! This one line somehow made everything Kiryu has done up to this point non-lethal. Kiryu never killed anyone.
Nico, this is very important, for the next character you play as, when the game tells you to go to the batting center, before you do that, PUT EVERYTHING FROM YOUR INVENTORY INTO THE ITEM BOX, that includes your money, spend your money on bronze, silver plates, etc and put those into the item box, there are also 2 substories(you have to complete the first one to unlock the second one) you can do at the start of the next characters chapter, otherwise if you progress without doing them, you'd have to wait until the end of the game to do them.
Kiryu doesn’t want to get involved no matter what.
(turns on radio)
“Majima is dead.”
Kiryu, on the verge of tears, immediately puts on the gray suit to leave for Kamurocho.
Kiryu: **Holding a Golden (Shot)Gun** "I just wanna talk to the guy that killed Majima. I JUST wanna talk to him."
So... that warning shot Morinaga shot by Kiryu's head totally killed one of the guys standing in the background, right?
I’ve been dreading this day that Nico finally sees Majima’s ultimate fate. I think this is what pushed RGG studios to make Y0 a big bombastic game for Majima in particular.
RIP we are going to miss you, you mad dog you.
They genuinely did Majima dirty here with his offscreen death, but sadly it's a pretty realistic scenario of how most yakuza die in the modern era. Not with a bang or a legacy, but just as any other criminal, killed without any warning, even though he wasn't playable until Y0 and K2 people still had a soft spot for the guy, Goodbye Goro Majima you absolute mad lad and kiryu's best friend
Majima's dead? that doesn't make sense though
A bizzare classic
Spoilers
"Intruders! Sound the alarm! ... Isn't that the line?" 😂
Okay, this is probably the most epic Yakuza has gotten to this point. Damn it got wild, really got me hooked to the screen.
Really wanna see what Watase is going to do next.
All I'm saying is, if I were one of these thugs, and I saw our target effortlessly dodge TWO GODDAMN MISSILES, I'm getting the fuck outta there. I don't care if I get in trouble for treason or have to cut off a finger, NO WAY I'M FIGHTING A GUY LIKE THAT!
yeah like they already knew he was the motherfucking Dragon of Dojima who would regularly fight with GORO MAJIMA, seeing that missile dodge would just make me think "oh so ALL those rumors I thought were exaggerated are just true. Yeah fuck this"
You kidding? At that point I'm having a Come To Jesus moment and seeing him beating my ass as an ACT OF GOD. 😂
21:38 "legendary racer" everyone.
For comparison, it took 7 parts to finish the first character of Yakuza 4, while it took 12 parts in Yakuza 5. Proof that this game is quite meaty.
Let’s see how long Part 2’s gonna take…
@@sndark6241 Yeah that character's side story is a doozy lol
RIP Majima, you will be missed. It's no wonder that RGG Studios gave him special attention in 0, Kiwami 1, and Kiwami 2. They just knew they fumbled him hard after 5.
Kiryu going against the Tojo Clan like that mainly by himself is just.... man. No wonder Y5 Kiryu is peak Kiryu if you ask me. I guess it shows that Kiryu's a Japanese Underground legend for a reason. I also find it hilarious RGG's tongue-in-cheek way of acknowledging the "Kiryu doesn't kill" mentality.
Also, Nakajima is such a bro too. He is just completely understanding of Kiryu's situation which no doubt not a lot of people would be willing to do.
Now Nico reconsidering what he said about not giving a shit when he heard the Tojo Clan disbanded in Lost Judgment?
Rest in piece our beloved mad dog of shimano
This is the KH2 1,000 Heartless battle equivalent to yakuza. And its f*cking awesome!!!
Also, in the next part when you switch protagonists, make sure to do all of the sub stories you can possibly do. Because otherwise you'll only be able to do them until the end of the game.
I like to think that Kiryu bashing the car horn after hearing about Majima's death is his version of, "FUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
And there we are. One of the greatest Kiryu scenes in the entire series. There's so much of his character pushed into that fight and the Aoyama scene, and it's done perfectly. But it also has another one of my favourite scenes of the series: the taxi scene afterward with the Detective.
I can confidently say that even though it's quick, with him deliberately goading Kiryu into getting more involved with that little radio hint, his tiny, cruel half-smirk still sits with me even a couple years after my initial playthrough.
Just one of those great character beats you don't forget. I love it.
*Kiryu staring at a photo of Majima*
“DAME DA NE DAME YO”
Oh, and just so you know, some of the weapon revelations are a LOT easier to unlock when you get to Kamurocho. For example, Nakamichi street in Kamurocho has like a billion trash bins to get Kiryu’s weapon revelation with.
The whole "Kiryu never killed anyone" meme is supposed to be more like "Kiryu never murdered anyone in cold blood". He'll try his best to avoid senseless death, because he values life, but he'll absolutely kill in self-defence.
That's why Nishiki stopping Kiryu from killing Shibusawa in 0 works even though he just annihilated a highway pull of people. At that point, Shibusawa was no threat to anyone, and killing him would just have been senseless murder. And that's the line Nishiki pleads with Kiryu to not cross.
And since Kiryu values life so much, and tries his hardest to avoid senseless violence, it's not difficult to imagine what sort of stories the Tojo Clan people spin about him, who are probably a lot more comfortable with death. Aoyama kind of took those stories at face value, believing the Kiryu genuinely doesn't kill anyone.
Also, I like how people are surprised when Kiryu challenges all the Tojo members in Nagasugai to a fight and comes out on top. Mind you, in the previous game, Katsuragi told Kiryu that he'd have to fight an entire skyscraper full of goons to get to him just because he wanted him to be tired when he reached him. Katsuragi knew that an entire building worth of goons would only make Kiryu tired at most. Kiryu being a one-man army should be expected at this point.
You know what would be really crazy
A Nicob let's read of Don Quixote
The fight against those 100 Tojo men reminded me of the time Kiryu had to fight his way out of Tojo HQ in Yakuza 0. Granted he wasn't alone, it was still impressive. After seeing Kiryu and his two allies fight their way through, the 2nd chairman said "The boy's gonna become a monster one day." Now we've come full circle.
We can see that Kiryu is reaching/has reached a breaking point when it comes to his yakuza side. He wants nothing more than to live a peaceful life, but the yakuza will always be a part of him. I believe this is the first time in the series that we see him confront and accept it. And having him basically challenge the notion that he never kills anyone, or mainly Aoyama's perspective of it, was the cherry on top. That whole sequence is was great from a story standpoint and for Kiryu's character.
This was a strong start to the game and imo it did Kiryu justice after he got shafted in the last one where his story arc was lackluster. Everything that happened at the end from the cutscenes to the fight will forever be one of the most peak moments in the series.
46:03
Previously, on Yakuza 0 part 43:
Kuze: "You planning to make an enemy of the entire Tojo Clan?"
Kiryu: "You lay one goddamn finger on Makoto Makumura... and I'll bury the Tojo Clan. I'll crush it down to the last man. That I swear to you."
24 years later, looks like Kiryu somewhat made good on that promise.
Kiryu got to that part in Kingdom Hearts 2 where Sora took down 1,000 heartless, said “That’s rad!” And then went and fought 1,000 yakuza grunts.
If only Majima had also played it,maybe he would've seen Goofy get killed by a rock but not really and said "Holy shit!" ,learning how to avoid his death 😢
This is Kiryu at his most powerful. He fought a hundred guys, half of them had weapons, and dodged two missiles. If after playing 0 you were told this would happen, you'd call bullshit.
This was my second piece of Yakuza Media after 0
This Kiryu vs the Tojo Clan fight is basically a modern day Dynasty Warriors fight. A hundred guys vs the hero with a super attack (Climax Heat Action) and a Rage mode that basically makes them invincible (Dragon Spirit Mode.) Kiryu also can use a pole or a sword, adding to that feeling. Fun fact: there’s a QTE that you can get during this fight, if you get knocked down and you’re being attacked, which is like a safety net if the enemies get too aggressive and stun lock you on the ground.
I keep hearing Kiryu shout "Lindaaaaa!" during taiko game :'D
The fact people have done the “100 Man Army” fight without taking a hit is nuts.
Can’t believe Kiryu scared two rockets just by staring at them, so much so that they got out of HIS way, like they’re in animate objects how did he even DO that
I can't believe Goro Majima died off screen.
Something cool that I've not seen anyone else mention.
In the past, when Kiryu couldn't light his cigarette, Morinaga tried to light it up for him, as is customary in yakuza, subordinates lighting the cigarette for someone higher rank than them, but Kiryu refused as he didn't feel like a yakuza anymore. This time, when the detective offered him a light, Kiryu accepted. This is such a subtle detail that shows his growth perfectly.
Kiryu dodges the rocket in a cool way, looks behind him and remembers that where the rocket was headed was the Yakuza group he was supposed to be protecting.
what if kiryu's anime girl taxi design showed up in cutscenes that would be so funny
Aoyama: Y-You won't kill me! You're Kazuma Kiryu! You've never killed anyone!
Kiryu: *cracks his knuckles*
Aoyama: ...R-Right...?
Kiryu: *leans in and whispers softly in Aoyama's ear* ...Tiger Drop.
Aoyama: ...Wha *BOOM*
Nico the reason you can't put weapons away is because you keep filling your weapon slots!
Small explanation on how to play Taiko: red notes want you to hit the front of the drum, right or left doesn't matter. Blue wants you to hit the rim, side still doesn't matter. Any of the yellow notes just want you to mash the front buttons as much as you can. And the large notes will earn you more points if you hit them with both the left and right versions of the note color. It's a little bit more intutive with the actual taiko drum.
Im just here to make a shout out to the true Suzuki that came out with the shotgun and died at the hands of fake suzuki at the big fight.
Ah the hundred man fight. One of the hypest Kiryu moments in the whole series. Just that non-chalant dodge of the rockets, just so awesome.
Also I don't remember if I've said it before but I do like Kiryu taxi suit even more than the grey suit in this game. Though I feel it might be intentional from the devs.
Like just look at the grey suit in this game. Remember how shiny and prestine it was back in 0? Now it looks unironed, unkempt just.....washed up. It's almost like Kiryu himself wasn't keeping it in good condition because this time more than others, he just didn't want to return to that life. He's just tired of everything and the condition of the classic suit reflects that pretty well.
So while I don't like how his drip isn't as sharp as it used to be, I do appreciate the possible narrative reason as to why his suit doesn't look as sleek as it does in other games.
One Taiko / general rythem game tip i have for you.
if 2 notes are in quick succession, you can alternate between equivalent buttons. so if there are many blue notes for example you can alternate between both rim buttons to make it easier, or even possible, to hit them all.
Damn, Nico lucks out and cheeses the hardest race. Good job.
Fun fact Nico the dinosaur game In yakuza 5 is called “dinosaur king” not only is it a card collecting game but it was also made into an anime. Sadly I don’t think there’s a mesuking style mini game like Kiwanis 2 in this but if it did include it that would be so badass. I could see kiryu playing as a T. rex since he’s such a beast.
Holy shit i was on the edge of my seat for this one. And man the face kiryu made when he heard the name on the radio hurt man. I don't believe for a second that Majima kicked the bucket but it's a lot seeing Kiryu think he could have.
Nakajima has to be the coolest boss ever! Even after Kiryu comes out he was an ex-Yakuza, he still is supportive of him and still welcomes him in the taxi company.
I think this was an amazing episode. I have been waiting a while to see how you was gonna react to these whole cutscenes, and Kiryu fighting an army(Not just normal men, but men that are tough and have weapons). Your reactions to the story and Kiryu's cutscenes were awesome and were every bit as good as I thought they would be. I agree that this is the most epic Kiryu has been since his fight with Kuze in terms of who he is and his integrity and pride. Kiryu has always been close to as pure as they come in the Yakuza world, but he has an edge and does not consider himself to be a saint, which makes him more amazing that he has never seen himself as that great. I also enjoyed the race you did with the taxi missions and was wondering how you was gonna do in that last race. You are something else; you're crazy good at knowing the right answers to choose to the substories and hostesses(Sometimes it's luck, but I think a lot of luck takes talent, too), you also beat the last taxi race on the first try, even if he did get stuck. I also like how you switch up your combos to be unpredictable to the enemy.
The music when listening to the news at the end there is so good to really shows how dire the situation is. And also the music and sound effect they use before kiryu beats aoyama really elevates the feeling of kiryu is not saint and he is not messing around this time 😅
The moment from 4 where he goes and beats up the Ueno Seiwa to get to Katsuragi at the end of his part is great... but god damn the 100 men Tojo fight. He deflected an RPG round for gods sake. This is just pure bad ass Kiryu straight up. Even before the fight with him talking to Yahata on what to do. And the song that plays called "The place where I used to be" calls back to what Watase was saying. He does like fighting deep within and miss the good old days. One of the greatest moments in the series for sure.
The idea of Majima dying being the thing that breaks Kiryu's hesitancy is so perfect. It genuinely makes 0 feel so much more impactful to me, which is crazy cuz it's already my favorite game in the series because of how impactful it already feels.
Majima is Kiryu's longest running friend that isn't either dead or out of the game, and to find out that he's lost him after losing so many other people? It'd be devastating to anyone.
Hell, we joked about it in one of the Kiwami games when everyone from 0 was dyin', but real talk, who's actually left for Kiryu at this point if Majima truly is dead? It'd really only be Haruka and the other kids. Daigo as well, but I mean, who else? Aside from them, I can't really think of anyone he has a deep connection with that are still alive and/or active in the games.
Kiryu is gonna PERSONALLY kill someone at this rate.😂
“Kiryu never killed anyone”
That one waiter in yakuza kiwami 1 kiryu used as a human shield: am I a joke to you?!
Here we go, some of the most peak moments in the whole series, Yakuza 5 really has a lot of memorable sequences.
Damn! Kiryu took some extra badass pills in this episode! He actually took the Tojo clan by the balls there!
Can we take a moment to talk how Kiryu looks so badass dodging *A FREAKING MISSILE!!!*
Huh, I wonder what happened to Furumuchi, it's almost as if there was an accident... with his car... Oh well, back to high speed racing.
Imagine having a hundred Tojo clan men taken out by a single taxi driver.
Also, the badass beatdown with Kiryu and his beating of Aoyama proves that Kiryu is not above the idea of killing, if it meant protecting those important to him. That's why he threatens Aoyama that this is his last straw. That if he continues, Kiryu will not hesitate to kill. That moment clarifies his character that he is indeed not above killing, but he does not do it out of anger or cold-bloodedness. He does his best to avoid killing people as much as possible, no matter how bad they are.
I didn't think a game about the Japanese yakuza would contain Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony in any way.
As far as that dinosaur game you mentioned at 19:22, it looks like it could be a game known as Dinosaur King state-side and unless the game devs feel like adding a card game with complexities like 72 different dinosaurs with elemental strengths and weaknesses, summoning other dinosaurs for certain attacks, status ailments like burn, poison, paralysis, confuse, and sleep, attacks with life steal features, multi target attacks, insta-kill attacks, and special element dinosaurs, (unless some of all that was just for the Nintendo DS version) you're NEVER going to see it as a game within a game like Virtua Fighter here.
P.S. I own the Nintendo DS version of this game
P.P.S. Aoyama: Kiryu never kills right?
Kiryu: Who decided that?
Aoyama:😰
Best scene in the game so far
1:03:04 Peak that guy in the back left wearing what looks like Kaito’s outfit, and the guy on that guy on the right wearing Kiryu’s OG outfit.
I think the main thing with the taiko game is to alternate left and right.
Nico, alot of the weapon revelations can be gotten way later on in the coliseum. Do them then
In Yakuza 4, you completed the first story of the game (Akiyama) in Episode 7.
You are currently on Episode 12.
Enjoy the rest of the ride.
Only a Majima can bring back the Dragon of Dojima
This is why I love Y5 Kiryu so much.
He is so done with everyone's shit.
Edit: One of my favorite scenes in the series is after this, with who's in it I hope you get enjoyment out of it too!
The phonebooks rise up from-
An animal wakes up in a forest.
And thus we say goodbye to Taichi Suzuki.
Love yakuza 5. Of all the games, I felt like this game really just slaps you in the face and reminds you how good the series is. Not saying it is the best in the series (it is up there with 0 and k2) but it really feels like this game just gets things back onto greatness with 6, 7, 7.5, and 8.
It is not a yakuza game without kiryu kicking the tojo clan's ass
It's always great to see Kiryu just be the badass he is without restraint. So often he keeps this kind of shit under heavy lock and chain. Granted, dude could cave your face in with a single punch, so it's understandable he wouldn't go all out physically 24/7. But socially? Like, this is a guy that has been through hell multiple times over and still going strong. I feel like every scene should be one where I have a stronger grasp on that sort of vibe from him, but he keeps his aura of badassery buried most of the time when he really has no reason to.
Did you know?
The battle theme that plays during the 100 man fight is called "The place where I used to be"
Kiryu didnt dodge those rockets aiming towards his face. He mean mugged them so hard, they had to fly away in fear and blow themselves up in the process. He's just that good.
Local taxi driver vs 100+ trained Yakuza members
Man, Kiryu’s section of the game is so freaking good.
I wish I liked the rest of the game as much.
Kiryu glares at missiles.
Missiles: NOPE! just passing by.
The closest to kiryu almost killin' someone, not like he ever did before
Imagine you're going to fight an army when all of a sudden, a taxi cab just pulls up in the middle of the battlefield. 😂