Yakuza Like a Dragon: How to Write the PERFECT Video Game Protagonist!
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2022
- Recently I've been playing Yakuza Like a Dragon. This is my first foray into the Yakuza series and JRPGs in general. I love the densely packed world and gluttony of mini-games, but what I like most about the game is its protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga. Not only do I think he's a great main character from a storytelling perspective, but he's also the perfect video game protagonist.
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No spoilers please, Yakuza fans :)
Kiryu is actually a cat, a twist revealed in yakuza 6
@@loloshuareally⁉️
@@romanmajima ...I don't remember saying that at all
I am glad you are liking the game, the other games are also great. Just a quick correction: Ichiban is the new mainlane protagonist of the series. Like a Dragon is Yakuza 7, not a spin off.
Well, with the gameplay shift and subtitle it's easy to see why one might think it's a spinoff.
I'm also incredibly amused that the gameplay shift was apparently inspired by a well-received April Fools joke.
Ichiban is not the perfect portaginst He's the perfect friend
It's an easy mistake with it's naming in the west. They changed Like a Dragon 7 (which had always been Yakuza in the West) to Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The reasoning I saw that it was a fresh start for the series and soft reboot (but it still only got that title treatment in the west). Then they announced that the series from now on would be called Like a Dragon in the west instead of Yakuza and the next game was Like a Dragon 8 Infinite Wealth.
@@vullord666
It was also a good chance for them to rebrand the series' name overseas back to its original one that fits the overall series better considering that while yes the Yakuza are often integral to the plot (unless you're like... Kenzan or Ishin.) they're not really what the series is *about* imo, if that makes sense? I'm one of those weirdos who views side content as canon but to me LaD is about chasing your best self, protecting others, rising above adversity, even when all of it seems completely impossible. Trying to be like, y'know, a dragon.
Having only played the first few chapters of _Yakuza Kiwami_ alongside a bit of _Like a Dragon,_ I don't think Kiryu is any less idealistic than Ichiban. He's just more stoic about the whole thing, and his ideal isn't _Dragon Quest_ but the Ideal Yakuza that exists to protect the people that the top of society can't be bothered to acknowledge. Of course, the Ideal Yakuza has never really existed because all the crime gets in the way.
It's a telling point of commonality between the two men that their first game begins with them choosing to go to jail for a crime they didn't commit to protect a loved one.
Definitely. The key difference is shown in their clothing as well. Ichiban wears fiery and passionate red on the outside showing he wears his heart on his sleeve. Whereas Kiryu keeps it more bottled up and tries to be cool headed and he wears darker colors on the outside to suit that (considering both of their usual jacket and suits).
They share similar aspirations but have different personalities and go about achieving them differently.
After played and finishing Yakuza: Like a Dragon I can honestly say that Ichiban is definitely one of my top favorite video game characters of all time.
One thing I do appreciate about JRPG is that the main characters are given full characterization. Do get me wrong I like the silent protagonist you find in western style RPG. But I do like play a full character from time to time.
Yakuza is my all time favorite franchise. It’s so fun
I searched for "why ichiban is the best" an ended up here. I just wanted to hear someone hype up my man Ichi.
I think a big part of Ichibans popularity comes from the fact that he isn't really domeone you want to be, but he's definitely someone you'd want to be friends with. He is ridiculous and loud and sometimes it seems like the world is out to get him. But he is kind, loyal and naive in a way that tends to be reserved for puppies. He is a virtual friend to have an adventure with and for that he is perfect.
Gotta say, not sure if you are playing the game in english, but Kenji Tangs VA for Ichiban is Fking outstanding. Really drives home the passion and jovial nature of Ichiban.
I can't imagine Kasuga without his voice.
Pitch perfect casting.
I agree with you. He is a GREAT character! One of the best, I think.
I found this game at Walmart a few weeks back for $10 for the Xbox. I’m interested in giving it a try now!
Careful, once you start down the Yakuza game series forever will it dominate your path. The insane characterizations and story lines are as addictive as The slice of Life side games.
It takes warming up to but once you're in the world, you'll forget the rest of the games you own
Did u finish this in the end? The ending is one of the best endings of a video game in a long time for me.
Still working on it :)
Agreed. The acting in this game is phenomenal
This was also the first yakuza game I played…. Absolutely amazing, since then I’ve bought like 3 others in the series and love them all, I’m working on playing through the whole series. But Ichiban and this game still stand above the rest for me tbh, ichiban is so easy to love and get invested in and the game itself is just a cut above the rest in story and gameplay for me
"videogames are young when it comes to story-telling"
man you really haven´t played any other JRPGs
Ichiban has become one of my all time favorite videogame character.
I LOVE THIS GAME
I can't speak to RTS, but I think a very strong argument could be made for B. J. Blazkowicz from machinegames Wolfenstein titles as the ideal FPS protagonist. He's one of very few characters who I could believe has killed as many people as you actually do across a long running FPS series while still being a sympathetic and generally likeable character.
I played Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 4. The protagonists are quite a match for the genre (semi turn-based war strategy) since they all actually study warfare strategy at some point in their life.
Another example of a character that match's with it's gameplay is Gene from God Hand. Very underrated game.
I'm new to Yakuza but my god this game is a masterpiece and that's not a word I throw around easily! Ichiban is probably one of the best written protagonist in gaming history!
You mention a kind of character mirrors what the player wants in shooters and I think doom guy in Doom 2016 and Eternal is just that.He wants to smash EVERYTHING
Tbh I liked ichiban way more than kazuma(who I think is a good character). Having spent a lot of time with anime manga and jrpgs most of the mcs are flawless most of the time and mostly there to be a generic shounen mc. In like a dragon ichiban is indeed like a shounen jrpg main character but the writing for him is great from his backstory to how the plot unfolds and challenges his ideals constantly. I believe the story takes a nose dive in the end but it's still a very fun experience that I lvoed every minute of especially the side quests.
I love this game 😊
ICHIBAN ❤❤❤
He is my second fav protag in gaming. First is Arthur Morgan.
I normally dislike sweeping statements like this video title... but since we're talking about Ichiban.
Yakuza infinite wealth i going to be insanely good 😊
The turn based part actually a joke at first but they made because the fans
And then ended up liking so much they want to keep it for the future.
Ichiban is best character not only in a game.
02:34 here Ichiban idealising Yakuza serves certain purpose in story as political situation is very dire. People start to follow law blindly to extreme. As a result people lose sense of freedom. Japan is turning into dystopia Bleach Japan is basically modern religious inquisition that worships Sasaki as god. Only criminals have bigger sense of freedom and can confront it
Maaan, play from the first one, from yakuza 0
"You're not just wrong, You're stupid"
-Cat In The Hat
Not a fan of the new protagonist, these games are being absorbed in cringe western meme culture. The comedy in the previous games was great, and still very much japanese. Even the original director said as much about the games becoming to westernized. Same thing happened to ishin kiwami, which was generaly disliked by japanese fans.
Not to be that dick but Like a dragon is a mainline entry in the franchise it's a sort of soft reboot of the series with the story of Kiryu Kazuma ending in Yakuza 6