And so, you have reached the point where as Tehsnakerer put it, the game doesn't want you to just know the theme is dreams, but that you can't forget it. That aside, I do wanna mention a moment in Yakuza 2 where Haruka was scouted to become a idol. There, Kiryu was almost willing to accept it because of how he drags her into danger, but Haruka refuses, not caring because she trusts Kiryu so much she always feels safe. What does make this intro to part 3 interesting is that it's almost a reverse of that scenario. Here, Kiryu is the first obstacle to Haruka not becoming a idol. Park is not stopped by his objections however and defeats Kiryu in by far the most effective way anyone can, convincing him he's the bad guy. Kiryu wants the best for his kids, for them to be healthy, happy and do as they want. Playing on the potential idea that he's making his kids too scared to leave him, Park in a twisted way forces Kiryu to seemingly live out his dream. One where he sacrifices himself as he always does to make those he cares about happy. You might question how part 1 could be a dream for Kiryu given how "well" that went, but well, were it not for this, Haruka wouldn't be able to be a idol, therefore Kiryu is ok with it. With that, let one of the more polarising (and bold in some ways) parts of 5 begin!
*Kiryu is fighting hundreds of Tojo clan members at the end of Chapter 1. Dodging rockets and taking shotgun blasts like a champ.* Aoyama: Time to bring out the big guns. *The passenger door opens and Park steps out and walks up to Kiryu.* Park: You're a bad man. Haruka and the rest of the kids at Morning Glory are better off without you. Kiryu: Aaaaawwooooooggg!
Fun Fact that there's *TWO* people who makes their return as they first appeared on Yakuza 0: - The first is Ogita, Haruka's dance coach. He actually appears to be the final Maharaja dancer in Kiryu's dancing substory. One could remember how difficult it is to beat him and I guess that is where he ends up. - The second person is Dolce Kamiya. No, he's not the guy from the host club from Yakuza Kiwami 2 (That is Bueno Isozaki). This guy is actually the radio host that hosted the Dolce de Postcard during the Real Estate (Kiryu) and Host Club (Majima) Minigame. You might remember him where Majima NEVER gets to shake hands with him (Thanks Yuki).
*Important Notes:* So yeah, the thing we ALL wanted you to avoid being spoiled by Tatsuya’s tutorial? Yeah, *HARUKA IS THE 3RD PROTAGONIST.* All of us were waiting for this reaction. Combat Notes? What combat notes? She do be dancing and singing rather than throwing hands, boy! This is also why we *_heavily warned you about not using locker keys._* It is because you CAN’T fight as Haruka, *meaning any item you WOULD get as Haruka from the lockers is all UNUSABLE to her* except healing/heat gauge recovery items like food or tauriners. You can not get into any fights anyways and most items from lockers are combat related so yeah. This is a problem specifically since for the FIRST 2 CHAPTERS, any item in her inventory is subsequently lost until POSTGAME. *To elaborate, the game **_does_** gives you a method to send items you get from the lockers/shops to other protags on the 3rd chapter but it isn’t through Haruka’s inventory, it's through a separate menu entirely. So while there is a way to claim and send items to the other protags who can use it, the game fails to mention that once an item touches Haruka’s inventory, it's effectively gone which is an incredibly huge OVERSIGHT.* Again, you are allowed to pick up locker keys, just don’t use them yet until you can get this method unlocked in chapter 3. (It's strange how they didn't program the transfer of items from her inventory to the separate menu.) *Last thing,* Yoko, Haruka’s training master? *Do all of her training lessons in one go.* The game tries to make you think you need to come back to her each time after each Princess League round because of what you get *but you will save yourself a lot of headache if you just do them all right away.*
-Yakuza thugs when they see a defenseless teenage girl: “Meh…” -Yakuza thugs when they see a buff yakuza dude who looks like he has (allegedly) killed people: “Hey old man, gimme your money!😡”
Haruka's dance coach, Ogita, is one of the opponents Kiryu faces in the Maharaja Showdown substory in Yakuza 0. After you defeat him, Ogita states that he intends to return to Osaka to become a dance coach.
Park: "Go DEEP with that parasocial relationship. It doesn't matter how hard you have to go, make them happy, even at the cost of yourself. you are now the girlfriend of every weirdo who decides that they love you, and you have to DEAL" God the idol industry is so fucked, it's always so uncomfortable seeing shit like this and knowing it's legit.
19:52 It's funny how the "dream" stuff is so noticeable even in English when they went out of their way to translate it into different things like "wish", "aspirations" and "goal". In Japanese it's all the same word (yume) which is mentioned around 20 times just in this scene alone. It's really funny when you notice it.
Nico: Ok my prediction it going to be first Akiyama, second will be Tanimura, & then the last one will be the new guy. That will be my prediction. (Far away at the roof top there’s Haruka holding a sniper rifle & pointing at Nico head) Haruka: He doesn’t know what coming to him
I'm not fluent or anything, but I've watched enough anime that'd I've osmosis'd a basic understanding of Japanese grammar and a couple words and phrases. A very common one I've learned is that the Japanese word for "dream" is "yume". And listening to Japanese dub track, I can tell the English script has actually toned down how much the word "dream" shows up. In that opening scene you can hear Kiryu and the lady saying 'yume, yume, yume' over and over again while the English subtitles desperately try to find other words to translate it as except "dream." They use "wish", "aspiration", "want", etc. It's actually funny that the game apparently still has a reputation of over-using the word. Oh, and the idol anime movie you were thinking of is "Perfect Blue", directed by the famous Satoshi Kon. I haven't seen it myself, but yeah, everyone swears it is a masterpiece.
You know, I gotta be honest. When I saw that you accidentally got spoiled about Haruka being an idol by the DLC figure in Judgment I was admittedly a bit disappointed, but I knew it would all be worth it for this moment lol. Yup, this is no dream/yume, Haruka is the third playable character of the game! Now the general consensus on this part of the game in the fandom is actually mostly positive, but there are those who miss the combat and don’t really dig this change in tone. Now personally (and I have a good feeling you’ll agree with me here), I think this is a great way to avoid player burnout and inject some variety into the game. You’ve mentioned that the constant random battles were frustrating you, especially in Tsukimino. Well you’ll be pleased to know that this part of the game has NO random encounters at all! It’s almost like they knew it was an issue and decided to mix things up a bit for the sake of pacing lol. Also up till now, the characters have been talking a lot about working towards their dreams or the dreams of others, now we actually get to see someone actually living their dream firsthand, with all that entails. It’s a great way to expand on the main recurring theme of the game and the gameplay is really fun in my opinion! I noticed you compared it to the LJ dance club minigame. That’s actually not a coincidence, because this game actually had the same director, I kid you not! Honestly a lot of the DNA of LJ’s side content can be traced back to this game if you think about it. Oh yeah FYI, this was also the reason why we made a big deal about that Chef Tatsuya tutorial spoiler at the beginning of the lp, it actually spoils her being a playable character because she gets buffs from food too! Now I will warn you ahead of time: once you hit level 20 with Haruka, DO NOT progress her sidestory/idol jobs any further. I can’t really get into why rn, but trust me, I’m saving you a MAJOR headache down the line. Anyways, enjoy the sights and sounds of Osaka and brace yourself because there’s SO MUCH MORE (see what I did there) to see! Edit: the idol movie you were thinking of is called Perfect Blue, and yeah it is a perfect microcosm of how messed up this industry is. Edit 2: Oh yeah btw, you remember the postcard substory from Yakuza 0? Well the Princess League host, Dolce Kamiya, is the SAME guy who read your postcards on the radio! Small world huh lol
I really like the change of the tone with Haruka but her side story burned me out so much that after her part, I stopped playing the game for like half a year. The song variety also didn't help. Wish there was more
I mean, that was never really a spoiler. This shit was set up since the game she got introduced in. You don't do that shit if you don't intend to make it work somehow. Lo and behold, they made it work. Now if only she could kill a muhfucka. 😂
Mirei Park's voice actress, Romi Park, is probably someone whose voice you've heard in a lot of Japanese dubs. She's voiced Naoto in Persona 4 and its spinoffs, Pakunoda (one of the Spider Troupe) from Hunter x Hunter, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist (both in the 2003 show and in Brotherhood), Hange Zoe from Attack on Titan, and she's a reoccurring VA in Gundam, having voiced a character in at least 4 different series in the franchise. She was even the Japanese dub voice for the 13th Doctor in Doctor Who AND for Finn in Adventure Time, so yeah, Romi's got a pretty stacked portfolio. Even though Yakuza didn't receive worldwide popularity until 0, it's crazy to think that it got so big in Japan that it got big-name talents like Romi-san to voice its characters.
Yakuza 0 acknowledges stuff in this part a fair bit. Ogita has a cameo in 0 as a dance substory in the disco minigame, and Dolce Kamiya hosts the radio show in 0 which let you write in with your wacky substories in hopes of appearing on the show. It was definitely a nice treat for us who played this before 0 came out.
Behold. She is the Yakuza 5. She may never reach the levels of everyone's idol, Majima Goro, but a lot of us put our blood, sweat, tears, and hours into making Haruka close to the number one idol in the world.
While they will grow up and leave eventually, I think what Park is trying to imply is that they are afraid of actually chasing said dream, and might be in the future in the fear of losing the now. Right now Haruka is getting the chance to become an Idol and could try to chase this dream. If she refuses because she doesn't want to lose the now that they have. Park is technically right that Kiryu being here is making it harder for Haruka to achieve her dream, making Haruka pick the now over the dream. And this would extend to the other kids too. Let's say Haruka doesn't decide to follow her dreams to keep Kiryu in everyone's life. Let's say Taichi wants to be a professional Wrestler. He would have to consider the same sacrifice. At what point does Kiryu staying there end up becoming detrimental to their dreams? That is the point Park is trying to convey And to add to "why can't he stay?" They can probably only erase so much of Haruka's past. They can erase the fact that Kiryu was the one who ran the orphanage, but can't really erase the fact that Haruka is an orphan. They can cover the fact that Kiryu was there with a "there was xyz workers at the orphanage". It can be uncovered with further investigation, but most people, even the obsessive fans would think twice about harassing an orphanage to figure out the truth, especially when there doesn't seem to be anything to uncover to begin with That is not me saying I agree with Parks thinking, I believe she can make her dreams come true, but it would be a harder journey than normal, but I understand the point she's making, and she is persuasive, especially by being able to provide the means that few get, giving her an advantage in her advice and giving an ultimatum
Nico, regarding your confusion on why Baba couldn't believe why Saejima saved him, there is a potential reason for it despite his role in jail. In jail it is important to have people to watch your back. Any prisoner could shiv you at any moment or gang up on you. Every ally matters. As such, forming a bond in jail is about survival. However, it'd be natural to assume such a bond was no longer needed after breaking out of jail. Saejima wouldn't have to be worried over being cornered by too many enemies any longer. It'd be natural to assume it'd be best to cut ties with Baba and for Saejima to look after himself. If anything, having more people is more chances to get caught by cops. Saejima, however, showed he doesn't form such measly bonds. As we saw in Yakuza 4 with Hamazaki, Saejima forms true bonds and holds to them so long as the other party does as well. Hamazaki was just as surprised by Saejima's reason then. He and Baba expect these things only to last as long as the other party is necessary. And both were surprised when Saejima proved to trust and care for them long after any potential use is over. Saejima still chose to risk himself to save Baba on the freezing mountain when that would be the most likely chance to cut your losses and leave him for dead. By saving his life, that went beyond anything Baba could have expected, truly beginning to cement his respect and friendship for Saejima.
Fun factoid: Haruka who is voiced by the Queen of Tsunderes Rie Kugimiya, this isn’t her first rodeo of playing a character who is an idol. Same voice actor also plays Rise Kujikawa from Persona 4. Funny how similar the name of the VA is. Same goes for Mirie Park here who is voiced by Romi Park, also voiced Naoto Shirogane from P4.
So Park is a very… interesting character. She comes across as pretty manipulative and “bitchy”, and while I do admit they kinda go overboard with it, especially in regards to almost literally threatening Haruka with stopping the support for Morning Glory (though you could argue she was bluffing there), there’s no denying that she does make some points. As we already saw in Kiryu’s part, one major reason why he left the orphanage was because he was afraid his yakuza past was going to take away the dreams of the children; be it directly affecting their chances of attaining their dream jobs, for example, or outright abandoning their dreams in favor of helping the orphanage, with their finances failing presumably due to Kiryu’s yakuza past interfering with securing money for his children. Park’s words are harsh, but as Kiryu himself realizes by the end of his part, he will always be yakuza, and that past will always follow him. And had he stayed at Morning Glory, it could’ve very well affected his children’s dreams negatively, just as Park suggested, and he himself feared. In a way, I see Park’s argument here is similar to one that Mine started all the way in Yakuza 3. Mine said that Kiryu’s orphanage is just another way of him trying to run from his past, but it came from the perspective of someone in the Tojo, who had been left behind on their own when Kiryu left the clan. Park, however, gives us the civilian perspective of this argument. In her eyes, this ex-yakuza’s only “use” for these children is to atone for his past. But she also recognizes that, no matter his intentions, the children have truly come to love him. And that’s why she basically says; “if you care for these children at all, you will give them the opportunity to chase their dreams”. Park argues that by leaving the orphanage, while the children may lose the father they’ve come to care for, Kiryu will give them security that their “fragile happiness” will not shatter. Of course, there are things Park is more than likely oblivious to in Kiryu’s relationship with his children, but as an outsider, she doesn’t notice them. All she sees is an ex-yakuza taking advantage of orphans for the sake of vanity and his own self-atonement.
I do think there's an extra layer - she's correct on a technical level and this especially applies to Mitsuo and Haruka who actively want to be something beyond a normal ordinary citizen in the world. It's actually a hard thing especially for kids to have to weigh these two particular options of freedom and ambition against loving security. We know what the outcome is in future games but giving them the opportunity to choose in of itself is not necessarily wrong.
Park is a polarising character and there is a *lot* to say about her, and she's absolutely a lot to swallow at first. Right out of the gate she makes a statement and a lot of people hate her from the word go. I don't find it so simple myself and to avoid spoiler talk, I'll just say this for the moment: She's a fascinating character. I hold the belief that she (in her own way) does care about Haruka. And part of her harshness is (in Park's opinion) necessary because she knows how awful people can be towards idols and she wants Haruka prepared for the absolutely gruelling journey ahead. But she also knows Haruka is a whole lot tougher than most might assume. The idol industry is so intense and horrible to the young, (often HS aged) kids within it, and Haruka just won't survive otherwise. Apologies, I'm rambling about stuff that may not make a lot of sense until later, but Parks a very interesting character IMO.
Personally I'd feel she'd be better if the game's narrative didn't try to paint her in sympathetic light regardless of her actions, and without any spoilers, her actions have so many bad consequences for Haruka and Kiryu for the rest or the series from here onwards.
Oh please. She's coercing Haruka with the threat of cutting off the orphanage and pushing her through a vile idol industry at such a formative age all so she can selfishly live her broken dreams vicariously through her. Any such "care" shown towards Haruka is nothing more than a manipulation technique. No, Park categorically does NOT care about Haruka as person. If she did, she would be in a good school and the orphanage would be supported regardless of how well Haruka trains or performs. Not being pushed past her absolute breaking point to groom her to thrive in an industry of vipers. There is no excusing her.
@@VoFALT You can care about a person for all the wrong reasons and be toxic about it. I consider Park complicated and that's part of what's fascinating. I do not claim nor consider her good, but interesting and complex.
@@godzilla4189 That's fair. I was trying to figure out how to explain my thoughts without spoilers. Park isn't a good person, but I don't mind that she isn't a good person. Like most of the cast, she's in the grey. I agree that they bungle up her writing later on, but that's not exclusive to Park. It happens with plenty of the villains or antagonists in this series.
@@godzilla4189 I'd argue that those consequences you speak of is the result of the big bads with their conspiracies with Kiryu and Haruka dragged into it
Haruka’s first song is called “So Much More”. Which is kinda funny, given you’ll be listening to this song so many more times during her training. Hell, this song was stuck in my head for like a month after I finished the game. And now, it’ll be stuck there for another one.
I like to imagine that the thugs in Sotenbori somehow found about Kiryu being Haruka’s dad and ran off, which is why she doesn’t even need an item to prevent random encounters lol Truly, she is the strongest character with the most powerful aura in Yakuza 5
Jo Amon and four other guys from the Amon clan approach Kiryu, Haruka, and other protagonists Kiryu: "Five against four? Hardly seems fair, don't you think?" Jo Amon: "What are you talking about? One of us will dance battle that idol while the rest of us fight with our fists. The idol industry has been saturated with young girls, but that'll change when the Amon clan takes the stage." Kiryu: "...You've got to be kidding me." Haruka: "Bring it on!"
Haruka's voice actress is Rie Kugimiya. She's most famous for voicing children and tsundere-type characters, but has a lot of different roles under her belt. In particular, she voices the character Iori Minase in "The iDOLM@STER" series of rhythm games, where she sings all the songs that Iori performs, so she's no stranger to lending her voice for this kind of thing. She was also the Japanese voice for Persona 4's Rise Kujikawa, and performed the vocals for Rise's song that was used in the P4 anime.
The first 20 minutes of this vid were pure agony as I waited for Nico to get to the Haruka reveal. It was like leading your friend to his surprise party only for him to constantly meander and small talk his way up to the house. Meanwhile, you have no choice but to play along. "Yeah, Kitakata's kidnapping. That was wild, wasn't it? ... Baba! Yeah, he's a real one. I mean, no. Everyone hates him. You're totally right. ... The idol industry in Japan. It is what it is- WILL YOU OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!"
18:22 I kinda agree with your question, Nico. However, there's more than just that, in my opinion. When you said about Haruka having super fans, getting to know everything about her. It's a huge advantage for the other clans/villains to just lure or force Kiryu to save over and over again. Now think of it again with the rest of the orphanages being adopted or famous. The parents and the kid(s) will be kidnapped if they owned a wealthy company. Leaving Kiryu making a huge disadvantages of not only of what happened right away, but having a chance of returning to the orphanage or into a bad life of being homeless.
5:48 I think it's more a yakuza aspect of life in which you sometimes okay having some friends end up taking the dust while Baba was mostly shocked for the fact he wasn't treated like a throw away tool maybe that was the reason.
Mystery man: I am So Amon. My family and I have been bested by Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. And you, Kazuma Kiryu' adopted daughter, must now FACE MY ADOPTED GRANDDAUGHTER IN A DANCE OFF! *Majima comes out dressed as Goromi-chan again* Haruka: Majima-san, what are you doing? Majima: Would you rather I wear this? *pulls out his 24-hour Cinderella costume* Haruka: I've never understood Uncle Kaz better than this moment.
I discussed the kitakata manhole point in one of the comment threats and my personal headcannon is that one of the influential groups that wanted this meeting to happen(the osaka PD, Kitakata himself and Baba's surperiors). convinced the police to ignore the kidnapping. they were still there to give the illusion of safety to the rest of the crowd, but would not act/deliberatly fail if Saejima appeared and kidnapped Kitakata. Which I think is a lot more believable than Saejima being a "Supreme sewer ninja". Baba's superiors are already shown to be influential/powerfull enough to get: 1. Have Baba explicitly assigned to Saejima's cell 2. have the one eyed dude assigned near Saejima 3. convince the minister of justice to deny Saejima's parole(!) 4. Murder the warden without issue or questions seemingly(!) 5. have 100 violent inmates suddenly transferred to Saejima's prison despite the warden's death(!) Seeing all these feats already, "convince the tsukimino police to look away when Saejima kidnaps a willing Kitakata", actually Seems pretty reasonable. and makes the kidnapping less "the most ridicilous thing in Yakuza". The crowd not noticing is no problem as there is a loud plane show happening above them. This is just my personal headcannon to make sense of things though. I would have liked them to give a short shot of a sniper spotting the manhole open slightly and then deliberatly looking the other way. Would have given a reason why it was so easy and added to the intrigue I think.
At the beginning of Haruka’s Part you finally learn who and what this Mirei Park wants in having Kiryu leave Morning Glory and his family behind. Because she saw potential in Haruka to be a top class idol. So it should come at no surprise that Park is the *most controversial character in Y5* and for very good reasons. *If you pay attention to her words, Park basically manipulated Kiryu by **_guilt tripping the heck out of him,_** telling him that **_he_** is holding them back from happiness even tho Haruka clearly wanted him to deny Park. She in her lines constantly point to Kiryu being the only problem than like I dunno: bullying, societal pressure, or anything else if you noticed.* She even bribed him of sweetening the deal with paying the expenses and gave the most vague reasoning of knowing Haruka would have this same dream _somehow._ *(Then blackmailed Haruka with it later, good talk I guess...)* The scene is honestly hard to watch because to see Kiryu *be gaslit* into thinking he is preventing his kids’ dream has caused quite the contentious discussion, like imagine seeing the man we grown to love for 5+ games be gaslit, guilt tripped, and eventually broke down in depression to _let him get beaten up by random thugs he could easily beat_ until Nakajima saved him. Let's just say it's justifiable that first-time players tend to have strong negative feelings towards Park. *Especially when they saw Park trying to make Kiryu the "bad guy".* But that’s not the point I am getting across, because due to the animosity, people tend to mischaracterize her. What she did to Kiryu was severely wrong morally, but *she is honestly an intriguing character* for the better of the story of Y5. Having such a gray complex character like this showing her viewpoint of dreams is great as it pushes the story into a more interesting direction, *so I hope you can appreciate Park's character as she is quite the interesting character imo.* That said, if you were wondering what people started having problems with Y5 as the most controversial game between 3-5, well congrats, *you are OFFICIALLY at the starting line.* Why? The idol industry. That’s why.
To be fair the idol industry in Japan is NOTORIOUSLY cutthroat and cruel, I've heard that stories of idols being abused while being forced to maintain a bubbly positive personality on stage are sadly common.
@@ScorbunGame The way idols have to apologise publically for having dating relationships, or for not being perfect because it ruins the 'fantasy' is so depressing too. I can't imagine what that does to these teens and young adults mental state.
2:02:19 Dolce Kamiya is the guy from the radio in Yakuza Zero. Kiryu & Majima had to send in letters detailing their Substories for a chance to get read on the radio. After three readings, they got to meet Kamiya and got super excited about it.
Now, other people might say that they made Haruka only do dance battles because the devs don't want a teenage girl to be in violent street fights or that it's in character or whatever lies RGG told. I, however, know the truth in that this is actually done to nerf her so that the game doesn't end with only 3 parts.
Perfect Blue. It’s an anime movie that stands up to any live action intense drama from the west that you can name. It’s a very powerful story, tackling obsession as well as the sacrifice of your own values, and the director of that movie has made several other very powerful works as well.
2:02:22 Dolce Kamiya was from the radio show where Kiryu and Majima submitted postcards of their substories to be read out aloud live on air as part of a contest in Yakuza 0
Haruka: Whoa this is so weird, I’m the playable character now? Kiryu: Thaaaaaat’s right! Haruka: Uncle Kaz what are you doing here? Kiryu: Shut up that’s not important. What is importance is that I’ve been waiting for this day since 2005. Haruka: What are you…….. No. No you don’t mean. *Kiryu stands right next to Haruka* Haruka: Please no! DON’T DO THIS! *Kiryu’s trust bar appears on screen* Haruka: I’M BEGGING YOU!!! PLEASE DON’T PUT ME THROUGH THIS!!! Kiryu: I want you to get a 100 in Otometal MY LIFE. Haruka: NOOOOOOOOOOOO-
Kiryu: 3 games, haruka. Three!Games! I spent on this because, apparently, I can't go one year without you suddenly saying you don't trust me, despite all we've been through, because I was too busy saving the tojo clan from going belly up from its own stupidity to win you a prize from the ufo catcher one time. So guess what, honey? It's almost like I can't trust you. Haruka, Uncle Kaz wants a bun-chan, now! Haurka: ...help...
Fun fact, Kan Ogita (Haruka’s instructor) was in Yakuza 0. He’s the final dancer Kiryu has to face off against in that set of substories. Lee’s (the masseuse who was taking care of Makoto) design was also heavily based off of Saejima’s design in 5 as well
Like you said Nico, if Haruka's aiming to become an idol, then her being related to someone who is essentially the top dog of Japan's organized crime isn't a good thing. Park is correct on some level here here (even though she does kinda gaslight Kiryu), if the kids are given a choice between following their own dreams and Kiryu, they're going to choose Kiryu in a heartbeat. They'll kill their own ambition if it means they can keep Kiryu happy. Not to mention, being related to him would create insane societal pressure on them too if they ever decide to go job-searching. They'd have to face the stigma of being an orphan as well as being raised by an ex-Yakuza. As for your question as to why Kiryu couldn't just stay at Morning Glory while she takes Haruka? They cannot take that chance. Someone would eventually find out that she was raised here. And if they look into the caretaker of the orphanage, then it's over. But another explanation could be that this gives Park more influence over Haruka. Kiryu is obviously Haruka's dad in all but blood, and she looks to him for advice and guidance before anyone else. With him gone, Park can more efficiently mould Haruka into whoever she wants without any resistance.
Ha, I bet you weren't expecting an idol simulator in Yakuza! This series somehow always finds a way to surprise everyone. 13:31 Perfect Blue, I remember watching it years ago. It's such a surreal yet incredible film, seeing Mima's downwards spiral was rough.
I am so glad you finally got to this part. Your reaction when you realized what was going on was golden. Enjoy your time in the idol world, it's gonna be a ride. Also you just met Park, character in the series that really fascinates me and is one of my favorites. A lot of other people have explained her motivation and how she's really not wrong. Let's be honest she's not a great person, but she has so many layers. You'll see more, but the fact you can pick her motivations apart like this makes her so fun even if she is a huge hardass. Also there are mods out there where Haruka curbstomps people, I suggest looking some of them up on YT. They're very satisfying.
dance heat settings is where you actually assign your moves for the dance battle stuff. even if you get something thats OBJECTIVELY BETTER you need to switch it out at that setting
To clarify on Baba a LITTLE further there are two ways to interpret why he's so emotional and confused about Saejima saving him. Baba from his fighting style and from the fact we know his enemy affiliation and he tried to snipe assassinate Kitakata, Baba is likely some form of hitman. It's quite possible that he was raised in an environment where having actual friends he could trust is completely foreign to him and Saejima being so earnest sort of teaches him for the first time what it's actually like to care about another human being. The issue is actually Saejima saving him. As in, the actual taking of the risk of his own life to save Baba. For Baba, that is something HE would never do. So it actually confuses him despite them being friends and you have to remember that from Baba's point of view he was lying through his teeth the entire time. His PERSONAL guilt of still going through with all this even after Saejima saved him is soul destroying for him - which is why he tried to end his own life earnestly but couldn't pull the trigger on Saejima.
The movie you were thinking of, Nico, is called "Perfect Blue," and, yeah, it perfectly shows just how hellish the life of a celebrity, especially an idol, can be. It's also just a masterfully done, and beautifully animated, psychological horror, honestly one of my favorite movies.
You gonna remember that Japan loves their reputation and status the most. There is a reason why Japan boast their 99% prosecution rates and characters like Phoenix Wright is consider Japan's Superman and it aint the blue and red color. If Kiryu had stayed in the orphanage, sooner or later people will find out that Haruka was raised by an ex-Yakuza and her reputation goes down anf her dream of being an idol goes up in smokes. Not only that but Kiryu's status, as Park said, also affects the other kids as well. It doesnt matter what dream or jobs they want, once they learn Kiryu raised them, its over since no one in Japan dont want to associate anybody with a criminal record, whether it is them with the record or they have a parent with that record. And the idol industry is the worst if you are connect with someone with a criminal record since you are suppose to be a icon to millions of people.
Time for the chapter that blindsides most people lol. No one expects the Haruka inquisition. People were really disappointed that they didn't let Haruka fight, but I thought it was amazing they stuck to their guns and gave us a completely different gameplay experience for a "break" between chapters. Not every female character needs to fight to be badass or cool.
You can indeed go to the crab place in real life! There are a few branches, but this is likely the Kani Doraku Main Branch in Dotonbori. Their menu looks like a veritable feast, I'd pay good money for someone to compare the real thing to Yakuza's depiction!
WELCOME TO THE HARUKA SECTION OF Y5! Fun fact about this section is that the developers for the Hatsune Miku game worked on the rhythm game for both the idol dance portion and Dance battles. This section is a personal favorite of mine, as rhythm games are my jam and I love the Hatsune Miku games. Be prepared for "So Much More" to be stuck in your head for weeks. You thought 24 Hour Cinderella was an Earworm? HOO BOY!
You know what's funny to me, regarding Haruka ended up becoming an Idol in Yakuza 5? Well, to start with, Yakuza 5 is set in 2012, a year after Persona 4 (2011). Here, we get to see that Haruka is now an idol, and since Yakuza 5 happened around Christmas. That makes it several months after the events of Persona 4 Dancing All Night, which i believe to be set around Summer or Fall of 2012. After Rise had returned from her hiatus in the events of Persona 4 in 2011. Now why do i mention all of this? . . . Because Haruka Sawamura and Rise Kujikawa shares the same Japanese voice actor, Rie Kugimiya. And they both ended up becoming an Idol in two games where the Year where the Story happened are more or less 1 year apart. Meanwhile, Yakuza 5 is released in Japan in December 2012 (Albeit it's only came to the West in 2015). Meanwhile, Persona 4 Golden is released in June 2012 (Before it came to the West in November of that year) Now think about it deeply, please...
My theory so far(watching this story blind as well, so please don't correct and acknowledge my take in the reply pls) is that the true reason WHY that agent woman was so insistent on Kiryu leaving the orphanage and kids behind is so Haruka could never be traced back to him. Since if people found out that she was raised in the orphanage in Okinawa, they could dig up who currently runs it, and get backround info on them very easily, since we are a the Internet era now ~2012~. So basically the whole speech about the dreams and ambition of his kids is total vile manipulation from her designed to cut out that potentially ruining piece from her golden cow(Haruka). At least that how i saw that whole scene.
How do ya like dem apples? Haruka sniped Akiyama and Tanimura with a sniper, they're dead. Her time now. Also neat little fact, the host guy for the concert Dolce Kamiya is of course an irl celebrity. But this isn't the first time you've seen him either. He was a radio host in Yakuza 0. You had a substory where you wrote post cards to his show and eventually won the opportunity to meet him. And.....he hasn't aged like at all in 20 years according to the Yakuza universe! Akari is also modeled after someone. Don't worry she's just a model and not a JAV actress! All wholesome chungus 100! -She did however become a JAV actress -*-after-*- this Yakuza 5 gig tho- WHOLESOME CHUNGUS!! NO LEWDNESS WHAT SO EVER!!!
@@Mr96POP I do. Because I googled Akari Natsukawa and.....yeah, she's real. And I also had to promptly erase my search history 😓. Plus it's not like the model had to be the same age as the character. As for her allegedly not looking like the game model, could just be make up. I've uh seen how the other actresses looked like in yakuza 0. When not using the hairstyles and make up seen in the game, they look quite different and I only recognized em because of their names.
@@Mr96POP I had said that she was just a model at the time and not a JAV actress during the time of the game. Plus, there are people who use their real names in the JAV industry. It's not a mandatory thing to take up a stage name.
You probably forgot about Dolce Kamiya, but he was in Yakuza 0. He was a radio host, who you reported in substories to. Also Ogita, Haruka's trainer, was also in Yakuza 0. He was one of the Disco kings that Kiryu could fight. He even foreshadowed this by saying smth like "If you ever have kids, bring them to me, I'll teach them how to dance"
I guarantee you that every single Yakuza fan was waiting for your reaction to this with bated breath for *years*. And you know what? It. Was. Absolutely. Worth. It!
I think Kiryu said yume there when he said excuse me so that is also added to the dream counter but this is a surprising trend. The Japanese version of this must have a much bigger dream counter than English ever could.
So I am gonna share a bit of info regarding Park. Park is voiced by VA Romi Park (lol) who fun fact also voiced Naoto Shirogane in Persona 4, and is in fact married to Makoto Date's VA. Also if we are going by release order, this is the first time Sotenbori has been shown again in the series since the OG Yakuza 2 back in 2006, and with it came an overhaul to its layout. The layout being one that is the closest to what most people think of when they think of Sotenbori, which is what Yakuza 0 used for its version.
47:05 During the interview on TV you could see at the beginning of this chapter and at the beginning of Kiryu's chapter you could read and hear that Haruka is indeed 16, though granted, it was untranslated japanese, so I don't blame you for missing it.
An interesting thing to point out about Mirei Park is her name. Her having the last name of “Park” stood out to me since that’s a Korean name, meaning she’s of Korean descent. Koreans are generally not treated well in Japan (if _Kiwami 2_ didn’t make it obvious), so her being in a position of power (CEO of a talent agency) while being of Korean descent is pretty admirable. In addition, her VA, Romi Park, is also of Korean descent. Speaking of which, Romi Park is married to Kazuhiro Yamaji, the VA for Date.
Here's a thing about Haruka and her gameplay, you can skip/fail almost all of it and the story will still progress, I discovered this when I recently replayed the game, there is only one dance you need to succeed to progress, but that's it.
Haruka learned from Papa Kiryu after all on how to kick ass and take names. She's just adding her own little twist to combat. And with that she'll be in the next Tekken game as another dancer.
I missed the opportunity to mention this last episode, but: If you wanna know to what extent this game is pushing the DREAMS theme, the big sign out front of Kitakata's hideout literally says ドリーム DORIIMU
When you were talking about Japan pop idols, I was thinking of one from a fighting video game franchise called The King of Fighters. There is a character named Athena who is a supreme pop idol who is always putting on a smile and can fight as well. She's a good person who will do anything to make sure the world is safe from harm. But one thing perplexed me, Athena is always 18 years old, meaning in every KOF game, she is always 18 years old, never aging, but does change her outfits and hairstyles.
Bowling was in Tsukimino but for some reason you didn't go to that place. It was called Northern Lane you even looked at it on the map but never went there.
So yes, this was the spoiler that happened in judgment with the figure, haruka being an idol, so good on your memory for forgetting and now you can experience SO MUCH MORE
Yep your playing as Haruka now! Also, it’s been so long you’ve probably forgotten, but Ogita was the main dance battle boss in Yakuza 0 whom you beat with Kiryu. His last words were about if you ever found need of a dance coach in life to give him a call, again everything comes looping back to zero!
So I know this is an ultimately controversial opinion but I actually agree with Park regarding Kiryu and really don't think there was anything wrong with what she said. Firstly, the business with the money: people tend to act like she was robbing Morning Glory somehow but she came to the place offering a job, not offering charity. It would only make sense that the money is delivered only when the job is accepted. It's not like she was going to embezzle funds from Morning Glory if he didn't comply or hell, even as something as scummy as reveal that he was a former Yakuza. More importantly, in regards to her critiques of Kiryu...I actually kinda have to agree. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, the simple reality is that having an orphanage run by an ex-Yakuza can and will carry a certain stigma that will be attached to that orphanage. Said reality is certainly not helped by Kiryu constantly running to help the Tojo clan whenever trouble starts brewing. Don't get me wrong, the kids unconditionally love Kiryu and he loves them back, but its undeniable that the would likely sacrifice any potential future, especially in the public space, just to maintain their lives in Morning Glory. This is especially because we have to be cognizant that this game is set in Japan, a country that both values pursing your potential future at a young age and already has a severe societal stigma against orphans. Having an owner with a criminal past can and will stack the deck further against the children's future, a tragic but ultimately true reality. Now a common argument is that Haruka's dream isn't to be an idol, she's merely following Park's dream. To support this, people will point to the sidequest in Yakuza 2 where she foreswears being an idol to be with Kiryu. While this is a fair argument, it is important to note that as far as the text of Yakuza 5 is concerned, being an idol is indeed Haruka's dream. YMMV on how true that SHOULD be and how accurate it is to her character but as far as the writing is concerned, that is her dream...which she is sacrificing for Kiryu's sake. Besides, the quest in Yakuza 2 could arguable prove Park's point, showing how Haruka's love for Kiryu blinds her to her own financial security. All this said, Park's offer is actually quite reasonable in this context. She not only pays Haruka but funds the Orphanage and ensures that it is properly staffed by letting Kiryu choose his successor which as far as job offers go is exceedingly generous. Basically, its hard to deny that Kiryu's mere presence does threaten the kid's future, especially financially. Moreso, this is a Japan where having a criminal past is much more serious than in the states. Park isn't wrong in saying that not only does Kiryu's mere presence threaten the kid's future, they'd be willing to make themselves worse off just for his sake. Plus, it's not like Kiryu is stupid, he's not being lied to or given inadequate information. Everything Park said is true. He merely considered it...and ultimately agreed. This is not to say Park is an ultimately good person, she does a ton of SUPER questionable stuff later on. But it is odd how the fandom seems to treat her deal with Kiryu as her most scummy moment when in reality, its perfectly reasonable and in the right.
I was really looking forwards too seeing Nico's reaction to playing as Haruka, just as fun as I expected. I never played the game myself, but youtube spoiled it for me on the recommended videos during Yakuza 0.
You know, Nico being so gunho about wanting to see Haruka fight off a bunch of thugs is starting to rub off on me. I'd love to see just due to the hilarity of it.
The reason you shouldn't use the keys with Haruka is cuz she has no use for the items, and you can't give them to the boys until insanely late, maybe not even until postgame, so they just rot in her inventory. I don't know WHY they give you the keys with her, when she can't use most of the items anyway.
"There's no way Haruka's going to the hostess club!" ... Are you sure about that? Just... Ask yourself for a moment. In a YAKUZA GAME... Are you REALLY sure about that?
Welcome to the third protagonists, Haruka. Judgment may have spoiled her being an idol but not a protagonist. And believe it or not, shes under protag in the glossary in kiryus section that you luckily didnt process. Also as funny as teenaged girls running to dance with Haruka sounds, there are no encounters as they are only static do when you want encounters. Least it's a break after saejimas side being very bad for encounters. And i swear nicos what? for harukas name on the screen is like the guardians of the galaxy vol 2 what lol
And of course there’s also the _other_ version of that song which is actually exclusive to the OST and not heard in the actual game. I won’t say anything else about it, those who know, know.
16:44 lady, idk how "peaceful" it is for the kids at the orphanage. Last time I checked, it was a plot point for a hotel, got almost destroyed, saw people got shot in front of them and have seen a lot of injured people in there. So if that's peaceful then idk what is dangerous
The average Yakuza fan: Okay, I’ve played 4 and a half games of this series. It’s pretty zany and its thrown the odd curveball, but I think I know what I’m in for. Haruka’s segment: *exists* The average Yakuza fan: I would like to retract my prior statement.
2:30:00 "The outcome of this contest will determined entirely by audience support" Nico: "is this a real thing in japan?" Forget Japan, even election across the whole world is doing that
![Yakuza 5 - Part 39: Pleasuring Haruka in Public, Long Time [BLIND]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZlR3azxUWKQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
WHAT'S FUCKING HAPPENING???
ARE YOU READY GO
Madness
IM ACTUALLY FREAKING OUT TOO HOLLY
I've been waiting for this!
Welcome to idol master Nico
And so, you have reached the point where as Tehsnakerer put it, the game doesn't want you to just know the theme is dreams, but that you can't forget it. That aside, I do wanna mention a moment in Yakuza 2 where Haruka was scouted to become a idol. There, Kiryu was almost willing to accept it because of how he drags her into danger, but Haruka refuses, not caring because she trusts Kiryu so much she always feels safe. What does make this intro to part 3 interesting is that it's almost a reverse of that scenario. Here, Kiryu is the first obstacle to Haruka not becoming a idol.
Park is not stopped by his objections however and defeats Kiryu in by far the most effective way anyone can, convincing him he's the bad guy. Kiryu wants the best for his kids, for them to be healthy, happy and do as they want. Playing on the potential idea that he's making his kids too scared to leave him, Park in a twisted way forces Kiryu to seemingly live out his dream. One where he sacrifices himself as he always does to make those he cares about happy. You might question how part 1 could be a dream for Kiryu given how "well" that went, but well, were it not for this, Haruka wouldn't be able to be a idol, therefore Kiryu is ok with it. With that, let one of the more polarising (and bold in some ways) parts of 5 begin!
*Kiryu is fighting hundreds of Tojo clan members at the end of Chapter 1. Dodging rockets and taking shotgun blasts like a champ.*
Aoyama: Time to bring out the big guns. *The passenger door opens and Park steps out and walks up to Kiryu.*
Park: You're a bad man. Haruka and the rest of the kids at Morning Glory are better off without you.
Kiryu: Aaaaawwooooooggg!
I hope this gets CotD since it’s a great explanation and insight as to why Kiryu would fold
Fun Fact that there's *TWO* people who makes their return as they first appeared on Yakuza 0:
- The first is Ogita, Haruka's dance coach. He actually appears to be the final Maharaja dancer in Kiryu's dancing substory. One could remember how difficult it is to beat him and I guess that is where he ends up.
- The second person is Dolce Kamiya. No, he's not the guy from the host club from Yakuza Kiwami 2 (That is Bueno Isozaki). This guy is actually the radio host that hosted the Dolce de Postcard during the Real Estate (Kiryu) and Host Club (Majima) Minigame. You might remember him where Majima NEVER gets to shake hands with him (Thanks Yuki).
Of course, if we're only considering chronological order, because in release order, Yakuza 5 released before Yakuza 0.
You may want to specify that they first appeared in 0 if we are going by the order of when 0 started his deep dive into this series
he also said: "if you've got a kid who needs dance lessons, im your guy" to kiryu in yakuza 0, right after you beat him.
@@Ulqui_210 Corrected.
*Important Notes:* So yeah, the thing we ALL wanted you to avoid being spoiled by Tatsuya’s tutorial? Yeah, *HARUKA IS THE 3RD PROTAGONIST.* All of us were waiting for this reaction. Combat Notes? What combat notes? She do be dancing and singing rather than throwing hands, boy!
This is also why we *_heavily warned you about not using locker keys._* It is because you CAN’T fight as Haruka, *meaning any item you WOULD get as Haruka from the lockers is all UNUSABLE to her* except healing/heat gauge recovery items like food or tauriners. You can not get into any fights anyways and most items from lockers are combat related so yeah. This is a problem specifically since for the FIRST 2 CHAPTERS, any item in her inventory is subsequently lost until POSTGAME.
*To elaborate, the game **_does_** gives you a method to send items you get from the lockers/shops to other protags on the 3rd chapter but it isn’t through Haruka’s inventory, it's through a separate menu entirely. So while there is a way to claim and send items to the other protags who can use it, the game fails to mention that once an item touches Haruka’s inventory, it's effectively gone which is an incredibly huge OVERSIGHT.*
Again, you are allowed to pick up locker keys, just don’t use them yet until you can get this method unlocked in chapter 3. (It's strange how they didn't program the transfer of items from her inventory to the separate menu.)
*Last thing,* Yoko, Haruka’s training master? *Do all of her training lessons in one go.* The game tries to make you think you need to come back to her each time after each Princess League round because of what you get *but you will save yourself a lot of headache if you just do them all right away.*
AH F%$# MY BRIAN HHHRRRREEEAAAAA!?
-Yakuza thugs when they see a defenseless teenage girl: “Meh…”
-Yakuza thugs when they see a buff yakuza dude who looks like he has (allegedly) killed people: “Hey old man, gimme your money!😡”
Haruka's dance coach, Ogita, is one of the opponents Kiryu faces in the Maharaja Showdown substory in Yakuza 0. After you defeat him, Ogita states that he intends to return to Osaka to become a dance coach.
Not only that, but he remarks to Kiryu that maybe he'll give his kids dance lessons. Lo and behold...
Lol, I think a lot of us were waiting for this episode just to point this out. 7 minutes late to the video and the comment has already been made.
Holy shit, I never thought about it till now
I thought he was Majima's opponent not Kiryu's?
@@falsetitle6940Nah, Majima's opponent was the Isobe Fan lady.
Park: "Go DEEP with that parasocial relationship. It doesn't matter how hard you have to go, make them happy, even at the cost of yourself. you are now the girlfriend of every weirdo who decides that they love you, and you have to DEAL"
God the idol industry is so fucked, it's always so uncomfortable seeing shit like this and knowing it's legit.
19:52 It's funny how the "dream" stuff is so noticeable even in English when they went out of their way to translate it into different things like "wish", "aspirations" and "goal". In Japanese it's all the same word (yume) which is mentioned around 20 times just in this scene alone. It's really funny when you notice it.
Nico: Ok my prediction it going to be first Akiyama, second will be Tanimura, & then the last one will be the new guy. That will be my prediction.
(Far away at the roof top there’s Haruka holding a sniper rifle & pointing at Nico head)
Haruka: He doesn’t know what coming to him
I'm not fluent or anything, but I've watched enough anime that'd I've osmosis'd a basic understanding of Japanese grammar and a couple words and phrases. A very common one I've learned is that the Japanese word for "dream" is "yume".
And listening to Japanese dub track, I can tell the English script has actually toned down how much the word "dream" shows up. In that opening scene you can hear Kiryu and the lady saying 'yume, yume, yume' over and over again while the English subtitles desperately try to find other words to translate it as except "dream." They use "wish", "aspiration", "want", etc. It's actually funny that the game apparently still has a reputation of over-using the word.
Oh, and the idol anime movie you were thinking of is "Perfect Blue", directed by the famous Satoshi Kon. I haven't seen it myself, but yeah, everyone swears it is a masterpiece.
You know, I gotta be honest. When I saw that you accidentally got spoiled about Haruka being an idol by the DLC figure in Judgment I was admittedly a bit disappointed, but I knew it would all be worth it for this moment lol.
Yup, this is no dream/yume, Haruka is the third playable character of the game! Now the general consensus on this part of the game in the fandom is actually mostly positive, but there are those who miss the combat and don’t really dig this change in tone. Now personally (and I have a good feeling you’ll agree with me here), I think this is a great way to avoid player burnout and inject some variety into the game. You’ve mentioned that the constant random battles were frustrating you, especially in Tsukimino. Well you’ll be pleased to know that this part of the game has NO random encounters at all! It’s almost like they knew it was an issue and decided to mix things up a bit for the sake of pacing lol.
Also up till now, the characters have been talking a lot about working towards their dreams or the dreams of others, now we actually get to see someone actually living their dream firsthand, with all that entails. It’s a great way to expand on the main recurring theme of the game and the gameplay is really fun in my opinion! I noticed you compared it to the LJ dance club minigame. That’s actually not a coincidence, because this game actually had the same director, I kid you not! Honestly a lot of the DNA of LJ’s side content can be traced back to this game if you think about it. Oh yeah FYI, this was also the reason why we made a big deal about that Chef Tatsuya tutorial spoiler at the beginning of the lp, it actually spoils her being a playable character because she gets buffs from food too!
Now I will warn you ahead of time: once you hit level 20 with Haruka, DO NOT progress her sidestory/idol jobs any further. I can’t really get into why rn, but trust me, I’m saving you a MAJOR headache down the line. Anyways, enjoy the sights and sounds of Osaka and brace yourself because there’s SO MUCH MORE (see what I did there) to see!
Edit: the idol movie you were thinking of is called Perfect Blue, and yeah it is a perfect microcosm of how messed up this industry is.
Edit 2: Oh yeah btw, you remember the postcard substory from Yakuza 0? Well the Princess League host, Dolce Kamiya, is the SAME guy who read your postcards on the radio! Small world huh lol
I really like the change of the tone with Haruka but her side story burned me out so much that after her part, I stopped playing the game for like half a year.
The song variety also didn't help. Wish there was more
I mean, that was never really a spoiler. This shit was set up since the game she got introduced in. You don't do that shit if you don't intend to make it work somehow. Lo and behold, they made it work.
Now if only she could kill a muhfucka. 😂
"Now the general consensus on this part of the game in the fandom is actually mostly positive" has never been more wrong lol
@@VoFALT Yup, my friend has no rhythm and hates rhythm games. I, however, love it.
Mirei Park's voice actress, Romi Park, is probably someone whose voice you've heard in a lot of Japanese dubs.
She's voiced Naoto in Persona 4 and its spinoffs, Pakunoda (one of the Spider Troupe) from Hunter x Hunter, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist (both in the 2003 show and in Brotherhood), Hange Zoe from Attack on Titan, and she's a reoccurring VA in Gundam, having voiced a character in at least 4 different series in the franchise. She was even the Japanese dub voice for the 13th Doctor in Doctor Who AND for Finn in Adventure Time, so yeah, Romi's got a pretty stacked portfolio.
Even though Yakuza didn't receive worldwide popularity until 0, it's crazy to think that it got so big in Japan that it got big-name talents like Romi-san to voice its characters.
Don't forget the voice of Akane Owari in Danganronpa 2.
And Toshiro Hitsugaya from Bleach
She did such a awesome ass job as Toshiro. Freaking peak! @oreotaku4017
I mean Yamadera Kouichi is also a big shot in seiyuu industry. So having Romi Park is not that surprising.
Temari from Naruto too
Yakuza 0 acknowledges stuff in this part a fair bit. Ogita has a cameo in 0 as a dance substory in the disco minigame, and Dolce Kamiya hosts the radio show in 0 which let you write in with your wacky substories in hopes of appearing on the show. It was definitely a nice treat for us who played this before 0 came out.
Behold. She is the Yakuza 5. She may never reach the levels of everyone's idol, Majima Goro, but a lot of us put our blood, sweat, tears, and hours into making Haruka close to the number one idol in the world.
While they will grow up and leave eventually, I think what Park is trying to imply is that they are afraid of actually chasing said dream, and might be in the future in the fear of losing the now. Right now Haruka is getting the chance to become an Idol and could try to chase this dream. If she refuses because she doesn't want to lose the now that they have. Park is technically right that Kiryu being here is making it harder for Haruka to achieve her dream, making Haruka pick the now over the dream. And this would extend to the other kids too. Let's say Haruka doesn't decide to follow her dreams to keep Kiryu in everyone's life. Let's say Taichi wants to be a professional Wrestler. He would have to consider the same sacrifice. At what point does Kiryu staying there end up becoming detrimental to their dreams? That is the point Park is trying to convey
And to add to "why can't he stay?" They can probably only erase so much of Haruka's past. They can erase the fact that Kiryu was the one who ran the orphanage, but can't really erase the fact that Haruka is an orphan. They can cover the fact that Kiryu was there with a "there was xyz workers at the orphanage". It can be uncovered with further investigation, but most people, even the obsessive fans would think twice about harassing an orphanage to figure out the truth, especially when there doesn't seem to be anything to uncover to begin with
That is not me saying I agree with Parks thinking, I believe she can make her dreams come true, but it would be a harder journey than normal, but I understand the point she's making, and she is persuasive, especially by being able to provide the means that few get, giving her an advantage in her advice and giving an ultimatum
Nico, regarding your confusion on why Baba couldn't believe why Saejima saved him, there is a potential reason for it despite his role in jail. In jail it is important to have people to watch your back. Any prisoner could shiv you at any moment or gang up on you. Every ally matters. As such, forming a bond in jail is about survival.
However, it'd be natural to assume such a bond was no longer needed after breaking out of jail. Saejima wouldn't have to be worried over being cornered by too many enemies any longer. It'd be natural to assume it'd be best to cut ties with Baba and for Saejima to look after himself. If anything, having more people is more chances to get caught by cops.
Saejima, however, showed he doesn't form such measly bonds. As we saw in Yakuza 4 with Hamazaki, Saejima forms true bonds and holds to them so long as the other party does as well. Hamazaki was just as surprised by Saejima's reason then. He and Baba expect these things only to last as long as the other party is necessary. And both were surprised when Saejima proved to trust and care for them long after any potential use is over.
Saejima still chose to risk himself to save Baba on the freezing mountain when that would be the most likely chance to cut your losses and leave him for dead. By saving his life, that went beyond anything Baba could have expected, truly beginning to cement his respect and friendship for Saejima.
Great comment!
Don't worry Nico, I got a glimpse of the idol industry in Japan
I watched Oshi No Ko
Imagine a What if...where Ai ends up Tiger Dropping THAT guy...
Aqua learns "Idol Style" from Ai and impales the stalker with a glowstick, that's the good ending of Oshi no Ko.
Fun factoid: Haruka who is voiced by the Queen of Tsunderes Rie Kugimiya, this isn’t her first rodeo of playing a character who is an idol. Same voice actor also plays Rise Kujikawa from Persona 4. Funny how similar the name of the VA is.
Same goes for Mirie Park here who is voiced by Romi Park, also voiced Naoto Shirogane from P4.
Doubly fun fact: They played the Elric brothers back in FMA.
Yes, seriously.
@@sndark6241 so they have chemistry with each other then, right?
*Rie Kugimiya
@@MugdhaMahdiShams Thanks fixed it
@@sndark6241 Triply fun fact: Park is married to Date's VA. They also own a company together.
So Park is a very… interesting character. She comes across as pretty manipulative and “bitchy”, and while I do admit they kinda go overboard with it, especially in regards to almost literally threatening Haruka with stopping the support for Morning Glory (though you could argue she was bluffing there), there’s no denying that she does make some points.
As we already saw in Kiryu’s part, one major reason why he left the orphanage was because he was afraid his yakuza past was going to take away the dreams of the children; be it directly affecting their chances of attaining their dream jobs, for example, or outright abandoning their dreams in favor of helping the orphanage, with their finances failing presumably due to Kiryu’s yakuza past interfering with securing money for his children. Park’s words are harsh, but as Kiryu himself realizes by the end of his part, he will always be yakuza, and that past will always follow him. And had he stayed at Morning Glory, it could’ve very well affected his children’s dreams negatively, just as Park suggested, and he himself feared.
In a way, I see Park’s argument here is similar to one that Mine started all the way in Yakuza 3. Mine said that Kiryu’s orphanage is just another way of him trying to run from his past, but it came from the perspective of someone in the Tojo, who had been left behind on their own when Kiryu left the clan. Park, however, gives us the civilian perspective of this argument. In her eyes, this ex-yakuza’s only “use” for these children is to atone for his past. But she also recognizes that, no matter his intentions, the children have truly come to love him.
And that’s why she basically says; “if you care for these children at all, you will give them the opportunity to chase their dreams”. Park argues that by leaving the orphanage, while the children may lose the father they’ve come to care for, Kiryu will give them security that their “fragile happiness” will not shatter. Of course, there are things Park is more than likely oblivious to in Kiryu’s relationship with his children, but as an outsider, she doesn’t notice them. All she sees is an ex-yakuza taking advantage of orphans for the sake of vanity and his own self-atonement.
I do think there's an extra layer - she's correct on a technical level and this especially applies to Mitsuo and Haruka who actively want to be something beyond a normal ordinary citizen in the world. It's actually a hard thing especially for kids to have to weigh these two particular options of freedom and ambition against loving security. We know what the outcome is in future games but giving them the opportunity to choose in of itself is not necessarily wrong.
really great comment, I feel like most people seem to forget that Kiryu's past WOULD influence the future of these children like or not.
COMMENT OF THE DAY material right here
Welcome to PEAK.
Also, Haruka cannot fight because she is a public figure. It would ruin her reputation if she was fighting people out on the streets.
11:08 It was at this moment Nico realized... FUCK THE IDOL INDUSTRY!!!😂
This is the point where Haruka and Rise from P4 sharing the same japanese VA gets really funny
Park is a polarising character and there is a *lot* to say about her, and she's absolutely a lot to swallow at first. Right out of the gate she makes a statement and a lot of people hate her from the word go. I don't find it so simple myself and to avoid spoiler talk, I'll just say this for the moment:
She's a fascinating character. I hold the belief that she (in her own way) does care about Haruka. And part of her harshness is (in Park's opinion) necessary because she knows how awful people can be towards idols and she wants Haruka prepared for the absolutely gruelling journey ahead. But she also knows Haruka is a whole lot tougher than most might assume.
The idol industry is so intense and horrible to the young, (often HS aged) kids within it, and Haruka just won't survive otherwise.
Apologies, I'm rambling about stuff that may not make a lot of sense until later, but Parks a very interesting character IMO.
Personally I'd feel she'd be better if the game's narrative didn't try to paint her in sympathetic light regardless of her actions, and without any spoilers, her actions have so many bad consequences for Haruka and Kiryu for the rest or the series from here onwards.
Oh please. She's coercing Haruka with the threat of cutting off the orphanage and pushing her through a vile idol industry at such a formative age all so she can selfishly live her broken dreams vicariously through her. Any such "care" shown towards Haruka is nothing more than a manipulation technique.
No, Park categorically does NOT care about Haruka as person. If she did, she would be in a good school and the orphanage would be supported regardless of how well Haruka trains or performs. Not being pushed past her absolute breaking point to groom her to thrive in an industry of vipers.
There is no excusing her.
@@VoFALT You can care about a person for all the wrong reasons and be toxic about it. I consider Park complicated and that's part of what's fascinating. I do not claim nor consider her good, but interesting and complex.
@@godzilla4189 That's fair. I was trying to figure out how to explain my thoughts without spoilers. Park isn't a good person, but I don't mind that she isn't a good person. Like most of the cast, she's in the grey. I agree that they bungle up her writing later on, but that's not exclusive to Park. It happens with plenty of the villains or antagonists in this series.
@@godzilla4189 I'd argue that those consequences you speak of is the result of the big bads with their conspiracies with Kiryu and Haruka dragged into it
Haruka’s first song is called “So Much More”. Which is kinda funny, given you’ll be listening to this song so many more times during her training.
Hell, this song was stuck in my head for like a month after I finished the game. And now, it’ll be stuck there for another one.
I like to imagine that the thugs in Sotenbori somehow found about Kiryu being Haruka’s dad and ran off, which is why she doesn’t even need an item to prevent random encounters lol
Truly, she is the strongest character with the most powerful aura in Yakuza 5
She doesn't need the beads of good fortune, she IS the beads of good fortune.
You say it like thugs don't look for a chance to beat up Kiryu every second of the day
Jo Amon and four other guys from the Amon clan approach Kiryu, Haruka, and other protagonists
Kiryu: "Five against four? Hardly seems fair, don't you think?"
Jo Amon: "What are you talking about? One of us will dance battle that idol while the rest of us fight with our fists. The idol industry has been saturated with young girls, but that'll change when the Amon clan takes the stage."
Kiryu: "...You've got to be kidding me."
Haruka: "Bring it on!"
Not that far from the truth tbh
Haruka isn't a mini thing. Haruka is a full on character. She's as genuine of a protagonist as Kiryu and Saejima. She is the full on third character.
Haruka's voice actress is Rie Kugimiya. She's most famous for voicing children and tsundere-type characters, but has a lot of different roles under her belt. In particular, she voices the character Iori Minase in "The iDOLM@STER" series of rhythm games, where she sings all the songs that Iori performs, so she's no stranger to lending her voice for this kind of thing. She was also the Japanese voice for Persona 4's Rise Kujikawa, and performed the vocals for Rise's song that was used in the P4 anime.
no but really what Park just explained is that you just dont even wanna put up with the idol business unless you have been emotionally neglected
The first 20 minutes of this vid were pure agony as I waited for Nico to get to the Haruka reveal. It was like leading your friend to his surprise party only for him to constantly meander and small talk his way up to the house. Meanwhile, you have no choice but to play along.
"Yeah, Kitakata's kidnapping. That was wild, wasn't it? ... Baba! Yeah, he's a real one. I mean, no. Everyone hates him. You're totally right. ... The idol industry in Japan. It is what it is- WILL YOU OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!"
18:22
I kinda agree with your question, Nico. However, there's more than just that, in my opinion. When you said about Haruka having super fans, getting to know everything about her. It's a huge advantage for the other clans/villains to just lure or force Kiryu to save over and over again.
Now think of it again with the rest of the orphanages being adopted or famous. The parents and the kid(s) will be kidnapped if they owned a wealthy company. Leaving Kiryu making a huge disadvantages of not only of what happened right away, but having a chance of returning to the orphanage or into a bad life of being homeless.
5:48 I think it's more a yakuza aspect of life in which you sometimes okay having some friends end up taking the dust while Baba was mostly shocked for the fact he wasn't treated like a throw away tool maybe that was the reason.
Mystery man: I am So Amon. My family and I have been bested by Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. And you, Kazuma Kiryu' adopted daughter, must now FACE MY ADOPTED GRANDDAUGHTER IN A DANCE OFF! *Majima comes out dressed as Goromi-chan again*
Haruka: Majima-san, what are you doing?
Majima: Would you rather I wear this? *pulls out his 24-hour Cinderella costume*
Haruka: I've never understood Uncle Kaz better than this moment.
I discussed the kitakata manhole point in one of the comment threats and my personal headcannon is that one of the influential groups that wanted this meeting to happen(the osaka PD, Kitakata himself and Baba's surperiors). convinced the police to ignore the kidnapping. they were still there to give the illusion of safety to the rest of the crowd, but would not act/deliberatly fail if Saejima appeared and kidnapped Kitakata. Which I think is a lot more believable than Saejima being a "Supreme sewer ninja".
Baba's superiors are already shown to be influential/powerfull enough to get:
1. Have Baba explicitly assigned to Saejima's cell
2. have the one eyed dude assigned near Saejima
3. convince the minister of justice to deny Saejima's parole(!)
4. Murder the warden without issue or questions seemingly(!)
5. have 100 violent inmates suddenly transferred to Saejima's prison despite the warden's death(!)
Seeing all these feats already, "convince the tsukimino police to look away when Saejima kidnaps a willing Kitakata", actually Seems pretty reasonable. and makes the kidnapping less "the most ridicilous thing in Yakuza". The crowd not noticing is no problem as there is a loud plane show happening above them.
This is just my personal headcannon to make sense of things though. I would have liked them to give a short shot of a sniper spotting the manhole open slightly and then deliberatly looking the other way. Would have given a reason why it was so easy and added to the intrigue I think.
At the beginning of Haruka’s Part you finally learn who and what this Mirei Park wants in having Kiryu leave Morning Glory and his family behind. Because she saw potential in Haruka to be a top class idol.
So it should come at no surprise that Park is the *most controversial character in Y5* and for very good reasons. *If you pay attention to her words, Park basically manipulated Kiryu by **_guilt tripping the heck out of him,_** telling him that **_he_** is holding them back from happiness even tho Haruka clearly wanted him to deny Park. She in her lines constantly point to Kiryu being the only problem than like I dunno: bullying, societal pressure, or anything else if you noticed.* She even bribed him of sweetening the deal with paying the expenses and gave the most vague reasoning of knowing Haruka would have this same dream _somehow._ *(Then blackmailed Haruka with it later, good talk I guess...)*
The scene is honestly hard to watch because to see Kiryu *be gaslit* into thinking he is preventing his kids’ dream has caused quite the contentious discussion, like imagine seeing the man we grown to love for 5+ games be gaslit, guilt tripped, and eventually broke down in depression to _let him get beaten up by random thugs he could easily beat_ until Nakajima saved him. Let's just say it's justifiable that first-time players tend to have strong negative feelings towards Park. *Especially when they saw Park trying to make Kiryu the "bad guy".*
But that’s not the point I am getting across, because due to the animosity, people tend to mischaracterize her. What she did to Kiryu was severely wrong morally, but *she is honestly an intriguing character* for the better of the story of Y5. Having such a gray complex character like this showing her viewpoint of dreams is great as it pushes the story into a more interesting direction, *so I hope you can appreciate Park's character as she is quite the interesting character imo.*
That said, if you were wondering what people started having problems with Y5 as the most controversial game between 3-5, well congrats, *you are OFFICIALLY at the starting line.*
Why? The idol industry. That’s why.
He probably should of ask Haruka if that what she wanted and dreamed of
To be fair the idol industry in Japan is NOTORIOUSLY cutthroat and cruel, I've heard that stories of idols being abused while being forced to maintain a bubbly positive personality on stage are sadly common.
@@ScorbunGame The way idols have to apologise publically for having dating relationships, or for not being perfect because it ruins the 'fantasy' is so depressing too. I can't imagine what that does to these teens and young adults mental state.
@chaoszonenate right? That will never just gut punch me..and I fear it'll be a never ending cycle
I get it, but just because I get it, doesn't mean I like her. Not even an inch.
2:02:19 Dolce Kamiya is the guy from the radio in Yakuza Zero. Kiryu & Majima had to send in letters detailing their Substories for a chance to get read on the radio. After three readings, they got to meet Kamiya and got super excited about it.
Now, other people might say that they made Haruka only do dance battles because the devs don't want a teenage girl to be in violent street fights or that it's in character or whatever lies RGG told. I, however, know the truth in that this is actually done to nerf her so that the game doesn't end with only 3 parts.
She OHKO every opponent, strongest protagonist in the series.
Now I’m just imagining Haruka doing the ending dances for both of the AI:TSF games.
Perfect Blue. It’s an anime movie that stands up to any live action intense drama from the west that you can name. It’s a very powerful story, tackling obsession as well as the sacrifice of your own values, and the director of that movie has made several other very powerful works as well.
2:02:22 Dolce Kamiya was from the radio show where Kiryu and Majima submitted postcards of their substories to be read out aloud live on air as part of a contest in Yakuza 0
Haruka: Whoa this is so weird, I’m the playable character now?
Kiryu: Thaaaaaat’s right!
Haruka: Uncle Kaz what are you doing here?
Kiryu: Shut up that’s not important. What is importance is that I’ve been waiting for this day since 2005.
Haruka: What are you…….. No. No you don’t mean.
*Kiryu stands right next to Haruka*
Haruka: Please no! DON’T DO THIS!
*Kiryu’s trust bar appears on screen*
Haruka: I’M BEGGING YOU!!! PLEASE DON’T PUT ME THROUGH THIS!!!
Kiryu: I want you to get a 100 in Otometal MY LIFE.
Haruka: NOOOOOOOOOOOO-
Please let this be the comment of the day.
Kiryu: 3 games, haruka. Three!Games! I spent on this because, apparently, I can't go one year without you suddenly saying you don't trust me, despite all we've been through, because I was too busy saving the tojo clan from going belly up from its own stupidity to win you a prize from the ufo catcher one time. So guess what, honey? It's almost like I can't trust you. Haruka, Uncle Kaz wants a bun-chan, now!
Haurka: ...help...
Haruka died that day.
This comment is absolutely glorious
This should be a voice request next stream.
Fun fact, Kan Ogita (Haruka’s instructor) was in Yakuza 0. He’s the final dancer Kiryu has to face off against in that set of substories. Lee’s (the masseuse who was taking care of Makoto) design was also heavily based off of Saejima’s design in 5 as well
Like you said Nico, if Haruka's aiming to become an idol, then her being related to someone who is essentially the top dog of Japan's organized crime isn't a good thing.
Park is correct on some level here here (even though she does kinda gaslight Kiryu), if the kids are given a choice between following their own dreams and Kiryu, they're going to choose Kiryu in a heartbeat. They'll kill their own ambition if it means they can keep Kiryu happy. Not to mention, being related to him would create insane societal pressure on them too if they ever decide to go job-searching. They'd have to face the stigma of being an orphan as well as being raised by an ex-Yakuza.
As for your question as to why Kiryu couldn't just stay at Morning Glory while she takes Haruka? They cannot take that chance. Someone would eventually find out that she was raised here. And if they look into the caretaker of the orphanage, then it's over. But another explanation could be that this gives Park more influence over Haruka. Kiryu is obviously Haruka's dad in all but blood, and she looks to him for advice and guidance before anyone else. With him gone, Park can more efficiently mould Haruka into whoever she wants without any resistance.
And thus begins my favorite section in all of Yakuza
This is my favorite part of Yakuza 5 by a long shot. I love this focus on Haruka and the latter half of this part is so peak.
Ha, I bet you weren't expecting an idol simulator in Yakuza! This series somehow always finds a way to surprise everyone.
13:31 Perfect Blue, I remember watching it years ago. It's such a surreal yet incredible film, seeing Mima's downwards spiral was rough.
I am so glad you finally got to this part. Your reaction when you realized what was going on was golden. Enjoy your time in the idol world, it's gonna be a ride. Also you just met Park, character in the series that really fascinates me and is one of my favorites. A lot of other people have explained her motivation and how she's really not wrong. Let's be honest she's not a great person, but she has so many layers. You'll see more, but the fact you can pick her motivations apart like this makes her so fun even if she is a huge hardass. Also there are mods out there where Haruka curbstomps people, I suggest looking some of them up on YT. They're very satisfying.
dance heat settings is where you actually assign your moves for the dance battle stuff. even if you get something thats OBJECTIVELY BETTER you need to switch it out at that setting
To clarify on Baba a LITTLE further there are two ways to interpret why he's so emotional and confused about Saejima saving him.
Baba from his fighting style and from the fact we know his enemy affiliation and he tried to snipe assassinate Kitakata, Baba is likely some form of hitman. It's quite possible that he was raised in an environment where having actual friends he could trust is completely foreign to him and Saejima being so earnest sort of teaches him for the first time what it's actually like to care about another human being. The issue is actually Saejima saving him. As in, the actual taking of the risk of his own life to save Baba. For Baba, that is something HE would never do. So it actually confuses him despite them being friends and you have to remember that from Baba's point of view he was lying through his teeth the entire time. His PERSONAL guilt of still going through with all this even after Saejima saved him is soul destroying for him - which is why he tried to end his own life earnestly but couldn't pull the trigger on Saejima.
The movie you were thinking of, Nico, is called "Perfect Blue," and, yeah, it perfectly shows just how hellish the life of a celebrity, especially an idol, can be. It's also just a masterfully done, and beautifully animated, psychological horror, honestly one of my favorite movies.
You gonna remember that Japan loves their reputation and status the most. There is a reason why Japan boast their 99% prosecution rates and characters like Phoenix Wright is consider Japan's Superman and it aint the blue and red color.
If Kiryu had stayed in the orphanage, sooner or later people will find out that Haruka was raised by an ex-Yakuza and her reputation goes down anf her dream of being an idol goes up in smokes. Not only that but Kiryu's status, as Park said, also affects the other kids as well. It doesnt matter what dream or jobs they want, once they learn Kiryu raised them, its over since no one in Japan dont want to associate anybody with a criminal record, whether it is them with the record or they have a parent with that record. And the idol industry is the worst if you are connect with someone with a criminal record since you are suppose to be a icon to millions of people.
Time for the chapter that blindsides most people lol. No one expects the Haruka inquisition.
People were really disappointed that they didn't let Haruka fight, but I thought it was amazing they stuck to their guns and gave us a completely different gameplay experience for a "break" between chapters. Not every female character needs to fight to be badass or cool.
You can indeed go to the crab place in real life! There are a few branches, but this is likely the Kani Doraku Main Branch in Dotonbori. Their menu looks like a veritable feast, I'd pay good money for someone to compare the real thing to Yakuza's depiction!
WELCOME TO THE HARUKA SECTION OF Y5! Fun fact about this section is that the developers for the Hatsune Miku game worked on the rhythm game for both the idol dance portion and Dance battles. This section is a personal favorite of mine, as rhythm games are my jam and I love the Hatsune Miku games. Be prepared for "So Much More" to be stuck in your head for weeks. You thought 24 Hour Cinderella was an Earworm? HOO BOY!
That explains why I got Project Diva vibes from it.
You know what's funny to me, regarding Haruka ended up becoming an Idol in Yakuza 5? Well, to start with, Yakuza 5 is set in 2012, a year after Persona 4 (2011). Here, we get to see that Haruka is now an idol, and since Yakuza 5 happened around Christmas. That makes it several months after the events of Persona 4 Dancing All Night, which i believe to be set around Summer or Fall of 2012. After Rise had returned from her hiatus in the events of Persona 4 in 2011. Now why do i mention all of this?
.
.
.
Because Haruka Sawamura and Rise Kujikawa shares the same Japanese voice actor, Rie Kugimiya. And they both ended up becoming an Idol in two games where the Year where the Story happened are more or less 1 year apart. Meanwhile, Yakuza 5 is released in Japan in December 2012 (Albeit it's only came to the West in 2015). Meanwhile, Persona 4 Golden is released in June 2012 (Before it came to the West in November of that year) Now think about it deeply, please...
My theory so far(watching this story blind as well, so please don't correct and acknowledge my take in the reply pls) is that the true reason WHY that agent woman was so insistent on Kiryu leaving the orphanage and kids behind is so Haruka could never be traced back to him. Since if people found out that she was raised in the orphanage in Okinawa, they could dig up who currently runs it, and get backround info on them very easily, since we are a the Internet era now ~2012~. So basically the whole speech about the dreams and ambition of his kids is total vile manipulation from her designed to cut out that potentially ruining piece from her golden cow(Haruka).
At least that how i saw that whole scene.
How do ya like dem apples? Haruka sniped Akiyama and Tanimura with a sniper, they're dead. Her time now.
Also neat little fact, the host guy for the concert Dolce Kamiya is of course an irl celebrity. But this isn't the first time you've seen him either. He was a radio host in Yakuza 0. You had a substory where you wrote post cards to his show and eventually won the opportunity to meet him. And.....he hasn't aged like at all in 20 years according to the Yakuza universe!
Akari is also modeled after someone. Don't worry she's just a model and not a JAV actress! All wholesome chungus 100! -She did however become a JAV actress -*-after-*- this Yakuza 5 gig tho- WHOLESOME CHUNGUS!! NO LEWDNESS WHAT SO EVER!!!
@@Mr96POP I do. Because I googled Akari Natsukawa and.....yeah, she's real. And I also had to promptly erase my search history 😓.
Plus it's not like the model had to be the same age as the character.
As for her allegedly not looking like the game model, could just be make up. I've uh seen how the other actresses looked like in yakuza 0. When not using the hairstyles and make up seen in the game, they look quite different and I only recognized em because of their names.
@@Mr96POP I had said that she was just a model at the time and not a JAV actress during the time of the game. Plus, there are people who use their real names in the JAV industry. It's not a mandatory thing to take up a stage name.
You probably forgot about Dolce Kamiya, but he was in Yakuza 0. He was a radio host, who you reported in substories to.
Also Ogita, Haruka's trainer, was also in Yakuza 0. He was one of the Disco kings that Kiryu could fight. He even foreshadowed this by saying smth like "If you ever have kids, bring them to me, I'll teach them how to dance"
I guarantee you that every single Yakuza fan was waiting for your reaction to this with bated breath for *years*. And you know what? It. Was. Absolutely. Worth. It!
Good news, you are now out of the hell known as Tsukimino.
Bad news, you’re now in the hell known as the idol industry.
So in other words he left Hell and fell into Super Hell
@@markfrey6664 No, he left Hell and died. 😂
I think Kiryu said yume there when he said excuse me so that is also added to the dream counter but this is a surprising trend. The Japanese version of this must have a much bigger dream counter than English ever could.
So I am gonna share a bit of info regarding Park. Park is voiced by VA Romi Park (lol) who fun fact also voiced Naoto Shirogane in Persona 4, and is in fact married to Makoto Date's VA.
Also if we are going by release order, this is the first time Sotenbori has been shown again in the series since the OG Yakuza 2 back in 2006, and with it came an overhaul to its layout. The layout being one that is the closest to what most people think of when they think of Sotenbori, which is what Yakuza 0 used for its version.
Haruka: It took 5 games, but finally I’m the main protagonist! Now Uncle Kaz will have to chase after me whenever I run somewhere!
I believe the idol movie Nico is talking about at 13:33 is called Perfect Blue
Yakuza 5 may not be my favorite game in the series, but I love this part of the game for being so different than what you're used to.
47:05 During the interview on TV you could see at the beginning of this chapter and at the beginning of Kiryu's chapter you could read and hear that Haruka is indeed 16, though granted, it was untranslated japanese, so I don't blame you for missing it.
An interesting thing to point out about Mirei Park is her name. Her having the last name of “Park” stood out to me since that’s a Korean name, meaning she’s of Korean descent.
Koreans are generally not treated well in Japan (if _Kiwami 2_ didn’t make it obvious), so her being in a position of power (CEO of a talent agency) while being of Korean descent is pretty admirable.
In addition, her VA, Romi Park, is also of Korean descent. Speaking of which, Romi Park is married to Kazuhiro Yamaji, the VA for Date.
Pretty sure that Naoto's Japanese Voice Actor, Romi Park is also of a Korean Descent, right?
She also married the voice actor for Makoto Date
@@Ulqui_210 ooh. I Didn't know that one
@@Ulqui_210right.. I forgotten about that, wonder how they're both doing
@@flashergoldpower15 they are still happily married if that is what you are asking
13:35 Perfect Blue
Here's a thing about Haruka and her gameplay, you can skip/fail almost all of it and the story will still progress, I discovered this when I recently replayed the game, there is only one dance you need to succeed to progress, but that's it.
47:11 Yeah she is sixteen while park was in the office with ogita and watching the interview of haruka on the side of the tv listed her age
Haruka learned from Papa Kiryu after all on how to kick ass and take names. She's just adding her own little twist to combat.
And with that she'll be in the next Tekken game as another dancer.
Kiryu curbstomps his opponents literally, while Haruka curbstomps hers spiritually.
Nico is now trapped in the IdolMaster dimension.
Funny you said that because Haruka's VA is Rie Kugimiya, who also voices Iori Minase, the tsundere idol who also wears pink on stage in Idolm@ster
@@garupakyojin1361 Not to mention there's also A Haruka in Idolmaster.
@@wchan39Haruka Sawamura vs. Haruka Amami: Ultimate Idol Battle! I'll buy 10 copies.
As I understand it, Running Girl is a real show, and just like everything else in the idol industry, I hear it's super fucked up!
There is something so unnerving and unsettling about Running Girl. I didn't know it was a real show til long after I played Y5 though.
I missed the opportunity to mention this last episode, but:
If you wanna know to what extent this game is pushing the DREAMS theme, the big sign out front of Kitakata's hideout literally says ドリーム DORIIMU
When you were talking about Japan pop idols, I was thinking of one from a fighting video game franchise called The King of Fighters. There is a character named Athena who is a supreme pop idol who is always putting on a smile and can fight as well. She's a good person who will do anything to make sure the world is safe from harm. But one thing perplexed me, Athena is always 18 years old, meaning in every KOF game, she is always 18 years old, never aging, but does change her outfits and hairstyles.
Bowling was in Tsukimino but for some reason you didn't go to that place. It was called Northern Lane you even looked at it on the map but never went there.
Sees Nico upload this part of the game:
"I've been waiting for this!"
So yes, this was the spoiler that happened in judgment with the figure, haruka being an idol, so good on your memory for forgetting and now you can experience SO MUCH MORE
It is more on not expecting to play Haruka
I don't think that figure prepared him being able to play as her.
even if I know Haruka in this game, no way I predict playing as her since we always play as character who can fight
I still think it's stupid people say that's a spoiler. This shit was set up since her intro game. It's not a surprise. 😂
2:05:08 "Good evening, good morning, and welcome! It's the brand-new stars of the Idol world, Mai and Azusa, also known as T-Set! You bet!"
Haruka: Looks Uncle Kaz! Now I’m a main protagonist in a Nico LP!
Estelle: Let’s go! High Five!
Estelle 🙌 Haruka
Haruka's combat about to be street dance battles from Step Up
Yep your playing as Haruka now! Also, it’s been so long you’ve probably forgotten, but Ogita was the main dance battle boss in Yakuza 0 whom you beat with Kiryu.
His last words were about if you ever found need of a dance coach in life to give him a call, again everything comes looping back to zero!
Oh look its the Edward & Alphonse Elric Oshi no Ko Arc!
So I know this is an ultimately controversial opinion but I actually agree with Park regarding Kiryu and really don't think there was anything wrong with what she said. Firstly, the business with the money: people tend to act like she was robbing Morning Glory somehow but she came to the place offering a job, not offering charity. It would only make sense that the money is delivered only when the job is accepted. It's not like she was going to embezzle funds from Morning Glory if he didn't comply or hell, even as something as scummy as reveal that he was a former Yakuza. More importantly, in regards to her critiques of Kiryu...I actually kinda have to agree. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, the simple reality is that having an orphanage run by an ex-Yakuza can and will carry a certain stigma that will be attached to that orphanage. Said reality is certainly not helped by Kiryu constantly running to help the Tojo clan whenever trouble starts brewing. Don't get me wrong, the kids unconditionally love Kiryu and he loves them back, but its undeniable that the would likely sacrifice any potential future, especially in the public space, just to maintain their lives in Morning Glory. This is especially because we have to be cognizant that this game is set in Japan, a country that both values pursing your potential future at a young age and already has a severe societal stigma against orphans. Having an owner with a criminal past can and will stack the deck further against the children's future, a tragic but ultimately true reality. Now a common argument is that Haruka's dream isn't to be an idol, she's merely following Park's dream. To support this, people will point to the sidequest in Yakuza 2 where she foreswears being an idol to be with Kiryu. While this is a fair argument, it is important to note that as far as the text of Yakuza 5 is concerned, being an idol is indeed Haruka's dream. YMMV on how true that SHOULD be and how accurate it is to her character but as far as the writing is concerned, that is her dream...which she is sacrificing for Kiryu's sake. Besides, the quest in Yakuza 2 could arguable prove Park's point, showing how Haruka's love for Kiryu blinds her to her own financial security. All this said, Park's offer is actually quite reasonable in this context. She not only pays Haruka but funds the Orphanage and ensures that it is properly staffed by letting Kiryu choose his successor which as far as job offers go is exceedingly generous. Basically, its hard to deny that Kiryu's mere presence does threaten the kid's future, especially financially. Moreso, this is a Japan where having a criminal past is much more serious than in the states. Park isn't wrong in saying that not only does Kiryu's mere presence threaten the kid's future, they'd be willing to make themselves worse off just for his sake. Plus, it's not like Kiryu is stupid, he's not being lied to or given inadequate information. Everything Park said is true. He merely considered it...and ultimately agreed. This is not to say Park is an ultimately good person, she does a ton of SUPER questionable stuff later on. But it is odd how the fandom seems to treat her deal with Kiryu as her most scummy moment when in reality, its perfectly reasonable and in the right.
Totally agree, I really like her character and it's a shame to see how many people hate her
I was really looking forwards too seeing Nico's reaction to playing as Haruka, just as fun as I expected.
I never played the game myself, but youtube spoiled it for me on the recommended videos during Yakuza 0.
T-SET, YOU BET!
You know, Nico being so gunho about wanting to see Haruka fight off a bunch of thugs is starting to rub off on me. I'd love to see just due to the hilarity of it.
The reason you shouldn't use the keys with Haruka is cuz she has no use for the items, and you can't give them to the boys until insanely late, maybe not even until postgame, so they just rot in her inventory. I don't know WHY they give you the keys with her, when she can't use most of the items anyway.
2:02:33
That's actually the host of the radio show in which you did the postcard substories in Yakuza 0 as both Kiryu and Majima.
"There's no way Haruka's going to the hostess club!"
... Are you sure about that?
Just... Ask yourself for a moment. In a YAKUZA GAME... Are you REALLY sure about that?
Take a shot everytime someone says "yume" in this video.
Welcome to the third protagonists, Haruka. Judgment may have spoiled her being an idol but not a protagonist. And believe it or not, shes under protag in the glossary in kiryus section that you luckily didnt process. Also as funny as teenaged girls running to dance with Haruka sounds, there are no encounters as they are only static do when you want encounters. Least it's a break after saejimas side being very bad for encounters.
And i swear nicos what? for harukas name on the screen is like the guardians of the galaxy vol 2 what lol
Perfect Blue, that movie is amazing. I HIGHLY recommend it!
Warning Nico, prepare for So Much More to burrow its way into your head and never leave. This song walked so 24 hour Cinderella could fucking fly
And of course there’s also the _other_ version of that song which is actually exclusive to the OST and not heard in the actual game.
I won’t say anything else about it, those who know, know.
@@sndark6241wooh!
16:44 lady, idk how "peaceful" it is for the kids at the orphanage. Last time I checked, it was a plot point for a hotel, got almost destroyed, saw people got shot in front of them and have seen a lot of injured people in there. So if that's peaceful then idk what is dangerous
The average Yakuza fan: Okay, I’ve played 4 and a half games of this series. It’s pretty zany and its thrown the odd curveball, but I think I know what I’m in for.
Haruka’s segment: *exists*
The average Yakuza fan: I would like to retract my prior statement.
Nico: Why would they have the hostess club thing !?
The hostess club owner : What, I should just close my business because you play a teenage girl!?
2:30:00
"The outcome of this contest will determined entirely by audience support"
Nico: "is this a real thing in japan?"
Forget Japan, even election across the whole world is doing that
Dolce Kamiya was the Yakuza 0 Postcards guy, Nico :D
Don’t know if this was known before, but it’s fitting that Haruka’s VA is also Rise from Persona