A betrayal, eighteen years of prison, and a quest to become a hero
In short: After spending nearly two decades behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, Ichiban Kasuga emerges to find his world transformed. No longer the man he was, he must navigate a complex web of underworld factions and political conspiracies to uncover the truth behind his betrayal.
Released from prison in 2019, Ichiban Kasuga enters a Yokohama defined by shifting allegiances. His journey begins after eighteen years of incarceration, a sentence served to protect the reputation of his former captain, Jo Sawashiro. Kasuga had accepted blame for a murder committed by Sawashiro in 2001, only to be met with betrayal by his mentor, Masumi Arakawa, upon his release. This sacrifice was made to preserve the standing of the Arakawa Family. Upon his exit from jail, Kasuga finds that the Tojo Clan has collapsed, replaced by the Omi Alliance's dominance over Kamurochō.
The narrative shifts the series' focus away from the traditional protagonist Kazuma Kiryu to Kasuga, a low-ranking member of the Arakawa Family. The setting moves from the familiar streets of Kamurochō to the Yokohama district of Isezaki Ijincho. Here, Kasuga must navigate the 'Ijin Three'—a trio of interconnected factions: the Chinese-Japanese Yokohama Liumang, the Korean-Japanese Geomijul mafia, and the local Seiryu Clan. This new setting is based on the real-life Isezakichō district. The criminal landscape is further complicated by the presence of the Osaka-based Omi Alliance.
As Kasuga assembles a diverse party—including a homeless ex-nurse, a former police officer, and a hostess bar manager—he uncovers a massive counterfeiting scheme. This operation involves high-profile figures like politician Yutaka Ogikubo and the Governor of Tokyo, Ryo Aoki, who is revealed to be Masato Arakawa. The plot weaves through themes of political cleansing and organized crime, marking a significant departure for the franchise through its turn-based RPG combat system. The group's investigation leads them to discover that the Liumang and Geomijul are collaborating on this illicit scheme. This intricate plot eventually forces Kasuga to confront the political ambitions of the city's leadership.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Yakuza: Like a Dragon
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