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Like a Dragon Series Explores Realistic Japan and delves into Provocative Themes
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth brought me joy as it felt like revisiting the classic Japanese RPGs I used to enjoy. Despite requiring over 90 hours for completion, a potentially daring endeavor for a busy professional, the rich content proved to be a worthwhile investment. It evoked memories of my childhood, particularly my immersive experiences with Final Fantasy V, where I enthusiastically learned various jobs and unique abilities associated with each occupation.
The long-running Like a Dragon series, which has been ongoing since 2005, stands out as a unique gaming experience, distinct from titles like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The primary settings include bustling districts resembling Kabukicho called Kamurocho, and a foreigner’s quarter reminiscent of Isezakicho in Yokohama. The central protagonist is Kazuma Kiryu, formerly known as “The Dragon of Dojima,” a former yakuza member. The series revolves around his involvement with the Tojo Clan, a designated boryokudan (organized crime group) to which he once belonged, depicting intense conflicts involving yakuza, Chinese and Korean mafias, and more nationwide. Characters meet untimely deaths, and the narrative delves into provocative themes such as drug trafficking and human trafficking. It’s a video game tailored for adults, with swords and magic, and themes of love and courage left far behind.
In the genre-redefining Yakuza: Like a Dragon, shifting from the previous action-adventure style to RPG, the narrative follows the typical juvenile fantasy structure, featuring the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga who aspires to be a hero. He forms bonds with companions, nurtures friendships, and confronts formidable foes. However, what sets it apart is Kasuga’s background as a former yakuza striving for social reintegration after his release from prison. His adventuring companions include a homeless individual who lost her nursing license for diverting hospital medication and a cabaret hostess with a troubled past. Each character seeks a fresh start in life and hopes for a turnaround. From a different perspective, it can be seen as an adventure tale for “us,” addressing real struggles such as poverty and inequality in a lifelike Japan.
On the other hand, the game is not entirely fixated on realism. It offers a rich variety of mini-games, such as a parody involving capturing delinquents known as “Sujimon” to become a “Sujimon Master.” Additionally, there are absurd sub-stories featuring robots, UFOs, and other fantastical elements. The juxtaposition of a serious main narrative with light-hearted and outlandish side stories creates a uniquely entertaining balance, contributing to the enduring appeal of the Like a Dragon series.
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Addressing Current Events and Societal Issues in the Game
Thanks to the further refinement of the turn-based command battle system introduced in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and various game designs that make repetitive experience point grinding less burdensome, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth maintains almost uninterrupted motivation to keep playing. The game’s high level of completion, including the enjoyment and richness (and absurdity) of mini-games such as “Don Don Island,” where players rebuild and develop a resort island, and “Crazy Delivery,” where they race through the city for food delivery, makes it worthy of being called the best in the series. Since most in-game actions directly reflect the character’s growth, players may find themselves getting sidetracked and losing track of time, but the main story remains highly relevant and critical.
In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the main stage expands from Japan to Hawaii, depicting the mafia that controls the politics and economy of the region from the shadows, as well as a cult devoted to flame worship. They maintain strong connections with Japanese organized crime, political and business circles. The storyline reveals a secret plan to handle radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant (not explicitly stated but clearly referencing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster) on a remote island in Hawaii. Former Yakuza members, who lost their place due to the five-year provision for ex-gang members (imposing various restrictions on the employment and life of former gang members for five years after leaving the organization), are allocated as workers for the waste disposal. The narrative unfolds as this discarded population is transported to Hawaii to engage in waste disposal, addressing both the nuclear waste issue and the employment of socially vulnerable individuals, presenting a resolution for both problems through a policy aimed at marginalized citizens. The story’s climax revolves around the manipulation of public opinion using flame-baiting YouTuber-like streamers and trends of private arrests by ordinary citizens.
The intertwining of religion and politics revealed in the former Unification Church issue, the release of diluted ALPS-treated water containing radioactive substances into the sea, and the arrest of the notorious “Gucci” known as a flame-baiting YouTuber—the actual events and social issues that caused a stir in society come to mind. While the alignment between the development period of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which took about four years, and the events that occurred in recent years is largely coincidental, when depicting the theme of “modern-day outcasts” in Hawaii, the game likely brought attention not only to Hawaii but also to the contemporary and modern immigration policies of Japan that sent its own citizens to the mainland United States and various South American regions.
For another major theme, the final story of Kazuma Kiryu, afflicted by cancer, there may be an impression that the exploration of Hawaiian immigration history is not sufficient. However, as Japan’s economic power stagnates and influencers suggest, “Let’s work overseas!” encouraging economic immigration, the direction indicated by Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, is not only directed towards the past but also towards the future.
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Unresolved Criticisms Plaguing the Genre
While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth excels in both story and gameplay, there are some criticisms. One of them is the excessively lengthy cutscenes. This is a common critique not limited to this game but extends to globally acclaimed works by Hideo Kojima and the Final Fantasy series. The recurring criticism questions the necessity of prolonged non-interactive story segments, often expressing sentiments like, “Why do we have to endure endless non-playable story sequences when games and movies are fundamentally different?” Such criticisms might be mitigated if game developers approached movie production in games with a more conscious focus on narrative deconstruction and reconstruction, akin to cinematic art.
In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the majority of the cutscenes consist of dialogues among characters and maintain a consistent explanatory tone. Similar to many Japanese films and dramas, the frustrating aspect lies in the script’s attempt to explain everything through character dialogue, which hampers the imaginative drive fostered by intentional leaps and omissions. The poetic sensibility necessary for artistic representation is already adequately realized in the interactive elements typical of games, and the interest of game creators in exploring the expressiveness of movies placed outside this realm may be relatively diminished. However, it is peculiar that even after nearly 30 years since the onset of the expansion of large-scale games in the late 1990s, the critical approach to cutscenes, especially in major Japanese-made games, has not evolved significantly.
It may be a nostalgic hobby for the author born in 1980, but it’s worth noting that the games mentioned at the beginning, such as the 1992 release of Final Fantasy V and the one released the previous year, Final Fantasy IV, were more consciously aware of the possibilities and limitations of storytelling in games. The simple pixel art depicting a miniature world offered limited expressions, and scenes where long-lost lovers joyfully embraced upon reunion were rudimentary and pseudo-like puppetry. However, these limitations left room for players to supplement the lack of representation with their imagination, creating a strong sense of being present in those moments. Imagination serves as a bridge connecting the virtual world of the game to the reality of the player.
Today’s mainstream games, created with meticulous detail, often leave little room for whitespace. Alternatively, whitespace in intricately designed spaces is often perceived merely as flaws or omissions. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which aspires to realistic human drama, is compelled to choose a realistic approach even in its movie parts, limiting its expressive potential. This challenge is not unique to the Like a Dragon” series.
The experience of wandering through the meticulously crafted, expansive city of Hawaii in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is enjoyable. Conversations with companions occur at various spots, and the serendipity of events and mini-games starting from unexpected encounters is reminiscent of the curiosity and joy when exploring an unknown city. Additionally, while the story reflecting contemporary issues in Japan is entertainingly caricatured, it is approaching actual historical events. However, the refinement of the movie parts, which still tend to earnestly mimic the style of movies or theater, seems to be a work in progress.
With the success of award-winning games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring, along with the established popularity of esports title Street Fighter 6, Japanese games are regaining their former momentum. Their success in mainstream international genres and trends like open-world and esports is rooted in the unique grammar each has invented and carefully cultivated. Even in the realm of Like a Dragon, a walking simulator set in the marginal underworld and contemporary city, there exists its own grammar, one that can be further refined and enriched.
