The next day, Watase and Dojima declare the dissolution of both of their organizations and are met with resistance from the Omi officers. [2] As a major story theme in Like A Dragon concerns the struggles of individuals who are not clearly defined by moral absolutes, this allowed the game's writers to position Ichiban from a perspective that humanizes such individuals as common everyday people. Although he had a loving father, Masumi had a troubled home life as a child, and received the scar on his face at the hands of his mother at a young age. He is a former member of the Arakawa Family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary. The two went on to become akin to father and son, with Kasuga being tasked to care for his adoptive brother, Masato Arakawa, sometime after his induction to the family. Arakawa is a yakuza and saved his life, he grew up in the slums where the proper Japanese job archetype would spit on his face and it's the Assassin that gives him a job and some sense of worth. Unlike in Like A Dragon, this incarnation of Ichiban never leaves Kamuroch, and encounters a different cast of supporting characters as well as enemies. By his most recent appearance in 2019 he has a neatly-trimmed goatee. May instantly knock out the enemy. Kasuga's tattoo covers most of his back and ends just above his thighs. Character skills unlocked from other jobs will still be usable. It had the words "Neither justice nor mercy should tip the scale." An orphan, raised by homeless people, pledging himself to the service of the Arakawa Yakuza Family, after their boss sacrificed a finger to save Ichiban from harm. Giovanni Colantonio from Inverse considered Ichiban to be the best playable protagonist of 2020 because he is allowed to be a naive and flawed character who makes plenty of mistakes, a trait rarely seen in most video game heroes, which led to the best character development of any other character in the industry in his view. [15] A cologne label titled "Ichiban Kasuga Eau de Toilette", which was developed as a collaboration with fragrance company Fits Corporation, was unveiled during the franchise's 15th anniversary live stream by Sega. Thanks to the split, there is not enough manpower to crush them and Yosuke Tendo joins Masumi's side as he could not resist the urge to fight such a brawl. January 1, 1977 He later learned that Akane was caught by the yakuza and murdered while he was on his way to the hospital. After retrieving the baby from locker 0099, he rushed him to the hospital, where the baby was diagnosed with hypothermia-induced multiple organ failure. They summoned Arakawa to their office and asked him to collect Kasuga in person, assuming Kasuga was part of his family. Kamurocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Advances Heat Gauge by 200 at the start of battle. Ichiban denies this, saying he'd rather bring Arakawa's vision of improving the yakuza to life. Also did ichiban providers never mention his mother's name, and if they did why wouldn't it ever come up in passive conversation between Arakawa and ichiban? Is Ichiban Arakawa's son? - hgccinc.qc.to He has two character-specific jobs that remain exclusive to him; Also in Kasuga's arsenal is the Poundmates system, which allows him to summon various characters Kasuga and his team have befriended to give the party various buffs, and attack/de-buff enemies during battle. With the troupe disbanded after Toshio's death, Masumi drifted to Kamurocho along with some fellow troupe members. The two seemingly developed a mutual sense of responsibility for Masato's care although Sawashiro never admitted he was Masato's biological father. Ichiban is presented with the chance to choose his own path for the first time in almost 18 years. Actors [2] Toshihiro Nagoshi approved of the decision to change the franchise's lead character from Kiryu to Ichiban. George TakeiWPJohnny Yong BoschWP (young adult)Zach AguilarWP (teen)[2] Masumi Arakawa Ichiban learns from Seiryu Clan chairman Ryuhei Hoshino that the counterfeit bill is proof that Arakawa shot him in a non-lethal manner to create a false impression of his demise. He left Kamurocho for several days following the incident. Masumi talks about his concerns with Masato and his plans for post-yakuza life and Kasuga expresses his desire to be a family again. Prior to this, his hair was styled into a much shorter punch perm, growing out long enough during his time in prison to be tied into a short ponytail. Other The game then dramatically rolls into a flashback from when Sawashiro was 15, and his girlfriend at the time was pregnant. Taro ArayoshiArakawa the Assassin However, one hundred million yen in counterfeit bills turned up missing while in Toshio's possession, prompting the Seiryu Clan to eliminate him; in reality, the money had been stolen by Yoko and the man she was having an affair with at the time, his former co-star Tora. Ichiban was designed by franchise developers Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, though a decision was later made by executive director and franchise creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and his team to position Ichiban as the lead character of future mainline entry games. Black, later graying [6], Auditions of the character started early in development to appreciate him sooner. 6 Persona Connection. Affiliation 4 0 comments Best Add a Comment They went back to save the baby, but Arakawa had already freed the baby from the locker, declaring that it was now his child. The dynamic within the family was tense, however, with Sawashiro's constant abuse of Kasuga often placing Masumi into the role of mediator. Kasuga hoped mentioning his name would somehow get him free, but it only backfired. During recording of the game, Tang befriended Greg Chun, who voices supporting character Nanba. He meets Koichi Adachi, who did his research on Kasuga, but he is not interested in partnering with the detective. "[2] Realizing that this new protagonist could serve as the franchise's "catalyst for change" by moving away from the exploration of a modern version of a typical Japanese hero in Kiryu, Yokoyama set about creating and portraying a "life-sized hero", a protagonist who is essentially a "normal guy" who is not as strong or mature as Kiryu. Kaiji Tang Kasuga Ichinojo (Like a Dragon: Ishin!) Also in 2017, the newly-elected Tokyo governor Aoki pressures the Arakawa Family into leaking Tojo Clan intel in order to dismantle it using the Kamurocho 3K Plan, threatening to use the anti-yakuza laws to arrest him if he did not comply. [24] German publication GamePro lauded Ichiban for his big heart and highly emotive nature, qualities which they feel a lot of protagonist characters lack. Hoshino is able to get him to cheer up and suggests he run in the upcoming election to get close to Aoki. Granted, he had a good reason to do so, but when it turns out that Ichiban is Arakawa's biological son, must've been quite painful for him to have to shoot his own son (or rather someone that he regarded as a . Tojo Clan (formerly)Arakawa Family (formerly) Relationships He willingly goes to prison for a murder that he did not commit at the turn of the 21st century, having acquiesced to the request of his clan patriarch, Masumi Arakawa. However, he has a strong sense of justice and is always willing to help out anyone in need. Although he appeared to have assistance from his men, raising Masato proved difficult. He can be unlocked after completing the single stage once. Kasuga was instead taken in by Shangri-La's manager, Jiro Kasuga, and raised by the people of Kamurocho. Daigo wants Ichiban to not place all the blame on Arakawa. To escape this reality, he spent his nights playing Dragon Quest in the back office of the soapland and dreaming of being a hero one day. Japanese Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Tear Jerker - TV Tropes Beyond being a wild plot twist, this also ties nicely into Ichiban's character arc. as far why he didnt send someone else to prison.. Well even if u r the patriarch.. No wud just accept to go away for years. Yakuza: Like A Dragon Has Gaming's Most Heartbreaking Story Affiliation He gave him the name Masato; (masa), the first kanji in Masumi and (to), the first kanji in Toshio. Gray By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. In Chapter 12 of the game, Ichiban and his crew make their way through the Tojo clan headquarters, eventually meeting back up with Masumi Arakawa. After their job is done, however, Nonomiya dies apparently from suicide. English Actors Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Heartwarming - TV Tropes Masumi held onto the bill from that point onward. It puts the pain of shooting Kasuga and the importance of the counterfeit bill into proper perspective, and the finality of Arakawa's life, of being able to finally look at his own son, not as. Would be cool if he knew the entire time after recruiting ichiban because he casually mentioned his mother's name in conversation, so he kept him close but it was too late to declare things. A destitute Ichiban starts a new life and forges new connections in an unfamiliar city, where he is eventually thrust into a conspiracy involving a money laundering scheme which involves Japan's political establishment. Eye Color Kasuga puts all his energy into a single punch that may leave the enemy stunned. Masumi Arakawa (former patriarch)Jo Sawashiro (former superior, rival)Mitsuo Yasumura (oath brother, friend, ally)Giichi Kitamura (friend, ally)Shun Akiyama (friend, ally)Mayumi Seto (friend, ally)Hayato Tsuji (friend, ally)Tsukasa Mikuni (complicated ally)Yosuke Kagami (complicated ally)Vincent Lowe (enemy) Arakawa says that Ichi was like a son to him, but isn't it hypocritical that only moments later of him stating that Ichi felt like a son to him, he still sells him out making him go to prison because his other actual son (or so he though) messed up ? Japanese The three are directed to Otohime Land to work for Isao Nonomiya, and rescue Nanoha Mukoda from having to pay large fees to Sunlight Castle, and meet Ryuhei Hoshino, who recognizes the bill. Ryu Ga Gotoku OnlineYakuza: Like a Dragon Age [14][9] A line of Yakuza franchise merchandise developed by apparel company SuperGroupie was launched in June 2021, including watches, bags, jackets, and shoes, all of which will have details inspired by Ichiban's appearances in the games. The announcement is made the following day, when Ichiban and company must fight off the angry former Yakuza. He readily followed through with performing yubitsume in exchange for Kasuga's return. As the years progress, his hair is also graying. High chance to land a critical hit. Masumi Arakawa ( , Arakawa Masumi), also known by his stage name Taro Arayoshi ( , Arayoshi Tar), is a supporting character in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Wanderings of the Golden Dragon in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. Arakawa is with Daigo Dojima, the sixth and current chairman of the Tojo clan. Granted, he had a good reason to do so, but when it turns out that Ichiban is Arakawa's biological son, must've been quite painful for him to have to shoot his own son (or rather someone that he regarded as a son) just to get said plan going.. The Hope of KamurochoPrisoner 1119 Kasuga appears as a hidden character in the short beat-em-up title inspired by the story of the original Yakuza and the gameplay of SEGA's Streets of Rage franchise. Yokoyama does not believe in portraying unconditional good and evil, as he believes that people with criminal records are capable of righteousness, while members of society who are respected by the public are capable of evil. Daigo says that together with the Omi Alliance, they would disband both Yakuza organizationsto prevent the Yakuza way of life from being twisted by the government. RGG Studios' chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto explained in an interview that Kasuga appears as a Trooper Card instead of a full character in Like a Dragon: Ishin! This is the unofficial subreddit for Sega's long-running game series, Yakuza, known in Japan as Ry ga Gotoku. Brown For more information, please see our The betrayal causes Tojo remnants to attack Masumi every once in a while, but he survives and climbs the ranks. Within the series, Ichiban is originally a low-ranking member of the Arakawa Family, a subsidiary yakuza family of the Kanto-based Tojo Clan. [20] Michael Higham from GameSpot praised Ichiban as an endearing lead character who is immediately loveable and helps gives the franchise "a fresh start". After Ichiban leaves prison, he confronts Arakawa to just for Arakawa to shoot him point blank and leave him for dead in Yokohama. Chief producer and writer Masayoshi Yokoyama noted that their goal after Yakuza 6 was not to "create the next Yakuza title" but to "create the next protagonist. After Ichiban was shot by Masumi Arakawa and lost consciousness, Nanba saves his life and begins working with him. Advance Offense-type allies' cooldown timer by up to 24%. Ichiban trails a fleeing Aoki and pleads with him to give himself up. Its just a possiblity. They explain their plan to their guests. Other The given birth years of 1959/1960 are an estimate based on Arakawa's age and are not intended as a substitute for an official date. Affiliation He also wears his short black hair parted to the right. Complete Yakuza: Like a Dragon Voice Actor Cast - Game Rant Tang and has cited Chun's work as an inspiration. Adachi confronts Horinouchi with evidence of the bribes, Ichiban says that he doesn't feel the need to get a DNA test to prove if Arakawa was his real father, Daigo offers Ichiban a job at a security company. Ichiban confronts Aoki during an election rally and tricks him into sending his men to the Millenium Tower at Kamuroch after lying about Sawashiro leaking the existence of incriminating evidence at the Arakawa Family office. In the ensuing chaos, Kasuga is called by Han and Seong-hui. Meeting Aoki in person, he learns of his recovery in the US, that he is intending to purge Ijincho of its residents reliant on gray zones, and that Kasuga had taken the fall for Aoki's murder, not Sawashiro's. Aoki is about to come around but is fatally stabbed by a disillusioned Kume. In 2001, yakuza Ichiban Kasuga agrees to go to prison for a murder that he did not commit to repay Arakawa Family patriarch Masumi Arakawa for saving his life in his youth. He meets ex-detective Koichi Adachi, who explains that while Ichiban was in jail, Arakawa defects to the Osaka-based Omi Alliance and betrayed the Tojo Clan to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Nationality His features are typically obscured by his fedora or by shadow, but he appears to have short black hair and brown eyes. Relies on bare-knuckle brawling and Kasuga's pro wrestling moves to knock enemies senseless. She joins the trio after tearfully asking for their help, and they eventually learn they might meet him at the Yokohama Trading Company. If you use a regular attack first, you'll. He later takes Masato to the cabaret club he frequents and receives money from him, which he tries to use as payment for his captain, who realizes where the money actually came from. Having left a strong impression on Kasuga, he was followed back to the Arakawa Family office, where Kasuga waited outside every day for one hundred days straight until Masumi finally relented and accepted him into the Arakawa Family. Ichiban Kasuga. Araboshi-za (formerly)Tojo ClanOmi AllianceHikawa Family (formerly)Arakawa Family In 1976, Masumi decided to settle down with Akane after she told him she was pregnant, but could not think of a way to bring up the subject to his patriarch. Ichiban Kasuga | Yakuza Wiki | Fandom Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. As a yakuza patriarch, Masumi appears as a considerate person towards his underlings, especially Ichiban, whom he treats just like an actual son and able to persuade Ichiban to work better with Sawashiro during his tenure. Arakawa the Assassin Ichiban Kasuga (Japanese: , Hepburn: Kasuga Ichiban), also nicknamed Ichi (), is a character from Sega's Ryu ga Gotoku media franchise, known internationally as Yakuza. Professional wrestlingBrawlingBaseball bat Yakuza's Latest Protagonist Is The Hero I Need Right Now - Kotaku Australia After being released, his Arakawa shoots Ichiban and leaves him for dead in Yokohama. Ichiban Kasuga (Character) - Giant Bomb Affiliation [30] Game Informer ranked Ichiban third place on the publication's list of the top 10 characters of 2020, with Joe Juba commenting that Ichiban's characterization balances the story's tension "with an infectious desire to help the people society overlooks". The game follows Ichiban Kasuga, who spends 18 years in prison for a murder that he didn't commit at the request of his patriarch, Masumi Arakawa. After a discussion between Yokoyama and Nagoshi, Nakaya was chosen for the role. Y:LAD The previous night, Masato had killed a man from the rival Sakaki Family. Chapter 2: Bloody Reunion - Yakuza: Like a Dragon Wiki Guide - IGN Arakawa, who serves as a father figure to protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, proved to be a much more compelling character than he thought. Associations So, since only Ichiban was extremely loyal to Arakawa, they decided to choose him. Damage an enemy with a swift, brutal kick. Yakuza Like a Dragon - How Ichiban Became A Yakuza / Joined The Arakawa In 2019, now 42, Kasuga is freed from prison with no one from his old days waiting for him. Afterwards, Zhao directs Kasuga to meet with Mitsuo, who is keeping a low profile. He has a scar on the right side of his face he received from his mother in childhood, which is shallow enough to cover with makeup. Counterpart Associations Their fight is soon interrupted by a group of thugs led by Shou Takayama, the acting chairman of the Go-Ryu Clan, who has been chasing Ryuji for a while. His plans, besides shooting Ichiban, actually make a lot more sense than Kazama. Nicknames Japanese 185 cm (6 1)[a] Age Modeled After He was forced to deal with the matter peacefully, as Sakaki was a direct patriarch above him in rank and feigned innocence in front of the executives. Brown [12] Ichiban was featured prominently in the marketing campaign for Like A Dragon, such as the game's cover art, promotional trailers, and social media videos. Yakuza: Like a Dragon: In his younger days, Masumi wears a black double breasted leather trench coat over a gray snakeskin patterned dress shirt, black slacks, a pair of dark red leather oxfords, a black leather belt with a gold buckle, a pair of black leather gloves, and a black fedora hat. The two reconcile, but before Aoki can turn himself over to the police, Kume, a member of Bleach Japan and a newly elected representative, stabs Aoki. Ichiban spent much of his youth in Arakawa's Yakuza family, so its understandable that he would feel like Arakawa had a direct hand in raising him. 5 Yakuza named Kishi. After he joins the yakuza, he slicks part of his hair back in a more clean-cut style. Aliases Once he learned the truth, Masumi spared Hoshino's life and left quietly. Zhao joins Kasuga's party, and they decide to meet with Aoki for answers. arakawa didnt know for sure. [29] Chingy Nea from Kotaku praised Ichiban as the Yakuza series most relatable protagonist and one of its best characters, and the main reason why Like a Dragon was a source of comfort and joy for her in late-2020. Black So after this, Kiryu and Saejima go to jail. There, they meet the Liumang leader Tianyou Zhao and convince both him and Mamoru Takabe to stand down temporarily. Date of Birth It is revealed that because anti-Yakuza laws in Japan have become so open to interpretation, most Yakuza could be forced to do whatever government officials demanded. He wields a bat that does a decent amount of damage, so focus on your blocks.