Like a Dragon Series Producer Elaborates the Reason for Kazuma Kiryu’s Come Back
Like a Dragon producer outlines the reasoning behind the choice to have Kazuma Kiryu return following the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. According to Hiroyuki Sakamoto in an interview with IGN, Kiryu’s comeback has been planned for a long time. He said they had this idea even when creating Yakuza 6 and planned to make Kiryu and Ichiban the main characters of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Due to this, the protagonist changed in the seventh game to a supporting role, allowing the Gaiden spin-off to introduce Kiryu to new gamers.
Like a Dragon Gaiden was developed to serve as a transitional game between Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Infinite Wealth. Following Kiryu, after he pretended to die after the sixth game, it explores his past activities in these games.
Kiryu’s character arc is shown to come to a poignant and heartbreaking climax in Yakuza 6 when he pretends to die to protect his kids at the Morning Glory orphanage. Watching how Kiryu’s characterisation changes in this future spin-off and Infinite Wealth after receiving more attention in the Gaiden interquel would be fascinating.