Tear Jerker / Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.

This... this is my child....

Story

• Right from the get-go, the game pulls zero punches in its story. We're first introduced to a young Masumi whose hard-earned money from the play is stolen by his own mother (and said mother threatens to cut him with a pair of scissors, mind you), said mother explicitly goes out with another man in front of her own husband and son, and while Masumi and Toshio go out to get some peking duck in a moment of levity, it's pretty much cut short by Toshio being murdered, with Masumi discovering the freshly murdered body of his own father. Yeah, all within the first ten minutes of the game, by the way.
• Ichiban's entire backstory. He grew up penniless and, while he did have support from the many people that lived around Shangri-La, he would still grow up with the stigma of being street trash. His adoptive father passing away prior to him joining the Arakawa family is the icing on the cake. At least Kiryu had the luxury of growing up in an orphanage by comparison.
• Ichiban's trip to the hostess club with Masato. Masato's belittlement and mockery of Ichiban is already uncomfortable as Ichiban half heartedly laughs at them but by the end of the game it's more than just getting humiliated by his boss. Ichiban sees Masato as a brother and saw how depressed he can be about his disability so if the insults make him feel better Ichiban will take it out of their connection. Then there is the meeting at the soapland where Ichiban tells Masato he can't respect the man he has become.
• You see a flashback to when Masumi finds Masato as a baby. The locker Masato was in was locked, and, paternal instincts kicking in, Masumi makes his fist bloody pounding into the locker to open it. Luckily for Arakawa, aside from his son being paralyzed via hypothermia, Masato ended up alive.
• Masumi offering Ichiban some Peking duck is both this and Heartwarming because of the fact that, on the night of his death, Toshio took Masumi to Heian Tower to eat some Peking duck. The tragic part comes in that Masumi was offering Ichiban the very same thing that Toshio offered him all those years ago... oh, and like Toshio, Masumi dies before him and Ichiban can never get that Peking duck. Yikes.
• When Ichiban returns to Shangri-La after being released from prison, he is instead greeted by the derelict and long-abandoned building that was once his childhood home. If you've played the first Yakuza, then Majima driving a truck into the place on top of the thrashing that endures during this game will very much be Harsher in Hindsight by the time you get to this one.
• Arakawa shooting Ichiban so callously after he served eighteen years for Sawashiro, or rather Masato as it turns out. 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.
  • Initially, the shooting and subsequent recovery of Ichiban can be seen as another part of the plan... until Masumi himself reveals that it was never a calculated decision, and that he pulled the trigger fully knowing that it may or may not kill Ichiban for real.
  Ichiban: But you only did that because you knew I'd make it.
  Masumi: No... Your strength is what kept you alive. That was all you. The truth of it is that I've never helped you. Not even once. You should hate me for how I've treated you.
• Also counting as Heartwarming, the fact that a simple piece of bread given to him by Nanba is enough to excite Ichiban goes to show that those eighteen years in prison really made him appreciate the little things that he has in life.
• Nanba yelling at Ichiban to shut up about getting the homeless to Hello Work. Giving him a reality check that most of the homeless ended up there because they are just too broken and don't want to go back to normal society or have their families see them like this.
  • And as it turns out, the system is set up so that the homeless can't find jobs through Hello Work in the first place. Without knowing any better, Ichiban is telling them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they have no shoes.
• Adachi's ultimate reason for putting Horinouchi behind bars when he discusses the circumstances behind Kusumi's conviction. As Kusumi was in the wrong time at the wrong place, he was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to seventeen years despite the fact that he had a rock-solid alibi and was innocent. As a result, he'd hang himself in prison, leaving behind a wife and a kid, who, as is evident in his Drink Link, Adachi would ultimately become an Anonymous Benefactor to out of guilt for not being able to save him after he tried everything to overturn his sentence. It makes Horinouchi's arrest at the end of the game all the more satisfying.
• Saeko starts to break down during the discussion of Nonomiya's death, because as much as a sleaze as the guy was, she still cared about him, and he didn't deserve to be killed or ignored by the police.
• Hamako finds out all too late that in trying to do right by her girls, she accidentally got them deported by Bleach Japan. This is notably the first time her Nerves of Steel crack; seeing such a strong woman collapse in tears is heartwrenching.
• Masumi's death at the hands of Tendo. Especially more heartbreaking when Masumi was more than willing to accept Ichiban as his underling again despite the Arakawa Family being all but disbanded by this point. And when you remember that Ichiban is Masumi's biological son, it makes his death all the more impactful.
  • Ichiban's reaction to seeing his father's lifeless body being dragged away afterward is equally heartbreaking.
  • Consider the fact that Masumi never knew why his father was killed. Or the fact that it was his mother's greed that killed his father. Hoshino told Ichiban the truth behind Toshio's death (as he was the one who carried out the deed in the first place), but not Masumi.
  • During their last talk, Masumi reveals to Ichiban about a recurring dream he would have over the years since he came to know Ichiban: where Akane gave birth to Masato in Shangri-La and he was able to raise his child there. He basically admits that hearing Ichiban's backstory traumatized him, without ever knowing the true reason why, even if he did ever have any suspicions.
• The reveal that Ichiban is Masumi's true son. As it turns out, Sawashiro had sired a child (Masato) when he was 15 years old with his then-girlfriend around the same time Arakawa's girlfriend Akane had her child. Sawashiro would leave the infant to his fate in a coin locker but his girlfriend, out of guilt, rushes back to get her baby, only to be greeted by a desperate and worried Arakawa punching the shit out of the coin locker that he thinks his son is in. Arakawa then runs past the teenage Sawashiro, who would stay behind and realize that another baby was hidden in one of the coin lockers... that baby being Ichiban, who was found by his adoptive father and Akane's former boss, Jiro Kasuga.
  • We're then treated to another flashback of Sawashiro five years later walking through Kamurocho, with Arakawa passing by with a young wheelchair-bound Masato, who is lamenting his inability to walk. Seeing Masato in this state is especially heartbreaking for anyone that is or knows someone that is disabled. It's seeing his son in this state that would eventually cause Sawashiro to join the yakuza, even if he was going to anyway.
• The final fight against Masato in its entirety, also doubling as a Moment of Awesome on Masato's part. While he's completely wrong in him asking Ichiban if he has any chances at beating him in a fistfight (as he's significantly easier to beat than Tendo, both in his first and second phases), he still deserves some props for trying to put up a last stand as opposed to Iwami or Sugai, who are slippery and cowardly by comparison. Even his theme, ism, drives the point home in that this is one fight that not even Ichiban wants to take on, but still has to in order to get Masato to see the error of his ways. The kicker? Ichiban reverts to his freelancer class no matter what class you've changed him to. This fight isn't colored by Ichiban's love of Dragon Quest like the other fights, it's simply Ichiban doing what he has to to save his brother. The game even acknowledges it by calling him Masato as the boss battle, not Aoki.
  Masato: I'll wipe that stupid grin off your face, and leave it bloody on the floor!
  • There's something pitiable about Masato's Villainous Breakdown after his defeat and everything he's worked towards starts crumbling down around him.
    Masato: ICHIBAAAAAN!! YOU DON'T GET TO DO THIS TO ME, YOU FUCK!!
  • Another pitiable moment from Masato is when he recounts meeting with his ex, Yumeno, again after remaking himself into Ryo Aoki. Yumeno had married Horinouchi, and called him a gentleman. Masato breaks down into hysterics over the irony of her finding him charming when she was so scared of him before when he was a yakuza boss's son.
• Ichiban's poignant "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Masato after the latter's defeat. Seeing Ichiban break down and start crying, begging for Masato not to take his life is incredibly gut-wrenching since Ichiban tells Masato that he's always considered him a brother and that he doesn't want to see him die... not after he's already lost his father earlier. It's telling of Ichiban (in the English dub) to drop the "young master" title for Masato and refers to him by his given name instead.
  Ichiban: Did you ever stop to think why Arakawa-san, Captain Sawashiro, and I never gave up on you?! No matter how much bad shit you dragged us into?! Let me tell you... it wasn't easy. But we did it anyway because we're all connected deep inside our hearts! You see things in black and white, but family's not that simple! No one appreciated you for who you are!? Bullshit! We were always there for you! We would've done anything for you, gone to hell and back. All you had to do was ask! When will you believe me when I say the three of us loved you? Or are you just gonna keep pointing that gun at your head like a dumbass!?
  Masato: Ichi...
  Ichiban: (in tears) This may not be what you want to hear. But y'know... I consider you my brother man. That means something to me. Don't make me watch my brother die. Please? I can't do it... Masato?... I'm begging you.
  • In that moment, Masato realises that he had a family who cared about him unconditionally all along. Keyword: had. Masumi, the man who saved him as a baby and raised him, believing he was his own son, was killed on Masato's orders. Sawashiro, Masato's real father , is in prison on a life sentence for carrying out the latter's order to kill Hoshino.
• How do you top off the final battle against Masato after he sees the error of his ways and is willing to atone for everything he's done? By having Kume, perhaps the most pathetic antagonist in the series and somebody who was such a nobody that Masato chose to give him power to prove a point, stab him to death, of course! Even that poor schmuck for the matter sounds genuinely sad about the truth, and apparently still believes in what Masato never actually did, but seems too broken to realize that this pretty much goes against it, too.
  • The way Ichiban carries out Masato's dying body away from the coin lockers is the same like how Masumi's carrying the little Masato to safety and shove the crowd away back in 1976. Like Father, Like Son plays at full force.
• Masato never found out that Sawashiro, his most loyal subordinate, was his biological father. Sawashiro himself never told Masato about this and now his biological son is dead while he's in jail. As much of an asshole as Sawashiro was to Ichiban, you can't help but feel sorry for him as he's sitting alone in that jail cell, likely letting that feeling sink in.

Side Content

• The Substory "Forget Me Not", which involves Ichiban bumping into an ill girl from his youth named Kaede. After reintroducing herself to Ichiban and explaining that she's recently been discharged from the hospital, Kaede asks him out on a date to which Ichiban accepts. The two walk around multiple different hotspots in Ijincho and have a great time, but it becomes clear almost immediately that something is amiss. As the date continues, strange comments made by onlookers make it clear that they can't see Kaede, and Ichiban appears to be talking to himself. Their date ends with Ichiban and Kaede looking out at the ocean skyline during the night, where she confesses her love for him. Ichiban is flustered by this statement but graciously accepts it, and is momentarily distracted by a policeman who approaches him to stop "babbling into the air". Sure enough, when Ichiban turns back, Kaede is gone. The kicker? Ichiban reaching into his pocket and pulling out a photo he and Kaede took together earlier on the date, with her now missing from it. The Twist Ending is now clear - Kaede actually died in hospital while Ichiban was imprisoned, and her ghost went on a last date with him before moving on to the afterlife. The Substory ends with Ichiban looking into the night sky, promising Kaede he'll see her again when it's "his time". While most Substories are sentimental, heartwarming or hilarious affairs, this is one of the few substories across all the games that qualifies as a definitive Tearjerker.
• Zhao venting all his frustration on Mabuchi by the end of his drink link. Telling Mabuchi that the only reason he is still alive is because Seong-Hui is doing Zhao a favor since he refuses to see the person he called a brother butchered even if he deserves it.
• Your party's Drink Links tend to be sad in general, as they're opening up to Ichiban about their issues. There's Saeko breaking down about how distant she is from her own family, Adachi's guilt over the wrongful arrest of Kusumi and his attempts to make it up to his son, or Nanba describing how burnt out and jaded he became over his nursing job.
  • While most bonding sub-stories will end on a positive note, Nanba's is something of a "Shaggy Dog" Story. It turns out the young nurse who he had feelings for and sacrificed his career for did not return the feelings. She really was a crook and stole from the hospital to fund her gambling addiction. To add salt to the wound, she thought very little of Nanba and thought he was a creep. While Nanba plays off learning about all of this like it was no big deal, it still hurts that he ruined his career for nothing.
  • Joon-gi Han's life, quite frankly, sucked a lot. Born Yeonsu Kim, his father was a drunkard who would beat him relentlessly, and had no safe refuge from the hardships of his life. Eventually, to get in the good graces of the original Joon-gi Han, Yeonsu's father drugged his son and had him turned into the Jingweon boss's body double. Ironically Yeonsu found a home and brother in Han, sharing laughs and drinks...until it all came crashing down in 2016. With the original Han's death, Jingweon members scattered, including Yeonsu. He desperately sought refuge from Japan's Korean communities, only to be rejected at every turn because of his criminal past, and they even called the police on him. It was by a stroke of luck that the cops who arrived were actually disguised Geomijul agents who took him to Ijincho. After recovering from the despondency of learning what happened to his old boss and his inability to take revenge for him, Yeonsu has served Seong-hui faithfully for providing him and new home, and took Han's name to carry on his legacy.
• While most of the Party Chats tend to be very light-hearted and often times pretty funny, Old Haunts (which takes place near Shangri-La, Ichiban's childhood home) is notable for being one of the sadder ones in the game.
  Nanba: What happened to this poor building?
  Saeko: *shudders* Gives me the creeps.
  Zhao: I hear the locals call it the haunted mansion.
  Nanba: I can see why. I bet it's got ghosts in every room.
  Ichiban: ...This is the soapland I grew up in.
  Zhao: Uh...
  Nanba: Oh...
  Saeko: ...Sorry.
• The "One Man's Trash" substory involves a pawn shop that's overflowing with so much junk, it's blocking the street. The owner insists it's all merchandise and refuses to allow anybody to move it. A Public Office employee at his wit's end asks Ichiban to reason with him; this being Yakuza, this naturally leads to Ichiban reasoning with the man with his fists. After the fight is over, the pawn shop owner admits that he can't throw anything away because he feels it's all he has left of his wife, who died because he wasn't there to help her when she needed it. The poor guy then breaks down sobbing. Circles back around to being heartwarming when Ichiban convinces him that she wouldn't have wanted the store they built together to rot under a pile of trash, opening the pawn shop for future business.