English Counterpart The family the yakuza belonged to sought revenge and managed to capture him. The family that held him captive were enemies of the Arakawa Family. Kasuga decides to head to Sotenbori after becoming restless waiting for an update from Mitsuo. Eye Color [27], The performances of both Kazuhiro Nakaya and Kaiji Tang as the Japanese and English voices of Ichiban were also praised by Polygon and Atomix. [27], Several publications rated Ichiban as among the best video game characters featured in 2020, a year where Like A Dragon saw an international release. He had apparently been struggling with toilet training until fifth grade. Within the series, Ichiban is originally a low-ranking member of the Arakawa Family, a subsidiary yakuza family of the Kanto-based Tojo Clan. Its just a possiblity. Espaol - Latinoamrica (Spanish - Latin America). Ichiban identifies Arakawa, and while he did shoot Ichi and probably doesn't like him anymore he's still the kind of man Ichiban aspires to be. In 2004, Masato fakes his death and starts a new identity as Ryo Aoki with assistance from the Arakawa Family and leaves for the USA. [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". 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. Doesn't make sense, how he couldn't put two together, also you'd think he'd go to her employer in desperation to see if she made it out ( obviously he knew she didn't but in desperation he could ), and if he did he'd obviously find out he might have took the wrong son. Ichiban Kasuga Despite his efforts, this only fanned the flames of the existing rivalry between the Arakawa Family and the Sakaki Family. When he finds Daigo, he tells Ichiban about where Kiryu's at, and then, just as Ichiban tries to get the truth from Daigo about Arakawa, Daigo gets shot by a character looking to silence anyone saying anything about the Omi Alliance and its plan. Professional wrestlingBrawlingBaseball bat Kasuga Ichinojo (Like a Dragon: Ishin!) The family gained notoriety due to its militant nature and became feared among the residents of Kamurocho, with Masumi himself earning the nickname "Arakawa the Assassin." Through Shuichi Kanbe, the duo find jobs. As the years progress, his hair is also graying. On the way, a helicopter spots them on a rooftop and Adachi stays behind. 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 . Ichiban shows a video of Aoki admitting to his crimes to the police, dooming Aoki's plans. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Ichiban Kasuga - Wikipedia Biographical He meets Koichi Adachi, who did his research on Kasuga, but he is not interested in partnering with the detective. The game then dramatically rolls into a flashback from when Sawashiro was 15, and his girlfriend at the time was pregnant. Yakuza Like a Dragon - How Ichiban Became A Yakuza / Joined The Arakawa Afterwards, Ichiban gets to reunite with Arakawa, whom he tells he feels is like a surrogate father, and the two share a nice moment. Appears In So he asked his son to go in prison instead of Masato- that's what I dont understand. Ichiban's investigation embroils him in a conspiracy involving a massive counterfeiting ring being run by the Ijin Three at the behest of a powerful Japanese politician, Yutaka Ogikubo. Nanba joins Kasuga after Yokohama Liumang member Zheng demands payment from the homeless, and the two drive him off. With the troupe disbanded after Toshio's death, Masumi drifted to Kamurocho along with some fellow troupe members. 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. Noting everything is going according to plan, Masumi shoots Kasuga non-lethally and has him taken to Isezaki Ijincho, a location out of the Omi's reach. Although he had never met Kasuga before, in order to maintain his reputation, he agreed to the rival family's demands. Really cool twist but I can't believe Arakawa never knew under these circumstances. To Yokoyama, Ichiban's comical "fool" deliberately contrasts the dark setting of Like A Dragon, and that his most important role in the game is to overturning "worldly prejudices" and fight against "invisible discrimination". Kasuga Ichiban (Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! 18 years later, Ichiban is released from prison. [31] Naming Ichiban one of the best new characters of 2020, Destructoid staff observed that Ichiban managed to fill the void left by Kiryu "with relative ease", and that his immediate popularity with the video game community successfully secures the Yakuza franchise's future in their view. After the whole Sotenbori business is done you can meet him in Ijincho and he'll tell Ichi about his dream that his son was born at a Soapland. He explained to Kasuga that being a yakuza meant you had a reputation to uphold, and he would have lost face if he simply bowed his head and asked for him back. Nicknames Press J to jump to the feed. Damage an enemy with a flying kick. *spoilers*" - Page 2. Ichiban Kasuga - Kaiji Tang/ Kazuhiro Nakaya . This contributed to his strong sense of imagination where he imagines his battles as if they were a turn-based JRPG. The Hikawa Family regularly killed people without hesitation, which Masumi took advantage of, disposing of the bodies in Ijincho's Homeless Quarter in order to spend as much time in Yokohama as possible and track down the culprit behind his father's murder, with no leads except for the memory of the killer's face. They explain their plan to their guests. Appearance He turns himself in to the police and is sentenced to 15 years in jail, which is extended to 18 years following an incident in the summer of 2002. He is a former member of the Arakawa Family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary. Displaying a personality that was at times warm and. Really, Ichiban's relationship with Arakawa as a whole is one big Crowning Moment of Heartwarming given the later reveal that Ichiban is Arakawa's true son. 185 cm (6 1)[c] Initially a street thug, Daigo becomes the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan by Kazuma Kiryu's recommendation, representing a new generation of yakuza. Yakuza's Latest Protagonist Is The Hero I Need Right Now - Kotaku Australia Discover more experts answers from Gaming. As a Defense-type Yin card, this card places Masumi in an inactive role, with skills that emphasize his militaristic and inspirational qualities as a leader that earned him his nickname and his subordinates' adoration. I dont think ichiban realized that this just wasnt a prison sentence but this was for life meaning to never return once he got out cause if he returned then the other family would know that it was the family that ichiban was part of that did kill their guy which is why ichiban boss shot him once he opened the door. Kamurocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan [32][33] Anime News Network in particular enjoyed Tang's performance as "absolutely spot-on" due to the multiple expressions he gives to his character. [19], Ichiban has received a very positive response from the video game community following the release of Like a Dragon. [26], In a year as tough as 2020, many video game fans looked to the media as a vicarious escape from the misery of an unjust world. [25] On the other hand, Dia Lacina from Paste Magazine expressed mixed feelings over Ichiban's portrayal: while Lacina liked that Ichiban is more imminently relatable and achievable as a hero archetype, she criticized the naive speech Ichiban gives to defend Nonomiya's reprehensible behaviour based on his own experience of having grown up under the care of a brothel manager as unconvincing and somewhat insulting. When Ichiban gets out of prison in 2019, 18 years after his incarceration, the world has changed rapidly, but the biggest shock is probably that the Arakawa family has joined the Omi Alliance,. In December 31, 2000, Kasuga is on a collections job for Jo Sawashiro with Mitsuo Yasumura, interacting with his friends on the way. Masumi's body was thrown in the river and recovered the next morning. And in an unjust world, heroes such as Ichiban are not only important, they're necessary., Chris Moyse, "2020 may have been a crap year but it gave us some amazing new characters". Kamurocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Kasuga wakes up under a pile of garbage in Isezaki Ijincho, having been patched up by Yu Nanba. Afterwards, he interrogates Ogasawara to learn of Aoki's ambitions and plans to use the Omi. Age Koichi Adachi is one of the members of Kasuga's party, a former cop who lost his job and pension due to corruption in the department. You get a lot more out more human elements out of him. Appears In Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Described as having been born with "nothing but physical strength," Kasuga has a very muscular build that gives him the opportunity to be proficient at a variety of fighting styles. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. After vowing to make Kasuga pay for all the pain the Tojo Clan has inflicted to the Jingweon, Han and Kasuga start fighting. There, he explains that Arakawa is at peace, and that Ichiban should get revenge on Aoki. After retrieving the baby from locker 0099, he rushed him to the hospital, where the baby was diagnosed with hypothermia-induced multiple organ failure. Masumi was born in 1957 to Yoko Arakawa and Toshio Arakawa. Japanese Kasuga pleads to Aoki to start anew, but he is killed by Kume before he can do so. Why Arakawa did this?? : r/yakuzagames - reddit GameSpot compared him to Goro Majima based on similar traits they share "though a lot less deranged", while also noting that he is quite different from Kiryu despite sharing other traits in their backstories. It explains this and technically he didnt send him to prison ichiban went willingly out of his own choice but it explains he went for masato so masato doesnt get the blame, I know that. Kaiji Tang Suddenly, a member of the Go-Ryu Clan appears, giving Han a chance to escape. Height Physical 1957[b] So after this, Kiryu and Saejima go to jail. Nationality The incident had a profound effect on Masumi, who spent the next seven years searching for the killer. Yakuza Like a Dragon - How Ichiban Became A Yakuza / Joined The Arakawa FamilyTwitter: https://twitter.com/Santosx07 Actors Kasuga puts all his energy into a single punch that may leave the enemy stunned. [20] Michael Higham from GameSpot praised Ichiban as an endearing lead character who is immediately loveable and helps gives the franchise "a fresh start". In 2017, the year Kasuga was going to be released were it not for his sentence extension, Masumi writes a letter to him expressing how much he misses him, and invites him for Peking duck when he leaves. In 2019, now 42, Kasuga is freed from prison with no one from his old days waiting for him. 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. Ichiban did turn out fine in the end. Its just a possiblity. After being released, his Arakawa shoots Ichiban and leaves him for dead in Yokohama. Along with Dojima and Watase, he plans to start up a security company in Sotenbori to serve as a home for the yakuza who would have nowhere else to go after the dissolution. 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! Cookies help us deliver our Services. Also Known As Black, later graying 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. Kasuga arrives in Kamurocho and is shocked by how much society changed during his prison term. Japanese 5 Yakuza named Kishi. However, Sawashiro later claims that after Arakawa left with Sawashiro's son (Ryo Aoki), the owner of the local brothel came to pull another baby out of the locker (Ichiban Kasuga), who is Arakawa's actual son. [10] Tang said that his character is the "opposite" of Kiryu in terms of personality. Damage an enemy by hitting them hard in their vital spot. The character has received a generally positive response from critics and players in the video game community, with the consensus that he is a suitable choice to succeed Kiryu's role as the lead character in future games. Here, it is revealed that Governor Ryo Aoki (who is also Masato Arakawa, the son of Masumi) was able to drive crime, and the Yakuza, out of Kamurocho using information from Arakawa with Daigo's permission. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Other For more information, please see our Ichiban wouldn't be targeted for Kurosawa's big plan as he's just a normal member. Biographical Japanese They get what Zhao wanted, but an established conflict between the Geomijul and Nanba causes him to leave and Han to fight the others. Date of Birth He learns Aoki had ensorsed Sota Kume for an election. 58[3] He only made his relationship and the pregnancy known to his patriarch the day Akane was due; however, having lost face, his patriarch had his men beat him badly and ordered them to kill both Akane and the baby. They summoned Arakawa to their office and asked him to collect Kasuga in person, assuming Kasuga was part of his family. Ichiban Kasuga exclusive job. Nationality It represented the leverage Masumi had over the Ijin Three, as he had the ability to make the counterfeiting operation public knowledge. Other [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. Associations Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Tear Jerker - TV Tropes [23] They believe that Ichiban is a good example of how slapstick humour can be blended seamlessly with high octane action to create an excellent, engaging story. 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 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. This imagination has also made him a quick thinker and a creative tactician in battles despite his rash and impulsive demeanor. Through Saeko Mukoda, they learn one of the Liumang's bosses Akira Mabuchi may be involved. Due to existing tensions with the Sakaki as well as the fact that they are a higher rank, Masumi would need to make amends. So, since only Ichiban was extremely loyal to Arakawa, they decided to choose him. Out of all people Arakawa called Ichiban and asked him to do it . 10 Facts You Didn't Know About The Main Characters In Yakuza: Like A Dragon 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. Chapter 15 is the final chapter of the game and culminates with a fight against Ryo Aoki, the son of Arakawa and the governor of Japan. He eventually grew to view Ichiban as his son and entrusted him with looking after Masato. )Mitsuo Yasumura (former subordinate)Tsukasa Mikuni (subordinate)Vincent Lowe (subordinate)Yosuke Kagami (subordinate) He readily followed through with performing yubitsume in exchange for Kasuga's return. His plans, besides shooting Ichiban, actually make a lot more sense than Kazama. As such, this card has a strong affinity towards Offense-type cards that attack multiple times at once. The given birth year of 1957 is an estimate based on Arakawa's age and is not intended as a substitute for an official date. Yakuza: Like a Dragon: Masumi's face is modeled after his voice actor, Kiichi Nakai. Appearance Also, Sawashiro was too useful (as he is the captain) to be sent to jail. Actors After sighting a picture of Ryo Aoki, the upstart Governor of Tokyo and co-founder of Bleach Japan, Ichiban recognizes him as an actual living Masato Arakawa. [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. At the funeral, Daigo offers Ichiban a job at a security company. Ichiban is shot by Arakawa when he attempts to confront him. In order to complete this plan, Masumi feigns turning over to the Omi. In the final boss fight of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Freelancer will be forcibly equipped, but will have all its skills unlocked if they are not already unlocked. Hair Color Japanese Arakawa is murdered shortly after he and Ichiban part ways, and Ichiban believes that Jo Sawashiro, one of Arakawa's captains, killed him. Ichiban first appears in the 2018 Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, which presents an alternate version of his character arc following his release from prison. He spent most of his days fighting people for money, regardless of who they were. They went back to save the baby, but Arakawa had already freed the baby from the locker, declaring that it was now his child. It is implied that he may hav felt like kasuga is the real son. [5] His background of being born and raised in one of Japan's "grey zones" was set from the start. In 1969, after the troupe's final show of the season in Isezaki Ijincho, Yokohama, Toshio planned to treat Masumi to Peking duck at a Chinese restaurant called Heian Tower. The dynamic within the family was tense, however, with Sawashiro's constant abuse of Kasuga often placing Masumi into the role of mediator. Patriarch of the Arakawa FamilyCaptain of the Omi Alliance After Aoki dies, the game cuts to Juro Horinouchi, the Kamurocho police commissioner who worked closely with Aoki and took money from him. 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. Affiliation Chapter 12: The End of the Yakuza - Yakuza: Like a Dragon - GameFAQs He waited outside of the Arakawa Family office for one hundred days before Arakawa finally gave in and agreed to swear him into the family at sixteen, against Jo Sawashiro's wishes. [Spoilers] Why did Arakawa have only Ichi go to prison despite considering him as a son ? Between 1978 and 1982, he established the Arakawa Family, a third-tier organization within the Tojo Clan's ranks. Although beloved, he lived in poverty and the people who raised him were considered "trash" by the rest of society. These traits have made him an infectiously charismatic person that never fails to inspire admiration from the people around him. Brown He appears to have a relatively slim build. The "ultimate example of not living up to your name," who'd get the ass-end of life despite the name Ichiban and live it to the fullest like he doesn't see the ironythat's the thinking behind it. Before they part, Masumi talks about a strange dream where Kasuga and Masato swapped places in their births. Kasuga's tattoo covers most of his back and ends just above his thighs. In fact,Ichiban spends the majority of game saying that he has always felt like Arakawa is a father to him, so the reveal that he might actually be his father drives that connection even deeper. Sawashiro felt indebted to the man raising his child and joined his Yakuza family. Tendo anticipated an attempt on Masumi's life by Reiji Ishioda and intercepts him. Yakuza Like a Dragon - Ichiban Confronts Masumi Arakawa However, to this day, his true intentions remain shrouded in mystery.