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This Article Contains Spoilers -
WARNING: This article contains major spoilers. If you do not wish to know vital information on plot / character elements in a story, you may not wish to read beyond this warning: We hold no responsibility for any negative effects these facts may have on your enjoyment of said media should you continue. That is all. |
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"Mature Content!" |
| NOTE: This article only talks about the mainstream version of Kazuma Kiryu in the video games, as his versions from other adaptations, such as the 2007 Takashi Miike movie or the recent Amazon miniseries, may have more corrupting factors and thus not considered Near Pure Good. |
| “ | You walk alone in the dark long enough, it starts to feel like the light'll never come. You stop wanting to even take the next step. But there's not a person in this world who knows what's waiting down the road. All we can do is choose. Stand still and cry... or make the choice to take the next step. You pick whichever one feels right to you. I can get you as far as the starting line. | „ |
| ~ Kiryu to Makoto Makimura. |
| “ | Some are born with talent, and some aren't. That's true. But that said... Those with talent never make it through talent alone. You have to overcome. Find boundaries, and break them. The only way to grow is by overcoming challenges. | „ |
| ~ Kiryu to Aizawa in their final fight. |
| “ | Life is written in the single stroke of a brush. That's why you've gotta make every moment count. | „ |
| ~ Kiryu in Infinite Wealth |
Kazuma Kiryu is one of the two main protagonists (alongside Ichiban Kasuga) of Sega's Like a Dragon franchise. He served as the main protagonist of the Yakuza Saga, and one of the overarching protagonists in the Like a Dragon Saga.
He was a former yakuza member and Tojo Clan chairman, who disowned his yakuza life for good causes, he then became the owner and caretaker of Morning Glory Orphanage until he faked his death. After faking his death, he then went undercover as a Daidoji agent named Joryu. Throughout his journey, he has encountered countless of notorious crime bosses and corrupted officials, nonetheless, he still did his best to defeat them, in order to ensure people's safety and protect his loved ones.
He was partially modeled after and voiced by Takaya Kuroda. In the English dub, he was first voiced by Darryl Kurylo, and then by Yong Yea in later installments.
His Good Ranking[]
What Makes Him Close to Being Pure Good?[]
In General/Background[]
- Despite his past as a yakuza who collected debts, he largely subverted his corrupting qualities throughout his journey, turning from a reckless and immature person to a more moral, wise and mature man in the future games.
- The reason why he joined the yakuza in the first place was only to pay back for what his father figure Kazama did to him, otherwise, he was disgusted with any crime bosses who sought power, he even outright belittled the "Dragon of Dojima" title.
- Even after leaving the yakuza life behind, he still took responsibilities himself to stop the yakuza from harming innocents, ready to sacrifice his peaceful life and even his identity.
- Just like other protagonists, he has helped various of strangers and innocents in substories throughout all of his games, some of them eventually became friends with him, the notable example is Pocket Circuit Fighter.
- Although sometimes there are shootout moments seemed to be lethal from him, they are all done out of self defense/last resort and he did not take any pleasure in it.
- He was a great father figure to the children he took care of, as many of them idolized him and even tried to communicate with him after he faked his death.
Yakuza 0[]
- After he was framed for a murder of a person, he quickly acted and to find out about the true culprit, along with his brother Nishiki.
- He willingly left the yakuza just to pursue his journey and to prevent any of his family and friends from getting harmed.
- He actively got in touch and protected his father figure Shintaro Kazama while he was framed by the Dojima family and imprisoned.
- After meeting a real estate broker named Tetsu Tachibana and was informed by him that there had been a gang war between yakuza gangs for a small piece of land called the Empty Lot, he agreed to help him to stop the war once and for all.
- He defeated many yakuza members who tried to target him, notably Daisaku Kuze, who determined to defeat him many times.
- When Nishiki was ordered to kill him by the Dojima family, he then reassured him and the latter also understood him, he then did his best to run away and avoided internal conflict.
- He joined Tachibana to come to the Tojo Clan Headquarters to negotiate with the chairman to hand over the Empty Lot, in order to ensure his safety.
- Upon meeting Makoto Makimura, he tried his best to get her reunite with Tachibana, who turned out to be her long lost brother. He also tried to protect her from anyone who wanted to capture her for the Empty Lot.
- After Tachibana unfortunately died from Kuze and Yoneda's torture, he still brought his body to Makoto nonetheless, so that the two can have a final (although imperfect) reunion.
- He accepted the final fight with Kuze, after winning, both of them started to respect each other.
- Him and Nishiki then went to the Nikkyo Consortium HQ to stop Shibusawa once and for all, he then successfully defeated many of Dojima family men.
- When he encountered Shibusawa, he expressed disgusts toward his cowardly ways of getting power, he also belittled the "Dragon of Dojima" title despite Shibusawa valuing it.
- After defeating Shibusawa, although he was tricked by him to kill him, he snapped out of it after being stopped by Nishiki. He then made up his strict kill rule, to only kill and do lethal acts in last resort or self defense.
- After becoming a head of a real estate agency, he then defeated the Five Billionaires and their boss Finance King from corrupting the real estate market and endangering civilians.
Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami[]
- After knowing Nishiki had killed the infamous crime lord Sohei Dojima for sexually assaulting Yumi out of spite, he then took the fall so that both of his friends could ensure safety, accepting 10 years in prison.
- After returning from prison and finding out about the 10-billion yen incident from Tojo Clan, as well as the assassination of Masaru Sera, he then acted quickly to help resolving the problem.
- He infiltrated the Tojo Clan Headquarter to get in touch with the problem, as well as to help Kazama.
- He reunited with Makoto Date, the person who helped reducing his prison sentence, they together started to find the missing Yumi Sawamura, eventually encountered her "niece" (who is actually her daughter) Haruka.
- After encountering Haruka, he helped her to find his mother and took care of her like his daughter.
- He tried to reassure and understand Nishiki after their final reconcilation, knowing his change of personality after a chain of tragedies happened to him.
- He rushed himself to rescue Shinji Tanaka and Reina, who had been captured and wounded by a Nishikiyama family member Kazuto Arase.
- After Shinji's death, he then came to Shangri-La to uncover more information, he then challenged Goro Majima in the ultimate fight.
- After knowing all the truth told by Kazama, he tried his best to defeat the two main culprits of the incident, Kyohei Jingu and Futoshi Shimano.
- He managed to stop Shimano and his men in a wharf, ending the notorious Shimano family once and for all.
- When Kazama was wounded by Shimano's grenade and told him that he killed his biological parents, he still forgave him no matter what, in order to give Kazama a peaceful death.
- He then rushed to the Millennium Tower to find Yumi, as well as to stop Jingu from using the stolen 10 billion yen for his evil purposes and his will to rise as a corrupted politician.
- After Jingu's defeat, he had a final fight with his brother Nishiki to settle things up, he then allowed Nishiki to sacrifice himself for redemption by killing Jingu, while also ensured his and Haruka's safety.
- At the end, he quickly resigned from being the 4th Tojo Clan chairman, in order to take care of Haruka, his newly adopted daughter, as well as to get away from the yakuza lifestyle once and for all.
Yakuza 2/Yakuza Kiwami 2[]
- Him and Haruka together visited the graves of his deceased loved ones, paying respect and giving his love to them.
- He reunited with Daigo Dojima, who had just been released from prison, and encouraged him to help him resolving the possible conflicts between Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance.
- Him and Daigo then went to Omi Headquarters in Osaka to agree peace with their chairman Jin Goda, he also allowed Daigo to have a rematch against his son Ryuji Goda before getting to defeat Ryuji himself.
- He partnered with the police officer Kaoru Sayama, after getting "arrested" in custody by her. They together tried to find the mysteries behind the incidents.
- After Sayama was shot, he quickly rushed to save her and brought her to Aoi, her caretaker.
- He encountered Koji Shindo, who tried to resurrect the Nishikiyama family, he then defeated him in order to prevent him from causing any more harm.
- After Jin Goda and Daigo had been kidnapped by many gangsters, he convinced Majima, who was now a head of a construction, to help him resolving the conflict and saving them from being endangered.
- He successfully exposed Kazuki's doppelganger, who was sent by the Jingweon to impersonate his friend. He then helped the real Kazuki to recover in the clinic.
- He helped his friend Date in proving his innocence in the fake Kazuki's murder.
- Him, Date and Sayama together defeated and exposed the corrupted cop, Wataru Kurahashi, who turned out to be a Jingweon spy and happened to kill Sayama's father, Jiro Kawara.
- He helped Majima and his gang to disarm many bombs planted across Kamurocho.
- After Sayama had made a reckless decision to encounter her half-brother Ryuji on the top of the under construction Kamurocho Hills, he rushed to the contruction site and tried to resolve the conflict.
- After Yukio Terada revealed himself as the mastermind behind the bomb plant, he defeated him once and for all, then convinced Terada to defeat Ryo Takashima, the true culprit who planned to start an all-out gang war.
- After the two culprits had been defeated, he accepted Ryuji's honorable final fight.
- Upon encountering the struggling cabaret club Four Shine in Sotenbori, he tried his best to help growing the club, making it rise to the top cabaret club of Sotenbori.
Yakuza 3[]
- He convinced Majima to help and mentor Daigo in his new chairman career.
- Him, along with his daughter Haruka, opened an orphanage called Morning Glory, which he openly adopted many orphan children who did not have anywhere to go, they together formed a lighthearted family.
- Upon encountering the hot-headed Rikiya Shimabukuro, he defeated him in a challenged fight and eventually turned him into a calmer person and unleashed his inner kindness.
- After getting the eviction notice, he tried his best to secure and maintain his orphanage, for his children's sake.
- He went to Tamashiro family HQ to rescue Ryudo Family boss, Shigeru Nakahara's daughter Saki from the bastardly Tetsuo Tamashiro. He then swore an oath and befriended Nakahara.
- He helped Kazuki and Yuya defeating the remaining Nishikiyama family members, who were now led by the ruthless Tsuyoshi Kanda.
- He defeated the Snake Flower Triad and had a rematch with Lau Ka Long, ending his criminal empire.
- Him and Date visited Tamiya in order to catch up with what was going on, as well as to secure his Morning Glory Orphanage from being evicted.
- He met up with a man who looked like Kazama, who turned out to be Kazama's twin brother Joji Kazama. After having a duel, Kiryu then complimented Joji, saying he would not have won had he fought Joji in his prime.
- Him and Joji tried to defeat the Tamashiro family. After Tetsuo Tamashiro cowardly shot Rikiya causing his death, he cried and mourned the death of his.
- After knowing Mine had taken Daigo into the Touto Hospital roof, he then arrived to the hospital and defeated Black Monday, as well as the Hakuho Clan man.
- He defeated Andre Richardson and then rushed to the rooftop to quickly save Daigo. He then accepted a final duel with Mine and after defeating him, they together settled things up.
- He reassured to Daigo that Mine would never be a traitor and still remained loyal to him until his last breath.
- After getting stabbed by the angered Goh Hamazaki, he then tried to understand him and forgave him, this was then eventually appreciated the latter, as Hamazaki said Kiryu was one of the people he trusted.
Yakuza 4[]
- Upon encountering Taiga Saejima, who happened to be a fugitive, he helped him laying low.
- After reuniting with Hamazaki, he then exchanged information and tried his best to stop the corrupted officials from exploiting the aftermath of the 10 billion yen incident.
- He tried to get Yasuko Saejima into safety and prevented her from getting hunted by the corrupted police force. He then defeated the ruthless prison guard Saito, who tried to hunt down both Yasuko and Hamazaki.
- He helped Yasuko reunite with her brother Saejima.
- After knowing Daigo had been in trouble made by Seishiro Munakata and had indirectly caused Majima's arrest, he join the Akiyama, Saejima, and Tanimura to stop Munakata and his co-conspirators, as well in order to settled things up with Daigo in their fight.
- Along with Majima, he helped Saejima in forming his own family within the Tojo Clan.
Yakuza 5[]
- He made a deal with Mirei Park to lay low and moved to Nagasugai as a taxi driver, so that his daughter Haruka could follow her idol career.
- He endured a beating to save a woman, which impressed his taxi driver boss Yotaro Nakajima.
- While Nakajima was drunk, he defeated the two troublesome Yamagasa Family thugs and then said Nakajima was the one who defeated them, in order to make him happy.
- After encountering Masato Aizawa and Yu Morinaga and was informed about Daigo Dojima's missing, he was ready to go back fighting for the right things and save Daigo.
- When he was approached by the cowardly evil Minoru Aoyama, who took over as Tojo's interim chairman, he then defeated hundred of his men and confronted him.
- He wholeheartedly told Nakajima about his real identity and then came back to Kamurocho so that he could continue saving lives.
- Upon returning to Kamurocho, he was approached by Shigeki Baba, he then defeated him and convinced him not to do any wrongdoings anymore.
- After learning about the true mastermind Tsubasa Kurosawa, he tried his best to bring him down, preventing him from endangering his loved ones, as well as many innocents.
- He helped Shun Akiyama defeat many Kurosawa men across Kamurocho.
- He battled and defeated Masato Aizawa, preventing him from taking control of both the Tojo and Omi Alliance.
Yakuza 6[]
- After all the mess in Yakuza 5, despite having more than enough protection to prevent him from going to prison, he still accepted his 4-year prison term so that he could come clean and would never endanger his Morning Glory children.
- After returning from prison and learned about Haruka's disappearance, he reconciled with his other children and ensured she would be safe, he then determined to find her. He then defeated many Saio Triad members and saved the hiding Akiyama.
- After knowing Haruka had had an accident, he rushed to the hospital to visit her, then took her newborn son Haruto, regardless of Akiyama's objection.
- Instead of sending Haruto to the orphanage, he took it upon himself to become a caring grandfather to him, taking care of him while Haruka was unconscious. At the same time, he also tried to find who was Haruto's father.
- After encountering the hot-headed Tsuyoshi Nagumo, who tried to be hostile against him, he then defeated him in multiple fights, to the point of reforming the latter. Thanks to him, Nagumo became a calmer and more understanding person.
- When Kiyomi was kidnapped, he rushed to her location and defeated many thugs, including Takumi Someya, her husband.
- He helped Akiyama infiltrate the Saio Triad's base and find out of more information regarding the current situation.
- He defeated the notorious Saio Triad member, Ed, stopping him from doing brutal crimes.
- He returned to Onomichi to find out about the secrets, finally knowing Yuta was Haruto's father, he then gave him a scolding for being irresponsible.
- Him and Yuta then came to Kamurocho to negotiate with Big Lo, in order to stop any danger towards his grandson.
- After Yuta had a breakdown and was ready to sacrifice himself, he forgave him and told him Haruto would not have grown well without a father, hence motivating him to be a responsible father.
- Him and other Hirose members determined to discover the Secret of Onomichi, which turned out to be an old warship of Heizo Iwami, kept hidden in many decades.
- Him, Hirose Family members and Akiyama arrived to the Millennium Tower to stop Tsuneo Iwami, the true culprit, once and for all.
- After Iwami had kept Kiyomi hostage and forced Someya to fight him, he accepted an honorable fight and let the latter prove his strength. After Someya had committed Seppuku to save his wife from dying, he was impressed and mourned his death.
- At the end, he approached and confront Iwami, tried to defeat him for what he had caused, even rightfully insulted him a "Little Baby".
- After defeating Iwami, although he tried to rightfully murder him, he quickly cast that aside when he noticed Sugai about to kill Haruka and Haruto, and quickly jump to protect them, as well as Yuta, who tried to take the bullet first.
- He negotiated with the Daidoji faction to fake his death and ensure his family's safety.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon/Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name[]
- He protected Madoka Ogikubo from being harassed by other thugs.
- He tried to keep the Daidoji and the Watase family from having a conflict, as he saved both Yuki Tsuruno and Kihei Hanawa from getting captured by either sides.
- He arrived to Sotenbori and met Akame, so that she could help him in doing his heroic deeds while hiding his identity.
- He came to Osaka Castle to encounter the troublesome Kijin Clan, led by the notorious torturer Homare Nishitani III.
- He convinced both Watase family and Daidoji to become each other's allies.
- Him along with the Watase family, tried to lure Nishitani III out of his castle, so that he could encounter and defeat him once and for all.
- After Masaru Watase had been released from prison, he helped him in the Great Dissolution, so that the yakuza way of life could be ended for good.
- He defeated both Nishitani III and Kosei Shishido, who had gone rogue after hearing the news, ensuring the Great Dissolution could operate smoothly.
- After seeing Ichiban Kasuga had a breakdown after losing his father, he then stopped him from beating a thug and eventually stopped the latter's depression and aided his heroic journey.
- He challenged Ichiban to a fight to determine if he was worthy.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth[]
- Although he had gotten cancer, he still pursued in helping out the best he could and aided his successor and his companions in their heroic journey.
- After knowing Ichiban had been framed, he helped him in erasing his criminal records. They together started to find Ichiban's mother Akane Kishida.
- He helped Ichiban's party in finding Chitose Fujinomiya, who framed Ichiban recently.
- He came to see Roman Reynolds, defeating him and successfully erased Ichiban's fake criminal records.
- He helped Ichiban's party in infiltrating Wong Tou's hotel, finding out about the true mastermind.
- He let the party escape while fighting Yutaka Yamai.
- He created a bucket list to try to do the last things he wanted to do in life, one of them including spending time with his loved ones, while also secretly visiting people from his past lives.
- He helped Ichiban's friends in Yokohama to stop the Seiryu Clan from bringing the yakuza life back to existence.
- After knowing about Majima, Saejima and Daigo's location, he approached them, accepted their challenged fight and convinced them to help him in his last heroic journey.
- After knowing about Masataka Ebina's Second Great Dissolution, which involved ex-yakuza being shipped to a nuclear island and planned to get killed by radioactive waste, he volunteer to stop Ebina, as he realized that Ebina was a victim because of Kiryu's poor decision to leave the yakuza, even confessing to Kasuga that had he not left the yakuza life, he could've changed it and help Ebina live a better life.
- After defeating Ebina, he later pleaded with Ebina to put an end to his vengeful crusade while also apologizing and taking responsibility for his actions.
What Prevents Him From Being Pure Good?[]
- Despite largely subverting his possible corrupting qualities throughout his journey, he still retained his strict manner, making him stubborn in some ocassions, as he sometimes thought he was in complete control of his situations, leading to some minor troubles arise. This is a minor prevention as it could be explained from his stoic manner and his way of expressing emotions, and he also quickly resolved those troubles.
- He was somewhat hypocritical towards Daigo Dojima during the latter's chairman term, as he ran away from the Tojo Clan to put the burden on to him, although this is understandable as he wanted to take care of his children in Morning Glory, however, he still taught him a lesson at the end of Yakuza 4 that "Tojo is a heavy burden to carry", despite knowing it wasn't Daigo's intentional fault, he also sometimes neglected Daigo. However, this was a minor prevention as he still managed to solve the problems before it's too late, as well as he apologized to Daigo before faking his death and even helped him in the Great Dissolution to wholly stop the yakuza life.
External Links[]
- Kazuma Kiryu on the Heroes Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the Like a Dragon Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the SEGA Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the VS Battles Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the Love Exalted Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the Ultimate Good Wiki
- Kazuma Kiryu on the Main Light Horse Wiki
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 Near Pure Goods
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Mainline Games Spin-Offs See Also | ||
 Vs. Near Pure Goods
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Capcom Universe Marvel Universe Sega Universe Nintendo Universe See Also | ||