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Yakuza (video game)
Encyclopedia
Yakuza, originally released in Japan as is an action-adventure
fighter video game developed and published by Sega
in 2005 for the Sony
PlayStation 2
. Sega announced that the budget for the game and its sequel together was 2.4 billion yen (21 million US dollars).
This game is the first entry in the Yakuza series
; A sequel, titled Yakuza 2, was released in Japan on December 7, and in North America and Europe on September 9, and September 19, respectively.
's Shinjuku ward, most noticeably a recreation of Shinjuku's red-light district
Kabukichō, which is famous for its hostess bar
s (cabaret
s), host clubs, love hotel
s, shops, restaurants, nightclubs and its organized crime
presence. Although the area was recreated as a fictionalized "Kamurocho district", much of Kabukichō's landmarks remain such as the red neon sign Kabukicho Ichiban-kai (歌舞伎町一番街) portal in the district's main entrance (renamed "Kamurochō tenkaichidōri", 神室町天下一通り), Koma Theater
(renamed Kamuro Theater), Theater Square, Milano Bowl (renamed Shunjiku Mach Bowl), Don Quijote
discount store (a tie-in
), Seibu Shinjuku Station
, Kabukicho Sakura Street (歌舞伎町 さくら通り) portal renamed "Kamurocho Pink Street" (神室町ピンク通り), and its adjacent FamilyMart
convenience store (renamed Poppo). Tokyo's area called Shinjuku Golden Gai (新宿ゴールデン街), which is located in eastern Kabukicho and is famous for its small bars, is also recreated in as the "Kamuro Champion Gai" (神室チャンピオン街).
Kabukicho's highest skyscraper Tokyo-to Kenko Plaza Hygea (東京都健康プラザハイジア) and its surroundings don't exist in Kamurocho though, and they have been replaced by different streets and a comparable yet fictitious building called "Millenium Tower", the game's main landmark.
whose release from prison after a ten-year sentence sparks the setup of the game's plot. After his release, he returns to find his friend Yumi Sawamura is missing and the Tojo Clan he was once a part of has had ten billion yen stolen from them, which the entire Japanese underworld is now searching for.
, casino
(baccarat
, blackjack
and roulette
), toba and pachislot.
The Battle Mode includes the Underground Arena (地下闘技場) which is located in Kamurocho's Purgatory area.
; Event Mode cinematics use Dolby Digital
surround sound
through digital optical cable, while Adventure and Battle gameplay modes are Dolby Pro Logic II.
in Japan on January 25, 2007. The music was composed by Hidenori Shoji
, Sachio Ogawa, Keitaro Hanada, Fumio Ito
, Yuri Fukuda. The closing theme is John Newton
's Amazing Grace
, a classic gospel sung in English by Eri Kawai
; additional performers are Makotch (vocals), Yuri (chorus) and Tomica (chorus). The tracklist for Yakuza has 23 titles (details are available below).
campaign with famous Japanese companies. As a result some places found in the game, such as the Don Quijote
discount store and the Club Sega game center
s are modeled after the real life buildings.
Sega also used product placement
strategy and introduced ads within the game. This includes a collaboration with the Japanese Suntory
group which advertises in-game with ad banners, Boss Coffee
ads and vending machines are also visible in Kamurocho; cans are purcheasable within Kamurocho stores. Since the group produces local drinks and is a distributor of foreign alcohols, all brands appearing in Kamurocho's bars and pubs, being Whiskey
, Jack Daniel's
Bourbon
or Carlsberg Beer, are real brands of Suntory.
Other product placements include Shogakukan
's Sabra
magazine, Fujisankei Communications Group
's SPA! magazine and Panini Group
's World Club Cup stickers. The latter appears in a TV ad, together with a Suntory drink and a Sega mahjong
game, which is displayed in the Kamurocho theater wall screen.
Sega's UFO Catcher crane game machines are included as a minigame, and arcade cabinets of Virtua Fighter 4
and SpikeOut
can be seen in the Club Sega game centers.
replica (特製ピンバッジ, tokusei pin baju, lit. "deluxe pin badge") and a monography called Kamutai Magazine (December 2005 issue). Since then a new issue of Kamutai Magazine is bundled with each franchise episode pre-order.
Also the original PlayStation 2 the Best edition (SLPM-74234) included a bonus DVD with the trailer of Yakuza 2, while the reprint (SLPM-74253) which was released during the production of the spin-off was repackaged with a rose cover art instead of white (a.k.a. リパッケージ版, ripakkeji han lit. "repackage edition") and a bonus DVD with the trailer of Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!, a voice cast message and a 20-minute producer interview.
The western releases were only regular copies, instead Sega Europe and America used online marketing. A flash game, "CodeYakuza.com", was created and an English subtitled version of the game's 2006 live-action adaption directed by Takashi Miike, Like a Dragon: Prologue, was freely downloadable on the game's official website.
or Greatest Hits re-release on the western markets. Though, total sales reached 1 million.
for combining innovative game play with cinema like story telling and character development on the back of Japan's criminal underground
.
Yakuza received a generally good reaction among critics. IGN
praised its combat system and sense of style but criticized its tedious gameplay.
directed a prequel Like a Dragon: Prologue
(龍が如く 〜序章〜, ryu ga gotoku -joshou-) with mixed martial artist and puroresu wrestler Masakatsu Funaki
as Kazuma Kiryu.
(龍が如く 劇場版, ryu ga gotoku: gekijoban) was directed by Takashi Miike
in 2007. Kazuma Kiryu's role is played by actor Kazuki Kitamura
known overseas for his roles in Shohei Imamura
's The Eel, Takeshi Miike's Dead or Alive
and Quentin Tarantino
's Kill Bill
.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
fighter video game developed and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in 2005 for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. Sega announced that the budget for the game and its sequel together was 2.4 billion yen (21 million US dollars).
This game is the first entry in the Yakuza series
Yakuza (series)
Yakuza is a Fighting game video game franchise created by Amusement Vision and owned and published by Sega.The series has sold at least 3.2 million copies as of March 2009...
; A sequel, titled Yakuza 2, was released in Japan on December 7, and in North America and Europe on September 9, and September 19, respectively.
Setting
Although the game does not explicitly say it, much of the game takes place in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's Shinjuku ward, most noticeably a recreation of Shinjuku's red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
Kabukichō, which is famous for its hostess bar
Hostess bar
Hostess clubs are a common feature in the night-time entertainment industry of Japan, east Asian countries and other areas with a high east Asian population. They employ primarily female staff and cater to males seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The more recent host clubs are similar...
s (cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
s), host clubs, love hotel
Love hotel
A love hotel is a type of short-stay hotel found around the world operated primarily for the purpose of allowing couples privacy for sexual activities...
s, shops, restaurants, nightclubs and its organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
presence. Although the area was recreated as a fictionalized "Kamurocho district", much of Kabukichō's landmarks remain such as the red neon sign Kabukicho Ichiban-kai (歌舞伎町一番街) portal in the district's main entrance (renamed "Kamurochō tenkaichidōri", 神室町天下一通り), Koma Theater
Shinjuku Koma Theater
The was a major theatre in the Kabukichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo. The theatre opened in 1956 and it had a capacity of 2,088 seats.- Past shows :*Kōhaku Uta Gassen *Saburō Kitajima*Ken Matsudaira*Hibari Misora*Kiyoshi Hikawa*Sachiko Kobayashi...
(renamed Kamuro Theater), Theater Square, Milano Bowl (renamed Shunjiku Mach Bowl), Don Quijote
Don Quijote (store)
is a discount chain store that has over 160 locations throughout Japan as well as three stores in Hawaii. It carries a wide range of products, from basic groceries to electronics to clothing. The store is well known in Japan and is often referred to by its shortened name .-History:Don Quijote...
discount store (a tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
), Seibu Shinjuku Station
Seibu Shinjuku Station
thumb|Platforms is a train station of the Seibu Railway Company located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.-Lines:The station is served by the following line:*Seibu Railway Company**Shinjuku Line -Surrounding area:...
, Kabukicho Sakura Street (歌舞伎町 さくら通り) portal renamed "Kamurocho Pink Street" (神室町ピンク通り), and its adjacent FamilyMart
FamilyMart
is a convenience store franchise chain first opened in Japan on September 1, 1981. FamilyMart is Japan's third largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven and Lawson, and the largest chain store in South Korea. FamilyMart is owned and overseen by FamilyMart Company, Limited...
convenience store (renamed Poppo). Tokyo's area called Shinjuku Golden Gai (新宿ゴールデン街), which is located in eastern Kabukicho and is famous for its small bars, is also recreated in as the "Kamuro Champion Gai" (神室チャンピオン街).
Kabukicho's highest skyscraper Tokyo-to Kenko Plaza Hygea (東京都健康プラザハイジア) and its surroundings don't exist in Kamurocho though, and they have been replaced by different streets and a comparable yet fictitious building called "Millenium Tower", the game's main landmark.
Story
The game follows the story of , a former yakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
whose release from prison after a ten-year sentence sparks the setup of the game's plot. After his release, he returns to find his friend Yumi Sawamura is missing and the Tojo Clan he was once a part of has had ten billion yen stolen from them, which the entire Japanese underworld is now searching for.
Gameplay
The main story is divided into 13 chapters. Each chapter is made of three distinct yet connected modes called Event, Adventure and Battle.Event Mode
Cinematics, called "events", and cutscenes are enabled after completing specific actions or beating a certain character during the Adventure Mode. They also introduce the chapter's objectives.Adventure Mode
Various play spots are available within the Adventure Mode. These are UFO Catcher, batting cageBatting cage
A batting cage is an enclosed cage for baseball players to practice the skill of batting.It is usually made of netting or a chain-link fence and rectangular in shape. A batter stands at one end of the cage, with a pitching machine at the opposing end...
, casino
Casino game
Games available in most casinos are commonly called casino games. In a casino game, the players gamble casino chips on various possible random outcomes or combinations of outcomes. Casino games are available in online casinos, where permitted by law...
(baccarat
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game, played at casinos and by gamblers. It is believed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of King Charles VIII , and it is similar to Faro and Basset...
, blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
and roulette
Roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after a French diminutive for little wheel. In the game, players may choose to place bets on either a single number or a range of numbers, the colors red or black, or whether the number is odd or even....
), toba and pachislot.
Battle Mode
As in an Action-RPG game, the main character randomly encounters foes on his path (Adventure Mode). The ensuing fight is called Encount Battle.The Battle Mode includes the Underground Arena (地下闘技場) which is located in Kamurocho's Purgatory area.
Audio
Sound director is Hidenori ShojiHidenori Shoji
is a video game music composer who has contributed to such Sega titles as Fighting Vipers 2 , Yakuza 2 , and Yakuza Kenzan. He is a member of H., a band composed of Sega sound designers.-Live performances:...
; Event Mode cinematics use Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
through digital optical cable, while Adventure and Battle gameplay modes are Dolby Pro Logic II.
Cast
This is the only game in the series to feature English voice acting for its U.S. and PAL releases. Following titles use the original Japanese cast with localized subtitles.- Takaya KurodaTakaya Kurodais a Japanese voice actor, narrator, and actor. He is affiliated with the Bungaku Company, formerly with Mausu Promotion and Aoni Production. He is currently a member of 81 Produce....
(Japanese) / Darryl Kurrylo (English) as Kazuma Kiryu (桐生 一馬) - Rie KugimiyaRie Kugimiyais a Japanese voice actress affiliated with I'm Enterprise.Kugimiya's most famous roles include Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Happy in Fairy Tail, Kagura in Gintama, Nagi Sanzenin in Hayate no Gotoku!, Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, Taiga Aisaka in Toradora!, and...
(Japanese) / Debi DerryberryDebi DerryberryDebi Derryberry is an American voice actress, singer, composer and kids' entertainer who won an American Anime Award.-History:...
as Haruka Sawamura (澤村 遥) - Kazuhiro Nakatani (Japanese) / Michael RosenbaumMichael RosenbaumMichael Owen Rosenbaum is an American actor and director. He is best known for portraying Lex Luthor on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville and Dutch on FOX's Breaking In, and for providing the voice for the Flash in the DC animated universe...
(English) as Akira Nishikiyama (錦山 彰) / Akira Nishiki - Miyako Uesaka (Japanese) / Eliza DushkuEliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
(English) as Yumi Sawamura (澤村 由美) / Mizuki Sawamura - Tetsuya WatariTetsuya Watariis a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. He made his screen debut in 1964, in Isamu Kosugi's .He is now the president of Ishihara Promotion.He has a younger brother, Tsunehiko Watase, who is also an actor.-Filmography:-External links:* *...
(Japanese) / Roger L. JacksonRoger L. JacksonRoger Labon Jackson is an American voice actor. He is best known for voicing the killer Ghostface in the Scream films, leaving him to keep an unknown identity to withhold the mystery of Ghostface...
(English) as Shintaro Kazama (風間 新太郎) / Shintaro Fuma - Junko MiharaJunko Miharais an Japanese politician, former singer and actress.She ran in House of Councillors election in 2010 as a proportional candidate of Liberal Democratic Party and won.- External links :*...
(Japanese) / Rachael Leigh CookRachael Leigh CookRachael Leigh Cook is an American actress, known for her role in the romantic comedy She's All That and her This is Your Brain on Drugs public service announcement.-Early life:...
(English) as Reina (麗奈) - Kazuhiro YamajiKazuhiro Yamajiis a Japanese actor and voice actor from Mie Prefecture affiliated with the Seinenza Theater Company.-Television animation:*Case Closed *Geneshaft *Last Exile *Monster...
(Japanese) / Bill FarmerBill FarmerWilliam "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
(English) as Makoto Date (伊達 真) - Naomi KusumiNaomi Kusumiis a Japanese seiyū from Fukuoka Prefecture. He was formerly attached to the Seinenza Theater Company; as of 1999, he is attached to Mausu Promotion...
(Japanese) / Michael MadsenMichael MadsenMichael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
(English) as Futoshi Shimano (嶋野 太) / Futo Shimano - Hirooki Yoshida (Japanese) / Robin Atkin DownesRobin Atkin DownesBorn in London, England, Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor who is one of the most prolific voice-over actors in Los Angeles. He is well known for his work in film, television and voice acting...
(English) as Kyohei Jingu (神宮 京平) - Takafumi Yamaguchi (Japanese) / Daniel Capellaro (English) as Shinji Tanaka (田中 シンジ)
- Hidenari UgakiHidenari Ugakiis a Japanese seiyū from Tokyo. He is currently attached to 81 Produce. He is best known for his roles in Mobile Fighter G Gundam , the TV Tokyo edition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the 2005 Doraemon series .-Television animation:*Class of 3000 *Digimon Adventure...
(Japanese) / Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
(English) as Goro Majima (真島 吾朗) - 龍澤慎一 (Japanese) / James HoranJames Horan (actor)James Horan is an American character actor who has appeared in many television programs and films. He has starred in several soap operas, including Guiding Light as Det...
(English) Lau Kar-long (ラウ・カーロン, 劉家龍) / Lau Ka Long - Ryūji Mizuki (Japanese) / Alan DaleAlan DaleAlan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New...
(English) Masaru Sera (世良 勝) / Masa Sera - Akina Okada (Japanese) / Nan McNamara (English) as Saya Date (伊達 沙耶)
- Yoshiaki FujiwaraYoshiaki Fujiwarais a Japanese actor, and professional wrestler who has worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, and UWF.-New Japan Pro Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation :...
(Japanese), Dwight SchultzDwight SchultzWilliam Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
(English) as Sai no Hanaya (サイの花屋) / Kage
Soundtrack
The Yakuza & Yakuza 2 Original Sound Track (HCV-287) dual-disc boxset was published by Wave MasterWave Master
Wave Master Inc. is a research and development team for Sega, focusing on the soundtracks for various games...
in Japan on January 25, 2007. The music was composed by Hidenori Shoji
Hidenori Shoji
is a video game music composer who has contributed to such Sega titles as Fighting Vipers 2 , Yakuza 2 , and Yakuza Kenzan. He is a member of H., a band composed of Sega sound designers.-Live performances:...
, Sachio Ogawa, Keitaro Hanada, Fumio Ito
Fumio Ito
Fumio Ito is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. Ito began his Grand Prix career in 1960. He enjoyed his best season in 1963 when he won the 250cc Belgian Grand Prix and finished the season in third place in the 250cc world championship, behind Jim Redman and Tarquinio Provini.-...
, Yuri Fukuda. The closing theme is John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
's Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
, a classic gospel sung in English by Eri Kawai
Eri Kawai
was a female Japanese singer from Tokyo, Japan. She had graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and both composed and sung not only classic but also pop and world music. She was also friends with well-known video game composer Yasunori Mitsuda and had collaborated with...
; additional performers are Makotch (vocals), Yuri (chorus) and Tomica (chorus). The tracklist for Yakuza has 23 titles (details are available below).
Marketing and release
Tie-in and product placement
In order to both support the game's expensive production and make Kamurocho a realistic recreation of Tokyo's Kabukicho, Sega contracted a tie-inTie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
campaign with famous Japanese companies. As a result some places found in the game, such as the Don Quijote
Don Quijote (store)
is a discount chain store that has over 160 locations throughout Japan as well as three stores in Hawaii. It carries a wide range of products, from basic groceries to electronics to clothing. The store is well known in Japan and is often referred to by its shortened name .-History:Don Quijote...
discount store and the Club Sega game center
Game Center
Game Center is an online multiplayer social gaming network released by Apple. It allows users to invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through matchmaking, track their achievements, and compare their high scores on a leader board.-History:...
s are modeled after the real life buildings.
Sega also used product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
strategy and introduced ads within the game. This includes a collaboration with the Japanese Suntory
Suntory
is a Japanese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drinks to sandwich chains...
group which advertises in-game with ad banners, Boss Coffee
Boss Coffee
is a brand name of canned and plastic bottled coffee and coffee-flavored beverages sold by Suntory in Japan. It was released in 1992 and is one of many brands of Japanese Canned Coffee....
ads and vending machines are also visible in Kamurocho; cans are purcheasable within Kamurocho stores. Since the group produces local drinks and is a distributor of foreign alcohols, all brands appearing in Kamurocho's bars and pubs, being Whiskey
Japanese whisky
Whisky production in Japan began around 1870, but the first commercial production was in 1924 upon the opening of the country's first distillery, Yamazaki...
, Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
Bourbon
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
or Carlsberg Beer, are real brands of Suntory.
Other product placements include Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
's Sabra
Sabra (magazine)
Magazine is published by Shogakukan. It features beautiful Japanese models and articles geared toward young men. Sabra Magazine is equivalent to Maxim, FHM, and Stuff in the United States. Although the magazine focused on gravure models , it also offers variety of news such as showbiz...
magazine, Fujisankei Communications Group
Fujisankei Communications Group
, abbreviated FCG, is a keiretsu in Japan. This media conglomerate was founded by Nobutaka Shikanai. In 1991, it was the fourth-largest media company in the world and the largest one in Japan. In the same year, the company's yearly revenue was $5 billion....
's SPA! magazine and Panini Group
Panini Group
Panini Group is a company headquartered in Modena, Italy, named after the Panini brothers who founded it in 1961. The company produces books, comics, magazines, stickers, trading cards and other items through its collectibles and publishing subsidiaries. Panini distributes its own products, and...
's World Club Cup stickers. The latter appears in a TV ad, together with a Suntory drink and a Sega mahjong
Mahjong
Mahjong, sometimes spelled Mah Jongg, is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players...
game, which is displayed in the Kamurocho theater wall screen.
Sega's UFO Catcher crane game machines are included as a minigame, and arcade cabinets of Virtua Fighter 4
Virtua Fighter 4
is a fighting game by Sega. It is the fourth game in the Virtua Fighter series.The game was first released in arcades on the NAOMI 2 board in 2001...
and SpikeOut
SpikeOut
Spikeout is a 3D beat 'em up developed by Sega-AM4 and published by Sega in 1998....
can be seen in the Club Sega game centers.
Versions
As part of the pre-ordering campaign, the Japanese first print was bundled with two limited items, a Tojo Clan lapel pinLapel pin
A lapel pin is a small pin often worn on the lapel of a dress jacket. Lapel pins can be purely ornamental or can indicate the wearer's affiliation with an organization or cause; for example, American Flag lapel pins became very popular in the United States, especially among politicians, following...
replica (特製ピンバッジ, tokusei pin baju, lit. "deluxe pin badge") and a monography called Kamutai Magazine (December 2005 issue). Since then a new issue of Kamutai Magazine is bundled with each franchise episode pre-order.
Also the original PlayStation 2 the Best edition (SLPM-74234) included a bonus DVD with the trailer of Yakuza 2, while the reprint (SLPM-74253) which was released during the production of the spin-off was repackaged with a rose cover art instead of white (a.k.a. リパッケージ版, ripakkeji han lit. "repackage edition") and a bonus DVD with the trailer of Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan!, a voice cast message and a 20-minute producer interview.
The western releases were only regular copies, instead Sega Europe and America used online marketing. A flash game, "CodeYakuza.com", was created and an English subtitled version of the game's 2006 live-action adaption directed by Takashi Miike, Like a Dragon: Prologue, was freely downloadable on the game's official website.
Sales
Due to its commercial success on the Japanese market, Yakuza had a PlayStation 2 the Best edition on October 26, 2006, and an exceptional reprint on December 6, 2007. In contrast, this Asian long seller title never had a PlatinumPlatinum range
The Platinum Range is a Sony PlayStation budget range in the PAL regions, notably Europe , Australia, New Zealand, India, and Africa...
or Greatest Hits re-release on the western markets. Though, total sales reached 1 million.
Reception
The game was heavily acclaimed in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for combining innovative game play with cinema like story telling and character development on the back of Japan's criminal underground
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
Yakuza received a generally good reaction among critics. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised its combat system and sense of style but criticized its tedious gameplay.
Original video
In 2006, Takashi MiikeTakashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
directed a prequel Like a Dragon: Prologue
Like a Dragon: Prologue
Like a Dragon: Prologue, known in Japanese as , is a 2006 Japanese crime drama Original Video directed by Takeshi Miyasaka with Takashi Miike as executive director...
(龍が如く 〜序章〜, ryu ga gotoku -joshou-) with mixed martial artist and puroresu wrestler Masakatsu Funaki
Masakatsu Funaki
, is a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who wrestled in New Japan Pro Wrestling, PWFG, as well as the UWF. He is currently performing at All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is one half of the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Champions, along with Keiji Mutoh...
as Kazuma Kiryu.
Feature film
A film adaptation Like a DragonLike a Dragon
Like a Dragon or Yakuza: Like a Dragon known in Japan as is a 2007 Japanese crime drama-comedy film directed by Takashi Miike. It is based upon Toshihiro Nagoshi's 2005 video game Yakuza released on PlayStation 2...
(龍が如く 劇場版, ryu ga gotoku: gekijoban) was directed by Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
in 2007. Kazuma Kiryu's role is played by actor Kazuki Kitamura
Kazuki Kitamura
is a Japanese film and television actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 14th Yokohama Film Festival for Minazuki, Kyohansha and Kanzen-naru shiiku.-Movies:...
known overseas for his roles in Shohei Imamura
Shohei Imamura
was a Japanese film director. Imamura was the first Japanese director to win two Palme d'Or awards.His eldest son Daisuke Tengan is also a script writer and film director, and worked on the screenplays to Imamura's filmsThe Eel , Dr...
's The Eel, Takeshi Miike's Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive (film)
, abbreviated as DOA , is a 1999 Japanese yakuza action film directed by Takashi Miike. It stars Riki Takeuchi, as the Chinese Triad boss and former yakuza Ryūichi, and Show Aikawa, as the Japanese cop Detective Jojima, and focuses on their meeting and conflict...
and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's Kill Bill
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
.