Anyone can create a lengthy laundry list of their favorite video game heroes, from RPG powerhouses like Geralt of Rivia and Cloud Strife, to the goofy mascots of Crash Bandicoot and Astro Bot. But there are almost no examples in games where we get to truly see a character age — see someone truly live their life in a way that’s representative of reality. Twenty years after the release of the first game on PS2, that’s exactly what makes the Yakuza series so special. While you can talk about Yakuza’s quirky blend of crime drama and humor, or its bone-crunching combat — the simple truth is that Sega’s franchise simply wouldn’t be what it is without Kazuma Kiryu.
One of the most incredibly realized characters gaming has ever seen, Kiryu instills Yakuza with its fighting spirit, but is simultaneously a fascinating deconstruction of toxic masculinity. He’s absolutely essential to the way Yakuza deconstructs so many societal issues, from persecution of LGBTQ people to prejudice against felons reintegrating society. The Yakuza series has never shied away from tough and increasingly relevant topics, but all of that is filtered through the worldview of Kiryu.
