Affiliation RGGO It is implied that he may hav felt like kasuga is the real son. The duo eventually encounters their targets in Nagasugai, Fukuoka. When the dissolution is announced, they join Arakawa in defending Dojima and Watase alongside Yosuke Tendo, who had deccided to fight for them, and Watase's mysterious bodyguard. He also makes use of a baseball bat in an extremely professional manner. This imagination has also made him a quick thinker and a creative tactician in battles despite his rash and impulsive demeanor. He tells Kasuga that Arakawa will need allies shortly. Despite his efforts, this only fanned the flames of the existing rivalry between the Arakawa Family and the Sakaki Family. Nationality He gave him the name Masato; (masa), the first kanji in Masumi and (to), the first kanji in Toshio. In 2001, yakuza Ichiban Kasuga agrees to go to prison for a murder that he did not commit to repay Arakawa Family patriarch Masumi Arakawa for saving his life in his youth. Modeled After 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. His personal skills revolve around healing for his allies and himself. Ichiban Kasuga ( , Kasuga Ichiban) is the protagonist of the Like a Dragon series from Yakuza: Like a Dragon onward, as well as the protagonist of The Legend of Ichiban Kasuga: Part 1 in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. He asks Kasuga to turn himself in, telling him the lie that it was Sawashiro who committed the murder. Adachi joins him, and explains his reasoning for wanting to be with him, then hands him a smartphone, which he learns how to operate with assistance from Nick Ogata. Yakuza 7 has some of the best RPG combat in a long time A destitute Ichiban starts a new life and forges new connections in an unfamiliar city, where he is eventually thrust into a conspiracy involving a money laundering scheme which involves Japan's political establishment. because his character and beliefs wouldn't fit as a Shinsengumi. Place of Birth He invited Hoshino to Ijincho's Heian Tower where he interrogated him at gunpoint regarding his motives. How did Arakawa Under the Bridge End? - Squarerootnola.com Other 1959/1960[d] His default job is "Homeless Guy", which is a Squishy Wizard setup involving strong area-of-effect skills and strong debuffs. [18] Eurogamer describes him as a kind character due to how Ichiban aims to become a hero regardless of not being as intelligent as other Yakuza main characters. The men demanded he takes responsibility for Kasuga's actions. )Ichiban Kasuga (son, former subordinate)Masato Arakawa (adoptive son)Hikawa (former patriarch)Mitsuo Yasumura (subordinate)Reiji Ishioda (subordinate)Yosuke Tendo (subordinate)Masaru Watase (ally)Daigo Dojima (ally)Goro Majima (ally)Taiga Saejima (ally)Ryuhei Hoshino (acquaintance)Tora (former co-star) Yakuza's Latest Protagonist Is The Hero I Need Right Now - Kotaku Australia Trying to find answers as to why, Kasuga ends up shot and . Ichiban confronts Aoki during an election rally and tricks him into sending his men to the Millenium Tower at Kamuroch after lying about Sawashiro leaking the existence of incriminating evidence at the Arakawa Family office. His long history as a hitman and his reputation as the militant leader of the Arakawa Family earned him the nickname "Arakawa the Assassin" (, Koroshi no Arakawa). Ichiban Kasuga was first publicly revealed in August 2017 as part of the developer's promotional efforts for the then-upcoming Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE. IchiIcchanKasugacchiSoapy IchibanIchi-badNumber One Associations Aoki's arc is sad, as he spent the first several years of his life wheelchair-bound, feeling like he had no control over his life. 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. Arakawa asks Kasuga to shoulder the blame and go to prison on Sawashiro's behalf, and that he is banished from the family. January 1, 1977[1] Like many of the gangsters in Yakuza, Ichiban has a prominent back tattoo. [29] Chingy Nea from Kotaku praised Ichiban as the Yakuza series most relatable protagonist and one of its best characters, and the main reason why Like a Dragon was a source of comfort and joy for her in late-2020. Unlike in Like A Dragon, this incarnation of Ichiban never leaves Kamuroch, and encounters a different cast of supporting characters as well as enemies. The dragonfish tattoo on his back earned him the nickname "The Rock Bottom Dragon" (, Donzoko no Ry). The Rock Bottom DragonPrisoner 1119 Arakawa is murdered shortly after he and Ichiban part ways, and Ichiban believes that Jo Sawashiro, one of Arakawa's captains, killed him. One day, in 1993, he was called to the offices of the Shinomiya Family to take responsibility for Ichiban Kasuga, a sixteen-year-old boy who had hospitalized one of their members and was claiming to be from the Arakawa Family. He was the Patriach of his family surely he could've found someone else to take Aoki's place right ? Nicknames Kasuga hypes himself up and attunes to the flow of battle, boosting his Evasion and Attack for 2 turns. [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. If you use a regular attack first, you'll. Other Masumi earned the resentment of the patriarch of the Sakaki Family, Sakaki, when he interrogated Sakaki on the fact the Sakaki Family was selling Tojo Clan information to the Omi Alliance at a meeting in front of Tojo executives. Sawashiro suggests leaking information in exchange for the Family's continued survival. Also Known As Damage an enemy with a flying kick. Chris Moyse from Destructoid praised Ichiban's character arc for "masterfully blending stoicism, bravery, pathos, heroism, and just the right amount of complete and utter idiocy to immediately win the hearts of the Yakuza faithful". Appearance [20] Michael Higham from GameSpot praised Ichiban as an endearing lead character who is immediately loveable and helps gives the franchise "a fresh start". Yakuza: Like a Dragon / YMMV - TV Tropes Kasuga was born to Akane and Masumi Arakawa on New Year's Day, 1977, in Shangri-La. Masumi Arakawa (former patriarch)Jo Sawashiro (former superior, rival)Mitsuo Yasumura (oath brother, friend, ally)Giichi Kitamura (friend, ally)Shun Akiyama (friend, ally)Mayumi Seto (friend, ally)Hayato Tsuji (friend, ally)Tsukasa Mikuni (complicated ally)Yosuke Kagami (complicated ally)Vincent Lowe (enemy) 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. Arakawa says that Ichi was like a son to him, but isn't it hypocritical that only moments later of him stating that Ichi felt like a son to him, he still sells him out making him go to prison because his other actual son (or so he though) messed up ? Initially hesitant, he accepts after learning the Liumang had sent assassins after Nanba. RGGO Kasuga bluffs to Aoki of having incriminating evidence to lure him and Tendo to the Millennium Tower. Occupation Hair Color So he asked his son to go in prison instead of Masato- that's what I dont understand. But more towards that arakawa didnt know. Kuze and the Go-Ryu follow Ryuji, while Kasuga chases after Han. His eyes are dark brown and described as having the "hard, flinty gaze of an old killer"[4] by the age of twenty. Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Heartwarming - TV Tropes [8][9], Ichiban's English voice actor, Kaiji Tang, describes him as a "whimsical" character who, despite being the game's protagonist, also serves the role of a supporting character due to how he often assists his allies. Actors 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. we dont know for sure the dream that arakawa has started occuring even before he sends him to prison. Although he appeared to have assistance from his men, raising Masato proved difficult. Actors Aliases Also, Sawashiro was too useful (as he is the captain) to be sent to jail. Date of Birth Only Ichiban, Sawashiro and Arakawa cared about Masato. Relationships RGGO Masumi's first card in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online, SSR Masumi Arakawa (Black), was first released on September 24, 2020 and depicts the version of him seen in the main story of Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. By 1980, he managed to track down his father's killer: Ryuhei Hoshino. Brown Kazuhiro Nakaya The incident had a profound effect on Masumi, who spent the next seven years searching for the killer. [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. Arakawa explains that it was he who leaked inside information to his son, giving him the chance he needed to bring the 3K strategy into play, forcing the Tojo Clan out. Occupation 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. Masumi, Tendo, Watase's mysterious bodyguard, and Kasuga and his party fight the opposition and win, allowing the dissolution to succeed. 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". 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. Daigo wants Ichiban to not place all the blame on Arakawa. 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. Between 1978 and 1982, he established the Arakawa Family, a third-tier organization within the Tojo Clan's ranks. Sawashiro, the man who Ichiban gave away 18 years of his life to save, is central to the yakuza now. Yakuza: Like a Dragon / Tear Jerker - TV Tropes He was hidden in coin locker #101 at Shinjuku Station by Akane on Arakawa's instructions in order to keep him safe while they were being pursued by members of Hikawa Industries; however, Arakawa unknowingly retrieved the baby locked in the adjacent locker #99. Ryo Aoki rose to power with a group called Bleach Japan, which focused on getting rid of "gray" areas and crimes in Japan, like the Yakuza and brothels. Relationships Y:LAD Patriarch of the Arakawa Family, a third-tier subsidiary of the Tojo Clan. Meeting Aoki in person, he learns of his recovery in the US, that he is intending to purge Ijincho of its residents reliant on gray zones, and that Kasuga had taken the fall for Aoki's murder, not Sawashiro's. He is clean shaven in his younger years but has a small goatee on his chin by his most recent appearance in 2018. He had apparently been struggling with toilet training until fifth grade. Sawashiro reveals that he did not commit the murder all those years ago, but it was in fact Arakawa's own son. Kasuga's tattoo covers most of his back and ends just above his thighs. Having left a strong impression on Kasuga, he was followed back to the Arakawa Family office, where Kasuga waited outside every day for one hundred days straight until Masumi finally relented and accepted him into the Arakawa Family. Kasuga was instead taken in by Shangri-La's manager, Jiro Kasuga, and raised by the people of Kamurocho. Ichiban is the lead character in the 2020 video game Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the first main series Yakuza title which does not feature recurring series lead Kazuma Kiryu as a playable character. He told her to hide the baby in a coin locker and to get to a safer location as soon as possible to ensure their safety. Year of Birth The three are directed to Otohime Land to work for Isao Nonomiya, and rescue Nanoha Mukoda from having to pay large fees to Sunlight Castle, and meet Ryuhei Hoshino, who recognizes the bill. [22] Leah Williams and Tegan Jones from Kotaku Australia welcomed the decision to have Ichiban succeed Kiryu as the new lead character of the franchise, lauding his character arc to be simultaneously moving as well as one filled with ridiculous fun. [35], Render of Ichiban Kasuga as he appears in, Last edited on 12 December 2022, at 08:29, "Ichiban Kasuga Voice - Yakuza: Like a Dragon", "Yakuza: Like A Dragon Dev Explains Creating A New Hero And What's Next", "Yakuza 7 (Shin Yakuza) New Details Revealed, Dev Discusses Possibilities For Yakuza 0 Sequel", "Yakuza series general director on Ichiban Kasuga game: "I'd like to change the game drastically", "Yakuza: Like a Dragon Goes Into Kasuga Ichiban's Birth And Reason For Joining Organized Crime", "Yakuza: Like A Dragon's city is reported to be around 3-4 times larger than past games", "Ichiban Kasuga will lead 'Yakuza' "for the next ten years", "Yakuza: Like a Dragon Voice Actor Confirms Ichiban Will Now Lead the Series", "Ichiban Kasuga wears his heart on his sleeve, and he'd lay his life down to stand up for a friend. 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. Is Arakawa Ichiban's dad? He eventually grew to view Ichiban as his son and entrusted him with looking after Masato. Y:LAD For example, in a pivotal scene where Ichiban's mentor promises to take him to try Peking duck, he helped the rest of the cast understand what the dish was by ordering some for them to eat.[11]. While it is never revealed that Sawashiro was telling the truth, Ichiban still felt as though both he and Aoki were sons to Arakawa. Ichiban was designed by franchise developers Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, though a decision was later made by executive director and franchise creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and his team to position Ichiban as the lead character of future mainline entry games. During recording of the game, Tang befriended Greg Chun, who voices supporting character Nanba. Advance Offense-type allies' cooldown timer by up to 24%. The next day, Arakawa calls Kasuga into his office, gravely telling him to be inconspicuous. Kiichi NakaiWPTaishi MurataWP (teen) Masumi Arakawa ( , Arakawa Masumi), also known by his stage name Taro Arayoshi ( , Arayoshi Tar), is a supporting character in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Wanderings of the Golden Dragon in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. The year after the death of his father, he stopped going to junior high school at fifteen and resorted to whatever means necessary to earn money and support himself, leaving his education behind for good. These traits have made him an infectiously charismatic person that never fails to inspire admiration from the people around him. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. On his 24th birthday, Kasuga is called into the Arakawa Family office, where Arakawa informs him of Sawashiro's involvement in the murder of a member of the Sakaki Family. [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. [34] RPGFan also regarded Tang as one of the best actors in the entire game based on the impact of his deliveries. In 2019, now 42, Kasuga is freed from prison with no one from his old days waiting for him. There, he explains that Arakawa is at peace, and that Ichiban should get revenge on Aoki. Place of Birth Ichiban Kasuga ( , Kasuga Ichiban) is the protagonist of the Like a Dragon series from Yakuza: Like a Dragon onward, as well as the protagonist of The Legend of Ichiban Kasuga: Part 1 in Ryu Ga Gotoku Online. In 2001, yakuza Ichiban Kasuga agrees to go to prison for a murder that he did not commit to repay Arakawa Family patriarch Masumi Arakawa for saving his life in his youth. Professional wrestlingBrawlingBaseball bat The Chief and Hoshino tell Kasuga of their history with Arakawa, and he learns Arakawa had sent him there intentionally to save him, renewing his faith in his former patriarch. 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 . Once he learned the truth, Masumi spared Hoshino's life and left quietly. To escape this reality, he spent his nights playing Dragon Quest in the back office of the soapland and dreaming of being a hero one day. 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. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is prone to letting his emotions get the best of him, whether it be sheer rage or getting overly excitable. Hoshino told him everything regarding the counterfeit operation in Yokohama and that Toshio had been smuggling bills on behalf of the organizations involved. Damage an enemy with a swift, brutal kick. Ichiban goes to prison on the first night of the 21st century, and doesn't get out until 18 years later, with nearly two decades' worth of culture and change having passed him by, not to . 185 cm (6 1)[c] Aoki was weak and couldn't do a lot on his own without scheming. Kazuhiro Nakaya, who previously voiced recurring franchise character Akira Nishikiyama, was one of the candidates who read for the role. Cost decreases with each level. Ichban's hero character skill "peerless resolve" - protects himself from being knocked out Sacrifice Stone - protects anyone who wears it (I got 2 at the end of the game) Poundmate Mr. Masochist - makes EVERYONE in the team immune to knock out for once!!! Out of all people Arakawa called Ichiban and asked him to do it . Advances Heat Gauge by 200 at the start of battle. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" takes that formula and gives it a fresh set of characters with a JRPG framework. For each Attack-type ally, nullifies 15% of all damage received (except damage received from status abnormalities) and accelerates all allies' cooldown timers by 15%. Biographical Information He can be unlocked after completing the single stage once. Ichiban Kasuga However, one day, he severely injured and hospitalized a yakuza. Part of his little finger on his left hand is missing. On the way, a helicopter spots them on a rooftop and Adachi stays behind. The tattoo represents the strength and perseverance of the koi as it struggles upstream, as well as a greater destiny that lies ahead, as the koi has not fully finished its transformation into a dragon. Damage an enemy with a wrestling technique known as a release German suplex. One of Like a Dragon's main characters is Saeko Mukoda, a mama at a hostess bar who joins Ichiban's party. Upon his release 18 years later, Ichiban discovers that Arakawa has apparently betrayed the rest of the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance, a rival yakuza organization based in Osaka, and finds himself stranded in the city of Yokohama after he is shot by Arakawa following an attempted confrontation. Horinouchi is also the person responsible for having Adachi demoted. After that, he was compelled to understand why Arakawa shot him and took one dirty job after another. Their fight is soon interrupted by a group of thugs led by Shou Takayama, the acting chairman of the Go-Ryu Clan, who has been chasing Ryuji for a while. Ichiban is first introduced in the 2018 mobile game Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, a freemium collectible card game spin-off which is exclusively released in Japan. [10] Tang said that his character is the "opposite" of Kiryu in terms of personality. 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 faces Sawashiro upon arrival and defeats him, then opens the door to a dinner between Omi officers, looking for answers, but is shot in the chest by Arakawa. Really cool twist but I can't believe Arakawa never knew under these circumstances. Gray The end of development for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, which brought Kazuma Kiryu's story arc to a close, coincided with the commencement of development for the 2018 mobile title Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE. The Hope of KamurochoPrisoner 1119 During their preparations, Ichiban hears of an important Omi Alliance meeting in Osaka that Arakawa will attend. Kasuga decided then and there he'd follow Arakawa for the rest of his life. Japanese Nanba explains the situation with the Ijin Three and shows Kasuga the severity of his bullet wound, which leads to him discovering a defective counterfeit 10,000 yen bill. You get a lot more out more human elements out of him. Kasuga Ichiban (Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Fighting Style Thanks to the split, there is not enough manpower to crush them and Yosuke Tendo joins Masumi's side as he could not resist the urge to fight such a brawl. Kasuga decides to head to Sotenbori after becoming restless waiting for an update from Mitsuo. [28] Hayes Madsen from Screen Rant said Ichiban is the most important protagonist in games for the year 2020, and called him an inspiring character due to his unfailing kindness and warmth of humanity, and that his story arc in Like a Dragon put forward meaningful commentary on the inequalities of society.