Summary
As the ninth entry to the nearly twenty-year-oldYakuzaseries,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, has big shoes to fill. Like its immediate predecessor, it follows the series’ younger and nerdier protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, instead of Kazuma Kiryu.
It also marks the first time a Yakuza protagonist travels abroad, as Ichiban’s quest to find his mother sends him to Honolulu City, Hawaii. However, the series’ fan-favorite tradition of intriguing Easter Eggs continues — even overseas. The games’ developers have injected just as much fun into Infinite Wealth, and eagle-eyed fans have noticed.
8Did You Spot Andre Richardson?
Of the many people Ichiban meets in Infinite Wealth, few will surprise longtime fans as much as the Hawaiian bartender. He doesn’t look out of place, but Yakuza lore contradicts his presence. The person behind the bar is none other than Andre Richardson, who first appeared in Yakuza 3 as a CIA agent.
In his debut, Richardson repeatedly attempts to kill Kiryu, and his persistence forms one of Yakuza 3’s central plots. However, it seems he’s escaped his own fate and settled down as a peaceful bartender, although his presence is likely just a coy nod to the series’ rich lore.
7Did You Hear The Karaoke Classic, Baka Mitai?
Karaoke holds a legendary place in the Yakuza series. First introduced as a minigame in Yakuza 2, karaoke was subsequently injected into the first game through its remake, Yakuza Kiwami. Of the series’ karaoke songs, one stands above the others.
Baka Mitai (I’ve Been a Fool) was introduced inYakuza 0as a soulful karaoke ballad. It’s become an unofficial anthem of the series. So, naturally, it reappears in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. You are first treated to its dulcet tones in the opening hours of the game, as Ichiban and Saeko share a romantic moment.
6Did You Find The Enthusiastic Fan?
Infinite Wealth’s predecessor,Yakuza: Like a Dragon, featured an amusing mission centered around a lost American tourist who asked, “Can you tell me how to get to the station?” In both the English and the original Japanese dub, the tourist speaks in English.
It seems that the lost tourist’s cousin has been found in Hawaii. Nathan, an over-the-top Hawaiian anime fan, appears as a humorous nod to the series’ Western fans. His most prominent feature is a pair of nonsensical kanji tattoos. When translated, one says, “parent and child meeting”; the other says, “mosquito coil.”
5Did You Notice The Lost Judgment Cameos?
Another spin-off of the Yakuza series,Lost Judgment, was released in 2021. As the sequel toJudgment, it centers around private investigator Takayuki Yagami. It has little bearing on Infinite Wealth’s plot, but developers still included a nod to the popular spin-off.
In Yokohama’s Survive Bar, you will see a pair sitting in the corner. Fans of the Yakuza’s Judgment spin-off will immediately recognize them as Fumiya Sugiura, a former thief, and Makoto Tsukumo, the head of the Yokohama 99 detective agency. However, they serve no role in Infinite Wealth. Upon noticing Kiryu, they do little more than smile and wave.
4Did You Spot The Neon Genesis Evangelion Gag?
In yet another example of the series’ memetic quirkiness, Ichiban’s Hawaiian misadventures lead him to an escape room in Anaconda Mall. Here, you get one chance to beat a bevy of quizzes and fights to earn one of three prizes.
The memetic version of “omedetou” (literally, “congratulations”) is often considered a baffling conclusion to the prosperous Evangelion series. The scene’s surrealism led to the coining of “Gainax Ending,” a term used to describe inexplicable finales.
At the end of this unique trial, a crowd of leotard-clad wrestlers cheers for Ichiban. Each wrestler gets a brief solo appearance, wherein they offer Ichiban generic words of praise. This humorous display is a direct reference to the 1995 animeNeon Genesis Evangelion’s ending, even mirroring the protagonist’s sheepish display of acceptance.
3Did You Notice Osamu Kashiwagi?
In the later chapters of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, you take control of Kiryu and return to Japan. There, Kiryu begins working on his bucket list, which — unsurprisingly — includes some heartfelt karaoke. Upon entering the karaoke bar, fans will likely recognize the bartender as Osamu Kashiwagi.
First introduced in Yakuza 3, Osamu Kashiwagi serves as the Tojo Clan’s interim leader. His guidance guarantees Kiryu’s survival through the game’s pivotal central chapters. However, his appearance in Infinite Wealth suggests he’s abandoned his place in the Tojo Clan and taken up a more peaceful occupation instead.
2Did You Hear About Shenmue?
Known for its over-the-top realism and bafflingly lengthy production schedule, theShenmueseries is a cult classic. The games follow Ryo Hazuki’s dogged pursuit of his father’s killer. The convoluted plot begins in Yokosuka, a Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Yokohama just so happens to be the capital of said prefecture. While wandering the city, you can catch bits of a podcast referencing a “strange man” loitering near docks and asking everyone he meets for “a place where sailors hang out.” As if this wasn’t clear enough, the podcast hosts also mention Ryo’s iconic leather jacket.
1Did You Find Yasuo Sodachi?
Originally the owner of Kamurocho’s Sodachi Dojo, Yasuo Sodachi joined the series in Yakuza 4. In his debut appearance, Sodachi teams up with the imposing Taiga Saejima. More recently, inLike a Dragon Gaiden, Saejima appears as a fighter aboard an international shipping vessel. His time aboard that ship makes his appearance in Infinite Wealth only slightly less jarring.
While in Japan, Ichiban is introduced to Like a Dragon’s take on Pokemon: Sujimon. A Sujimon is an elemental fighter, and Ichiban can “train” his Sujimon to tackle subsequent gyms. One of the first Sujimon Ichiban receives is — somehow — Yasuo Sodachi.
