It’sLike A Dragon Weekhere at TheGamer. A whole week dedicated to one of the best video game series ever made, and one with so many installments that I’m still not quite sure howSegaand RGG Studio do it. There are already features dedicated to Yakuza and interviews with those who have worked on it up on the site with more to come before Like A Dragon weeks is done.
Before you catch up with all of that though, it’s time to pick up a little bit of Yakuza merch for you or the Like A Dragon-loving people in your life. Below is some of the very best merch based on and inspired by the series. Whether you’re looking for a way to flaunt your Yakuza love in public or you need a unique gift for someone who loves Like A Dragon, there’s something in this guide for you.
TUBBZ SEGA Yakuza Goro Majima Vinyl Duck Figure
Duck-uza
This collectible TUBBZ duck features the likeness of Goro Majima, beloved star of Sega’s Yakuza/Like A Dragon series of games.
What a place to start. The Yakuza and Like A Dragon games are probably best known for two things. The incredible stories they tell, and the ability to be incredibly serious and one of the silliest things you’ll ever play at the same time. Ifturning Goro Majima into a collectible duckdoesn’t perfectly encapsulate that, I don’t know what does. One of many iconic video game characters to have been turned into a duck by Tubbz, Kiryu Kazama also has a duck of his very own. Putting The Dragon of Dojima in his grey suit, Kiryu’s duck switches out the knife Majima’s duck is holding with a bicycle.
Numskull Like A Dragon Kiryu Figure
Bike A Dragon
Created by Numskull, this Kiryu Kazama figure has The Dragon of Dojima standing on a little piece of Kamurocho as he swings a bike at someone who has crossed him. There’s also a traffic cone at its feet should the bike alone not do the trick.
Speaking of Kiryu swinging bikes around, if you don’t want The Dragon of Dojima doing that in duck form, then there are other options. Take this Numskull figure, for example. Another company responsible for turning video game characters into collectibles, except Numskull has stuck with actual likenesses rather than turning those characters into ducks. Since it’s a Numskull figure, you may rest assured your Kiryu is high quality. As well as the bike in his hands, the figure includes a platform on which Kiryu is stood, and a traffic cone, something else you can swing wildly at enemies throughout the Yakuza and Like A Dragon games.
Tojo Clan Majima Family Enamel Pin
Become A Member Of The Majima Family
An enamel pin that has been modeled after the Majima Family’s Tojo Clan crest. Part of a collection of enamel pins based on different family crests from the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series.
Whether you’re the Yakuza fan reading this, looking for things to buy, or you’re looking for gifts for someone who loves the series, repping the games out and about is likely something you, or they, would love to do. That doesn’t mean having to wear an expensive jacket with a replica of Kiryu’s tattoo on the back of it though, no matter how cool that might look. Sometimes you want your Like A Dragon rep to be a little more subtle. For times like that, there’s this Tojo Clan Majima Family pin. A high-quality enamel pin based on the crest of the Majima Family. I’m also just learning that the symbol in the middle means Makoto, breaking my heart all over again. No spoilers here, but if you know, you know.
Kiryu Kazuma Dragon Of Dojima T-Shirt
Repping The Dragon
A unisex t-shirt that lets you rep your love for the Yakuza series, the Dragon of Dojima tattoo Kiryu has on his back replicated and printed on the front so you may wear it everywhere without having to get an actual tattoo.
If an enamel pin isn’t enough and you want everyone in the room who can recognize Kiryu’s back at a moment’s notice, then you’re going to want to grab this t-shirt instead. Rather than a pin only the most eagle-eyed Like A Dragon fan will hone in on, this t-shirt takes the elaborate dragon design Kiryu has tattooed on his back and puts it on your chest. There’s nothing else on the t-shirt aside from the dragon, but does there really need to be? I’m also unsure if Kiryu got his nickname because of the tattoo on his back, or if he got the tattoo after someone called him The Dragon of Dojima. Yakuza’s answer to the chicken and the egg conundrum.
More Yakuza You Might Not Know About
WHERE TO PLAY
Judgment is not only a Yakuza spinoff. It’s a game that takes place in the same version of Kamurocho and even features a lot of the same mechanics. There’s also a sequel called Lost Judgment.
There are a lot of Yakuza and Like A Dragon games. In fact, there have been three new titles in the space of the last 12 months between Ishin, The Man Who Erased His Name, andInfinite Wealth. Between all those games and the name change from Yakuza to Like A Dragon, there might be some games you’ve missed. Especially since there are Yakuza spin-offs out there that don’t have Yakuza or Like A Dragon in their names.Judgmentis one of those games. A story set not only in the same universe as other Yakuza games, but the same fictional suburb of Tokyo, Kamurocho. While featuring a lot of the same mechanics, Judgment is different enough to set it apart from Like A Dragon while still feeling the same. There’s also a sequel -Lost Judgment- if you end up liking it and wanting more.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon Original Soundtrack
Karaoke, Anyone?
This double vinyl soundtrack features music from Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the seventh entry in the mainline Yakuza series. So much music that it needs two vinyls, one of them green and the other maroon.
The Like A Dragon series is celebrated for a lot of things, but music doesn’t tend to be one of them. Considering how prominent a role karaoke plays throughout so many of the games, and how big of a deal the pastime is in Japan as a whole, that’s somewhat surprising. Not all of the Yakuza games have their own vinyl OSTs, butYakuza: Like A Dragondoes, and it’s pretty special. Not only is its cover art simple yet great, but the two pieces of vinyl inside are green and maroon, making it easy to distinguish between them.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s OST is currently available to pre-order, and we havea guide to the very best video game soundtracksif you’re looking to expand your collection beyond Yakuza alone.
Nishikiyama Cushion Cover
Never Forget Nishiki
Nishikiyama is a core character in the Yazkua series, going through so much. This cushion cover subtly celebrates the character, featuring his koi tattoo design on one side, and the Nishikiyama family crest on the other.
You didn’t think I was going to get to the end of this guide without celebrating Nishiki, did you? The Yakuza character has been on quite the journey, and while this cushion cover courtesy of Insert Coin doesn’t exactly represent his two sides, it is somewhat fitting that there are different designs on the front and the back. The koi design Nihikiyama has tattooed on his back on one side, and the character’s family crest on the other. You can flip it depending on what kind of Nishiki you’re feeling like on any given day, and you can deck out the rest of your home in other video game stuff by usingour Pokemon Home Decor Gifts guideas a, well, guide.
FAQ
In What Order Should I Play Yakuza?
This is a hotly debated topic with the answer changing depending on who you ask. The two options you have if you want to play them all are Yakuza Kiwami, the first game released, orYakuza 0, a prequel released years later. After making that decision, you can make your way through the series in release order.
Should I Play Every Yakuza Game?
You don’t need to play every Yakuza game, and Like A Dragon has even been described as a soft reboot by some giving new fans a jumping-on point. However, if you want to understand all of the references, you’ll need to go back to the very beginning. Plus, if you don’t you’ll miss out on classics like Yakuza 0.
