Anyone going into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth had to deal with the ‘will they won’t they’ of RGG Studio killing off Kiryu. Even if you’re new to the series and somehow missed the reveal before launch that he has cancer, it’s not too far into the game that you learn about his diagnosis. And as the narrative progresses and his condition worsens, you can’t help but wonder if he’ll survive.
For longtime fans, the possibility of Kiryu getting permanently retired hit even harder. After such a long and epic journey with him and our favourite Yakuza characters over the years, everything came to an emotional, climatic close in Infinite Wealth. There was an undeniable feeling of finality as many of the series’ themes came full circle,something I discussed in my review, and Kiryu’s Bucket List feature went a long way to emphasise the fact this was a swansong for the Dragon of Dojima.
But that still begs the question of whether Kiryu is alive or not when the curtain falls. Before playing Infinite Wealth, I wrote about how it wastime for Kiryu to properly hand over the torch to Kasuga, but that it would be best left ambiguous. The idea of not knowing whether he would survive leaves the door open, even if only slightly ajar, for a possible future cameo, and feels far more appealing than knowing for certain that he would live or die. Thankfully, Infinite Wealth gave me the ending I wanted. At the end of the game, we see that Kiryu has started treatment for his cancer, but it’s not confirmed one way or another whether he’ll recover.
Going forward, Kasuga can fully take the reins of the series, and after the masterpiece that was Infinite Wealth, I can’t wait to see where his adventures take him next. As for Kiryu, maybe we’ll never see him again. Or, maybe years from now, he’ll feature in a pop-up image when Kasuga does his own Bucket List before retiring like, ‘Remember that old dude that helped me way back when, fun times’. Or maybe Kiryu will appear occasionally as a brief passing cameo from game to game, just to please old fans. Whatever happens, it’s not knowing what might happen that’s the best option.
When I was playing Infinite Wealth, there was a moment when I feared that Kiryu’s fate could be affected by player choice. Checking off his Bucket List items helps him “regain more of his former self” and, for a short while, I was worried that completing them all would mean he survived cancer while neglecting them would mean he didn’t. I wrestled with the idea a bit as the series has never had a game with multiple endings, but then it’s never gone overseas or introduced a whole life sim minigame before either, so anything is possible.
Turns out I was worried for nothing - the game always ends with options open.
It’s not just Kiryu’s ambiguous exit that made Infinite Wealth’s finale perfect, but the way it handled the two protagonists. After a big get-together of all the characters, the team splits into two parties, with Kasuga leading one and Kiryu leading the other, to take down the two antagonists, one in Hawaii and the other in Japan. Splitting the team means that both protagonists get their time in the spotlight for the final scene, with neither playing second fiddle to the other.
Kasuga ties up the Hawaii plot with his mother and takes down Bryce, and while it might seem a bit odd for Kiryu to wrap things up with Ebina, because we learn he’s Kasuga’s half-brother, I thought it was rather clever. Kiryu’s final showdown taking place in the Millenium Tower, the same setting of his very first showdown in the original Yakuza, was a fitting end. If given the choice, I think Kasuga would prioritise his mother’s issues and trust Ebina to Kiryu. He can’t be everywhere at once, and besides, we’ve done the whole Kasuga facing off against a half-brother in the last title. Doing the same again so soon would have felt tiring.
I’ve had a few people tell me they disliked that the game closed with Kiryu, simply because his finale was the second half of this chapter. I think it’s a matter of when fans joined the series or which cast of characters they love more. For me, as a long-term fan, it felt fitting to close on Kiryu, and others I spoke with who love the old crew more have agreed. If the two halves of the chapter had been flipped around, with players tackling Japan with Kiryu before Kasuga in Hawaii, I think those who prefer Kasuga and crew, or who joined the series with LaD, would be a bit happier with the ending. It’s not a matter of what happens, but when it happens.
If RGG Studios had chosen one way or another to kill off Kiryu or have him suddenly cured, it would have riled up a large portion of the fanbase unhappy with whatever decision it made. Choosing to not choose was the best outcome. Getting closure doesn’t necessarily mean having to tie up every loose thread. We still have our closure, it’s clear that Kiryu has retired one way or another, we don’t need to know exactly what happens to him. Knowing Kiryu still has possibilities is the best ending for him.
Like a Dragon Week
Like a Dragon Week is TheGamer’s celebration of all things Yakuza/Like a Dragon, with features, interviews, and opinions on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s massively popular series of action-adventue brawlers.
