The Tattooist for the Yakuza Explains Why Tattoos Should ...

Just letting you all know that this is gonna be a pretty long post, we're looking at just about all of Shibusawa's role in 0. There's also gonna be spoilers for Yakuza 1 and 2's main antagonists. With that out of the way, let's get things going.
From my experience viewing the community, Shibusawa is easily the least popular of the three lieutenants in Yakuza 0. And that doesn't exactly surprise me, but at the same time it sorta does. The final bosses in these games are supposed to be the most memorable, most badass, one of your favorite characters. But if I asked you to name the first Yakuza 0 villain that comes to your head, Shibusawa isn't gonna be it. Even among the lieutenants, he falls short. Kuze is the gold standard when it comes to rival characters in gaming, not just Yakuza. 5 fights with him, each of them shows just how much you/Kiryu are growing in experience, and by the end most end up respecting him. Awano is pretty intimidating throughout, and especially has a great showdown with Majima, so much so that he sacrifices himself for him. Plus, dudes got meme potential. But Shibusawa hides in the sidelines for 90% of the game, barely in the story until Kiryu and Oda get Makoto to Kamurocho. But how much of that is intentional? As usual with these character study's, lets look at Shibusawa's actions in the story first.
His first appearance, like the other lieutenants, is in Dojima Family HQ. And already there's a lot to think about. Whereas Kuze and especially Awano are deadset on the idea that Kiryu killed the man in the empty lot, Shibusawa is much more subdued. He doesn't actively defend Kiryu, but he doesn't really accuse him either. He genuinely seems to believe that Kiryu was set up. As he leaves the building, he even puts his hand on Kiryu's shoulder, possibly as a way of comforting him. Especially with how the later scenes paint him, this scene is interesting to think about. We'll come back to it later.
His shows up when Dojima expels Kiryu, but doesn't really have a speaking role, only reinforcing that Kuze made Kiryu a civilian. Shibusawa doesn't really care about the other lieutenants, as we'll see later. He's also in the scene where Awano tells Kuze to take care of Kiryu (before Kuze's 2nd fight), but again doesn't do anything of note. And he's there during Kuze's 3rd fight, but does nothing. You noticing a pattern? This right here is the main problem with Shibusawa, but it's also his greatest strength. He's lurking in the shadows of the scenes he's in, waiting for the right moment, HIS moment, to take center stage. But that also means he's not a character until the last 10% of the game. It's all leading to the main themes of the 3 lieutenants, but that means that he can't have time to spend talking to Kiryu, or really anybody.
Chapter 13 is where Shibusawa really comes into play, as we see him and his crew hunt down Kiryu/Makoto. Additionally, he had Oda as a mole, seemingly giving him information, though clearly not everything. It's in these last few chapters where we see Shibusawa's true nature. After shooting Oda for not giving Makoto's location, and after Makoto ran off from both Kiryu and Majima, he makes it a point to give Dojima Makoto, presumably so he can establish himself as the best of the lieutenants, to earn the captains position, as well as leaving with everyone via chopper after Lao Gui shoots Makoto.
His next scene is where we learn quite a bit about Shibusawa's motivations. When Awano suggests to wait for Kazama to end up dead in prison, he scolds him pretty harshly, and reveals that only by getting rid of the entire Kazama family can Tojo rise again. This is how Shibusawa wants to get to the top. Funny how I previously talked about Jingu, whose motivations were also to rise to the top until you physically couldn't go any higher. And Nishiki as well has that very same motive, although he is much different then Jingu overall. Shibusawa's reasonings for it are somehow both more and less basic then those two, though. After that scene, we learn that Shibusawa is leading a raid on Shibaura, the ship Makoto is on. Obviously, Kiryu and Nishiki go to shut it down. During the raid we see Shibusawa intrigued with Kiryu. Almost like he's ready to fight him. Turns out he is, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Kiryu eventually makes it past everything on the ship, and confronts Shibusawa. Shibusawa seems to have only brought Makoto where he is to lure Kiryu in. He wants Kiryu to be the first kill. We'll skip a lot of Shibusawa's motivations for now, and just say that at it's most basic level, Shibusawa wants to kill Kiryu so that Kazama's heir dies, as he wants to surpass Kazama. Of course, Kiryu beats Shibusawa, who then encourages Kiryu to finish him off for good. Kiryu almost does, but Nishiki comes at the last second to talk him out of it. And Shibusawa is sent to prison. Not dead, but certainly won't come back.
So why did I skip a lot at the end there? Mostly to discuss Shibusawa and some of the 3 lieutenants here. We'll start with the lieutenants. Kuze, Awano, and Shibusawa represent the different kind of Yakuza in this series overall. Kuze represents the Yakuza of old, mainly in the clan for the simple reason of beating others up, and showing themselves as tough bastards. Shimano, plenty of villains in 1, and lots of people in the series show this attitude. Awano represents the Yakuza of the present, too deep in to it to quit, but it's clear they've lost their touch to how they were so many years ago. It's most likely that Awano wants out, which is why he's the only one of the lieutenants to die. Reinforces that once you're in the Yakuza, there's no getting out in one piece. Shibusawa represents Yakuza of the future, who don't just want to thrive, but want to rise to the top, want to make a name for themselves. Nishiki and to a lesser extent Ryuji follow this as well. Shibusawa gets the closest to achieving his goals compared to the other two most likely for this reason; It's how antagonists from future games operate as well.
What Shibusawa wants is simple. A legacy. A title to have. It's not just about rising to the top. Shibusawa tells of his father, who was a politician that rose pretty high in the business, but his boss got all of his credit. Eventually his father had to take the fall for his bosses corrupt deals, and it drove him to suicide. It's possible he thinks history will repeat itself with Dojima and him. So he wants insurance. Talent alone isn't enough for him. Shibusawa clearly shows a lot of respect for Kazama. He considers him a legend. So much so that he intends to surpass him. He wants Kazama's title. That's probably his main motivation for wanting to more or less eradicate the Kazama family. By doing that, he can become the true "Dragon of Dojima". With his title, Shibusawa will finally have a legacy, will be remembered as a legend. Kiryu rightfully says to him that Kazama is more then just his title and legend, but Shibusawa brings up some valid points about how Kazama isn't the perfect paragon (his own words) Kiryu thinks, how he arguably caused the events of Yakuza 0. Kazama in general has a lot to his character to talk about, but this isn't about him. Anyway, Shibusawa's first step in surpassing Kazama is to kill his heir, that being Kiryu. There's also the matter of Shibusawa's tattoo. The dragon tattoo. Tattoo's in this series are symbolic to the person who has them. Obviously, Shibusawa's tattoo is the same as Kiryu's. The dragon itself is a legend, and in some Japanese culture dragons are often respected and put on the same pedestal as gods. Shibusawa is not seen as such, but it's important to note that he eventually thinks he will. That's why he got the tattoo in the first place. That's also why Kiryu's tattoo isn't filled in yet. He hasn't reached that status yet, but he's on the path to achieving it.
So why does Shibusawa tell Kiryu to kill him? He wants Kiryu to see Kazama for who he is. Kazama could only achieve the legacy he has now because of his massive body count. Shibusawa thought the same, as he attempted to write his legacy with others blood. Nishiki too, would follow this example. It's important to note about Kiryu's character that he 100% would have killed Shibusawa had Nishiki not intervened, which is interesting. And why is Shibusawa more lenient on Kiryu then the other's in the lieutenant's introduction scene? Straight up, no idea. Maybe I missed something, but I'd go so far as to say that's out of character for him, since we can assume he had this plan to surpass Kazama by doing something about Kiryu long before this.
All in all, Shibusawa works as the final boss of Yakuza 0. He fits well with the themes of 0, and it's intriguing to watch him rise from the shadows, to reveal his blood lust for the Kazama family. However, I believe the fact that he stayed silent for so long significantly hurt his character. I'm confident that if he had more scenes, he would have won fans over as a top tier main antagonist (though it can be argued Dojima is the main antagonist of 0, but you never fight him, so I tend to ignore that). I enjoyed him for what he was, but he could have been something more. Sorry again for the long post, but hope you enjoyed me overanalyzing a single Yakuza character. Have a good day/night folks.

Just finished Kiwami 2. Thoughts. Starts off okay, brilliant middle. Terrible, terrible ending. (Spoilers.)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon - Review Thread

Game Information

Game Title: Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Platforms:

PlayStation 4 (Nov 13, 2020)
PC (Nov 13, 2020)
Xbox One (Nov 13, 2020)

Trailer:

Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Announcement Trailer

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: SEGA
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 87 average - 94% recommended - 55 reviews

Critic Reviews

ACG - Jeremy Penter - Wait for Sale

"The turn-based combat is a welcome change however combined with some weird decisions and a somewhat bland story its not all sunshine and rainbows for this new kid on the street."

Attack of the Fanboy - Joshua Garibay - 4 / 5 stars

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a bold shift in direction, one that succeeds more than it stumbles in the pursuit of its new design.

Bazimag - Sina Golabzade - Persian - 8.6 / 10

The transition from a top notch brawler to a JRPG feels totally seamless. The gameplay have all the good parts we expect from a JRPG translated to the language of the Yakuza series but it also has some of the bad parts like the need for grinding and some unfair boss fights. The story and new characters are presented in a way that make this new journey for the franchise very well worth taking.

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 86 / 100

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the perfect update for a flagging series. Its clever storytelling, bizarre substories, and engrossing gameplay makes this one of the strongest entries in the franchise. Mixing deep societal messages with references to popular culture, the game is both hilarious and thought-provoking. It is very clear to see that with Ichiban Kasuga, the series is in safe hands

Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 8.5 / 10

Yakuza: Lika A Dragon goes a different way but follows what made the series so great. The new protagonist, the story (besides some weak points), the crazy mini games, battle animations, summons and Ichiban Kasuga offer so much fun and action. Some boring dungeons in the middle of the game and balancing issues are the only downsides you should expect. Even if you are not a fan of turn based combat or haven't touched the series yet, you should give this a shot.

Daily Mirror - Eugene Sowah - 4 / 5 stars

Yakuza: Like a Dragon has definitely made some drastic changes to the series but without losing its original charm. The fast pace turn base system has so much added depth while still feeling like a Yakuza game.
The graphics are the best the series has seen to date, players will fall for the ridiculous Ichiban who is a well-worked new hero to the series. Other than the lag between different sections of the games and slightly clunky animations it's really hard to fault this reimagining of the legendary series.

Destructoid - Jordan Devore - 7.5 / 10

Like a Dragon isn't my favorite Yakuza, and its fresh turn-based combat eventually grows stale, but I have a lot of love for it. If it's your first game, it'll quickly initiate you into this wild, one-of-a-kind series.

Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 5 / 5 stars

Who knows if this wild experiment will bear fruit and become its own series. Yakuza: Like a Dragon has everything it needs; an excellent crop of new characters, and even a new playground to base a series in, as we hadn't been to Yokohama previously. The future of the series would depend on how turn-based combat sells in comparison to action brawler combat, I would assume. Either way, though, Like a Dragon is a delight. It's a parody-homage to every turn-based JRPG trope you've ever known, set against brilliant character writing and the traditional urban playgrounds that have built this series into something beloved. I hope the development team is rewarded for the inherent risk that they took with this undertaking.

Eurogamer - Malindy Hetfeld - No Recommendation / Blank

Like A Dragon pulls off an impressive JRPG makeover while simultaneously taking on all the flaws of the genre.

Everyeye.it - Giuseppe Carrabba - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Like a Dragon is the story of a carp that turns into a dragon, of a gang of scapegoats who decide to defy the established order and come to the head of a desperate situation. Ichiban Kasuga is an individual far from dojima's stoic and serious Dragon but has an equally kind soul and crackling personality, which makes him - along with his strange clique - the symbol of Yakuza's rebirth. A rebirth that passes through a fun and enjoyable but also improveable role-making formula. With this seventh chapter, in other words, the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has shown us the potential of what would seem to be his idea for the future of the series, which with the advent of next-gen consoles could give us great surprises.

GAMEtainment - Dennis Röger - German - 8.7 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon has made the leap into the RPG genre with flying colors. The story is kept exciting and you can't stop following Ichiban's vendetta.
The abundance of side tasks can be a bit overwhelming for the player at the beginning. But once you have played the game for a few hours, you know the most important points in the city. Time passes very quickly when playing darts or karting. By no means you need to believe that these actions are a waste of time. You get personality points which finally strengthen the fighting actions.
The fights bring a breath of fresh air to the row and put a smile on the players' faces. Through the different creative classes you attack the opponents with pigeons or wrestling moves instead of casting disdainful fireballs. Unfortunately, the invisible AoE range of abilities spoils the fun of the game. Also the unusually long races until a comrade reaches the enemy seem strange. A timeline showing the next actors would have been helpful too.
If you like the Yakuza series and are open for new things, you definitely have to go for Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Game Informer - Jeff Cork - 9.3 / 10

It's a new direction for the series, but Like a Dragon captures the essence of what came before while setting out on its own journey.

Game Revolution - Jason Faulkner - 4.5 / 5 stars

Yakuza fans were anxious about whether the series would survive without the glue of Kiryu Kazama to hold it together. However, Ichiban Kasuga is a worthy successor to the Dragon of Dojima, and Like a Dragon is a great new start for this fantastic series that will please long-time Yakuza fans and newcomers alike.

GameMAG - Russian - 9 / 10

You should look at Yakuza: Like a Dragon through the lens of it's protaginist. This game is unapologetically brash, unmistakable bold, life-affirming and insanely charismatic. The legend of Ichiban Kasuga journey, like a bright flame, tells us one familliar, but sweet and romantic idea - each and every one of us can become a true Hero, even if you have to fight the fate itself, while making your way through hundrends upon hundreds of random encounters.

GameSkinny - RobotsFightingDinosaurs - 10 / 10 stars

Yakuza: Like A Dragon isn't just a great Yakuza title - it's legitimately one of the best modern role-playing games there is.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 8 / 10

Ultimately, despite all the changes that have been made, Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels very much like a Yakuza game. The combat may now be turn-based, and the scenery might be different, but this is still a game full of drama, thrilling battles, and a huge amount of side content, all smothered with an ample amount of humour. And I never thought I’d say this, but I didn’t miss Kazuma Kiryu one jot while playing it; Ichiban Kasuga is simply a more likeable fellow with more depth. So, if you like the Yakuza series, consider Yakuza: Like a Dragon a must-have.

GameSpot - Michael Higham - 9 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon's cast of misfits makes the wild RPG combat, absurd humor, and dramatic storytelling soar.

GameWatcher - Gavin Herman - 9.5 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon reminded me why I loved video games to begin with. I cannot think of a game this year that has gripped me this tightly and didn't let go. Here comes a game brimming with joy and excitement that is earnest with its drama and comedy. It's the sort of game you can gush about for hours, and I will long after this review is published. Anyone who loves RPGs, open world games, comedies, crime dramas, and games PERIOD should have a lot of fun with the newest Yakuza.

Gameblog - Romain Mahut - French - 9 / 10

As the Yakuza franchise is still trying to become a household franchise in the West, the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio decided to flip the switch and create a turn-based RPG. The result of that experiment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, is a resounding success. The "dynamic RPG" gameplay fits the Yakuza universe and tropes like a glove and its mechanics are surprisingly deep. And the fact that the game's new characters are lovable doesn't hurt. The turn-based gameplay will probably put off some gamers but Yakuza: Like a Dragon truly deserves a shot. The Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio made the JRPG genre proud.

GamesRadar+ - Hirun Cryer - 4.5 / 5 stars

Yakuza: Like a Dragon impressively pulls off the switch to an RPG in style, providing an excellent combat system supported by loveable characters, and a tantalising main storyline with meaningful side quests.

GamingBolt - Pramath - 9 / 10

Yakuza is reborn in this brilliant and compelling new addition to series canon that recontextualizes series tropes and mechanics for an entirely new genre, delivering one of the best outings the series has ever seen.

GamingTrend - David Flynn - 95 / 100

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has topped themselves once again with Yakuza: Like a Dragon! This new take on Yakuza brings a lot of fun, new ideas to the table while remaining its heartfelt self. Turn based combat is somehow a perfect fit for this new direction, the characters are all instantly loveable, and the story is endearingly melodramatic.

Generación Xbox - Adrian - Spanish - 9 / 10

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a great turn-based RPG that will keep you hooked on the screen for many hours. One of the best games of the genre on Xbox.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 9.5 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a phenomenal entry into the Yakuza franchise, with an interesting new protagonist, a compelling story, and a combat system that constantly mixes things up.

Heavy - Elton Jones - 8.8 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon largely succeeds at moving the series forward in a bold new direction. Kasuga and his band of unlikely heroes are incredibly interesting and make it so easy to care about their crazy antics. The new main locale is massive and plays host to so many compelling things to do. Getting wrapped up in everything Like a Dragon has to offer is worth it and you’ll easily pour 30+ hours into its captivating tale. The turn-based battle system works in parts, but its annoying character placement issues and faulty summons system keep it from being a total victory. Like a Dragon is still worth hopping into if you’re looking for an amazing parody of RPG tropes, however. It’s a Yakuza sequel that signals a bright future ahead for the beloved franchise.

Hey Poor Player - Francis DiPersio - 4.5 / 5

No doubt about it, SEGA took some considerable risks when they decided to change their established formula so radically for Yakuza: Like A Dragon. But in the end, I think the gamble paid off. Ryū ga Gotoku Studio's latest offering may not pack the punchy, moment to moment gameplay of its predecessors. Still, it makes up for that with its more in-depth brawls, an engaging job system, and a story that focuses not just on a single protagonist, but on several compelling heroes with their own complex motivations. While beat-'em-up fanatics may find this change in direction blasphemous, I couldn't be happier. If you're a Yakuza fan who loves JRPGs, adding this underworld epic to your PS4 library is a no-brainer.

Hobby Consolas - Rafael Aznar - Spanish - 90 / 100

It keeps the great narrative and setting from the Yakuza series, using a new protagonist, a city that has more life than even Kamurocho and turn-based combats. It suffers from some of the classical troubles of the J-RPG, but it is a breath of fresh air and a great example of how to reinvent a franchise.

IGN - Tristan Ogilvie - 7 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon takes some bold steps in a new direction for the series but neglects to maintain its balance.

IGN Italy - Biagio Etna - Italian - 9.1 / 10

An extraordinary and courageous restart for the new Sega title, an extraordinary JRPG that lays the foundations for even more prosperous growth.

IGN Spain - Álex Pareja - Spanish - 8.5 / 10

Yakuza Like a Dragon is a real and huge JRPG who knows how to maintain the essence of the saga. Fun fighting system and deep script with too many ups and downs to justify the new playable elements. I hope this new formula that works and gives new wings to the franchise will be repeated.

Inverse - Jen Glennon - 9 / 10

Like a Dragon is right up there with Yakuza 0 in terms of sheer fun-factor and an almost dizzying abundance of stuff to see and do.

Metro GameCentral - Nick Gillett - 7 / 10

The turn-based battles don't fully convince but the new protagonist and bizarre mini-games still feel distinctively and entertainingly Yakuza.

Noisy Pixel - Azario Lopez - 9 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon makes for an excellent new entry in this long-running series. The developers took a chance on a new protagonist and battle system, which forces fans out of their comfort zone for a very different yet, familiar Yakuza experience. Although the opening exposition can be a bit overwhelming, this is a standout video game on its own with plenty of emotional story beats, insane sub-stories, and plenty of ways to spend your time around Ijincho.

PC Gamer - Andy Kelly - 72 / 100

A fun, charming, and occasionally brilliant Yakuza game, let down by an overabundance of repetitive turn-based battles.

PCGamesN - Ian Boudreau - 9 / 10

An utterly charming yarn about friendship and kindness that breathes gritty modern life into the quaint JRPG format of classic Dragon Quest.

Pixel Arts - Arman Akbari - Persian - 8.5 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a very good sequel to the popular Yakuza series which shows that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios still manages to create a great story and narrative. The game's turn-based battles are good in themselves, but due to the extreme use of enemies in the environment, they soon became repetition.

PlayStation Universe - Joe Apsey - 8.5 / 10

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is an impressive and quality JRPG that successfully acts as a jumping in-point for new fans and also ties itself to the series' past in exciting and engaging ways. The turn-based combat has been infused with some mechanics that help retain the action and over-the-top hilarity the series is known for. Mini-games once again shine and there is a lot packed into Ijincho. Like A Dragon paves the way for a bright future for the franchise.

Player2.net.au - Stephen del Prado - A or higher

It was a gamble on Sega’s part to make such major changes to a tried and true formula, even more bewildering given its recent meteoric rise in Western markets. If Yakuza: Like A Dragon proves anything, it’s that fortune does indeed favour the bold.

Polygon - Kazuma Hashimoto - Unscored

Like a Dragon's story attempts to touch on certain social issues that are relevant in present-day Japan, such as classism, social status, sex work, and government corruption on a prefectural level. However, the writing often lacks the nuance or range to address the topics at hand, and doesn't give any of them adequate room to breathe. The second half of the game gains some measure of focus as plot threads tie together and result in genuinely surprising twists, but when Like a Dragon drops the ball, it drops it hard. Despite this, the Japanese cast's performances sell the story with evocative deliveries that breathe life into the characters. The finale is an emotional one that brought me to tears and moved me, just as most previous Yakuza games have.

PowerUp! - Greg Newbegin - 9 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon, when all of its pieces are taken together, is not only a fantastic new direction for the series, it's also one of its best titles.

Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 9 / 10

Yakuza Like a Dragon is both a fresh start and a shot in the arm that caters to series veterans and newcomers like. It bears all the hallmarks of a great Yakuza game, while making a damned good case for its revamped battle system. After Yakuza 6 topped the rest of the franchise with a matured and succinct focus it feels even more exciting to see the whole thing blown wide open again and have Ryu ga Gotoku just run wild. Kudos is deserved at Sega of America for their commitment to the game's localization as well, which is incredibly considered and comprehensive. I think I've found a new favourite Yakuza game.

RPG Site - 7 / 10

With a new battle system and new main character, Yakuza: Like A Dragon aims to be a new entry point to Yakuza newcomers even though it is anything but that.

Rocket Chainsaw - Adam Ghiggino - 4.5 / 5 stars

So, the takeaway is this – Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a successful experiment. So successful that I think it should be the template for much of the series going forward.

Saudi Gamer - Essam Al-Shahwan - Arabic - 9 / 10

A brilliant reinvention of the series that still manages to faithfully capture its essence, with an eclectic cast of characters, the star being Ichiban himself. A great entry that goes toe-to-toe with Yakuza 0.

Shacknews - Donovan Erskine - 8 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a successful pivot from traditional Yakuza mainstays. The game goes heavy on style, while still packing in enough substance to keep players satisfied. The party system and new RPG elements give players more ways to play than ever before. The turn-based combat is solid, and never feels too foreign. Longtime fans of the franchise will appreciate what Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA have to offer in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Siliconera - Graham Russell - 9 / 10

Much like Kasuga’s dragonfish tattoo feels like a quirky but faithful successor to Kiryu’s dragon, Yakuza: Like a Dragon rebuilds the franchise by leaving a lot of it in place. The new protagonist doesn’t feel like he has seven games of story in him, but his eagerness to join the fray could carry the next few entries.

Stevivor - Matt Gosper - 8 / 10

After the culture shock of such a total change to the Yakuza recipe, I’m extremely glad the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio team took such a big leap when Kiryu’s tale came to an end. Like A Dragon is a revitalised game full of fresh ideas and proves that the series won’t be re-treading the same ground with Ichiban in the driver’s seat. If this is the first step into the new age of Yakuza, I can’t wait to see how bonkers the next game will be.

TechRaptor - Robert Scarpinito - 8 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon refreshes the action with a turn-based JRPG that retains its charming identity, but it falls into some pitfalls that are emblematic of the genre.

The Games Machine - Danilo Dellafrana - Italian - 8.2 / 10

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an interesting new entry into the criminal universe created by SEGA, and undoubtedly represents the most courageous and anarchic chapter so far. It's not entirely convincing, but what works bodes well for the future of the series.

TheSixthAxis - Thomas Hughes - Unscored

Yakuza Like a Dragon is an enjoyable new twist on the series, although it's not hard to imagine that many long-time fans of the series will be put off by its slow pace. In a day and age where video game companies rarely take risks, Like a Dragon is a refreshing change of pace for a series that risked starting to feel stale.

TrustedReviews - Jade King - 4.5 / 5 stars

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a triumph, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should be commended for redefining such a seasoned franchise, despite the backlash it might have received. Leaving Kazuma Kiryu behind hasn't been easy, but Ichiban Kasuga and company have crafted a compelling path into the future that I cannot wait to see continue.

VideoGamer - Josh Wise - 9 / 10

This is the crux of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It is fascinated by the way that games lurk at the soft verges of life, vesting our days with dreams.

Wccftech - Kai Powell - 9.1 / 10

The mean streets of Yokohama offer the opportunity for a new cast, a new suit, and a new hero. Ichiban Kasuga might not be the role model in the same way that Kiryu-chan was, but this dragon's quest might be the most fun Yakuza title to date!

Windows Central - Zackery Cuevas - 5 / 5 stars

Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels like everything I ever wanted in a game. Once the game stomps on the gas, it very rarely slows down. Its unique cast of characters and gameplay had me hooked and wanting more, and it almost feels like it never stops giving. Even after the story ends at the 45+ hour mark, I was ready to fight more, complete more side missions, and squeeze out every drop of gameplay that this game has to offer.

ZTGD - Ken McKown - 9 / 10

The Yakuza series continues to grow and expand in the gaming world. I love its quirky humor and deep narratives. This new entry begins a new saga and I cannot wait to see how the story of Ichi evolves over time. If it is even half as good as Kiryu’s the studio will have another series of great games on its hands. Everything about this title feels good and for those worried about having previous knowledge, don’t be concerned. Like a Dragon is a wonderful jumping in point for the series and also one of the best titles in it to date. Don’t sleep on this game, it is worth digging into.

My list of gripes and suggestions after 60 hours

Just a big ranty list of notes I scribbled down after the first playthrough on PC. Edits will be ongoing. Apologies for the formatting being trash on mobile, I don't know what I'm doing.
Should also mention I like this thing enough to probably do at least another 60 hrs.
My Rig:

-AMD Ryzen 3900X -nVidia 3070, drivers are most recent -32GB RAM -2TB SSD, game is installed on it and it is the C:\

Performance:

-Performance with my med-high RTX settings hovers around 50-65 fps, assuming the fps bug isn't happening. -I would say CTD has been very rare. When CTD did occur I dialed back my 3070 overclock gradually and they seem to not happen at all now.

===Gripes===
Graphics & Atmosphere

-Puddles: almost all puddles don't make noise, the only ones I've seen that do are the ones where you meet Stout. I'm guessing this is because those are permanent and the rest come from rain. Driving through the rain puddles, having a splash, and a short wet tire trail would be nice. -Water: no sound or splash when items, NPCs or vehicles hit water. This made the 'car off the cliff funeral' quest have a bit of a lackluster sad ending. Just a silent, distant, explosion poof that glitchily lasted half a second. -Cyberware: Only an animation for the first two. After that it's just in the menu and there are no satisfying crunching or cutting noises where there should be. -Parking: there are weirdly few parking spots, it wouldn't be that noticeable except that the AI doesn't know how to drive around your pulled over car so it just stacks up traffic behind it. -Eating: there are no sounds or animations for drinking or eating, not even a chomp or glug noise in the inventory screen. -Darkness: RTX makes it so dark inside some locations that it would be REALLY NICE to have a flashlight or night vision headwear or cyberware.

Character Customization

-Life paths are limited and it really feels like Streetkid is the only fleshed out one, and the Corpo and Nomad starts were just sort of glued on. Streetkid feels like the only story. -There is no way to customize your character after the creation screen other than hand/arm cyberware changes. -Character model customization is pretty limited currently. You are stuck with a choice of three 'heads' and can only change a few features to a few set options from there. -All the genital stuff was pointless marketing and they could just take it out to avoid the clipping bugs for all I care at this point. Unless they tie it in to a DLC or expansion it will never show up in anything so what's the point? -Cyberware and tattoos are extremely limited in choice and this is pretty surprising and disappointing. -Most hair options and beard options don't look great, some of this due to 'tall head' on the head options. -Almost all beards don't meet with the hair properly and the colors are different. this was a problem in the Sims 2 I believe.

Weapons

-Ammo are too plentiful, I've only ever run out on Very Hard and I never crafted any -Grenades are too plentiful, I had hundreds by midgame without crafting -If grenades were less plentiful, perhaps they should sell for more than 2 or 3 eddies? -Scopes have weird stats that don't seem to do anything, ADS time in fractions of a percent and Range in units unknown -I don't see any immediately obvious way to tell which module effects do not stack. I heard %crit does not stack. -The skill that lets you throw knives seems like garbage as a single throw destroys a knife worth hundreds. No Idea why I would take this anyways -unless- you don't need blade skill to boost it. If you do it would seem simpler to just use silenced pistols which can easily one-shot anyways. -Item cards show very little info on the gun. You don't know the following by looking at the card: -Auto or Semi? -Silenced by default or no? (some of the Grads seem to be?) -Magazine size -Accuracy & recoil -Range -ADS time (Should be related to weight in my opinion)

Armor & Clothing

-Characters end up looking like clowns unless you ignore stats HEAVILY, see suggestions below in Suggestions section -I'm not sure if armor does anything. Does anyone know? I noticed I was getting one-shotted a lot, made new armor stacked with Armadillo. No change. Maybe I'm receiving elemental damage that bypasses armor but I really don't know.

Other Items

-Why are so many Junk items $3 or $750??? It's just weird. -Would be nice if there were more misc items that actually did things, like the cat food apparently does

Crafting

-Upgrading is expensive and not too effective -Rarely need to craft anything because you collect so many drops and weapons aren't particularly unique

Crime & Wanted System

-Police only exist in clusters standing around crime scenes OR when they spawn on top of you after gaining 1 wanted level. They spawn so close you see them appear on the mini-map and at times I've seen them materialize right in front of me maybe 30 feet away. -No police cars in traffic at all -Crimes don't need to be 'witnessed' in any way. It is simply this: if you brandish too long at an NPC, or kill an NPC, NCPD teleports within 30 feet of you in about 10 seconds max. -No bounties from NCPD or gangs or corps -It feels especially weird that you have some many quests that should have corps sending assassins after you instantly but nothing happens -Wanted stars accumulate ridiculously fast.

Fighting

-Enemy AI could flank a touch more, but otherwise I think they're fine: Snipers hide and snipe, melee charge you, Netrunners hack and hide, the rest take cover and shoot/grenade you. -Incoming damage -I'm not sure if there is a way to see you are taking certain damage types quickly -It's hard to see if armor is doing anything for you -Healing: I never felt the need to use any healing item other than the lvl 1 maxdoc. 40% is too much for the starter healing item, and you get so many that again, I had hundreds by midgame without crafting -Stamina doesn't matter, generally, except when boxing -You have way too much stamina and/or running and dodging doesn't eat up enough of it. with Body 3 I can still run a long ways and never run out in a normal gunfight. This makes a whole bunch of foods and Chems pointless for all but melee characters. Maybe the heavy machine guns and sniper rifles should eat up a bit of stamina? Maybe if you run out of stamina you can't shoot them accurately while standing or something?

Stealth

-Disable camera & turret quickhacks -Currently, you can shut off almost any camera and turret from far away and never have to really deal with them and you barely lose any RAM for it and this is for ANY CHARACTER that has a cyberdeck, not just hacking specialists -Alert mode -Alert mode is way too passive. The AI just seems to stand in place or wander a few feet, not actively searching. This means that shooting enemies and cameras with a silenced weapon has basically no downside and you can just pick apart the whole base piecemeal. -Vision cones -The vision cones on the mini map don't reflect the enemy vision accurately. They seem to have a shorter range peripheral vision cone as well. This is really cool, but it makes the vision cones on the mini-map a bit of a lie. (See suggestions) -hiding bodies kills them? Why? I get if you stuff them in a freezer, but why does putting them in a trash bin kill them? I noticed this on one of the gigs that has an optional objective for no Militech deaths. Bug? Hard to tell because whether or not you kill anyone ONLY seems to matter for these few quests and whether or not you collect the extra bounty amount.

"Hacking"

-Mostly just composed of rare stat checks and the breach minigame -Terminals are generally only guarded by one NPC and let you do a few things: -Remote view through cameras (sometimes not all of them??) -Shut off attached cameras -Shut off attached turrets -read a few short emails, usually with the same few mixed in spam messages, usually the same emails repeat through the base. -View the same tiny text web pages -Access points seem to be glorified loot crates with the same breach puzzle repeated hundreds of times through the game. -on Access Points all three goal levels are all just the same loot, they don't do anything else or have any variety. -Occasionally you'll have to do the breach minigame on other things but it seems to be a one-off thing.

===Bugs and Shortcuts===
Texture and model loading

-Something big is wrong with how the game loads and tracks resources -It seems to make up NPCs on the fly rather than keeping any track of them like any other open world game. Sometimes if you look back and forth, entirely different NPCs and cars spawn. -Also when you look back and forth, even on a 3000 series card, you can see the texture level of detail ramping up very slowly. -Glitches on animated posters/billboards

FPS Bug

-Random times, could be a few minutes, could be hours, framerate will drop by a good 20 fps and stay that way until the game is restarted -Some say memory or CPU 'leak' issue, not sure. Can verify it's happening though on my AMD 3900X. -I 'feel' like maybe the FPS bug is something with DLSS running at a different setting than you told it to in the back end.

Keybinds & Controls

-There are way too many unbindable keys in the game keybind interface. something like half the actual controls that exist do not appear in there. You can access them in the Steam\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\r6\config folder .xml files. -There are also wholly missing controls like a single button to holsteempty hands (you can double tap alt by default) or a button modifier to walk at the NPC walk speed. -At least pre 1.05 you couldn't use Autohotkey for rebinds, haven't tested 1.05 -Double tap to dodge is not a great default to have when there is already a single button dodge modifier in the config files that you can enable with some effort. double tap on a PC just results in a lot of scooting forwards off of cliffs. -I really don't like the way the game seizes your controls during certain quest NPC interactions. You may notice you can't crouch or sprint, sometimes it cranks down your FOV. if you were already crouching when the interaction started you are stuck crouching until the first line of dialogue ends.

File size limit bug at 8mb

-Crafting too much bloats the file -Possibly other things not culling from the file properly, but really, there just shouldn't be such a low limit in a game that needs to keep track of so many things

AI shortcuts

-Other than enemies in combat, there seems to be basically zero AI other than the following -NPC standing around in place -NPC zombie wander for a short distance -NPC car drive on set short path that it cannot diverge from in any way -Enemy NPC patrol (bases only seems like) -Enemies and police don't seem to have 'pursuit' AI, if you run about 50 feet away, they more or less give up like an MMO mob

Other

-Loot Bags Floating: when you take a un-looted body to a container and hide it, the bag holding their equipment floats at head level. This doesn't happen if you do the move that kills and puts them directly in the container, then the bag is on the ground -Photo mode: taking a photo seems to mess with the brightness in the photo mode. Doesn't seem like it changes anything in the settings it just gets brighter or darker for some unknown reason and then stays that way for the rest of that photo mode session. -Mirrors: V is bald when you look in the mirror with headwear on. Should either show you without face and headgear or show you with them on. FPS also dies hard for some reason when using mirrors which is strange because nothing is really moving and the live action reflections with RTX seem fine. Would be nice if your character appeared in RTX reflections but it probably doesn't to hid the bizarre things the character model does like your body splitting when you aim. -Calling vehicle button makes your vehicle explode into existence, ignoring NPC vehicles. Frequently damages your vehicle -Vendors only spawn Legendary items the first time you talk to them and after that they're gone forever

===Suggestions/Changes===
Small
Weapons & Ammo

-There should be muzzle attachments other than suppressors, it looks like there used to be compensators, some are still in the game with the names missing and are worth 0 eddies. -Sniper scopes should have different zoom levels and there should be ones with adjustable zoom. I have a feeling this was disabled to hide 2d sprite cars and such. as it stands though, sniper rifles barely see farther than any other weapon. -There could be more ammo types for guns, would add incentive for crafting and you'd actually run out of them. Would make more sense than the weapons having these traits, which seems pretty 'Borderlands'. -Explosive, chemical rounds etc -Could be armor piercing but I can't even tell if they have armor TBH

Alert Mode

-Spawn extra enemies if alert is triggered -Enemy alert AI should have a few variants and some enemies should wander larger distances, searching -Alert mode could increase vision distances and/or reduce discovery time when they are spotting you

Mini Map

-Remove vision cones on the mini map, they aren't accurate anyways, replace enemies on mini map with just a facing direction arrow for each enemy. -equipment, scopes, or cyberware could add levels of accuracy to the enemies on the minimap: -only scanned enemies, just facing arrow -only scanned enemies, vision arc -only scanned enemies, vision arc and range -all enemies, vision arc and range

Cyberware

-More options for cyberware, there are far too few and once you have a full set it's like that system barely needs touched. Last half of the game the only thing I did was toggle whether or not I had the magic non-lethal eye mod turned on. -More cyberware should have visible differences on the character model -Negatives for installing a ton of cyberware -More stealth cyberware, perhaps one that gives you vision cones, on that populates unmarked enemies on the map and only show them? -Could be levelled too, example low level just shows the vision arc, high level shows the full coverage -Leg Mods for run speed, sprint speed, dodge distance, dodge stamina effect

Quickhacks

-Distract enemy, disable camera, and disable turret are too cheap and effective to be the built-ins you don't need a daemon for. I'm not sure why these and distract are built-in, they are the most powerful ones in the game for stealth. -Disabling with the default disable camera/turret quickhack should cause the same alert state that shooting a camera does. the camera went dark. At least then you'd have some reason not to do it and actually have to go to a terminal. -You could have a higher level, much more RAM costly one that does it without the alert (say it loops the feed or something) -lvl 1 ping and breach maybe should be the only slotless ones, unless more are added. -Maybe there could be a analyze one that gives you the weaknesses and such instead of that just coming free with the scan view?

Street Cred

-Street cred seems pointless; it's directly tied to things that give you normal experience and only seems to be used to gate off buying gear -Could affect discounts at vendors? -Other ideas?

Character Customization

-Color sliders instead of few set colors. don't give us the sims 4 excuse, this sets a color on a single character you almost never see.

Non-lethal

-Remove the nonlethal eye cyberware mod, it makes non-lethal missions trivial -Remove the nonlethal weapon mod, or at least make it Greatly reduce the weapon damage output (and maybe have an electric effect?) -If there were any kind of faction reputation, perhaps killing members should factor in to it?

Swimming

-Default oxygen gauge gives you way too much time and should be shorter. see no reason to have gear that boosts it.

Medium
Vehicle Damage

-Would be nice if the damage wasn't only cosmetic: blown tires, missing door causes more driver hits, etc -The need to take the car somewhere to repair it or at minimum, pay to repair in the summoning menu, as adding garages to the map might be not feasible

Weapon Mods

-Power Weapon scope mod that makes the 2nd and 3rd zoom level an "extrapolated" view from the point of first and second reflection, showing where our bouncing rounds will go. Could utilize the same blur effect as the BD edit mode. -Tech Weapon mods that reduce shake during charging, speeds up charging, increases penetration (currently seems to have infinite) -Magazine size mods, reload speed mods -Compensators / Muzzle brakes

Armor slot for hands

-Gloves, gauntlets, claws, those metal finger things Evelyn has, etc. Could be just cosmetic for all I care.

3D model viewer

-Similar to Fallout 4, let you just view the 3d model for items you are carrying -Could maybe have some animations to run through

Hacking

-Terminals should be either guarded more heavily, harder to break in to, or both -Terminals could have levels of access that lock out certain actions if you don't have the hack skill or didn't get a high enough pass on the breach game? -Terminals should let you do a larger variety of things in general -More locked doors -More systems to enable/disable -Ability to cancel alerts? -Access Points could provide an alternative way to access the system for the attached terminal

Big
Faction Reputation

-Fixer reputation -Higher level fixer gigs could be gated by fixer reputation -sidenote, would be nice if fixers had unique item rewards for you completing major gigs or their whole chain -Faction reputation -Could determine if you are attack on site or friendly for various corps,gangs, NCPD, etc. -would matter more if there were factions driving around on the streets rather than just hanging out in clusters

Body Customization in Character Creation

-Ability to adjust height, musculature, body fat, etc. -Make armor actually fit the model, no clipping or pokies -I've seen mention that Body stat is involved but I haven't seen it, though I do see the model sort of...growing weirdly sometimes when opening the inventory.

ArmoClothing system changes

1.Transmog system like FF14, where you can apply stats of an item to the model of another 2.Remove stats from most of the current slots and add other slots so you can have armor under or over clothing -I'd almost prefer this because having an armor bonus from glasses and BD headsets is goofy -Buttons to hide head and face gear would be nice to have in either case -More items for the "Clothing Sets" slot please. So far I only remember seeing the one for the Heist and the Arasaka Hazmat suit which doesn't seem to do anything like a Chemical Resist buff. The hazmat suit actually nicely covered all my armor in a way where looked like it was still there.

Apartments

-Ability to buy at least a couple other Apartments -Garages in the nicer ones to store cars, so they don't just existing in that one car summoning menu.

Game world

-Arcade machines, pachinko machines, more Yakuza series type stuff -fewer fake vendors that just tell you to go away -NCPD, Gangs, Corps in traffic -WHERE IS TRAUMA TEAM??? There are several ways they could interact in the game but all they seem to be is a couple setpiece groups standing around and the one story section.

Hidden collectables

-Similar quality to the cigarette cards in RDR2 -Maybe displayable in apartments -Actually hidden, not on the map

Vehicle customization

-Garages -Paint color, cosmetic mods -Performance mods (not really important currently as cars don't really affect gameplay at all with no unscripted chases)

Okay so the fact that getting Rikiya’s tattoo finished is missable is fucking stupid.

The Robo-Yakuza of Hammer Street

Here's another story from the same Spelljammer server that birthed Zoss the Hobgoblin. Featuring dildo wands, goblin terrorism and ironic weebery.
THE ROBO-YAKUZA OF HAMMER STREET
>Be GM in a 5e Spelljammer server
> Be not me, Grungork the orc barbarian, Sterling the Drow Fighter, and Sailor Gobbi, the goblin rogue, played by a certain homicidal Irishman
> The game takes place on the Rock of Bral, a city built onto a massive asteroid. Our trio finds themselves in a new, as-yet unnamed bar on Hammer Street, the city’s main dwarven/forge district
> It’s just opened up and there’s just a couple patrons, a human finishing his drink and a hobgoblin snoring by the fire
> The bar’s dwarven owner is serving, while a halfling with a Fu Manchu is cooking in the back. Grungork sits by himself, orders rum, while Sterling and Gobbi get (crappy) elven wine and a scorpion bowl
> They hear the sizzle of still-live scorpions in back as they eye the hobgoblin, wearing the remains of a military jacket over ragged civvies. More interestingly, there’s an owl perched on his shoulder, eyeing the party with viper-like eyes
> Some drinks and scorpions-in-beer-broth later, they work up the courage to walk up to the sleeping hob. Though the owl makes no sound, the hob awakes as they approach, pulls out a bone wand and sticks it in Gobbi’s nose
> The hob’s name is Zoss (you might have heard of him), and he’s pretty touchy about his owl. Her name is Maglubiyet. Still, Gobbi is interested and offers to buy
> Zoss blinks. “How much”
> Gobbi: 5,000gp
> Zoss: Deal
> Gobbi drops the cash (I have no idea where he was hiding it all), then Zoss hands over the owl and walks out a side door
> They play around with the owl for a bit, then a customer runs back inside, slams the door and holds it shut
> “It’s, it’s-”
> The door splinters open and the customer is thrown across the room, smashing into a table. In walks a warforged, lightly clothed but covered in laser-engraved tattoos, including the insignia of a snake engraved on its chest, followed by three more with the insignias of a rat, tiger and crane. Crane is dressed like a monk, seems to be in charge
> The customer manages to spit out “It’s the ROBO-YAKUZA OF HAMMER STREET!”
> The robo-yakuza walk in like they own the place, kick the downed customer in the head, and the party tries very hard to be inconspicuous. But they’re the only customers left conscious in the whole place, so they aren’t very successful
> One robo-yakuza walks over to Grungork and starts pressuring him for money, while the rest head for the kitchen, beat and drag the owner out. Gobbi distracts them, offering to share a drink. They just take the bottle pour it on the floor, drawing closer and closer to the fireplace
> Arson is an extra-big no-no on an asteroid with a limited oxygen supply, and Sterling steps in to stop him. The owner is crying out for help, offering Grungork everything he has if the mercenary will step in.
> All hell breaks loose. Gobbi pulls a magic gem and blinds the yakuza before slipping into hiding. Grungork and Sterling engage the robo-yakuza in melee, while their leader, Crane, begins to crackle with electricity.
> Sterling narrowly avoids getting hit by a lightning bolt. Gobbi stabs a robo-yakuza in the robo-nuts from under a table. Grungork bisects a guy. In short order, they’ve prevented the fire and disabled all hostiles except Crane, who’s looking close to beat
> That’s when the robo-yakuza activates his rocket boots and jumps out the window, swearing revenge. With the fight over, Sterling collects their wiry top-knots while Gobbi and Grungork figure out exactly what ‘everything he has’ means to the dwarf owner, Jasper
> They decide to be merciful, and adopt him into their ever-expanding stable of NPCs. They also learn why the robo-yakuza were after him.
> Jasper used to be a mechanic and an artificer, who got pressured into doing repairs and upgrades for a band of warforged, before they took over his forge and home wholesale. They were trying to set themselves up as a new Thieves’ Guild, and when Jasper tried to run and start a new life, they pulled him back in. He left some valuable prototypes for the upgrades he gave the warforged. Like the rocket boots. And the invisibility cloaks. And the rope arms
> Throughout this whole business, Gobbi is playing with his new owl friend, which all of a sudden speaks to him telepathically
> “5000 gold pieces? Really?” as the owl melts into ectoplasm
> MFW he bought a wizard’s familiar
> The party decides that if the robo-yakuza are going to be their new enemies, they might as well get a head start on exterminating them. They take a break, help clean up the bar, and get the directions to the robo-yakuza dojo
> Their destination is in a run-down, abandoned section of Hammer Street. There’s not a soul in sight, not even guards
> Instead of trying the front door, Gobbi climbs onto the roof and drops a rope for his companions. As he’s testing the screws on a vent, he hears a whisper in his ear
> ‘Omae wa mou shindeiru’
nanithefuck.gif
> Gobbi gets skewered by a polearm, as their foe steps out of invisibility. A cybered-up warforged, painted red, horned like an oni. Sterling and Grungork rush up the rope in time to see the cyber-oni retreat back into invisibility … and get attacked themselves. A second cyber-oni, this one blue.
> The party holds their own as their enemies switch in and out of invisibility, tagging them with faerie fire and cutting them down. Blue goes down, Red tries to escape with rocket boots, but the party is too fast, and both fall.
> Now, the party opens the vent. Below them, the robo-yakuza are dueling. Gobbi sees a beaten, heavily injured robo-yakuza get kicked through a screen into another room
> The party briefly debates what approach to take. Gobbi advocates taking a bunch of bombs and committing, and I quote, ‘Green 9/11.’ Sterling discourages this, and instead suggests they should jump down and duel the robo-yakuza
> That’s when Grungork gets the bright idea to push Sterling down the vent. Sterling catches him, and decides that, fuck it, they’re going down together
> The fighter and barbarian fall to the mat in a tangle of limbs, while the rogue lands on his feet. They’ve got robo-yakuza kneeling on either side of them, and their master at the far end of the room, smoking an opium pipe and chugging like an old car
> Sterling gets back to his feet and throws the top-knots he collected towards the robo-yakuza master. It seems unaffected. It asks their names, and volunteers its own name as [mechanical sound like a worn out carburetor crossed with a stuck fan], which in the common tongue means ‘Terrible Engine Suffocates the World’
> Sterling challenges the robo-yakuza to a duel, while Grungork takes a seat on a cushion like he belongs there
> In the first round of blows, Sterling gets first blood and disarms the robo-yakuza in front of all its peers. Their master snaps, and the whole room gets up to attack. The master then takes a huge breath and exhales a cloud of poisonous smoke that nearly fills the room
> It’s not a pretty situation. Gobbi is outside the cloud to start, but a robo-yakuza fires its grapple-arm and drags him in. Sterling and Grungork are trying to take on multiple enemies in melee while barely able to see. Gobbi tries to hide in the cloud, but the robo-yakuza’s blindsense leads them right to him. Plus they’re all trying to save against the fumes, while the warforged fight with impunity
> Still, the party turns the situation around. Gobbi and Grungork manage to escape the cloud and fight on even terms, while Sterling holds his own even while surrounded, cutting down his foes one by one. Gobbi pulls out his Black Dragon Dildo Wand of Lightning (long story, don’t ask) and fries a couple of them
> The master drops the smoke cloud and hits Sterling with a dart. The drow barely resists the effects of the paralytic ghoul venom, and keeps fighting. There’s just one robo-yakuza left, which drops its weapon and falls to its knees in surrender
> The master pulls a strongbox and charges its rocket boots, but the party reaches it in time. Sterling knocks the strongbox from its grasp and they succeed in damaging it before it rockets through a screen door and outside
> The dojo is right on the edge of the asteroid city, and the party watches as the master turns to them, flips them off, and rockets off the side into oblivion
> The party then sees a spelljammer fly from below, piloted by Crane, with the Master holding onto the side. The party has won this battle, but the war is yet to be decided
> The strongbox the master tried to escape with was filled with platinum and jewels. They scavenge some cash, crates of goblinish opium, and various stolen art pieces to a tidy profit. They take the remaining warforged as prisoners and adoptees. In the future, they decide they'lk skip the work and just do Green 9/11
> Hidden in the shrine though, they find a lock with the face of a tiger, which moves and speaks to them
> I am drenched in blood, but I am greeted by smiles and hope / And my presence restores sight to men / What am I?
> After some deliberation, the party figures out the answer: The rising sun
> Hidden in a secret compartment of the shrine are the prototype rocket boots, which the party takes. They return to the nameless tavern, with new enemies, new allies, a new magic item, cash in their pockets, and a shit-ton of goblinish opium
FIN

[Excalibur] - Part 35

First| Previous| Next
Jesse and Goemon sped down Tenma bridge between two large, glass covered buildings and descended into the streets below. Hands pulled at them. Voices screamed as if angered at their presence. Crazed people darted in their way to block their path. Bloodied and still bodies lay in heaps at every step between crashed or burnt out cars.
Zombies, everywhere.
Jesse shivered inside her amour. Any reservations left about what she had to do were disappearing by the second as the nightmare unfolded around her.
Jesse had to save these people...at least the ones that were left to save.
To save herself, she felt like she could fail; as if it were an option she could take and be proud of it. But to save others? It just didn’t work that way. To stop the deaths of innocent lives caught in this mess, she was willing to go beyond any limit she had. Where the feeling was coming from she didn't know, but it was rising in her throat, red-hot anger mixed with...sadness, and regret. She just couldn't let innocent people suffer like this. Couldn't let them die. Not again.
Again?
Jesse’s armour clad feet bit into warm tarmac as she came to a sudden stop. Noise faded. Like a cloud opening in the sky to let a single beam shine through, the veil in her mind pulled away. Jesse staggered.
In chaos before her, she saw a small girl skipping through, not a worry in the world as she smiled up at Jesse, her simple white dress flowing around her. A fluffy toy with dangly ears flopped around in her hand as she hummed a little song that was the only thing Jesse could hear.
Jesse felt her mind opening up as she desperately tried to remember, a warm fluttering feeling filling her chest. Who was this girl? What was that song?
The vision beckoned as if a key. She reached to grasp it—
Like a blast of cold wind hitting a small flame, the feeling disappeared.
The girl stopped. The smile dropped from her face. Cold eyes stared with no emotion as her face turned blue, water dripping from her hair and down onto her round cheeks.
You let me die, she whispered into Jesse’s mind.
You let me die!
“No!”
“Jesse!” Goemon grabbed her just as a car flew past and smashed into the wall at her back.
“Oi Jesse, shikari shite yo!”
Goemon was speaking as he whirled her away, but she couldn’t understand, her brain still reeling from the vision.
“Jesse, get a hold of yourself!” he said again, his eyes narrowing as buildings blurred past. It sounded different.
“You’re speaking English?”
Goemon nodded. “Merlin.”
Leaping up to a small balcony above the madness, Goemon sat her down.
Jesse just couldn’t push away the image of the girl as she tried to steady herself, her thoughts heavy and dull. A pressure squeezed at her mind.
“So weak. And you wish to take my power?”
The voice rumbled through her mind freely, revealing in its wake the state of Jesse’s defenses. In embracing the memory, she had let go of it all, and he had been waiting.
The bastard had destroyed her fleeting chance of seeing into her past. As she mentally prepared to raise the barrier once more, she sent her own message.
I’m coming for you, and I will make you pay. For everything you’ve done to these people.
“You will fail, just as you failed her! Come—”
The voice cut out as the gates to her mind closed, the probing tendrils snapping back against its strength. Jesse slammed her fist into the floor of the balcony, cracks in the stone spreading out as if shattered glass.
“Okamoto?” Goemon said.
Jesse nodded.
“Jesse are you ok?” Merlin’s voice popped into her mind, weak and static filled.
I’m fine, Merlin. I can hardly hear you.
“Interference from Okamoto...power is growing. As a precaution...closing this...communication to strengthen your defence before...fails. I will continue...look... from afar, connection allowing. Things here...quite strange....”
“Strange?”
“Cameras. Lots.”
Ah.
“Please hurry, Jesse. I am not sure...can hold the barrier, and more mindless...arriving by the second. Here and... other side of the wall.”
“I understand, Merlin.”
“Godspeed.”
Goemon offered a hand which Jesse used to pull herself up.
“Keep your defenses up Jesse, you can’t give him another chance like that,“ he said.
“Trust me Goemon, his chances have just taken a big turn for the worse.”
Goemon smiled.
“Let’s go.”
Skipping down they quickly moved down the side streets and towards the castle grounds that beckoned in the near distance, disturbing sights endless in the space between.
Draped bodies over failed police barricades. Blaring horns from empty cars splattered with blood across broken windshields. Fire and smoke billowing from buildings that darkened the sky. Groups of wild and feral looking children giggling and screaming as they chased down adults together and ripped everything they came across apart like a pack of cursed piranhas.
Anger ran hot in her blood. Her grip around Excalibur tightened.
In turning away from the worst areas, a clear path seemed to be forming, one where few rioters were massing.
As they broke out onto the main road surrounding the castle, the reason became clear. Fifty metres from where they stood was a wall of people, greater than even the castle wall beyond. Lining the road on all sides they stood, some suited, some not, some shirtless and exposing tattoos, others with wildly coloured hair and clothes, men and women alike.
Swords, pistols, daggers, rifles, machine guns, a spiked ball linked to a piece of wood; all were armed in more ways than Jesse could even imagine. How many lines deep the rows went she couldn’t see. There must have been thousands of them.
A Japanese flag waved in the air from one of several blacked out vans that were parked on the rising hill behind. The flag was the only thing moving as it rippled in the air, the large gate of the castle visible at its rear.
There was a single yell, followed by a thundering boom of a drum that made Jesse flinch. Behind the mass was a huge ornate drum , a man each side pounding in steady unison. The vibration rumbled windows down the street toward them in its deep and ominous tones.
As if summoned by the drum, a blue and white helicopter swooped down, stoking fires in the buildings and whipping smoke across the road. A large camera jutted from it’s side that opened up to allow a woman to jump out as it touched down.
Clutching her hair and head low, she ran across to them.
As soon as Jesse saw the eyes she knew; there was nothing behind them; empty and unseeing. The woman let her hair fall around her neck as she began to speak, her voice as hollow as her eyes.
“The world is watching, Jesse Harbinger. Goemon. To be granted an audience with the Shogun you must first prove yourselves worthy.” She glanced back at the army of Yakuza,”he advises you that they are much improved from last night’s failures.”
He’s calling himself the ‘Shogun’ now?
“Jesse, let us find another way in, skip past them completely,” Goemon said, his feathers already beginning to shimmer gold and chrome as he grew in size.
Exactly what Jesse was thinking.
“I would not recommend that, Goemon. It would only take a simple command for me to jump from the helicopter, or for other innocents nearby to meet similar ends. He strongly advises you to attack here, through the Otemon Gate.”
Jesse grit her teeth. It was a trap they couldn’t escape.
Sweat was beginning to line the woman’s face, inner stress breaking through the controlled surface.
With no answer forthcoming, she bowed and headed back to the helicopter. High above them it rose, the pounding of the rotor blades mirroring Jesse’s heart as it disappeared past the canopy of smoke.
Excalibur, do that thing with the colours.
“Vision of Justice, Jesse.”
Just do it.
A sea of red displayed before her. Not that she had expected otherwise.
Neither did she expect to be smiling beneath her helmet, anger mixing with electric excitement in her veins.
Excalibur, can we do this?
“The stronger the enemy, the greater the number, the more our power will grow, Jesse. We are a weapon of war and destruction against those of evil. This is what we are made for.”
Jesse’s smile had only grown wider. She didn't try and hold it back. Embracing the wave of bloodlust and excitement was the only way to ride its swells. To push back only lost her in it; this much she had learned.
“Jesse, if I die today, I want you to know that it would be an honourable death. Thank you again, for giving my life purpose once more,” Goemon said, his voice calm and measured.
“Save it for another day, Goemon. We’re not going to die. You're going to see your family again, and so am I.”
Jesse strode forward and raised Excalibur above her head, the blade ringing as it began to fill with a yellow radiance.
“We smash straight through them, don’t stop moving. Head for the gate.”
Goemon nodded as he raised his huge sword to shield his eyes. They’d fought enough for him to know what she was going to do. Clasping his buckle over his cape, he disappeared.
“Hey everyone!” Jesse shouted, “Look here!”
Blank faces looked on as the blade filled to the tip and began to glow as if capturing the sun itself. With a brilliant flash of gold it released, engulfing everything in blinding light.
Cries of pain and confusion roared from the men, but the drum kept on.
Excalibur still above her, Jesse ran, feeling Goemon by her side as they rocketed forward on the wind. Still thirty metres between them and the dazzled men, Jesse brought Excalibur down in an arc of gold, just as Goemon summoned a mighty gust with his sword.
An expanding wave of energy ripped down the street and exploded into the mass. Goemon’s blast of wind then struck, sending bodies flying back and through the air. Into the confusion they tore. The drumming stopped. Roars filled the air, as loud as a football stadium.
Gun fire exploded from all directions as Jesse and Goemon cut through, moving too fast and too close to be hit. Power roared through Jesse as her strength and speed only grew with each landed blow, Excalibur dancing in her grip as she gave herself to the feeling. All seemed to be in slow motion, screams stretching to drawn out moans, bullets whizzing through the air and thudding with dull impacting echoes that never hit her.
From the corner of her vision she saw Goemon’s blurred shape swatting men around like flies as he ran through them, snarling like a beast.
But still the men came. Hit after hit they stood, bloodied and beaten but still coming.
Zombies. Puppets controlled by Okamoto beyond their mortal limits.
Moments and many precise strikes later they were on the bridge and heading towards the gate, weapons and armour slick with blood. But as the enemy thinned, so did their cover. Yakuza in the turrets opened fire with automatic weapons, as those behind them did the same.
The shields lit up in bright patterns for the first time as Jesse and Goemon upped the speed, weaving and slipping through. The gate neared.
Several, small and metallic objects dropped into their path with soft clinks. It took a second for Jesse to realise what they were.
Goemon didn’t.
“Goemon!”
With a series of deafening blasts of heat the grenades exploded one after another, launching Goemon in a hail of shrapnel and fire that bloomed over the lurching bridge. An orb of light lit around Goemon for a brief moment before he was engulfed in flames, and he came fully into view..
Jesse dashed toward him, catching his arm just as he fell over the edge, swinging him back around and rolling with him, his body hot and shining chrome gold, his white cape destroyed.
He blinked heavily before jumping up on his feet, ready and alert once more, steam rising from his scale-like feathers under the burnt cape.
A volley of shots smacked off Jesse’s shields as if a reminder to move. Together they sprinted for the gate through the cover of smoke and flame as men closed in from behind. The earthen bridge trembled at their feet, loud splashes of falling rocks sounding below.
At full speed Goemon slammed into the gate, throwing it wide open against its ancient and whining hinges, and rolled through. Jesse followed as the doors recoiled back, almost closing in her face.
As they swung half-open, Jesse watched as the horde of yakuza came across the half-destroyed bridge toward them, weapons blazing through the smoke and flame.
And then the bridge lurched to the left, cracking at their feet. Goemon stepped forward, raised his monstrous sword high in the air, and stabbed it deep into the ground. The earth split open, a gaping wound growing down the bridge. There was a moan of rock and metal, and the bridge collapsed, huge rocks falling to the moat below, taking with them hundreds of Yakuza, screaming as they fell.
Goemon, not missing a beat, swung shut the gate doors, and brought the ancient bolt across them.
Gunshots peppered the metal doors.
For a brief moment they just stayed there, in the beautifully presented courtyard, breathing and regaining strength.
Yells broke out ahead as more men entered through the courtyard exit to the main grounds. So much for a break.
Goemon sprinted forward and jumped off the wall, launching himself like a rocket at the men before making quick work of them.
Onward they pushed, through the main grounds and sprawling gardens, finding little resistance from the few enemies littered inside. Quickly they approached the inner wall and the main tower that lay within. Jesse looked up at the ancient tower, taken back by its beauty and serenity amidst the chaos. Two men she hadn’t noticed suddenly stole her attention, standing as still as statues, as if gargoyles on the edges of the gate. One was thin, the other muscular and big, both topless and sporting tattoos over every inch of skin except their face.
Each held a long blade in their hands; katana. Sparing no time to think, Jesse bore down upon the smaller one as Goemon took the other. As Excalibur swept towards her target, she felt it; Okamoto’s presence, sick and filling, but mixed with something else, rotten and hot. The man disappeared from her attack in a movement so quick it could have been Goemon.
Something hard hit her back. Jesse smashed into the ground, dazed but not hurt. Goemon was faring no better, the other man somehow growing to match Goemon's size, pounding him back as his muscles bulged to the point of ripping.
Jesse jumped up and pushed through the gate, Goemon following behind as the men stayed in pursuit. The castle grounds opened out into a large square beneath the main tower.
Jesse spun around just in time to block the next attack, coming face to helmet with the man. His eyes stretched unnaturally back, as if being pulled by the back of his head. Dark veins grew from his temples and down his neck. From his sword, black wisps rose like steam.
"My power only grows, Jesse," the man spat through gritted teeth, "you cannot win!"
The man's foot slammed into Jesse's stomach, sending her reeling back, but unhurt.
As he drew close to attack again, Jesse took aim with Excalibur and shot forward in a straight blur; her spear-like attack she had honed during training. The sword's aim was true, and the man fell, with no way to recover.
"I've got no time for your games, Okamoto," she said as the man’s eyes glazed over.
A roar Jesse knew too well filled the air, pain in its shrill tones. Goemon. Turning around, she saw him, huge sword impaled through his larger foe whose hands clutched Goemon's head.
Goemon's eyes went white as they rose into his skull. The hands fell away. Goemon dropped his sword, arms limp.
His eyes flicked to Jesse, his back straightening from it’s bent position, lips curling into a smile.
Jesse felt sick. The demon had failed to possess Goemon before. Okamoto couldn't, could he?
"How interesting, a Tengu of all things," he said, looking down at his hands and picking up the sword.
He had.
"And such unused power. What a fool!"
Goemon picked up his sword from the ground and began to walk towards Jesse, his legs flopping forward and catching the ground at wrong angles. Dragging the sword he came, the edge cutting into the stone, as if he was unable to raise it.
The behemoth of a sword began to rise as Goemon's pace broke into a slight, stumbling trot. He stopped, and then tried again. Only a few paces did he step, each one seeming to lock to the ground more firmly than the last.
"Stronger than I thought. No mind. If I can't attack with the piece, then I'll just take it off the board!"
A whirring sound came from above. Jesse arched her back to see the blue and white helicopter streaking across the sky at great speed, headed straight for them. For Goemon.
Goemon's eyes darted to and fro, and then locked on Jesse, pleading. He was back.
"Jesse, I can't move!"
Jesse burst towards Goemon as she heard the chopping rhythm of the helicopter blades beating close behind her, swelling the air.
Never had she moved so fast. Reaching Goemon she put her arms around him and jumped, just as the whine of the helicopter couldn't get any louder.
A gale of wind and heat lifted her and Goemon away as a mighty boom rocked the castle grounds, the air around glowing red. Jesse thought she could hear a woman's scream among the sounds of smashing glass and crumpling metal sliding across the floor behind her.
With loud thuds the helicopter's rotor blades smashed into the earth, lifting up huge swathes of dirt and stone. Rocks and other debris smashed hard against Jesse's armour as she and Goemon tumbled to the ground.
As they slid to a stop and the thundering roar shaking the ground settled, Goemon lay still, eyes closed. Several places on his body had the smear of his black blood, the chrome and gold of his feathers failing to take, as if something had stopped them from forming.
She lifted up his head, trying to check if he was ok.
"Goemon!" she said as her helmet came down around her face.
A smile broke out across Goemon's lips as his eyes fluttered open.
"Too easy," he said.
"What?"
Goemon's talon-like hand shot out and grabbed the top of Jesse's head.
“Keep your helmet up,Jesse,” he said with a wink, releasing his hand and chuckling.
For a moment Jesse just stared, but Goemon rose and gave her his hand.
“Come on, let's get this bastard, but don’t let anyone touch you.”
Up they rose, avoiding the smouldering wreckage of the helicopter. There was no need to check for survivors.
Before the great steps of the castle, a figure loomed at the top. Jumping down, he landed on the stone floor beneath it, and slowly rose.
Okamoto.
He walked up to them, sword dangling at his side, already smeared with dried blood that matched what was dotted over his exposed and heavily tattooed torso. Heat seemed to be rippling off him, making the air thicker as he approached.
Jesse and Goemon raised their weapons.
“I would never have thought, as a young and simple country boy, that my long and arduous path would lead me here of all places, to this,” he began, looking through them both, and breaking out in a smile.
“A girl with a legendary but broken sword. A Tengu, a creature from myth. Both after the power I possess,”
Jesse kept her eyes firmly on him, not for one second letting them stray. Excalibur trembled in her grip.
“But you see, I can help. I can offer you something that was never offered to me. A way out. A way to scupper the hand fate has given you before it’s too late. Like it is for me.”
Jesse only stared, Goemon casting glances to her.
“I offer you death, and all the peace it brings.” Okamoto said with a smile.
“No thanks,” Jesse replied, unable to think of anything better.
Okamoto’s eyebrows raised.
“You are not the crazed beast I saw in the vision. Not yet.”
He stopped for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
“It matters not, what is done is done. For that, I have to thank you, Jesse. Without you, this power would never have come to me. Without you, I would never have been forced to take such drastic steps and let go of all that was holding me back. And only without you, will I be able to become what I now must. To that end, I will take your power, as you so wish to take mine, and use it to rebuild the world. Starting with Japan.”
Before Jesse could even think to reply, Okamoto shot forward. Jesse raised Excalibur to block and Okamoto was gone. She darted around to look, Goemon doing the same.
“I’m here.”
Jesse spun to meet the whisper behind her, only for a massive blow to crack her helmet from the other side. Never had she felt such power, the force far eclipsing anything Goemon had ever hit her with. Spinning and tumbling it she went, smacking into the ground and coming to a rest several feet away.
Stumbling to her feet and swaying with dizziness, she looked over to see Goemon just standing, body still but eyes furrowed and darting. Okamoto had him frozen in place, Goemon not free of the effects of the possession.
I can’t let Okamoto touch me.
Rallying her strength she sped towards him, Okamoto smiling as he brought his sword up to block in a casual but sure motion.
Excalibur clattered against his sword and held as Jesse pushed forward using all her strength. Okamoto laughed.
“Is that all you have? Is that all this pathetic sword has?”
Okamoto’s blade flashed purple and black, a feeling of pure ice like fear and doom colliding into Jesse’s senses.
Something felt wrong. Excalibur was dull and lifeless in her hands.
Okamoto began to push back, his face edging closer and closer to Jesse’s helmet, so close she could smell his sweat.
“Give up, Jesse. You were not meant for this, and I am not one to play such games.”
“Enough!” Jesse screamed, heaving him back and then in one fluid motion, cutting deeply down the front of his body.
Shock lined Okamoto’s face, his eyes wide, but as Jesse continued to stare, the eyes became soft, the shock turned to a smirk, and the flesh of his body began to heal, sewing the tattoos back together in perfect synchrony, as if the tattoos themselves were pulling the skin together.
“What?” Jesse mumbled, unbelieving. She had cut him, she knew. Had seen it. But why did it feel so empty, and how could he heal so quickly?
Okamoto held out his hands, beckoning her.
Jesse obliged, darting forward and thrusting Excalibur straight through his chest, all the way to the hilt.
“Die!” she screamed.
A woman’s face was suddenly before Jesse, blood bubbling from her lips and eyes wide as Excalibur buried into her chest above a blue and white logo. A camera fell to the side from her limp hands, still active and recording. The woman looked at Jesse for a moment in pure shock, trying to breathe but failing, before the efforts stopped, and her eyes glazed over.
Recoiling in shock Jesse pulled Excalibur out, stumbling back and over and colliding into something at her rear. The woman’s corpse fell over the camera, hiding it from view. Jesse looked up to see the face of Okamoto, smiling widely at her.
“Oh, what a monster you are, Jesse, and now the whole world knows.”
Confusion marred Jesse’s thoughts as she tried to think. Behind Okamoto was the wreckage of the helicopter, a line of red leading to the woman propped against the tower wall. A survivor. All around in a wide circle, stood bloodied and beaten Yakuza. To the side of the helicopter lay, Goemon, injured, but worse than he had been.
Down his chest was a huge slash, writhing with the flurry of feathers locking into place over it to begin healing.
With dread, it dawned on Jesse. What had she done?
“Too easy,” Okamoto said with a laugh.
Anger, fear and confusion reigned supreme over Jesse’s thoughts as she gripped Excalibur and rose, swinging it as hard as she could at Okamoto’s neck. There was nothing empty about the blow.
In a flash Okamoto raised his sword, taking a wide stance and blocking Excalibur in a mighty crash.
Jesse roared, trying to push both the blades closer to his neck, straining with all of her strength.
Okamoto lowered his head, and spoke, his voice quiet and kind.
“You were too slow, Jesse. Nothing can stop my power now, not even myself.”
“Just fight me normally!” Jesse screamed.
“War is never normal, Jesse, but you wouldn’t know that,.” Okamoto said as he pushed with greater force.
Like a bone snapping inside of her she watched as a crack split down Excalibur’s blade, the missing piece inside of her and the blade screaming, bleeding golden light. Jesse cried out in agony that spread all over her body.
Okamoto kicked her away, Jesse falling back to the floor and lying in pure pain, Excalibur freeing from her grip and clattering away.
“Helmet down, please,” Okamoto said as he stalked over to her. Jesse’s helmet retracted, and he yanked her sweat-drenched hair back so she was looking straight up at him.
“And here we are once again, only this time, it’s real.”
Jesse’s heart thundered in her chest as she watched the blade rise.
I’m going to die. I’m going to die. No, No!
“Merlin!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, the thought exploding from her brain and mouth at the same time before any other, “help me!”
The sudden outburst made Okamoto hesitate.
“Merlin?” he said.
Nothing happened. Okamoto raised an eyebrow, and then his sword.
A rush of wind suddenly swept through the space, a feeling tingled at Jesse’s senses like that when she had taken the sword in the cave.
A momentous bolt of lighting exploded from the heavens and crashed into the ground twenty metres away from the helicopter, sending all the assembled Yakuza flying. Only Okamoto stood firm, his grip still on Jesse’s hair.
From the brilliant flash, Kuma appeared, Merlin on his back, staff raised, swirling blue and red, the kimono Tsukasa had given him billowing at his back, the patterns dancing across it as if alive. Kuma smashed through the Yakuza that tried to stand, snapping and crushing them as he went.
Voice like thunder, Merlin spoke as he jumped from Kuma’s back and drifted in the air, the swirling light growing brighter in his staff.
“Release her!”
His staff exploded in a lightning arch of red and blue energy that smashed into Okamoto and launched him back into the walls of the tower.
Screaming in agony, he raised his sword and deflected the burning beam up and above him, the energy cutting through the castle diagonally across its entire length. The old stone groaned. Wood splintered. The castle shook.
Okamoto lifted himself from within the rock just as Kuma was upon him, managing to dodge the wildy snapping jaws and roll beneath the advancing beast.
Raising his sword, he cut through and under Kuma’s belly. The hound howled in pain and fell to the floor in a growing pool of blood. Okamoto circled round the fallen beast and in a swift movement, plunged his sword deep into the mass of shard like fur. Kuma writhed and then became still, Jesse feeling all connection to him disappear.
“Kuma!” Jesse cried, trying to reach but still unable to move.
Okamoto tried to walk back to Jesse, but vines grew around his feet, locking him in place. Desperately he tried to slash at them, but more came each time. Jesse had seen them before. The vines from the tomb.
From above a glowing orb of blue smashed into his chest and sent him reeling backwards once more into the foundations of the castle in a huge impact, the vines keeping hold and then trapping him within.
The castle shuddered again, groaned, and then began to fall. In a growing cascade of tearing wood and stone, roof and window, the castle leaned and then smashed to the ground where Okamoto, and Kuma had been only moments before.
Merlin raised his staff to form a protective shield around Jesse and the still prone form of Goemon as a wall of smoke and debris hit them. As it died down, he waved his staff once more to clear the smoke.
There was no sign of Okamoto. There was no sign of Kuma, she couldn’t even feel his presence.
Kuma. No.
It all happened so quick.
Merlin drifted down and landed heavily on the stone, hunching over and panting, sweat covering his face as red wisps began rising from his back. Jesse summoned her strength and found she could move. She ran to him.
Jesse felt the rampaging energies inside of the wizard, felt them ease as she came close, and settle completely as she took his hand.
“I,” he panted, too exhausted to speak.
“It’s ok Merlin, take your time.”
She helped him rise to his feet, and then suddenly swayed herself as a bout of dizziness swept over her, prompting Merlin to hold her instead. She let her head fall into Merlin’s chest, and held him close.
He had risked it all to come and save her.
“Thank you, Merlin,” she whispered, and then she cried.
All around, Yakuza members began to stand, hobbling and moaning at their injuries and looking confused at the destruction around them. Okamoto’s mind control was over. They had done it.
All they had to do now was find his sword.
Merlin gently pushed Jesse back, holding her shoulders as his breath became steady.
“Jesse, I—”
Something red and hot splattered into Jesse’s cheek as a blade stopped inches from her face, coming straight out of Merlin’s chest. Okamoto’s blade. Jesse fell back in fright, seeing Okamoto standing behind Merlin, blood and dust covering his body.
Merlin spluttered, blood dripping from his mouth as the blade twisted.
“Merlin!”
A strange look came across Merlin’s face. His eyes widened and glazed over. The blood dripping down his chin from his mouth began to retreat. Silver hair lifted from his shoulders, drifting on an unseen wind. Merlin seemed to grow bigger as the hair flew around him, so much so that Jesse was sure he was actually growing..
Okamoto suddenly reeled back, clutching his hand in pain, as if burnt.
Dark clouds filled the sky, angry sparks of blue forking across them in violent bursts. Merlin’s hands spasmed and then locked tight, the muscles growing and rippling under the skin as bolts of blue and red flickered across them. His staff grew thorns and twisted with growing red veins.
Jesse scrambled back, a sense of dread washing over her that she had never felt before. Worse than Okamoto’s, not even comparable. Okamoto, eyes wide, was feeling it too, slowly backing away. This wasn't his doing.
And then Merlin spoke, the sound coming from everywhere and nowhere, a whisper and a scream that rumbled the very ground upon which they stood.
“Mam, ble dych chi wedi mynd?”
First| Previous| Next

My TOH OC character sheet: Chadley Smith

Name: Chadley Smith
Species: Witch
Age: 15
Occupation: Student at Hexside
Affiliation(s): Hexside Academy
Goal: To join the Emperor's Coven and become Belos's right-hand man so that he can easily manipulate Belos into setting him up to be next in line for the throne so that he can become a god who rules over the collective consciousness of the Boiling Isles
Tracks: Healing and Illusions
Relatives: unnamed mother and father, Bradley Smith (twin brother)
Likes: Knives, things going his way, himself, being above everyone else (sometimes in more ways than one), inflicting pain onto others and himself
Dislikes: Luz, Azura, getting his butt handed to him
First appeared in: A Day with Boscha (Click here to see it on DA, or click here to see it on Reddit)

Appearance:
Chadley is about as tall as someone like Boscha and has purple skin, with some developing muscles all over his body. He has red, gel-spiked hair that's shaped to resemble demon horns, and he has an emerald green right eye and a cerulean icy blue left eye. He wears a jacket with only his right arm in the sleeve, while the rest of it is wrapped around his waist like a belt. This is his only upper-body garment that he wears, even when he's in the Hexside uniform, he still only wears his jacket. Speaking of Hexside, outside of school he wears beige shorts and red slip-on shoes with black socks, but when attending school he wears dark gray boots and pants with one legging being cyan and the other blue. He also has two red halves of a broken heart as tattoos on his cheeks.

Personality:
The best way to describe Chadley is an arrogant, prideful, affable and faux affable (depending on who he's talking to), stubborn, manipulative, sadistic, and psychopathic loose cannon who wears a mask of sanity at nearly all times. The only time it ever comes off is if someone manages to get under his skin, at which point he will personally make you regret your life choices. He is also not above hurting himself, using it as a sign that says that he doesn't care what happens to him if it means he gets what he wants.The reason why he doesn't care is because he can simply use his healing magic to reverse the damages done to him, either by his hands or someone else's. His sadistic nature causes him to also use this same magic to prolong the pain he inflicts on others, insuring that they suffer for what might seem like an eternity.

History:
Ever since he was a kid, he had a dream; to join the Emperor's Coven and become the right-hand man to the emperor. But as he grew older, his dream started to slightly shift, turning into him wanting to puppeteer Belos into setting him up to be the next emperor in the event that Belos perished. In doing so, Chadley would end up becoming emperor to a Boiling Isles where he could directly control the general populace, determining who gets to be happy and who gets to suffer what they consider to be a fate worse than death. Though the latter will mostly be people who end up provoking his ire.
At some point he ended up encountering and falling in love with Boscha, and the two hit it off almost immediately. And they seemed like the perfect couple too, as far as Boscha was concerned; that was until the day came when Luz came to Hexside disguised as an Abomination. Elsewhere within the school, he and Boscha were about to have their first kiss, but then the vines and plants summoned by Willow ended up hanging Chadley upside down like a snare trap.
Boscha was about to help him down when his scroll fell out of one of his pockets. Curious, Boscha picked it up and saw that there were hundreds of DM's of other women, and every single one of them had the same recent message, "You are the only one for me, and I will cherish every single moment that we spend together as if it were our last." To say that she was heartbroken would be an understatement, as Boscha revealed to the other women what Chadley was doing, punched him in the face, and crushed his scroll beneath her heel; after that, she ran away with tears in her eyes, never to be seen by Chadley again.
At least until a chance encounter where he ended up bumping into her with Luz. He tried to take Boscha away so that they could "catch up," (Translation: break Boscha both physically and mentally), but was stopped by Luz temporarily blinding him with a light glyph. He then tried to get his revenge on Luz during the school week next week, but all of his attempts were foiled by Boscha discreetly helping Luz in her own way, such as tripping Luz up so that when she falls to the floor, she also ends up dodging any projectiles that would end up coming her way. He finally managed to get some of his revenge after school one day by kicking her in the abdomen and knocking her to the ground. After taunting Luz about how weak she is without Boscha (who he thinks is her girlfriend after she rescued her from him), Boscha shows up and demands that Chadley leave them alone, prompting him to attack once he learns that she's not backing down.
To everyone's surprise however, Boscha's especially, Willow blocked the attack and tossed him away, before walking up to him and punching him square in the face. Naturally this made him angry and want to hurt Willow, but he was eventually put down with a team attack from both Willow and Boscha; or so they thought. Chadley then got back up and explained that he was using Healing magic to reverse the damages dealt to him, before demonstrating it in action by stabbing himself in the hand with a knife and showing it heal right in front of their eyes. He then proceeded to blow some powder he had in his pocket into Willow and Boscha's faces, sending them to what could best be described as an illusionary pocket dimension, where he told the two about his goal of essentially turning into a god. He then proceeds to attack the two by turning himself giant, only to get dominated by Boscha after she turned giant as well, sending him flying and breaking the illusion.
Chadley then admits defeat but then gets right up into Luz's face, telling her that the war between him and her and her friends still rages on. And with that, he takes his leave. When will he strike again, how will he get his vengeance, no one knows for sure. Well, except for me that is since I created him and everything.

Equipment:
Blood Teller - a serrated skinning knife of Chadley's own design, he is capable of producing a nearly limitless supply of them from seemingly out of nowhere thanks to his Illusion magic. However, he always keeps the real one tucked away within his jacket sleeve, which he can whip out when need be.
Illusionary powder - a blue powder that Chadley keeps within his pocket. One blow of this into someone's face and they're mentally transported to a black void, a void that Chadley has complete control over, allowing him to do whatever he wants to those he has trapped within it. Unfortunately for him, whoever Chadley sends to this place also has complete control over it, allowing them the potentiality of escaping by taking down Chadley since this void is within his mind.

Inspirations:
Kaito from Danganronpa (Explanation: the spiked hair and the jacket with one sleeve)
Collective Consciousness from Metal Gear Rising and The Dreamer from Persona 5 Royal (Explanation: the desire to rule over a world where everyone gets to be happy, except greatly twisted)
Bad Blood by Creature Feature (Explanation: Click here and look at the "about" section)
Ghetsis in Pokemon (Explanation: supporting and controlling a higher-up with his faux affable nature, although it could sometimes be genuine affability)
Dimension D from Super Paper Mario (Explanation: Chadley is stronger within the void, but whoever he sends there also gets that same strength increase)
Goro Majima from the Yakuza series: (Explanation: a knife wielding maniac who has an obsession with taking down a certain someone. Kiryu for Majima, Luz for Chadley)

Let me know what you guys think about this, upvotes and comments are always highly appreciated. I will update the description of this if and when I make the character sheet for his brother. Oh, and if I see any Sans jokes in the comments, swear to Titan I will break your kneecaps. Also I don't know what flair to put this under so if anyone has any idea, please tell me and I will update this with the appropriate flair.

Rise of Hellion ch15 ( Barry Pepper fanart fiction inspiration)

[Excalibur] - Part 28

First| Previous| Next
Osaka, 1952
“Ocha douzo, Okamoto-sama,” Okamoto’s beautiful wife Michiko said as she placed the tea down beside him on the veranda. Okamoto smiled at her, amused at the over-formality. Bowing deeply with a wink, she scuttled back into the house, ever busy with her errands.
How she knew exactly when he would take a break, he never did know. But without fail, when he did, she would be there with freshly made tea.
This is the life, Okamoto thought as he drank the cool green tea and surveyed his land under his cone-shaped straw hat. ‘
With what he had saved from the war, they had been able to buy a sizeable plot just outside the centre of Osaka, prime for farming. In the year since, Okamoto had prepared the land, and was only now starting to yield his first full crops.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough. It was finally enough.
A year ago, he couldn’t have imagined believing that.
“Yoshi, don’t forget to take the extra down to the Orphanage! I told them you’d be coming today! If you go now you’ll be back in time for when Kenji finishes school,” Michiko called from inside the house.
Kenji, their son, was in the first year of secondary school, and loving life. He was a smart boy, and the fact he attended secondary school filled Okamoto with pride to the point of tears. His only flaw was a fiery temper that reminded Okamoto all too much of himself.
“Hai, Michiko Captain,” Okamoto called out in his military voice.
“Don’t call me that!” he heard his wife shout back, but he knew she would be smiling, just as he was.
“Okamoto-sama!”
Okamoto peered up to see Shirai-san approaching from one of the further rice fields, his shoulder stacked high with bundles of rice on his side that still had an arm.
“Oh, Shirai-san, otsukaresama,” Okamoto said as he jumped down to greet him, helping to take the bundle from the man’s shoulder.
(otsukaresama - thanks for the hard work)
“Please, take some rest. Would you like some tea? I can have Michiko make some more?” Okamoto asked, noting the lines of sweat trickling down the man’s forehead.
“No, no, I’m fine. I don’t want to cause a fuss.”
“Please, Shirai-san, you’ve been working so hard.”
“No, I insist. You gave me back my life, Okamoto-sama. I owe you everything. This is the least I can do.”
Okamoto nodded, knowing he wouldn’t be able to convince the man otherwise. Shirai was just one of many Okamoto and Tsukasa had saved during their years rampaging through Russian occupied Manchuria after the war’s end. Where exactly they had found him, Okamoto couldn’t even remember. His recall of the time was not the best.
Three such men worked for Okamoto on the farm. Even if society had turned its back on the forgotten soldiers of the war, Okamoto wouldn’t.
“Shirai-san, let us pay our respects.”
Inside Okamoto’s house, in a small room behind the main living area, an ornate shrine carved from ebony wood sprawled over the entire far-side wall. Okamoto and Shirai entered, bowing deeply.
“Shirai-san, douzo,” Okamoto said, motioning forward.
(douzo in this sense means, “go ahead”, or “please, go first”)
Shirai bowed, and moved forward to the shrine. Large doors were open and latched to its side, revealing levels of shelves that decreased in size as they rose up. An intricately carved temple with tori gates filled the centre level, wooden slats hanging from various places around it, names of fallen comrades carved deeply into them.
Trinkets of war, medals, the infantry handbook and other such pieces were placed around the other levels.
At the bottom, a large black bowl sat, a tong perched along its rim. In a tray of ash to the side stood burnt senko (incense candles).
Shirai’s gaze however, was drawn to the topmost shelf. A sword arched between two supports, a white tiger roaring down its side. Beneath it, a Russian Tokarev pistol.
Okamoto came alongside Shirai, helping the man to light a fresh senko and drawing his attention away from the blade. Shirai carefully placed it standing in the tray, and then lightly struck the bowl. A long and beautiful chime echoed in the room. Placing his own senko and striking the bowl once more, Okamoto joined Shirai, head bowed and praying.
Shirai, lacking one hand, simply held the other in the air.
Once the chime ended, Shirai stood. Making his thanks and bowing deeply, he slid the Shoji doors closed, and left.
Okamoto, left alone, stared at the blade. He could still feel its power, could still feel its calling, but each time he came to this shrine, each time he honoured the dead and their memories, he felt its power wane.
---
The orphanage was only a few kilometres away, and it didn’t take long to reach on his tricycle. Between the bike’s strong back wheels, a basket full to the brim of rice and vegatables was tied down. After the war, there were more Orphans than ever, and it broke Okamoto’s heart. Whenever he could, any extra he had would go to them, and then to other veterans less fortunate than he.
Dropping off the food and feeling his soul replenished by the smiles and giggles of the children who mobbed him, he went to return home. Much work still remained to finish on the farm before the day was up.
As Okamoto biked away from the old building and rounded the first corner, a bunch of youths almost blocked his way. Most were in their late teens or early twenties, by his estimates. Just young enough to have just missed the war. They were crowded round a smaller boy on a bike, tugging and pulling at his bag, the young boy obviously in distress.
Okamoto slowed down and jumped off his bike, striding over to them. His sweat covered arms were exposed in his simple vest, tanned and glistening in the sun, highlighting the sinewy muscle that stretched over skin lined with scars.
Without a moment's hesitation he entered the mass, most parting and allowing him through. Shoving away a few who didn’t, he reached the boy inside. Without a word, he gave him his bag and the boy rode off, not needing any encouragement to do so.
“Hey old man, what that hell do you think you’re doing?” Came a voice behind him, slurring and dragging his words like a rake through soil.
“What the hell am I doing?” Okamoto replied, looking at the man before him. His head was shaved roughly, bits of stubble growing unevenly over his chin. Despite being quite tall, he was very skinny, still more boy than man. Looking at the boy's dead eyes, he knew there would be a tragedy lurking within, some reason why he would be acting out in this way. But that was no different to Okamoto, no different to anyone in Japan. All had experienced the pain of war and its consequences.
Or, Okamoto thought, he could just be an idiot.
“What the hell do you guys think you are doing? What is this? Why are you picking on such a young boy? No one your own size to fight with?”
The other men in the group seemed surprised at Okamoto’s confidence, speaking so brazenly to their leader. Feeling the pressure of Okamoto’s gaze and his peers, the young man looked away.
Just a coward.
No response forthcoming, Okamoto turned to leave.
“Don’t let me catch you doing this again,” he said.
Footsteps slapped the road behind him. Okamoto twisted, lowering his head and raising his arms. The leader’s fist arched over where Okamoto’s head had been mere moments before. Okamoto rammed a punch hard into the young man’s stomach, feeling the soft bones of the lower ribcage bend under the force.
Doubling over, the boy wretched onto the road. Instinct took over Okamoto as he ran with his leg cocked, aimed for the boy's face.
If I crack the tip of my shoe into his temple, I’ll increase the chance of breaking his skull.
Okamoto smiled as his foot edged closer to its target. A searing heat began to burn in his belly, and with it, an excitement he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Stop! Please!” the boy cried, shielding his head.
The sudden plea, sounding so child-like and innocent, snapped Okamoto out of his craze just in time to divert his foot away.
---
Okamoto slammed his fist on the low table, the glass of shouchu almost bouncing off at the impact.
( Shochu is a Japanese traditional hard liquor, distilled spirits made from grains and vegetables. )
Grabbing it, he gulped the contents down his throat, the ice at the bottom sounding noisily as it rolled around.
“What happened, darling?” his wife asked, her voice quiet and unsure.
Okamoto motioned for more drink, and his wife obliged, albeit with a worried eye.
“Bunch of gangster wannabes outside the Orphanage were picking on some school kid.”
His wife’s eyes shot open. “Yoshi, they are Yakuza! What...did you do?”
Okamoto sighed.
“I helped the kid get out of there.”
“...and then what?”
Okamoto looked at his wife, and took a deep breath.
“One of the idiots attacked me, so I defended myself.”
“And that’s it?”
“Yes! Would I lie to you, Michiko?” Okamoto shouted, his wife jumping at his loud voice.
Instantly Okamoto felt a sinking sadness and regret. He had never shouted at her before.
“I’m sorry, Michiko,” he said, seeing tears well up in her eyes.
“Tadaima,” Kenji’s voice called from the entrance way of the shouse, tired and low. Seemed like he wasn’t having a good day, either.
(Tadaima : I’m home)
Michiko rose to go and greet him.
“Kenji! What happened to your face?” she gasped just as Okamoto finished his second glass.
“Have you been fighting again?!” she shouted.
They came through the house and into the living area where Okamoto sat. Okamoto glanced up, expecting to see a slight bruise or maybe a small cut.
Kenji’s face was bruised all over, one eye almost shut.
The searing seed of anger that Okamoto had felt before exploded into a full blown rage.
He jumped up, throwing the glass at the wall.
“Who did this?!” he roared.
Kenji began to sob, his wide shoulders jerking up and down as he did.
“Otousan, I’m sorry,” he cried, “I am not strong like you.”
Shame clouded over Kenji’s features. His boy was ashamed. Upset. Scared. It all just added to the anger that was reaching boiling point inside of Okamoto.
“Just tell me who the hell did this, Kenji!” Okamoto yelled, his knuckles cracking under the pressure of his closed fists.
“Some guys, near the Orphanage. They pushed me off my bike. Took my bag. Started kicking me.”
“Anta, where are you going? Wait!” Michiko called.
But Okamoto was already gone.
---
In a trance of rage, Okamoto soon found them, congregating in a small park area near the Orphanage as dusk began to fall over the sky. Gangs like these had always been popular before the war, but Okamoto had hoped the combined war effort had put them to an end.
Wishful thinking.
A couple more members, older and bigger, had joined them. Okamoto didn’t care, nothing was going to appease his rage except their cries of pain. He would teach them a lesson.
At full speed, he dismounted his bike, letting it run straight into the throng. Striking two of them heavily, they fell to the ground under its weight.
Too late, another turned to see Okamoto’s fist just as it slammed into his jaw. In the same motion, Okamoto’s foot found a home in the stomach of the chubbier boy next to him.
But Okamoto wasn't as fast as he used to be.
Just as he went to strike the next man, a fist caught him round the head, sending him tumbling to the ground in a daze. A tall man, rolling up his sleeves to reveal tattoos, closed in.
“Get him!” he shouted.
A volley of kicks bombarded Okamoto’s body, until one struck his head, and everything went black.
---
“Oi, old man, wake up.” a rough voice coaxed Okamoto awake, as he felt someone slapping at his cheeks. Okamoto tried to see, but his eyes were so badly swollen that he could hardly make out the shapes before him. Hands lifted him up from behind, hooking under his shoulders and holding him tight.
“The old fool is awake,” the voice laughed.
“What should we do with him?” another voice, Okamoto recognised it as the boy from earlier.
Should have kicked him in the head.
“I say we cut him up,” the other voice laughed, a demented cackle of a broken mind.
Okamoto heard the flick of a knife.
A sharp pain stung against his cheek as a flash blurred before him.
“Haha , look, it pops like a spot!” the crazed man before him said. Okamoto could tell by the other voices around that not everyone was in agreement with the torture being bestowed upon him.
“Otousan!”
(Father!)
Okamoto’s heart stopped. Please, no, he thought, he begged. He tried to see, but could only make out vague shapes.
“Otousan!” the voice cried out. It was Kenji.
Gravity seemed to pull Okamoto down into the earth, his heart sinking as nausea rose up in its place.
“Kenji!” Okamoto screamed, “ Don’t come any closer! Go home, get—”
A punch struck Okamoto across the face.
“Oh look, the boys brought a sword with him, how cute!” the man with the knife laughed again, whipping his hand of blood.
No. God. No. Not the sword. Kenji isn’t strong enough, he won’t be able to handle it!
“Is this your old man, little boy?”
“I’m not a little boy, and my father is a hero!” Kenji cried.
Another strike landed into Okamoto’s stomach, a boot crashing into his cheek straight after. Landing face away from the scene, a knee held pressed into his back, pinning him down.
Kenji roared, and Okamoto heard him running into the men.
“Haha, he hasn’t even taken the sword out of the scabbard yet,” the vile creature before Okamoto sneered.
There was a shuffling of feet, a sudden exhalation of air, and a soft cry.
“Otousan…” Kenji muttered.
“You idiot, you stabbed him!” one of the men cried, “he's a kid!” Okamoto heard wet drips spill onto the dirt.
The pressure in his back released as the man atop him fled.
Pulling himself up and filled with dread, Okamoto stumbled on to his unsteady feet and hobbled to his son. Kenji was laid on the ground, hands pressed round his stomach. The sword lay to his side.
Panic filled Okamoto as his eyes darted around, the last of the gang disappearing out of sight.
“Help! Someone!” he screamed, picking his son’s head up off the dirt with a shaking hand.
Blood trickled out of the corner of Kenji’s mouth, matching the steady flow of tears from his eyes.
“Otousan, I’m sorry…” he said, his eyes half closed.
“No, no, no, don’t speak, I’ll get help,” Okamoto said, looking around once more, confused as to whether he should run to save his son, stay, or attempt to move him.
Looking at the wound, Okamoto tried to apply more pressure, but only more blood spilled forth. Kenji moaned in pain, a tired sound, like a baby.
My baby. My son! My flesh and blood!
“Kenji, Kenji, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Okamoto said, placing his forehead against Kenji's.
“Otousan…” Kenji said weaker still, his trembling hand rising up to Okamoto’s cheek, “ I’m so glad you came back. We’re happy now. I’m so happy…”
The hand fell away. Kenji’s eyes glazed over as his head lolled to one side.
“No! Kenji! No! No!” Okamoto screamed.
“My son!”
Okamoto checked his pulse, tears streaming from his stinging eyes and onto his hands. Nothing.
He pounded the ground, screaming and punching till his hands became raw and red.
“Why?!” he bellowed as a pool of blood began to form on the ground beneath them.
“He grabbed the sword, unsheathing it, holding it up in the air.
“Why? Why did you do this. Why?!” he cried, falling once more to the ground.
The pain swirled within him, growing faster and faster, heat building within. The pain turned to anger. Okamoto shook from head to toe, his brain igniting in a frenzy of absolute rage. Bones clicked, flesh stretched, his muscles burnt. His vision became clear as the pain of his body faded.
I’m sorry, Tsukasa! I never was as strong as you.
Gripping both hands to the hilt of the sword his mind exploded outwards, sensing where the gang had run to.
“I’ll fucking kill them,” he swore, “I’ll fucking kill them all, Kenji!”
---
Present day
Okamoto’s pent-house suite.
Tears rolled down Okamoto’s face as his eyes fixed onto the place where the bottle had broken far below, staring blank and unseeing. It had been a long time since he had thought of the past so vividly.
And with such power.
He knew it was not only him dredging through the past, but the sword, too.
Wiping the tears away, he walked back inside, and opened another bottle at the bar.
Pouring a drink and downing it in one gulp, he walked through the expansive pent-house, arriving at a small side room. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked inside.
It had been a long time.
Doors closed and covered in dust on the far wall, was the shrine he had built all those years before. The same one from their family home.
With care, he slowly opened the doors.
On the main shelf, a small black and white picture of his wife and son was framed, faded and brown with age. Everything else was the same as it always had been.
Okamoto tenderly picked the frame up, and wiped off the dust. Looking at it, Okamoto wondered what his son would think of him now. He had taken his revenge. He had killed them all. Erased the connected gangs from existence, along with their families, their friends and whoever spoke of them.
In its place, he had set up his own, calling on old friends and those loyal to him. Together, they had sworn to protect all those who still depended on them. Other such groups quickly bent the knee in the face of Okamoto’s power. They adhered to his rules. His whims.
And the sword’s.
But he wasn’t the same as those he had sought to destroy. He wasn’t.
His son would know that, wouldn’t he?
First| Previous| Next

why do the yakuza have tattoos video

The prevailing negative connotation for tattoos is the reason why many onsen (hot spring) and sento (public bathhouse) do not allow tattooed people (even foreigners) to enter their establishments. Due to current laws, no legal businesses want to be associated with Yakuza by having a tattooed man entering it’s premises. As an ostentatious display of themselves, society's out-casts took up tattooing of themselves, as indeed it was with the gangsters and the yakuza. Their tattoos were vivid in color and profuse in design. The technique of tattooing in the Edo period was regarded as the best in the world. Because of the connection between criminals and tattoos in Japan, yakuza members traditionally wear their tattoos on parts of the body that can be hidden by clothing. Yakuza tattoos often cover the entire body from the ankles to the wrists and the collar, a placement of body art that means the hands, feet and face can be shown in public without revealing the presence of the body art beneath the clothing. Anton says the yakuza keep their tattoos covered up in public because they're very aware that tattoos are frowned upon. "They're the ones who brought upon this frowning, obviously, because they ... Yakuza tattoos explained. Welcome! Log into your account. your username Continue Reading. The majority of yakuza tattoos hide nicely under a standard t-shirt. Probably more than half of all yakuza members with tattoos have nothing visible outside of a short-sleeved shirt. So the "danger" of being outed as a member by one's tattoos is nearly zero, as long as the member wears normal clothes. Ironically, due to a series of laws cracking down on organized crime, the yakuza themselves are ordering their members to remove tattoos or not get them in the first place. One yakuza boss and tattoo artist laments, “All of my customers now are straight people ( katagi ). No yakuza in his right mind gets a tattoo now. Plus, throughout the series, Yakuza’s developers have used tattoos to provide characterization or highlight the relationship between friends—or enemies. why do the yakuza leave a space on the middle of their chest and arm tattoos? Answer Save. 3 Answers. Relevance. Nick. 1 decade ago. Favorite Answer. So when they wear their robes the V neck doesn't reveal the tattoos. The point is not to draw attention to the tattoos. 0 0. casco. Lv 4. 4 years ago. Yakuza Chest Tattoo. Source(s ... So do we get tattoos for ourselves, or to flaunt in front of others? In the West, it's probably a bit of both. And that's why I've always found the Japanese Yakuza’s take on tattoos so fascinating.