Not too long ago, I started thinking about how the Ichiban crew could be brought up to date — and, really, how Ichiban himself fits into the series these days. Like it or not, Yakuza: Like a Dragon (the seventh game) felt fresh. New protagonist, new tone — everything had this lively energy. Sure, there were cameos from the old gang — the classic characters everyone loves, even Kiryu showed up — but it didn’t feel like they were dragging the old guard back into the spotlight. It actually worked as a natural continuation.
But I can’t really say the same about the eighth game. Making Kiryu a second playable character sounded cool on paper, but in reality, he stole the spotlight again. And Ichiban’s arc… well, let’s be honest — it felt kind of dull. Throw stones if you want, but that’s how I see it. And no, it’s not just because Kiryu’s my favorite (okay, maybe just a little bit).
Recently, I started thinking about RGG Studio’s new project — Strange the Haven. And here’s a thought: what if they went off in a totally new direction simply because they’d lost their sense of direction with Ichiban? Maybe they just don’t know how to develop him further within the Yakuza framework?
Kiryu’s story landed right in the franchise’s golden years, but poor Ichiban showed up when the series was already past its peak. And maybe the studio realized that. The series is too tightly bound to Kiryu — they’re like yin and yang. Take one away, and the balance collapses.
I can almost picture Yokoyama sitting in the office somewhere, rubbing his temples and saying, “Alright guys, we’ve told every story there is to tell in Yakuza. We’ve looped Kiryu back around again, we’re out of ideas. Time for a new game — but no yakuza this time.”
And that’s how Strange the Haven was born.
And that’s the most interesting part to me. I’m genuinely curious how Ichiban’s story will move forward… because honestly, I don’t see much of a future for him. His whole arc’s been wrung dry — we’ve met his mother (and even got her back), learned about his father, beaten the evil yakuza and cultists. Check, check, check. Even that cult subplot felt like it was hanging by the thinnest thread, as if the writers themselves knew it was time to wrap things up.
The heart of the story — the real emotional core — ended up in Kiryu’s hands again. And Ichiban was just given something to do so he wouldn’t be standing awkwardly off to the side. It’s kind of sad — the character who once symbolized new life for the series now feels like he’s gasping for air.
Anyway, that’s just my two cents. Purely subjective, as always. I just wanted to stir up the vibe in the group with a bit of my trademark nonsense. Feels like we’ve been running low on that lately.
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