Summary

• Like a Dragon Gaiden brings back Kiryu Kazuma as the sole protagonist, giving fans one last romp with the beloved character.
• Goro Majima, Kiryu's old friend, has a unique and often comedic relationship with him, frequently ambushing him and calling him "Kiryu-chan."
• The sincere moment between Kiryu and Majima in Gaiden holds greater significance as it may be one of their final encounters, with Kiryu battling cancer and Majima playing a minimal role in the next game.

Like a Dragon Gaiden is a spin-off following the story of Kiryu Kazuma during the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. That game, the seventh in the franchise, passed the torch of protagonist on to Ichiban Kasuga, but Kiryu Kazuma is still a big part of the franchise's world. With Kiryu returning as one of Ichiban's party members in the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, it makes sense that Gaiden would give the character one last romp as the sole protagonist. While Like a Dragon Gaiden follows Kiryu's time with the Daidoji faction, largely surrounded by new characters, the game's finale brings back some fan-favorites.

The Like a Dragon franchise is largely beloved because of its cast of characters. The franchise's story spans decades, and players have gotten to watch these characters grow and evolve throughout their lives. One staple character that has also shared the helm of protagonist is Goro Majima, the Mad Dog of Shimano. Majima is one of Kiryu's oldest friends, but the two have something of a strange relationship. Majima is obsessed with defeating Kiryu in combat and, in some entries, will randomly ambush him around Kamurocho. While the vast majority of the cast shows immense respect for Kiryu, and addresses him with the "-san" honorific, Majima uses the more diminutive "-chan".

In Japanese, "-san" is an honorific used to show respect for someone. It is, in most relationships, the default honorific used. The "-chan" honorific is considered more familiar and may be reserved for family members and close friends.

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"Kiryu-chan" Has a Long History

Majima's infamous ambushes are most pronounced in Yakuza Kiwami, which features Majima Everywhere, a so-called feature that simply amounts to Kiryu being attacked by him much more frequently than in the original release of the title. Whether it be here or in other entries, most encounters between the characters are punctuated by Majima exclaiming "Kiryu-Chan" in an over-the-top manner. While Majima's violent greetings are strange, they have worked to endear him to the franchise's audience. Majima is one of Like a Dragon's most popular characters and, typically, a much-needed dose of comic relief in a series that frequently features dense and serious storytelling.

Gaiden Provides a Rare Moment of Sincerity for Goro Majima

Like a Dragon Gaiden's "Kiryu-chan" stands out against the rest of the franchise. Kiryu and Majima don't see one another until the game's final act, and it is the first time the characters have seen each other in many years, with Kiryu having faked his death to join the Daidoji Faction after the events of Yakuza 6. After participating in the dissolution of the Omi Alliance and Tojo clan, Majima suggests the group get a meal to celebrate and that they bring the bodyguard, referring to Kiryu, who is still pretending to be Joryu. He then turns to his friend and says "y'know, I never believed'em when they said ya died... Kiryu-chan".

Like a Dragon Gaiden's "Kiryu-chan" is Special

Gaiden's "Kiryu-chan" is special for a number of reasons. While it's the first in a long time, with the two never really interacting in Yakuza 6 and years having passed, Majima's tone is what makes it feel special. Rather than yelling and delivering the line in a cartoonish manner, he says it very plainly. Yakuza 0 reveals Majima to be a character that has a tremendous emotional depth hidden behind his sociopathic demeanor, though he seldom expresses it. Majima dropping his veneer to express sincere relief and joy in seeing Kazuma Kiryu's return is incredibly sweet and a rare occurrence for the character.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will see Kiryu battling cancer, and could very well be his last appearance in the franchise. The developers have also remarked that Majima will play a minimal role in the game. With this in mind, this "Kiryu-chan" comes to hold even greater significance. With the two legends of the yakuza having always battled one another, a sincere moment of adoration shared between the two is a breath of fresh air and an excellent way to tie up what could be one of their final encounters with one another.