Kazuma Kiryu is the face of Yakuza. With a legacy like that, it’s easy to see why Yakuza struggled to move past its steely protagonist, but before the introduction of the charismatic Ichiban Kasuga, an obscure spin-off proved that the franchise could do just fine without the Dragon of Dojima. Fourteen years later, however, it’s a disgrace Black Panther: Like a Dragon New Chapter (Kurohyo: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho in Japanese) Time has all but forgotten the lies, and Western fans never get the chance to meet any of them Yakuzaare the very best characters.
Black Panther The game was originally released on the PSP in 2010, followed by a television adaptation that same year and a sequel two years later. Both games are developed by Syn Sophia, the studio best known for Def Jam games. There is also an interesting link, e.g Black Panthers Combat uses a similarly brutal 1v1 fighting style. It’s quite a change Yakuzais standard brawler gameplay, but also reinforces the darker, grittier themes of Black Panther. Although there is still a bit of it Yakuza stupidities can be found, Black Panther takes a new approach to the narrative, with a hero who is intentionally unlikeable at the start.
Tatsuya is a product of Kamurocho himself and everything Kiryu and his compatriots have done. (There’s a line in there Black Panther, where a Kamurocho gang mentions that their hazing ritual involves sending people to get beaten up by the Dragon of Dojima.) He’s practically the epitome of teenage angst. In the first scene, we see Tatsuya brutally beating up his two friends when they disagree with his plan, before raiding a Yakuza office and seemingly murdering a high-ranking member. He is then blackmailed into competing in the Tojo Clan’s underground arena, promising his freedom if he can win ten games in a row. There is the typical Yakuza Twists and turns, though Black Panther is largely a game about Tatsuya breaking out of the cycle of violence.
Kiryu’s arc in the series can largely be summarized as a man trying to maintain his morals in the criminal underworld. Tatsuya is the opposite of that: someone who never thought twice about solving his problems with violence, but whose eyes were quickly opened.
Every chapter in Black Panther There is a different opponent and each one is a lesson for Tatsuya. In one chapter, he fights against the father of a child he sent to the hospital in high school, learning the importance of making amends for past mistakes. In another chapter, Tatsuya is amazed at the flashy facade another fighter puts on, before learning that it’s all just to hide emotions. Black Panther builds up Tatsuya’s character piece by piece and in many ways acts as a precursor to the introduction of other protagonists from the Ryu Ga Gotoku studio, such as Ichiban Kasuga and assessmentThis is Yagami.
Yakuza has never shied away from speaking about the reality of violence: both its dangers and how it can be an effective tool. Black Panther feels like the perfect distillation of the series ethos. Tatsuya starts out as a broken, misanthropic youth, but through struggles he learns to become a better person and find real values. When the second game begins, Tatsuya uses these lessons to teach others, and the story integrates further themes of friendship and companionship.
It’s a shame so many fans never had the chance to experience some of the best storytelling in the world Yakuza series has ever made. The silver lining is the situation as of 2023 complete fan translations from both Black Panther Games exist. But it would be great if Sega acknowledged the spin-offs in a more official form.
There are limitless options for what you can bring Black Panther back, or at least Tatsuya himself. Ryu Ga Gotoku has shown a penchant for remakes and it seems like an adult version of Tatsuya could even fit in well with that assessment games. (Maybe that’s even a better option now with Sega Lose image rights to the actor Takuya Kimura, who plays Yagami.) Any way you look at it, Black Panther and its sequel are two of only three Yakuza games that never made it to the West, and it’s high time for that to change.
