Heads up! Spoilers for Yakuza 0 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth are ahead.
Goro Majima fans, get ready! Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii brings our beloved character back, this time as a forgetful pirate captain traversing the Hawaiian shores. This quirky twist makes perfect sense for Majima, offering a fresh, playful departure from the heavier storylines we’ve seen in titles like Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Yet, could a serious Majima narrative work just as well? Well, there’s been some chatter that it just might.
Recently, Hiroyuki Sakamoto, chief producer from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, hinted in an interview with TheGamer that Majima seems almost destined to headline dramatic over-the-top adventures, making it seem like a serious narrative might be off-limits. While it’s true Majima’s eccentricity is part of his charm, we can’t overlook how Yakuza 0 portrayed a more grounded version of him, which in turn solidified him as a fan-favorite. Skipping over the impact of Majima’s storyline in Yakuza 0 feels like a missed opportunity, suggesting there’s still room for a heartfelt adventure centered around him in the future.
Previously in Yakuza 0, audiences saw Majima, not the madcap character many are familiar with, but as someone navigating redemption. As a cabaret club owner, Majima was paying the price for a past missed hit. Through his trials, he donned the persona of the suave "Lord of the Night," managing club politics and bending to customer whims to scrounge up enough cash to erase his debt and return to the Tojo Clan. Despite Majima’s wacky reputation in earlier games, his evolution during Yakuza 0 showed he could be multifaceted, ditching the one-note portrayal for a more layered hero. His character was more captivating than expected when protecting rather than hunting Makoto Makimura, for example. This transition from carefree to serious could easily be explored once again.
And let’s talk about plot possibilities! Majima’s recent path in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth suggests room for a shift in tone. Working quietly in Hokkaido with fellow comrades hints at a more aged and introspective take on his character. Waking up with amnesia on Rich Island in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii would have been ideal for exploring a more sober side of Majima, skipping back to his pre-Yakuza 0 personality. Unfortunately, the game veers back to the extravagant Mad Dog persona, though it’s still hopeful for another game that delves deeper into Majima’s less flashy side.
The idea of watching Majima revisit a part of himself we’ve rarely seen is a tantalizing thought. If Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii drops the ball on this, here’s hoping for a prequel that revisits this less explored side of Majima more profoundly. Fans deserve to see all dimensions of this iconic character, and there’s always room for a little more drama intertwined with the zaniness we all can’t get enough of.
