Yakuza 0 is easily one of the most underrated titles around, and it can be confidently said that anyone who wants to muck around in a jam-packed open-world whose events are propelled by an extremely compelling story should definitely go for this game. The sheer attention to detail present in each and every aspect of this game — especially when it comes to the hilarious substories — should definitely be commended.
In fact, one need only look at the wealth of easter eggs present in this title to just get a small glimpse into the intriguing, bizarre, and — most importantly — entertaining world of Yakuza 0. Here are ten of the best easter eggs and secrets in this regard that most people — including the fans of Yakuza — might not have heard of.
10 A Very Familiar-Looking Bontan Hunter
During Majima's substory "Rise of the Dragon", he'll encounter a figure that most fans of the Yakuza series wouldn't recognize outright... even though he's the main antagonist of Yakuza 2.
The idea of seeing Ryuji Goda as a normal bontan hunter is quite odd, but a nice little callback to a character who would soon become a major player in the Yakuza series. This figure also appears at the end of the substory "The Visionary Fortune Teller".
9 The Fortune Teller Details Out Kiryu's Exploits Throughout The Series
Speaking of the substory involving the fortune teller, long-time fans of the Yakuza series would've definitely gotten a kick out of hearing what this mysterious figure had to say about Kiryu's future in Yakuza 0... given that most of these predictions turn out to be correct!
From stating that he would take the fall for a friend's crime — an event that kickstarts the story of the first Yakuza title — to even correctly predicting that Kiryu would become a taxi driver in Yakuza 5, the old woman ends up dishing out a slew of premonitions that will take long-time fans of the Yakuza series down memory lane.
8 Bacchus Predicts A Rather Grizzly Event In Kiryu's Life
Speaking of predictions, one has to mention the rather ominous line uttered by Bacchus — Kiryu's mentor for his Brawler Style — during the events of Yakuza 0, when he casually warns Kiryu about taking a knife to the ribs.
The fact that this stabbing happens twice — in both Yakuza 2 and 3 — makes the character of Bacchus all the more mysterious.
7 Komeki Joking About Using The Tiger Drop On An Actual Tiger Is A Clever Reference To Yakuza 2
Majima has his own set of trainers for all three styles, with his patented Thug Style being upgraded by the mentorship of a recurring character in the series by the name of Sotaro Komeki.
When Majima learns the Counter Attack skill, Komeki jokes around about how this move was inspired by the Tiger Drop — a move that shouldn't be used on an actual tiger. Fast forward to Yakuza 2, and that's exactly what Kiryu does.
6 Ogita From The Substory "Maharaja Showdown" Appears In Yakuza 5
While the disco minigame might not be as enjoyable as the other side activities in Yakuza 0 — even though the animations are still quite hilarious — the substory that Majima can unlock by repeatedly using the disco uncovers a character that appears later on in the series as well.
This character is Kan Ogito, a talented dancer who appears in Yakuza 5 as Haruka's dance instructor as well. His statements about returning to Osaka hint towards this connection as well.
5 Shinji Tanaka From "A Shining Example" Comes In The First Yakuza
A member of the Yakuza who operates under Kiryu's guidance in the first Yakuza title, keen-eyed players who completed the substory "A Shining Example" in Yakuza 0 would've realized that Kiryu actually encountered Shinji before the events of the first Yakuza title.
The character who ends up being a focal part of this substory is none other than Shinji Tanaka himself, who ends up idolizing Kiryu and following in his footsteps... even after Kiryu ends up giving a heavy-handed lecture about fighting for the people who actually matter as opposed to a complete stranger like him.
4 Daigo Dojima's Surprise Appearance In A Random Substory
Players who ended up frequenting the batting cages in Yakuza 0 would've encountered a rather outspoken pipsqueak who actually ends up playing a major role in future Yakuza titles.
Daigo Dojima might seem like nothing more than a snot-nosed brat in the substory "Heir to the Family", but he ends up coming into his own as a character by the end of this sidequest. This substory serves more as a peek into this life of this young heir before he ended up maturing, which is quite a welcome sight indeed.
3 So Amon's Announcement Where He'll Wait 17 Years Before Challenging Kiryu Again
After completing all of Kiryu's substories in Yakuza 0, he ends up facing off against the head of the Amon clan in a brutal one-on-one contest that will test all of the player's skills up to that point.
In the event that the player finally manages to best this foe, So Amon will ominously state that he'll wait 17 years before challenging Kiryu again — an oddly specific time period that happens to clash perfectly with the time period of Yakuza 0.
2 Kiryu's Comment On Never Having To Fight Zombies Ever Again
The substory "Miracle on Tenkaichi Street" is easily one of the most popular quests in the entire series, mainly due to the extremely bizarre nature of the events that are contained within this substory.
After finishing this substory, Kiryu makes a comment about how he'll never have to face off against zombies ever again — a clear and obvious nod to the events of Yakuza: Dead Souls.
1 The Audacious Michael Jackson Inspiration
Of course, it would be impossible to talk about the easter eggs of Yakuza 0 without mentioning a legendary character from this title that diligent fans were lucky enough to encounter in the game — Miracle Johnson, an exaggerated portrayal of pop superstar Michael Jackson.
The fact that they decided to put this character — along with Stephen Spining, an obvious nod to Stephen Spielberg — is exactly what Yakuza is all about, and makes for the best and most entertaining easter egg in the entire game.