Highlights
- Kiryu's return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth may be his last hurrah, as the trailer reveals he is battling terminal cancer.
- Despite surviving intense battles and surviving seemingly unbeatable situations, Kiryu's fight against cancer poses a different kind of challenge.
- Kiryu's appearance in the game is a double-edged sword, as he returns as a playable character, but his illness suggests it might be his final appearance in the series.
The Dragon of Dojima's time may finally be up in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as the series' legendary protagonist might be facing the toughest battle he's ever had to overcome. After having a limited role in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Kazuma Kiryu is set to return as a playable protagonist once again alongside Ichiban Kasuga in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. While many fans will likely be excited to see how the dynamic between these two heroes unfolds, the latest trailer for the game reveals a surprising foe that not even Kiryu is likely to beat.
The Like a Dragon series has always balanced its more wacky, over-the-top elements with a somber and gritty crime drama, but Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth may take a darker turn than the series has explored in the past. The recent story trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth reveals that Kiryu has cancer and the doctors aren't sure how much time he has left. Although Kiryu has survived some intense battles and has kept going even when it seems like he'd been defeated, battling cancer is a different enemy entirely, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth might truly be the end of this hero's journey.
What Kiryu's Cancer Could Mean for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Fans of the Like a Dragon series will be familiar with Kiryu's legendary legacy of surviving situations where the average person would not have. The Dragon of Dojima has taken on the Yakuza world's toughest opponents, battled mobs of enemies, and even survived multiple bullet wounds, stab wounds, and explosions. However, as invincible as Kiryu may seem, his battle with cancer seems to have him at a huge disadvantage and could be preparing players for the final appearance of this legendary figure in the Like a Dragon series.
After the end of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, it seemed like Kiryu's story was finished as he faked his own death in order to protect his loved ones from becoming targets for his enemies. The follow-up title, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, introduced Ichiban Kasuga as a brand-new protagonist for the series with Kiryu making a cameo as a symbolic way to pass the torch to the next generation. However, Kiryu's return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth seems to be a double-edged sword as on one hand, he is back as a playable protagonist, but on the other hand, his cancer makes it seem like this appearance is meant to be one last ride for the character.
From what can be seen in the trailer, it appears as though Kiryu's cancer is terminal, as he is shown coughing up blood and being rushed to the hospital, which are signs of advanced-stage cancer. He talks about wanting to do what he can to help Kasuga with what time he has left, and another shot in the trailer shows Goro Majima saying that if the Dragon can't beat cancer, no one can. All of these signs are likely pointing towards Kiryu's death in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth with a twist survival unlikely.
The series has seemed like it has wanted to move away from Kiryu's story for some time now despite developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio stating they had been planning his return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth since the development of Yakuza 6. Kiryu has had multiple opportunities to retire and pass the torch to Kasuga, but somehow still finds himself being dragged back into the conflict. It seems like the only way for the series to permanently move on from Kiryu is with his death, and cancer seems like the only opponent Kiryu won't be able to best.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is set to release on January 26, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
