Ichiban has become a major player in the Ryu Ga Gotoku universe of games since his introduction in Yakuza: Like A Dragon. He might not share the same stoic and menacing personality of Kiryu, but having a protagonist with a more carefree and jovial attitude was a breath of fresh air for many fans, and it simply makes his interactions with Kiryu all the more entertaining because of how drastically different they are.

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Ichiban is once again taking a star role in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth where he will be venturing to the land of Hawaii with his group of pals, but there's actually a lot of hidden details and facts that many people still don't know about this plucky ex-Yakuza member. Whether it's the origins of his name, the inspiration behind his tattoo, or his strange first appearance, these are some obscure facts that fans should really know about Ichiban Kasuga.

5 His Name Is A Joke

Ichiban's Name Is Actually Somewhat Of A Mean-Spirited Joke From The Developers

The name "Ichiban" wasn't just thrown out randomly during the character's development, there's actually a pretty funny reason why it was chosen. Ichiban in Japanese Kanji means "Number One", while Kasuga translates to "Springtime". It was mentioned a few times in the lead up to the game by Yokoyama and other RGG members that these two names were chosen since they would seem ironic given Ichiban's life and past circumstances.

For anyone who doesn't know, Ichiban was born in a soapland and would eventually decide to join the Yakuza after being pulled into a life of crime. He then gets sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit to save his clan, and when he gets out, it turns out those he was covering for were ready to betray him anyway. It's fair to say he's had a pretty miserable life, so the developers decided to attach this name to poke a little bit of fun at the guy.

4 He Appears In Like A Dragon: Ishin!

Ichiban May Not Show Up In Person, But He Can Still Be Found In Like A Dragon: Ishin!

Ichiban actually manages to make an appearance in the Like A Dragon: Ishin! game, though he doesn't actually show up in person. Because of how over-the-top and eccentric his personality is, Ichiban would have a difficult time fitting in with the other captains who are all very serious and focused for a lot of the story, so he instead appears as an extremely powerful Trooper Card.

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When activated, he will grant a tremendous damage buff to Ryoma, and the ability becomes even more effective when it's just this card being used on its own which could potentially relate to the feeling of isolation that Ichiban displays at certain points after his betrayal. Either way, it's a fun way to incorporate the character into a game where he would stick out like a sore thumb if he appeared in person.

3 The Meaning Behind His Punch Perm

Before He Got His Crazy Birds-Nest Hairstyle, Ichiban Had A Classic Cut That Was Sported By Many Yakuza Members At The Time

Before Ichiban gains his birds-nest hairstyle which has become synonymous with the character, he can actually be seen rocking a Punch Perm which was immensely popular in the 70s and 80s among Japanese youngsters, and Yakuza members. Over time, the hairtsyle began to become more associated with a "mean guy" look, so anyone who wasn't too fond of socializing, or just wanted to demonstrate that they weren't afraid of getting into a fight if needs be, would be styling their hair this way.

During the first few hours of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, it can seem as if this was just a random hairstyle picked out by the developers, but it actually says a lot about Ichiban's state of mind, and even his upbringing. Ichiban may be a warm and generous person at heart, but during his time as a naive Yakuza member, he would always try to hide this in order to fit in with his peers, something he eventually lets go of by the time he runs into Adachi and Namba.

2 He Looked Quite Different When He Was Announced

It Seems That Ryu Ga Gotoku Were Once Deciding To Take Ichiban's Character In A Very Different Direction If Looks Are Anything To Go By

Ichiban has gone through a few different iterations throughout the years, and while he still has the same basic features and clothes, it's evident that RGG were testing out a few different design schemes before landing on the final product. Back in 2017, SEGA aired a livestream announcing the new "Yakuza Hero" who turned out to be Ichiban. After he rushes in to help Kiryu deal with a thug, Ichiban turns around to reveal himself, but he looks a little different from what fans would eventually see in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

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This version of Ichiban looks a little older with more complex facial features, and his beard is a lot less noticeable. It seems that RGG also agreed to lengthen his wild hairstyle just a little more after this reveal, since it's much bigger by the time that he appears in his own game. Since this was a few years before the release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it seems as though RGG may not have fully decided on how comical and goofy they wanted the character to be by this point, with this appearance giving him a much more serious and disillusioned appearance instead.

1 Hidden References In His Tattoo

Ichiban's Back Tattoo Incorporates Features Borrowed From Two Other Key Characters In The Series

Ichiban explains in Yakuza: Like a Dragon that his back tattoo, which depicts dragon with a fish body swimming up a waterfall, is supposed to be representative of his strength and perseverance, and how, just like the dragonfish, he still has a long way to go before reaching the end goal. However, longtime fans might have also noticed that the tattoo is essentially a mixture between Kiryu's and Akira's. Kiryu's tattoo is a large silver dragon which represents purity of the heart, alongside his bravery wisdom, and strength.

Akira's on the other hand is a koi fish that is shown to be swimming upwards, symbolizing how Akira is gradually building up his reputation and status within the Tojo Clan. The Koi must avoid any obstacles thrown its way to reach the top, which is ironic considering that Akira actually fails to do this and ends up becoming a villain as a result. Ichiban's tattoo mimics the sentiment of the koi, in the sense that he is rising through any and all challenges thrown his way, but the addition of the dragon also means that he's going to become someone truly special once he reaches the top of the waterfall, perfectly symbolizing his hopeful and passionate personality.