Earlier today, SEGA announced the next entry in the Yakuza series. Titled Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it will launch January 16 in Japan and later in 2020 for the west.
Check out the official details of Yakuza 7 from the official site (translation by Gematsu) :
■ Introduction
The latest numbered entry in the Yakuza series for PlayStation 4, this is the story of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. In the new setting of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, the story of the hot-blooded thugs stirred up by Ichiban Kasuga will begin.
If the protagonist changes, so does the gameplay. This is a new Yakuzaexperience!
New protagonist Ichiban Kasuga changes not only the story of the game, but also how you play.
■ Story
Protagonist Ichiban Kasuga makes his way up from the depths of despair. Depicted until the becoming of a new “Dragon,” this is the ultimate story of overcoming the higher ranked and rising to new heights. The future is in your hands!
January 1, 2001. The yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, who belongs to third generation family of the Tojo Clan—the Arakawa Family—was asked to take the fall for the crimes of wakagashira Jo Sawashiro by his boss Masumi Arakawa, which he agreed to do. For the family that he loves, for the respect of his boss… Kasuga served 18 years in a strict penitentiary, and in 2019, was finally released.
However, there was no one there to greet him upon his release.
With no one to welcome him, Kasuga returned to his hometown of Kamurocho. But the Kamurocho was not the Kamurocho that Kasuga once knew.
Thanks to a police policy known as the “Kamurocho 3K Operation,” the Tojo Clan had fallen. The police and the Omi Alliance of Kansai yakuza had completely taken over. And the one who created this new Kamurocho was none other than Masumi Arakawa.
“How could the boss do something like this!?”
In order to ascertain the truth for himself, Kasuga went to go see Masumi Arakawa.
After getting past obstacles like Omi Alliance members and his former superior Sawashiro, Kasuga manages to make his way to Masumi Arakawa.
“Boss!”
A reunion 18 years in the making with the “Boss” he loved like a father, the yakuza he admired—But what awaited him there was not the smiling face of a reunion, but rather the cold barrel of a gun.
“I’m sorry, Ichi… you need to die.”
The gunshot echoed. Kasuga’s vision dimmed—.
“Wha….!”
While wandering the depths of life or death, Kasuga somehow regained consciousness. But when he came to, he was at a dumpsite in homeless town lined with cardboard houses.
“…Where am I?”
Kasuga’s question is answered by a homeless man.
“Ijincho… Isezaki Ijincho. This is Yokohama. Got that? Yokohama.”
■ Battle
“Live command RPG battles” bring the fight of the “Dragon” to a new stage!
Yakuza 7 uses a “live command RPG battle” system that combines the series’ signature action with an RPG command system. It has evolved into a system in which anyone can easily enjoy exhilarating battles. In this completely new battle system, Ichiban Kasuga and his party will fight by selecting techniques with various effects such as attack, recovery, support, and more. Enjoy immersive and dynamic battles against all sorts of enemies.
■ Adventure
A new setting: Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama!
Yakuza 7 is set in the huge new area of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, which is more than three times the size of Kamurocho in Tokyo. In Yokohama, where every place has different faces, a grand story will unfold.
■ Cast
An all-star cast appears to bring the story of a new “Dragon” to life!
Kazuhiro Nakaya, Akio Ootsuka, Sumire Uesaka, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Yuichi Nakamura, Kousuke Toriumi
Shinichi Tsutsumi, Ken Yasuda, Kiichi Nakai
General Director Toshihiro Nagoshi
■ Characters
Ichiban Kasuga (2000 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)
The Tojo Clan is Kanto’s largest yakuza organization. Ichiban Kasuga is a wakashu of the Arakawa Family, a third generation family of the Tojo Clan. Since he was born in Kamurocho soapland Shangri-La, he is called “Soap Ichiban” by the older residents. Although he grew up without knowing his true parents, he was charmed by the manly spirit of Masumi Arakawa, who he met at age 15, and joined the Arakawa Family. Since then, he has lived with resolute loyalty to Arakawa, but since he is not good when it comes to earning money, he is shunned by the wakagashira Jo Sawashiro, who stresses the importance of money.
Ichiban Kasuga (2019 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)
He takes the fall for Sawashiro, who committed murder, at the request of Arakawa Family leader Masumi Arakawa, who is like a father to him. After that, he spends 18 years in penal servitude. After he is released, the Tojo Clan has fallen, and the Kansai yakuza known as the Omi Alliance has taken control over Kamurocho. Finding out that Masumi Arakawa was behind it all, Kasuga goes to see Arakawa to asertain the truth at its source.
Jo Sawashiro (2000 version) (voiced by Shinichi Tsutsumi)
A wakagashira with a sense of duty and humanity towards his boss Arakawa, who stresses the importance of money. He would beat Ichiban Kasuga down with his fists as a daily occurrence, as he was unable to earn money. He single-handedly takes on the role of the “whip” within the Arakawa Family.
Jo Sawashiro (2019 version) (voiced by Shinichi Tsutsumi)
A martial artist yakuza who serves Masumi Arakawa from the era of the Tojo Clan. He hated Ichiban Kasuga back in the day, and after 18 years, that hatred has not changed. Since Arakawa became an substitute wakagashira of the Omi Alliance, he has the same authority as an Omi Alliance executive directly reporting to the boss.
Namba (voiced by Ken Yasuda)
A man who was stripped away of his nursing license after challening the medicine from the hospital he worked for to the black market, and now lives in the depths of poverty in Isezaki Ijincho. After Ichiban was shot by Masumi Arakawa and lost consciousness, Namba saves his life and begins working with him.
Masumi Arakawa (2000 version) (voiced by Kiichi Nakai)
The leader of the Arakawa Family of the Tojo Clan. Born and raised as the son of a popular theater troupe, he has been all over the country, but someone shot and killed his father, the chairman of the troupe, which led him to the yakuza. In the past, he was known as the best martial artist in the Tojo Clan, and for that reason the Arakawa Family was established as a third generation family of the Tojo Clan, and he was feared as “Killer Arakawa.” He meets Ichiban Kasuga by chance as a boy and becomes his sponsor.
Masumi Arakawa (2019 version) (voiced by Kiichi Nakai)
While he was once the head of a Tojo Clan third generation family, the Arakawa Family, after information about the Tojo Clan was leaked to the police, the Tojo Clan was eliminated from Kamurocho, which provided a major service to the Omi Alliance’s advance into Kamurocho. With his achievements recognized, he is currently the substitute wakagashira, essentially the Number 2 man in the Omi Alliance.
