Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gives Goro Majima his first solo starring role after recurring appearances throughout the Yakuza series. Throughout Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the amnesiac Majima undergoes significant character development, becoming much more than the "Mad Dog of Shimano" fans knew from his previous appearances. While the Yakuza series will likely continue with Ichiban Kasuga as protagonist, Pirate Yakuza should not be Goro Majima's final appearance in the series.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii's Opening Musical Number Is An Unexpected Delight
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii features a full-on musical number - an excellent choice that sets the game's tone from the very beginning.
Kiryu's Story May Be Over, But Majima's Shouldn't Be
Previous main series installment Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth billed itself as the swan song for previous protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, who joined the battle one last time as the Dragon of Dojima before retiring to focus on treating his cancer. Majima had only a brief appearance in Infinite Wealth, but he and Kiryu shared one last epic fight and Kiryu made it clear that Majima was one of the people he was trusting the protection of Japan to after his own retirement.
Pirate Yakuza took Majima's story in a new direction, seeing the "Mad Dog" develop amnesia and become the captain of a pirate crew searching for treasure and opposing the corrupt figures ruling lawless Madlantis. Due to Majima's amnesia, players were able to see a different side of the fan-favorite character from the very beginning of the game. While he was still the chaotic, combat-loving Majima, he also showed a kinder side, rescuing animals, helping out the people of Hawaii in various sub-stories, and bonding with his new young friend Noah. By the end of the game, even with his memories back, Majima is a kinder, calmer, and more selfless character - all without losing any of his fighting skills or trademark flair.
At the end of the game, Majima resolves to pass the torch on to the next generation and returns to Japan to spend time with Kiryu in what may be the final days of one of his oldest and closest friends. It's a touching moment - but it shouldn't be the end for Majima. He may be aging and the Tojo Clan may be gone for good, but Majima has a new lease on life after his high-seas adventure, and future games should see him following up on this rather than retiring fully or leaving the series for good.
Majima Could Play Many Roles In Future Like a Dragon Games
After Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii proved that Majima can hold his own as a solo protagonist (following his previous appearance sharing the spotlight with Kiryu in Yakuza 0), it is definitely possible that he could star in more spin-off games in the future. However, he could also continue to appear in main series games, whether Kasuga continues to be the protagonist or new characters are introduced to fill that slot. Potential roles Majima could play include:
- A mentor who teaches combat skills, possibly through the return of the "Majima Everywhere" system from Yakuza Kiwami.
- A high-level, potentially optional boss, providing a tricky challenge to players. He could even fight using his new Sea Dog style introduced in Pirate Yakuza.
- The character in charge of a management mini-game, especially if he tries to rebuild Majima Construction or the security firm he wanted to open following Like a Dragon.
- The character responsible for transportation and fast travel, especially if he chooses to return to his role as a pirate captain.
Whatever direction Ryu ga Gotoku Studio chooses to take Goro Majima in the future, fans would likely be excited to see it - he is a well-loved character whose popularity has only increased following the release of Pirate Yakuza. Kiryu's story may be over, but Majima's doesn't have to be - and Pirate Yakuza proves that it definitely shouldn't be.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- February 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
