The recent announcement of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has rocked the fanbase of the popular Japanese franchise, with players finally seeing Goro Majima in another protagonist role in one of the wackiest settings that the IP has ever portrayed. On the surface, fans may be drawn to the weird and wonderful game mechanics that a pirate-themed LaD title will bring, but this should not overlook the fascinating story elements that the upcoming project has in store.
The reveal trailer for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was recently shown during the RGG Summit on September 20, with the game’s protagonist narrating a solid overview of what the game’s plot will involve. It was confirmed during the trailer that Majima washes up onto the shores of Hawaii with amnesia, forgetting his own name and troubled past, and it seems as if memories will slowly be revealed to him over the course of the game. The imagery of the trailer, combined with reliable leaks surrounding the project, suggest that Majima’s tattoos will be integral to his restored memories, putting one of the most iconic elements of the franchise at the forefront of Pirate Yakuza’s story.
Tattoos Have Always Been at the Center of the Like a Dragon Franchise
Ever since the inception of the Yakuza franchise, now known as Like a Dragon, the tattoos of its central figures have stood as one of its most important thematic elements. Of course, real-life Japanese yakuza are renowned for sporting extensive ink, leading to a nationwide taboo around tattoos that still lingers quite prominently to this day. The writers behind Like a Dragon have always made sure to give real meaning and narrative purpose to the tattoos of its major figures, with the majority of LaD boss battles beginning with both characters ripping off their shirts to reveal their metaphoric ink.
For example, long-time franchise protagonist Kazuma Kiryu features a dragon tattoo on his back, with Kiryu possessing the same unrivaled strength, tenacity, and goodwill that dragons are associated with in Japanese mythology. This is even contrasted by the koi back tattoo of Kiryu’s best friend and eventual enemy, Akira Nishikiyama, with the Japanese legend of koi fish becoming dragons foreshadowing Nishiki’s eventual desire to defeat Kiryu and claim the glory of his reputation.
Goro Majima has one of the most intricate and meaningful tattoos of the entire Like a Dragon franchise, sporting a full back-piece that primarily features the hannya mask of a mythological Japanese creature known as the onryo. An onryo is a female demon that exists purely to enact pain and suffering in the name of vengeance for serious wrongdoing that the onryo faced during their lifetime, with Majima also possessing tattoos of two snakes that wrap around his chest.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – Majima’s Tattoos Are the Key to His Past
Majima’s tragic backstory fits extremely well with the imagery of his tattoos, with Yakuza 0 showcasing a much more stoic and collected Majima in his younger years. The game chronicles how Majima was captured and tortured for a year at the command of his own boss, with the character famously losing his eye during this imprisonment. This, combined with the forced labor that Majima was forced to carry out following his release, culminated in Majima adopting his iconic “Mad Dog” persona of unpredictability and eccentricity, being reborn as a fear-inducing figure much like an onryo.
The tattooed twin snakes on Majima’s chest further reinforce the concept of rebirth within his life, with snakes shedding their skin in the same way that Majima did to escape the burdens of his past trauma. Even though Majima obtained his tattoos before many of these events happened, they ended up serving as a perfect tapestry of his life, and it seems that this will be a key plot point of the upcoming Pirate Yakuza.
Majima’s Tattoos Can Link Pirate Yakuza to Past Like a Dragon Titles
The trailer for Pirate Yakuza confirms that Majima has lost his memory, and while tattoos are not strictly stated as being the key to resolving this, a high-profile leak around the project suggests that this will be the case. In May 2024, a full four months before the game’s reveal, a 4chan post leaked the premise of Pirate Yakuza with great accuracy, with many initially ignoring the post due to the wild nature of the alleged details.
These leaks stated that Majima’s tattoos will be a key element of his memory returning, and this could act very similarly to the Memoirs of a Dragon system from the recent Infinite Wealth. This system was a way for players to re-experience the many memories of Kiryu from past games by visiting iconic locations across the franchise, and Majima has a similar bank of past game appearances to warrant his own nostalgic trip down memory lane.
While the lack of memory will initially allow Majima to act even more carefree than usual, especially with him potentially being unaware of the uncertain fate of Kiryu during the time in which Pirate Yakuza is set, the slow reveal of his past through his tattoos will allow for a more emotional and narratively-charged ending. Majima’s tattoos have always stood as some of the most eye-catching and meaningful across the entire Like a Dragon franchise, and it seems clear that Ryu Ga Gotoku is going to lean into this in a way that will finally add even more depth and backstory to one of the most beloved and layered figures in the series.
