Yakuza 4 takes place one year after the previous game and introduces four protagonists who share the spotlight. Alongside Kiryu Kazuma, three new characters enter the fray, each with their own storyline to follow.
Shun Akiyama, a loan shark running his own business called Sky Finance, finds himself entangled in a conflict between the Tojo Clan and the Ueno Seiwa Clan. He also receives a 100 million yen loan request from a mysterious woman named Lily.
Taiga Saejima, Goro Majima’s blood brother, had been imprisoned for twenty years after his hit on the Ueno Seiwa Clan. After his successful escape, he sets out to find Majima, who had abandoned him during the hit.
Detective Masayoshi Tanimura is investigating a murder related to the Tojo Clan when he encounters Lily, who turns out to be Saejima’s sister. She is being targeted by the Shibata family, who are connected to the hit Saejima was involved in.
As the story progresses, Kiryu joins forces with his new partners to uncover the truth behind the ongoing conflicts and what happened to each of the characters involved.
Number 6. Yakuza 5 (2012)
Yakuza 5 takes the complex narrative structure of Yakuza 4 to another level by featuring five protagonists, making it the largest game in the series. The storylines of the five characters are interwoven, creating a complex and compelling plot.
Kiryu has left Kamurocho for Fukuoka, leaving behind his orphanage and Haruka. However, he is soon pulled back into the yakuza world when he discovers that Daigo has gone missing, and the peace between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance is in jeopardy.
Saejima is back in prison but is planning an escape with his cellmate Shigeki Baba. He learns that his blood brother Majima has been killed, and he sets out to investigate his death. Meanwhile, Haruka has grown up and is pursuing her dream of becoming a J-Pop idol. However, things take a turn for the worse when her talent agency president is found dead, and Akiyama comes to her aid to uncover the truth.
Finally, there’s Tatsuo Shinada, a former pro baseball player who was banned from the sport after being falsely accused of match-fixing. He is approached by a mysterious man who turns out to be Daigo, and tasked with uncovering the truth about what really happened in the past. All five protagonists’ paths eventually cross, leading to a thrilling conclusion.
