After 11 years of being the face of the Yakuza series, Kazuma Kiryu took his exit as the main protagonist with Yakuza 6. He left behind big shoes to fill – ones that Ichiban Kasuga would have to fill in Yakuza: Like A Dragon.
Luckily for Ichiban, he succeeded to tremendous effect. Unlike the stonefaced Kiryu, Ichiban is a much more energetic and hopeful character. His loveable attitude won him a spot in many Yakuza fans’ hearts and he has become one of the best protagonists the series has seen. He is a bit more childish and often finds himself acting without thinking. This leads to many antics of the loveable idiot archetype Ichiban falls into.
10 Life’s A Video Game
One of the biggest traits of Ichiban is that he is in love with the Dragon Quest series – so much so that he pictures himself as the hero from the series when he is fighting. This is the in-universe explanation for why the combat is turned based.
While talking in his home with Namba, Ichiban and he share a chat about how they should look at life like they are leveling up and slowly improving themselves. It’s something that makes Ichiban stand out, and the way he looks at life is something that you can’t help but love.
9 Only The Worthy Can Wield The Sword
Ichiban sees the world in an incredibly unique way. Sometimes, it is hard to distinguish what is real and not with Ichiban since he’s a bit of an unreliable narrator. One of these moments comes early on in the game when he and his party stumble upon a bat buried in the ground.
Namba and Adachi both try and fail to take it out, but Ichiban succeeds and unlocks the Hero role. It is just like Excalibur from Arthurian legend, and that’s when he starts seeing his enemies as crazy versions of themselves. It’s goofy, and exactly one of the biggest reasons we love Ichiban.
8 He’s Like A Bird…Wait…
Karaoke is one of the staples of the Yakuza series, and, for some players, the reason they discovered the series in the first place. Ichiban busts out the microphone on three occasions in Yakuza: Like A Dragon, but the one that really shows he is such a loveable idiot is “Like A Butterfly”.
“Like A Butterfly” is known for its rapping backup vocal, and Ichiban performs it to hilarious effect. Donning the glasses once worn by Kiryu doing the same, Ichiban makes it work despite his silly demeanor.
7 Oh No, Ono Michio
Ono Michio was introduced in Yakuza 6 as the mascot of Onomichi with Kiryu helping to form his identity (albeit unintentionally). The Ono Michio craze made it to Ijincho where counterfeit Ono Michio statues appeared.
Ichiban comes across someone trying to gather them all as some of them are explosive. Ichiban still decides to help – even if it means he might get an explosion in the face. This is especially true since he’s using his hands instead of something safer. It’s an idiotic moment for his own safety, but the noble goals behind it make it a true example of his Himbo nature.
6 Vocational School Celebrations
The Vocational School is a minigame where Ichiban can take tests in order to improve his personality stats. There are many to take and can give Ichiban a massive boost to help him later in the game.
What happens after taking the test is what makes Ichiban so endearing. After each test, Ichiban will take out the results of the test in a grandiose fashion. Afterward, he will either be comforted while staying in his victorious posture if he failed, or thrown up in the air cheering if he passed.
5 Namba And Ichiban’s Last Two Brain Cells
After unlocking Survive, Ichiban has the option to chat with his party members to strengthen their bond. These are all miniature stories, but it’s Namba’s first half that shows the loveable idiot side of not just Ichiban, but Namba, as well.
While drinking, Namba confides in Ichiban that he drank one of the expensive bottles of whiskey and filled it with a cheap brand. Ichiban decides to help him keep the secret, but the two are constantly on pins and needles when the whiskey is mentioned. They could get away with just telling the truth, but the tension is what makes it so fun.
4 Helping The Circus Or Hurting Himself?
The substories in Yakuza are a big part of where it gets its identity. The substories in Yakuza: Like A Dragon show just what a beautiful moron Ichiban is. During one of these, Ichiban helps out a roaming circus in the park with his act.
This, in turn, leads to him having to constantly fight killer animals like tigers, bears, and a monkey in a giant crane. The fact that it happened once is already absurd, but three different times and the fact that he keeps coming back to help is what makes it kind of dumb. But in a fun way for us (and life-threatening for Ichiban).
3 Being Nice, Delivering Spice
Ichiban is someone who is always willing to lend a hand, and it’s what makes him such a sympathetic protagonist. The way he lends a hand tends to be far from orthodox though – especially in the Miracle Of Spice substory. Ichiban comes across a man who gives him his pot of kimchi, and Ichiban decides to carry it around. The trick here is that the man makes his kimchi with a pepper called the “Devil’s Claw”.
Luckily, it turns out that a lot of people could use a boost from the heat; to help people, he gives them incredibly hot peppers. This includes a high schooler, a track sprinter, and an elderly woman. It’s a ridiculous use of spicey kimchi and one that only Ichiban could think of.
2 Helping Someone Out (Who Was Scamming Him)
Ichiban rarely says no to helping someone and, in this case, agreeing to do someone’s job for them. While walking down the street, he will come across a traffic consensus taker. He does this three separate times and does the man’s job under the guise of helping him until his arm gets better.
However, it turns out that he was faking it the whole time to get someone else stuck with it. Sadly, Ichiban was the gold-hearted sucker who fell for it. It’s foolish to fall for such a scheme, but that noble streak is what makes Ichiban one of the best characters.
1 The Hero Slays The Dragon
Ichiban has a vivid imagination and it’s one of the most incredible parts of Yakuza: Like A Dragon. He thinks of completely over-the-top situations and imagines himself right in the middle of them. The one that sticks out most is when he is fighting Kiryu. He imagines himself as a knight who is slaying the dragon he pictures Kiryu to be.
It’s an absurd situation, but one that shows just how creative Ichiban can be. Even in one of the most important fights, he still lets his imagination run wild, and it helps him power through them.
