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Finally finished actually playing IW and Ohhhhh I didn't realize that the very last part of Livin' the Dream (pyih post-credits OST) is actually a reference to IW's Credits song (Life is -創痍- (創痍 = wound/injury))

From what I can understand the main differences are:

a slightly slower BPM

the melody is played one octave higher

different key (The IW credits song is in A-Flat, PYIH's credit song is in D-Minor, which, notably, is typically used to evoke a more sad/melancholy feeling, music-theory wise)

The piano in Livin' the Dream also slows down as it approaches the end (at like the last 3 notes), whereas the melody in Life Is maintains a consistent tempo before hitting the final note

Speaking of the final note: Life Is ends on a single, low octave note (D-Flat) that cuts off the melody, whereas Livin' the Dream has an arpeggiated/"rolled" chord (D-Minor seventh) that "completes" the melody rather than cutting it off

Livin' the Dream's piano overall sounding softer/more dampened

Honestly all of this could quite literally mean Nothing and I kind of just wanted to note down the differences for fun, but if you want my (disorganized) thoughts on it:

Considering that Life Is plays after Kiryu almost Dies for the millionth time, and that Livin' the Dream plays when we are specifically prevented from seeing any updates on Kiryu's condition, I mainly wanted to see if the differences between the two songs could give any indications on Kiryu's health/condition specifically and uh, tl;dr I didn't get anywhere with that, if I'm being completely honest.

At first when I considered the differences, the melacholic key and especially the slowing tempo at the end, I thought it would be pretty safe to say that it's likely that it's leaning towards suggesting that Kiryu's condition is only worsening. I don't think I need to spell out what a slowing BPM in music could, theoretically, indicate in a storytelling context.

However, the change from a single ending note to an arpeggiated chord is definitely interesting and noteworthy (and also totally throwing me off if I'm being honest) While the ending of Life Is has a feeling of finality to it (fitting, since it Should mark the very end of Kiryu's story) Livin' the Dream's is strangely hopeful, despite everything about the differences between the two songs. It's surprisingly light-sounding, despite how heavy and weighed down the rest of that part of the song sounds.

And I say that it throws me off because, honestly, that difference could mean way too many things. Does it sound hopeful because Kiryu is doing (mostly) alright after all? Or is it supposed to evoke more of a feeling of "letting go"? (Or, again, this all just means nothing, and it was just a music choice they happened to make for emotional impact but shh). Overall, I realized that trying to analyze the music to try and scramble for clues about Kiryu would ultimately lead me nowhere and I'd end up running in circles again, so I instead want to redirect this elsewhere.

I think a more productive approach to this would be trying to see the track from Majima's POV. Again, the bulk of the post-credits scene is about Majima's dreams through Kiryu, and there's also that crazy line (the other one. The one that goes "Well, still just a dream in the end"). Like I've touched on in multiple posts by now, Majima facing Kiryu (or just a person he cares about in general) in such an upfront and normal way is, imo, a big milestone for his character, and like I touched on earlier in this post, that final chord sounds surprisingly light despite the heaviness of the notes throughout the rest of the song, so here are my main thoughts:

I still think that the majority of the differences indicate that things aren't looking great for Kiryu. Having such a mournful track play during that scene is just, not a good sign in general. And while most of the reasoning for all the differences between Life Is and Livin' the Dream are just pure speculation, the key signature difference is absolutely intentional. Rgg Wants to set a melancholy/mournful tone with this rendition, despite how hopeful and strong Life Is sounded. So, do with that what you will

As for that final chord, it comes in right before Majima fully delves into his recount of pyih's story to Kiryu, and, as opposed to Life Is' final note, it completes the song's melody. I'd like to think that this music choice is an indication that, even if we the players never got to see Majima and Kiryu's conversation actually take place, that this lifted a big weight on Majima's shoulders (again!! Character development!! This is the kind of thing I was expecting back in yk2's Majima Saga and never got!!) After all these years we get a moment we see Kiryu and Majima just talk in a normal way/context/etc, and despite the pretty dire circumstances, I'd like to think that that last hopeful note means that Majima finds some real relief in having this conversation, and while we don't See it, considering how bittersweet the entire rest of the post-credits is and how bittersweet Majima's Own change in mannerisms were, there was some part of him that felt some real closure from all of this (something something working out knots that Majima has had for. Well. Definitely more than 18 years this time around)

Again, take all this with a pinch of salt, because this could all just mean NOTHING. but also this isn't my first time over-analyzing instrumentals and I thought I might as well jot these down anyway so do with all that what you will

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WAHOOOOOO

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OP here and yes, they most likely won't be making any more Kiryu-led games. The interview Yokoyama's excerpt was from was all about his thoughts on ending Kiryu's story and moving forward! Also here's this excerpt from TGS; it was just before Gaiden and IW came out, so it's a lot less decisively-worded than the interview to avoid spoilers, but it came to mind:

"These 2 titles, [Gaiden] and [IW], are kind of the culmination of RGG Studio, which you can't picture any new [RGG] games in the series. We might not make any RPG titles with 2 main characters in the future, nor any action titles with Kiryu as the only main character, and you can understand why after you play the game."

Ohhhh I see!

Yeah, even after pyih's release and ending people have still been speculating on Kiryu's return in a leading role in a future game which, honestly, had me worried. Like I said, I love Kiryu to death but having him take up the lead role again after y6 and gaiden and Especially after infinite wealth would just feel lowkey cheap. Of course, I wouldn't expect rgg to try and pull something like that but it didn't feel like an Impossibility either, which had me concerned. But this is honestly pretty reassuring. Let the man have some peace rgg I'm begging you 🙏🙏🙏

That does have me excited to see what rgg has in store for their future titles though! Whether it's the next lad with Ichigang or maybe Project Cebtury coming up.... Very hype!!

Thank you for sharing this I appreciate it :))

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the way dead souls handles majima is profusely interesting to me. at least for the beginning that i've seen it leans more into the vibe he has in y1/2, emphasizes him as a freak who loves violence, and after y5 it's kind of. fresh, even. like not that he doesn't like violence on some level, majima does not have a normal relationship with violence whatsoever from how i read him anyway, but here it's done for the joy of it in its purest form. there's no one to fight with, there's only targets to inflict violence to, and no reason to hold back on them for that matter. there is joy in tearing down bodies after bodies and in having bigger beasts toss you around as well, in inflicting some kind of pain as well as receiving it

and the thing is too that im not sure if this is even a performance or a mask because there's no one to perform to. the undead don't have the ability to care and do not matter. the quarantine zone is effectively deserted. who would you need to convince here, that you are as violent as they say you are, that you get off on that shit? or are you in so deep you need to keep telling yourself that this is who you are and this is what you want and this is something short of a dream scenario to you?

yes im taking the goofy zombie shooter as characterization dlc and you can't stop me

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More RGG adaptations to come with potential for anime and manga

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hi. i made a chart

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The fun but also kind of fucked up thing about trying to analyze Majima (and as a consequence any relationships he has) is that my image/take of him changes constantly. I'll have a million thousand different opinions/interpretations on him/his dynamics with others and they'll change depending on just the Vibes I'm getting from him for the week or just what specific aspect of him I feel like putting under a microscope for the day. Sometimes I'll tweak bits of him in my head just for fun, and sometimes it still works, because it's Majima and he can be almost anything (something something trying to fulfill the expectation/image that other people have Of him being a directly stated aspect of his personality).

All the majimers in my brain are different only marginally on the surface but use a different piece of him for their foundations. At the end of the day they're still all Majima, just broken down into smaller/more isolated bits and pieces and moved around. With a personality as multi-faceted as his I guess I just can't help but put them all together in different configurations, and, again, his own penchant for catering to other people's vision of him only expands this further, and what you have at the end of it all is the shifting mass that is Majima, who seems to change constantly depending on how you shine the light on him.

Anyway Yokoyama saying "Every Majima is the 'real' Majima" is so true and the realest thing ever actually

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おおきにな 兄弟

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Woah Yakuza blog jumpscare

heyyyy this is my main blog which is (for the meantime) primarily a yakuza/like a dragon blog. Uhhh some organization/info stuff:

#my art - I draw sometimes 👍

#certified yap sessions - my big funny analysis/rant posts

Feel free to send asks!! I love responding to asks and if you ask me for my thoughts on something there is a 75% chance my response will go over the 500-word count (Especially if it's about my favorite characters lol). Drawing requests are cool too!

TALK ABOUT KENZAN MORE PLEASE PLEASE I IT'S REALLY INTERESTING PLEAAA

Also very important: This blog has series-wide spoilers. I don't tag individual games with the exception of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (spoiler tag -> #pirate yakuza spoilers) because, as of the making of this blog, it's the newest game, so be careful!

I still need to play ishin lol

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what in the actual fuck

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The fact that Majima doesn’t wear the snakeskin jacket again, even at the conclusion of the game…

He first puts it on in zero, signifying the birth of the mad dog

It’s taken by the ocean in the beginning of Pirate, forcibly removing the mad dog pelt from him via amnesia

When he regains his memories, he keeps it off.

He shed the mad dog skin.

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happy kenzan day to the three (3) people who celebrate

Alt version without the blur + the last panel because I was indecisive LOL

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The situation between Kiryu and Majima is mostly just really depressing. But I think you kinda got at a silver lining with Majima ending the game by talking to and spending time with Kiryu in a normal way.

Majima has done everything except be upfront with Kiryu about his feelings. Instead, he does a lot of self-destructive things for Kiryu’s sake that would only devastate Kiryu if he knew the extent of what’s been going on with him (thinking of Kiryu being a mess in 5 over Majima’s “death” and then Majima nearly actually dying for Kiryu’s sake).

Majima just spending time with Kiryu in the hospital and telling him about what he’s been up to probably goes a lot further in making Kiryu happy than if he had actually shown up with a immortal elixir that he put his life at risk to get.

Yeah, looking back I wish I'd taken more time to reflect on the new, more positive development between Majima and Kiryu at the end of the scene, because as depressing as their situation as a whole is, that silver lining is genuinely really significant. I believe it really does show that their relationship is not doomed to depressing hell forever, and that is largely in part to Majima's own growth in this game.

As I touched on in another post, Majima walking away from the viewer to Kiryu’s hospital room parallels very interestingly with how Yakuza 0 ended, when Majima walked away from Makoto. In y0 silences his feelings and walks away, choosing to maintain a physical And emotional distance between them that he carries all the way to yk2 (and that he Does Not Let Go Of, even In his saga in yk2), leaving all of the self-sacrificing and self-destructive gestures but none of the actual fulfillment of the ability to just. Enjoy each others' company when the danger has finally passed.

Meanwhile in pyih you see him walking towards Kiryu in the final seconds of the game, confronting him head-on (with encouragement from Saejima), just to. Talk. No business, no "take care of x for me" no "I'm Depending on your for y", just having a normal conversation like they should've, could've done in yakuza 3, like they could've done in infinite wealth, what I wish they'd done in 5 and what they Definitely didn't do enough of in Gaiden. (And, just like what Majima and Makoto should've done too in yk2, if Majima had actually grown).

Its interesting because Majima, who's all about impulsive and grandiose gestures and actions and the need to die in a way that matters for someone else, technically didn't even "win" with his plans this time, like he did with Makoto. He didn't get to pull off his hundred-millionth self-sacrificing gesture for Kiryu. He didn't get to die valiantly fighting. A giant squid (lmao) or run back to Japan with the treasure that he dug up with his own blood sweat and tears. But he seems. Strangely okay with the aftermath, all things considered (I know I've been sticking to the word "resigned" when describing how he feels in this particular moment all this time but. What I'm getting at is that he's more okay than you may expect, considering the circumstances and the stakes at hand.)

(I want to (very abruptly lol) point out the fact that we've seen this kind of arc with Majima on a smaller scale before. Majima had a lot of the same deal in y0/4, where he pushed himself with the goal to die for Saejima for Years before his release from prison and was ready to go through with it the day of. However, this ended up being another situation where he "didn't win." What he got by the end of it wasn't Saejima claiming his title as new Tojo patriarch over his dead body, but rather (after a fight goaded on by Majima himself and some pushing by Saejima) they got to just. Talk things down. And just go back to being the bros they were before that whole mess. And Saejima's been able to be Majima's rock for the rest of the games since.

I just think someone would've benefited a Lot from taking notes. And that someone is Not Saejima.)

Like I kinda-did-kinda-didn't get to at the end of the whale post, I think the most important takeaway for Majima at the end of this game is him learning to not constantly throw himself into the fire for every person he wants to protect. Getting himself killed for Saejima and Kiryu wouldn't have made them happy. Keeping himself away from Makoto didn't make her happy, and now the ship of them being involved in each other's lives has long since sailed.

Keeping himself emotionally distant hasn't helped any of them Once, and this is why it's so important that he tries to cross some of that gap now with what is honestly his worst case of lifelong devotion yet (even if it's in a way that's small, in a way that's arguably insignificant for the emotional rift they have, even if it's just through telling some pirate tale, even if Kiryu might not know the true significance of it all even now. At least its Something. At least they just get to be. People, together. It's much more casual than anything they've had with each other for the past like 5 games, but strangely that casualness is arguably more intimate, after everything that's happened.)

Honestly this decision from Majima aligns perfectly with the admittedly cheesy (but I mean this in a loving way) ending of the main plot of pyih itself; by the end of the adventure Majima seeks not the grand impossible treasure he was originally chasing after but to rather cherish and enjoy the time he spent with the people he has come to care about over the course of the game (the photo). Such simple kinds of wishes are rare for Majima at best, but that's why it's so important he gives himself that now: the ability to just sit down and talk with the people he cherishes. That literally would've saved him so many damn times, I think. I think that's something he's desperately needed with Kiryu especially since Yakuza 3. And I think that those final moments in the last cutscene of pirate yakuza means he'll let himself indulge in it, just a little.

I really just hope that it'll be enough to give him and Kiryu some of that peace and closure that they seem to chronically lack, especially when it comes to each other. I hope it means they really can be happy with each other, just for a little while. Most of all I hope it means Majima can be at least some degree of upfront one day, before it's straight up too late 💥

(tl;dr Yeah, honestly, Majima just sitting down and talking with Kiryu for once means more for himself than killing himself over that eternal life elixir ever could have. He's an old ass man, he should learn to settle down a bit, you know?)

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talk more about the white whale/whale symbolism in general whatever thoughts you have on the whale stuff i want to hear it 👂

GRAHHHHH YEAH (This one got. Long (again lol) So be prepared (series-wide spoilers but I feel like that's a given atp))

First of all I just wanna say that I love how rgg drags the player along around the final chapter title. With how upfront the other chapter titles are in what they're referring to, you might end up wondering why they chose White Whale for the final chapter title once you see the title card (or at least I did). Of course, this could just be referring to the treasure that everyone's been looking for, but with how nonchalantly they react to the fact that the treasure isn't actually there, it doesn't seem to completely fit the bill.

But then you beat the game (and by this I mean beat the final boss) and lo and behold, there's an Actual white whale, and so you think "Oh! Duh, the chapter's called White Whale because there's a literal white whale and it pretty much just finished off the final boss!" But that still doesn't make that much sense. Why name the final chapter (arguably the most important one) after some whale that appears in the last like 15 minutes of the game? Like, take the final chapter name of (Kiryu) Gaiden, it's literally the name of the game (The Man Who Erased His Name) so it's gotta be something more significant than that, right? (But then of course take into the account that by this point the player is still convinced that nothing really in pyih is too deep/serious, so maybe it could just be something as simple as that).

Then you get to the credits, and they reveal that the "elixir"/the ambergris is found in the stomachs of whales. Damn, that's pretty crazy/cool, but once again, nobody that was actively seeking the treasure (Rodriguez, Jason/Noah, Spade Tucker, etc you know the drill) seems to hung up on the fact that they didn't find it, and they didn't even encounter the whale, so they wouldn't get that same sense that they just missed it either, again, it's not a big deal really, so why make that the final chapter title?

Of course, we all know what this builds up to: the big reveal, the fact that Majima, who we've been following along with this entire game, was looking for that elixir this entire time, was the only one to actually encounter a whale in the game, and then there's the insane line drop from Saejima.

"Kiryu Kazuma. You never could give up on that one."

Ironically, the final chapter title has nothing to do with that whale you saw earlier at all, rather it's a summary of what Majima's motivations/actions for this game, and the past. Almost every game, has meant for him. It's what Saejima spells out for us at the end of the game, but said in even fewer words.

An all-consuming obsession that only leads to your destruction. An impossibility, something that you can destroy yourself over but never achieve/obtain. This is what the white whale means, metaphorically. And it is this, exactly, that Kiryu is to Majima.

Kiryu is larger than life itself, to just about everyone. He's a legend, he's the one Majima has had his sights on since the very beginning, the legend he chases after game after game and also what he destroys himself over game after game.

(see:

Yakuza 1 -> Majima just straight up taking a full-on stab wound for Kiryu. Like, buddy, I literally saw one of my favorite characters die that way in another game, there was No guarantee you were surviving that.

Yakuza 2 -> Majima fights off an army of yakuza for Kiryu. That man was beat to total Shit (which is Not something that happens often) and we all saw it

Yakuza 3 -> Majima re-enters the Tojo Clan for Kiryu even though he is (extremely likely) aware that it is already entering its steady decline that we see throughout the rest of the series up until its dissolution. And while he's willing to do it for Kiryu, we can't exactly say that he's happy about the situation as a whole.

Yakuza 5 -> Majima's willingness to die for Haruka, specifically stated because "She means more to Kiryu-chan than life itself." Like, of course he wouldn't just let Haruka get killed, but to choose to mention Kiryu as part of his reasoning in that moment? Christ

While I (surprisingly) can't say anything particularly self-destructive happened in (Kiryu) Gaiden and Infinite Wealth, you could argue that Majima trying to more and more directly tell Kiryu not to leave ("No need to rush outta here yet... Alright?" -> "Don't leave! Don't you dare leave, Kiryu-chan!"), knowing that it's likely pointless, knowing Kiryu, is not doing himself any favors.

Pirate Yakuza -> *gestures at the entire game*

Also his reaction to encountering that giant squid ("Sure is a helluva way to die. I think I'm into it!"). Like, okay. I don't want to try and read too much into it because it was very likely just a one off line. But I'm still gonna side-eye it.

Honestly now that I think about it, if Majima Had died fighting that giant squid (that is such a way to begin a sentence thank you rgg), you could argue that that would've been his nail in the coffin for the white whale metaphor. If he had, it would've meant that his obsession for Kiryu is what got him dragged down into the literal depths of the ocean, and even if it wouldn't be Kiryu physically dragging Majima down like the white whale to Ahab, this is a situation that is completely, entirely, fueled by Majima's obsession towards him (Majima had no real interest in the nuclear waste cleanup project, after all, Kiryu was his one motivation this entire time), and it would've drowned him.

Guess that means he got real lucky with the last part, but we all know he sure as hell isn't beating the allegations.)

All this and yet Majima seems to fail to reaching Kiryu time and time again.

Majima does not obtain the Heart of the Dragon, found in the intestines of the literal whale. He does not obtain eternal life for Kiryu. And he (arguably, though the final scene of him walking to Kiryu's hospital room could oppose this) does not resolve the indefinite limbo that has been sitting between them throughout the entire series. What he gets at the end of the game is the acknowledgement (through Saejima, everybody thank him) that he has been obsessing over this, and perhaps the realization that Kiryu was, in fact, this white whale that he would never truly reach ("Well, still just a dream in the end.") Of course this is something he already knows/has acknowledged deep down, and it's a feeling that is hinted at in some of his dialogue in scattered moments, but this is the first time he ever says it in such an outright manner.

I guess in a way, you could say that Pirate Yakuza is a story about the newfound success of all the people Majima helped and supported in achieving their dreams, and the continued failure of Majima in pursuing his own (Kiryu), and him needing to acknowledge/accept that. And the post-credits begs the question of what he decides to do with the aftermath and what he has left. (An oversimplification definitely but still. augh. Augh)

Naming the final chapter White Whale was yet another crazy move on rgg's part. Its so unassuming, seemingly straightforward yet also seemingly insignificant, but once the realization dawns on you it slaps you right in the face, just like everything else about this game does. It's yet another instance of how rgg managed to pull its big reveal so well, with all the small details, all the reframing, all pointing back to the same topic that it had spent the entire rest of the game dancing around.

Majima recounting his story of how he went to Hawaii -> Majima recounts his story to Kiryu in the exact same way at the very end

The treasure everyone's been looking for/known about + Majima, the one guy who didn't have knowledge about any of this legend stuff prior? -> Wrong, he was after the treasure from the very start (before the amnesia at least). For Kiryu

Majima originally being on course for Hawaii so he could help with the nuclear waste cleanup even though he'd be bored as hell? -> Nah. For Kiryu (Ohhhhh you know what this is reminding me of some screenshots I took from near the beginning of the game)

(I'm sure this meant nothing of course. Lol. Lmao)

Majima's dream during pirate yakuza being to fulfill Other People's dreams -> Haha. Well, I think you get the point by now

Kiryu, Kiryu, Kiryu. It all goes back to Kiryu, every single time, without fail, in an obsessive loop that Majima has been dragging himself around over for Years. He is the white whale, seemingly untouchable, the constant object of Majima's attention and devotion in so many forms, his consistent weak point, that only seems to dig at him deeper as the games go on.

Like I said before, while the white whale metaphor is undeniable, and essentially spells doom for Majima, it's not over for him yet. Because, hey, he didn't drown at sea, or die on the beach. He was saved, and he's survived enough to retell that tale and reflect on it all with Saejima in the post-credits, brief as that reflection was. I mentioned before how he really only said one line of any actual substance during that specific part of the exchange, but the significance of it says so much.

"Well, still just a dream in the end"

As much as it hurts to here Majima address the hopelessness of it all, to hear him say something like that after Saejima basically just laid out his sheer devotion and refusal to give up on his dream for everyone to see, I think the bittersweetness is. Good, actually. Captain Ahab never gave up on that pursuit on the white whale, and it destroyed him; that whale dragged him down until he finally drowned, and it feels like all Majima has been doing over Kiryu since Yakuza 3 is drowning himself in him.

Don't get me wrong, I (for now at least) do not take that line as a complete admittance of defeat, or Majima finally giving up on Kiryu, on that dream he could never let go of. (Like I've been saying, it's an acknowledgement, not exactly a declaration.) I do not think it means he is just letting go, full-stop.

But I do hope it means he can stop himself from self-destructing completely. I hope it means that he can slow down with the wild chase, (and that he and Kiryu can just. Sit down and talk like fucking normal people. Which i guess they are doing in the post-credits, supposedly) and I hope it means that he won't drown completely, especially in the case of the worst possible scenario.

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talk more about the white whale/whale symbolism in general whatever thoughts you have on the whale stuff i want to hear it 👂

GRAHHHHH YEAH (This one got. Long (again lol) So be prepared (series-wide spoilers but I feel like that's a given atp))

First of all I just wanna say that I love how rgg drags the player along around the final chapter title. With how upfront the other chapter titles are in what they're referring to, you might end up wondering why they chose White Whale for the final chapter title once you see the title card (or at least I did). Of course, this could just be referring to the treasure that everyone's been looking for, but with how nonchalantly they react to the fact that the treasure isn't actually there, it doesn't seem to completely fit the bill.

But then you beat the game (and by this I mean beat the final boss) and lo and behold, there's an Actual white whale, and so you think "Oh! Duh, the chapter's called White Whale because there's a literal white whale and it pretty much just finished off the final boss!" But that still doesn't make that much sense. Why name the final chapter (arguably the most important one) after some whale that appears in the last like 15 minutes of the game? Like, take the final chapter name of (Kiryu) Gaiden, it's literally the name of the game (The Man Who Erased His Name) so it's gotta be something more significant than that, right? (But then of course take into the account that by this point the player is still convinced that nothing really in pyih is too deep/serious, so maybe it could just be something as simple as that).

Then you get to the credits, and they reveal that the "elixir"/the ambergris is found in the stomachs of whales. Damn, that's pretty crazy/cool, but once again, nobody that was actively seeking the treasure (Rodriguez, Jason/Noah, Spade Tucker, etc you know the drill) seems to hung up on the fact that they didn't find it, and they didn't even encounter the whale, so they wouldn't get that same sense that they just missed it either, again, it's not a big deal really, so why make that the final chapter title?

Of course, we all know what this builds up to: the big reveal, the fact that Majima, who we've been following along with this entire game, was looking for that elixir this entire time, was the only one to actually encounter a whale in the game, and then there's the insane line drop from Saejima.

"Kiryu Kazuma. You never could give up on that one."

Ironically, the final chapter title has nothing to do with that whale you saw earlier at all, rather it's a summary of what Majima's motivations/actions for this game, and the past. Almost every game, has meant for him. It's what Saejima spells out for us at the end of the game, but said in even fewer words.

An all-consuming obsession that only leads to your destruction. An impossibility, something that you can destroy yourself over but never achieve/obtain. This is what the white whale means, metaphorically. And it is this, exactly, that Kiryu is to Majima.

Kiryu is larger than life itself, to just about everyone. He's a legend, he's the one Majima has had his sights on since the very beginning, the legend he chases after game after game and also what he destroys himself over game after game.

(see:

Yakuza 1 -> Majima just straight up taking a full-on stab wound for Kiryu. Like, buddy, I literally saw one of my favorite characters die that way in another game, there was No guarantee you were surviving that.

Yakuza 2 -> Majima fights off an army of yakuza for Kiryu. That man was beat to total Shit (which is Not something that happens often) and we all saw it

Yakuza 3 -> Majima re-enters the Tojo Clan for Kiryu even though he is (extremely likely) aware that it is already entering its steady decline that we see throughout the rest of the series up until its dissolution. And while he's willing to do it for Kiryu, we can't exactly say that he's happy about the situation as a whole.

Yakuza 5 -> Majima's willingness to die for Haruka, specifically stated because "She means more to Kiryu-chan than life itself." Like, of course he wouldn't just let Haruka get killed, but to choose to mention Kiryu as part of his reasoning in that moment? Christ

While I (surprisingly) can't say anything particularly self-destructive happened in (Kiryu) Gaiden and Infinite Wealth, you could argue that Majima trying to more and more directly tell Kiryu not to leave ("No need to rush outta here yet... Alright?" -> "Don't leave! Don't you dare leave, Kiryu-chan!"), knowing that it's likely pointless, knowing Kiryu, is not doing himself any favors.

Pirate Yakuza -> *gestures at the entire game*

Also his reaction to encountering that giant squid ("Sure is a helluva way to die. I think I'm into it!"). Like, okay. I don't want to try and read too much into it because it was very likely just a one off line. But I'm still gonna side-eye it.

Honestly now that I think about it, if Majima Had died fighting that giant squid (that is such a way to begin a sentence thank you rgg), you could argue that that would've been his nail in the coffin for the white whale metaphor. If he had, it would've meant that his obsession for Kiryu is what got him dragged down into the literal depths of the ocean, and even if it wouldn't be Kiryu physically dragging Majima down like the white whale to Ahab, this is a situation that is completely, entirely, fueled by Majima's obsession towards him (Majima had no real interest in the nuclear waste cleanup project, after all, Kiryu was his one motivation this entire time), and it would've drowned him.

Guess that means he got real lucky with the last part, but we all know he sure as hell isn't beating the allegations.)

All this and yet Majima seems to fail to reaching Kiryu time and time again.

Majima does not obtain the Heart of the Dragon, found in the intestines of the literal whale. He does not obtain eternal life for Kiryu. And he (arguably, though the final scene of him walking to Kiryu's hospital room could oppose this) does not resolve the indefinite limbo that has been sitting between them throughout the entire series. What he gets at the end of the game is the acknowledgement (through Saejima, everybody thank him) that he has been obsessing over this, and perhaps the realization that Kiryu was, in fact, this white whale that he would never truly reach ("Well, still just a dream in the end.") Of course this is something he already knows/has acknowledged deep down, and it's a feeling that is hinted at in some of his dialogue in scattered moments, but this is the first time he ever says it in such an outright manner.

I guess in a way, you could say that Pirate Yakuza is a story about the newfound success of all the people Majima helped and supported in achieving their dreams, and the continued failure of Majima in pursuing his own (Kiryu), and him needing to acknowledge/accept that. And the post-credits begs the question of what he decides to do with the aftermath and what he has left. (An oversimplification definitely but still. augh. Augh)

Naming the final chapter White Whale was yet another crazy move on rgg's part. Its so unassuming, seemingly straightforward yet also seemingly insignificant, but once the realization dawns on you it slaps you right in the face, just like everything else about this game does. It's yet another instance of how rgg managed to pull its big reveal so well, with all the small details, all the reframing, all pointing back to the same topic that it had spent the entire rest of the game dancing around.

Majima recounting his story of how he went to Hawaii -> Majima recounts his story to Kiryu in the exact same way at the very end

The treasure everyone's been looking for/known about + Majima, the one guy who didn't have knowledge about any of this legend stuff prior? -> Wrong, he was after the treasure from the very start (before the amnesia at least). For Kiryu

Majima originally being on course for Hawaii so he could help with the nuclear waste cleanup even though he'd be bored as hell? -> Nah. For Kiryu (Ohhhhh you know what this is reminding me of some screenshots I took from near the beginning of the game)

(I'm sure this meant nothing of course. Lol. Lmao)

Majima's dream during pirate yakuza being to fulfill Other People's dreams -> Haha. Well, I think you get the point by now

Kiryu, Kiryu, Kiryu. It all goes back to Kiryu, every single time, without fail, in an obsessive loop that Majima has been dragging himself around over for Years. He is the white whale, seemingly untouchable, the constant object of Majima's attention and devotion in so many forms, his consistent weak point, that only seems to dig at him deeper as the games go on.

Like I said before, while the white whale metaphor is undeniable, and essentially spells doom for Majima, it's not over for him yet. Because, hey, he didn't drown at sea, or die on the beach. He was saved, and he's survived enough to retell that tale and reflect on it all with Saejima in the post-credits, brief as that reflection was. I mentioned before how he really only said one line of any actual substance during that specific part of the exchange, but the significance of it says so much.

"Well, still just a dream in the end"

As much as it hurts to here Majima address the hopelessness of it all, to hear him say something like that after Saejima basically just laid out his sheer devotion and refusal to give up on his dream for everyone to see, I think the bittersweetness is. Good, actually. Captain Ahab never gave up on that pursuit on the white whale, and it destroyed him; that whale dragged him down until he finally drowned, and it feels like all Majima has been doing over Kiryu since Yakuza 3 is drowning himself in him.

Don't get me wrong, I (for now at least) do not take that line as a complete admittance of defeat, or Majima finally giving up on Kiryu, on that dream he could never let go of. (Like I've been saying, it's an acknowledgement, not exactly a declaration.) I do not think it means he is just letting go, full-stop.

But I do hope it means he can stop himself from self-destructing completely. I hope it means that he can slow down with the wild chase, (and that he and Kiryu can just. Sit down and talk like fucking normal people. Which i guess they are doing in the post-credits, supposedly) and I hope it means that he won't drown completely, especially in the case of the worst possible scenario.

[kenzan-brainrot-mp4]

At the end of Pirates in Yakuza, Saejima lays it all out on the line about Majima’s true intentions for going to Hawaii and reveals he even finds his antics entertaining. Daigo got a good laugh out of Majima trying to cure Kiryu’s cancer with something out of a fairytale, too.

In Gaiden, there’s a moment where Saejima makes an amused sound at the ever dramatic duo after Majima begs Kiryu to stay. Hell, he even looks at the two softly for a good while. Shit. Even Tsuruno and Daigo seem to be grinning about that display 💀 I used to think I was focusing on nothing, but after the new game I firmly believe this was definitely hinting something.

[kenzan-brainrot-mp4]

Ending of the newest game is pretty insane as we already know, but what also gets me is that I don’t think they’ve ever written a game this way. Where the end credits scene adds context we went the whole game without receiving and likely didn’t even notice wasn’t there to begin with. They just focus on Majima and the yakuza related Nele Island stuff. I knew in some way Kiryu must be important even if only in a small way before this game came out as I was just ya know… expecting some nod to him. Who would have ever guessed the twist of sorts was Kiryu.

And the way it was dropped? I’m still in shock days later over here. The Heart of the Dragon was not remotely subtle. They’re always very on purpose with dragon stuff especially. It’s just so much to think about. Saejima (and apparently Daigo) laughing at Majima over the whole thing is another thing that just grabs me by the heart over it. Saejima was being so supportive over his “stupid dream.” The closeup on his face when Saejima drops the killer line about never giving up on Kiryu just gets me even more. Did you know the song that plays at the end is called Livin the Dream? I can’t believe that whole scene is leading up to the next mainline game.

I’ve been enjoying your posts and replies to ask on all this stuff!

Ohhhhh now that I think about it you're right, usually by the time you hit the credits of a yakuza game you're safe from rgg's usual plot twist shenanigans, so their post-credits are usually just a typical tying up of loose-ends, some post-plot follows ups, etc. (which, in terms of yakuza like, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8, is also rgg going out of their way to go "Look guys! Kiryu's still alive after all for the next game!), but instead in pirate yakuza, it's here where they choose to throw their biggest curveball at the player (and another reveal that Kiryu is alive (For Now)), which I think is honestly the perfect move for the game that pirate yakuza was. In terms of yakuza games, pirate yakuza's plot was played about as straight as it gets. Don't get me wrong, of course there are reveals and some bait-and-switches, but they definitely felt (imo) like they were on a much smaller scale than some of the insane things rgg has pulled in the past (and it. Gave me several less headaches than some other games in the franchise lol (I mean this affectionately)), so it's perfect for keeping your guard down.

And as for Kiryu's involvement I totally feel you there, when Majima was going to reunite with Saejima and they kept namedropping the "Dragon of Dojima" I was basically holding my breath, and then of course the name reveal about the Heart of the Dragon later on.... while rgg was keeping you occupied with the Nele Island conflict they really made sure to sneak in just the Barest Possible crumbs to make sure you know that Kiryu will be involved Eventually and get you thinking things ("Maybe mentions of the Dragon of Dojima will jog Majima's memory" / "Ouch rgg, naming the treasure the Heart of the Dragon when we know Kiryu could probably use an elixir like that right about now, really?" <- thoughts I had while playing), but they do not prepare you whatsoever for the true degree of his involvement At All. And it ended up being so damn effective (Before the game released I was personally theorizing that mentions of Kiryu or someone (like Saejima) bringing him up would contribute to Majima regaining his memory, but rgg really just went "nah, no matter what, Majima will always find himself right back at Kiryu's heels, memory or not" which is CRAZY)

AND YEAH THE FACT THAT SAEJIMA AND DAIGO KNEW.... Thinking about how Saejima had that whole speech about how Majima was running away from his responsibilities and telling him off for avoiding his duty to help all the ex-yakuza (while he was still doubting that he had amnesia), yet despite that, he still seemed to support him in this particular endeavor anyway. Considering how miserable Majima was in infinite wealth (I still can't get the scene of Kiryu reuniting with the jimas out of my head.... Daigo and Saejima were out actually fishing while Majima stayed inside to sleep and drink. He was going Through it), it only makes sense that they'd let him take this detour, and like, even though they Knew it was a stupid dream it's unlikely they could've stopped Majima even if they wanted to considering how much conviction (read: desperation) he had in all of this. "Majima-san's runnin' around like he's forty again." ...Daigo... that was 20 years ago..... he hasn't had this much enthusiasm since the Majima Everywhere days

Also the last cutscene song name being "Livin' the Dream".... the achievement for completing the final chapter being "Ya Gotta Keep Livin'" (which I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was, in part, directed at Kiryu from Majima)... oughhhh we can't keep letting rgg get away with this man

I'm very interested (scared) to know what the next mainline game will be looking like, because really we have no hints on what might happen next. There's so little to go off of in terms of mainline-game-relevant information, and rgg won't even let us know what state Kiryu is really in (probably. Bad.), so all we can do is wait orz... here's to hoping for the best (then again, Pirate Yakuza was my "hoping for the best/everything will turn out alright" game and look where we are now, like five posts deep into agonizing over the ending 💀).

Also thank you!! I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings, it's very fun to pick apart this game, and considering it's been almost an entire week since I beat it it's great to have an outlet for all the thoughts that have been stewing in my head this entire time LOL, thank you for sharing your thoughts :)