#Ayako Daidoji

[shafran-saffron]

I've been thinking a lot about the parallels between two of my favorite historical figures/role models recently. They are (left)Masashi Daidoji, leader of the East Asian Anti Japan Armed front, and (right)Yoon Sang-Won, spokesperson of the citizen's militia during the Gwangju uprising and the last person to die in it.

First of all you can see that they kinda look alike!! And they have the same style, all pictures of them are them in official costumes.

They are both east asian political radicals (albeit to different degrees) and militants from the 70s(come to think of it they could've met up if they wanted to)!! But there are some similarities even in their personal life:

They both had girlfriends that they cared about a lot, Masashi had Ayako Daidoji and Yoon had Park Ki-Soon. Both of them met them in their universities. Both of their girlfriends also participated in political struggles alongside them, although unfortunately Park only ever participated in peaceful activism, as she had died before the Gwangju uprising, and thus didn't get the chance to take up arms. Yoon even wrote a poem dedicated to her after her death...

By the way both Yoon and Masashi were also poets!! Although Masashi more acclaimed than Yoon.

Both of them also got to marry their university sweethearts!! But Yoon only did so only after his death in a soul wedding ceremony. One of my favorite songs ever: the march for the beloved, was written about that.

Both of them ended up as martyrs of their respective struggles, with Yoon dying in battle in 1980 and Masashi being sentenced to execution but dying still waiting on death row in 2017.

They were also about the same age!! Masashi was born in 1948 and Yoon in 1950. Come to think of it in the period of 1972-1975 both the Daidoshi couple and Yoon and Park were alive, free, politically active and relatively close to each other geographially. meaning THEY COULD'VE TOTALLY GONE ON A DOUBLE DATE TOGETHER!!! In fact the Daidoshis probably went to Korea at least once. THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SO CUTE, AND THERE IS NO PROOF THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO FROM NOW ON IM CHOOSING TO BELIEVE THAT IT DID!! God a conversation between those two would be so good I wish I could sit at a table across from them in a restaurant and hear it.

[judgementkazukun]

BASICS

Name: Kazuma Kiryu

Aliases: The Dragon of Dojima, Judgement Kazzy, Taichi Suzuki, Dragon Mask, Joryu

Age: 20-55+

Date of Birth: 17 June 1968

Astrology: Gemini Sun, Pisces Moon, Scorpio Rising + Full Chart Analysis

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black, Black/Gray, Gray; verse dependent

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 194 lbs

Rank: Chairman of the Tojo Clan (formerly)

Occupation(s): Disciple of Daidoji Temple, Debt Collector (formerly), Real Estate Agent (1988), Manager of Four Shine Cabaret Club (2006), Founder & Manager (2007-2011) of Morning Glory Orphanage, Taxi Driver (2012, as Taichi Suzuki), Bodyguard

Birthplace: Yokohama, Japan

Ethnicity: Japanese

Nationality: Japanese

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Family: Shintaro Kazama (adoptive father), Haruka Sawamura (adoptive daughter), Haruto Sawamura (adoptive grandson), Ayako (adoptive daughter), Riona (adoptive daughter), Eri (adoptive daughter), Izumi (adoptive daughter), Koji (adoptive son), Mitsuo (adoptive son), Shiro (adoptive son), Taichi (adoptive son)

BIOGRAPHICAL TIMELINE

cw: violence, death, mentions of sexual assault

Major spoilers for the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series

Childhood: Kazuma Kiryu's parents are killed, resulting in Kiryu's being raised at Sunflower Orphanage by Shintaro Kazama. At the orphanage he meets Akira Nishikiyama (Nishiki), Yuko Nishikiyama, and Yumi Sawamura.

1980 (Age 12): Kiryu secretly follows Kazama to a raid on the Korean Jingweon Mafia. Confusion erupts when he reveals his presence, resulting in Kazama killing the head of the Jingweon Mafia.

1985/6 (Age 17): Kiryu joins the yakuza alongside Nishiki. The two swear loyalty to one another, becoming oath brothers.

1988-1989 (Age 20): Events of Yakuza 0. A man that Kiryu collected a debt from turns up murdered. His superiors suspect him of the murder, but Kiryu is innocent and wants to prove this. However, one of his superiors attempts to blame Kazama for the incident, citing that it is his fault Kiryu is incompetent. Kiryu chooses to be expelled from the Tojo Clan rather than let Kazama take the fall. Kiryu joins Tetsu Tachibana and Jun Oda as a real estate agent and plans to figure out who really committed the murder he's suspected of while Tachibana Real Estate are engaging in a war with the Dojima Family over Kamurocho's empty lot. He is ultimately cleared of the murder charges and rejoins the Tojo Clan.

1993 (Age 24/25): Kiryu is held captive and tortured by Lao Ka Long.

1995 (Age 27): Sohei Dojima, the patriarch of the Dojima Family (to which both Kiryu and Nishiki belong) kidnaps Yumi Sawamura, likely planning to sexually assault her. Nishiki follows the two. Kiryu hears about this after the fact and attempts to follow them as well, but is held up by a fight on the way there. By the time he arrives, Nishiki has shot Dojima multiple times. He urges Nishiki to protect Yumi and ushers them out of the area. Police show up and arrest Kiryu for the murder. He confesses his guilt despite reservations from the interrogating detective Makoto Date.

1995-2005 (Age 27-37): Kiryu is imprisoned for Dojima's murder. He is expelled from the Tojo Clan.

2005 (Age 37): Events of Yakuza Kiwami take place. Kiryu is released from prison. Third Chairman of the Tojo Clan, Masaru Sera, has died. Later, Kiryu will find out that Sera's will named Kiryu himself as Fourth Chairman. He attempts to reunite with Kazama at the funeral, but Kazama is shot while they are talking, and Kiryu gets accused by Futoshi Shimano of the attempted murder. He escapes with the help of Makoto Date who urges him to look for Yumi. He does, but instead finds a room full of slaughtered people and a hiding and terrified Haruka Sawamura. When reuniting with Nishiki, Kiryu learns that Nishiki is responsible for Kazama's attempted murder, and the two fail to reconcile. Later on, he finds out where Kazama is waiting for him, but this time a grenade thrown by Futoshi Shimano causes Kazama to be mortally wounded. Kazama confesses he is the one who killed Kiryu's biological parents just before he dies. Kiryu tries to meet with Yumi at the Millennium Tower, but they are interrupted. He then finds Nishiki whom he fights and defeats. When another man tries to shoot Kiryu, Nishiki detonates a bomb that kills the assailant and himself. Yumi succumbs to a gunshot wound. Having lost everyone, Kiryu considers going back to jail, but is talked out of it when reminded that he is now the only adult alive that Haruka trusts. Kiryu steps down as Chairman and leaves Kamurocho to start a new life with Haruka as his adoptive daughter.

2006-2007 (Age 38): Events of Yakuza Kiwami 2 take place. On the anniversary of the incident at the Millennium Tower, Kiryu and Haruka return to Kamurocho to visit the graves of those they lost one year ago. Terada, who Kiryu had given the title of Fifth Chairman to, dies in front of him at the graveyard, and Kiryu is subsequently pulled back into the politics of the Tojo Clan. In Sotenbori, Kiryu first meets Ryuji Goda, The Dragon of Kansai, who has no interest in peace with the Tojo Clan and stages a coup against the Chairman of the Omi Alliance, who happens to be his own father. After fighting with Ryuji, Kiryu meets and is questioned by Kaoru Sayama, an investigator for the Osaka Police Department. After she is shot, he helps her and learns that she is investigating the Jingweon Mafia massacre from 1980. Later, at Terada's funeral, Ryuji Goda shows up to cause problems on purpose and to warn the Tojo Clan that in three days the Go-Ryu will invade Kamurocho. Three days later, they find out bombs have been planted throughout Kamurocho. Ryuji says he wants to fight Kiryu at their full strength as he wants to beat Kiryu and be the only one with the title of The Dragon. Sayama, after finding out Ryuji is her half-brother, risks her life by heading to confront him at the Millennium Tower to try to get him to stand down. Kiryu follows her. He, Ryuji, and Sayama are eventually last ones standing. With five minutes left counting down on the last bomb in Kamurocho, Ryuji and Kiryu decide to fight right then and there. Kiryu wins. Ryuji dies. With less than two minutes remaining before the bomb goes off, Kiryu urges Sayama to leave him, as he isn't in a state capable of escaping on time due to his own injuries. She refuses and the two remain while the bomb counts down to zero. It turns out to have been a fake the whole time.

2007-2009 (Age 41): Events of Yakuza 3 take place. Sayama tells Kiryu she's moving to America where she'll have more career growth and they part ways. Kiryu convinces ally and friendly rival Goro Majima to back Daigo Dojima as Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. Kiryu and Haruka move to Okinawa, where Kiryu sets up Morning Glory Orphanage. A few months later, he receives an eviction notice from the Ryudo Family, a local group of yakuza. He meets Rikiya, a member of the Ryudo Family, who leads him to their base after losing their fight. After confronting the patriarch, Nakahara, the man still refuses to rescind the notice. Not long later, Rikiya enlists Kiryu’s help to find Nakahara’s adoptive daughter who has been kidnapped. He rescues her, and Nakahara insists that he and Kiryu swear loyalty to one another as oath brothers right before Daigo shows up, interrupting. Daigo has decided to stop the deal for the resort and military base that were supposed to be built on the land where Morning Glory Orphanage is. Six months later both Nakahara and Daigo are shot. Returning to Kamurocho, Kiryu learns from Kashiwagi just before the other (seems to) die that there is a traitor among the Tojo Clan. Morning Glory Orphanage is destroyed by Tamashiro and Yoshitaka Mine. Tamashiro shoots Kiryu after losing their fight, but Rikiya jumps in front of Kiryu to take the bullet and dies. Kiryu then returns to Tokyo once more to face off with Mine whom he manages to talk into atoning for his actions. Later, he tries to talk Goh Hamazaki who was the traitor, into atoning as well, but Hamazaki stabs him. He manages to survive the injury and moves back to Okinawa to rebuild Morning Glory Orphanage. 

2010 (Age 42): Events of Yakuza 4 take place. Taiga Saejima washes up on the shore of Morning Glory Orphanage and is found by Kiryu and Haruka. After helping him back to health, Kiryu gives him fresh clothes and money to return to Kamurocho despite suspecting he may be an escaped convict. Later, Hamazaki washes up on the beach as well. Kiryu helps him as well despite the man having once tried to kill him. Hamazaki ultimately decides to turn himself in to the police, and Kiryu accompanies him on the way there. They run into Yasuko Saejima, and try to talk to her about her brother, but are interrupted by penitentiary officers. Returning to Kamurocho with Yasuko, Kiryu enlists Date for help protecting her. Yasuko is eventually killed despite Kiryu's best efforts to protect her. Kiryu confronts Daigo and scolds him for his poor decisions leading to a weakened Tojo Clan, but also apologizes for not being there and doing more to help him. After Saejima rejoins the Tojo Clan as a family patriarch, Kiryu returns to Okinawa once more to continue running Morning Glory Orphanage. 

2011-2012 (Age 44): Events of Yakuza 5 take place. Mirai Park approaches Kiryu to scout Haruka as an idol. After Haruka tells him his presence is holding her and the others back, Kiryu leaves for Fukuoka, assigning a new manager to the orphanage. In Fukuoka he works as a taxi driver and uses the name Taichi Suzuki. Daigo goes missing, and the last person to have seen him was Kiryu, when Daigo was in the back of his taxi asking for his advice. He refutes initial attempts to drag him into looking for Daigo, but later meets with Omi Alliance Lieutenant Masaru Watase to try to avoid a war between the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan. Aoyama attempts to frame Kiryu for an attack on the two Tojo Clan officers who told him about Daigo's disappearance. Kiryu suspects Daigo decided to go into hiding due to Aoyama's planned attempts on his life. He confronts Aoyama and beats him as a warning. After hearing on the news that a murder victim was found in Tokyo and identified as Goro Majima, Kiryu returns to Tokyo. This turns out to have been a ruse to lure out both Kiryu and Saejima, who is both Majima's oath brother and now considered a pillar of the Tojo Clan alongside Kiryu. Haruka's concert becomes the center point of a yakuza conflict. Rather than let it be canceled Kiryu enlists Saejima, Majima, and Shun Akiyama to help make sure the concert remains safe. Haruka reveals the truth of her past at the end of her concert before reuniting with a collapsed Kiryu. 

2016 (Age 48): Events of Yakuza 6 take place. Following the events of 2012, Kiryu had decided to accept a prison sentence to wipe clean his slate and get rid of his connection to the Tojo Clan. After being released in 2016, he returns to Morning Glory Orphanage where he finds out no one has seen or heard from Haruka since 2013, when she left to keep the others from being harassed by paparazzi following her. He returns to Kamurocho to look for her. Date informs him that police have found her and she has been hospitalized after an accident. Kiryu discovers she had been protecting her son, Haruto, who even he did not know existed. The police have no leads on Haruto's father's identity. CPS plans to take Haruto and put him in an orphanage as he has no legal relatives. Kiryu decides to take Haruto to Morning Glory Orphanage, but ends up bringing him along while searching for the boy's biological father, who turns out to be Yuto Usami. Haruto is kidnapped by the Jingweon Mafia. Kiryu and Yuto work together to save him. Kiryu is shot while protecting Yuto, Haruka, and Haruto. Though he recovers from the gunshot wounds, he decides to be declared legally dead and join Daidoji Temple in exchange for making sure his family is safe.  

2017-2019 (Age 49-51): Kiryu, now presumed dead, takes the codename Joryu as a disciple of Daidoji Temple. He takes jobs as a bodyguard.

2019 (Age 51): Events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon take place. Kiryu is found by Watase and hired as his bodyguard, traveling with him to the announcement of the dissolution of the Omi Alliance, which has by now absorbed the Tojo Clan. Kiryu tracks down Ichiban Kasuga and allies to relay information about Ryo Aoki's plans to kill Omi Alliance officer Jo Sawashiro. After seeing Kasuga take out his frustration on an Omi Alliance grunt, Kiryu at first withholds the information, making Kasuga fight him so he can determine Kasuga's true character as a man. Though Kasuga loses their fight, Kiryu is satisfied with how he handles it, and shares the information. Though asked for his help in dealing with the situation, Kiryu refuses to help in any direct manner due to his current ties to Daidoji Temple requiring him to remain disappeared to keep his family safe.