Unraveling the Dramatic Finale of Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1

Like a Dragon: Yakuza’s first season ended in a bang. This Amazon adaptation of the popular video game series proved a hit with viewers, answering several significant questions and setting up an expected more personal second season for character Kiryu.

The finale combined elements from the original game with a few surprises, including double crosses and a cliffhanger which will most likely intrigue fans for the upcoming sequel. We'll go in-depth here about the details of the final episode.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1 Finale Recap

Two main events connected to the game's storyline happened in 1995: The reveal of Nishiki's potential savior for Miho, and the setup by the Dojima Family against Kiryu – a story that made Kiryu spend 10 years in prison for a murder he wasn't responsible for.

In 2005, tragedy, alliances, betrayals, fight, and revelations unraveled in Kamurocho center, Millennium Tower, and the local underground. At the money exchange, Aiko getting shot turned the tide, leading to a series of fights and the revelations of the Dragon Of Dojima.

With the return of the 10 billion yen to the Omi Alliance chairman, the war ended, and the scene was stabilized with emergency services coming in. The episode concluded with Kiryu discovering Shimano as the one responsible for his parent's death.

Important Questions Answered

• What does the tattoo mean? As far as the viewers have watched, the dragon tattoo has been revealed as a symbol of the feared fighter in Kamurocho's criminal underworld, Shintaro Kazama. The tattoo also indicates Shintaro is the one who killed Kiryu's parents.
• Who killed Kiryu’s parents? The character responsible for Kiryu's parent's death is yet again, Shintaro Kazama.
• Who is the Devil? The season introduced the devil, a mysterious group of killers, and in the finale, their leader was unmasked as Nishiki, whose goal is to destroy Kamurocho and the yakuza completely.
• Who has the 10 billion yen? The 10 billion yen is now safely with the Omi Alliance.
• Who died in the finale? In the series finale, major characters like Daigo, Shimano, and Nishiki died.

Comparing the Finale with the Original Game

The Amazon series pays tribute to the original game's plot, with slight tweaks. For example, Kiryu becomes aware of Shintaro killing his parents from Shintaro's ripped shirt revealing his dragon tattoo, while in the game, he learns about it from Shintaro directly. However, fans may be left unsatisfied as Kiryu does not retire from being a yakuza or adopt Haruka, unlike in the games.

Expectations for Season 2

All six episodes of Like a Dragon: Yakuza are currently available on Prime Video. While there hasn't been an official word about season 2, viewer engagement and fan interest will likely decide the future course of the series.