Yakuza 3
Yakuza 3

Story Recap (Previous Games)

Recall Kiryu Kazuma's journey with Yakuza 3 recaps. Understand key events from Yakuza (Kiwami) and Yakuza 2 (Kiwami 2) for a richer Okinawa and Kamurocho exper.

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Story Recap (Previous Games)

For players jumping into Yakuza 3, or those who need a refresher on Kiryu Kazuma's tumultuous journey, this section provides a detailed recap of the major events from Yakuza (also known as Yakuza Kiwami) and Yakuza 2 (also known as Yakuza Kiwami 2). Understanding these pivotal moments will significantly enhance your experience in Okinawa and Kamurocho.

Yakuza (Kiwami) Recap: The Dragon of Dojima's Fall and Return

The first game introduces us to Kiryu Kazuma, a promising lieutenant in the Tojo Clan's Dojima Family. His life takes a dramatic turn when he takes the fall for the murder of his patriarch, Sohei Dojima, to protect his sworn brother, Akira Nishikiyama, and his childhood friend, Yumi Sawamura.

  • 1995: The Incident
    • Location: Dojima Family Office, Kamurocho.
    • Key Event: Sohei Dojima attempts to assault Yumi. Nishikiyama intervenes, killing Dojima. Kiryu, out of loyalty, confesses to the crime.
    • Outcome: Kiryu is sentenced to 10 years in prison. Nishikiyama, once a close friend, begins a dark transformation, driven by ambition and a desire to escape Kiryu's shadow.
  • 2005: Release and Re-entry
    • Location: Kamurocho.
    • Key Event: Kiryu is released to a vastly changed Tojo Clan. Ten billion yen has gone missing from the clan's vault, and Yumi has vanished.
    • Allies & Adversaries:
      • Haruka Sawamura: A young girl Kiryu encounters, who is searching for her mother, Yumi. She becomes Kiryu's surrogate daughter.
      • Goro Majima: The "Mad Dog of Shimano," Kiryu's unpredictable rival and occasional ally, constantly seeking a worthy fight.
      • Futoshi Shimano: Patriarch of the Shimano Family, a brutal and ambitious Tojo Clan leader.
      • Akira Nishikiyama: Now the ruthless patriarch of his own family, Nishikiyama has become a major antagonist, obsessed with power and proving himself superior to Kiryu.
    • The Mystery of the Ten Billion Yen: Kiryu discovers the missing money is tied to a conspiracy involving Yumi, her sister Mizuki (who is actually Yumi), and a hidden vault beneath Millennium Tower. The money was intended to fund a new life for Yumi and Haruka, away from the yakuza world.
    • Climax: A final confrontation atop Millennium Tower. Nishikiyama is defeated, and Yumi sacrifices herself to save Kiryu and Haruka from a bomb planted by Jingu, a corrupt politician and Haruka's biological father.
    • Resolution: Kiryu, now known as the "Fourth Chairman" (a title he briefly held and then renounced), dedicates his life to raising Haruka, leaving the yakuza world behind.

Yakuza 2 (Kiwami 2) Recap: The Dragon of Kansai and the Korean Mafia

Two years after the events of the first game, Kiryu's peaceful life with Haruka is shattered when the Tojo Clan faces a new threat from the Omi Alliance, a rival yakuza organization from Kansai, and a resurgent Korean mafia.

  • 2006: The Tojo Clan's Crisis
    • Location: Kamurocho.
    • Key Event: Yukio Terada, the Fifth Chairman of the Tojo Clan (Kiryu's successor), is assassinated, sparking a potential all-out war with the Omi Alliance.
    • Kiryu's Return: Kiryu is reluctantly drawn back into the yakuza world to prevent a devastating conflict. His primary goal is to find a new, stable leader for the Tojo Clan.
  • The Omi Alliance and Ryuji Goda
    • Location: Sotenbori, Osaka.
    • Key Adversary: Ryuji Goda, the "Dragon of Kansai," and patriarch of the Go-Ryu Clan within the Omi Alliance. Goda despises the idea of two "dragons" existing and seeks to destroy Kiryu to become the sole dragon.
    • Conflict: Kiryu travels to Sotenbori to negotiate with the Omi Alliance, encountering Goda and his formidable strength.
  • The Jingweon Mafia's Vengeance
    • Location: Kamurocho & Sotenbori.
    • Key Plot Point: A forgotten massacre of the Jingweon Mafia by the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance 26 years prior resurfaces. The surviving members, led by the enigmatic Kaoru Sayama, seek revenge.
    • Kaoru Sayama: A detective from Osaka who initially investigates Kiryu, but eventually becomes his ally and love interest. She has a deep personal connection to the Jingweon Mafia incident.
    • The Truth Revealed: It's discovered that the Jingweon Mafia's leader had a child with a Japanese woman, and that child is Kaoru Sayama. Her brother, the true leader of the resurrected Jingweon, was manipulating events.
  • Climax: A three-way conflict involving the Tojo Clan, the Omi Alliance, and the Jingweon Mafia. Ryuji Goda reveals himself to be Kaoru's half-brother, further complicating the narrative. The final confrontation takes place in Kamurocho, with Kiryu facing Goda in a brutal battle.
  • Resolution: Goda is defeated, and the Jingweon Mafia's plot is thwarted. Kiryu and Kaoru share a moment of connection, but ultimately, Kiryu chooses to remain with Haruka, leaving the yakuza life once more. The Tojo Clan is left in a fragile state, but with a semblance of peace restored.

These events directly lead into Yakuza 3, where Kiryu has fully embraced his role as a father figure, running the Morning Glory Orphanage in Okinawa, attempting to live a quiet life away from the shadows of the yakuza. However, as always, the past has a way of catching up to the Dragon of Dojima.