Kazuma Kiryu

is a fictional character and the protagonist of Sega's action-adventure beat 'em up Japanese role-playing game series Yakuza / Like a Dragon. He is popularly known as due to the tattoo of a dragon on his back and him originally being a fearsome member of the yakuza group known as the Dojima Family, a subsidiary of the Tojo Clan. He was introduced in the series' 2005 debut game, where he took the blame for his boss's death to protect his best friend Akira Nishikiyama, resulting in his expulsion from the clan and a ten-year stay in prison. After leaving prison, he fights against the new threats in his life, during which he meets Haruka Sawamura, to whom he eventually becomes an adoptive father. He is voiced by Takaya Kuroda in Japanese, by Darryl Kurylo in the English versions of the first game and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and by Yong Yea in the English releases beginning with Like a Dragon Gaiden. Besides the two Like a Dragon live-action films, the character has also appeared in other video games including Project X Zone 2 and as downloadable content in the spin-off game, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise. Sega producer Toshihiro Nagoshi created Kiryu alongside Hase Seishū, a novelist who helped write the plotlines of the series' first two games. Nagoshi stated he was created to appeal to a broad audience. Kiryu was the sole playable character for the first three games; in the next three, additional playable characters are included, causing him to take on a smaller role. He was once again the sole playable character in the series' seventh main installment, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. The eighth installment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, stars a new protagonist, though Kiryu still makes an appearance. Critical reception to Kiryu has been generally positive. Several critics have praised how Kiryu, despite his history as a yakuza, stood out because of his kindness and character development across the series' story. Kiryu is also often considered a PlayStation mascot. On the other hand, he has also been viewed as a somewhat typical gaming protagonist. Creation and development