10 most famous historical figures in Like a Dragon: Ishin

Like a Dragon: Ishin is chock full of historical figures. This makes sense since the Ryu Ga Gotoku game is set at the tail end of the Bakumatsu era of Japan. The events of the game helped lead up to the Meiji Restoration, seen in a wide variety of anime and films. While many of the faces of these characters are familiar, they also play the role of several historic figures.

However, Like a Dragon: Ishin is historic fiction, so the depictions of these characters do not match up to what they do in real life. Some characters in this Like a Dragon title resemble historic figures as well but are not named for them.

There’s a British naval officer that resembles Commodore Perry but is not named after him. So, while he looks similar, the two are not the same. These characters are the most famous historic figures in Like a Dragon: Ishin.

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Which are the best historical figures in Like a Dragon: Ishin?

1) Ikumatsu (Kido Matsuko)

Ikumatsu is the geisha lover of Kogoro, and it makes perfect sense that these two characters resemble who they do in Like a Dragon: Ishin. Kogoro takes after Shun Akiyama and Ikumatsu is Hana, Sky Finance’s secretary. Historically speaking, it was said that much of Katsura Kogoro’s information came from Ikumatsu.

Both characters had negative feelings about the feudal state of Japan, and she used the fact that men underestimate women to gain information for her future husband. The two got married after the Meiji Restoration. When Kogoro passed away, she took on the name “Suikoin,” and became a nun.

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2) Takeda Kanryusai

In Like a Dragon: Ishin, Hiroshi Hayashi now looks like Yakuza 0’s Hiroki Awano, and much like the historic figure, Kanryusai didn’t especially care about either faction in the Bakumatsu conflicts. Shogunate or Rebels, it was all more or less the same to him.

As the Shinsengumi weakened, Takeda suggested to Ito Kashitaro that he should form a separatist faction. This would eventually be called the “Ito Settsu.”

Takeda Kanryusai was a brilliant combatant and strategist, but when the Shinsengumi learned of his plot to break way, he would be killed by his former allies.

It’s suggested that Saito Hajime defeated him, but that has not been confirmed. Shinohara Tainoshin also took part in the conversation, so he could have also been the one to land the killing blow.

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3) Takechi Hanpeita

Takechi Hanpeita was shown as Ryoma Sakamoto’s foster brother in Like a Dragon: Ishin. Unfortunately, that was not the case in real life. Historically speaking, he was also a Tosa samurai, and formed the Tosa Kinno-to (Tosa Imperialism party).

In Like a Dragon: Ishin, he’s also portrayed by another Yakuza 0 character, Hideo Nakano, instead of Nishikiyama, as many thought he might be. The two figures knew each other in this historic time period. They were friends, but not brothers.

Takechi Hanpeita did murder Yoshida Toyo and was made to commit seppuku for his crime when he was caught.

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4) Ito Kashitaro

Ito Kashitaro in Like a Dragon: Ishin was given a new look, compared to how he looked in the original game. Now, he resembles Yakuza 0’s Daisaku Kuze. In both instances, he was a staff officer of the Shinsengumi. The character's anti-Shogunate sentiments would ultimately lead to him forming a new faction, the Ito Settsu.

While Ito agreed with Shinsengumi’s anti-foreigner policy, he opposed the faction’s policy on loyalty to the Emperor since they were supporters of the Shogun (Sabaku-ha). Ito Kashitaro was assassinated on December 13, 1867, during the Abura-no-koji Incident by the Shinsengumi. The formation of the Ito Settsu was ultimately his undoing.

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5) Nagakura Shinpachi

Nagakura Shinpachi resembles the RGG series’ Taiga Saejima, who has been a protagonist in several games in the series. In Like a Dragon: Ishin, he’s friend and ally to Okita Soji and Hajime Saito when he joins the Shinsengumi.

Historically speaking, the two weren’t so close. They were simply both captains in the Shinsengumi. However, much like he was portrayed in the game, he took part in the Mibu Roshigumi alongside Kondo Isami, before the Shinsengumi was created.

In the real-world history of the faction, he commanded both the Second Squad and First Squad of the Shinsengumi, after Okita Soji fell ill. He saw success in the following Boshin War as well, as a member of the Koyo Chinbutai (the renamed Shinsengumi), though they were ultimately defeated.

He had a long life, living well into the Meiji Restoration. He also founded the Seiheitai and lived a life filled with battle. He passed away in January 1915, due to blood poisoning from periostitis, a cavity in a tooth.

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6) Kondo Isami

Kondo Isami also got a facelift in Like a Dragon: Ishin, now looking like Yakuza 7’s Adachi Koichi. He’s appeared in several anime, such as Gintama and Golden Kamuy, and was the leader of the Shinsengumi. Before that, the character ran the Mibu Roshigumi, and in the game, was a swordsman of great renown.

He was also a master of Tennen Rishin-ryu style. Not a sword style per se, this style used swords but also staves and bare-knuckle fighting as a part of this martial arts style. Devoted to the Tokugawa Shogunate, he fought to defend them against many foes.

After the war, he renamed himself Takeshi Okubo, and was betrayed by former Shinsengumi members Goryo Eiji and Washio Kano. He was beheaded at 35.

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7) Okita Soji

Only one character in Like a Dragon: Ishin looks more familiar to fans of the series. Okita Soji, also referred to as a “Mad Dog,” is none other than Goro Majima in the classic Yakuza series. In the game, he was the leader of the Second Squad of the Shinsengumi and is a bloodthirsty, violent beast. He was quick to draw his blade on anyone who happened to be a skilled swordsman and had no problems killing.

The Okita Soji in real life wasn’t as furious or mad as he was in Like a Dragon: Ishin. He was an expert swordsman though and was a part of the assassinations of both Kamo Serizawa and Hikojiro Uchiyama. He had an incredible number of kills and was even involved with Keisuke Yamanami’s seppuku.

The character passed away in 1868 from Tuberculosis. He never found out that Kondo Isami, the man he worked with was executed. The Second Captain of the Shinsengumi died in just a few months. The poem he wrote on his deathbed was “In the dark, flowers and water cannot be discerned unless they move.”

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8) Saito Hajime

In Like a Dragon: Ishin, Saito Hajime is the name Ryoma Sakamoto made up in order to join the Shinsengumi. However, these two characters could not be more different. Like the real Saito Hajime, he would become the leader of the Third Squad of the Shinsengumi. This name might be familiar to anime fans as well, as he was both an antagonist and protagonist of the Rurouni Kenshin anime.

Later, he’d be known as Fujito Goro, which also lines up with the anime. He worked as a police officer in Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration. He got married in 1874 and retired from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police in 1890.

Like Kinpachi, he led a long life, passing away at the age of 72 (1915). The cause was not confirmed, but it was attributed to a life of heavy drinking. In his youth, he was a distinguished member of the Shinsengumi, and one of its greatest swordsmen.

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9) Katsura Kogoro (Kido Takayoshi)

Like a Dragon: Ishin’s Katsura Kogoro was both anti-Shogunate and wanted to be rid of the feudal system just in general. This sentiment was shared by his future wife, Ikumatsu. In the game, he serves as an information broker, and helps form the Satcho Alliance. He also resembles Shun Akiyama, the financier/loan shark from the RGG series.

Also known as Kido Takayoshi, he was a samurai and later a statesman. He’s also one of the Three Great Nobles, who created the Meiji Restoration. These men were Saigo Takamori, Okubo Toshimichi, and Kido Takayoshi.

During the Ikedaya Incident in July 1864, he was supposed to take part in the meeting. However, Ikumatsu warned him that the Shinsengumi were coming, so he decided to not show up, to stay safe. He hid as a beggar for several days after, to make sure he was safe.

In Like a Dragon: Ishin, he was also a key member of the Satcho Alliance, but under a new name - Kido Junichiro. He took on yet another name in 1869, as he helped found the Meiji government. He died in 1877, from a combination of mental disease and physical exhaustion. This, combined with alcoholism, and perhaps tuberculosis, led to his demise.

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10) Ryoma Sakamoto

Like a Dragon: Ishin had Kiryu Kazuma take on the role of one of the most famous Japanese figures of all time: Ryoma Sakamoto. A low-born Samurai from the Tosa region, Ishin’s version of the game has Sakamoto take on the fake name of “Saito Hajime” after his adopted father was murdered.

Historically speaking, Sakamoto Ryoma fought against the shogunate and the Shinsengumi, but it wasn’t out of a desire to see revenge done. He wanted Japan to end its days of isolationism. Ryoma had an alias - Saitani Umetaro.

He attempted to assassinate Katsu Kaishu (a high-ranking Tokugawa official) - at least, that was the plan. The former convinced Ryoma of the benefits of the modernization of Japan, and thus, began working with the official. Unfortunately, Ryoma Sakamoto never got to see his dreams fulfilled.

He was assassinated at the Omiya in Kiyoto, on December 10, 1867. The assassins posed as ordinary visitors, slayed his bodyguard, and wounded both Ryoma and his ally, Shintaro. They died shortly after, with the identities of the assassins never being proven. It was rumored that Okuda Matsugoro was involved, but there wasn't any proof.

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While the lives these characters led were different in Like a Dragon: Ishin, each of them is based on a real person who lived and fought through this age of conflict, in some fashion or another. You can read our review here.