Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name ending explained

After the final boss of Like a Dragon Gaiden, players are treated to perhaps one of the most emotionally satisfying endings in the entire franchise. However, some players might want to skip out on the game at launch since it’s shorter than your average Yakuza title. With that said, we’re going to go over the ending in detail so you don’t miss out on the story ahead of 2024’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

If you just want to know what happens and how Kiryu Kazuma winds up in Hawaii for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, we’ve got you covered. However, we do still recommend picking up and playing Like a Dragon Gaiden. Although it might be short, the story is amazing, and it does a lot to connect Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Note: This contains major spoilers for the end of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

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Like a Dragon Gaiden’s ending explained

I won’t go over the fine details of how the final boss battle comes about in this game. However, after Kosei Shidhido’s betrayal and the battle with Homare Nishitani III, you have one more throwdown with Shishido in Like a Dragon Gaiden. He’s a very old-school Kansai Yakuza and wants to be on top, no matter what. Sadly, he’s bested by Kiryu in a one-on-one battle, and the ending scenes begin.

The Daidoji appear after the final Like a Dragon Gaiden battle - the faction Kiryu joined at the end of Yakuza 6 when he erased his name and faked his death. Interestingly enough, instead of letting Nishitani and Shishido die, the Daidoji decided they’d make excellent agents and kidnap them.

Nishitani and Shishido will be put to use (Image via SEGA)

The next scene takes place in 2020, after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon take place. Kiryu Kazuma is again at the temple where he honed his new combat skills: a front for the Daidoji. He chats with his handler again as the Dragon of Dojima enjoys a cigarette.

Hanawa remarked that Kiryu barely had time to catch his breath between the events of Like a Dragon Gaiden and the end of Yakuza: LAD, where he “chose his successor” by fighting Kasuga Ichiban. However, Kiryu doesn’t think of it in terms of having a successor.

Is Kasuga the successor to the Dragon? (Image via SEGA)

Instead, Kiryu Kazuma wanted to help Kasuga Ichiban carry the burden he was forced to bear however he could. After all, he was fresh out of jail, in circumstances similar to Kiryu’s. The Omi Alliance and Tojo Clan had been dissolved, and so the man had little to focus on.

The purpose of Hanawa showing up to speak with Kiryu Kazuma during the ending of Like a Dragon Gaiden was to reward him for his services. Due to the events of the game’s story, the Daidoji faction is up 50 billion Yen in assets, and he also performed admirably in his own duties.

Before he rewarded Kiryu during the Like a Dragon Gaiden ending, he wanted to show him one or two things. The first was Kiryu’s grave in Okinawa. While this isn’t much to begin with, it was being monitored by the Daidoji.

It turns out the kids are all right. (Image via SEGA)

The first video clip showed Haruka and Haruto going to visit the grave, which was a sweet, wholesome scene. However, the part that really got emotional was when Taiji and Ayako - two of the orphans from Sunflower - found the camera monitoring the grave.

Ayako and Taichi discuss whether or not Kiryu set up the camera himself and if he’s really still alive. Either way, the two wound up talking to the camera in hopes that Kiryu would see it. The emotional rollercoaster began during this Like a Dragon Gaiden ending scene.

The two would squat down in front of it and talk about their lives and how nobody believes he’s really dead. Taiji revealed that he had become a firefighter to help people in danger, and when bad things were going down, he could help. He thanked Kiryu for giving him the courage to do just that.

Haruto's young and a handful (Image via SEGA)

As Kiryu sobbed, his tears would begin wetting the screen, and Ayako talked about getting a job at a nearby office. Koji has a job as well, and Riona has gone to work in the fashion industry. Izumi is an animal groomer, and Eri wants to work with kids. Mitsuo apparently works a wide assortment of jobs, and Shiro majors in science at the university.

All of the orphans he has taken care of for years are doing well and are happy with their lives, which only makes Kiryu sob harder. It’s a beautiful scene for the end of Kiryu Kazuma’s story in Like a Dragon Gaiden. They do, however, worry that he’s lonely and he should give them a sign he’s still alive.

Haruto is an exceptional artist at four (Image via SEGA)

It’s the most emotion Kiryu Kazuma has likely ever shown, crying enough to have snot running down his nose. The most powerful warrior in the Like a Dragon series broke down, knowing everyone was all right and they missed him. Sadly, the camera was removed, so the two orphans couldn’t come back the next day.

The two did come back the next day and leave a picture, which the Daidoji recovered. It’s a cute picture of the family of orphans, drawn by Haruka’s son, Haruto. Though Kiryu had recovered, this created a new storm of emotion from the normally withdrawn ex-Yakuza.

Weeping openly, he was so glad to see the picture and remarked that Haruto was an excellent artist at his young age. He would lament not being able to tell them how much he misses them all and how lonely he felt.

Kiryu comes to a revelation all these years later (Image via SEGA)

At this point in the Like a Dragon Gaiden ending, he would be given his vacation. Kiryu Kazuma would have the money and identity to travel anywhere in the world without a time limit. However, he would be watched at all times by the Daidoji.

As Kiryu leaves during the Like a Dragon Gaiden ending, the leader of the Daidoji remarks it is just good business. Giving such a gift to Kiryu Kazuma would give hope to the other pawns who worked for him. The monk who ran the temple, however, said it would be unwise to make an enemy of Kiryu, potentially hinting at another story involving the Dragon of Dojima.

And thus, the story ends (Image via SEGA)

Hanawa gave him a new name, “Taichi Suzuki”. Kiryu was shocked since nobody knew he used that alias during the events of Yakuza 5. However, Hanawa revealed that the two of them had met before - perhaps during that game. When asked if he was going to go to Hawaii, Kiryu stated he wanted to leave the best for last.

After all, he had a plan and reason for going to Hawaii. He had a ring he never gave Yumi Sawamura, from all the way back in the first Yakuza title. He wanted to take it to the church she suggested would be a lovely place to be married. He would ultimately do just that in 2023. With his hair starting to gray, he left the ring in the church.

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This perfectly explains why Kiryu is in Hawaii for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, as well. The ending of Like a Dragon Gaiden is easily one of the most emotional ones in the franchise. It’s worth seeing through until the end for yourself. You can find our review of the game here.