Throughout its nearly two-decade history, theYakuzagameshave gained widespread appeal in the West since its obscure days in the shadows.
RGG Studioshas created an insanely intriguing universe spanning Kiryu’s saga and now Ichiban’sLike a Dragongames, with the latter’s fresh take onturn-based JRPGgameplay.
However, with a series mainly known for its crime thriller story undercut by comedy straight out of aSimpsonsepisode, an integral aspect is its countless boss fights.
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As someone who’s got over a thousand hours at this point throughout the series, I’m here today to share my list of the best final boss fights in theYakuzaandLike a Dragontitles.
My criteria for them their storytelling buildup, gameplay, music, and, in some minority, the general likability of the fanbase towards each one.
12Seishiro Munakata
And I Thought Jingu’s Guards Were Infuriating
Yakuza 4is a great game with some memorable moments, despite its infamous rubber bullet plot inconsistency we like to make fun of.
But you know what I wasn’t ready for when I playedYakuza 4for the first time? Realizing Tanimura’srealfinal opponent isn’t the big evil and corrupt Munakata, but his horde of lackeys he’s cowering behind.
Don’t get me wrong; the whole dynamic intro gets you hyped, plus thatfinal mix of For Faithplaying is the cherry on top to make it worth being here. But I’d be lying to you if I said the fight itself isn’t a test of attrition.
Unless you’ve got the Sacred Tree Gear set on Tanimura, prepare to be shot at like fresh meat in the open season by Munakata’s armed forces.
It doesn’t even help that Tanimura’s gameplay style is defensive-based and reliant on parries. The fight is just annoying and tedious to complete, especially after the three single-battle final bosses of the other characters.
11Tsuneo Iwami
The Worst Villain For A Curtain Call
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
To the few Iwami supporters, you can point your pitchforks at me all you want, but he was just the most bland final boss fight in the series.
Yakuza 6was (initially) supposed to be Kiryu’s last mainline game, and to see him go out with a final boss that’s revealed during the endgame events was disappointing, to say the least.
There was no buildup nor any favorable response you could feel for Iwami other than him setting the stage for Kiryu so he could save Haruka and Haruto from utter doom.
Even the clunky Dragon Engine combat aside, the fight has no major setpieces like other final bosses in the series, nor any big fight field sentiment.
While he’s not completely bad as I’m implying, Iwami does a good job of making you despise him as the corporate big bad doing anything for power, but yeah, that’s just about it.
10Daigo Dojima
The Best Parenting Lesson
Another clear nomination that warrants itself here is Daigo and Kiryu’s short but cinematic clash fromYakuza 4.
Yes, I chose that game instead of their clash in Kiwami 2. The reason is primarily the story setup, that dynamic intro, and the mesmerizing For Face as the BGM.
Kiryu faces Daigo to teach him a lesson about using the police’s corrupted power to benefit the Tojo Clan in organized crime, which is well against Yakuza morals.
It’s a pretty quick fight, and if you manage to sync the song’s chorus part with the boss fight QTE, it’s easily the most climactic boss battle in the entire series.
9Bryce Fairchild
A Weak Ploy At Playing God
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
I adore Ichiban Kasuga, but his final fight against Bryce in the recentLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthis admittedly a downgrade from his previous entry.
With Bryce, it’s pretty obvious that it was a whole nod to ‘defeat God as the final villain in a JRPG.’ It accomplishes that well, but let me explain the criticism here.
Bryce had a strong build-up in the mid-game chapters and the makings of a brutalist cult leader with twisted ideals, but that’s where it halts and doesn’t have a good payoff.
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Ichiban has no high-stakes connection with Bryce other than thwarting his brainwashing and world domination plans with the Palekana cult.
Also, on a side note, it doesn’t even make sense that Bryce speaks broken English despite being of American ethnicity.
His evil motives and revelations are uninteresting, and at best, he just fills in the gap by being the Godly villain in contrast to Ichiban’sDragon Quest-fueled and lion-hearted character.
8Masato Aizawa
The Battle For Dream
Yakuza 5is one of my favorite titles in the series. Its extensive yet well-written story features five playable characters in different cities.
The game’s penultimate final boss, Aizawa, has the makings of an S-tier boss fight in terms of gameplay and the high-octane background OST.
However, his actual inclusion as the final boss is random in the narrative aspect despite the other quality traits he possesses.
Aizawa is initially a side character whose true intentions are revealed at the end of his desire to seize the throne and take control of the Omi Alliance and Tojo Clan by surpassing Kiryu.
His darker Koi tattoo symbolizes his desire to ascend. But his ulterior motives, revealed right at the very end without any major buildup, just make his intimidation factor fall flat.
7Ryo Aoki (Masato Arakawa)
An Emotional Clash Between Siblings
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragonwas Ichiban’s first appearance as a new protagonist, and oh man, RGG Studios overwhelmed fans with his childlike and endearing nature.
The crowning glory of his first adventure was an ending brawl with his half-brother and Tokyo’s Governor, Ryo Aoki, originally known as Masato Arakawa.
What makes this boss fight so special is how the game subverts you into thinking Tendo was the final boss fight until it eventually leads to Ichiban’s one-on-one against Aoki.
It starts with you fighting Aoki until you eventually hit the second phase, where the fight is now against your half-sibling, Masato Arakawa, not the arrogant Governor.
It’s a slugfest, pure and simple; you only get to use Ichiban’s Freelancer and whatever level or skills you have on it.
Once you’re done, prepare to grab a tissue to wipe off your tears in the emotional and captivating post-battle cutscene with Masato and Ichiban.
6Yoshitaka Mine
The Most Ruthless Kirin
Don’t hate me for saying it, but I’m a firm believer in and have high adoration forYakuza 3, admittedly the ‘black sheep’ of the series.
The whole"Blockuza"meme culture aside (learn to wall rebound, juggle, and use Komaki’s moves), Mine is easily a top-tier final boss fight. He’s also one of the reasons why I replayedYakuza 3Remastered last year.
He’s got a good enough inclusion in the main story with a well-written dynamic featuring Daigo. But most importantly, gameplay-wise, he’s one of the strongest final bosses in the entire series.
As someone who loves playing the brawler RGG titles on Hard & Legend difficulty, Mine can shift between different stances to pulverize Kiryu or heal himself up.
It can be a strenuous fight for the casual audience; I get that. But seriously, mastering the combat system and countering him with Tiger Drops or Komaki Parries with a full ground juggle combo is just a deadly satisfying feeling.
And with an amazing metal OST like Fly playing in the background, it’s enough compensation for the lack of setpieces to give you the adrenaline rush for this challenging boss fight.
5Ryuji Goda
The Legendary Dragon Of Kansai
Yakuza Kiwami 2
In a game where the narrative is mostly fine at first but eventually becomes a cesspool of twists and turns, Ryuji Goda is by far the highlight ofYakuza Kiwami 2, or even the originalYakuza 2.
It’s my least favorite title in the series, but thankfully, with such a charismatic villain like Ryuji, he pretty much carries the game with his looming presence and boss fights.
His initial fight at the Omi Alliance HQ is just a taste of how much he has an equal footing with Kiryu, one that culminates into a final bout where Ryuji wants to go out in a blaze of glory.
Ryuji is quite different from other villains like Mine or Aizawa solely because he becomes a villain that you come to respect for his tenacity and the goodwill buried deep within him during his dying moments.
His final fight doesn’t have any unique setpieces, but it still manages to encapsulate you by the sheer wounds of both men, their resilience to duke it out, and that brilliant final QTE to take your breath away.
4Masataka Ebina
Wishing Eternal Damnation On The Yakuza
One thing I love so much about theYakuzagames is RGG’s cleverly (or sometimes absurdly) executed twists, and it pays that off so well for Infinite Wealth’s Ebina, Kiryu’s final boss fight.
Ebina hated his father and her mother’s Hikawa Yakuza family so much that he even climbed the ranks himself to seek revenge as the ultimate mastermind without any other care.
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Most importantly, you can completely understand Ebina’s utter resentment here. The Yakuza of the old lived on ideals of having bonds thicker than blood, but abandoning him and his mother fueled his disdain.
The whole speech from Ebina before the fight, his challenging but doable attacks, and one of the most endearing post-battle cutscenes with Kiryu’s forgiveness to Ebina are all a testament to how great this fight is.
Just try not to fight him while being too under-leveled, or like my friend who played it recently, you’ll get demolished by Ebina’s merciless multi-hit attacks.
3Keiji Shibusawa
To Become The Dragon Of Dojima
Yakuza 0is a favorite for many in the community, both hardcore and newcomer fans. And that last showdown against Shibusawa has everything to be a memorable boss fight—albeit with some slight cons.
Let it be said that Shibusawa doesn’t have that same aura or intimidation factor that villains like Ryuji possess. Or actually, the level that the other lieutenants, Kuze and Awano, have either.
If this wasn’t a “final” boss fight list, I’d easily replace him with Kuze. Both Shibusawa and Iwami are potentially great villains that lurk in the shadows, which is ultimately a downside to their characterization.
Regardless,Kiryu’s final battle on the ship, as he overcomes all odds with an epic score like Twin Dragons complimenting their multi-faceted brawl, is enough for most fans to forgive Shibusawa’s slightly underutilized spotlight in the story.
