Summary
For players hoping to bridge the gap betweenYakuza 6andYakuza: Like a Dragonahead ofLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth,Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Nameconnects these games while giving players a look at Kiryu’s actions during his time working for the Daidoji Faction. AlthoughLike a Dragon Gaidenties up some loose ends, it also introduces more mysteries that will hopefully be explored inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. One of the biggest unresolved plot threads at the end of the game is how Hanawa knows Kiryu’s alias, Taichi Suzuki, suggesting he may be someone from Kiryu’s past.
InLike a Dragon Gaiden, Kihei Hanawa works for the Diadoji Faction after abandoning his former identity for unknown reasons in the past. As a member of the Daidoji, Hanawa serves as the manager for Kiryu during his time as Agent Joryu, and the two of them become close despite Hanawa’s insistence on keeping a professional relationship. The ending ofLike a Dragon Gaidenhas Hanawa issue Kiryu a new alias,Taichi Suzuki, noting that he knew Kiryu had used that name in the past, leading many fans to speculate as to how he would have known this name and what Hanawa’s true identity is.
Like a Dragon Gaiden’s Hanawa Might be Yakuza 5’s Morinaga
Some fans think they might have uncovered Hanawa’s true identity, with a handful of compelling evidence suggesting he could beYakuza 5’s Yu Morinaga. InYakuza 5, Morinaga works with Masato Aizawa as a bodyguard for the Tojo Clan’s Chairman Daigo Dojima, though it is later revealed they were sent by the Omi Alliance to infiltrate the Tojo and undermine the organization as a part ofOmi Chairman Tsubasa Kurosawa’s plan. Although Morinaga was implied to have been killed at the end ofYakuza 5, Kiryu left such an impact on the character that it’s likely he would seek to assist the Dragon of Dojima in future endeavors if possible.
Kiryu Met Morinaga While Using the Alias Taichi Suzuki
When trying to determine Hanawa’s true identity, the first step fans take is to look at the characters Kiryu encountered while using the name Taichi Suzuki during his stint as a cab driver at the beginning ofYakuza 5. While it’s possible Hanawa simply could have been a nobody who took a ride in Kiryu’s cab and remembered his name, it’s unlikely that the series set up this plot line if there wasn’t a history betweenHanawa and Kiryu beforeLike a Dragon Gaiden. As such, it follows that Hanawa could be Morinaga since the two first met while Kiryu was going by Taichi Suzuki.
Morinaga’s Died Under Mysterious Circumstances
One hiccup in this theory is the fact that Morinaga is said to be dead at the end ofYakuza 5, though the circumstances surrounding his death are unclear. The game never gives a straight answer as to the fate of Morinaga, with Naoki Katsuya claiming to have been framed for his murder, and Aizawa answering evasively when pressed for information by Kiryu during the game’s finale. With this in mind, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume Morinaga faked his death and turned to theDaidoji Factionto erase his name, much like Kiryu would go on to do in the following game.
Hanawa and Morinaga have the Same Voice Actor
Aside from circumstantial evidence, the biggest factor that links Morinaga with Hanawa is that they share the same Japanese voice actor, Hiroki Tochi. While it’s not uncommon for aLike a Dragonvoice actorto portray two different characters in the series, it is suspicious that two major characters with a possible connection share the same voice actor. There is also the hangup that Morinaga and Hanawa don’t look alike, but that could be explained through the use of plastic surgery provided by the Daidoji as part of erasing his past.
