Like A Dragon: Yakuza Ending Explained – The Truth Behind Kiryu & Nishiki's Final Battle

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Like a Dragon: Yakuza.

Kiryu and Nishiki finally came to blows in Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s ending, as the series wrapped up its major plot points while creating a few mysteries for the future. Prime Video looked to cash in on the popularity of the Yakuza franchise by creating its own series, and while the reviews have been fairly mixed for the platform’s latest adaptation, the show concluded with an explosive ending. All of Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s major characters got involved in some capacity during the final episode, but it was Kiryu and Nishiki’s long-brewing feud that stole the spotlight.

Although the duo were childhood friends, things took a turn in the finale as they found themselves doing battle while the rival Yakuza clans fought outside the tower. Meanwhile, the Sawamura sisters attempt to rescue Aiko’s daughter, Haruko, before setting their sights on returning the 10 billion yen. Despite Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s story deviating from the games, the finale is still full of drama and action that helps tie everything together. Additionally, the ending contains some key twists that suggest a second season could be on the cards, giving the Prime Video show plenty of talking points.

Kiryu Vs. Nishiki’s Final Showdown Explained

The Childhood Friends’ Battle Stems From 10 Years Of Unresolved Tension

The central focus of Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s ending is the battle between Kiryu and Nishiki that has been brewing since the very first episode. Although the duo were childhood friends, friction began 10 years prior to the events of the finale, when a heist went wrong and put them at the mercy of the Dojima family, resulting in Kiryu offering to join the Yakuza. Eventually, Kiryu becomes the Dojima’s main fighter and faces an unbeaten opponent. Despite how important the bout is, Nishiki asks Kiryu to lose so that they can make enough money to pay for Miho’s surgery.

While Kiryu is on the verge of defeat, he throws an uppercut that knocks out his opponent, causing him to win the fight, which begins the resentment from Nishiki. Miho dies shortly after the brawl, leading to a confrontation 10 years later as Nishiki blames Kiryu for his sister’s death. Despite Kiryu taking the fall for Nishiki killing Dojima, the antagonist still holds a grudge against his former friend and the Yakuza, prompting him to adopt a secret identity as the demon.

Nishiki had killed several high-ranking Yakuza members under the alias of the demon heading into the finale, and while he told Kiryu to stay out of his way, their clash seemed unavoidable. After the demon slaughters a plethora of gang members, Kiryu arrives looking for Nishiki and is shocked to find out his old ally is in fact the killer all along. They then do battle inside the tower, with Nishiki managing to stab Kiryu and get the better of their initial exchange before proceeding with his plan.

Despite his injuries, Kiryu continues pursuing the villain, resulting in another scrap between the two. Once again, Nishiki is able to stab Kiryu, this time in the back, but the protagonist manages to turn the tides and ends up in full mount against his opponent. Letting out years of frustration, Kiryu begins punching a defenseless Nishiki, but despite having the chance to kill him, he holds back. His hesitation allows Nishiki to grab a blade and swing before getting up to his feet, but as the antagonist charges towards him, Kiryu stabs his childhood friend in self-defense.

Rather than leaving him to die, Kiryu picks up his foe and carries him out of the building despite sustaining serious injuries of his own. The protagonist manages to carry Nishiki to an ambulance, leaving his fate unknown, and ending their long-running feud, at least for the time being. Although Nishiki’s plan never seemed to target Kiryu directly, the decade-worth of unresolved tension is ultimately what caused this huge conflict, and Kiryu’s victory appears to offer some form of closure to their story.

What Kazama Being The Original Dragon Means For Yakuza’s Ending

Kazama’s Secret Completely Changes His Relationship With Kiryu

Ryoma Takeuchi’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza interview revealed that his version of Kiryu would be different from the game’s version, and the character’s relationship with Kazama is the perfect example of this. Despite Kazama acting as a father figure to Kiryu, the protagonist defies his wishes and joins the Yakuza after the heist. Kazama was a former member of the Tojo clan, but despite failing to protect Kiryu from the Yakuza, Kazama supported his adopted son during his fighting days and the two seemed to have a relatively solid relationship, but the finale may have changed this.

As Kiryu and Nishiki fight inside the tower, the Yakuza factions battle on the streets of Kamurochō, with Kazama getting involved. He is sliced in the back, opening up a wound that Kiryu eventually sees during the finale’s closing moments, and the protagonist also notices the dragon tattoo, confirming that Kazama was the former Dragon of Dojima before Kiryu took over. Given Kiryu once idolized the dragon and wanted to be like him, this reveal should bring them closer in theory; however, it seems to have the opposite effect as Kiryu looks at his father figure with rage.

During Nishiki and Kiryu’s fight, Nishiki claims the former dragon was responsible for killing their parents, adding a dark twist to why Kazama adopted them. His guilt over killing their parents is likely why Kazama raised the central characters and tried to give them a good life, but this lie may come back to haunt him. Not only does this betray Kiryu’s trust, but it adds an extra layer of trauma to growing up as an orphan before Kazama took him in, creating a potentially hostile future between the characters.

Why Nishiki Wanted To Take Down The Yakuza

The Dojima Clan’s Lie Cost Nishiki’s Sister Her Life

Nishiki’s goal to take down the Yakuza stems from their lie about Miho 10 years prior to the events of the finale. After overworking herself while trying to impress a client, Miho collapsed back in 1995 and developed liver problems that continued to get worse. Needing a donor, Nishiki offers himself, but the doctor tells him he isn’t compatible and that Miho will be at the back of a long waiting list. A few Dojima members offer Nishiki a solution, as they introduce him to private doctors who claim they can get him a donor for a large price.

The private deal is what prompts the Dojima family to talk Nishiki into persuading Kiryu to throw the fight, as they plan on betting against him so that everyone can win big. Not only would this help the clan, but it would give Nishiki enough money to pay for the donor. Unfortunately, after the fight, Nishiki learns that there was no donor the whole time and that the hospital Miho had been checked into lied on behalf of the Yakuza. In addition, Nishiki’s liver was compatible the entire time, meaning the Yakuza were directly responsible for Miho’s death.

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Having already been treated poorly by the clan, their deception sets Nishiki on a dark path, hence why he murders the Dojima chairman, which Kiryu takes the blame for. Despite getting promoted to a high rank within the crew, Nishiki used this opportunity to take the Yakuza down from the inside, hoping to end their grip on the city once and for all. His demon persona allows him to operate in the shadows and kill anonymously, but the Tojo clan eventually suspects Nishiki is working with the mysterious figure and orders him to step down.

The confrontation sets his plan in motion, as Nishiki kills the lights in the tower and takes up his demon mantle before taking out the Yakuza in front of him. His actions cause a mass brawl outside between the Tojo clan and Omi Alliance, creating the chaos he envisioned while intending to take their money in the process. Kiryu is ultimately the one to put a stop to Nishiki’s reign of terror, but his hatred towards the Yakuza all stems from their lie costing him his sister’s life, creating a huge butterfly effect leading to the finale.

Why Kiryu Tries To Save Nishiki During Like A Dragon: Yakuza’s Ending

Kiryu’s Promised Yumi He Wouldn’t Kill Anyone

Even after Nishiki betrays Kiryu and attempts to kill him, the protagonist still spares his life and tries to get him medical assistance. Throughout Prime Video’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza adaptation, Kiryu has remained stoic and stuck to his principles, despite his combat skills. While he learned to fight a little bit dirty during his days of being the dragon, he still fought with honor and avoided taking anyone’s life, even though most people believe he murdered Dojima. Alongside his friendship and code, Yumi also seemed to influence Kiryu’s decision to spare Nishiki in the finale.

Before Kiryu can confront the Dojima family in 1995, Yumi asks him not to kill anyone, which still seems to influence him 10 years later. It may have felt out of character anyway for Kiryu to murder Nishiki, but going the extra mile to drag him out of the tower and give him a chance at survival shows the protagonist’s true nature. He is a respectable man despite years of serving the Dojima family, and while his promise to Yumi isn’t the sole reason for sparing Nishiki, it does influence Kiryu’s decision to show mercy.

What Happened To Yumi & Aiko?

Aiko Was Shot As The Sisters Returned The Stolen 10 Billion

Yumi and Aiko’s subplot was a major part of Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s story and influenced the tensions between the two Yakuza factions. After believing her daughter was dead, Aiko stole 10 billion yen from the Yakuza and was on the run before her sister Yumi tracked her down. Revealing Haruka was still alive, Yumi convinced her sister to exchange the 10 billion so she could get her daughter back. While the siblings were supposed to meet Nishiki, they were instead confronted by his men, who completed the exchange before celebrating their newfound riches.

Despite getting Haruka back, Aiko and Yumi attack the men from behind so that they can return the money to the Omi Alliance. While they successfully kill Nishiki’s goons, Aiko takes several gunshots to the back while protecting her sister, leaving her badly injured. Yumi was still able to get Aiko and Haruka to the car before driving right into the battle between the Omi Alliance and the Tojo clan. She then proceeds to storm through the men while carrying the bags of cash towards Goda, eventually settling her debt as promised.

As the emergency services arrive, Aiko is stretchered into an ambulance with her fate unknown, mirroring Nishiki’s ending. Whether Aiko survived the events of the finale remains unclear, but Yumi at least helped take the target off her and Kiryu’s back, giving them a sense of freedom. Haruka is placed in the care of an unknown woman, but the brief scene seems to suggest the young girl will be looked after, regardless of what happens to Aiko.

Majima’s Role In Yakuza’s Finale & Season 2 Setup Explained

Majima Joins The Brawl Between The Rival Factions

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises was Majima’s lack of role in the finale and the series as a whole. Alongside being one of the franchise’s best characters, the announcement that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza‘s protagonist will be Goro Majima makes his lack of involvement in Amazon’s series a massive omission. He did appear earlier in the series during the 1995 section, which explained how he got his eye injury, but Majima didn’t appear again until the finale when he was called by one of the clans to help even the odds during the fight outside the tower.

Naturally, Majima relishes the chaos and happily takes part in the battle, but he isn’t exactly a crucial part of the final episode. However, he does spot Kiryu toward the end of the finale where he essentially challenges him to another fight while being arrested. His playful nature may make this seem like a minor moment, but the moment does help set up their rivalry, making a season 2 possible. In addition to Majima’s challenge, Nishiki and Aiko’s unknown fates alongside the conflict between the Omi Alliance and Tojo clan suggest the story could continue in the future.

The Real Meaning Of Like A Dragon: Yakuza’s Ending

Like A Dragon: Yakuza’s Ending Exposes Just How Bad The Yakuza Is For Kamurocho

Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s true ending highlights the damage caused by the Yakuza and how they hurt the city. While the flashy suits and large gangs give the Yakuza a sense of authority, they are still criminals who do more harm than good. Innocent people are often the biggest victims of the criminal empire, but being part of it isn’t much better. Kiryu lost 10 years of his life after allegedly betraying the Tojo clan, while Nishiki lost his sister as a result of the Yakuza’s lie.

Their remorseless behavior caused the creation of the demon, and Nishiki’s revenge inadvertently resulted in Aiko getting shot, which could leave a young girl without her mother. Both Yumi and Nishiki blame Kiryu at different points for getting involved with the Yakuza and claim none of these events would have happened had it not been for his actions. Therefore, it’s clear Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s true message is to point out how destructive the Yakuza are to Kamurochō while highlighting that everyone around these clans tends to suffer, regardless of how innocent they are.

Former Yakuza member Kazuma Kiryu, fresh out of prison, returns to Tokyo’s underworld to find his kidnapped surrogate daughter. Navigating the treacherous streets of Kamurochō, he faces old enemies and new alliances, uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire city.

Cast

Kento Kaku , Ryoma Takeuchi

Release Date

October 24, 2024

Seasons

1