There’s always that one game series everyone talks about, yet we never get around to playing, and for me, it was Yakuza, now known as Like A Dragon.
Friends often told me how the series blends intense action with silly fun and deep emotions. Still, I never made time for it. This year, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth came out, and I thought it’d just gather dust on my shelf. But a freelance gig finally gave me the chance to dive into it.
At first, I wasn’t quite seeing what made the series special, but everything changed in Chapter 4 at a shaved-ice shop in Hawaii with Substory 24: Let It Snow.
It starts with Ichiban spotting a man, Orlando, tossing plain shaved ice into the air. As the ice vanishes in Hawaii’s warmth, Orlando’s cries of despair echo. Ichiban thinks it’s odd but doesn’t pay it much mind.
Orlando later gets refused service at another ice stand, and Ichiban sits beside him to hear his tale. Orlando wants to fulfill his wife Ellie’s last wish: “I want to see the snow with you again.” They cherished snowy moments, like their honeymoon in Japan, but life kept them busy. Now, Ellie is running out of time, and Ichiban decides to help.
Sometimes, fans just have to marvel at how touching and unexpected stories can be.
As the Substory unfolds, Ichiban ends up in a shopping mall where he saves a runaway stroller. To his shock, inside is a grown man in a diaper—Susumu Gondawara, a yakuza boss. Gondawara explains that his “nanny” lost control of the stroller, and he asks Ichiban to return him. Things escalate when Gondawara’s diaper-clad henchmen accuse Ichiban of kidnapping, leading to a fight.
Once defeated, Gondawara requests milk, which they find at a shaved-ice truck. Orlando appears again, cutting in line for ice with no toppings.
The group gathers to brainstorm a solution. Orlando fears time slipping away, and Ichiban, frustrated, throws his ice down. But wait—the ice doesn’t melt; it turns into snow! How did this happen?
Are you ready?
You’ll never guess…
The answer lies in the bizarre combination of shaved ice and the absorbent material from the diapers Gondawara’s crew wears. This wild mix creates the “snow.” I knew the series could be quirky, but this was beyond imagination. Gondawara shares insights on the difference between fantasy and real honor, and they hatch a plan.
The scene shifts to Orlando and Ellie’s hotel. Ichiban, Gondawara, and the gang mix diapers with shaved ice, tossing it off the roof. From their room, Orlando and Ellie watch the “snow” with joy.
Ellie calls Orlando a “magician” and asks to see his smile one last time before sleeping forever. He smiles through tears as she peacefully drifts away.
To recap, to grant a dying wife’s final wish, Ichiban:
- Teamed up with a man who pretends to be a baby
- Used diaper absorbent and shaved ice to make “snow”
- Tossed the mix from a roof for a magical scene
Despite the craziness, the heart of the story shines through. Ichiban’s kindness made a stranger’s dream come true, wrapping us in a warmth rarely felt in games. As the snow falls, Orlando and Ellie’s moment feels so real, until we cut back to the rooftop, where Gondawara’s henchmen lie naked and exhausted. A final touch of absurdity—that’s Like A Dragon for you.
After years of recommendations, Infinite Wealth was my first step into the world of Like A Dragon. Thanks to Substory 24: Let It Snow, I’m hooked. I’m eager to explore what else I’ve missed, all thanks to a little bit of “winter” wonder.
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