In the world of gaming, “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” introduces a fascinating way to bring back familiar faces through its crew recruitment mechanic. This feature enables fans to reconnect with characters from previous installments, as players can include characters like Kazuma Kiryu, Taiga Saejima, and Ichiban Kasuga in their crew by upgrading to the Deluxe Edition. Yet, there’s a missed opportunity in how the game handles the character of Patriarch Gondawara. Despite his potential to add a layer of humor befitting the game’s style, he remains an optional crew member, underutilized in this vibrant setting.
Patriarch Susumu Gondawara first made waves in the franchise during “Yakuza 2” in the iconic substory “Be my Baby.” Here, he attempted to recruit Kiryu into his unusual hobby of wearing diapers and engaging in infantile roleplay. Kiryu, less than impressed, chooses confrontation over acceptance of Gondawara’s quirks. Gondawara makes a reappearance in “Like a Dragon,” where Ichiban handles a confrontation involving the diaper-loving patriarch with a bit more tact. Here, Kasuga manages to resolve conflicts peacefully and even raises a toast with Gondawara using baby formula, later summoning his help through the Poundmates system.
Fast forward to “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth,” and Gondawara is vacationing in Hawaii. He crosses paths again with Ichiban, this time using his quirky stash of diapers for a heartwarming purpose—creating “snow” for a dying woman to see one last time. While Gondawara is a crew option in “Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii,” his interaction is limited to just being another purchase in the mini-game Sicko Snap, making him feel less integral to the storyline.
Despite the game’s silly antics, including Goro Majima’s hilarious escapades with living statues and polar bears, it’s hard not to miss the comedic potential of pairing Gondawara with Majima. While Gondawara never officially crosses paths with Majima, imagining Majima delving into the diaper cosplay with his trademark eccentricity seems like a missed comedic goldmine. Given Majima’s history of outlandish costumes, he’d likely embrace Gondawara’s lifestyle with surprising enthusiasm, unlike Kiryu or Ichiban.
Numerous characters like champion fighter Gary Buster Holmes, his daughter Chitose Buster Holmes, and the quirky Sheep Man are also shelved as mere crewmate options, this minimizes their potential contributions to the story. Gondawara, in particular, stands out as a loss. His memorable shenanigans and the affection fans hold for his character, displayed in his creatively warm gesture in “Infinite Wealth,” suggest he could have added more charm and humor to “Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.”
