YAKUZA

TRANSLATION:

『Yakuza(Like a Dragon)』 Release Commemorative Feature
Masayoshi Nagoshi, General Director × Yuji Horii
Special Dialogue

SEGA Games Co., Ltd.

Director & Chief Product Officer
Masayoshi Nagoshi
(referred to as Nagoshi in the text)
The general director who has led the series since the launch of Yakuza(Like a Dragon). After joining the company as a CG designer, he has worked on numerous acclaimed titles as a producer and director. Other representative works include Daytona USA and JUDGE EYES: Shinigami no Yuigon.

Game Designer
Yuji Horii
(referred to as Horii in the text)
The creator of the iconic Dragon Quest series, a title that shines brilliantly in the history of games. In addition to establishing RPGs as a genre in Japan through the series, he popularized the command-selection system with Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu. A true legend of the game industry.

Throughout the interview, Dragon Quest is mentioned as the game that Ichiban Kasuga became obsessed with. In this premium dialogue, Masayoshi Nagoshi and Yuji Horii discuss why this national RPG came to appear in the game, the process behind that decision, and the feelings that were poured into it.

Release Commemorative Feature:Yakuza(Like a Dragon)7

A Meeting of Game Industry–Leading Creators: Masayoshi Nagoshi × Yuji Horii

—This is a rather unusual combination for an interview. Had you two known each other before?

Nagoshi: Of course, I had known of him for a long time, albeit one-sidedly. Actually meeting him more often started after receiving awards for games like Yakuza(Like a Dragon). That said, our interactions were mostly just greetings…

Horii: Around the PlayStation 2 era, I think.

—Mr. Horii, had you played the Yakuza(Like a Dragon) series?

Horii: Not the entire series, just bits and pieces. Not Yakuza(Like a Dragon), but I also played JUDGE EYES: Shinigami no Yuigon. That was quite a challenge. I was amazed they got Takuya Kimura involved.

—I see. After playing several titles, what was your impression of Mr. Nagoshi and the Yakuza(Like a Dragon) series?

Horii: My impression of Mr. Nagoshi… at first, he wasn’t the kind of character he is now (laughs).

—That’s it?

Horii: That’s a joke (laughs). The games themselves were really interesting. There’s the underworld theme, and Kamurocho is meticulously crafted. Not exactly as it is, but it reproduces Kabukicho very well. There’s karaoke, a few risqué establishments… I thought the level of service and detail was impressive.

—I see. On the other hand, what was your impression of the Dragon Quest series, Mr. Nagoshi?

Nagoshi: Back in college, the first RPG I ever really got into was Dragon Quest. I seriously spent time leveling up.

—Which title is your favorite?

Nagoshi: Definitely Dragon Quest III (note 1) was shocking to me. I also like other titles, and Dragon Quest V (note 2) left a strong impression.

—Before meeting him in person, what was your impression of Mr. Horii?

Nagoshi: The impression of the first Dragon Quest I played was so strong that I later played The Portopia Serial Murder Case, which he created. Like with movies, it’s about seeking out the creator. Back then, among game creators, almost no one was publicly known. Only Mr.Miyamoto (note: Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario) and Mr.Horii were exceptions.

Nagoshi: Also, back then there was no Internet, so The Portopia Serial Murder Case was really difficult. Sometimes magazines came with a sealed section, so I’d buy it, but it was completely useless (laughs). Still, spending the whole day wrestling with it was fun back then, and it’s a good memory. That’s why, in my mind, Horii-san also left a very strong impression in the adventure genre.

—Indeed. Mr. Nagoshi, you have vivid memories of Mr. Horii’s works, but were there aspects that influenced you as a creator?

Nagoshi: At the time, I never thought I would become a game creator, so I didn’t really feel it as a “creator” influence. But after finishing the so-called three-part series from the original Dragon Quest… as the public probably felt, the impact was enormous. It was a formative experience that made me realize, “Games can have this kind of influence!” It elevated my perception of what games could do.

Horii: By the way, what made you want to join a game company in the first place?

Nagoshi: I studied film at university, so I wanted to make movies. But there were no job opportunities in affiliated companies. I liked games too, so I applied to Sega, which happened to be hiring… and I got in easily, so I thought, “This will do” (laughs).

Horii: I see! (laughs) Then, what inspired you to make a game about the yakuza(Like a Dragon)?

Nagoshi: With the PlayStation, the expressive power of games increased, and on the PS2 we could play DVDs, so the market expanded drastically. At the same time, overseas titles gradually began selling in Japan, and Japanese titles started to sell less abroad. But many Japanese game makers continued to make things that were stereotypical, and I thought that was really boring. I also didn’t think we could beat other titles with that approach (laughs). So, I thought, “I want to create a different answer in my own way!” and pursued it, which ultimately led to choosing the yakuza theme.

Horii: I see. By the way, the first Yakuza(Like a Dragon) was released around the same time as a live-action film (note: 2005 release of Yakuza Like a Dragon: Prologue), right? That was really fresh. Actually, I watched it first and thought it looked interesting (laughs).

The Stage Setting of Dragon Quest That Evokes Realism

—It was shocking to see the keyword Dragon Quest appear in the Yakuza(Like a Dragon) series. How did that collaboration come about in this season? (Continued on next page)

"Dragon Quest provided me with an experience that elevated my perception of what games can do" (Masayoshi Nagoshi)

Note 1: Dragon Quest III — refers to Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
Note 2: Dragon Quest V — refers to Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride

Nagoshi: From the start, the protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, was set up as an “outlaw who likes games.” But from the perspective of someone who also likes games, you might wonder, “What kind of games does he like?” Also, sometimes a person’s character can be glimpsed through the works they like.

—That’s true.

Nagoshi: However, if I were to mention specific titles, there would be copyright issues, so it’s hard to say. On the other hand, vaguely saying “he likes RPGs” feels kind of half-hearted, doesn’t it? I didn’t like that, so I took a different approach this time.

—And that approach was Dragon Quest.

Nagoshi: I thought that making him a Dragon Quest fan would highlight Ichiban Kasuga’s personality: an outlaw, but also innocent in a way. So even among major RPGs, Final Fantasy wouldn’t have worked. That was non-negotiable for me. But honestly, this was really about whether we could borrow the prestige of such an iconic title. If Horii-san had refused, I was ready to drop the aspect of Ichiban being an RPG fan.

—Such strong passion! And how did you feel when you heard this, Mr. Horii?

Horii: I didn’t mind at all. At first, I thought, “They’ll only use it a little,” but when I saw it, they used it quite deeply.

—You were surprised by how much was used?

Horii: Yes. And I do think it helped make the character stand out.

—By the way, was there anything you told them to avoid when it came to including Dragon Quest in the story?

Horii: Nothing in particular. Dragon Quest has been enjoyed by many people, so having an outlaw character playing it felt like a realistic setting. For example, in TV family dramas, characters don’t usually watch real TV shows. There are many false realities in media, so I really felt it made sense to have an outlaw playing Dragon Quest. I was surprised, though, that they even made the battles feel like Dragon Quest. I thought, “Wow, they went all the way” (laughs).

—It was truly surprising.

Horii: I was surprised, but when I heard it would be an RPG, I actually got excited. I’m not that great at action, so it was a relief in a way.

—However, changing a series that was originally action-based into an RPG drew mixed reactions from users.

Nagoshi: At first, there were a lot of negative opinions, but once people tried it, their perspective changed. Of course, I understand opinions like “Action is better after all.” But for me, rather than pursuing the evolution of traditional action, I wanted to challenge a new battle system this time. Also, by combining the familiar command-based RPG system with the world of Yakuza, I was confident it would offer an unprecedented experience.

—Do you understand that kind of challenge, Mr. Horii?

Horii: Yes. I think Dragon Quest fans want to play various kinds of games, so I’ve created a variety of works in the past, from online to action games.

—Indeed. And you, Mr. Horii, have also worked on adventure games, such as The Portopia Serial Murder Case and Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu. Did Yakuza(Like a Dragon)7 inspire you to want to take on modern-day drama works again?

Horii: I would like to if I had the time. I’ve been saying for a long time that I’d like to make Portopia 2. But right now, there are so many projects running with Dragon Quest alone, so it’s hard to find the time.

—We’d love to see your modern-day drama work, Mr. Horii.

Horii: CG has advanced a lot since then, so there’s a lot we could do. In that sense, Yakuza(Like a Dragon) is very realistic. When you play the game first and then actually visit Kabukicho, you think, “Wow!”

—It’s so spot-on.

Horii: I think it’s interesting how the virtual world can encroach on the real world like that.

—Was Dragon Quest Walk born from that kind of idea as well?

Horii: Yes. There are souvenir collector items in the game, so I thought it would be great if players felt inspired to actually travel while playing.

Nagoshi Talks About the Development of Yakuza(Like a Dragon)7
Challenges Unique to an RPG…!

—You decided to make the battles in Yakuza(Like a Dragon)7 a command-based RPG. What challenges did you face in matching the battles to the game?

Nagoshi: In terms of matching them to the game, there wasn’t much difficulty, but if I had to say, I focused strongly on “increasing the pace.” Nowadays, many people dislike cumbersome games. So while it’s an active command RPG, we incorporated modern elements into it.

—Auto-battle is one of those elements, I suppose?

Nagoshi: Yes. But how convenient those features should be to truly please players is difficult, because at that point we can only imagine it ourselves.

—Ah, I see.

Nagoshi: This isn’t limited to convenience, but what’s amazing about Dragon Quest is that with every new installment, there’s always something that makes you think, “You can do this now!” For people who’ve experienced all of that, there’s an expectation that in an RPG, “It should be considerate up to this point.” I think there was a sense of struggling against that expectation.

—If I may ask both of you, how do you arrive at that kind of hypothetical user?

Nagoshi: In the end, it comes down to the creator’s own sense. If the game turns out to be fun, then that becomes the right answer.

Translated by Mizuki U: https://www.fiverr.com/mizukiushio

LIKE A DRAGON

WEEKLY FAMITSU - YUJI HORII and TOSHIHIRO NAGOSHI JOINT INTE

Sources

LIKE A DRAGON

WEEKLY FAMITSU - YUJI HORII and TOSHIHIRO NAGOSHI JOINT INTE

Sources

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