The Sunday Papers
The article explores how Yakuza/Like a Dragon protagonist Ichiban Kasuga exemplifies elements of the Heroine’s Journey, a narrative archetype traditionally associated with female-coded characters. Niki Fakhoori’s piece for Stop Caring examines how Ichiban takes on roles typically considered feminine within the series’ narrative framework, particularly his position as caretaker for Masato Arakawa—a wheelchair user and the son of clan patriarch Masumi Arakawa.
The analysis highlights a significant departure from typical male protagonist design. Despite caretaking being essential and necessary work, the piece notes that such roles are typically treated negatively by those around the character within the game’s world. By centering Ichiban’s journey around nurturing and supportive responsibilities, the game subverts conventional masculine archetypes common in action games. Rather than positioning the protagonist solely as a powerful action hero, Like a Dragon incorporates traditionally feminine-coded elements of care, compassion, and emotional labor into its main character’s identity and narrative arc.
This approach to character design and narrative structure reflects a broader trend in contemporary gaming toward more nuanced protagonist representation and the deconstruction of rigid gender dynamics. By applying the Heroine’s Journey framework to a male protagonist, the analysis suggests how games can challenge traditional storytelling conventions and create more complex, multidimensional characters that embrace emotional depth alongside physical prowess.