Kazuma Kiryu

Kazuma Kiryu
Yakuza character
Kazuma, as he appears in Yakuza 6
First game	Yakuza (2005)
Voiced by (English)	Darryl Kurylo (Yakuza)
Voiced by (Japanese)	Takaya Kuroda
Portrayed by	Masakatsu Funaki (Like a Dragon: Prologue) Kazuki Kitamura (Like a Dragon)

Kazuma Kiryu (桐生 一馬, Kiryū Kazuma^?) is a fictional character and main protagonist in Sega's 2005 action-adventure JRPG series, Yakuza. Kiryu is a yakuza who takes the blame for his boss' death to protect his best friend, resulting in his expulsion from the clan and a ten-year stay in prison. After leaving prison, Kiryu realizes the crime world has changed and fights against the new threats in his life. Kazuma is the protagonist of the following Yakuza games which follow his attempts to aid his former family. He is voiced by Takaya Kuroda in Japanese and by Darryl Kurylo in the English version of the first game.

Kiryu has been created to appeal to a broad audience as a result of being the series' only playable character during its first three games. Critical reception to Kiryu's character has been positive; he is considered by some as a PlayStation mascot. Several writers liked how despite his occupation as Yakuza, Kiryu stood out thanks to his kindness and character development across the story. On the other hand, he has also been viewed as a typical, generic hero in gaming.

Kiryu is famous member from the Tojo clan, earning the nickname of "the Dragon of Dojima" (堂島の龍, Dōjima no Ryū^?). Early in the first game he was planning on starting his own subsidiary group until he takes the blame for the murder of his boss, Sohei Dojima, to protect his best friend, Akira Nishikiyama, and is imprisoned for ten years. After his release, Kiryu returns to his home town, Kamurocho, but due to his patricide he is marked for death by the entire yakuza community. Kiryu then learns that 10 billion yen has been stolen from the Tojo Clan. Soon after he meets a young girl called Haruka, whom seemingly every criminal group in the country is after. With help of detective Date, Kazuma manages to learn the truth of the money. Upon reuniting with Yumi, his childhood love and Haruka's mother he is confronted by Kyohei Jingu, Haruka's father, and the true owner of the money. After defeating Jingu, Kiryu is reunited with his old friend Nishiki. The two fight, with Kiryu coming out victorious. Jingu tries to shoot Kiryu but Yumi takes the bullet for him. Nishikiyama then kills himself with Jingu. After Yumi dies in Kiryu's arms, Kiryu subsequently decides to start a new, honest life with Haruka.