Activities such as karaoke or kicking an UFO Catcher in hopes to obtain that one plushie just hit different if you’re surrounded by friends. Yakuza: Like a Dragon presents a daunting story for Ichiban, but the silver lining is that he counts with the company of six different characters tagging alone. Up to three party members can follow you around at all times, while the rest will be on hold (but can still receive experience!). This guide covers everything you should know about them, when they become available, and what they bring to the table.
Party Members List – Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Ichiban Kasuga
Becomes available in: Chapter 1
Default job: Freelancer, and then Hero
Don’t mind the mean look, Ichiban is one of the nicest video game protagonists out there. His default job is Freelancer, but will change to Hero in Chapter 3 after a story event that we don’t want to spoil. From there, a new array of jobs will become available for him and the party.
Nanba
Becomes available in: Chapter 3
Default job: Homeless Guy
Your first official sidekick, Nanba is a force of nature that can be really versatile when it comes to jobs. By default, he will be summoning flying pigeons and setting enemies on fire by literally spitting booze from his mouth. Cool guy.
Koichi Adachi
Becomes available in: Chapter 4 (although he has a short appearance in Chapter 2, he officially joins the party two chapters later)
Default job: Detective
Every party needs a tank, and Adachi is perfect for the job. He’s great at using shields both for defense and offense, although he comes with a passive debuff that no item can’t get rid of: being a former cop.
Saeko Mukoda
Becomes available in: Chapter 5
Default job: Barmaid
While Nanba has some over the top abilities, Saeko is the first to have an array of jobs that are out of the norm, such as becoming an Idol or a Dealer that uses luck-dependent skills. The downside is that she has to put up with the lousy bunch at all times.
Eri Kamataki
Becomes available in: Chapter 5, but she has a special requirement. You’ll have to reach Top Rank 100 in Management Mode. This might sound tough, but don’t fret, here’s everything you should know about this minigame as well as tips to get there faster.
Default job: Clerk
Eri can switch to the same jobs as Saeko, but her default job is worth investing time on as she has abilities that can deal damage to multiple enemies at once, as well as some impressive acrobatics. 10/10 would become a capitalist magnate in Management Mode to unlock her again.
Joon-gi Han
Becomes available in: Chapter 10
Default job: Hitman
Joon-gi appears close to the late game, and brings a powerful force to the party: guns and brass knuckles. He’s an unstoppable force that serves as a really interesting addition to the party. We haven’t confirmed whether or not he’s from the Devil May Cry universe, but we’ll let you know if we do.
Tianyou Zhao
Becomes available in: Chapter 11
Default job: Gangster
If you miss the breakdance moves from Majima in Yakuza 0, Zhao arrives a mix between the style and grace of that moveset, as well as the perk of wielding a massive sword. He looks like he’s ready to arrive and steal the show, and honestly, he deserves it.
These are all the party members available in Yakuza: Like a Dragon – don’t forget to spend time increasing Ichiban’s bonds with them!
