Hitomi Matsuda

The first installment in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, which has shipped over 30 million copies worldwide, has been adapted into a live action work that remains almost faithful to the original. Produced by the cast and staff of the hugely popular franchise Unification of Japan, which depicts the Japanese underworld, the adaptation is fully supervised by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. The story follows the events leading up to the video game Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties.

The Hyodo-gumi boss—part of Tendokai, Japan’s largest yakuza syndicate—has been brutally murdered. Kazuma Washio (Hitoshi Ozawa), the head of the Washio-gumi and Tendokai’s wakagashira (underboss), is convinced that Yoshinari Myojin (Sho Aikawa), a former Tendokai wakagashira-hosa now running Tokyo’s underworld of thugs and mafia, is behind the killing. Around the same time, Tendokai's 5th-generation chairman Katsushige (Hakuryu) orders Washio to secure a woman named Nagi Toyama (Akane Hotta). Washio sets out with his men, Okita (Yasukaze Motomiya) and Date (Hideo Nakano), but they’re ambushed by a group of heavily armed youths. Barely escaping, they manage to bring Nagi to their hideout—only to discover she’s a key player in a power struggle over the Tokyo Casino Project. And so begins the greatest conflict yet, entangling yakuza, mafia, street gangs, the police, and even the state itself—

The Tendokai is attacked by the Daitoa-dan. Believing there's a traitor within the organization, Washio (Hitoshi Ozawa) orders Oda (Kōji Matoba), a wakagashira-hosa of Tendokai who has just been released from prison, to investigate. Meanwhile, Washio presses the client behind the whole affair, former METI official Masaoka (Jiro Okazaki), to reveal the truth. But before long, both Nagi Toyama (Akane Hotta)—whom Washio was protecting—and Sumire (Kokoro Nakayama), daughter of Washio’s former senior Kawashima (Naomasa Rokuhira), are kidnapped by Daitoa-dan. To make matters worse, Sumire is drugged and used as bait to lure Washio out. Blinded by rage, Washio storms the Daitoa-dan headquarters alone— But what awaits him there…? An epic finale marking the 20th anniversary of All In Entertainment, featuring a star-studded cast that defines the ninkyo (chivalry) genre! The fierce showdown over the casino rights between yakuza and mafia finally reaches its conclusion.

Chairman of the Souryukai, Yukihiro Kawaji (Hitoshi Ozawa), is shielded by Executive Director Takeshi Kanzaki (Hitomi Matsuda) who takes a bullet and is severely injured. The Sakata family holds an emergency executive meeting, attended by Detective Umezawa (Hoka Kinoshita) from the Fourth Investigative Division, to deny any involvement. Meanwhile, at the Souryukai, Vice Chairman Shinji Wakamiya (Kazuyoshi Ozawa) and the others begin to prepare for retaliation against the Sakata family. The tension between both sides rapidly escalates — following emergency surgery, Kanzaki narrowly escapes death. Then, at Kawaji's command, the battle finally ignites!!

The third-generation head of the Sakata family, Tatsuichi Kuroki (Jiro Dan), has retired. The successor to his position, however, is none other than Hiroshi Niwa (Shiro Shimomoto), who stands opposed to Wakagashira Yukihiro Kawaji (Hitoshi Ozawa)! Takeshi Kanzaki (Hitomi Matsuda), dissatisfied with Kuroki’s decision, decides to leave the judgment to his superior, Shinji Wakamiya (Kazuyoshi Ozawa). Meanwhile, Niwa devises a scheme to corner and crush Kawaji’s side, including Wakamiya and Kanzaki. Kawaji and his men hold an emergency executives’ meeting… What will Kawaji, Wakamiya, and Kanzaki decide!? And what shocking fate awaits them beyond that!?

During the funeral of Senior Advisor Yudai Kanou (Yudai Ishiyama), the Souryukai executives prepare for battle against the Fourth-Generation Sakata family, who were behind Kanou's murder. However, Chairman Yukihiro Kawaji (Hitoshi Ozawa), wary of the Anti-Boryokudan Law, hesitates to make the first move. Thus, instead of starting a full-scale gang war, he entrusts Takeshi Kanzaki (Hitomi Matsuda) with carrying out revenge on the direct perpetrators and mastermind. Where had Kanou's plans leaked from? Vice Chairman Shinji Wakamiya (Kazuyoshi Ozawa) discovers that the day before Kanou was killed, Daisuke Sakai (Daisuke Nagakura), Chief of the Fourth-Generation Sakata family, met with Eiichi Konkai (Eiichi Furui) of the Sakuraba clan. After extracting the truth from Konkai, Kanzaki goes after Sakai—but Sakai and his men are headed for Kanou's gravestone...

Takemiya Union Tōjō-gumi Wakagashira Yasuda (Hitomi Matsuda) retaliates against the Kansai-based Myōjin-kai by attacking their office after an assassination attempt on Union chairman Shimamura (Shunsuke Kariya). Joined by Yamashina-gumi Wakagashira Kiryu (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi), the two succeed and pledge to work as brothers without an official oath, dedicating themselves to their organizations and the Union. The Union faces upheaval with Shimamura's retirement announcement and the loss of his son, Katsuto (Hitoshi Ozawa). The leadership race narrows to Tōjō (Hiroyuki Watanabe), Yasuda's boss, and Yamashina (Masahiro Noguchi), Kiryu's boss. Just as Yasuda’s casino operation thrives, a police raid confiscates all earnings and forces its closure. In desperation, Yasuda turns to a certain man (Naoto Takenaka) for help.

As Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) leads Kyowakai into its new structure, Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) oversees the Osaka headquarters, while younger members like Ryoichi (Shin Koyanagi), son of former chairman Gonda, and Joji (Takashi Kitadai) steadily grow. Meanwhile, Kawatani (Hitoshi Ozawa) is attacked by a hitman sent by Watanabe, the former Kyowakai HQ chief plotting a comeback. Isolated within the executive ranks, Kijima confronts Watanabe but gradually wavers under his influence. Across Japan, tensions rise: in Kanto, Mita (Shun Sugata) and Wakamiya (Hideyuki Kawahara) move on land acquisitions tied to a casino bill; in Okinawa, internal strife erupts; in Shikoku, a boss’s retirement sparks unrest. Yakuza nationwide begin positioning themselves for the coming conflict.

Despite the peace efforts of Souryukai's Senior Advisor Yudai Kanou (Yudai Ishiyama), the conflict between the Souryukai and Sakata family only intensifies. Led by Executive Director Takeshi Kanzaki (Hitomi Matsuda), the Souryukai is designated under the Anti-Boryokudan Law, prompting Umezawa (Hoka Kinoshita) from the Osaka Prefectural Police to conduct a raid. Upon receiving the news, the Daitoua Union demands a response from the Fourth-Generation Sakata family. In the midst of this, the retired Third Generation head Tatsuichi Kuroki (Jiro Dan) suddenly collapses and falls into a coma. His biological son, Kanzaki, goes to see him...

Film directed by Shuji Kataoka starring Hakuryu.

With Baba (Akihiko Kuwata) acting as Kyowakai chairman and Sakota (Hideo Nakano) leading the Marugami-kai, both groups begin a new chapter. Kyowakai finalizes long-delayed executive appointments: Hayashida (Ehara Shu) replaces the retired Nakajima as Shikoku block leader, while Hirakawa (Hitomi Matsuda) becomes Tohoku block leader by Baba’s nomination, easing concerns from Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya), Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi), and Ueki (Daisuke Nagakura). While drinking in Kobe, Baba drunkenly orders Himuro and others to “crush Marugami,” and the remark quickly spreads to Marugami and investigators. Baba then orders a manhunt, but Hirakawa objects and questions why the “Adachi-kai,” a group of delinquent gangs that fled Kyowakai’s control and formed in Tohoku, had been ignored. After being calmed by Himuro, Hirakawa heads to Tohoku to handle the group himself—setting the stage for new tensions involving Baba, Hirakawa, and the Adachi-kai.

Tension continues at the Kyowakai headquarters. Kawatani, Himuro, and Tamura are unable to hide their anger and confusion at the events that occur one after another, such as Shibuya's death and a series of absentees from meetings. Meanwhile, in Kobe, a new anti-chivalry group is starting to move. However, Baba, who plays the role of chairman and does not know about Shibuya's death, postpones the official raising of the company.

Renji Himuro is cornered after the president Yuichi Kawatani and his assistant Wakagashira Yuto Tamura are arrested in the Marukami-kai's plan to destroy the Kyowa-kai. In order to overthrow the Sekine Cabinet, which has close ties with the Marukami-kai, Himuro supports his opponent, former Secretary-General Ishida, in the next presidential election, and tries to stop the Marukami-kai's plot.

Following the death of acting chairman Baba (Akihiko Kuwata), Kyowakai continues its hunt for Adachi (Atsushi Arai), while the Marugami-kai and the Special Investigation Unit closely monitor their movements. As expected by Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya), Adachi contacts the Keihin Alliance's Sakagami (Yoshiki Kanahashi), prompting the Yamazaki Ichimon to stake out the group's key locations. Adachi attempts to strike a deal with Sunaga (Masataka Naruse) but flees when it falls through, escaping Teru (Yutaka Kyan) and Ryuji (Tatsuya Kishida). Himuro and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) then change tactics by kidnapping Sunaga. Meanwhile, reports pour in that Yamazaki faction members are attacking the Keihin Alliance's affiliated groups, leaving everyone to wonder what Himuro's true plan is.

Having been appointed Wakagashira, Himuro Renji (Yasukaze Motomiya), head of the Yamazaki-gumi of Kyowakai, moves forward under the Kyowakai crest alongside fellow newly promoted assistant Wakagashira Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi), aiming for the unification of the Japanese yakuza world. Meanwhile, a dispute breaks out in Aomori between members of the Kyokuzankai in Tohoku and the Kanto-based Marugami-kai, resulting in the death of a Kyokuzankai member. The incident casts a dark shadow over both sides, pushing tensions to the brink of conflict. Seeking to avoid an all-out war, Kyokuzankai executive Ueki (Daisuke Nagakura) asks Himuro to mediate. Himuro enters negotiations with Munakata (Takanori Kikuchi), assistant to the Marugami-kai chairman. As yakuza across Japan watch closely, what decision will Himuro make…?

The leaders of the Kyowakai are surprised that Baba, the leader of the disciples, is still alive. After being discharged from the hospital, Baba immediately attends an executive meeting and asks Tani to stop retaliating against the Michinoku family for attacking the plants. Himuro and Tamura go to the house of Miyomatsu Kasuga, the head of the Michinoku family, but Kasuga's stubborn behavior does not subside...

The incident occurred without any warning. A member of the Kyowakai was shot in Kyoto. This shooting incident, which took place in Kansai—the very region Kyowakai was supposed to have unified—sent shockwaves through Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) and his men. As Himuro and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) hurriedly prepared for an emergency executive meeting in Kobe, they were stopped by Kuroiwa (Susumu Terajima ) from the Hachiwari Police Department, who came to visit the Himuro-gumi. According to Kuroiwa, Matsumiya (Hongo Gen) from the special investigation unit believed that this incident was an internal conflict within the Kyowakai. Himuro and Tamura learned that the reason for this suspicion was a clash between Hayashida (Shu Ehara) and Kamiyama (Naoki Yamazaki) over a land redevelopment project in Kyoto. Determined to get to the bottom of the matter, they set out for Kyoto. In that area, various people’s emotions and interests were intricately intertwined…

Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) return to Kobe, where the Kyowakai executives—still without a clear successor—expect Himuro to become the fourth chairman. Himuro refuses, causing unrest. After meeting Ueki, Himuro decides to respect Kawatani’s wishes and announces only his retirement. At the same time, the Marugami-kai appoints Sakota as chairman following Mita’s death. Meanwhile, Sunaga of the Keihin Alliance approaches Shinjo and Komiya again. Although the information reaches Himuro through Kuroiwa, Himuro rejects it, saying he does not want the Marugami-kai to split. Himuro admits he wanted to make Kawatani the number-one boss in Japan and to unite the yakuza world, but Tamura encourages him to be honest with his own feelings. Elsewhere, the Yamazaki Ichimon learns of Shinjo and Komiya and tries to handle things themselves. During this, retired Kyowakai member Nakajima appears, and his new business becomes the spark for a new conflict.

As Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) and his assassination squad deal with a corrupt detective, the Kyowa Clan deals with increasing disaffection within their ranks.

The Tohoku conflict erupts over a succession dispute within Aomori’s major Shinno organization, the Shobugawa-ikka. Kyowakai direct affiliate Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) heads to Akita to quell the escalating violence, but an attack on Shin’yukai chairman Hirakawa (Hitomi Matsuda) plunges the situation into even deeper chaos. As Himuro tracks the movements of Norisaka, head of the Norisaka-gumi of the Shobugawa-ikka and the mastermind behind the unrest, the conflict shows no sign of slowing—pushing the Tohoku war toward a critical turning point.

Kyowakai acting chairman Baba (Akihiko Kuwata) is attacked, and despite Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) rushing to the scene, the assailant escapes. The Keihin Alliance and Marugami-kai suspect Hirakawa (Hitomi Matsuda), who had poor relations with Baba, but based on witness Reiko’s (Reira Arai) description of the attacker, Himuro identifies a likely suspect. Ordering Reiko to stay silent and refusing police involvement, Kyowakai launches its own manhunt. As Baba remains in critical condition and suspicion toward Hirakawa grows among investigators and Kyowakai executives, Himuro quietly burns with thoughts of revenge.

Despite the peace efforts of Soryukai supreme advisor Kano (Yudai Ishiyama), the war between the Soryukai and Sakata-gumi intensified. Due to the actions led by the president Takeshi Kanzaki (Hitomi Matsuda), the Soryukai is designated under the Violent Crime Control Law, and Osaka police officer Umezawa (Hoka Kinoshita) and others begin a raid on the house. Upon receiving the news, the Greater East Asia Federation also requested a response from the fourth Sakata-gumi. Meanwhile, Tatsuichi Kuroki (Dan Tokio), the retired leader of the Sakata III clan, suddenly collapsed and fell into a coma. Kanzaki, his own son, goes to see Kuroki...

After a nationwide yakuza conflict ends, Kyowakai enters a new phase under Wakagashira Himuro Renji (Yasukaze Motomiya), strengthening its territories across Japan. Assistant Wakagashira Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) moves the Kawatani-gumi headquarters to Osaka to secure western Japan. In Tohoku, many groups join the Kanto-based Marugami-kai led by Mita (Shun Sugata), but Hirakawa (Hitomi Matsuda) of Shinyukai refuses and instead joins Kyowakai. Seeking revenge, Marugami-kai Vice Director Tsurumi (Mikio Osawa) prepares for conflict. Within Kyowakai, Wakagashira-hosa Kijima becomes isolated, while former Kudo-gumi members plot a return by targeting Chairman Kawatani (Hitoshi Ozawa). Meanwhile, Ryoichi (Shin Koyanagi), son of the first Gonda-gumi boss, is released from prison and placed under Himuro’s care—bringing new uncertainty.

As war looms between the Kanto gambling syndicate Marugami-kai and the Tohoku tekiya group Kyokuzankai, Himuro Renji (Yasukaze Motomiya), wakagashira of Kyowakai, survives an assassination attempt, leaving tensions high. The conflict erupts when Hirakawa (Hitomi Matsuda) of Kyokuzankai attacks the Marugami-affiliated Sasaoka group. Tsurumi (Mikio Osawa), with approval from Mita (Shun Sugata), launches retaliation, triggering full-scale war. Amid the chaos, Kyowakai accelerates its bid for national unification. Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) heads to Hokkaido, while Himuro moves to consolidate Okinawa—where a different yakuza history awaits.

Third son Raizo is a good man, but when another organization targets his father and his family business, it awakens his violent side.