The Yakuza franchise has its collection of powerful protagonists, and with the addition of Takayuki Yagami, the group keeps growing. Judgment is a spin-off title from the Yakuza franchise, exploring Yagami's lawful past and change of pace for the disgraced lawyer as a detective.
However, to those unfamiliar with the franchise, the protagonists might all fall under the same aesthetics and visual cues. Worry not though, because every character has a story to tell and some punches to throw, and Takayuki Yagami is no different.
10 He's A Lawyer-Turned-Detective
Unlike many of the Yakuza universe protagonists, Takayuki Yagami isn't a born criminal nor was he raised in the organization. He instead started out as a lawyer despite his criminal connections.
After the downfall of his career with a controversial client's supposed innocence, he turned his skillset to work as a private detective. His path often crosses with the Yakuza, especially considering one of his father figures is a known member. He's not quite as altruistic as Ace Attorney, but he was never meant to be.
9 His Physical Description
Takayuki Yagami, or "Tak" as his friends call him, is a slim-built man that can easily fit in the courtroom or the street culture of urban Japan.
He often channels the classic Yakuza vibe with a black jacket, white fitted shirt, black jeans, and white shoes, with a chain on his wallet so no pickpocketers can snag it. In the courtroom flashbacks, we see Yagami in grey tweed with his hair slicked back.
8 Two Actors For One Man
Takayuki Yagami's character modeling is based on his voice actor, the famed Takuya Kimura. He's had many starring roles in films and television, but Judgment is his first video game appearance.
His likeness and voice acting are on full display in the Japanese version of the game, but English Yagami is played by Greg Chun. Greg Chun has done work with World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Fire Emblem, and Japan Sinks 2020, to name a few.
7 Justice Jobs Run In The Family
Yagami's adulthood is defined by his relationship with the law. He followed in his father's footsteps to become a lawyer, ultimately falling into the same trap of letting a guilty man off of death row.
Yagami's father's client was found not guilty for the murder of a fifteen-year-old girl, and in a grief-ridden retaliation, the girl's parents invaded the Yagami home and killed his parents. And after Yagami's client is let off for a murder and then picked up for another, you might begin to wonder if the family is cursed.
6 Yagami And Shinada: The Same But Different
Yagami shares a lot of similarities with another Yakuza protagonist, Tatsuo Shinada. Their aesthetics are similar, their stories are wrought with the same painful career-ending scandal, and sometimes it might be hard to tell them apart.
The true difference between the two comes in their fighting styles. Yagami prefers clean hand-to-hand combat whereas Shinada uses weaponry to the max.
5 He Needs A Doctor To Heal From Gunshot Wounds
That might not sound groundbreaking, because human beings aren't bullet-proof even with a good vest, but in the Yakuza franchise, the protagonists seem to just need a stiff drink to regenerate. Of course, this is fun and plays into the Yakuza being the toughest criminals alive, but Yagami doesn't have this feature.
Instead, like everyone else, he has to visit a clinic to heal from invasive wounds.
4 He Has Superhuman Speed
Yagami's speed category falls into the subsonic and superhuman, which for a lawyer-turned-detective fits into the realm of Yakuza protagonists.
It wouldn't be the same game without a couple of unrealistic feats for protagonists to utilize for cool glamor fights, like watching people fall at half-speed and attacking them before they've even hit the ground. He can also dodge bullets! Hopefully, you can use this speed to find and beat up perverted Ash Ketchum, and maybe pray that he doesn't have a gun.
3 A Legal Gray Area
As a man semi-raised by the Yakuza, Yagami knows his way around the criminal underworld. His lawyer path doesn't negate his willingness to do this either, often tempting him to break the law to get what he wants.
He tries his best, but his Yakuza roots weigh heavy and sometimes it's hard to not want to lean towards the bad side. This is funny for a man who can decorate his office with plushies from crane machine games.
2 The Japanese Conviction Rate Is Astronomical
In the world of Judgment, Yagami and other lawyers face the most hardened and ruthless conviction rates in the world. At 99.9%, proving anyone innocent is almost miraculous, which is why Yagami's win over the acquittal of Okubo's first trial is such a win in his book.
In truth, Japan shares a similar conviction rate outside of the game. If you're accused of a crime you didn't commit, you'd better hope Yagami comes out of retirement to state your case.
1 He Was An Illegal Bartender
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and when you're young and out of options, you do what you need to. Recently orphaned, young Yagami turned to a neighborhood bar in order to find employment to sustain himself.
He got the job, only after lying about his age. Maybe his employers caught on, but nobody stopped him. Sometimes, you just have to keep your mouth shut and feed some stray cats so no one bothers you.