Kazuma Kiryu is the star of the Yakuza franchise. While players adored Ichiban in the recent Like A Dragon, everybody's favorite will probably always be Kiryu. After all, he's been the star in most if not all of the Yakuza games. He's incredibly strong and wise, but also is kind, which is why he's so adored by fans.
The many layers of his personality make him fascinating and so unique from just being another gangster-esque character. His grey suit is absolutely iconic and recognizable by any Yakuza player. However, there are a lot of aspects to his design that might have passed over players' heads or that they don't know the story behind.
10 His Trademark Outfit Has A Special Meaning
His grey blazer and suit represent his status as a unique protector among the Yakuza. Despite his chosen career path, he's a guy with a good heart who will always look out for those who can't defend themselves, i.e. small children, young women (not meant in a misogynistic context), and even little puppies. Sure Kiriyu's a tough guy and uses violence probably more than he should, but he also has a big heart.
9 He's Got A Ton Of Upper Body Mass
This could be hard to notice since he's such a ripped guy, but Kiriyu's upper body is way bigger than his lower body. One could say his build is even ironically similar to the old school Superman's form. With how he beats his enemies, the Man of Steel is actually a hilariously super fitting name for him. In fact, it's handling those heavy weapons that gave him such a build, besides of course numerous street fights and punching people.
8 His Suit Represents Another Thing
Something else fascinating about Kiryu's suit is that, when one looks at the style, they realize just how insanely outdated it is. The ensemble looks like something that was the wardrobe for a 1970s cop television show.
Since his birth year is 1968, he would have been a child in part of that era, so one could almost say that suit represents his past as a lonely child being stuck with him. Keep in mind this was a guy who grew up as an orphan without anyone adopting him. This is why he acts so caring towards the kids at the orphanage, he wants them to know they are loved and cared for so they grow up with that positive mindset.
7 His Facial Expression Was Done In A Specific Way
Looking at Kiryu's face, one can tell that he was designed to look very stern and almost cold. His cheekbones are very sharp and high, his nose is very long and erect and his brow is quite pulled together. From what it seems, the designer wanted to make him so that he looked very Pokerface neutral to the player so that it would be hard for them to judge off the bat what kind of guy he was. With such a wildcard natural face, players are forced to get to know who he is on their own rather than assuming he's vicious, loud, proud, or none of the above.
6 The Color Of His Shirt Isn't Just What Matches The Suit
The red shirt that Kiryu wears under his suit goes perfectly with the white because red in Japan represents strength and passion. He's a pure soul, but he balances that with working hard to give those he cares about everything that they want. Kiryu knows he has to be the best that he can in order to power himself through the ranks of the Tojo Clan. It's just like what Majima says, being in the Yakuza isn't about money, it's about power and being the top dog.
5 His Tattoo Is Symbolic
Like many characters in the Yakuza games, Kiryu has an ornate, carefully design tattoo that covers a lot of his body.
The main part of the tattoo is an elongated dragon. Dragons in Japanese culture represent wisdom, protection, and power, everything that Kiryu stands for. The colors in it even match the ones that seem to represent who is he is as a person.
4 His Hair Goes With His Personality
Considering that it doesn't change too much throughout the series, players may not notice that Kiryu's hair is almost always styled slicked back. This is a detail that unlike many things through the franchise, hardly ever changes. The whole thing is kind of like someone's grandmother's friend that's had the same hair for twenty years. However, Kiryu has this hair for a reason. See, the neutral, pushed-back style goes with the mysterious anonymous vibe that he often tries to give off. Plus if someone put a hit on him, he doesn't have significant hair for them to identify him by.
3 His Outfit Decorations Are Hidden
Kiryu might be a fairly simple dresser, but even he shows style in his own subtle way, as his shoes and belt have a fancy snake print. However, they match the color scheme of his suit so that he keeps with his theme of not standing out too much. Snakes are a really popular theme in the Yakuza games, particularly with Goro Majima.
2 There Is A Pearl In His Tattoo
Most players would have noticed Kiryu's stunning dragon tattoo, but possibly could have missed specifically what that dragon is holding.
Clutched tightly inside the reptile's claw is a shiny pearl. Pearls are a big part of Japanese culture, being common decoration choices and seasonally cultivated from oysters. There was even a specific group of women in the 1920s who could dive for pearls without using any scuba gear. Putting the pearl on his tattoo shows Kiryu's pride in his culture.
1 He's Not Flashy
One might assume that since he's got the tattoos, Kiryu would at least have an ear-piercing since they sometimes go hand in hand. However, when one takes a closer look at him, it's easy to notice that he's quite a minimalist in how he decorates himself. There's not a single piece of jewelry or visible pierced body part on him. This is just yet another example of his Pokerface gimmick.