Yakuza: Why Everybody Loves Goro Majima

Yakuza is a game about being part of organised crime, so it’s hard to believe that any of the main characters would be able to maintain a moral compass. Majima is no exception. Whilst at the heart of it he’s done a lot of good, probably more than he’s done bad, he’s far from perfect. He’s incredibly violent and doesn’t always do what’s best but that's what makes Majima such a good character.

This is where the big difference between Kiryu and Majima lies. Kiryu puts his morals above all else, but this doesn’t really make any sense. Kiryu was desperate to be a Yakuza, even going against Kazama’s wishes in order to become one, but then refuses to do anything morally wrong. Majima, on the other hand, was desperate to become a Yakuza again and has no problem with doing bad things. He’s bloodthirsty and he knows it, it’s what makes his character so unpredictable and fun to watch.

It makes him more relatable to the player because he’s not trying to be perfect. He knows he’s not and it wouldn’t fit his character if he was. It’s much more fun to watch Majima make morally bad choices and see how the game plays out, compared to if he was trying to be a saint all the time and didn't do half the things he does.