Yakuza: Black Panther’s four gangs revealed

Ok.  Somebody help.  I just spent like five minutes jamming bottles onto my fingers so that I could clink them together and chant, “Oh Sega, come out to playyaaayyyyYYYY”, but now they’re stuck and I’m scared.  My fingers are turning purple, and typing this article is now rendered impossible.  I’m starting to panic.  Also I’m lying.

Actually, that brilliant ruse was just an overly elaborate opener inspired by Famitsu’s recent detailing of the four gangs featured in the upcoming PSP Yakuza title, Black Panther.  As main character Tatsuya, you’ll find yourself caught in the middle of raging turf wars between these rulers of the concrete jungle, manifested in special sub-stories and battles.  Each gang has its own set of defining characteristics, from the size of the group to their preferred extra-curricular activities.

Click the tab for Andriasang‘s summary of each of the different gangs.


Diablo

The largest gang. They believe in the creed “Strength is Justice.” Every month, they hold a “fighting party” called “Matsuri” (Festival). Here, they determine the strongest member.

While the members of Diablo are all hot blooded, the group does have some strong rules in place. They forbid personal fights and crime (???). They also forbid desertion without a reason.

Team members have tight bonds, centered on their leader, Shouta Akagi, While Akagi is a charismatic leader, it seems he’s not good with the ladies.

DIS

It’s pronounced “De-Eye-Es.” This group consists of B-Boys who love rap and hip hop, and dress the part. They take part in a variety of activities outside of fighting, including parties and graphic art production.

The leader of DIS is Seiji Aono. Aono is the second generation leader of the group. In the transition between leaders, members split off into multiple warring factions.

Shiryou Heidan

The name translates to “Ghost Corps.” This particular group has no rules. Their leader Tougo Kuroda trusts no one and leads his members by force, punishing those who go against his orders. In combat, they make use of weapons like bats, chains, and brass knuckles. They’ve been quickly expanding their reach throughout Kamurocho.

Kingdom

This is the most mysterious of the four groups. Kingdom is a small group, but it has been growing rapidly.

Members of this team are all fun-loving, like hosts. They’re popular amongst the ladies of Kamurocho.

The leader of Kingdom is unknown. He’s shown in Famitsu as just a silhouette. It seems that only a few people know his true form.

Apparently, Kingdom’s logo looks like a Kingdom Hearts logo.  That automatically makes them my favorite.

[Source: Andriasang]