Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Like a Dragon: Ishin! and Bakumatsu Kyoto

"Like a Dragon: Ishin!" is an action RPG developed by Sega and RGG Studio, set in Bakumatsu-era Kyoto. This 2023 release is a full remake of the original game that launched in 2014, ported to current-generation platforms such as PS5. This ambitious work fuses the distinctive casting characteristic of the "Like a Dragon" series—in which characters from the modern yakuza drama appear as historical figures from the Bakumatsu period—with meticulously accurate portrayals of Bakumatsu history and culture.

The protagonist is Sakamoto Ryōma (voice: Kuroda Takuya, bearing the appearance of the modern-era Kiryu Kazuma), who encounters real historical figures from the Bakumatsu era including Kondō Isami, Hijikata Toshizō, Okita Sōji, and Takasugi Shinsaku, becoming embroiled in conspiracies surrounding "Tentennobō" (the phantom shogun). The setting of "Kyo" is an open world meticulously recreating Kyoto during the Ansei to Keiō period, with famous Bakumatsu-era Kyoto landmarks such as the Shinsengumi garrison at Mibu, Gion, and Shimabara appearing by their historical names and actual locations.

Four Combat Styles and Japanese Swords

The most distinctive feature of this game's combat system is the ability to freely switch between four styles: "Ittō" (sword), "Kakutō" (fists), "Tanjū" (firearms), and "Ranbu" (wild dance). This expresses in game mechanics the unique weapon situation of the Bakumatsu era—a transitional period in which the sword remained the primary weapon while Western firearms rapidly proliferated throughout the military landscape.

The Ittō style employs various techniques modeled after Bakumatsu-era swordsmanship, and many of the special moves carry names derived from actual sword terminology, such as iaijutsu draw-cuts and the "tsubame-gaeshi" (swallow cut). The Ranbu style is characterized by flamboyant continuous attacks wielding two blades in uninhibited fashion, demonstrating powerful movements effective when facing multiple opponents in chaotic melee.

The variety of uchigatana sword types available within the game is also rich, with numerous blade shapes and performance characteristics—straight blades, curved blades, naginata-type, and katate-hankō—appearing throughout. While this provides gameplay variation, it simultaneously conveys to players the natural truth that Japanese swords are not uniform in shape, but rather possess diverse forms according to era, purpose, and the particular swordsmith.

The Shinsengumi and Bakumatsu Swordsmen

One of the major strengths of this work is the depth of its Shinsengumi portrayal. Key figures of the Shinsengumi—Kondō Isami, Hijikata Toshizō, Okita Sōji, and Saitō Hajime—appear as the faces of major characters from the "Like a Dragon" series, with their swordsmanship and combat methods expressed as distinctive gameplay.

Historically, the Shinsengumi was a swordsman group centered on Tennen Rishin-ryū, operating under strict rules called the "Kyokuchū Hattō" (garrison regulations). Hijikata Toshizō's beloved sword, Izumi-no-kami Kanesada, and Okita Sōji's beloved blade, Kashū Kiyomitsu, are representative masterpieces of Bakumatsu swords and remain highly esteemed in modern times. The phenomenon of players becoming interested in the Shinsengumi and Bakumatsu swords through this game is truly a welcome development from the perspective of promoting Japanese sword culture.

Bakumatsu Kyoto and Reconstruction of Sword Culture

The Bakumatsu-era Kyoto recreated in this game is an extremely fascinating setting from the perspective of sword culture. Kyoto was the birthplace of swordsmith collectives of Yamashiro Province—such as Sanjō, Awataguchi, and Rai—and served as the center of Japanese sword culture from the Heian through Muromachi periods. To this historic Kyoto came the turbulent upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, the Shinsengumi established their garrison at Mibu, and an age unfolded in which samurai from Chōshū, Satsuma, and the Shogunate moved through the streets bearing their swords.

By walking through the "Kyo" depicted in the game, players can intuitively experience the relationship between the Bakumatsu-era streetscape and sword culture. Real locations that can still be visited today—such as the former Shinsengumi garrison site at Mibu (Mibu-dera), the scene of the Ikedaya Incident, and the Teradaya (in Fushimi ward) where Sakamoto Ryōma lodged—appear in the game, and a bridge-building effect from gaming to actual historical tourism can be anticipated.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! and TOUKENZA

"Like a Dragon: Ishin!" is a rare work that simultaneously achieves enjoyment as entertainment and deep engagement with Bakumatsu history and culture. Players who become interested in Bakumatsu-era Japanese swords through this game will discover that examining the beauty of actual Bakumatsu blades in person enriches the gaming experience with still deeper meaning.

TOUKENZA handles swords that follow the line of uchigatana from the Bakumatsu period, of the type carried by Sakamoto Ryōma and Hijikata Toshizō, providing a natural bridge from the world of gaming to appreciation of actual swords.