Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis a madcap adventure in which series regular Goro Majima finally gets to take a starring role. Washing up with amnesia on a Hawaiian beach, Majima quickly becomes captain of the Goro Pirates, sailing the seas aboard the good ship Goromaru. Players can battle other ships at sea, recruit crew members, face rival pirates in the Coliseum, and much more.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis filled with Majima’s signature charm and whimsy, and there is no better example than the fully sung and choreographed musical number that appears during the game’s opening credits.
“Song of Departure” Perfectly Sets The Tone Of The Game
Near the end of Chapter 1Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii,Goro Majima and his initial crew members set sail on the Goromaru, leaving Rich Island for “waters unknown.” The young boy,Noah Rich, begins quietly singing a song, which, with Majima’s encouragement, turns into a full-on musical number with the entire crew participating. They sing about their excitement for the adventure ahead and the treasure they hope to find at the end of the journey.
The song, officially titled “Song of Departure - Journey To The New World”, is an absolutely delightful surprise. Music has always been a staple of theYakuzaseries, with karaoke appearing as a mini-game in almost every game in the series. Plenty ofYakuza’s songs are quite memorable and have become popular with the fans, such as “Bakamitai,” “Judgment Shinpan,” and many others. “Song of Departure” kicks things up a notch by appearing not just as a karaoke song (although Majima can sing it later as a karaoke track at Revolve Bar) but a grand musical number that wouldn’t be out of place in a Disney film.
The minute players see Majima (voiced byMatthew Mercer) burst into song and begin dancing with his crew, they know this game is going to be something special. It establishes a more light-hearted, whimsical and fanciful tone for the game, which is maintained throughout the story. It’s the perfect beginning to a story that feels different from anyYakuzagame that has come before it.
Goro Majima Has Always Been Associated With Music
The association between pirates and music is a strong one - many sea shanties are about pirates or sung by pirates, and many pirate-themed tunes such as “Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me” have become popular among pirate fans. However, an opening musical number isn’t just a good fit for the game because of its pirate theming -Goro Majimahas had a strong association with music throughout his many appearances in theYakuzaseries, not justPirate Yakuza.
Goro Majima has, of course, performed many karaoke songs, particularly during his stint as a playable character inYakuza 0.He also performed as “Everyone’s Idol Goro” as part ofYakuza Kiwami’s"Majima Everywhere" system, and apparently racked up numerous fans in the process. When he formed Majima Construction after his departure from the Tojo Clan, he also made sure they had a musical anthem, which can also be performed as a karaoke track inPirate Yakuza in Hawaii.The song is an upbeat, rowdy number that praises Majima’s leadership, and may have been written and composed by the man himself.
The decision not to limit “Song of Departure” to an appearance on a karaoke machine and fully perform it as a choreographed musical number isperfectly in character for Goro Majima, and gives his first starring role a unique flair. It’s just disappointing that other songs don’t get full performances outside of karaoke - the “Goro Pirates Theme” is an equally catchy shanty, while it might have been fun to hear Majima perform a rendition of “24 Hour Cinderella” or the Construction Anthem for his crew.
