Interview – The secrets of Goro Majima with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza’s developers and the man himself

Like a Dragon's series producer and the Mad Dog himself tell us all about Majima's latest adventure

Sega/GLHF

It’s no secret that Goro Majima is one of the best characters in the Like a Dragon series. The Mad Dog of Shimano has been present in every main Like a Dragon/Yakuza game, from the first Yakuza game back in 2005 all the way up to last year’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Fans always get a kick out of seeing him show up, so it was not particularly surprising that the next game in the series – Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – is focused entirely on the character. 

In Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Majima is stripped of his memory and, through a series of yet-unknown events, washes up on the shores of Hawaii, where he becomes a pirate captain of almost parody-like proportions. 

Sega/RGG

Like a Dragon’s Chief Series Producer, Hiroyuki Sakamoto, tells us why Majima is the perfect fit for the pirate life. 

“Majima has become a character that is known for appearing in surprising places and getting into unexpected situations,” Sakamoto-san says. “So combined with his signature eye patch, we felt a pirate adventure was something that would be very Majima-like. He’s charismatic, loyal and resourceful – traits we feel are also found in legendary pirate captains.”

The idea to take Majima to the high seas came during the development of Infinite Wealth. Sakamoto-san says the development team were thinking about what characters like Majima, Saejima, and Daigo would be doing once Infinite Wealth’s story had wrapped up. The result was Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, focused on Majima but, by the sounds of it, likely to feature both Saejima and Daigo, too. 

Sakamoto-san declines to offer any of the juicy details about these or any other returning characters and what role they’ll play in the game, but promises that “many [characters] may be familiar” to fans, and some may even join Majima’s crew. Majima will be interacting with “a very large number of characters” throughout the game, and some of those will be joining his crew to sing sea shanties and pirate-themed karaoke songs aboard the Goromaru ship. 

“‘Song of Departure -Journey to the New World-’ is a shanty with a musical style, and there’s also ‘The Goro Pirates’ theme song, which is another uniquely pirate-inspired piece,” Sakamoto-san tells us. “Singing builds a sense of camaraderie among pirates and that’s no different with Majima’s crew.” 

While Majima might be able to sing up a storm alongside his new pirate crewmates, he’s certainly getting on in years. At 60 years old, Majima is one of the oldest characters to headline a major game, and RGG Studio took that into account when developing his character for this new game. 

Despite his age, Majima is still plenty spry and capable / Sega

According to Sakamoto-san, every character has to be approached differently. Players expect certain things from certain characters, but exploring fresh stories and gameplay concepts keeps people engaged, too. RGG Studio doesn’t plan out every character’s life from beginning to end – the series itself has a general path it’s following and which characters might play a part in certain parts of the story – but Majima’s age is definitely something that the studio paid attention to throughout development. 

“In the case of Majima, he is still very much an active person, despite having been in hiding for some time,” Sakamoto-san says. “He may be 60 years old, but his personality and sense of adventure are still youthful in many ways. However, we don’t want to pretend like Majima hasn’t gotten older as the series has progressed, so we try to take this into consideration when thinking about his relationships with other characters in the same as well as through dialogue.” 

Majima being active helps keep him young, according to Sakamoto-san, as does his zest for life. He’s an excitable, energetic person who wants to make the most of his time, so he keeps himself in good health through fitness — something that Majima told us in his own words when he walked us through his daily workout routine as a pirate captain. 

Captain Goro Majima’s Tips for Staying Shipshape 

WARM-UP 

• Pre-Workout: 'Fore me and the crew start breakin’ a sweat – and maybe a few skulls – we like to knock back a quick Staminan X to get our meat sacks a-pumpin’. Don’t be a chump, do a tuck jump, savvy? 

Extension like this only comes through years of stretching (and kicking) / Sega

• Stretching: Ya wanna shiver a timber, ya gotta stay limber. And wailin' on a buncha jackasses is a great way to get things nice 'n' loose. Hasn't failed me yet! 

ARMS AND BACK 

Battle ropes are a great way to work out the arms / Sega

• Battle Ropes: Plant yer sea legs and slam those battle ropes to tone yer arms. Personally, I leave the ropes to crew and opt fer a Chain Hook. Adds a little extra weight, and flinging the occasional bastard around is fun as hell! 

Rowing every day keeps your back plenty strong / Sega

• Rowing: If yer really lookin' to see all The Big Pineapple's got to offer, you'll want a strong back. And, hey, it makes yer ink look pretty slick, too! 

CORE 

Majima might be 60, but he's got the swashbuckling core of a 20-year-old / Sega

• Planks: If ya ask me, 60's the new 20. No need to go soft just 'cause yer over the hump. Hell, anyone can have six-pack abs like yours truly--few good planks'll strengthen yer core and leave ya burnin' like a Heat Action! And speakin' of planks, if you call me "old," you'll be walkin' one, so watch it! 

LEGS 

• Box Jump: Give yer legs the old switcheroo. Dumpin’ on dipshits is easier with a bit of airtime, so bend those puppies and keep yer eyes on the crow’s nest. Those crates we're haulin' ain't just for bananas, ya know. Get some box jumps going and get yer ass vertical! 

Every good pirate knows how important a strong booty is / Sega

• Squats: Any true pirate loves his booty. And that's where squats come in. Bend those knees, drop yer bucket, and stand up straight. Then make like a parrot and repeat that shit till ya can't no more! 

DIET 

A good diet is important for any seafaring sea dog / Sega

• Cooking: Yer body is a vessel, and if ya wanna get where yer goin', ya gotta keep things shipshape! That's why me and the crew are always wolfin' down a fresh-cooked helping of meat and veggies from the galley. Now, not everyone's got a personal chef like dear ol' Masaru onboard, a'course, so just remember: one gram of protein per pound of body weight! Stick to that, and you'll bulk up in no time! 

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Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on February 21, 2025 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.