When it was first revealed that the Like a Dragon series would be continuing without its beloved longtime protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, it was difficult to imagine anyone that could match the charisma, style, and personality of the series’ long-standing cast. Kiryu, Saejima, Majima, Daigo, Haruka, and the rest were pretty much family to Yakuza veterans, but Ryu Ga Gotoku somehow managed to give us an equally brilliant protagonist in Ichiban Kasuga, along with another gang of lovable misfits.

Adachi, Saeko, and Nanba all bring something different to the table in the group dynamic, but it’s the last of them who comes into his own during Infinite Wealth. Every potential hero needs a character like Yu Nanba to back them up, and throughout the events of Infinite Wealth, he proves time and time again that he’s one of the best sidekicks and wingmen in the business.

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For starters, Nanba does his absolute best to help out Kasuga whenever he can, giving him crucial dating and fashion advice before his night on the town with Saeko. When his date takes a turn for the worse due to his rizzlessness, Nanba is there to give him a shoulder to cry on as well as a well-deserved clip around the ear for his half-baked proposal.

Sure, he recommends sleeping on a park bench while waiting for a date to arrive, and his taste in clothes is questionable, but it’s the thought that counts.

Drunk Nanba Is Best Nanba

Nanba’s optional Drink Link story is where we see him truly shine, though, cementing himself as a character who has Kasuga’s back no matter what. Infinite Wealth’s story is set in motion after the Tataru Channel accuses Kasuga of providing sordid jobs for ex-yakuza, which results in both Nanba and Adachi losing their jobs due to their association with him. It’s a source of guilt that weighs heavily on him throughout the game, even though they tell him not to worry.

However, this takes a turn for the interesting when you reach the finale of Nanba’s Drink Link with Kiryu, as it’s revealed he was actually unjustly fired after developing a close relationship with a secretary that his boss was harassing. A normal person might fly into a rage and perhaps throw some hands upon hearing this news, but Nanba is no normal person. Instead of enacting righteous fury, Nanba is thrilled to bits that his losing his job had nothing to do with Kasuga, and that his best friend no longer needs to feel guilty. That’s true love right there.

He then later admits to Kiryu that losing his job had a much bigger impact on him than he lets on, but he made sure not to complain about it around Kasuga in an effort to ease the guilt he was already feeling.

Nanba Isn't Perfect, And That's Great

Throughout Infinite Wealth, Nanba is constantly putting his own feelings and problems to the side to make his best friend’s life easier, and while you could argue that it isn’t healthy to put someone else’s well-being over your own, it really drives home the bond that the pair have forged ever since Nanba stitched Kasuga’s chest back together when they first met.

Nanba and Kasuga’s relationship may have had some bumps along the way, with the incident with Bleach Japan in Yakuza: Like a Dragon being a particular low point for the two of them, but that’s exactly what makes it so different to those Kasuga has with the rest of the party. Nothing strengthens a friendship more than overcoming tension and still remaining close on the other side.

Nanba isn’t a yes-man, he isn’t perfect, and he doesn’t always give the greatest (or even good) advice, but that’s what makes him one of the best sidekicks you could ask for. Sometimes you need a friend to tell you when you’re being an idiot just as much as you need one to have your back. Nanba regularly does both throughout Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Infinite Wealth, and that’s why he’s one of gaming’s best bros.

Like a Dragon Week

Dates March 25-31, 2024 Genre Action-Adventure Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios Publisher Sega Franchise Yakuza Games Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, Yakuza 5, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Judgment, Lost Judgment

Like a Dragon Week is TheGamer's celebration of all things Yakuza/Like a Dragon, with features, interviews, and opinions on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's massively popular series of action-adventue brawlers.

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