Best Early Recruits In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Summary

• Recruit shipmates like Kazami, Kenzo, Nickelle, and others in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, each with unique qualifications.
• Stock up on required items like ten CDs or Quality Components to recruit allies like Kenzo, a carpenter, or Nickelle Kidman, an actress.
• Join forces with characters like Kamulop or Lumberjack Hayashida by meeting their specific qualifications, such as obtaining Twenty Fortune Points.

The Yakuza series has been dabbling with the concept of recruiting random allies for a while now. The biggest mini-game or side quest in the last game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, had players collect agents like they would collect Pokemon in that titular series.

This latest entry, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, does not add a flair to its recruitment system, but players will need to get allies to improve Goro Majima’s ship, the Goromaru. In the first few hours, players will automatically get shipmates but this will change about five to six hours in when they get to Honolulu. Once there, they can actively recruit shipmates and these are the ones to look out for who are relatively easy to unlock early.

8

Kazami Evolution

Who Still Uses CDs?

• Location: Honolulu (Aloha Beach)
• Qualification: Ten CDs

Kazami Evolution is a rocker with a devout group of fans adoring him on Aloha Beach in Honolulu. Players can try to recruit him and this poser who loves rock will be surprised players, as Goro, is a legitimate pirate out to sail the seven seas.

Players can recruit him if they have ten CDs. CDs cost about $30 in most shops and they include everything from individual songs in the Yakuza franchise to full soundtracks from other Sega properties like Valkyria Chronicles. So, to get ready for recruiting Kazami, players should keep track of their CD collection, and if they need more it is suggested to hunt around Honolulu.

7

Kenzo

A Carpenter Looking For Materials

• Location: Honolulu (Aloha Beach)
• Qualification: Ten Quality Components

Kenzo is a carpenter, also hanging out on Aloha Beach. His personality isn’t electric as Kazami’s as Kenzo is just a simple carpenter. He will tell players he has been contracted to work on a nearby island called Dondoko Island.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth fans will recognize Dondoko Island as the biggest mini-game/side quest in that experience which was kind of like a more adult version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As a carpenter, Kenzo needs materials, specifically ten Quality Components before he can join Goro. By sailing around and hitting debris, players should have enough of these parts prepared by this point.

6

Nickelle Kidman

An Actress Looking For Experience

• Location: Honolulu (Aloha Beach)
• Qualification: 2 Star Pirate Rank

Nickelle Kidman is a punny play on Nicole Kidman, the famous Australian actress in real life. It’s kind of strange that the game didn’t put a pun on the last name too but maybe the developers thought this wanna-be actress’ disposition and blonde hair wouldn’t be enough to get the point across.

Either way, Nickelle is up for a role in a pirate movie so she will agree to join the crew to get some real-life experience but only if players get their Pirate Rank up to two stars. If players have been following Challenges in the menu, then it shouldn’t be too hard to reach two stars by this point in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

5

Squid Hunter Kennosuke

Location: Honolulu (Aloha Beach)

• Qualification: Wild-Caught Fried Shrimp

Squid Hunter Kennosuke is an NPC who might be hard to recruit if players have no idea where to get their desired items. This NPC will be hanging out on the edge of Aloha Beach and he is craving some Wild-Caught Fried Shrimp. He says the local vendors and restaurants don’t carry it right now and don’t know where players can start.

Well, Goro needs to put on his swim trunks because, in the middle of the beach’s waterfront, there is a floating merchant selling these Wild-Caught Fried Shrimp in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. With the delicious snack, return to Squid Hunter Kennosuke and he will join the pirate crew.

4

Obispo

Location: Honolulu (Tropical)

• Qualification: Eat At Tropical X5

Obispo is part of the restaurant game as well except he is a chef that wants players to eat at his establishment, Tropical. It’s located to the north of Honolulu at the edge of the map. The trick for this side quest is players should just buy the five drinks on tap because they are cheaper than the meals and they will still count.

If players cannot heal anymore, they should go out, fight a random pack of thugs, get hit, and then return to buy more drinks. It’s as simple as that to trick this chef into joining Goro’s crew.

3

Kamiyama

Location: Honolulu (River Street)

• Qualification: Ethereal Egesta x3

Kamiyama is located on River Street which is about one row up from Aloha Beach. He’s a budding engineer who is excited at the promise of joining the crew to tinker with the ship. All he needs is three Ethereal Egesta parts and he will join.

While there is no strict guide on how to get Ethereal Egesta, players will probably have enough at this point as they typically float among the debris in the ocean. While players are enjoying the open air while sailing around, they should be sure to hitboxes, especially the glowing ones, as they often contain rare loot like the Ethereal Egesta parts.

2

Lumberjack Hayashida

Location: Honolulu (Fuji Street)

• Qualification: Stamina Spark

Lumberjack Hayashida is located along Fuji Street near Revole Bar which players will have to frequent for the story. He’s sitting on a bench in the plot of land that’s going to be set up to be a park. All he needs is a little energy and the Stamina Spark drink will do the trick. It can be found in most shops, although it is expensive.

If players run around and grab chests in Honolulu, they may stumble upon a free Stamina Spark. Either way, this chainsaw-wielding fighter will be a good offensive member of the team.

1

Kamulop

Location: Honolulu (Fuji Street)

• Qualification: Twenty Fortune Points

Kamulop is also located on Fuji Street and he is the mascot for the shrine nearby. Players will first meet Kamulop as part of a mandatory Substory called Kamulop, Fortunes Unfolded. After beating up some thugs, the Substory will be over and will unlock the more time-sinking fortune hunt side quest.

Around Honolulu, players can find discarded fortune cards. Players will earn points for these cards and they can spend them at Kamulop’s shop. For twenty points, players can recruit Kamulop himself which is amazing because he is a support type like Noah and the tiger version of Goro. Discarded fortunes sparkle gold, so hunt hard to unlock Kamulop quickly.