Like a Dragon: Ishin! Review – Ghost of Yakuza
With Yakuza (er, Like A Dragon now) having finally gained global popularity in the last few years, this was the best time to bring over Ishin, a period spin-off in the franchise that never quite made it to the west, set during the 19th century, when Japan was undergoing several social, cultural, and political upheavals.
Ishin, though long requested for a global release by series fans, had never quite made it over until now. It made sense – Yakuza was already a niche franchise in the west at the time, barley keeping its head above water. A spin-off of that, and one so uniquely and specifically Japanese? That was never going to fly.
Or so the thinking went. Of course, now that the developers ands publishers have the confidence that there is an appetite for this franchise, this universe, and just Japanese media in general, globally, they are capitalizing on it. Like A Dragon Ishin is a faithful remake of the original game built in Unreal Engine (it is actually the first game in the series, which has used proprietary engines thus far, to use Unreal), and largely brings the experience missed by the rest of the world to modern standards without losing what made it so special to begin with.
That something is largely the setting. Ishin takes place in the tail end of the Samurai age in Japan. More specifically, it is set in in 1867, in what is known as the Bakumatsu era. This was a time when Japan was facing the simultaneous unrests of impending globalization, encroaching imperial powers, rapid industrialization, great social changes as the traditional class and caste systems endemic to Japanese society in its feudal age got called into question by the common people, and an impending change in the government and systems of governance in the country. ...continue reading

News On Japan - Nov 26
Panicked passengers on a Shinkansen bullet train were evacuated at a central Japan station on Friday night, after a plastic bag containing suspicious liquid was found onboard.

News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".

News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.

News On Japan - Nov 25
Nissan Motor Corporation has announced plans to transition all its vehicles produced in the United Kingdom to electric vehicles (EVs).

News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.

News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.

News On Japan - Nov 25
The strongest cold snap of the season has brought a dramatic drop in temperatures to northern Japan, where snow began falling Friday morning, with up to 50 cm expected in Hokkaido and Tohoku by Saturday evening, and a chance of blizzards.

News On Japan - Nov 24
It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.

NHK - Nov 24
Japanese police are investigating a stabbing incident that took place at a music arena in Yokohama City, south of Tokyo, on Thursday.

News On Japan - Nov 24
The amount of undeclared income by wealthy people in Japan has reached a record high of 98 billion yen, among the worst offenders being scrap gold wholesalers, breeders and yakiniku restaurants, the National Tax Agency announced on Friday.

Total Film - Nov 24
After hitting the big screen in its native Japan on November 3, Godzilla Minus One is about to make its way overseas – and it's a hit with international critics.

NHK - Nov 24
Tokyo has a new landmark, a 330-meter-high skyscraper that opened on Friday. The Mori JP tower has 64 floors for shops, offices and residences. It's the tallest building in Japan, a title that previously belonged to the Abeno Harukas commercial and business tower in Osaka, western Japan.

theceomagazine.com - Nov 24
Shitennō-ji temple is one of Osaka’s most important Buddhist temples. Built in the sixth century during the rule of Prince Shotoku, it has stood firm as the high-rises of the modern-day city have towered above it.

News On Japan - Nov 23
As street dance reaches fever pitch in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics with the inclusion of breakdancing, one of Japan's largest street dance events was held in Yoyogi Park, Shibuya, Tokyo.

News On Japan - Nov 23
Russians continue to be the worst offenders among cars with foreign diplomatic number plates when it comes to not paying off parking fines in Japan.

News On Japan - Nov 23
As Kyoto's autumn foliage reaches its peak, swarms of tourists have converged on the ancient capital, captivated by stunning displays like Wednesday evening's illumination at Kiyomizu Temple.