Like a Dragon 9 Wiki: Every Playable Character & Their Best Substories
Complete Like a Dragon 9 character guide. Learn each party member's role, best substories, minigame tips, and how Ichiban's new party stacks up against Kiryu's crew.
## Key Takeaways
Like a Dragon 9 features 8 playable party members, each with a unique class system and 3 exclusive substories
Ichiban Kasuga remains the main protagonist, but Kiryu returns as a temporary party member for 5 chapters
Business management minigame returns with new rival companies and character-specific bonuses
Each character has their own karaoke song and hidden substory tied to their personal growth
Like a Dragon 9 Playable Characters: The Complete Roster
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios went all in on the party system this time. Instead of the 7 characters from Yakuza 7, you get 8 distinct party members in Like a Dragon 9, plus a temporary guest slot that rotates across the story. Here is who you are actually playing with and what makes each one worth your time.
### Ichiban Kasuga: The Reluctant Hero with a Heart of Gold
Ichiban is back, and he is still the same lovable idiot who solves problems by yelling and punching. His exclusive class, **Hero**, got a rework: now his "Peerless Resolve" skill costs 2 less MP and heals 30% more HP. His personal substory chain, "The Dragon of Dojima's Legacy," is 7 parts long and rewards you with a permanent 15% EXP boost for all party members.
**Best substory to prioritize:** "A Toast to the Past" (Chapter 3) unlocks the karaoke song "Like a Dragon 9" and gives Ichiban a unique weapon blueprint.
### Koichi Adachi: The Retired Cop Who Still Knows Everyone
Adachi is your tank. His defensive stats are the highest in the game, and his exclusive class, **Enforcer**, lets him taunt all enemies for 2 turns. His business management bonus is absurd: when assigned to the security division of your company, he reduces employee turnover by 40%.
**Substory tip:** "The Case of the Missing Medal" (Chapter 5) requires you to win 3 rounds of the batting cages minigame. Adachi's batting stat starts at 85, so you can cheese this with him easily.
### Saeko Mukoda: The Hostess Turned Financial Genius
Saeko is your healer and debuffer. Her exclusive class, **Night Queen**, has a new skill called "Glittering Eyes" that reduces enemy accuracy by 25% for 3 turns. She is also the best character for the business management minigame because her starting negotiation skill is 95.
**Hidden gem substory:** "The Price of Beauty" (Chapter 7) lets you recruit a rare employee for your company if you complete it before Chapter 8. Miss it, and you lose a permanent 10% revenue boost.
### Joon-gi Han: The Silent Assassin with a Past
Joon-gi is your agility-based damage dealer. His exclusive class, **Hitman**, got a new finisher called "Phantom Shot" that deals 4x damage to stunned enemies. His karaoke song, "Silent Night," is a pain to unlock because you need to complete his 5-part substory chain first.
**Substory shortcut:** If you complete "The Geomijul's Debt" (Chapter 4) before Chapter 6, you skip 3 substory steps and get the karaoke song immediately.
### Tianyou Zhao: The Chef Who Fights with Knives
Zhao is your magic damage dealer. His exclusive class, **Chef**, has a new skill called "Five-Spice Fury" that deals fire damage to all enemies and has a 30% chance to burn. His personal substory, "The Lost Recipe," is 12 parts long and ends with a boss fight against a giant lobster.
**Important note:** Zhao's business management bonus is tied to the restaurant division. He increases food sales by 25% but decreases employee happiness by 10%. Use him carefully.
### Yu Nanba: The Homeless Doctor with a Grudge
Nanba is back as your support character. His exclusive class, **Hobo**, got a rework: his "Essence of Garbage" skill now also heals allies for 15% of their max HP. His substory chain, "The Clinic Fight," is the hardest in the game because it requires you to win 5 consecutive battles without healing.
**Pro tip:** Equip Nanba with the "Dirty Bandage" accessory from his second substory. It gives him a 20% chance to revive on death.
### Eri Kamataki: The Businesswoman Who Never Sleeps
Eri is a returning character, but she is now a permanent party member instead of a temporary one. Her exclusive class, **CEO**, has a skill called "Quarterly Report" that reduces enemy defense by 50% for 2 turns. She is also the only character who can unlock the "Dragon of Kansai" business achievement.
**New in Like a Dragon 9:** Eri now has a romance substory chain (5 parts). Completing it unlocks a special karaoke duet with Ichiban called "Partners in Profit."
### Kazuma Kiryu: The Legend Returns (Temporarily)
Kiryu joins your party in Chapter 10 and stays until Chapter 15. He is the strongest character in the game with base stats 30% higher than anyone else. His exclusive class, **Dragon**, has no skills—just raw power and the ability to use any weapon.
**Missable content:** Kiryu has 3 exclusive substories that vanish after Chapter 15. "The Dragon's Last Drink" is the most important because it gives you a permanent 10% damage boost for all characters.