In a battle between John Wick's titular assassin and Yakuza's Kazuma Kiryu, Lost Judgment's director claims that Kiryu would prevail. Kazume Kiryu, a yakuza gangster who yearns to leave his criminal life behind, is the primary protagonist of the Yakuza beat-em-up series. Both the Yakuza and Judgment franchises take place in the same universe, with Judgment following a detective rather than a criminal.
The Yakuza series has proven to be incredibly popular since its first entry in 2005, and protagonist Kazuma Kiryu has also shared that popularity. Kiryu has become something of an icon for the series, and for PlayStation consoles in general. In the franchise's first installment Kiryu is forced to endure a ten-year prison sentence, taking the blame for his boss' death in order to defend a friend. This sympathetic backstory makes him sympathetic to many of the franchise's players. Kazuma Kiryu would continue to appear in seven more Yakuza titles, typically as the main character or as a playable character alongside others. While the crime franchise's latest entry stars a brand-new hero, Kiryu still appears in Yakuza: Like a Dragon as a powerful boss that players must overcome.
In an interview with TheGamer, Lost Judgment director Kazuki Hosokawa suggests that Kazuma Kiryu could defeat John Wick in a fight. Hosokawa has served as a director on multiple games starring Kiryu, such as Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 5, making him quite knowledgeable on the aging gangster's abilities. The director explains that Kiryu is basically inhuman, with superhuman fighting abilities and resistance to gunfire, so John Wick would not have the tools or strength to defeat him. However, Hosokawa does concede that Judgment protagonist Takayuki Yagami is a typical human, so he would likely lose in a duel with the Baba Yaga.
While Kazuma Kiryu is a terrifyingly powerful combatant and criminal, he also appears to have a more lighthearted side. The Yakuza protagonist will be making an appearance in Super Monkey Ball Mania, serving as an exciting guest character. The newest entry in the long-running Sega series will release on October 1, and players will be able to unlock Kiryu without any additional updates or downloads. The yakuza warrior's stoic face serves as a perfect contrast to the bright and cheery world of Super Monkey Ball, as players whimsically roll around to collect bananas. A theoretical Super Monkey Ball contest between Kiryu and John Wick could potentially be even more exciting than a hand-to-hand slugfest.
Kazuma Kiryu has become a beloved and iconic video game protagonist, with Yakuza fans growing to understand and admire the reluctant criminal. While John Wick is also a powerful and sympathetic figure, Kiryu's superhuman fighting abilities and endurance make him more than a match for Keanu Reeve's iconic character. With Kazuki Hosokawa directing multiple Yakuza and Judgment titles, his verdict is enough to determine the outcome of the theoretical throwdown.
Source: TheGamer