In a departure for the series,Like a Dragon: Ishinsees players take on the role of Sakamoto Ryoma, a masterless Ronin from 1860s Japan during the height of the Bakumatsu period. With a fictionalized version of real historical events for players to experience, this spin-off game includes a variety of details from an era of Japan’s history full of political upheaval, assassinations, and the iconic swords of the samurai. As a part of this commitment to historical detail,Like a Dragon: Ishinincludes the legendary Kijinmaru Kunishige blade that players will have the chance to wield.
As apre-order bonus forLike a Dragon: Ishin, players can gain access to a variety of unique in-game weapons which include the Kijinmaru Kunishige sword. While it’s currently exclusive to players who pre-order the game, it’s not yet known if it will be obtainable within the game by other means. Players enticed to pre-order are not only getting an awesome looking weapon, but one with an important history to the real-world events thatLike a Dragon: Ishinis based on.
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The Kijinmaru Kunishige Sword is a Legendary Shinsengumi Weapon
Like a Dragon: Ishin’s place on the timelineputs players at the center of a tumultuous political conflict between the Shinsengumi special police force loyal to the ruling shogun and the Ishin Shishi faction that seeks to restore the rightful emperor of Japan to the throne. One of the most famous samurai and captain of the Shinsengumi’s third unit was Saito Hajime, whose notoriety stemmed from his role in ousting spies from the ranks of the Shinsengumi. The weapon wielded by Hajime was none other than the Kijinmaru Kunishige, which boasts a light-colored stingray skin grip and steel tempered by the master smith Kunishige.
Hajime started out as the assistant vice commander of the Shinsengumi, but would work his way up the special force’s ranks following several clashes with rebel Ishin Shishi forces. Eventually, Hajime was promoted to captain of the Shinsengumi’s third unit, but his skill with a sword was seen as on par with that of the captains of the first and second units. Due to his reputation as an adept swordsman, his enemies would come to fear the Kijinmaru Kunishige, making it a fitting weapon for players ofLike a Dragon: Ishinto bring into combat.
Like a Dragon: Ishinplayers will take on the role of Sakamoto Ryoma, whose role in the game is based on the real-life samurai and member of the Ishin Shishi. Within the game, Ryoma will adopt the identity of Saito Hajime to infiltrate the Shinsengumi and search for the assassin who killed his father. Although the real-life Sakamoto Ryoma and Saito Hajime were two different people, Ryoma did work to undermine the shogunate using the alias Saitani Umetaro. DeveloperRyu Ga Gotoku Studioseems to be taking some creative liberties with these two historical figures, combining them into one character for the sake of the game’s story.
The ways in which Ryu Ga Gotoku isincluding details inLike a Dragon: Ishinlike Hajime’s Kijinmaru Kunishige sword is a great sign for players looking forwarded to a more historically grounded game. While this weapon may only seem like a small pre-order incentive, it has a much deeper connection to the game’s real-world inspirations than many players might realize. Players who pre-order the game can look forward to slicing throughLike a Dragon: Ishin’s enemies with the power and prestige of a legendary samurai like Saito Hajime using his signature weapon.
Like a Dragon: Ishinreleases July 12, 2025 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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