Kiryu’s Fate
Yakuza 6 Ending Explained
Finally, we’re shown the truth of everything, Kiryu didn’t die in the battle but is incredibly injured and in the hospital under police care. He’s approached by a prominent politician attempting to bribe him with a massive amount of hush money, to stay quiet about the Secret of Onomichi. Instead, Kiryu negotiates with the politician, guaranteeing the release of Daigo Dojima from prison, and promising to “die for them” in return. What this leads to is Kiryu having Date ID his corpse, and telling everyone that he’s actually dead.
All of Kiryu’s friends and family truly do believe that he’s dead, and Date is the only one that knows the truth, alongside a suspicious Akiyama. Through this plan, Kiryu has allowed everyone to live safely, not in danger of being used to get to Kiryu, and it’s also allowed Daigo to stop the impending Yakuza war.
One very final scene is left showing Haruka, Yuta and the others filming Haruto’s first steps at the orphanage in Hiroshima. This scene is more symbolic than anything as we see Kiryu standing just outside the orphanage gate watching the scene. He came to check on everyone one last time, and as Haruto takes his first steps, Kiryu takes his first steps away from his old life. Kiryu is alive and well, but no one can ever know that. Previous Yakuza games showed Kiryu trying to leave the Yakuza life behind to little success, with those closest to him put in constant danger. After the events of Yakuza 6 he’s finally realized the only way to separate everyone from that life is for him to “die,” and this means a new beginning for himself, his friends, and even the Yakuza series itself.
