The Yakuza series debuted in 2005 and now includes over twenty games across many platforms (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and PlayStation).
Context and meaning
The Yakuza series centres on the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia, and the protagonist Kazuma Kiryu’s efforts to negotiate the murky political and criminal underworld of the Yakuza.
All of the Yakuza RPG stories are based on the films of the same name about the Japanese underworld. Kazuma Kiryu, a defected member of the Tojo family, plays the main role in the game. In 2005, when the first game in the series was released, it quickly became a fan favourite. Video games have spawned several sequels, remakes, prequels, and spin-offs for the same purpose.
The game’s cast of characters doesn’t end with Kiryu; there are many more with fascinating backstories. In addition, the map of the game’s world is updated and enlarged with each new release. Minigames like golf, karaoke, gambling, and bowling are included in the main game.
The definition of Yakuza has always confused me.
The first game in the Yakuza series was launched in 2005, and the franchise has since spawned more than a dozen direct sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. All games take their inspiration for their storylines from films about the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia.
Visually, Yakuza is a somewhat staid series, with its 2005 logo being its sole significant graphical update. Yakuza’s logo idea is a spot-on graphical depiction of the organisation, and with the help of the correct colour palette, it exudes authority and professionalism while standing out from the crowd.
2005 – Today
Both the Japanese and English versions of the Yakuza logo, which were released in 2005, seem very different from one another while sharing the same style and attitude. The English badge text is presented in bold, red letters with jagged corners and straight lines. The logo, which is in title case, is forceful and intimidating, conjuring up images of battle.
The Japanese insignia has the inscription in white hieroglyphics with a dark grey shadow, on a white backdrop with a powerful gradient-red circular stroke, with a paint texture.
Style of text and hue
The main Yakuza badge’s handwritten logotype stands out on a black background since it is created in a designer font with weighty characters and razor-sharp edges. The typeface used in this emblem has no exact commercial counterpart, however the Human Race Regular and Forgotten Dream Regular (with some major alterations to the character outlines) fonts come the closest.
Nothing is unexpected about the Yakuza brand’s colour scheme, as red is well recognised as symbolising the strength of the Japanese will. This logo’s rich red colour conveys a sense of strength and danger, drawing even more attention to the fascinating and unique styled lettering.
