Now that I have played Y0 to Y5, have one question for long time series fans.
Is there any interesting story about how Majima ended up as second lead in Y0? Was he really that popular before Y0? Did he become legend after Y0?
In Y1 and Y2, he plays part of side content. His role in Y3 to Y5 is nothing but guest appearance. Saejima (another character from same timeline as Majima) got big role to play in Y4/Y5. If creators wanted to add second lead in Y0, wouldn't Saejima more suitable back then given how much exposure Saejima had in Y4/Y5?
In the end, I'm SOOOO glad Majima is in Y0. I wouldn't have liked Y0 as much if Saejima was second lead. He is my second least character to play as after Shinada.
If Yakuza team makes more spin-offs in future, I want one with Majima as a lead.
So, first off ignore that side content in 1 and 2. That's added for the remake. NOT the originals, so it isnt related to the choice at all. Majima in 1-5 was always that of a series regular - like Detective Date if you fought Date in every game lol.
In the first game, he's notable for being one of the few characters that lives. Likewise, the sequel uses him as a main plot point as someone that not only returns, but gets a decent amount of screen time and a kick ass boss fight. 3, carries on his role from 2 in terms of plot and also plays the part of one of Kiryu's "trusted" allies (not quite sure if he can be completely trusted, he might still want to kill Kiryu). Only reason they switched up his story in 4 and 5 was because they realised he gelled incredibly well with Saejima, and made for some cool character moments. You also forgot to include Dead Souls and Kenzan, both of which have Majima as a main support character (Kenzan, amazing character arc) and main playable character (Dead Souls, best playable Majima). Basically, he's a fan favourite.
Back around when Ishin was announced RGGS revealed the results of a character fan poll. Kiryu and Majima were the two clear winners, with Saejima, Akiyama being third and fourth. I forget the rest... This was basically the time when Majima overload started happening. He probably gets the most screentime in Ishin of all the Shinsengumi (but hey, he blows up the Emperors front door, who can't love that!).
0 shows up as a prequel, and Majima is a playable character. Fans were happy, makes sense as a choice. They teased his 80s role in 4. I disagree with how they handled his personality in 0 though. Too distant to how he is shown in any other game/flashback.
0 is very warmly received (in case if anyone wonders, Japan loves it as well, going by its placement in many polls as recent as this year). And Majima was part of that. So RGGS pushes it. We get stuck with a drastically nerfed Dragon fighting style that requires you to fight Majima over and over. And don't forget that several plot scenes also add more Majima. "Majima Anywhere" might be the truest marketing bullet point ever for a game.
Then Kiwami 2 comes along. And instead of remaking Host Club Adam or any of the other bits that got cut, we get Majima. Again. Majima mini game, pointless Majima fanservice chapter that was completely un needed. Basically its around the remakes especially that they shoehorned Majima in anyway they possibly could. And on reflecting the remakes, I dont quite like it. For every one good scene, there's at least two negatives - a grind, a half baked playable Majima chapter, partially recycled mini games shoehorned in for MTX's, whose only redeeming features is a song and more wrestlers from NJPW to fight (assuming you bother to meet them in the arena, as the mode is too cheap to give you proper fights as part of the storyline).
Thankfully somehow sanity prevailed and Majima was used far less in actual new games. His use in newer Yakuza's is thankfully kept to a minimum, and in 7's case this lead to one of the best moments in the game. Though he legit should have gotten more screentime in 6, a complaint that can be easily leveled for basically the entire main cast of returning characters in that game.
Also, Saejima is in jail during Yakuza 0. How (and why) would he have even been used? That makes no sense.
