Even though it's only a Yakuza spin-off, Judgment is among the best games for a player's first foray into the series. With Lost Judgment just around the corner, these titles may just become a series in their own right. When it comes to narrative-driven experiences, few games have come close to creating characters and stories that are as captivating as those in Judgment. 

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Part of what makes the story so great is its protagonist. Takayuki Yagami is a fleshed-out character who still struggles to come to terms with his complicated past. His backstory is one of the most interesting aspects of the game, and it drives a lot of Judgment's main plot forward. Still, some important events from Yagami's past may have easily slipped under the radar of some players.

10 He's One Of Kamurocho's Few Local Patriots

Many of the main Yakuza characters were mere visitors to Kamurocho, Tokyo's fictional red-light district. In fact, when playing earlier entries in the series, one might get the feeling that the city is nothing more than a backdrop for the main events. In creating Judgment, the writers wanted to change things up. They created a character who cares deeply about that area and the people living in it.

Players have rightly praised the newly introduced Friendship System. However, they may be unaware of its intent to emphasize the love Yagami has for Kamurocho. The love drives him to take breaks from uncovering a nefarious criminal plot, to advise local business owners or help out immigrants who struggle to find their way in the city.

9 He's Extremely Well-Connected

A crucial aspect of being a private investigator is having access to people and resources that can help push a case forward. Having connections in the mob, police, and other communities is essential. Players who only focus on the main story will miss out on the true extent of Yagami's reach within Kamurocho.

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The Yagami Detective Agency can't complain about the lack of access to important and influential people. After his father's demise, Yagami was taken in by the head of the Matsugane family. Thus, he knows the Yakuza from the inside. Having worked as a prominent lawyer in his past, he also has access to public prosecutors and police informants, whom he can reach out to for valuable information.

8 Yagami's Fighting Style Is One Of Its Kind

Players familiar only with the English version of Judgment are aware of Takayuki Yagami's two fighting styles: the Crane and the Tiger. While these moves draw inspiration from Kung Fu, they are not the same as the actual crane and tiger fighting styles. Developers chose to simplify them to make them accessible to Western audiences.

In the Japanese version, Yagami's stances are called "Flash" and "Waltz". The animations draw inspiration from myriad sources, including 80s Hong Kong action films, and even some of the Power Rangers. The game's creators have carefully blended various moves together to create styles that fit Yagami's character, as well as the noir atmosphere of the game.

7 His Relationship With Mafuyu Changed During Development

The exact details of the original love story between Yagami and Mafuyu before the writers made the alterations are unknown. Many Judgment fans suspect that in the original version of the game's script, they were never broken up. Instead, the game started out with Mafuyu Fujii and Takayuki Yagami as a power couple with connections all over Kamurocho.

These theories have arisen because the game's lead writer, Toshihiro Nagoshi, revealed in an interview that Judgment was initially supposed to be more focused on the romance elements. This approach was scrapped during development, as it would "affect the courtroom thriller feel".

6 Ryozu Genda Paid Takayuki's Law School Tuition

Mitsugu Matsugane was Yagami's father figure during his teenage years. However, there was another person who was like a father to him. He helped enable Takayumi to grow as a person, and break out of the yakuza trajectory that his life was on.

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Ryozu Genda, the head of the Genda Law Office, recognized Yagami's knack for the legal profession. Genda paid his law school fees in their entirety, which allowed Judgment's protagonist to develop into one of Tokyo's most sought-after defense attorneys.

5 He Acquitted A Client In A Court With 99.9% Conviction Rate

Takayuki Yagami's rise to fame within Tokyo's legal community coincided with his downfall. Clients began swarming Genda Law Offices in search of his services, after he proved the innocence of Shinpei Okubo in a criminal court with a staggering conviction rate of 99.9%.

Unfortunately, Okubo didn't actually turn out to be the innocent, law-abiding citizen Yagami made him out to be in front of the jury. Soon after the trial, he murdered his girlfriend and was sentenced to death. This destroyed Yagami's reputation as a lawyer, and burdened him with the knowledge that he enabled the killing.

4 His Character Was Inspired By The Verdict 

It's no secret that Judgment's main plot is a homage to the classic detective stories of yesteryear. Many of the main story beats are reminiscent of 90s crime thrillers like Reservoir Dogs, Seven, and other culr classics. What fans might not realize, through, is that Judgment's lead writer, Toshihiro Nagoshi, has based a lot of Yagami's backstory around a character from The Verdict.

In this 1982 legal drama, Paul Newman's character Frank Galvin was also a disgraced lawyer who had his reputation tarnished by a messy legal case. Years later, he got involved in a case he deemed to be his one shot at redemption. This echoes Yagami's pursuit of justice in the plot-heavy Yakuza spinoff.

3 He Lied About His Age To Work At Tender

After his parents died, Takayuki Yagami had no one to turn to and no place to go for help. Fortunately, he was able to take matters into his own hands and search for a job in the district of Kamurocho. This is how he ended up working at Tender, a Matsugane-owned bar.

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However, due to his young age at the time, Yagami had to lie about his age and experience to get the position in the first place. Had he not lied, he would never have met Mitsugu Matsugane, who lent him a helping hand in getting his life back on track.

2 His Father Was Also A Defense Lawyer

Talk about fate. Not only was Takayuki Yagami's dad a well-respected defense attorney, but he also helped acquit a guilty person. This ultimately led to his death at the hands of the grief-stricken victim's family.

These events shaped Yagami's personality early on and instilled a certain sense of justice within him. It led him to pursue a career as a lawyer. On the other hand, it was also the reason he left this career behind, as he couldn't live with what enabling Shinpei Okubo to walk free.

1 Yagami And Kaito Used To Fight A Lot

They may be partners at the Yagami Detective Agency, but Takayuki Yagami and Masaharu Kaito were not always friendly with each other. They often fought as they grew up under the watchful eye of Mitsugu Matsugane.

Yagami and Kaito used to get into many brawls. Since Kaito was the older and stronger of the two, he'd usually end up beating up the skinnier, weaker Yagami. In the end, however, not only did they become close friends, but their fistfights have also helped Yagami develop as a fighter.

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