Goh Hamazaki

Goh Hamazaki (, Hamazaki Gō) is a character featured as an antagonist in Yakuza 3 and a supporting character in Yakuza 4. Originally the patriarch of the Yokohama-based Hamazaki Family and a lieutenant of the Tojo Clan, he earned the moniker "The Emperor of Hama" (, Hama no Teiō), with "Hama" referring to Yokohama. 
==Profile==
=== Appearance ===
Hamazaki has a large, heavy build and a large burn around his right eyebrow, its origins unknown. His hair in Yakuza 3 is black and slicked back. In Yakuza 4, Hamazaki's hair is shaven.
=== Attire ===
In Yakuza 3, he wears a double breasted 4-button silver suit with a light pinstripe pattern and peaked lapels, a black dress shirt with the collar worn over the lapels, a gold medallion pendant chain necklace, and black crocodile leather monk strap dress shoes with gold buckles. In Yakuza 4, he wears the typical grey prison clothes over a white tee. Although he is a high-ranking yakuza patriarch, he does not have any traces of a back tattoo, as seen when he is bandaged in 4.
=== Personality ===
During Yakuza 3, Hamazaki was portrayed to be very cruel and sadistic. During his introduction, he bombs a Chinese restaurant and was implied to have planned the assassination of Osamu Kashiwagi. Hamazaki is also cunning and has a strong connection with the Chinese Triad, which causes his relatively small family to be feared. However, this eventually backfires as the Triads betrayed him after Lau Ka Long's death, causing him to lose everything. In the ending of Yakuza 3, he blames Kiryu for his misfortune and stabs him. He even reacts with scorn to Kiryu's speech about redemption but is surprised when the latter still believes in it, even in the face of death.
However, during the events of Yakuza 4, he begins to have a change of heart after meeting Taiga Saejima. Being the second person to ever trust him, Hamazaki, who planned to only use him as a tool to escape, comes around to respect him after Saejima calls him a brother. He even sacrifices himself so that Saejima can escape. During his reunion with Kiryu, he also showed more respect to him and became a lot more honest and kind-hearted than the last time they met.
== Background ==
In 2007, Hamazaki formed a partnership with the Snake Flower Triad and they conquered Yokohama. This allowed the Hamazaki Family to become a direct subsidiary of the Tojo Clan, even with only ten members in the family. Hamazaki eventually became a lieutenant of the Tojo Clan with his partnership kept a secret.
In 2008, interested in the land resort deal, he worked with the Land Minister Yoshinobu Suzuki in order to remove Morning Glory Orphanage. With the land in his possession, he planned to create a secret casino for the Triad group.
== Involvement ==
=== Yakuza 3: 2009 ===
To stop Kiryu from interfering with Hamazaki's plans to take over the Tojo Clan and claim the Okinawa resort land in his possession, he attempts to convince Goro Majima to use his family to stop Kiryu. When that fails, he convinces his partner Lau Ka Long and his Triad to invade Kamurocho, and Lau obliges to get revenge against Kiryu. After Lau is killed, the Snake Flower Triad HQ in China destroys Hamazaki's Family for allowing their Japanese branch leader to be killed, forcing him into hiding.
After Yoshitaka Mine's death, Hamazaki confronts Kiryu in Kamurocho. Devoid of the power he once had as a yakuza patriarch, Hamazaki tells Kiryu that he is a wanted man and that he would be better off dead than to live in personal shame. Kiryu convinces Hamazaki to start anew, stretching his hand out as a sign of trust. Hamazaki walks towards Kiryu, stabbing him in his abdomen with a knife. With Kiryu collapsing, Hamazaki mockingly tells Kiryu that his idealism will not amount to anything near death, before he is pinned to the ground by Kazuki and Yuya until police arrive.
=== Yakuza 4: 2010 ===
Hamazaki is in Okinawa Penitentiary No. 2 when Taiga Saejima is transferred there. After Saejima is beaten, Hamazaki manages to see him and convinces him to help with his escape effort. With weapon expert and fellow inmate Renta Kamiyama's help, the two manage to get past the guards. While sneaking out, Hamazaki obtains confidential documents pertaining to the Tojo Clan. After a final showdown with prison guard Saito, Hamazaki is shot multiple times. Before he and Saito fall into the sea, Hamazaki tells Saejima to find a man named Kiryu.
Hamazaki washes up on Morning Glory Orphanage's beach in Okinawa sometime later. Kiryu gives him medical aid, but Haruka Sawamura, remembering the events of the previous year, refuses to let him near the other children. Throughout Hamazaki's stay, she continues to hold a grudge against him, which Kiryu attempts to resolve. Hamazaki requests Kiryu help the Tojo Clan, but after seeing the life he has in Okinawa, he reconsiders. Hamazaki agrees to turn himself in, and Kiryu accompanies him.
Kiryu and Hamazaki go into town only to meet up with Yasuko, Saejima's half-sister. The group meets at an abandoned office, but are ambushed by Saito and the other guards. Saito is defeated, but more police begin to arrive, so Kiryu and Yasuko flee while Hamazaki stays behind. Once the two leave, however, Hamazaki succumbs to the gunshot wounds he suffered during his escape from prison. He is rushed to the hospital, with Haruka by his side. After asking Haruka to tell Kiryu to save the Tojo Clan, as it was "the only proof that guys like us existed", he dies. His body is sent to the orphanage, where it receives a proper burial from Kiryu.
== Fighting Style ==
Hamazaki is not a boss in either of his story appearances but can be fought against in Yakuza 3's Coliseum and Survival Mode. His moveset is Kanda's with a unique sliding dropkick.
== Gallery ==
=== Yakuza 3 ===
Y3R-Render-Hamazaki.png
Y3 - Title Card - Goh Hamazaki.png|Introductory title card
=== Yakuza 4 ===
Gō Hamazaki (Yakuza 4).png|Remastered Render
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Online ===
RGGO - Card - SSR Goh Hamazaki.png|SSR Goh Hamazaki
RGGO - Card - SSR Goh Hamazaki (2010).png|SSR Goh Hamazaki (2010)
RGGO - Card - SSR Goh Hamazaki (2009).png|SSR Goh Hamazaki (2009)
RGGO - Card - KSR Goh Hamazaki ('09 Assault).png|KSR [Emperor of Hama] Goh Hamazaki ('09 Assault)
==References==
Category:Hamazaki Family
Category:Tojo Clan
Category:Yakuza 3 Characters
Category:Yakuza 3 Antagonists
Category:Yakuza 3 Coliseum Fighters
Category:Yakuza 3 Bosses
Category:Yakuza 4 Characters
Category:Yakuza 4 AI Partners
Category:Yakuza 4 Supporting Characters
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Online Characters