Yakuza

[Initial Fantasy]

They are gangsters or mafia in Japan. They are supposedly very evil and very dangerous.

Lately I've been fascinated with them.

Not only do they have their own set of laws, but they have huge control over the laws of Japan itself. They have a say on most decisions of large corporations, if they don't already own them. They scare big rich business men into financing them. And for the most part, they get to decide who is voted into office.

To be part of a Yakuza family, they withstand up to ten years of an unbearable form of tattooing all over their body and they have to be willing to chop off their own fingers if they make even a small mistake.

This Japan, who's government is a 'democracy' set up by the United States, is actually run by a bunch of Yakuza clans which date hundreds if not thousands of years back to Samurai times. It is almost like feudal Japan still exists today under a mask of business and politics.

How awesome.

[Denmark]

Now if any of you sons of bitches got anything else to say, now's the smurfing time!

[Balzac]

Isn't that a yogurt drink?

[Clouded Sky]

While there's a lot of truth behind what you say, I'd also be willing to say your romanticizing quite a bit. Yes, it's still a huge problem and there is a huge yakuza presence in Japan, it's not quite to the extent that you (and crazy movies) would lead us to believe. Additionally, they served some positive roles, especially in post-war reconstruction. Many yakuza have/had semi-legitimate businesses on the side, often construction or demolition. They helped stimulate the economy with this sort of work after the war. Additionally, they provided a means for the Burakumin, the outcasts of Japan, to enjoy a decent lifestyle. Though discrimination was officially done away with after the Meiji restoration, a lot of that prejudice still remained - many yakuza could have cared less about the type of person as long as they got a productive member for the group.

Some fun facts about yakuza:

The word “yakuza” is said have come from a Japanese card game similar to blackjack, where a hand of eight-nine-three (pronounced ya-ku-za in Japanese) was a losing hand, and the term is not supposed to mean “good for nothing.” It can be further traced back to the Japanese word “boryokodan” meaning “violent gang.”

The yakuza roots date back to 16th century Japan where unemployed samurai would turn to this less-than-honorable (at the time) profession for means of employment. During the 19th century these gangs began to become more organized and bureaucratic and they split off into many different factions and groups.

Hope that helps fill your heads with yakuza visions.

[Big D]

The Yakuza is basically Japan's version of the Italian/US/Russian mafia - simply, a highly organised criminal organisation. Like any organised crime group, it has contacts and influence across all levels of society, but it's by no means the driving force behind the nation's government.

[Yamaneko]

I bet they have a code of honor too. That means i's OK for them to be thugs and murderers.

It doesn't surprise me that something about Japan would be exaggerated and romanticized to the point of absurdity.

EDIT: way to delete your post, Hannah

[Quindiana Jones]

I reckon I could take them.

[scrumpleberry]

Now if any of you sons of bitches got anything else to say, now's the smurfing time!

i lol'd

Yeah, romanticism methinks. Looks like we've got a closet wapanophile on our hands

p.s. i think italian mafia is at least as awesome as wapanese

[Rye]

Because they're SO different from the Italian mafia, but just because they're Japanese, it's okay.

Maybe if the Italian Mafia started forcing folks from poor areas of asia into prostitution to come into the country like the Yakuza, they'd have people having japangasms on their faces. ;o

Probably not, though. Ain't no love for the Italian greaseballs like me. You hurt me deep.

[Zeldy]

Isn't that a yogurt drink?

that's Yakult

[Quindiana Jones]

'ey, Rye-a! You shuddupa yer fayce! xD

Quin single-handed armed with nothing but a rusty butter knife > Russian Mafia > Italian Mafia > Yakuza*.

[Levian]

just run over a bunch of zaibatsu to get them on your good side

[Quindiana Jones]

Oldskool Levian. Je t'aime.

[JKTrix]

Looks like you'd enjoy the PS2 game Yakuza that came out in '06. Hurry up and play it, the sequel is coming out in a month. As a bonus, all the voices in the sequel are in Japanese. There's a PS3 spinoff called 'Ryu Ga Gotoku: Kenzan' that isn't out in English yet, but it deals loosely with the origins of 'The Yakuza'. Then there's a proper 3rd installment of the main franchise for the PS3 currently being made.

[scrumpleberry]

Because they're SO different from the Italian mafia, but just because they're Japanese, it's okay.

Maybe if the Italian Mafia started forcing folks from poor areas of asia into prostitution to come into the country like the Yakuza, they'd have people having japangasms on their faces. ;o

Probably not, though. Ain't no love for the Italian greaseballs like me. You hurt me deep.

Us poor eyetalians, eh Ryechu? Ain't noone to italgasm over us :kaocry2: