It took me forty years to realize this. But for guys like us... our lives aren't really our own. There's always someone new to help. Someone we need to protect. These past few years, I fought that fate with all I had. But I'm done fighting. It's time I accept the hand I was dealt. Too many people depend on us. Their dreams depend on us.
— Kiryu to Saejima, Yakuza 4 Remastered
Kazuma Kiryu (桐生 一馬, Kiryū Kazuma) is the former main protagonist of the Yakuza series from the first Yakuza up until Yakuza 6.
His legendary ascent through the ranks of the Tojo Clan earned him the nickname "The Dragon of Dojima" (堂島の龍, Dōjima no Ryū). He was the fourth chairman of the Tojo Clan and previously managed Morning Glory Orphanage.