Who Is the Devil of Shinjuku in Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1?

Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1.

Shadowy underworld figure the Devil of Shinjuku is finally unmasked in Like a Dragon: Yakuza‘s first season finale. So, who is the Devil of Shinjuku in Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1, and why did they commit their crimes?

The Devil of Shinjuku’s True Identity in Like a Dragon: Yakuza, Explained

While the Devil of Shinjuku doesn’t appear until the closing moments of Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1, Episode 3, “Brothers / Sisters,” they quickly make a big impression. How could they not, when their M.O. is murdering yakuza members and carving pentagrams in their chests?

And that’s not all the Devil of Shinjuku gets up to in Season 1, either. This mysterious mastermind also exploits the greed of Aiko Sawamura and Katsumi Oishi, manipulating them into stealing 10 billion yen from the Ohmi Alliance as part of a wider plan to trigger an all-out underworld war. The only hope of stopping widespread bloodshed is for Dojima Family patriarch Akira “Nishiki” Nishikiyama to track down the missing money and kill the Devil.

There’s just one problem: Nishiki is the Devil of Shinjuku! He’s unmasked by his childhood pal (and Like a Dragon: Yakuza protagonist) Kazuma Kiryu during a bloody brawl early on in Episode 6, “Fate / Showdown.” The reveal comes as a shock to Kiryu, however, viewers shouldn’t be too surprised, given what we learn about Nishiki’s past in Episode 5, “Despair / Hope” (more on that below).

Related: Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1: What Does Gokudo Mean?

Why Does Nishiki Become the Devil of Shinjuku?

Revenge. As shown in Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1, Episode 5, Nishiki’s sister, Miho, died because of yakuza-related skulduggery. While Nishiki could’ve donated one of his kidneys to save Miho, he was fooled into thinking an eye-wateringly expensive black market donor was her only option. It’s all a scheme cooked up by mid-90s Dojima Family patriarch Sohei Dojima to coerce Nishiki into sabotaging Kiryu’s next bare-knuckle boxing match (and make Dojima a lot of cash).

Related: Why Did Kazuma Kiryu Go to Prison in Like a Dragon: Yakuza Season 1?

That’s not what ultimately happens, though. Kiryu wins, Miho dies, and Nishiki – who soon learns the truth about Dojima’s plans – feels betrayed by everyone. That’s why he eventually assumes the Devil of Shinjuku persona: as a way of destroying Kiryu, the yakuza, and even the Kamurochō district itself! It’s an easy-to-understand vendetta, although Kiryu’s place on Nishiki’s hit list is a bit unfair. After all, he took the fall when Nishiki murdered Dojima, enduring pariah status and a 10-year prison stint!

All six episodes of Like a Dragon: Yakuza are currently streaming on Prime Video.