The Real Infinite Wealth
Spoilers for Like a Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth
The song title ‘The Invaluable’ by Sheena Ringo could also be translated as Abundant Wealth which the song plays during the latest game in the Like a Dragon franchise, Like a Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth. Way to be subtle, RGG.
What is Infinite Wealth?
This song plays at the very end of the game and really leaves an impact, as I’m sure anyone who played the game has it stuck in their heads nearly as much as Haruka’s dancing songs from Yakuza 5. When the title for LaD 8 was announced, I was quite curious to what they meant by Infinite Wealth. I assumed that it’d be another story of Ichiban going from rags to riches, ala LaD 7. But after playing it, Ichiban had Infinite Wealth all along- even when he was butt naked on a Hawaiian beach.
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Some people suggest that Infinite Wealth is the friendships and connections we made along the way, which is a sweet if saccharine message but I’d argue isn’t quite correct. I think Infinite Wealth refers to how much any life is worth, basically saying that life is priceless. Which yes, is also rather saccharine, but that’s Like a Dragon for you.
The reason I suggest that this reading makes more sense than the former is that it works beautifully with both plots in LaD 8. I think there are two throughlines through the game, with Kiryu and Ichiban both being respective protagonists who are both exploring this idea of Infinite Wealth.
Kiryu’s journey is very simple- he’s dying. And he doesn’t really care. He doesn’t understand the value of his own life. His refusal to take care of himself and not seek treatment for his cancer is mostly done due to his insecurity over his own self-worth. He comes to change this philosophy over the course of a game in impressive character growth as he finally sees how his life is priceless through punching strangers on the street and much needed interventions by old friend Date-san. Ichiban is also surprisingly (to Kiryu anyway) another one to offer a change in perspective on a both heartwarming and funny rooftop scene.
Mentioning Ichiban, his idea of Infinite Wealth comes is immediately evident as before the game even starts he’s been trying to reintegrate ex-convicts into society. He believes that everyone deserves a second chance and refuses to give up on people- even Bryce, when trying to take his own life to escape justice at the end of the game, is refused by Ichiban. There’s an inherent preciousness to life that he believes in that doesn’t falter even once as the game goes on, even as he’s challenged with more malicious people.
We now come to the moment where the song The Invaluable plays and where the two paths combine into one theme. Kiryu is finally fighting for his life and it contrasts that with Ichiban supporting Eiji to find redemption by helping him hand himself into the police. As the music powerfully continues, we see how Kiryu’s friends value his life in a way that he has not and the way Ichiban sees value in Eiji that he doesn’t see. These characters and all people indeed have Infinite Wealth.
The song ‘The Invaluable’ is a touching piece of music which feels like it could end at any moment- the vocals almost seem like they’re fighting to keep going as her powerful voice refuses to die out against the background instrumental. Infinite Wealth could’ve ended in a dramatic death scene for Kiryu but I don’t think that’d hit as hard as seeing him come to terms with how valuable life is. Ichiban understands the concept of Infinite Wealth from the start of the game and I think it’s funny to see how he manages to teach that to his predecessor who then takes these lessons to heart. As Kiryu says to Ebina, wanting him to seek redemption, “We all have to live on.”
