Will Judgment 3 exist?

This is a topic I don't see much on youtube, but much more in forums in the community. In this video I will be discussing as to why I think Judgment 3 will exist in the near future and a TL;DR background of Kimura Takuya's (Takayuki Yagami) agency.
If you have your own thoughts put it down in the comment below.

[@sickollybro]

Small correction in regards to why Kimura stayed with Johnny's: there has never been an official statement as to why. I would take any articles that uses his wife as the reason why he stayed with a grain of salt as she has been used as a scapegoat for any negative Kimura press for years now (their marriage was not well recieved by the public and Johnny's did little to quell the flames of the backlash, hence why her being thankful to the agency leaves me skeptical). We simply don't know why he stayed (and I'm willing to bet it's something as mundane as a contract being in place). Regardless, with all the Judgment cameos in the mainseries games I truly am hoping that it is RGG's way of hinting for another installment! Guess time will tell though.

[@Paxenth]

Thanks for the correction. Let's all share the judgment 3 copium/hopium air tank together!!

[@00rain70]

Because he doesn’t want to go another company and leave his staff. Japanese culture is not the same with western and Chinese and they’re not easier to leave the company. If you search SMAP Kimura and you will know he is a stubborn guy.

[@sickollybro]

@@00rain70 Has he openly stated at some point for that to be the case? As far as I'm aware there wasn't a statement given by Kimura to explain why he stayed but I may have not looked deep enough. Super likely that could have also be the case but so many discussions on SMAP disbandment + the members leaving Johnny's has been based on speculation and rumours that's it's difficult to pick out reliable sources.

[@00rain70]

@@sickollybro If you have been worked with the team in 10+years, will you easily to leave them alone? He doesn’t need to respond the rumours. Japanese Media always saying shit on Kimura that’s not true. I see some Kimura fans talked about he doesn’t leave because of the staff and they have a fans club that can see the deep conversation.

[@carlosldg]

Hello, SMAP fan here to weigh in on this discussion. There has not been any statement made by Kimura regarding his decision to stay, and truth be told the only reliable source would be if he went and did leave. There are always rumors and speculation regarding SMAP reuniting, or Kimura staying at STARTO to be able to still sing the songs of his career as part of SMAP, or him staying because he wants to protect his juniors.. But ultimately we’ll never know and it’s just unhealthy to place the blame on him or his family.

[@00rain70]

Kimura stays in Smile-up because of the staff and the environment makes him feel comfortable not because he afraid his career will not going well. When SMAP was disband, many Japanese hates Kimura and he lost all his jobs in 2017. He got the new jobs when Nagoshi joined the private party and met Kimura. He asked Kimura joined the acting jobs in his new game. Kimura felt shocked that someone wanted to meet him and gave him a new job. Yagami is important for Kimura and I saw Kimura felt very thankful that RGG Studio chose him to act the main protagonist and give the whole series to him.

[@Paxenth]

Thanks for the insight!

[@derpedfox]

Damn the idol agencies politics

[@00rain70]

@@derpedfox it is not a politics. I mean this is Kimura’s mind thinking.

[@The1337nut]

Wait, why did people hate kimura?

[@00rain70]

@@The1337nut he didn’t want to leave J&A but other SMAP members had left that’s why Japanese hate him and think he is a traitor. If Kimura leaves with them, SMAP will not be disband.

[@catchoh]

judgement is too good to NOT make a 3rd or more

[@user-ix6ic1bw2i]

i dont think they will make it because of the main celebrity he does not want to do a judment 3 he says he does not do trilogies

[@catchoh]

​ he better make an exception

[@SleepyMook]

I need to know if they’ve found the Judgement

[@owaisunar5227]

@@user-ix6ic1bw2i source?

[@nobu6833]

​@@user-ix6ic1bw2iwhat? kimura never said that, he's actually happy about judgment and he wouldnt mind for more judgment games.

[@3a43mka]

Also they added Kaito and Higashi in Gaiden, which was developed after 8, and in 8 they added cameo of Sugiura and Tsukumo aaand also mentioned Yagami infiltrating bike gang club in one of table talks. I mean, it would be stupid to add these things and not make another Judgment game, right?

[@Paxenth]

You're totally right. I forgot about the cameos when I was writing the script, another judgment reference was in a party chat #26 in ijincho talking about getting their head potentially stuck in a kids size hole face cutout board of a movie promotion. I do think they will make more Judgment games because Like a Dragon can't carry RGG and Sega alone anymore.

[@s0ulstorm]

TK talent agency: "nAh, u CaN't uSe tAkUyA KiMuRa fAcE AnD vOiCe bEcAuSe uhhhhhh uhhhhhhhh..."

[@DannyGaendon]

@@s0ulstorm Worst case is we get a Kaito game which is still a good case :D The Kaito files were great

[@s0ulstorm]

@@DannyGaendon if there's a new judgment game without takuya kimura i think yagami is fkn' dead

[@Sal_II14]

⁠@@s0ulstormi dont think there will be another game without KimTak, i hope he can comeback.

[@Kiryukazuma341]

Judgement 3 will be called "Found judgement"

[@ericle5366]

I like it.

[@deepflare1028]

I hope It won't be Final/Last Judgement

[@fallvec1423]

Alest is better of judgment day how some people are calling it, like dude, I think that title is better is we leave it to terminator

[@yungjunkie666]

I hope the ending scene they say we are the lost judgement

[@masteroflight7296]

I want to see a Yakuza 4 and 5 approach with multiple playable characters. Yagami, Kaito, Sugiura and Higashi

[@owaisunar5227]

4/5 story was meh, the peak yakuza with multiple characters is 0 and 2 playable characters is good enough

[@A_Guy_Without_His_Grasses_On]

​@@owaisunar5227nah 5 was great although I don't like 4 very much just because of it's stupid story

[@maheeppanwar4756]

4>5​@@A_Guy_Without_His_Grasses_On

[@maheeppanwar4756]

​@@owaisunar52272 is the most mid yakuza game yakuza 4 has much better story

[@Aurora-bv1ys]

@@maheeppanwar4756 5>4

[@realkingofantarctica]

I know the thumbnail is meant to be Kaito, Higashi, and Sugiura's portraits among the glass, but from a distance it just looks like PS2 Yuya.

[@sentric4732]

Hopefully the story would be about yagami figuring out who killed his father.

[@fallvec1423]

The guy who killed his parents, end himself on the spot when yagami was 15

[@sammysalgado1475]

I need a game centered around yagami infiltrating a fighting tournament and ichiban gets caught up in it

[@fallvec1423]

It would be the first time that yagami encounter a character from the main series, kaito already met kiryu

[@majicweather4890]

Shenmue fan here, this series is very much what i wanted shenmue to be from a technical standpoint. Im routing for you guys to get ur 3rd game. I love the mystery/detective theme in these games. And the immersive detail of japan in this game looks jawdropping from what ive seen. Again, go back and look at Shenmue, its so much related in spirit with this series and im not wrong, i heard some of the orginal devs that worked on shenmue, worked on Yakuza and this series. Apart from that Sega never marketed Shenmue as a detective mystery, but the whole thing u do in shenmue is basically look for leads to help you find the main characters fathers murderer. Its totally a detective mystery, except the main character Ryo is just normal guy , aged 17 and is just motivated by revenge and getting justice for his dad. Honestly i hope they call the third game JUSTICE. 😂

[@00rain70]

Shenmue and Judgment fans are here too.

[@C-NoteTheCyberpunk]

Shenmue is the reason why I got into the Yakuza series, even though Shenmue and Yakuza are NOT in the same universe or connected in any way, unfortunately.

[@realQuestion]

the games have been successful, so the series should continue with popular characters like Sugiura and Kaito even if Tak can't return...but of course we all hope he can!

[@alexandroswashere3089]

They should make it a trilogy calling the last one FINAL JUDGMENT or JUDGMENT DAY

[@sakkhanatithisak387]

I hope Judgment 3 we can play 4 of them Yagami, Kaito, Sugiura, Higashi.

[@Paxenth]

Yea that would be dope, like have a small part in the finale where they have to split up and do small tasks then regroup for the boss.

[@sakkhanatithisak387]

@@Paxenth Yeah it would be like Yakuza 4 moment when they have their own final boss.

[@Sal_II14]

if that really happens, i hope we can change between the 4 like in gta 5

[@aristefansson1589]

It would spice up the detective noire thriller theme on a whole new level if Yagami started tracking down a serial killer/sexual predator like Ted Bundy and/or Pedro Alonso Lopez while battling against the criminal elements the Daidoji faction used to cover up.

[@Paxenth]

That could be interesting as a introduction to the game, but to tackle the Daidoji is a bit much imo. You also bring up a good point about the noir aspect of the game. Maybe they can a femme fatale type character just to throw off yagami now and then. Cause they have nailed the aesthetics in the first game.

[@theanonymousone2149]

Nah bro, leave the Daidoji faction to SPOILER ALERT Shishido and maybe Nishitani III, they are enslaved by that faction. Let them free themselves and destroy the Daidoji

[@bakacdaz]

IMO the best possible outcome in Johnny get bankrupted and completely wiped out of existence. Then Kimura would be a freeman and free to join any project. Maybe he can singing Karaoke too. I think even without this allegation the possibility is already low. Johnny hate the idea of being on PC but SEGA did it anyway. Maybe that the reason SEGA did that is they don’t care about working with Johnny anymore.

[@ericle5366]

Man, it’ll be totally awesome to play as Yagami, Kaito, Higashi and Sugiura. And Judgment 3 would be like a new world of Yakuza 4 and 5.

[@frannncis]

tbf if they do make a third one which i think its possible even with all the stuff, i wish they made another kaito section and maybe even a higashi or a sugiura one. imagine changing between hand to hand and knife style as higashi would go hard (and pls add things to kaito style

[@cemetery8182]

The thumbnail for this vid would be banger cover art for it ngl

[@Matasuh]

I hope we get a Kurohyou 3 aswell, though it will be unlikely

[@Paxenth]

Would be cool to see as well, but yea I do think its highly unlikely for it to happen. Fingers crossed this isn't going to happen to the judgment series though.

[@bingus6869]

I think rgg stated that they will move on from past projects which is funny because recently I think yokoyama said on stream that kiwami 3 is gonna be made with more blocking or smth

[@ardiansyahindiechannel3166]

Kurohyou Kiwami👍

[@Matasuh]

@@bingus6869 I thought it was remaking past projects rather than past projects as a whole

[@masteroflight7296]

Kurohyou wasn’t made by RGG so it’s not likely

[@LordChrome375]

IMO it kinda has to happen. Of course, as you said Ichiban is taking over as the new main Protag. However, he will not ever be using the Dragon Engine, something fans still prefer over the new system. The leaves the Judgement games as a way to keep the system to keep fans happy while they still enjoy the new direction the mainline games are going in. That and with the Gaiden and Infinite Wealth cameos it's a given.

[@aryadivairsyadi7756]

I would like to see land inheritance matters in Judgment 3 if the game were made

[@Paxenth]

That would be cool to see. My working idea is yagami and co goes to hawaii tries to bust a case, but they can't because they are in an entirely different country with different rules. It would be like lost judgment, but it would be east vs west judicial systems

[@infniteburger1956]

i hope it happens idk why but i love judgment more than the mainlinegames yagami might be boring for some people but i just love him probably cause of how his actor played him good video btw

[@Paxenth]

Yea I think it's good to have different takes on protagonist within the same location, and how they react to things that happened in the mainline game.

[@yourchildhooddog]

at RGG Summit 2025 they’ll announce Kaito Files 2 and Kiwami Kenzan 😂

[@Paxenth]

I do feel like Kaito files 2 will probably be part of the main game some how, instead of a DLC like last time. I would love to play Kenzan though!!

[@sergeanselmo8286]

And they both are going to be JRPG-s

[@deepflare1028]

@@sergeanselmo8286 What is that supposed to mean

[@derpedfox]

That explains a lot about Yagami dancing skills

[@fallvec1423]

I hope in the 3rd game with can go between la Kamurocho, Yokohama, and Hawái, and sotenbori if we are lucky

[@dinsdag6juli2010]

Would like to see him reprise the role but my actual dream is to get Jin Kuwana as a main character.

[@TheEngieTF2]

Judgment series 🤝 Ultraman Tiga 🤝 = Hating Johnny&Associates

[@Vasenkov]

I don't know if new Yagami game is on horizon, but I'll take my next dose of Saori in any form

[@ardiansyahindiechannel3166]

Man i just hope rgg studio make more anime game like fist of north star lost paradise Maybe they do city hunter next or jojo?

[@Paxenth]

Certainly interesting choices especially city hunter.

[@ardiansyahindiechannel3166]

@@Paxenth city Hunter also set in Shinjuku so it's possible

[@ardiansyahindiechannel3166]

Also for Jojo I think implementing turn based combat would be awesome because Jojo has a variety of stand and turn based would be a perfect choice

[@ardiansyahindiechannel3166]

Like ichiban Jojo also has party member if you watch the anime So Jojo games with like a dragon Infinite wealth style would be awesome

[@Capodoji]

Jojo would be crazy

[@heldhala2744]

Judgment Lost Judgment Found Judgment

[@logandunlap9156]

i need judgment 3, not for the excellent combat (complete with juggles), not for the excellent narratives and characters, not for how it expertly expands the RGG universe while scratching the itch for a brawler-style game (turn-based is goated still), not even for the fact that a third entry would tidy up the series into a nice little trilogy, but for the fact that it will be guaranteed to include another Saori dressup segment.

[@aristefansson1589]

Judgment 3 could have a mutual aid side-story since solving cases has been Yagami's bread and butter.

[@DiabolicCrusher]

It will and it's just a matter of time, judge eyes and lost judgement is pretty damn popular. Not to mention Kimura's agency has stopped being a bunch of hardasses and we even got actual pc ports thanks to that, even if they are riddled with bloatware DRM, but that's on Sega.

[@seanplaysgames2551]

will he ever find his judgment?

[@jacobs1834]

I definitely want judgement 3.

[@derpedfox]

Okay now that's a great topic to cover in Judgement 3, Idols abuse

[@lilzael]

I think it will. Judgment games are too good to not continue doing, and it'll do a great job satisfying the fans that miss the old brawler-style gameplay. LJ's combat is peak brawler Dragon Engine combat and I can't wait to see where it goes from there.

[@Paxenth]

I do like what they have done with the dragon engine brawler since Yakuza 6. I might not be the greatest at it, but I can see why people really enjoy the newer brawler games.

[@CW85X]

I really hope there will be a third Judgment. I'm really not a fan of the turn based gameplay in LaD 7&8 (no offence to the people who DO like it) and since the main series is sticking with that formula, the Judgment series the only enjoyment ill ever get out if RGG going forward.

[@Paxenth]

That's all g. At least you are honest about how the recent games are and not bashing it because it's not the brawler gameplay it used to be. I'll probably consume every thing that RGG throws at me even if its a brain age game with kiryu as a teacher.

[@Cringetopia]

great video big man

[@Paxenth]

Thank you.

[@Publicenemy85]

One thing I REALLY want to happen is to have Ichiban and Yagami EVENTUALLY cross paths. One of my favorite moments in “The man who erased his name” was when Kaito and Higashi appeared in the game. It was honestly epic!! UNFORTUNATELY my gut feeling tells me they want to keep the Judgement and Like a Dragon storylines completely separated. There maybee winks and nods in terms of them existing in the same universe but nothing more.

[@RyzenREE]

Yeah no, if Kiryu met Kaito in his Gaiden game, then Yagami will meet someone from Ichiban's, or Ichi himself

[@Publicenemy85]

@@RyzenREE BELIEVE ME when I tell you I want to be wrong on this.

[@sugreev2001]

Both the Judgement games had the best storylines ever by RGG.

[@azraelmortis62]

*yakuza 0 has entered the chat*

[@gunnasintern]

i think a Judgment 3 is inevitable especially with how successful LJ and the Yakuza series in general is. the way they’re going to handle it might subvert people’s expectations my prediction for the game is that it’s going to pull a Y8 and have the 2 protagonist system again. Kaito and Jun would be in Japan while Yagami and Amasawa would be in Hawaii. honestly sounds like a good idea and i hope that’s what they do, i just want more Jun and Amasawa moments fr

[@user-ow8qv6gi3c]

Who is Jun?

[@gunnasintern]

@@user-ow8qv6gi3che’s Kaito’s adopted son from the Kaito Files DLC, that’s why i said that he’s going to come back since he moved in with him

[@buhurmumlul]

theres a cool rgg/judgement content creator who showed me their draft for a concept JE3/JE4 once while the idea is fun and all that... personally for me? thinking about judgement having another sequel is kinda impossible atm with kimura being japan's most gigachad and expensive celebrities and the whole shitty johnny's situation its hard to tell if he will ever come back as yagami and thats kinda sad because i really loved the games sm and got soo immersed with the story and contents it has to offer and since rgg loves scouting actors/actress to play as a likeness character its gonna be hard af for them especially since many actors like kimura or first summer uika are soo busy af with other many things in their career too like? if things went differently rgg would just cast the most popular seiyuu to play as yagami (tsudaken would be a great yagami just sayin hehehe) instead so everything will go smoothly heck we would have another sequel asap but i guess that didn't happen lol honestly im looking forward to rgg's new ip they annouced a while back so.... thats something to look forward to for the time being

[@winniethechelli]

If they don't make a new game, it would be a shame, 'cause Judgment franchise have his own soul, imho. Apart with this, there's another good reason for another game(s): $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. And I guess that the development team is smart enough to figure it out. Seems so.

[@bebrasmachnayq5691]

I mean Yokoyama said that Kiwami 3 will NOT be next game announced, so either KENZAN, JUDGEMENT, Dead souls and a lot of other things

[@Akira_Nishikiyama_reaction]

They most likely won't remake Kenzan since the story

[@Paxenth]

I don't know if my memory serves me right, but during one of the multi day kiryu saga live stream I think Yokoyama said that they might not do a Dead Souls remake. I could be wrong on that one, but Kenzan and Judgment does seem plausible for the next game.

[@bebrasmachnayq5691]

@@Paxenth then make Judge boys 3,cuz man I like kaito more than Yagami

[@Paxenth]

@@Akira_Nishikiyama_reaction It does seem risky in the western perspective, and it could be bombed real hard on release, but I do think it's worth a remake imo.

[@amarson2322]

whats the deal with kenzan story?@@Paxenth

[@alexandroswashere3089]

Also they should make a change of Yagamis hairstyle😅

[@Kyle-bt1co]

I want karaoke in a Judgement game

[@uysosd9026]

I hope we get some Kurohyou game also :/

[@abloccd]

it would be criminal if there wasn’t a judgement 3.

[@aristefansson1589]

I'd rather have Takuya Kimura transferred to another agency than the production and development of Judgment 3 cancelled because of the sexual offenses committed by the agency's founder.

[@00rain70]

Sega and Kimura don’t notice JE series are cancelled. Stop spreading the wrong news.

[@derperpines]

Kimura isn’t my worry for Judgment. Far from it. RGG is my main worry. With the side stories/cases, New Game+ and basic features being made into paid DLC and them pumping out games a little too often, my worry is the quality of the story and how the recent controversy with Infinite Wealth will affect the next Judgment. I loved the Yakuza series and loved Judgment 1, don’t get me wrong! I just noticed these changes that soured things for me when Lost Judgment came out and that’s where my worries began. I have no doubt Kimura will still be important and around for the next Judgment, I’m just worried that RGG is pushing things too fast and slapping down paywalls that shouldn’t be there.

[@DisabledGod]

The only thing that I will legally cope about is the fact they're never giving Dead Souls a remaster.

[@Paxenth]

We are definitely living in the dark timeline. I watched the entire story of Dead Souls but wouldn't mind playing it for myself one day.

[@godhimself9396]

OMG FOUND JUDGMENT

[@ProfRon-hb8zb]

They fucking should, we're stuck at turn based in the main series it'd be a crime for RGG to not make Judgement 3

[@klaus.sfc01official30]

Let RGG chill. They made 5 30 hour games in 3 years they will eventually make judgment 3 if they desire to do so and if not then they don't

[@mihaelkennedy]

Short answer is NO.

[@3a43mka]

But why lol

[@torshec8634]

Dementia Crisis and Bully Hunters, I want the Third game to go full Vice Japan.

[@derpedfox]

As long as there's a Vice Ministry of Health, yes Judgement 3 will happen

[@00rain70]

The main problem is on RGG not on Kimura’s side just because Nagoshi went away and new producer Yokoyama doesn’t care about Judgment Series and he will not do the same shit with the old Judgment producer. Yokoyama is too confident in his plot but many Asian especially Chinese always blame him writing a shit and don’t have logical. Also, they feel mad on Yokoyama deleted Nagoshi’s name after he has gone which make people feel he doesn’t respect Nagoshi. In my opinion, Yokoyama isn’t being brave to contact Kimura again and he knows Kimura will look at the plot. If the plot is being bullshit or not make sense, Kimura will ban it so hard. Yokoyama doesn’t have an ability to ask or meet the super stars. Many stars have acted in Yakuza series are Nagoshi contact them not Yokoyama.

[@amarson2322]

Nagoshi is the one who started the whole Yakuza series without him fighting tooth and nails to get green lit by Sega and Sony, we wouldnt have these games at all

[@boobis88]

If you had seen what Kimura is shooting in, you would have seen that in most doramas the plot is worse than yakuza 4. Kimura doesn't care about the plot, just like Nagoshi himself, they only care about money. If Nagoshi didn't want more money, he wouldn't have left the studio.

[@toustikcz640]

Found judgement

[@ShinMegamiTensei1]

You know what? When will they make kurohyou 1 and kurohyou 2 kiwami??? Like huh?????

[@Paxenth]

That's a tall order. Might not happen tbh

[@ShinMegamiTensei1]

@@Paxenth Tall order? Think about how in depth the fighting styles can get.

[@Paxenth]

@@ShinMegamiTensei1 I'm sure it would, but idk if they want to contact the other company they worked with just to remake it into a kiwami. That's why in the recent RyuStar TV #29 Yokoyama can casually say Kiwami 3 is a possibility in the near future cause it's their own IP.

[@ShinMegamiTensei1]

@@Paxenth Ohhhhh I see… well I mean I’d love to see it though…

[@lazyboyterry]

RGG never make 1 new location just for 1 game. and you don't need Kimura for judgement 3, when you have Yamanoto Koji.

[@Sal_II14]

uuhhh this is Judgment games not Bully killer

[@Paxenth]

It's hard to say tbh. They have made new locations just for 1 game before, it's just a happens that Lost Judgment decided to expand to Ijincho. With Infinite Wealth being in Hawaii it does feel like it won't appear in any other games.

[@lazyboyterry]

@@Paxenth i meant major locations, not small loctaions like okinawa, fukuoka etc. Ijincho was the major location for Yakuza 7. so Judgement 3 has 90% chance to be in Hawaii. and since Kuwana went MIA in judgement 2, he might was well go to Hawaii like Yamai.

[@ssj4goku18825theepic]

@@lazyboyterrynah they should do Kyoto and Chiba they haven’t touched on those parts yet like that maybe even expand to a city in China or another part of Asia where it can expand the series a lil bit

[@lazyboyterry]

@@ssj4goku18825theepic not for judgement 3, it depends on Yakuza 9 or something.

[@LenNPC]

judgement 0

[@Paxenth]

Genda at his prime

[@user-ix6ic1bw2i]

i doubt they will make it

[@boobis88]

You've given a bunch of arguments why it won't be, but you haven't given a single argument why it will be. But you are sure that the series will continue. 4 minutes to nowhere