Saints Row is probably the closest comparison to Yakuza that I’ve played, except it’s overtly an absurd comedy that’s not supposed to be taken seriously. Yakuza’s main plot is played completely straight, and even a lot of the absurd sidequests are treated seriously – that’s what makes them so funny. The two games take very different approaches to their humour.

I totally agree with your assertion of usual portrayal of women in Japanese media and I was very much surprise how different is Japanese culture when you look at it from inside. I’ve heard about used underwear shops and stuff and was worried my wife may find it uncomfortable in Japan. But being there you’d never believe that’s a birthplace of anime. We had to go out of our way to get into special shops where they sell you suggestive figurines and bodypillows, everywhere else you are more likely to find Minion or some Disney character than anything you’d expect to find in Japan. And we failed to notice any sort of discrimination, it felt like gender equality is better realized than back home in Eastern Europe (e.g. no salesman ever assumed that I, a man, manage money which you often see in other countries). Since then I’m very puzzled about seeming gap between Japanese culture and what you actually see in Japan: it’d be like visiting Czechia and realizing they don’t drink beer and don’t have bridges and castles. I thought maybe anime is non-representive as it’s maybe young male-dominated, even though you still have popular high-quality anime made for girls and about girls. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Djo_manga

Weird. Anyway, you rarely praise the game so high, seems I’ll have to get it.

Also strange how you managed to not mention Saints Row.