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Top Early Game Crew Picks for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

by Hunter May 18,2025

In *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, the key to progressing through the story quickly lies in assembling the best possible pirate crew early on. During Chapter 2, Goro and his initial crew arrive at Madlantis, a pirate sanctuary known for its Naval Coliseum battles. Here, you delve deeper into the backstories of Jason and Masaru, whose crew faced betrayal and dissolution. To move forward, Goro must upgrade his ship and expand his crew, necessitating a total of $10,000 and the recruitment of five new members to tackle the Coliseum battles and advance the storyline.

To help you get through this section swiftly, here are the five best crew members to recruit early in the game, each requiring minimal effort to join your ranks:

Nickelle Kidman

A screenshot from Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Inspired by Nicole Kidman, Nickelle is an actor you'll find lounging near the beach in Honolulu. To recruit her, your crew simply needs to have a two-star rating, which you should easily achieve by completing all the main story missions up to this point. If you haven't reached this rating yet, you can quickly boost it by finding treasure, fighting thugs, and engaging in naval battles.

Hammerhead

The potential crew member Hammerhead in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Hammerhead, located on the second floor of the Honolulu shopping center, can be recruited through a straightforward fight. As most of the recruits on this list involve combat, Hammerhead's relatively low health makes him an easy target, allowing you to swiftly add him to your crew and move closer to completing the *Pirate Yakuza* storyline.

Related: All Yakuza Games, Ranked from Worst to Best

Kenzo

Kenzo in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Kenzo, found in the dock area of the Honolulu beach, can be recruited either by giving him raw materials collected during your travels or by paying him a few thousand dollars. Both options are easily achievable as you'll have gathered ample resources and money from your adventures. Kenzo proves to be a swift and reliable addition to your crew.

Lucas

Lucas in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

You'll find Lucas in Madlantis, where a simple fistfight will win him over. After a humorous exchange with Goro, Lucas challenges him to a brawl. Though equipped with a melee weapon, Lucas' attacks pose no significant challenge compared to previous boss fights, making him an easy recruit.

Obispo

Obispo in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

To recruit Obispo, visit his restaurant in Honolulu. By engaging in battles around the area to lower your health and then dining at his establishment five times, you can convince Obispo to join the Goro Pirates. While slightly more time-consuming, this method is still simpler than recruiting other members with more demanding requirements.

While *Pirate Yakuza* offers many other crew members with impressive stats, these five are your best bet for quickly advancing the storyline. As the game progresses and challenges escalate, you can then focus on recruiting more formidable members requiring greater effort.

And those are the best crew members to recruit in the early game for *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*.

*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii* is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.