“Yakuza: Like A Dragon” To Job In Japan: My Story As A Gamer 

A World of Japan That Started with Games 

My curiosity about Japan began at age 14, when I started playing PlayStation games with my cousins. The more we played, the more I became fascinated by gaming.  That’s when I discovered that many of these exciting titles were created by a Japanese company called Sony. 

That interest sparked a deeper fascination with Japanese culture. I began watching anime like Dragon Ball, listening to anime soundtracks and Japanese city pop music, and gradually immersing myself more and more. What started with gaming soon grew into a genuine passion for all things Japanese. 

Learning Japanese From Yakuza: Like A Dragon

I’m a gamer at heart, so naturally, I learned most of my Japanese not from textbooks, but through games and anime. I would watch anime and practice shadowing (a method of repeating what the characters said out loud). I also kept a notebook to jot down interesting phrases I heard. That’s how I gradually learned hiragana, katakana, and the basics of Japanese grammar. To be honest, I don’t remember ever studying Japanese using a textbook. 

One of my favorite game series is Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Ryū ga Gotoku). Each game takes about 50 hours to complete, and there are seven main titles. The voice acting is entirely in Japanese, which made it both entertaining and educational for someone like me who wants to learn Japanese. 

In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, I began playing the series. For 3 to 4 months, I logged more than 200 hours of gameplay. That intense immersion significantly boosted my Japanese skills. 

Mimicking the characters’ lines in Yakuza: Like A Dragon helped me internalize vocabulary and sentence patterns. Since many lines are repeated throughout the game, it became easier to remember and understand new words. Thanks to that experience, I developed strong listening skills and could comprehend N4-level Japanese even before I started studying in a structured way. 

Later on, I took a one-month Japanese course at university. Even so, I believe my real progress came from constant exposure to natural conversations in games and anime. That immersive experience truly helped me pass the JLPT N4. 

A Single Video Opened the Door to a Job in Japan 

After passing the JLPT N4, it dawned on me that I now have a real shot at finding work in Japan. I began researching online how to find a job there, but most of the opportunities I found were for experienced professionals. When I found out about this, my initial plan was to gain three years of work experience in India and pass the N2 exam before I begin job hunting for work in Japan. 

Luckily, I came across a YouTube video by Japan Tamil Bros titled “Secrets of Landing Dream Jobs in Japan: Free Visa & Flights”. In the video, an Indian professional shared how they received a job offer through a program called FAST OFFER International. 

I decided to check out the website. To my surprise, I found many success stories from people just like me — students who had studied AI or data science that passed the JLPT N3 or N4, and landed jobs in Japan as fresh graduates. 

After reading those stories, I felt inspired. It suddenly seemed possible that it could happen for me, too. I registered for FAST OFFER International in my third year of university. Then, once I entered my final year and the job hunting officially began, I started the application process. 

Six Months of Learning from Failure and a Second Chance 

I was first selected for a FAST OFFER International interview event in October 2024. I was thrilled to finally have the chance to interview with a Japanese company. The interviewers were kind and smiled throughout, but I was so nervous that I couldn’t show my true Japanese ability. Ultimately, I didn’t pass this time around. For a week afterward, I couldn’t focus on anything because I was so disappointed and frustrated. It felt like I had let the opportunity slip through my fingers. 

After that setback, I took a hard look at what went wrong. I watched videos about Japanese job interviews, practiced by recording myself, and studied common phrases and unique questions that often come up. 

Since I didn’t have anyone to practice speaking Japanese with, I relied on the same methods that had helped me learn when I was playing Yakuza: Like A Dragon — shadowing and repeating phrases until they felt natural. 

During that time, I didn’t apply for any other jobs at school. I waited, but there was no word from FAST OFFER International for a while, and I grew more and more anxious. However, I didn’t give up. I emailed my mentor at FAST OFFER International multiple times, updated my self-introduction video, and revised my graduation project presentation. I did everything I could to improve and show how serious I was. 

About six months after that first interview, I finally got another opportunity. I was overjoyed. After all the waiting and effort, I had another chance to prove myself. 

Good News After Nerves 

I did the interview online, which was a relief since I was in the middle of an internship at the time. I was grateful I could attend without having to miss work.  

The interviewers were friendly and easy to talk to, which helped me feel more at ease. From the interview, I got a great impression of the company. The communication felt clear, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. After the interview, I found myself wanting to work there even more. 

Then, just 10 minutes after the interview ended, I received a message: I had passed! 

I was overjoyed. I had poured everything into my dream of working in Japan, and now it was finally coming true. I’ll be working in the Kansai region — the same area featured many times in the “Yakuza: Like A Dragon” game series that helped me learn Japanese. In the end, I believe I’m here today because I never gave up. 

Yes, studying Japanese is hard, and sometimes you might feel like quitting. 

But if you keep going, I believe the path to Japan will open for you, too! 

FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE: How To Make Learning Japanese Fun As A Beginner

Learning Japanese is easier when you’re having fun! Here are some tips to make your language learning journey enjoyable.

Go Subtitle Free with Anime

A lot of our successful talents were inspired by anime. One of the milestones in their language learning is going subtitle-free. If you want to ramp it up, you can even form a subtitle translations group with friends!

Immerse in J-Dramas

Whether it’s I wanna eat you pancreas, Trillion Game, or Alice in Borderland, rewatching your comfort shows can even be educational! Plus, enjoying it without subtitles can give you new insights.

Translate Your Fave J-Pop Lyrics

Studying the translations of your favorite Japanese songs can be a fun and engaging exercise! You love for Shiina Ringo, or AKB 48 can take you one step closer to Japan!

Play Your Favorite Video Games in the Original Japanese

Ever tried playing Nintendo games in the original Japanese? You can combine your language learning with your favorite Japanese video game.