This article contains heavy spoilers for Eric Tomizawa’s Drink Links in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Summary
Drink Links are one of the many features that have returned inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthfrom its predecessor, and for good reason. The feature, operating similarly to the Social Links of thePersonaseries, offers a glimpse into its supporting characters' struggles while establishing the chance for deeper bonds with the party. Though Ichiban’s first impressions ofEric Tomizawa, affectionately nicknamed Tomi for short, starts off on a rough note, his backstory gradually unfurls to reveal a complexity behind his character that winds up breaking an overused story trope: the lost love.
Tomi helps set Ichiban’s first foray into Hawaii as a cab driver with one of the wildest character introductions in the series to date. Robbing Ichi at gunpoint while hilariously swallowing the envelope with Akane’s address, he’s established as a reluctant grunt of Yamai’s gang who might not be best suited for the job. Ichiban is quick to clock this; as Tomi’s hands shake while he points his gun, Ichiban sees that he isn’t as cold-blooded as the facade he puts on. Later, Ichiban shows that he can change, offering to protect Tomi while accepting him as one ofLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s party members.
How Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Tomizawa Puts a Spin on the Lost Love Trope
Tomizawa’s Background
Once Tomi becomes a member of the party, he reveals his tragic backstory; having been falsely imprisoned under ascheme operated byInfinite Wealth’s Barracudas, his life as an ordinary cab driver quickly took a turn for the worse. His partner at the time, Marie, was so overcome by the situation that she miscarried, leaving the two shattered and their lives upended. While Tomi served time for a crime he didn’t commit, Marie struggled to keep afloat, and eventually stopped visiting him in jail. Once released, Tomi vowed to kill the Barracudas' leader, though his resolve was not enough to resort to murder; joining Yamai’s gang while extorting his passengers as a cab driver, his life was a bleak facade of what it once was.
In Tomi’s Drink Links, he opens up to Ichiban about Marie and his love for her. While he harbors no ill will towards her decision to leave, he still mourns the life they could have lived together. His concern for her well-being is apparent, and once Marie is spotted around Hawaii, Tomi can be encouraged to seek her out, a decision that is cultivated byIchiban’s dialogue choices and personality. What Tomi ends up seeing is Marie with another man, spurring on his desire to make sure that she’s truly safe and happy.
Tomizawa’s Drink Links Have A Bittersweet Resolution
Tomi puts on an alias and introduces himself to the man, offering him a tour of Hawaii and sparking up conversation. He sees that Marie’s new partner, Kendo, seems to be a good person; later, Kendo encountersIchiban and Tomi at Revolve, and as the three talk outside, an argument with some thugs ensues, which Kendo escalates into a fight. Tomi tries to defuse the situation, telling Kendo to leave while saying that conflict will only fall back on Marie. As Ichi and Tomi defeat the thugs, Kendo reveals that he hired them, as this was a test of Tomi’s character, who he surmised all along to be Marie’s ex. Knowing of Tomi’s past affiliation with Yamai, Kendo had to make sure that Marie would be safe if she came to give a final goodbye, a request she made due to the two of them leaving Hawaii.
The moment ends in Marie’s appearance, as her and Tomi finally get a chance to talk after all the years separated. The conversation happens off-screen, and once Tomi regroups with Ichiban, he seems like a changed man, whose regrets have vanished with the newfound closure. Instead of his lost love being rekindled, or him encouraging Marie to leave Kendo, he instead recognizes that nothing’s more important than her happiness. In a bittersweet ending, he sees Marie and Kendo off as a new couple ready to live their lives together, while thanking Ichi for being there for him, showing his strength in the situation andthe power of Ichiban’s bondswith others.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
WHERE TO PLAY
EPIC EMOTIONAL DRAMATwo larger-than-life heroes brought together by the hand of fate, or perhaps something more sinister…Ichiban Kasuga, an unstoppable underdog who’s no stranger to crawling up from rock bottom, and Kazuma Kiryu, a broken man facing down his last days.BEST-IN-CLASS RPG ACTIONExperience one-of-a-kind combat with dynamic, fast-paced RPG battles where the battlefield becomes your weapon, and anything goes. Adapt your party’s skills to the situation with outlandish jobs and customizations to strategically subdue enemies with over-the-top moves.INFINITE ADVENTURELive it up in Japan and explore all that Hawaii has to offer in an adventure so big it spans the Pacific. Unforgettable moments await at every step of the journey with a unique mix of quests and activities to enjoy at your leisure.
