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Like a Dragon: Ishin

How to Play Karaoke in Like a Dragon: Ishin

By
Jarrod Garripoli

There are a variety of minigames in Like a Dragon: Ishin, with the ability to play some of them as soon as you get to Chapter 2 in the main story. One of the minigames that has been featured in just about every game in the series is Karaoke, and yes, it is still featured in Like a Dragon: Ishin.

Where to Play Karaoke in Like a Dragon: Ishin

(1 of 2) The singing bar is located in Fushimi

The singing bar is located in Fushimi (left), It is accessible as soon as Chapter 2, after the chase sequence (right)

Once you reach Chapter 2 of the main story, you will find yourself in Fushimi, the first main area of the game. It is here that you will be able to find the Karaoke minigame. On the main street of Fushimi, by the northern gate that eventually opens up to go to Rakugai/Rakunai, there is a building in that northwestern corner. That is Utamaruya, and where you will find the Karaoke. Note that if you’re just starting Chapter 2, there will be a story segment where you’re being chased first, before you can access the Karaoke.

List of Karaoke Songs in Like a Dragon: Ishin

In the original version of Ishin, there were only five songs to choose from at the Karaoke place. The remastered version of Ishin offers two additional songs, as well as the original five, including everyone’s favorite, Baka Mitai. Note that you either sing the song as Ryoma, or you are a backup person. For the songs with the backup option, you can either choose between Casual Backup or Passionate Backup. Casual has easier inputs, but your score will be capped at 90, so if you want a higher score, you need to choose Passionate.

There are seven songs to choose from for this minigame

Song Sing/Backup
Iji Sakura (Fighting Sakura) Sing
Harapeko Biyori (A Fine Day for Food) Backup
Asura Komachi (Asura’s Beloved) Backup
Samurai Ondo (Dirge of the Warrior) Backup
Kokyou ni Nishiki o Kazaru Beshi (In Glory I’ll Return) Backup
Baka Mitai (I’ve Been a Fool) Sing
Ichizu Samurai (Truehearted Samurai) Sing

How to Complete the Karaoke Minigame in Like a Dragon: Ishin

No matter if you’re singing as Ryoma or are backup to someone else, the minigame plays out the same. A brush will move along lines and pass buttons modeled after your face buttons on the controller. As the brush passes by the button, you have to hit the corresponding button. The better you time the button press, the better score you will get (Great is the best one). If you press the wrong button or time your input poorly, then you’ll miss the note.

To count a song as complete in the Completion List, you need to achieve the Preferred Performer rank. This is gotten by reaching at least 90 points in the song, and you need to do this for all of the songs. Using the idea that for the Backup songs, you max out at 90 for Casual, that means it’s better off trying to do it on Passionate. The majority of the songs are fairly easy and it shouldn’t take more than a few tries to get the required score. The only exception to this is Ichizu Samurai (Truehearted Samurai), which is definitely the most challenging song of the list.

(1 of 3) Press the corresponding button when the brush moves over the notes

The best thing to do is keep playing that song and practicing it. The tempo can change a little bit here and there, plus there’s one spot where the button presses are a little challenging, due to how said tempo is. In fact, that’s probably the biggest problem with the singing/karaoke, as sometimes the brush will just speed up, without any warning, so don’t feel too bad if you don’t do too good on a song on the first try.

How to Max the Bond with the Utamaruya Owner in Like a Dragon: Ishin

Whenever you first step foot into the Utamaruya, you will establish a bond with the owner. In order to increase the bond with him, you simply need to play a song to completion. Note that he will ask you to extend your current session after finishing, but you don’t want to do this, if you are trying to max his bond quickly. After completing a song, exit out of the menus, then talk to him again to play another song. You are still paying the same 500 mon either way, but you are actually progressing the bond with him.

At some point, after about four or five songs, he will mention that there are some upper class people who don’t like that the commoners are able to sing. Play one more song at this point, then exit and you should be unable to play anymore songs. The owner will mention that his place is a mess and he needs to clean it up. This is your cue to leave the Utamaruya and go into another building, whether it’s the Teradaya or the Komaki Dojo. Once you do that, return to the Utamaruya to see some samurai standing outside of it.

(1 of 4) The owner will mention a mess when you are close to maxing his bond

Approach them to initiate a scene that will result in a fight with them. If you’re doing this straight from the beginning of the game, their attacks can do some decent damage, plus they will have quite a bit of health. However, they are still fairly easy to defeat, so concentrate on one at a time, until that enemy goes down. Upon defeating all of the enemies, they will run away and the owner will thank you by giving you a Phoenix Feather. You will now have max bond with the Utamaruya Owner and also get 1,500 Virtue for completing one of the Diligence Records.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Sega
  • Platforms,
    PS4, PS5, Steam, XB One, XB X|S
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    17 February 2023
  • Last Updated
    20 March 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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Like a Dragon: Ishin is set in 1860’s Japan during the Bakumatsu era at the end of the Edo Period. Take up the sword of Sakamoto Ryoma, framed for killing his father, and restore honor to his name while dealing with the political intrigue that he gets thrown in to. This guide for Like a Dragon: Ishin contains the following:

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