Chapter 4: Proof of Resolve – Goro Majima’s Moral Shift and the Makoto Makimura Revelation
Chapter 4 of Yakuza 0, ‘Proof of Resolve,’ is a turning point for Goro Majima. Earlier, he merely followed orders as a captive. Now, he begins to act on his own. The story, through a flashback to the 1985 Ueno Seiwa Clan Raid, reveals Majima’s motivation. After enduring a year of torture in ‘The Hole’ and losing his left eye, he finds a new determination. His oath-brother Taiga Saejima faces a death sentence. Majima is now resolved to rejoin the Tojo Clan and help free Saejima.
In 1988, Sotenbori, Majima’s handler, Tsukasa Sagawa, gives him a final order: kill suspected human trafficker Makoto Makimura within 48 hours to be reinstated. Majima’s search leads him to the Teltel Telephone Club and a meeting with student Akko. During this, he unlocks the Breaker Style, a new rhythmic combat system learned in a wild street fight.
The climax occurs at the Hogushi Kaikan massage parlor. After a tough boss fight with Wen Hai Lee, who seems to be the target, a major twist is revealed: the real Makoto Makimura is a blind woman unable to defend herself. She is pursued by the Kijin and Tojo Clans as the only heir to the ‘Empty Lot,’ Kamurocho’s most valuable property.
Majima’s growth leads to a clear choice: he defies Sagawa’s orders and protects Makimura during a Yakuza raid, choosing his own sense of right over career goals. By turning from the Tojo Clan, Majima sets up the coming battles over the Empty Lot.
