Shinji Tanaka

Shinji Tanaka
田中 シンジ (Tanaka Shinji)
Also Known As
Nicknames	Shin-chan
Other Names	Man with an Iron Pipe
Biographical
Age	16 (Yakuza 0) 33 (Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami)
Year of Birth	c. 1972
Nationality	Japanese
Physical
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Brown
Height	180 cm (5′ 11″)
Weight	82 kg (181 lbs)
Associations
Relationships	Sohei Dojima (former patriarch) Kazuma Kiryu (aniki?, friend) Akira Nishikiyama (patriarch) Kazuto Arase (subordinate) Akemi (fiancée)
Occupation	Member of a biker gang (formerly) Member of the Dojima Family (formerly) Lieutenant Advisor of the Nishikiyama Family
Affiliation	Tojo Clan Dojima Family (formerly) Kazama Family (formerly) Nishikiyama Family
Other
Appears In	Yakuza 0 Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami Ryu Ga Gotoku Online Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (flashback)
Counterpart	Kawakami Gensai (Like a Dragon: Ishin!)
Actors
Japanese	Takafumi Yamaguchi (Yakuza) Tomokazu SugitaWP
English	Daniel Capellaro
Live Action Portrayal	Kei HosogaiWP (Butai Ryu Ga Gotoku)

Shinji Tanaka (田中 シンジ, Tanaka Shinji) is a supporting character featured in Yakuza 0 and Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami. Originally a rebellious youth, he becomes a member of the Dojima Family and later a lieutenant of the Nishikiyama Family.

Profile

Appearance

Shinji is of above-average height and has a buzz cut.

Attire

In Yakuza Kiwami, Shinji wears a black leather longcoat over a purple dress shirt with flower motif, a pair of black slacks, black leather dress shoes, and a silver chain with a pendant. In Yakuza, his outfit is largely the same, though he wore a gold chain instead of the silver one. In Yakuza 0, he wears a purple and white varsity jacket with a yellow flower motif and black sleeves, along with blue jeans, and black leather dress shoes. He wears a white surgical face mask when attempting to attack Kiryu to conceal his face.

Personality

Shinji is a loyal ally and is always ready to help Kazuma Kiryu whenever possible behind the scenes. He also has a somewhat perverted side, enjoying going to soaplands in his spare time and even trying to persuade Kiryu to get laid.

Background

During his childhood, Shinji's family was torn apart by the yakuza. Every day, Shinji's father was beaten by the yakuza, and his father, in turn, would beat him. Shinji's mother ran away from home as soon as the yakuza started causing trouble. One day, Shinji hit his father back, and while his father stopped beating him, he started drinking all day instead. Disappointed in his father, Shinji ran away from home, joined a biker gang, and sought revenge against the yakuza.

Involvement

Yakuza 0: 1988

Main article: A Shining Example

Thinking Kiryu is a yakuza, Shinji lures him into an alleyway by using a woman as bait. Kiryu was alerted by the woman's cries, who claimed to be harassed by a drunken man, and when he got into the alleyway, Shinji ambushed him with a pipe. After Kiryu beats him, Shinji is sold out by a member of his gang to the Jinsei Family and depends on Kiryu to save him. After having a talk with Kiryu, Shinji aspires to follow and be just like Kiryu.

Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami: 1995-2005

SPOILER WARNING: Plot details for Yakuza and Yakuza Kiwami follow. (Skip)

Shinji starts as a Dojima Family member working under Kiryu. After the dissolution of the Dojima Family following the death of its patriarch, Shinji watches over an amnesic Yumi Sawamura with Shintaro Kazama until she disappears. Shinji delivers the Tojo Clan's letter of expulsion to Kiryu, who had taken the blame for Dojima's murder, and informs him of Yumi's disappearance.

Shinji joins Akira Nishikiyama's Family, becoming a Lieutenant and allowing Kazama to have an insider. At an unknown point in time, he becomes engaged to soapland worker Akemi. After Kiryu returns from prison, Shinji shows where his true loyalties lie by helping him out. When Kazama gets shot, Shinji hides him from Nishikiyama and the others that are after him by giving him to Akemi. Nishikiyama had secretly planted a bug on Shinji, allowing him to know of Kazama's survival.

Later, Shinji helps Reina escape from Nishikiyama after she tries to kill him and contacts Kiryu, telling him about what had just happened. The duo are on the run from their hunters, the Nishikiyama Family, leaving a blood trail. They become cornered in an empty parking lot, where Reina is killed. Shinji dies from gunshot wounds most likely inflicted by Kazuto Arase's subordinate, but not before returning Yumi's ring to Kiryu.

SPOILERS END HERE. (Return)

Trivia

• In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, during the "Ravenous for Ramen" Table Talk at Kyushu No. 1 Star, Saeko Mukoda finds the name Shinji Tanaka written on the bottom of her ramen bowl, suggesting he was a regular there.

Gallery

Yakuza

Body render

Body Render

Face Render

Face Render

Yakuza Kiwami

Body render

Body render

Title card

Yakuza 6

Shinji's ghost on Pink St.

Shinji's ghost in front of Shangri-La

Shinji's ghost in the MEB

Ryu Ga Gotoku Online

SSR Shinji Tanaka

SSR Shinji Tanaka (Rebellious Phase)

SSR Shinji Tanaka (2005)

KSR Shinji Tanaka (Lively)

Countdown image for the release of Yakuza's story chapter

Yakuza (Stage Play)