kiwami

Kiwami is a Japanese word meaning "extreme," "utmost," or "pinnacle," and is commonly used to denote the highest or most definitive version of something. In modern branding, the term is often chosen to imply a remade or enhanced edition.

In video games, Kiwami is most widely known as a sub-series title in Sega's Yakuza franchise. Yakuza Kiwami is a full remake of the original Yakuza game, released for PlayStation 4 in 2016 in Japan and 2017 internationally, with updated graphics, redesigned combat, and expanded content while preserving the core story and setting in Kamurocho. Yakuza Kiwami 2, released for PlayStation 4 in 2017 in Japan and 2018 internationally, continues the approach with improved presentation, new cinematic sequences, and adjusted pacing to better connect the events of Yakuza 2 to the broader arc. Both games were developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega, and later received Windows ports.

The Kiwami titles are positioned as definitive editions that reintroduce early installments with modern technology and design improvements while preserving the series’ narrative core. The use of Kiwami in these titles has influenced later marketing of remakes and enhanced editions within the Yakuza canon.