Fighting Styles

Explore Yakuza Kiwami's fighting styles: Brawler and Rush. Learn their movesets, strengths, weaknesses, and unlockable abilities to dominate your enemies.

Kiryu masters four distinct fighting styles in Yakuza Kiwami, brought over from Yakuza 0. This guide provides base information on how these styles operate, with upgrades allowing them to flourish into deadly techniques.

Brawler Style

The Brawler style is a balanced approach of power and speed, likely to be Kiryu's main style after Chapter 2. Its initial special ability is the Resolute Counter: if Kiryu takes a non-knockdown hit, he flashes red. Pressing Light Attack, Heavy Attack, or Grab during this flash triggers a counterattack. This style features a four-attack Rush Combo, one quickstep, and frontal guarding.

Brawler is a capable early-game style for good damage, though slower than Dragon Style. It excels against groups and slow single enemies, becoming very strong with added effects late in the game.

Brawler Moveset

• Heavy x1 - Straight waist-high kick.
  • Charged Heavy x1 - Knee strike to the chest. (Unlock: Charged Knee Strike)
  • Heavy x2 - Wild downward right-handed swing. (Heat Mode required, Unlock: Kick Combo)
    • Heavy x3 - One-legged drop kick.
• Light x1 - Right-handed downward-left swing.
  • Heavy x1 - Quick left-handed horizontal swing.
• Light x2 - Left-handed horizontal swing.
  • Heavy x1 - Right-handed gut punch.
• Light x3 - Right-handed uppercut.
  • Heavy x1 - Right-handed backfist.
    • Grab - Grabs enemy's leg and delivers a kidney punch. (Heat Mode required, Unlock: Snatching Strike)
• Light x4 - Left roundhouse kick.
  • Heavy x1 - Another right-handed downward left swing.
    • Heavy x2 - Side flip kick on fallen enemy. (Unlock: Double Finishing Blow)
• Running Heavy - Two-legged drop kick. (Unlock: Flying Kick)
• Grab - Grab enemy by the shirt.
  • Light Attack - Series of three punches to the face.
  • Heavy Attack - Hard punch that knocks enemy away.
  • Throw - Grab enemy's face and drive them to the ground.
• Quickstep - Evasive shift.
  • Heavy Attack - Strike out of quickstep. (Unlock: Quickstep Blow)
  • Charged Heavy Attack - Charged strike out of quickstep. (Unlock: Charged Quickstep Blow)
• Guard - Double-arm block.
• Taunt - Kiryu taunts his enemy.
• Counter Moves
  • Resolute Counter - After taking damage, press an attack button.
    • Light Attack - Wild right-handed swing.
    • Heavy Attack - Headbutt.
    • Grab - Rushing grab.
  • Guard + Heavy Attack - Holding Guard, press Heavy Attack when enemy attack lands for a body blow. (Unlock: Body Counter)
  • Fighting Stance + Heavy Attack - Holding Fighting Stance, press Heavy Attack the moment an enemy attack lands for a hook. (Unlock: Lightning Fist)

Rush Style

The Rush style focuses on speed, battering enemies to stun them for a powerful knockdown, then quickly disengaging. Kiryu moves and attacks faster but with less damage. The Rush Combo has six attacks initially and can be extended. Ten successful Rush Combo attacks can stun an enemy. Kiryu can Quickstep three times in succession, consuming Heat with each extra step. Instead of normal guarding, holding Guard initiates