Cowboy Yakuza

Cowboy Yakuza is a third-person, story-driven brawler about Cleveland Waingro, an American living in Osaka who loses his job as an English conversation teacher and gets drawn into trouble with the local Yakuza. Impressed by his strength and fighting ability, the organization recruits him. His friend Vince supplies him with drugs of unknown, questionable origin that help him take on groups of opponents, but a Yakuza turf war and powerful enemies put their usefulness to the test.

The main characters

Cleveland “Cleve” Waingro was born and raised in Texas and now lives in Japan. Loyal to the few people he trusts, he is slow to make friends and tests their values before opening up. He is confident and mostly fearless, though that confidence can lead him into dangerous situations. Cleve has a strong sense of morality, but responds to wrongs against himself or his friends with ruthless vengeance.

Vincent “Vince” Martinez is Cleve’s closest friend in Osaka. A quick talker who is not suited to solving problems physically, Vince relies on resourcefulness and stretching the truth. He sells drugs to make ends meet and often uses his own supply, which can leave him struggling to express himself clearly; his charisma nevertheless helps him steer conversations in his favor.

Ami Suda works as a hostess at Club Macao, which is managed by the Sawada Clan. She also acts as a therapist for losers and helps remove corpses. After being tricked into taking on debts through spending at a host club and on jewelry, she was pressured into working for Matoba to pay them off. Ami is proactive and quick to act, and becomes impatient when left with nothing to do.

Shinji Matoba is a capable Sawada Clan member whom his boss, Dozono, trusts with important work. He presents himself as professional and composed, but beneath that appearance is a patient man without kindness or empathy. His intelligence, composure and lack of mercy have helped him succeed. Dozono chose him to lead the Sawada Clan in its war against the Tange Clan.

The clan conflict

The Tange Clan has historically controlled Kobe and Himeji and is now trying to move into Osaka, the Sawada Clan’s longstanding territory. The conflict places Cleve and his allies amid a turf war, with formidable opponents seeking to kill him.