An image of a Japanese woman “marrying” Like a Dragon icon Kazuma Kiryu is blowing up online, but the truth behind the viral moment is a lot less bizarre than some posts are claiming.
On December 9, photos began circulating on X showing a woman in a full wedding gown posing beside a life-size Kazuma Kiryu cutout.
One tweet with nearly a million views joked, “A woman in Japan has officially married Kazuma Kiryu. How are we as men supposed to compete with the Dragon of Dojima?”
Another from Russian outlet RT ran with, “It’s Japan again — woman, 25, just marries a cardboard video game character.”
But no, she didn’t legally marry Kiryu. The ceremony was part of an official Like a Dragon promotional event that lets fans stage a faux wedding with their favorite character for a fee.
The event marks the series’ 20th anniversary, with Sega and RGG Studio hosting a large exhibition themed around “The Four Ceremonies of Life.”
One of those ceremonies is marriage, and the team leaned fully into fanservice by creating a venue styled like a real wedding hall. Inside are life-sized panels of 11 major characters including Kiryu, Majima, Ichiban and Seonhee, giving fans a chance to “tie the knot” in photos.
Like a Dragon wedding ceremony explained
As reported by Automaton, the exhibition even includes its own AR app so attendees can create custom couple shots with newly drawn character art made for the anniversary celebration.
The viral photo came from the event’s premium option, the Special Wedding Experience Package. The $980 (150,000 yen) add-on turns the photo-op into a full simulated ceremony. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with the best part of a wedding: the open bar.
That said, fans do get a private room, a professional hair and makeup artist, and a dedicated photographer. They can choose a gown or tuxedo, pose with their chosen character, and invite up to ten guests to attend their “wedding.”
Participants walk away with a commemorative marriage certificate and divorce papers. Neither document has legal standing, but they’re part of the roleplay experience. Only 15 applicants are selected through a lottery system.
Organizers defended the steep price tag, saying the package was created so fans could “create the best memories to commemorate the 20th anniversary.”
The Four Ceremonies of Life Exhibition runs from November 28 to December 22 in Tokyo and from February 6 to February 24 in Osaka.
So no, Kiryu isn’t actually off the market, but for a handful of lucky fans, he’s available for the ultimate anniversary photo-op. And the $980 price tag isn’t nearly as expensive as a real wedding.
