# Majima Everywhere

> Majima Everywhere is a 2017 meme born from Yakuza Kiwami's Goro Majima ambush system, characterized by his "Kiryu-chan!" catchphrase and unpredictable disguises, spawning fan art and exploitable reaction edits.

**Majima Everywhere** is a meme born from the gameplay system of the same name in *Yakuza Kiwami* (2016/2017), where supporting character Goro Majima ambushes protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in absurd and unpredictable ways. The meme took off after the game's Western release in August 2017, with fans creating fan art, exploitable edits, and jokes built around Majima's signature "Kiryu-chan!" greeting and his habit of popping out of sewers, trash cans, and disguises.

## Origin
*Yakuza Kiwami*, a ground-up remake of the original 2005 *Yakuza*, launched in Japan on January 21, 2016 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4[2]. The worldwide PlayStation 4 release followed on August 29, 2017[2]. The game introduced the Majima Everywhere system as a replacement for the Mr. Shakedown encounters from prequel *Yakuza 0*[2]. Majima appears randomly during exploration, in scripted challenge scenarios tied to player progression, and even mid-minigame while Kiryu plays darts or bowling[2].

On June 13, 2017, a trailer at E3 2017 showcased the Majima Everywhere system to Western audiences for the first time[3]. The trailer highlighted Majima's various disguises and ambush tactics, generating immediate buzz among fans.

Before August 26, 2017, an unknown creator made the first known Majima Everywhere meme, a GIF referencing the Kenshiro Hiding in a Haystack format. Twitter user @Pyro_Jackkun reposted this GIF on August 26, 2017, days before the game's Western launch[3].

- **Platform:** Twitter / Tumblr (viral spread from *Yakuza Kiwami* gameplay)
- **Creator:** Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (game mechanic), kefka-palazzo (Sewer Majima exploitable template)
- **Date:** 2017

## Overview
In *Yakuza Kiwami*, the "Majima Everywhere" system has Goro Majima, a fan-favorite unhinged yakuza captain, constantly stalking and challenging Kiryu to fights across the game world. He climbs out of manholes, hides in giant traffic cones, disguises himself as a hostess or a zombie, and generally shows up where you least expect him. Every encounter starts with his manic shout of "Kiryu-chan!" The system exists for a gameplay reason: fighting Majima is the only way to level up Kiryu's Dragon of Dojima fighting style, his most powerful combat form[1]. But the sheer absurdity of his ambush methods is what made it stick as a meme.

The most common meme formats include the "Sewer Majima" exploitable (a transparent cutout of Majima emerging from a manhole, edited into random images) and fan art depicting Majima hiding in increasingly ridiculous locations[3].

## How It Spread
The meme picked up speed immediately after *Yakuza Kiwami* hit Western markets. On September 2, 2017, Tumblr user kefka-palazzo posted a transparent PNG cutout of Majima climbing out of a sewer grate[3]. This image became the go-to exploitable template, with users editing "Sewer Majima" into photos, screenshots, and other memes as if he were lurking everywhere in real life.

By September 17, 2017, the original meme GIF had spread to Imgur[3]. On September 29, 2017, YouTube user LunarRoses uploaded a video edit of the meme that picked up over 194,000 views within four years[3].

Starting in early 2018, dedicated fan art and format remixes began circulating across Tumblr, Reddit, and Twitter. On January 19, 2018, Tumblr user majimemegoro posted a parody using the "It's More Likely Than You Think" format that earned nearly 4,000 likes and reblogs over three years[3]. The meme settled into a steady rhythm in the *Yakuza* fan community, with Sewer Majima edits and "Kiryu-chan!" references surfacing whenever the series got attention.

The game itself later expanded to PC via Steam on February 19, 2019, Xbox One on April 21, 2020, and Nintendo Switch on October 24, 2024[2], giving new waves of players their first encounter with Majima's antics and refreshing the meme's relevance with each port.

## How to Use
The Majima Everywhere meme typically works in two ways:

**Sewer Majima edits:** Take the transparent PNG of Majima emerging from a manhole and paste it into any image. The joke is that Majima could be hiding anywhere. Works best in photos of real-world locations, other video game screenshots, or scenes from movies and TV shows.

**"Kiryu-chan!" format:** Reference Majima's catchphrase in situations where something or someone appears unexpectedly. The setup is any situation where you encounter something persistent and unavoidable, and the punchline is Majima (or a Majima-like figure) being responsible.

Fan art often depicts Majima in elaborate disguises specific to whatever crossover the artist has in mind, staying true to the game's bit where he dresses as everything from a police officer to a zombie.

## Cultural Impact
The Majima Everywhere system earned praise from game critics for its comedy, even when reviews were mixed on other aspects of *Yakuza Kiwami*[2]. The mechanic worked on two levels: it was a legitimate gameplay loop that incentivized engaging with Majima to power up the Dragon style[1], and it was inherently funny in a way that translated perfectly to meme culture.

The in-game lore justification is surprisingly earnest. Majima's constant ambushes aren't random harassment. He took it upon himself to retrain Kiryu after Kiryu spent ten years in prison and lost his fighting edge[1]. The mix of genuine character motivation with completely unhinged delivery (hiding under a traffic cone, pretending to be a zombie) is what gave the meme its legs.

## Fun Facts
- Majima will interrupt Kiryu during minigames like darts and bowling, not just during street exploration[2].
- The Dragon of Dojima style can *only* be leveled up by fighting Majima, making his stalking a core progression mechanic rather than a side distraction[1].
- Goro Majima is voiced by Hidenari Ugaki across the *Yakuza* series[2].
- The game was ported to six different platforms between 2016 and 2025, introducing new audiences to Majima's antics with each release[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Majima Everywhere?
Majima Everywhere is both a gameplay system in *Yakuza Kiwami* and a meme format based on it, where character Goro Majima ambushes protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in absurd locations and disguises[2].

### Where did Majima Everywhere come from?
The mechanic debuted in *Yakuza Kiwami*, released January 21, 2016 in Japan and August 29, 2017 worldwide. The meme format started circulating on Twitter and Tumblr around the Western launch date[3].

### What does Majima Everywhere mean?
It refers to the running joke that Majima is inescapable. He hides in manholes, disguises himself, and challenges Kiryu to fights at any time, anywhere[1].

### How do you use Majima Everywhere?
The most common approach is editing the "Sewer Majima" cutout into other images, or referencing his "Kiryu-chan!" catchphrase in situations involving something unavoidable[3].

### Is Majima Everywhere still popular?
The meme sees periodic revivals when new *Yakuza* ports launch, with the most recent being the Nintendo Switch version in October 2024[2]. It's a staple within the *Yakuza* fan community.

### Who is Goro Majima?
Goro Majima is a recurring character in the *Yakuza* series, a ruthless but charismatic Tojo Clan captain and Kiryu's rival, voiced by Hidenari Ugaki[2].

### Why does Majima keep fighting Kiryu?
In-game, Majima is retraining Kiryu to regain his fighting skills after a decade in prison. Fighting Majima is the only way to upgrade the Dragon of Dojima combat style[1].

### What is Sewer Majima?
It's the exploitable template of Majima climbing out of a sewer grate, first posted as a transparent PNG by Tumblr user kefka-palazzo on September 2, 2017[3].

### What game is Majima Everywhere from?
*Yakuza Kiwami*, a remake of the original *Yakuza* developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega[2].

## References
1. [Yakuza Kiwami's Majima Everywhere System Explained, Sounds Hilarious | Console Creatures](<https://www.consolecreatures.com/yakuza-kiwamis-majima-everywhere-system-explained-sounds-hilarious/>)
2. [Majima Everywhere - Know Your Meme](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/majima-everywhere>)
3. [List of The Idolmaster characters](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Idolmaster_characters>)
4. [Yakuza Kiwami](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza_Kiwami>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/majima-everywhere
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