Yakuza: Difference between revisions
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Japanese mobsters, often called "the Japanese [[The Mafia|Mafia]]" in the West, euphemistically as "anti-social organizations" and "violent groups" (暴力団, ''bōryokudan'') or "the extreme path" (極道, ''gokudō'') by most Japanese, and
Yakuza resemble [[The Mafia]] in that they are very organized crime syndicates, with strict codes of behavior and etiquette, and encompass many levels of ritual and formality. Unlike the Mafia and the Chinese Triads, though, they are not secret societies, and often operate openly, even so far as to maintain offices and carry business cards. Like their Western counterparts, though, they derive most of their profit from extortion, protection rackets, human trafficking, and the like. Yakuza like to maintain that they provide a service to the community, which in return owes them both respect and money. A consequence of being ultra-violent while maintaining a strict honor code is that in fiction they sometimes get to have [[Samurai]] traits, or at least katana.<ref>And there is some truth to their claims of serving the community -- for example, during the string of disasters that struck Japan during the early years of the 21st century, Yakuza groups opened their offices to refugees and donated vast quantities of supplies -- the latter usually under false names and through front companies, on the assumption that the aid would be refused should it be known where it actually came from.</ref>
The stereotyped yakuza character matches the real-world profile fairly closely: he is heavily [[Tattooed Crook|tattooed]] (so identified with criminality that many bathhouses forbid people with tattoos on the premises), male, and may be [[Yubitsume|missing a finger]] (either as a loyalty test or as punishment, contrary to myth however, plenty of anime was inspired by western animation and retains [[Four-Fingered Hands]]). He wears an expensive suit and dark sunglasses, and walks with a distinctive swagger that announces his profession. While he claims a benign interest in the community, he is as likely to be as violent and destructive as his Western counterpart, especially if he feels he is not receiving the respect he deserves.
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