Yakuza 3: The Signing

I'm usually not one to line up for a signing with a video game producer (or any celeb for that matter... I might make an exception for Aya Ueto, although I don't think she'd sign the thing that I want her to sign), but I couldn't resist a chance at inspecting Toshihiro Nagoshi up close to determine if that tan is real or gotoku (following my inspection today, I'm pretty sure it's real).

As detailed in this story on the main andriasang.com channel, Sega kept Nagoshi busy for today's Yakuza 3 launch by having him appear at three signing events. Things kicked off at Bic Camera in Ikebukuro at noon, followed by a 17:00 signing at Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku and closing off with a 19:00 appearance just down the road from there at Sakuraya.

I decided to attended the 17:00 Yodobashi event. Here are a few pics:

Nagoshi spoke only briefly prior to the signing.

I didn't do a formal head count, but there were at least 40 people in line. Of the bunch, I was the only foreigner.

From what I could tell, most people had their just-bought copy of the game signed (to get in on the signing you had to have purchased the game at the shop). Some chose to have other items signed as well, including the post card or clear file they'd won in the store's raffle (see this story for details on that).

One guy had picked up the Yakuza 3 PS3 bundle and had Nagoshi sign the actual system! I could only get a glimpse of Nagoshi signing the console:

You can sorta make out Nagoshi signing the system.

The guy sped off after getting it signed so I couldn't ask for a quick photo op.

I had my copy of the game and a Famitsu strategy guide I'd picked up signed.

More pics from the Gotoku release shortly, including... the Ryu ga Gotoku truck!