Masataka Ebina (海老名 正孝 Ebina Masataka), born Masataka Hikawa (氷川 正孝 Hikawa Masataka), is the main antagonist of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. He is the captain and acting chairman of the Seiryu Clan.
Appearance[]
Ebina is a tall, middle-aged man with an oval face, a light goatee and mustache, and black hair that parts on the right. He possesses a lean build with well-defined muscles.
Tattoo[]
Ebina's tattoo provides major symbolism. It depicts an Oni, a demonic yokai in Japanese mythology. An Oni is a bloodthirsty demon known for their superhuman strength and power. The oni was syncretized with Hindu-Buddhist creatures such as the man-devouring yaksha and the rakshasa, and became the oni who tormented sinners as wardens of Hell (Jigoku), administering sentences passed down by Hell's magistrate, King Yama (Enma Daiō). The hungry ghosts called gaki (餓鬼) have also been sometimes considered a type of oni (the Kanji for "ki" 鬼 is also read "oni").
A snake is also depicted on the tattoo, and snakes in Japanese mythology are often associated with intelligence, transformation, cunning-ability, but also rebirth and regeneration. With the snake breathing out fire, in can be inferred that it symbolizes eternal suffering, which fits Ebina as a bloodthristy man who seeks to kill and take revenge against the Yakuza by condemning and isolating the Yakuza on the Palekana Island, much like how Oni would torment sinners in Hell. The three pronged flame also resembles the Palekana's flame, which provides his connection to the Palekana.
Attire[]
Ebina wears a dark grey, pinstripe three-piece suit, with a Seiryu Clan pin on his left lapel. He also wears a black dress shirt with a purple tie, a black leather belt, black oxfords dress shoes, and a silver analogue watch.
Trivia[]
- Three of Ebina's attacks are named after Chakra points and terms used in Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism:
- "Pierce the Muladhara" is a punch aimed towards the crotch. The Muladhara is a Chakra point located at the base of the spine.
- "Cripple the Manipura" is an under-armed sword thrust and an upward diagonal up-slash across the solar plexus. The Manipura Chakra point is located in the solar plexus.
- "Wheel of Samsara" is a jumping double spinning heel kick. Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Hinduism.