So, you’re wandering through the rainy, neon-soaked docks of Night City and you stumble upon a guy hiding in a fridge. It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but for anyone who has played through the Cyberpunk 2077 Big in Japan quest, it’s actually one of the most memorable—and weirdly stressful—side jobs in the entire game. Honestly, the first time I did this, I thought I was just doing a standard "fetch and carry" mission. I was wrong. It’s a total tribute to The Office, specifically the "Heart Surgeon Number One" monologue from Hidetoshi Hasagawa.
If you aren't familiar with the reference, you're missing out on why CD Projekt Red put this in the game. It’s not just a random quest; it’s a love letter to 2000s sitcom culture buried inside a dystopian nightmare.
Most people find this quest by accident. You’ll be hanging out at the Afterlife, and a guy named Dennis Cranmer—who looks like he’s seen better days—tells you about a "package" down at the slums of Kabuki. He’s vague. Extremely vague. But in Night City, vague usually means "this is going to involve a lot of bullets and probably some yelling."
Tracking Down the Package in Cyberpunk 2077 Big in Japan
When you get to the No-Tell Motel area in Kabuki, you’re looking for a container marked with "No Future." It’s poetic, really. You open it up, and instead of loot or high-end chrome, out falls a dude. A very unconscious, very important dude.
This is Haruyoshi. He’s a brain surgeon. According to the lore (and the obvious nod to The Office), he was the best in Japan. But, as he later explains if you manage to keep him alive, he "accidentally" killed a Tyger Claw boss on the operating table. Whoops.
The gameplay here shifts gears completely. Usually, V is a god-tier mercenary double-jumping over skyscrapers. Now? You’re a delivery driver carrying a human body on your shoulders while Tyger Claws hunt you down. You can't use your primary weapons effectively. You’re slow. You’re vulnerable. It’s one of the few times the game forces you to actually think about your pathing rather than just blasting through the front door.
The Office Reference: More Than Just a Meme
The dialogue at the end of Cyberpunk 2077 Big in Japan is almost a word-for-word recreation of Hide’s speech from Season 6 of The Office.
"In Japan, heart surgeon number one. Steady hand. One day, Yakuza boss need new heart. I operate. But, mistake! Yakuza boss die. Yakuza very mad. I hide in fishing boat, come to America. No English, no food, no money. Darryl give me job. Now I have house, American car, and new woman. Darryl save life. My big secret: I kill yakuza boss on purpose. I good surgeon. The best!"
In the game version, Haruyoshi tells a nearly identical story about a Tyger Claw boss. It’s a moment of levity in a game that usually tries to crush your soul with heavy themes of transhumanism and corporate greed. It works because it's so unexpected. You expect a conspiracy; you get a sitcom reference.
Why This Quest Can Be a Total Nightmare
Look, if you try to just walk out of the docks with Haruyoshi on your back, you're going to get shredded. The Tyger Claws are everywhere in this section of the map.
A lot of players make the mistake of trying to stealth the whole way out while carrying the "package." Don't do that. It’s tedious. The trick is to clear the path before you pick him up. Or, if you’re feeling spicy, use a high-body build to just tank the hits while you sprint for Dennis’s car.
There’s also a common bug—or at least it was common in earlier patches—where Haruyoshi would just... clip through the floor. If that happens, you’re basically stuck reloading a save. CD Projekt Red has fixed most of these "body physics" issues, but Night City is still a glitchy place sometimes.
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Something a lot of people overlook is the reward. Sure, you get some eddies. But the real prize is the Scalpel.
The Scalpel: Why You Need This Katana
If you’re running a Sandevistan build, the Scalpel is arguably one of the best katanas in the game. When your "Sandy" is active, the Scalpel gets a massive boost:
- Crit chance increases by 50%.
- Hits apply Bleed 100% of the time.
It turns V into a literal whirlwind of chrome and steel. It’s fitting that you get a surgical tool for saving a surgeon, right? It’s one of those rare instances where the quest reward actually feels thematic to the story you just played through.
The Cultural Significance of "Big in Japan"
The title of the quest itself is a double entendre. On one hand, it refers to the 1984 hit song by Alphaville. On the other, it’s a common phrase for Western artists or products that find massive success in Japan while being relatively obscure elsewhere.
In the context of Cyberpunk, it’s ironic. Haruyoshi was "big" in Japan as a surgeon, but now he’s a nobody hiding in a shipping container in a dirty California port. It highlights the recurring theme in Night City: your past doesn't matter. Only your survival does.
Dennis Cranmer, the quest giver, is another interesting piece of the puzzle. He’s a reference to the Witcher series—specifically Dennis Cranmer, the captain of the guard in Ellander. CDPR loves these little self-referential nods. It makes the world feel interconnected, even if the genres are worlds apart.
How to Maximize Your Success in the Quest
Don't just rush in. Here is the move:
- Scope the Docks: Before you even touch the container, take out the three Tyger Claws patrolling the immediate area. Use a silenced sniper or Quickhacks like Short Circuit to keep it quiet.
- The Car Placement: Park your vehicle near the exit of the dock area before you start the quest. It saves you a long walk while carrying the weight.
- The Combat Path: If things go south, drop Haruyoshi behind a crate. You can’t fight while holding him. Clear the immediate wave of enemies, then pick him back up.
- Listen to the Dialogue: Don't skip the final conversation. The delivery of the "Heart Surgeon Number One" speech in the Cyberpunk universe is gold.
Real Talk: Is It Worth the Effort?
In the grand scheme of Cyberpunk 2077, Big in Japan is a minor side job. It won't change the ending of the game. It won't make Johnny Silverhand love you more. But it provides that texture that makes Night City feel alive. It’s the weirdness of it.
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The game is full of these "one-off" moments that reward players for paying attention. If you’re just speed-running the main story to see the credits roll, you miss the soul of the game. The soul is in the fridge. The soul is a Japanese surgeon who may or may not be a cold-blooded killer.
Honestly, the Scalpel alone makes the mission mandatory for melee builds. The sheer DPS you can output with that blade during a Sandevistan slow-mo sequence is disgusting. It’s one of those weapons that makes the late-game feel like you’ve actually earned your status as a legend.
If you’re stuck on this quest or can't find the container, check the shantytown near the water in Kabuki. Look for the "No Future" graffiti. It’s a grim landmark, but it’s the key to one of the best Easter eggs in modern gaming.
Once you finish, take that Scalpel to a Ripperdoc and make sure your reflexes are high enough to use it. You’ll want at least 12 or 15 in Reflexes to really see the blade shine. Go find a group of Maelstrom gangers, pop your Sandevistan, and see why Haruyoshi is the best surgeon in the world—and why you're the best mercenary.