You’re running through Kamurocho. The neon lights of Tenkaichi Street are blinding, and "Funk Goes On" is thumping in your ears. Suddenly, a guy in a diaper stops you. Or maybe it’s a woman asking you to pretend to be her boyfriend to impress her dad. This is the magic of the yakuza 0 substories guide experience—a tonal whiplash so severe it’ll give you digital neck pain.
Honestly, most people treat these side quests as a distraction. They want to get back to the tragic, Shakespearean drama of Kiryu and Majima. But if you skip the substories, you aren't just missing out on some laughs; you’re leaving actual combat power and the game's best writing on the table. There are 100 of these things. Some are easy to find. Others require you to stand in a specific spot at 3 AM while wearing a certain pair of shoes. Okay, maybe not that extreme, but close.
Finding the Weirdness: How to Actually Use a Yakuza 0 Substories Guide
Most players get frustrated because they can't find Substories 34 or 78. They wander around the Champion District for twenty minutes and give up. Here’s the thing: many substories are gated. You can’t just walk up to everyone. Some require you to finish a specific chapter. Others won't trigger unless you've completed a different, seemingly unrelated quest first.
Take the "Trouble Tap" quest, for example. It’s a classic. But if you haven't progressed far enough in the main plot to unlock the telephone club minigame, you’re stuck. You'll see people complaining on Reddit or GameFAQs that their game is glitched. It’s not glitched. You just haven’t checked the prerequisites. A real yakuza 0 substories guide needs to emphasize that timing is everything.
The Hidden Mechanics of Kamurocho and Sotenbori
Kiryu has 60 substories. Majima has 40.
Why the split? Because Majima’s life in Sotenbori is tighter, more focused on his role as the "Lord of the Night." Kiryu’s Kamurocho is a sprawling mess of 1980s excess. To find them all, you absolutely need the Trouble Finder accessory. Without it, you’re basically playing a very frustrating version of Where’s Waldo. You get this item from the Bob Utsunomiya clown NPC at the Shrine or Temple after trade-in CP (Completion Points).
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Get it early. Like, right now. It puts little exclamation marks on your map. It saves hours.
The Substories That Actually Matter for Your Build
Not all substories are created equal. Some give you a crappy pocket tissue. Others give you the encounter finder, which is the single most important item for farming the Shakedown guys for trillions of yen.
- Substory 9: The Weed Eradicator. This one is legendary. Not because of the plot, but because it introduces you to the concept of weapon crafting and the colorful characters at Dragon & Tiger.
- Substory 34: Sakura Sighting. This is a Majima one. It’s bittersweet. It’s short. But it rewards you with an accessory that helps with heat generation.
- The Miracle Johnson Quests. You get to work with a legally distinct version of Michael Jackson. Beyond the hilarity, the rewards here are top-tier for your Real Estate Royale business.
Let’s talk about the business side of things. People forget that the Real Estate Royale (Kiryu) and Cabaret Club Czar (Majima) storylines are technically massive chains of substories. Finishing these isn't just for "completionists." It’s how you unlock the fourth fighting style for each character—the Dragon of Dojima and the Mad Dog of Shimano.
If you try to fight the final boss without these, you’re basically bringing a knife to a rocket launcher fight. You can do it, sure, but why would you?
Common Misconceptions About Perfection
I see this all the time on Steam forums: "I finished all 100 substories but I didn't get the trophy!"
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Check your completion list. Did you actually finish them, or did you just start them? Some substories have multiple parts. You might help a kid get a magazine from a vending machine, but then you have to leave the area and come back later to see the resolution. If the icon on your map is greyed out or still there, you aren't done.
Also, the "Amon" fight. This is the "hidden" boss of every Yakuza game. To fight Jo Amon (Kiryu) or So Amon (Majima), you must complete every single other substory for that character. No exceptions. No shortcuts. It is the ultimate test of your mastery over the game's mechanics. These fights are brutal. They involve exploding umbrellas and orbital lasers. I am not joking.
Dealing with the "Missable" Myth
Good news: nothing is truly missable in Yakuza 0.
Even if you rush the main story, you can access "Premium Adventure" mode after the credits roll. This lets you roam the streets freely with all your stats intact to mop up whatever you missed. So, don't stress if you're in Chapter 10 and realize you haven't helped the "Password" guy yet. He’ll still be there, waiting for you to tell him the secret phrase to get into the black market.
Beyond the Guide: Why These Stories Resonate
There’s a specific nuance to Yakuza 0 that later games sometimes miss. Since it’s a prequel set in 1988, the substories act as a time capsule. You’re helping people navigate the bubble economy. You’re dealing with the rise of cellular phones that are the size of bricks.
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The writing transitions from slapstick comedy to soul-crushing tragedy in seconds. You’ll go from teaching a dominatrix how to be mean to helping an old man reconnect with his estranged daughter. It’s this emotional range that makes a yakuza 0 substories guide more than just a checklist. It’s a roadmap through the heart of the game.
Experts like CyricZ, who has written some of the most detailed walkthroughs in gaming history, often point out that the substories are where the developers really let their hair down. They experiment with mechanics that wouldn't fit in a serious crime drama.
Actionable Steps for Your Completionist Run
If you want to knock these out efficiently without losing your mind, follow this rhythm:
- Prioritize the "Trouble Finder." Spend your CP at the shrine immediately. It makes the world map actually useful.
- Cycle the Map. If a substory isn't appearing, enter a building (like a Poppo or a M-Store) and exit. This resets the NPC spawns and often triggers the event you're looking for.
- Check Your Inventory. Some substories require you to have a specific item, like a 9mm pistol or a specific type of sake. Don't run across town five times; look up the requirements for the "Seven Mysteries of Kamurocho" before you head out.
- Finish the Business Arc First. The rewards from the Real Estate and Cabaret storylines make the combat-heavy substories a total breeze.
- Don't Fear the Mini-Games. Several substories are tied to Disco, Pocket Circuit, and the Batting Cages. You don't have to be a god at them, but you do have to engage with them. For Pocket Circuit specifically, look up part builds. Trial and error will only lead to tears and wasted yen.
Ultimately, the goal isn't just to see the "100/100" on your save file. It's to experience the weird, wonderful, and often profound world that Sega built. Every weirdo on a street corner has a story, and usually, that story ends with you punching a bunch of guys in suits. It’s the Yakuza way.