, the 2016 remake of the original
Yakuza''. Introduced in
Yakuza, Haruka is a young girl searching for her mother, Mizuki, who appears to be the sister of Yumi Sawamura. Haruka is also somehow connected to the Tojo Clan money that went missing before Kiryu's release from prison, and after finding her in the aftermath of a violent clash between Yakuza, Kiryu decides to protect her and help her find her mother. Kiryu eventually learns that Mizuki is Yumi, and that she and Haruka were hiding from her husband, Jingu, a politician who had tried to kill them both to prevent a scandal from affecting his career. Jingu also wants Haruka's pendant, which will grant him access to the missing money. Jingu tries to kill Haruka, and Yumi is fatally injured protecting her. After Yumi's death, Kiryu decides to adopt Haruka and start a new life. In
Yakuza 2, she is 10 years old. Haruka has lived with Kiryu as her adoptive father since the events of the first game. In the beginning of the game, she stays at Sunflower Orphanage while Kiryu investigates Terada's murder. She is kidnapped by Sengoku's men in an attempt to lure Kiryu into a trap; in the end he manages to defeat Sengoku's men and rescue Haruka with the help of
Ryuji Goda, who is disgusted by Sengoku's willingness to hurt children to gain power. In
Yakuza 3, Haruka now lives in the Morning Glory Orphanage run by Kiryu in
Okinawa with a group of other orphans while she attends school. She is the oldest of the children and takes on responsibilities helping Kiryu and assisting him with his tasks. Haruka does not play a major role in
Yakuza 4, although she and Kiryu assist the recently escaped
Taiga Saejima when he is injured. She later disagrees with Kiryu's decision to return to
Kamurocho, due to her fear of losing him. In
Yakuza 5, she is 16 years old, and becomes one of the five playable characters. In 2012, Haruka has left Okinawa for
Osaka to pursue her dream of becoming an idol. Despite the stress of her new career, Haruka rises in popularity while working in Sotenbori, but is shocked when her manager Mirei Park dies, seemingly of suicide. She meets up with Kiryu's friend, money lender
Shun Akiyama, and the two search for the truth behind Park's death, discovering that she was actually murdered. During her idol debut in Tokyo, Haruka comes to regret her choices, especially after learning she was still being aided by Kiryu, who was trying to prevent Yakuza interference with the concert. In the end, Haruka abandons her career as an idol and returns to Morning Glory with her adoptive father. In
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Haruka abandons the orphanage after seeing how her friends are being affected by the media attention to her Yakuza connections. Released from prison after three years, Kiryu returns to Kamurocho to search for Haruka. He discovers that she is in a coma after a
hit and run incident, and that she has an infant son, Haruto. Kiryu travels to the town of
Onomichi, where he learns that Haruka had been friendly with the Yomei Alliance's Hirose family and had entered into a relationship with Yuta Usami. The revelation of Yuta being the heir of the Saio Triad results in her being attacked by Tatsukawa. Haruka recovers from her injuries and decides to start a family with Yuta and Haruto in Morning Glory. However, she does so without Kiryu, who has faked his death to protect her and Haruto. In
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Haruka continues to look after the residents of Morning Glory. When Kiryu attempts to call the orphanage to warn them of the Daidoji agents, Haruka answers the phone but hears no response, due to Kiryu being blackmailed by his handler Kihei Hanawa. On the anniversary of Kiryu's "death", Haruka takes Haruto to visit Kiryu's grave in Okinawa, unaware of the hidden camera nearby that watches over the grave. In
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Haruka alongside Haruto visit Serena to meet Makoto Date and Shun Akiyama, unbeknownst to her the latter two had planned for her to meet Kazuma Kiryu. Kiryu overhearing her conversation decided not to visit her. This action angered the Daidoji Faction and Makoto Date suffered a violent punishment as a result of his betrayal towards them, they did however spare him from death as Kiryu did not visit Haruka. Later in the game Haruka and Haruto after learning about Kiryu being alive, visit him in hospital. They arrive at his room but he is absent from his room as he receives radiation treatment for cancer, Haruka reassures Haruto that Kiryu will return.
Spinoffs and other appearances Haruka appears in the non-canonical spinoff
Yakuza: Dead Souls, where she is 14 years old and the victim of a kidnapping by a mysterious man. Versions of Haruka with the same name and avatar also appear in the spin-off titles
Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! and
Like a Dragon: Ishin!. Haruka is portrayed by an actress named Natsuo in the 2007 live-action film adaptation
Like a Dragon, and by Ran Sakai for the stage play adaptation. ==Reception==