Riding out from the heart of Japantown in a psychedelic blur, the Tyger Claws are dead-set on staking claim to fresh territory.
— Unknown, Cyberpunk 2077
The Tyger Claws (虎鉤衆) are a gang operating in Night City.
Overview[]
During the 2070s, the Tyger Claws were ruthless territorial gang based in Japantown. They were one of the largest gangs in Night City with a number of approximately 5,500 members in 2077. Tyger foot soldiers were easily recognized by their Asian luminous tattoos, fast street bikes, katanas, and tantos. Cyberware used by the gang included reflex boosters, augmented cyberlimbs, pain editors, and electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems disguised as tattoos.[1]
Philosophy and Structure[]
The business strategy of the Tyger Claws was similar to the Yakuza. Crossing the lowest level member could cause a quick and violent reaction from the entire gang, but if they got what they wanted, everything should be fine.
The top brass of the Claws believed business was preferable to war in the long run, but many of the rank-and-file gangers were sadistic brutes prone to violence. Abduction, torture, sexual assault, and cruel or unusual killings were just a few examples of their depravity. It was not uncommon for young, brash, or drunk Tygers to undermine the gang's ideologies by abusing their status on their turf, harassing outsiders, and provoking fights. This behavior was considered dishonorable by their crime bosses, but an outsider reacting to ganger's behavior in kind would rarely go unpunished.
Most people outside of the gang's ranks who were provoked, wisely avoided direct confrontation with Tygers - unless they had connections with high-ranking members of the gang.[1]
Sources of Income[]
Japantown was Night City's lead nightlife district and the Tygers controled a significant portion of it. They owned more businesses in Night City than any other gang: bars, restaurants, braindance clubs, brothels, and casinos. Many of these businesses were registered as legal businesses, but acted as fronts for illegal operations and money laundering.
The gang made most of its money from human trafficking and prostitution. The Tyger Claws also made money from manufacturing and distributing drugs, most notably "glitter". Tygers also hired themselves out for hit jobs.
The gang also had corporate connections who visited their establishments to blow off steam and have fun. The Claws had especially close ties to Arasaka upper management, who outsourced them side-jobs, paying them with cybertechnology and military-grade automatic weapons.[1]
History[]
Early history - 2030s[]
The Tyger's Claw begun as an Arasaka-backed motorcycle club. By 2020, they had grown into a small combat gang who claimed turf in the original Japantown and the residential community surrounding it. Occasionally, they protected the local Japanese population at large thanks to the Arasaka financing. Its members used enhanced reflex boosters cyberware and martials arts as their preferred weapons of choice.[2][3]
After the Night City Holocaust of 2023, the tattered remains of the Tyger's Claw, who had been used as a proxy gang by Arasaka, were left to their own devices after the megacorp was kicked out from North America. Fortunately for its members, they were soon contacted by the Night City Co-Prosperity Sphere (NCCS) — a recently formed conglomerate of Japanese-based corps — and were led to what would be known as the Watson Development in the north of Night City. There, the NCCS, led by famous actor Shinobu Nakagawa, reformed them into a guardian gang known as the Tyger Claws, with the main objective of protecting the local Japanese communities in the city. To accomplish this goal, the Claws formed a sub-group known as the Kimen-Gumi, who would become the public face of the gang that everyone knew about, being recognized to operate as a legal entity. This group had security contracts, and often deputized themselves as law enforcement in specific parts of the city, even collaborating with the NCPD on occasions.
Ever since Arasaka was spelled from the continent, plenty of spies who stayed behind became sleeper agents, integrating within the local communities while awaiting orders from the corporation. Many of them joined the Tyger Claws, working for the gang while conducting undercover operations for Arasaka.[4]
Over the following years, the Tyger Claws, and especially the Kimen-Gumi, grew in popularity around Kabuki, where the gang had set their new headquarters in the Nakagawa Kabuki Theater, though they also had a base of operations in Old Japantown as well, where they had worked to rebuild some sections of their former home. While the Kimen-Gumi provided a good publicity for the gang, beneath the surface the Claws took their cut from their sub-group's public activities, often insisting on protection fees. They also gained money from various activates around their territory, Night Market sales or pachinko parlor receipts. The Claws intentionally left the NCCS alone, as they were one of the gang's major sponsors. One notable member who had recently joined was Hayato Nakagawa, the adoptive son of Shinobu Nakagawa. He had talent as a gangster and quickly rose over the ranks.[5][6]
2040s[]
In 2042, Shinobu Nakagawa died under mysterious circumstances, prompting a civil war within the Tyger Claws over the inheritance. After a great deal of bloodshed, Hayato Nakagawa won, inheriting the Nakagawa Foundation and becoming the new leader of the Tyger Claws. He left the company to his trusted wife, Ryoko Fujiwara, who had been instrumental in his winning of the dispute. Hayato then took the name "Shinobu the Second" both to honor his predecessor and to cement his power base. Takeru Akagi and Zenjyu-bou would become two of his most trusted advisors, with the former leading the Kimen-Gumi.
In theory, with the Nakagawa Foundation's wealth and the backing of the NCCS, the Tyger Claws should have been a powerhouse in Night City, however, Ryoko took her role as guardian of the Foundation very seriously and doled the money carefully. Additionally, with the city beginning to stabilize, the individual corporate members of the Co-Prosperity Sphere begun to draw away from the Claws in favor of their own security forces and operatives, forcing the gang to rely mainly on their income from the security contracts acquired by the Kimen-Gumi and what they gained from their more illicit activities and legitimate business fronts. If all else failed, there were rumors suggesting the Claws possessed a stockpile of Arasaka weapons and gear left over from the Fourth Corporate War.
While Hayato respected the wishes of his wife on how to maintain the financial stability of the Foundation, he thought it was increasingly difficult to retain respect from the local Japanese community and the Night City Co-prosperity Sphere. Publicly, the Tyger Claws remained dedicated to the vision of Shinobu, seeking to protect the Japanese community in Night City. Beneath the surface, however, they were seeking more power. Much like Arasaka before them, the Claws played by the rules, slowly integrating themselves in the communities and using their resources to provide aid and protection, while at the same time seizing control as much as possible.
By 2045, Hayato had taken even more cybernetic enhancements to dull the pain as he felt the carefully built Tyger Claws empire was slipping away. At the same time, Maelstrom was looking to expand their operations into Old Japantown, causing them to clash with the local Claws.[5] The gang was also at odds with the Kanzaki, one of the major few remaining yakuza families in Night City. Despite these disputes, the Tyger Claws still had a major influence over Watson and Japantown, as well as a notorious presence in South Night City and Charter Hill.[7]
2060s - 2070s[]
In 2067, a prostitute was brutally raped and murdered by Tyger Claw gangers. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Borden avenged her by killing three of the assailants, but that same night Tyger Claws killed her. These actions created an uproar that the Claws could not have foreseen, with Lizzie's death setting off a wave of protracted riots all over Night City, and Tyger Claws' members and businesses became the main targets of the violence. Those events were cemented with the formation of the Mox gang. After reaching a deal with them, the Claws left the Mox alone, but there was always bad blood between both groups.[3]
During the 2070s, the Tyger Claws were one of the largest criminal groups in Night City, controlling vast swaths of land in Westbrook and Watson. Based out of the new Japantown, the ruthless gang was known to use methods similar to those of Asian organized crime syndicates like the triads and the yakuza. Gang members were predominantly Asian, especially Japanese, and the gang's main objective was to maintain power over their territories while occasionally annexing other gangs' businesses.[1] Compared to their mostly humble beginnings, the Claws had changed little, their fixation on motorcycles for transportation continued, and they regularly used more cyberware. During these years, the gang had a close ties with the Arasaka Corporation.
Due to its size, there were a lot of internal disputes between the Tyger Claws, with different factions rising up and competing for money, territory and power. This occurrences, though, were handled from within the organization. However, if a dangerous outsider stepped into Claws territory, they would instead find the gang as a unified front. Once the interlopers had been dealt with, the internal wars could resume.[3]
Database Entry (2077)[]
TYGER CLAWS
Night City is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, though when it comes to its Asian demographic, the Chinese and Japanese influence is unmistakable – as are the Tyger Claws. As a gang the Tyger Claws are well-organized, efficient and savvy – but also unpredictable. Their business decisions are purely rational, but when it comes to their enemies or a disloyal gang member, their methods can be shocking. The Tyger Claws mainly operate out of Japantown, Little China, Kabuki and Charter Hill. Their main source of income are nightclubs, casinos, and braindance bars. Night Citizens love to have a good time – no other gang knows how to capitalize on that better than the Tygers.[8]
Notable Members[]
- Main article: Tyger Claws Members
Leadership[]
Main Leaders[]
- Shinobu the Second (2042 - unknown)
Secondary Leaders[]
- Burai (2042 - unknown)
- Jun Azegami (unknown - 2077, dependent)
- Marcus Ichida (unknown - 2077, dependent)
Faction Locations[]
2045[]
2077[]
- Japantown HQ[1]
- Chram Denya Jinja
- Clouds
- Deravaja Dojo
- Ho-Oh
- Little Macao Casino[1]
- Tank Girls Club[1]
Stats & Equipment[]
Cyberpunk 2077[]
| Type | Items |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | ARCH Nazaré "Itsumade", Mizutani Shion "Kyokotsu", Quadra Turbo-R "Raijin", Yaiba Kusanagi "Mizuchi", Villefort Columbus V340-F Freight |
Behind the Scenes[]
The Tyger Claws are based in Japantown, a classic "Little Tokyo" that includes a Kabukichō-like red light district. Here they run an assortment of gambling halls and houses of illicit pleasure—another reason for their fierce rivalry with The Mox (see above). The gang's members specialize in MMA-style fighting techniques, which they hone at The Dome, an exclusive sports facility where Tyger Claws, Yakuza and MMA stars mingle. The Tyger Claws prefer melee weapons, especially ceramic tantos and katanas (though the biggest and baddest of their number use the classic carbon steel variety). They also pack pistols and submachine guns, the latter usually cheap, plastic, multi-colored and unreliable. Their motorcycles, on the other hand, are sleek, modern and made of highly advanced fibers and fabrics. Tyger Claws often install special implants that let them ride at insane speeds in tight quarters. They replace their skin with non-flammable abrasion-proof Realskinn, which they then cover with luminous tattoos of Japanese demons fortified with microchips to confuse targeting systems. The combined package lets them strike hard and fast, blowing past defenses and decapitating their target before anyone even realizes what's going on. When Tyger Claw big shots meet, they often do so in the hoden of Japantown's Shinto shrine, a sacred space they've appropriated for their decidedly secular purposes.[9]
Tyger Claws is a gang of Japanese origin and stylistic influence, located in Japantown. They're ruthless and violent in practice, and intimidating in appearance. Katanas, street bikes and luminous tattoos are their trademarks.[10]
— Cyberpunk 2077 on X
Trivia[]
- The fact that several Tyger Claws gangers have irezumi (traditional Japanese tattoos) implies that they were previously members of the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) - such as Wakako Okada.
- Tyger Claws could be inspired by the Bōsōzoku biker gangs which also used customized motorcycles, in particular Suzuki. Modifications to Kusanagi motorcycles in the game are very reminiscent to modified Suzuki by Bōsōzoku.[11]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 BATYLDA, M. The World of Cyberpunk 2077. 1st ed. Milwaukie, OR, Dark Horse Books, 2020. (pp.170–1)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 PONDSMITH, M. Night City Sourcebook. Berkeley, CA, R. Talsorian Games, 1991. (p.55)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Mission Kit - Edgerunner's Handbook. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2024. (p.26)
- ↑ HUTT, J. et al., Danger Gal Dossier+. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2023. (p.5)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 GRAY, J. et al., Danger Gal Dossier. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2023. (pp.121–122,154,157)
- ↑ PONDSMITH, M. Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2020. (p.309)
- ↑ GRAY, J. Night City 2045 Atlas. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2025. (pp.8,10–11,15)
- ↑ CD Projekt RED. Cyberpunk 2077. Video Game, Multi-Platform. Poland, CD Projekt S.A., 2020.
- ↑ CURRIT, T. The Official Digital Artbook of Cyberpunk 2077. Digital, Online. CD Projekt RED, 2020. (p.48)
- ↑ Cyberpunk 2077 on X: "Tyger Claws is a gang of Japanese origin and stylistic influence, located in Japantown. They're ruthless and violent in practice, and intimidating in appearance. Katanas, street bikes and luminous tattoos are their trademarks. #Cyberpunk2077"
- ↑ Bosozoku Motorcycles & Culture - Deadbeat Customs, December 1, 2022.