I think Master Kohga being a joke is actually supposed to be a humanizing element. For all their evil, the person they care the most about is just a guy. No one in the clan has any advanced technology, none of them were alive when they split from the Sheika- they hate everyone and fight because their favorite wacky uncle Kohga tells them they were mean long ago.
Even this explanation ruins the Yiga Clan allure though. Ok, so the Yiga Clan is just a group of angsty wannabes who follow their "humanizing" clown uncle. So the ninjas who steal, lie, hurt women/children, and are attempting to bring about the end of the world are just misguided youth that was never any real threat? So their entire betrayal to the world is just an ironic writer's joke? Like what you said makes sense, but I don't see how that makes it any less underwhelming. They could have made Master Kohga misguided and not a literal cartoon character. The banana thing is also just... dumb? I cant help feel that the whole concept of them was written to be serious, and then higher ups in Nintendo like Miyamoto stepped in and made unnecessary creative changes (as per usual these days) to not take the story so seriously and keep it dumb/as marketable as possible (in their eyes)
@@PantsaBear eh, they can be such heinous people and have a goofy leader, like you can be so very incompetent but still cause so much harm, take elon musk as example. He might be goofy but he causes death and destruction
@@quaelgeist3337 I don't think Elon Musk is an apt analogy for the Yiga Clan lol And not really. These are clever masters of disguise who strategically attack and steal. You cant be goofy/clumsy (to the point you literally drop a ball on yourself to die) and also be clever/cunning. And even if you disagree with me on that, it's just lame af to write them this way from a storytelling perspective. All stakes from fighting these guys go from "oh damn, these are evil warriors fighting for Gannon I need to be careful" to "oh its the simple-minded goofballs who have no interesting motives and are likely not any real threat at all"
I don't think the Yiga just switched from intense to goofy. The Yiga you meet in game were always goofy, up until Kohga's death. It's easy to spot which travelers are disguised Yiga because their story, mannerisms, and placements are all off. They're hamming up their performance. They were always theatrical and Kohga, the most of all. The Yiga you hear of, from the Sheikah and Gerudo, are not *_these_* Yiga. They're their ancestors. These Yiga, while being plenty capable, aren't driven by the same anger and betrayal as their predecessors. They weren't the ones slighted, but they were born and raised to serve Ganon. They weren't acting out of conviction to Ganon or corruption by Malice. They were acting out of duty. Serving Ganon was just a job, for them, and their passions lie elsewhere. This all changes when Kohga dies. They're no longer fulfilling their duty to Ganon and their parents, but acting out of conviction. They're now more determined to end you, specifically, because you killed their passion. Their precious Master Kohga. Now, whenever you find a disguised Yiga, they more quickly drop the act and end the conversation with "FOR MASTER KOHGA". They didn't just switch. They developed and grew.
This right here. I was saying in another comment thread how I think the Yiga would easy turn against Calamity Ganon if threatened. The fact that Yiga drop all pretence once Master Kohga is defeated to end Link is very telling. Imagine if C. Ganon or someone closely aligned to C. Ganon had defeated Master Kohga. The Yiga would be incredibly incensed against who did the deed. Correct me if I'm wrong but they never say, "For Calamity Ganon," after Link defeats Master Kohga, it is as you said, "For Master Kohga!" The modern day Yiga don't care for the same reasons their ancestors did when the schism occurred.
@@Lightna this is reflected in age of calamity, while not exactly canon to Botw it gives us greater insight to characters and factions, and the yuga are no exception, turning in Ganon when Kohga was almost killed and his second in command killed (i think? I don't remember if he ended up living or not)
@@Lightna they don't mention Ganon before you kill him, either. They say things like "die hero" or "goodbye Hylian Champion" after a long and elaborate act.
Also, I imagine Master Kohga may not have expected the hero to reappear in his lifetime. That would explain why he knows all the techniques passed down to him, but isn’t disciplined in using them, he never expected to use them in battle. If he did think he’d face the hero, he likely never would’ve let himself go and be so lackadaisical.
My favorite Yiga assassin is the one that stands by a sign warning travelers about a criminal that attacks people. I manage to forget about him and fall for it every damn time and I don’t remember until he’s already dead and I read the sign
One more thing! Monk Maz Koshia, the final boss of the DLC, shares some similarities with the Yiga. This includes a comical obsession with bananas, as well as having access to Master Kohga’s giant-spike ball summoning abilities. While Kohga summons one and kills himself, Maz Koshia summons dozens and hurls them at you. This ties in with the lore that the Yiga split from the Sheikha about 10,000 years ago - the monks you encounter are 10,000 years old. So, some abilities (and the banana obsession) may have its roots in the ancient Shiekah, oddly enough. I think it’s a real shame how Nintendo locked that boss fight behind DLC because it has some interesting lore implications, and is, to me, the TRUE master ninja fight.
I've always said Monk Maz Koshia is what Master Kohga could have been if he wasn't a joke boss. Or I suppose, if he was the final boss of his own branch of the story instead of having to play second fiddle to Thunderblight.
@@pitbullnamedcupcake8485 nah, the Yiga Clan are a splinter group of the Sheika who no longer follow the guidance of Hylia. So why then would he still say “in the name of the goddess Hylia” if he didn’t follow her?
I think that the silliness of the Yiga is a reference to older Japanese ninja media, where Ninja were often depicted as very silly, yet powerful and magical. Like, a lot of actual ninjutsu techniques come off as very, very silly in modern times. Holding up a paper sheet with a wall pattern to hide behind worked in a time of expensive torches and moonlit nights, yes, but seems weird these days. Same for the incredibly strict diet of ninjas, that was exclusively vegetarian and high in fibre and protein. To the populace, ninjas had weird habits and a lot of older media depicted them as very silly. And they were also deadly pesant spies and assassins.
@@noizepusher7594 my favorite sort of trope “extremely weird to the point of looking stupid but in a pinch you understand just how dangerous all those weird habits make them”
That vegetarian/protein diet was crucial in the ninja profession as protein gave ninjas longer lasting energy than regular carbs and could be packed into small food pills. Also meat was heavily discouraged since the strong noses of guard dogs could easily sniff out the smell of consumed meat on a person.
I think the reason you feel the whiplash between "Goofy uncle Koga and his banana loving family" and "We killed your wife, your children are next unless you do what we tell you too." because you think the Yiga are a fanatical doomsday assassin cult. They aren't. They are a group of punch-card villains who serve Ganon only because their grandparents did and their other job prospects are basically non-existent. Outside of their job they really are just a group of goofs who like bananas. Isolation and insulation makes people weird like that. At least until you kill Koga. It's obvious that Koga was both the leader and the heart of the entire Yiga clan. Once he's gone they are very much looking to kill Link in cold blood.
@@NovaMaster375 Spoilers for TOTK After falling down the pit Kohga ended up in an underground area and he is very much alive. He is a boss again in Totk
In defense of Kohga and their goofiness, there is one thing that hasn't really been mentioned in this video: The Yiga *won* in the events leading up to BotW. Think about it. Calamity Ganon was released, Zelda ends up trapped with said Calamity (which may as well be dead, as the Yiga were actively trying to assassinate her up until that point), the Divine Beasts and Guardians are corrupted by Malice, the four Champions are all slain, and Link is dead/missing. In short, Hyrule is on it's last legs. So it's no wonder the Yiga feel so energized, they can metaphorically let their hair down. Same reason why Kohga is an out-of-shape goofball: He doesn't need to be in his peak physical condition anymore, but he is the 'brilliant but lazy' kind of trope played out, as he is quite competent, and clearly inspires those under his command. In short, the Yiga are on top and have a lot of advantages. They don't lose due to being bad at their jobs, it's more that Link is simply *that* much of a one-man army/war crime producer that the Yiga end up getting beaten back.
Not to mention they also just stole the thunder helm from the Gerudo. They're very much set to win, it looks like no one can stop them at all, the Gerudo sent someone and they captured her, and no one can even get near Vah Naboris without the thunder helm. Zelda also literally loses control of Ganon as you trigger the final boss fight, so if it weren't for Link, they'd win outright, Ganon would destroy the world, job done. Resting on their laurels has only become a bad plan in the time since you woke up.
@@sydneygorelick7484 BotW kinda reflects this too based on the actions you take too with the Yiga. If you don't go/never go to the clan hide out, any Yiga are usually disguised, and very few and far between at that. Almost like they don't really see Link/the adventurer as much of a threat. OH they try and stop him, but it's never anything they put all that much focus on outright. Fight Kohga however, and the Yiga (much as the game allows) end up out for blood.
i do also wonder like is master kohga a title or just one person, because while aoc isnt canon-canon because time travel and everything, it's still somewhat canon and kohga, seemingly the same one, is there, no wonder he's also a goofball if that's the case, he already won once
I think the fact that Koga is presented the way he is in this game makes the Yiga scarier, because that tells me it is either an act, or the Yiga are individually capable enough to do the assorted things we hear of them doing.
Nothing in this game would suggest this was an act, just stop it lol, thats hard coping They scamper after bananas lying on the ground Nothing about them is scary after you reach the Yiga hideout. In fact, I'd argue it could retroactively delegitimize the stories you hear about them and how much of it is false/hyperbole. Thats how dumb finding out "the truth" is
If you think about it I could see his end in BotW as him actually escaping, it was a trick to make Link lower his guard and not think about him anymore while he works in the shadows. Even the Yiga clans actions afterwards could be part of it.
Since the thing with bananas appears with Maz Koshia, an actual threat, it’s not out of the question that the obsession is played off as them selecting those willing to eat a lot for their attack boosting capabilities eventually leading to an obsession with weird historical reasons as the main explanation.
Something that’s interesting to me about this: People send assassins, thugs, hitmen, etc. after you all the time in Skyrim, but people hardly ever know about it because it only happens as a random encounter during travel and everybody I know just fast travels everywhere. It’s amazing how de-emphasized exploration is in an open world RPG
It primarily happens inside cities right after you quick travel. It actually happens very frequently with the only pre-requisite being to commit a crime. They work the same way as the courier, so simply making the game load is often enough for them to appear.
Honestly for as stark and confusing of a contrast between cartoonish and serious with the Yiga clan is I kind of like it. It creates a strange depth. The Yiga clan is a very human group of antagonists, like you said their motivations are understandable, characterizing them as silly is a very humanizing thing. They have a favourite food, they have napping spots, they don't just go around killing people they have lives outside of this. Dorian is probably the best example of this. Sure it make them less intimidating, but then you either remember or see their other side. The ruthless murderers who will threaten women and children to get their way. It's kind of like when you read up on the every day lives of soldiers of a conquesting army, what they do on the battlefield is often atrocious and yet they come home and they're people just like us. Given that they're an organization and not just a single entity it also gives them a bit of texture. Just because their leader is a buffoon doesn't mean that the foot soldiers aren't genuinely dangerous and intimidating. This is actually expressed really well in Age of Calamity through Sooga, Kohga's right hand. There's nothing comedic about that guy he's hyper competent and actually pretty wise, yet he serves and reveres an idiot. No matter how dumb Kohga is it doesn't stop someone like Sooga or the Blademaster from being intimidating and villainous. It's also a very Zelda thing. This serious is both very serious, dark and grounded, and one of the weirdest and goofiest things i've ever played and the Yiga clan are that to a T. I agree that they should definitely elaborate on the Yiga clan in the future theres a lot of potential there. Here's hoping.
I really like how Kohga gains the loyalty of Sooga with Sooga being a child who really loves bananas when they first meet. It also helps show that Kohga is able to be a really nice person and not just a buffoon. Hyrule Warriors also help show Kohga is more dangerous that what Breath of the Wild suggests since he nearly killed Zelda and was fooling her the whole time. He can be quite capable if he is focused and determined, while also keeping his temper in check with bananas. Then there is the DLC that shows him protest Sooga sacrificing himself showing more of his personality, how protective he can be and why he begged for forgiveness and a chance to fight against Ganon.
@Only a follower of vtubers Yeah, Kohga was onboard with Calamity Ganon up until his people were threatened in Age of Calamity. It begs the question that if C. Ganon did threaten Kohga's people in the canon timeline, would Kohga act the same? I am inclined to believe that he would if the situation had presented himself. Regardless of what ideology they have compared to their parent root, the Sheikah, they are still the same people as everyone else. They are human and if C. Ganon or someone clearly from C. Ganon's camp threatens the Yiga, they would defend themselves and would be genuinely sincere when seeking allies against C. Ganon because survival is more important than their vendetta and vengeance against the Royal Family. If they were to die before attaining vengeance then what is the point if what they thought were their allies were actively attempting to exterminate them before their vengeance is achieved?
Bed the question, where was Sooga in the canon timeline? I mean if we had Sooga suddenly show up at some point we would have been a LOT more careful fighting against the Yiga as we’d have in game proof that while they can be goofy, they are also able to be really darn dangerous.
I think antagonists who alternate between seemingly incompetent and goofy to deathly serious and capable of murdering children can really work in the right atmosphere. Dorian's shrine side-quest is a prime example, as the Yiga murdered his wife and forced him to act as a spy for them lest they kill his kids. And don't forget, the Yiga are ALWAYS laughing when you fight them. The goofiness and the laughter always gave me the impression that this is a game to them, which is all the more unsettling when you put that in context with just how far they're willing to go and who they serve. Killing kids and putting Hyrule under threat of a dark god's apocalypse is FUNNY to them, it's not serious enough to be dark and menacing, this is the kind of stuff that makes them laugh.
I think one thing that is pretty interesting to note is, Japan actually had two rival ninja clans. Iga Clan: The Iga clan originated from the Iga province, which is now part of modern-day Mie Prefecture. This clan was known for their highly skilled ninja warriors and exceptional espionage techniques. They were hired by various warlords and feudal lords to gather intelligence, conduct assassinations, and perform other covert operations. The Iga clan was highly respected for their abilities, and they developed a unique set of skills and strategies that set them apart from other ninjas. Kōga Clan: The Kōga clan hailed from the Kōka (or Koga) region in present-day Shiga Prefecture. Like the Iga clan, they were also renowned for their expertise in espionage, sabotage, and assassination. The Kōga ninja had their own distinct set of skills and strategies, and they were often employed by rival warlords who sought to counter the activities of the Iga ninjas. During the Sengoku period (1467-1603), a time of social and political upheaval in Japan, the Iga and Kōga ninja clans were often pitted against each other as they were hired by opposing warlords. This rivalry was fueled by the constant competition for power and resources among the various daimyos and feudal lords of the era. The ninjas of these two clans would later come to be romanticized in Japanese folklore, literature, and popular culture as the archetypical image of the stealthy, cunning, and skilled ninja warrior. I don't think it's too far fetched to say that the Yiga and Sheikah clans are possibly inspired by the two. Just as the Iga and Koga ninja clans served rival warlords, the Sheikah and Yiga tribes have opposing ideologies and masters in the game.
Not the sheikah, but definitely the Yiga. Yiga is just iga with a Y, and their master is master koga. This can’t be coincidental, so thank you for figuring it out!
I really hope you revisit this and talk about the Yiga in Age of Calamity. I think the way they’re portrayed in AoC is much better, especially Kohga since we now have more cutscenes with him and a voice to his name (seriously he’s amazing in it). Also, Sooga really helps balances Kohga’s goofiness with his stoic and prideful demeanour
From what Hyrule Warriors AOC i could tell, they were immediately disgusted when Astor sacrificed a lot of their soul to revive the Blight Ganons, so i think they thought they would be spared by Calamity Ganon if they sided with it. Once they realized that Calamity Ganon gives no shit for pawns, they switched sides. It really makes you think about them in a new light. That game shared a lot of light on the Yiga Clan that makes them more of a Found Family as they protect each other, ex. Is Kohga and Sooga
Yes. It is implied most of the Yiga don't understand Ganon's True Malice, and only the ones that actually do would sacrifice children for the Cause. And even those understand what a bad idea it is to be Vessel for the Demon, especially if you aren't Ganondorf himself.
And also can we just mention how absolutely hilarious Master Kohga is in AoC, both as a character and a fighter. Whereas Sooga, Kohga's SUBORDINATE, is more serious and wise than even the antagonist, Astor
It is implied Zant was indeed always a schizoid and mad for power, but by becoming a vessel of Ganon and gaining power, he could put on a Mask of Calm. That is why Midna and the elders refused to give Zant power. They saw the crazy in his Eyes.
I mean Zant himself wasn’t much of a threat, just a schizophrenic weirdo who wanted Midna’s power. He was only dangerous because of the true threat Ganondorf pulling the strings for him, similar in a way to Kotake’s and Koume’s relationships with Ganondorf.
@@theonewhoknocks6950 Exactly. That is why Ganondorf picked Zant. Zant was emotional and physically weak. Therefore, Zant wouldn't resist that kind of devil's contract.
@@Fragmentsinfractals488 he just reminds me of Ganondorf, because, just like Ganondorf, he never would’ve gotten as far as he did without puppet masters pulling the strings from the sidelines, AKA Twinrova in the case of Ganondorf and then Ganondorf himself in the case of Zant
@@theonewhoknocks6950Yup. And it's even more glaring in the manga adaptation where he becomes a crazed mess after loosing his litteral mask. Zant was nothing but a crazy fool puppet. 🤔
I personally thought Kohga being so damn silly and incompetent was kind of brilliant when I first met him in the game, because of how it both helps humanize these guys a bit more, but also how it exposes how much the Yiga have changed since their original betrayal; As someone else mentioned in another comment, these are no longer the same Sheikah who swore allegiance to Ganon- they're their descendants. And in all the time that's passed, their isolation from the rest of Hyrulean society has made them much more goofy and crazy than they probably were originally. Their society has evolved a cult of personality centered around their master, and like in many real-world groups of violent, genocidal maniacs, this leader is- at the end of the day- just a man. A very silly, stupid, and pathetic man. The Nazis fx were full of people like this, especially in the upper echelons of their society. All while also having very deadly and skilled soldiers among them. I really liked that paralell. So while I can perfectly understand where your frustration/surprise at the sillyness of the Yiga comes from (we can always discuss the execution of this aspect of their character), I do really think it's one of the best parts of their characterization in the game. It makes them feel much more real, and despicable as well. That's especially what I felt learning about what they did to Dorian's wife, which happened after the fight with Kohga for me. Finally, I also just love how Kohga meets his end due to his own overconfifence/idiocy 😆 Though I do think they could've done better with the execution on that one too... I do wonder if he's really dead though? Some have suggested we might run into him underground in TOTK- wouldn't be surprised if we did, he's stubborn to a fault after all 🤣!
I used to think that Kohga was just a funny joke character but after he said he was gonna kill me… to death I started shaking and peeing out of fear. Truly one of the stupendous leaders of the Yiga Clan of all time
Ok but in all seriousness he is actually a pretty well written character when you take into account him raising Sooga and being willing to die for the sake of his clan
I think it makes sense that, within the comfort of their own sanctum, The Yiga would be a little more weird than they are out in the field. They've been around for generations, and the world is effectively a post-apocalypse where Ganon's progress has been halted and the dude they're hunting (Link) hasn't been seen in a century. I don't think it's that odd they'd be a little cocky and complacent the higher up you go in the hierarchy, especially with how insular and fanatical they are. (You DO mostly see their footsoldiers, the youngest and most enthusiastic of the bunch, and their swordmasters, if memory serves right, are mostly encountered in their hideout.) You did describe them as a kind of doomsday cult, and cults... well, they can be hard to take seriously sometimes, especially their leaders. But, when those leaders DO die, they're seen as martyrs regardless of how ridiculous they might have been to outside observers.
Kohga's character is shown off greatly in AOC, in my opinion. His character is on full display and has an incredible arc when the calamity begins. He goes from a self-centered goofball who doesn't fight unless backed into a corner without his Right Hand Man, to showing how he became the Top Banana of the Yiga Clan by caring for his lackeys. His allegiance turns the moment Three-Eyes (his actual name illudes me, so I'll call him what Master Kohga calls him) begins sacrificing his troops to fuel the Calamity. He has an opponent to flee when the Supercharged Blights are unleashed on him and Sooga, but he stands his ground, not leaving Sooga's side and fights until he has no choice but to retreat. Kohga and the Clan are also shown to be goofy by being the "comic relief" during the reunion of Zelda and King Rhoam, by being the only ones audibly crying out of all the forces at the Temple of Time. The cutscene right before his big boss fight also shows both his threatening side and the comical side at the same time. The 1st person perspective combined with his frantic teleports everywhere and speech are the perfect means of showing you what *THESTUPENDOUSCHIEFOFTHEYIGACLAN* is as a character.
You won’t believe how long it took for me to figure out that every Yiga is called “Traveler” Edit: now it’s “Researcher,” took me a week to learn that one
i love what that implies about what the clan does now though… in BOTW, they were really just travelling Hyrule, looking for people to rob, espionage to do and news about Link and anyone who plans to fight back against the Calamity. Now, the Yiga have a method to the madness… as far as I am into the game, they seem to genuinely want to figure out what the upheaval and all the Sky Islands and all the Zonai stuff actually mean… and how to use it for their goals. So they are really doing research, in a way.
"You get the Master Kohga seal of approval!" "Am I even _allowed_ to be this strong?" "Oh look at that! I improved on perfection!" "I did it? I DID IT!" I too enjoy Master Kohga's presence. Especially in Age of Calamity.
@lasercraft32 "YIGA, ASSEMBLE! Me excluded of course." "SOOGA, YOU'RE LATE! I NEARLY GOT PEELED LIKE A BANANA!" "You're threads about to get cut, and I'm the shears! SNIP SNIP!" "Today! Right now in fact! THE STUPENDOUS CHEIF OF THE YIGA CLAN, MASTER KOGHA! is gonna kill you all, TO DEATH!" "Hey, prophecy man! You missed the part WHERE WE GET WALLOPED!" Age of Calamity really elevated him to new heights
The levity and laughter Kohga brings make it all worth it to me. Its a nice combo of silly and threatening that makes the world even more alive and curious.
I like to think that the yiga did use to be a lot more serious and threatening before, but after a 100 years of Link being absent and not really having any guidance from Ganon, they just started to goof around and be lazy, so by the time the hero does come back and all the shekah tech is waking up (so divine beasts, shrines and such) they´re kinda caught off-guard. They´re very fanatical yet at the same time have 0 guidance from the villain they´ve swore their allegiance to
god I hope they come back in TOTK in some form, they were awesome fights. My thing with Kohga is that he's very fitting of a cult guru, he's decadent, lost his ways in more ways that one. His thing is doing flashy tricks to make himself look bigger than life. In the french translation, he calls his goons "my boys", implying more of a father figure to his henchmen. This is really going well with the "death cult" aspect of it. In real life, many a cult have a leader that is extremely decadent, "reject possession", they say, after buying a new luxury car for the Nth time. Another thing to note is how Kohga might not even be the real head of the Yiga: After Kohga's defeat, the Yiga are noted to have come back to their base, reforming and retaking the place, meaning there's already new commandment, which is real quick, meaning there was a second-in-command ready and popular enough to take the Master's place.
Funny enough, in Age of Calamity, Kogha did have a competent and deadly second in command. I think that game also helps flesh out some, but not all of the Yiga Clan’s motives.
Kohga was definitely leader at the time, and if he is replaced I like to think it's actually Sooga who fills that roll as in BotW's timeline going into TotK, Sooga didn't die. He just hasn't shown up yet.
@@chrange9714 And unlike Hylians, Sheikah can outlive them and I assume fight well even at their old age. So Sooga would be a cool interim leader. I actually doubt he’ll be made leader. It’s just temporary until they get a new one.
@@acgearsandarms1343 Exactly, as even Kohga if I'm not mistaken was over 100 years old. Oh yeah I agree, he'd probably be a temporary leader if anything. Especially seeing how loyal he is to Kohga and given his backstory, it's no wonder he is. Not only would it be cool but it's just awesome to get more of Sooga in general as I really liked him in AoC.
Honestly, I quite like how the Yiga Clan was expanded upon in the sequel. Spoilers incoming. Once you start finding Yiga outposts in the Depths and reading their notebooks you get views into the progress the clan has made between games, or bits of lore like the functions of each branch, the clan anthem or info about their training. Each branch contains a fight with Yiga members that grants you a piece of the clan uniform-something required to enter the hideout, which now has increased security. Once you do get in, the hideout is much more lively than before with weapon shops, NPCs you can talk to and one of the game’s coolest features: the training room. Engaging in training with your fellow clansmen not only grants you a Yiga-made 1:1 copy of the Thunder Helm but earns you access to the Earthwake technique used by enemy Blademasters. These aspects, combined with the Master Kohga side adventure, serve to add more depth to a group that previously had rather little going for them from a worldbuilding perspective.
They also keep that incredibly serious AND goofy theming in the notes, with one note might be academic research another some guy just complaining its too dark, and a third a guy confessing he saw his friends soul get stolen by a statue
I'm a tall guy. As a gag I so wanna cosplay a Yiga swordmaster, get a bag full of bananas, and go to some sort of gaming convention. Also, as far as Master Khoga goes, my first time playing the game I kinna enjoyed his silliness. I assumed that this guy is ancient, so old that he's gone a little insane. He might have been a powerful warrior at one point, and the rest of the Yiga still repect him enough to keep him around as a figure head of sorts, but there is another more sinister leader lurking in the shadows who is really pulling the stings. Something, that unfortunately didn't happen.
Nit a hidden mastermind per se. but kogha being so old and past his prime (he is alteast 100 years ago so you can compare him and impa during botw and AoC). Instead the real muscle is the current soogha the bodyguard of the yiga leader himself
Like I said in the previous video, they explained a lot about Calamity Ganon right in the beginning of the game just so if you're a speedrunner and wants to tackle on Ganon right from that start, you at least don't miss on the core part of the story. The Yiga Clan on the other hand is developed in a more organic way because it requires you to explore the game, along with their story. If you just go straight to Ganon from the start you probably won't even see one single Yiga.
I think the choice to make them goofy is made to ease the fact that the Yiga are really a dark concept. If Kohga was as ruthless as the Yiga are made out to be in the NPC dialog and the game's story, you would have an unrelenting bloodthirsty monster who tries to kill the player until his very last breath. Nintendo wanted this to be an accessible and family oriented game. The guardians and the concept of Calamity Gannon is already a terrifying concept, especially to younger audiences. To avoid having two very terrifying and serious bad guys in the same game Nintendo made the active choice to cartoonify the Yiga. They couldn't cartoonify Gannon, he's the villian on the box. THE Zelda bad guy. That's always how I've felt about it at least.
Knowing that the old Sheika are quite the characters, I wouldn't rule out that Master Kohga is just like that, too. He is goofy cuz he is old, but he is also powerful and bloodthirsty.
Don't forget. When we last saw him, we banished him to the Hyrule underworld in a map location called "Bottomless Pit." He is not dead. I'm calling it here: he will be the Ghirahim of TotK.
If u haven't seen the story of the yiga in age of calamity,u should check it out. I think it really helps flesh them out and make them more compelling while still keeping that cartoonish quality and more serious side as well
I think that the exposition they give about Ganon is actually a great way to do it, specifically for a game in this style. BotW is an experience where anyone can choose the way they want to play the game. Heck, you can even rush the final boss right from the start, as soon as you finish the tutorial. But for this to work, you need to know who the final boss is. You need to know the game’s objective and where it is, so you can choose if you want to rush it, build towards it, or ignore it entirely. All of the exposition is out of the way in the beginning so you’re not required to seek it out if that’s not how you want to play the game, and still know the basic premise.
I like to think Kohga's goofball schick is just that-a schick. Remember, these guys deal in stealth and trickery. Kohga probably likes for people to underestimate him. He likes for people to not consider him a threat until it's too late.
I saw the Master’s goofiness as a reflection of his group’s ultimately pointless plan. Like, the clan is IN HYRULE! Even if they are in those outfits and are warriors, they will overrun and consumed by monsters when Ganon is free. But the clan itself only sees their history, the historic grudge, how the world is getting worse because they aren’t in charge. The Master is their loving figurehead that they respect and love because, well, it’s all they know. They are really like a cult, as they are super blind to any other perspective. When Kohga dies, they really feel as if Link, the embodiment of their historic grudge against Hyrule, has once again slighted the clan. In reality, they were following a complete buffoon that just really knew how to please a crowd and keep his clan happy, because he was happy following their dumb way of life too. The blind leading the blind. Only now, they have a martyr to gather behind and fight for once Link “kills” him
Once you do get past the hideout and have mastered them as enemies, the goofyness fits better as they are less capable than you are. They may kill but against you, they turn into clowns.
I like Age of Calamity because we get to see what the Yiga thought about Calamity Ganon's return and then the regret they had when they realized the logical conclusion.
The Yiga and especially Master Kohga are examples of a specific type of character archetype/acting style found in Kabuki Theatre, the bright colors, the poses, the mixture of comedy with serious themes and drama etc. etc. Its also where you get things like Power Ranger poses, actions stances, dramatic camera zooms.
When looking at clownish villains like Kefka, I think Kohga plays into how fickle and uncaring he really is for the heinous crimes his clan as committed. He thinks like a child who disregards the consequences of his actions. That be what the writers were going for.
I started following your channel after becoming enthralled from your Ragnarok videos and I think it’s super cool how you’re able to pull so much literal analysis out of a, narratively, much more simple game. Keep up the great videos!
My issue issue with the Yiga Clan enemies is that, despite being quite dangerous and unexpected at first, aren't all too difficult after you learn their moveset. There is that big guy with the sword who starts showing up after you defeat master Kohga, but that is about the extent of it. I wish there could've been some more advanced ninjas to increase the difficulty as you grow stronger (like how the other enemies do), or if some of them had more elaborate setups to kill you. It would be seriously scary to run into another ninja again, only for several others to appear and begin jumping you.
I adore your videos!!!! I agree the Yiga clan definitely deserved to be fleshed out more. I think maybe if they weren't seen as silly they would be too much of a threat? If they actually had Ganons power they would be in a completely different ball park. Time has passed and their no longer what they once were. I will admit though I was scares shitless when seeing the big yiga guards then when they danced towards a banana I started laughing so hard I choked on my snacks it was incredible. Also Koga's death which I doubt was actually a death was hilarious. Imagine if he simply didn't want to rule the Yiga clan anymore? Maybe he faked it all?
Given how Maz Koshia shares in their fanatical taste for bananas, I feel like there's more to their intense fervor than just the taste, since the monks are incredibly old, and they were keen to get their monk on when bananas are involved, I can see the Yiga having doubled down on that as a matter of historic pride. As for Master Kogha, I believe him to be someone who rose to power because of his potential rather than his ambition, since according to his Compendium entry, it was his 'mastery of the esoteric arts' that earned him respect despite his lay-about personality. I can easily see the Yiga looking at his opulence as well as their failing of letting their fascination with Bananas get their leader killed leading them to being a much more fanatical and dangerous force in TotK, and I look forward to seeing where they take them down the road if they do return.
the yiga clan are the best side enemies ever. theyre silly, theyre goofy, but behind all of that, they can be serious and awesome. by the way, a detail i wanted to point out is how the yiga laugh the entire time while they fight you. its a GAME to them. it's like they think the opportunity to kill link is hilarious. gosh theyre so cool.
20:08 Technically in a similar vein you got the witch sisters that make up Twintella who also tend to be on a goofy side of things with their bickering with each other.
Yeah, that's another villain that does some horrible stuff but ends up being silly. They brainwashed Nabooru and turn the Gerudo into a feared group serving Ganon but when you defeat them, they get halos over their heads and bicker about their ages. Honestly just seems par for the course for some Zelda villains to end up being goofy. Even to a lesser extent in Wind Waker, 'Beast Ganon' ends up being a silly looking puppet. Zelda can be silly, dunno why its so shocking admitedly.
Your videos are so well timed! I loved the Space Pirate villainy video since I just finished Metroid Prime, and this is a great refresher for Tears of the Kingdom next week! You’re one of my favorite new subs, keep up the good work.
The reason Khoga seems like such a joke in his intro cutscene is because he had no idea you were there and had no time to prepare. As we see in AOC and TOTK he is able to do the creepy/epic/cool intro with his "Kill you all to death" speech, impersonating Urbosa, and teleporting around everwhere while he makes his final "i was waiting for you" speech in the depths. We also know that he used to have a much more serious right hand Sooga, who likely died after the Calamity. So again, hes able to be the cool and deadly assain, but as he said in game, he wasn't prepared, he was sleeping.
Breath of the wild: compulsive dialouge disorder turned to compulsive attack disorder Tears of the kingdom: sees traveler. Puts on yiga clan outfit. Comfirm suspicion. Set up ten death turrets around the NPC. Takes off yiga clan outfit. Talks to traveler. Yiga footsoldier gets freaking blown into the stratosphere.
I feel like the only games I don't have this compulsion to talk to people is in Pokemon, especially in the first few towns because all they ever talk about it advice I already know about on how to play the series. XD
I love that Kohga and the Yiga are legitimate threats, capable of amazing feats that the average person would have little chance against. Link is Hyrule’s last line of defense, though, and the things that would be dangerous to most are things that Link effortlessly has answers to.
You know what would have been terrifying and actually ninja like. If the Yiga clan leader was just pretending to be a buffoon to throw you off. You beat him easily in a joke of a boss fight. Then as you're exiting the arena he back stabs you and the _real_ fight begins. He knows people let their guard down when they think they've won, especially in a disappointing fight. Now you've got a serious boss fight and you actually start with low health. Then the joke would have a narrative aspect, subvert expectations in another interesting way, and make him more intimidating and interesting as a villain. To know that he's even willing to make a mockery of himself to get every advantage he can get.
Thinking on Kohga, my immediate thought as to why he's portrayed so silly is one thing: ten thousand years is an extremely long time. I don't think it's out of the question that the current Yiga have effectively forgotten what cause they were originally fighting for, and are keeping up that fight for nothing more than cultural obligation. Kohga's family may have been the leaders of the Yiga going back to their inception, making him a leader by birthright rather than skill, allowing him to become such a fool in the process?
Even in the Warriors game despite the fact the Yiga are still wanting to revive Ganon theirs not the same sort of conviction it started with. The moment he’s released Khoga and the rest of the Yiga decide this wasn’t worth it and work to stop him. Ganon worship is more of a tradition at this point then something they truly feel.
@@BaronSterling fun fact: in Lore every Leader of the Yiga is required to be named Kohga. Which probably means a Kohga founded the Yiga Clan and to honor him every time a new member takes the place of Master of the Yiga they’re name is changed to Kohga for tradition. So if they return we might see a new Kohga or perhaps he somehow survived falling down a pit with a heavy iron spiked ball falling in him.
I personally saw the yiga's odd bit of comedy as more so proving that they're a fanatical cult, with a fanatical leader. Master Kohga is super charismatic and very crazy, but this is likely hidden behind some facades of seriousness or just is part of how he gets folks to drink the kool-aid.
I guess the closest we got to having a ninja antagonist in a previous Zelda story was in the Ocarina of Time manga. Where Sheik worked under Ganon during the years while Link was sealed away, acting as a spy right under Ganon’s nose. Which lead to her having to trick Link once or twice. But it wasn’t really out of evil reasons like the Yiga, but more out of necessity to keep her cover intact. (By the way, read the Zelda manga’s if you haven’t. Though they are not canon to the main continuity, they add a ton of new context to the stories of the games. And they are all definitely worth a read)
zant was a kid trying to look cool, master kohga is a sympathetic villain, his clan is a sympathetic antagonist and i can believe the members of the yiga clan actually see him in the way as they speak of him, in hyrule warriors he is shown as a brave, loyal and empathic leader, when someone sacrifices so he can flee he doesnt do it right away, he takes some seconds considering to accept the sacrifice.
I think in a roundabout way, Kohga being goofy and cowardly kind of fits. The Yiga Clan and all its members are underhanded and take a “by any means necessary” approach while being fanatical about the guy. Kohga sends out his henchmen and lazily hides in his base, he hides behind barriers and avoids you in combat. He’s the kind of guy who’ll hide in the background, lying in wait for his opportunity. Him only appearing physically the one time is even kind of an extreme version of the typical yiga “Wait for a victim to come to me” tactic.
While the threat they pose is serious, the cause the Yiga are dedicated to is ridiculous on its face. Maybe Kohga is so silly because he is a failson born into this cause who has forgotten the face of his father, so to speak. The Yiga might be more serious if the story delved further into how they felt about being betrayed by the King; resentment from legitimate unresolved grievance devolving into nihilistic reactionary violence tracks, but could use more elaboration. Kohga is locked into a generations old revenge vendetta over a betrayal he didn't experience and isn't inclined to take seriously. Even so, that inherited beef aligns him and his peopled with a senseless, non-communicating Malice way more powerful than anything they represent on their own. Despite himself and perhaps because of this Malice behind him, this fool maintains the loyalty of fierce assassins who must recognize the absurdity you laid out - that the calamity won't spare the Yiga in the end. These conditions may narratively justify how Dorian and folks like him could come to be in the Yiga and make the weighty choice to leave even as it endangers them and their loved ones.
The Yiga Clan are all very menacing and competent (they just don't seem that way because Link is such a boss)... the exception is Master Kohga. Kohga is out of shape and kind of chubby. He likely hasn't been out in the field for a very long time. He's the _leader_ because of his "charisma," and as we can see (especially in Age of Calamity) they're loyal to _him_ first and foremost, but that doesn't mean they're all silly like him. I heard that Master Kohga specifically was based on a type of festival or dance, I think they talked about it in the Creating a Champion book, hence why he's so silly (I heard it in a TH-cam video somewhere but I don't have the book and I can't find any info about it from my skimming the internet/wikis via google search, so if able someone please confirm whether I'm remembering right). And I personally like Kohga's silly nature. Especially in Age of Calamity. It takes place in an alternate timeline that isn't canon to the events of main botw, but his characterization is pretty much the same and he's great.
I love the idea of the Yiga assassins disguising as named characters to try to fool the player. Like maybe you go to Gerudo Town, speak with Riju, just to notice she has a Vicious Sickle on the golden waistband to her skirt. Or you go speak to Sidon, but his dialogue is much less chipper than he normally is.
Kohga being played for laughs feels better if you absolutely suck at stealth like me. I tried that stealth section over and over, and by the time I reached the boss I wasn't in a very good mood because of that. But the jovial air of the boss lifted my mood. Especially since it was the only boss fight in the game that felt like a traditional zelda style boss fight which was nice because the small quantity of unique boss fights is one of the only issues I have with botw.
Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with a point I've seen a few people raise: I think your impression of tonal whiplash comes from an interpretation of the Yiga as serious, when in fact they're cartoon villains throughout. There's pathos and sympathetic back story there, but the Yiga we deal with in game are basically all buffoons.
I wish sooga was canon, like from age of calamity, he's kogas right hand man and he's actually threatening both in demeanor and skill. He's serious and strong. He would have been so cool to fight.
TOTK come out tomorrow, I'm making my prediction. There are underground bits right? We're gonna go down that hole and Kogha is still gonna be down there, maybe even for a rematch.
So as a comment to your questions, I learned of the Yiga by trying to help someone out in the wild before heading to Kakiriko village, The Yiga in my perspective are a bit of a ninja cult, and are seen at three times, once in the memories before the calamity in Breath of the wild, after the Calamity During the game, and in the Spin off that is in a separate timeline in Age of Calamity, in the normal timeline, where you see them, the current Yiga are 500 years removed from the time of the calamity, and were trained rigorously by those in the camp, and as such, to keep them as they are, Kohga needs them to be Fanatical, and thus encouraged the stuff like the banana worship and use, using 500 year old info, however I see Kohga in that time as a man that has more talent and Raw skill then he has sense, not once is he seen out of the fortress and not once do I think his followers see him as Link does, A talented man that still may be clever, but isn't too bright, but those around him are just so fanatically drawn and follow him where they will do anything to further his mission, and the others never see how we beat, or how Kohga beats himself, they just know we are to blame, but instead of going on their way they double down and dig in and go after link Harder, sending more after him to get revenge, and the Kohga of 500 years in the past, we don't see, but he does order the Yiga to attack when Ganon does in the past, and they bring Link to his knees with relentless attacks as we see in the flash backs. But they are two entirely different people, Age of Calamity gives us a better look at Kohga and no it is not really Cannon, just a split off timeline where the heroes are warned and time is messed with, but you do get to see Kohga of the past, and where he can be goofy, he is skilled and very strong, it's just he and his subordinates get a bit overzealous and it leads to their downfall at times where they would have won, but it is also shown SPOILERS FOR AGE OF CALAMITY! that the darkness knows of the Yiga and uses them, but doesn't care about them, and Kohga sees the writing on the wall, being careful of the main villain until his second in command is killed saving his life from the villain and at that point he is like "you know what... What is the point working and worshipping this force that doesn't care about us and is happy to kill us regardless of weather we help them or not" and the Yiga SWITCH SIDES in the conflict. But the two are fundamentally different people
On the topic of Kohga, something I’ve always found interesting is that he’s, fucking enormous. He’s a bit rotund, something I’ve chalked up to age, but that’s not what I’m referring to; no, he’s a good bit bigger than even the sword-wielding Yiga clan members, who themselves are a good bit bigger than most NPCs, something easy to see in the quest with the locked shrine near Kakariko. I feel like Kohga would have been a fearsome sight were he in his prime
I think of kuga as one of those kids that inherited the business from their parents, there were spoiled they made their lackeys do everything and when it comes down to it they don't know the first thing about running the business. In kogas case I think it's more that he has never really been in combat, he knows all the spells of the Sheik or whatever, he's a charismatic leader, but he has no practical experience or wisdom when it comes to using his abilities in combat. He's the undisciplined, illpracticed pupil of the previous leader.
I kinda like the leader of the Yiga clan being a petulant old man, they're so obsessed with past grievances so that tracks, but they could've toned the Clown Down. I really hope we get a new Yiga leader in TotK. Some new, charismatic upstart, rallying the Yiga to support their resurgent king and acting as the right hand of the returned Ganondorf.
In regards to Kohga, perhaps he plays more of the role of showing where the yigas strengths truly lie. The yiga are shown as murderous thieves who should be feared, and yet their leader is a total joke. And yet even after defeating kohga, the clan only becomes more of a threat. Considering Kogha learned his unique techniques from his family line, one might assume the position of leader was passed down through bloodlines. Perhaps it was Kohga's laziness that limited the yiga from using their full capability. In TOTK, the yiga now have a perfect contender for leader that can bring out their full strengths. One who has proven time and time again to be cruel, ruthless, and cunning: Ganondorf.
I personally like the silliness of the Yiga Clan. I think it serves as a great duality of the idea of this ganon serving doomsday cult. I will always remember my first time hearing or seeing the yiga being on my way to hateno where one of the yiga were crying on the path to it. It's a gaming moment I'll never forget because of how gobsmacked I was. I love how the Yiga are initially presented as threatening, with the strongest and most worthy members being sent out to the field to kill Link or Zelda if she randomly showed her face (because surely the Yiga didn't know what was happening with her). I also love though, how when you enter the hideout none of the Yiga are prepared for it because you truely catch them off guard and vunerable. That's why to me I think it makes sense that they become "silly" as the clan were just chilling in their little den with each other, not afraid to be themselves. I also think it shows this idea especially well with Master Kohga. Master Kohga literally appears with a yawn sound effect playing. He literally just woke up and somehow Link was the one to wake him, so in a tired stupor he collects himself and prepares to kill Link for Ganon and all the Yiga of past, present and future. But to me I think he wanted to have fun with killing Link, underestimating the guy because he'd already failed once before, so he decides to dance around and be theatrical. But then once Link beats him Kohga doesn't know what to do, and so he does what he does and dies because he didn't realise he wasn't practiced in creating metal balls that big and controlling them. I also love how Kohga's death causes the clan to be much less dumb in their approaches to things afterwards and act out of revenge for the guy. It's a nice bit of character development for the clan.
Villain? Master Kohga the glorious top banana of the yiga clan is clearly the hero. On the point of Kohga age of calamity (which is canon in its own split timeline) has sooga who is basically the REAL leader of the yiga but worships Kohga like the rest. I'm positive the current yiga have the same thing going we just never meet the number 2 man..but Kohga being silly is amazing and frankly made me love the yiga more.
I absolutely love the Yiga Clan and really hope they return. The members are both cool and a little goofy, their leader Kohga is a lovable goofball who’s just such a fun personality, and even with Age of Calamity we met Kohga’s right hand, Sooga, who truly is the badass assassin you would expect to be after the hero’s head. When you add a new character or group like the Yiga and they’re already beloved by many within their first game appearance, you know you made a wonderful thing.
My favorite undercover Yiga NPC (or least favorite from Link’s perspective) is the one found sitting at the campfire at the Hebrew Trailhead Lodge. Such a surprise finding them in a cozy, seemingly inviting spot like that. As for Kogha’ buffoonery, although reading some of the comments here has opened my eyes to the effectiveness of his goofiness, I think it could have been handled in a more balanced way. For instance, it would have been cool to “overhear” some dialogue where khoga is being bossy and intimidating towards a yiga clan member while sneaking around the hideout. Or, if he had sent footsoldiers and swordsmen after us during the battle, perhaps including some dialogue where he mocks us or his soldiers that we defeat, it would have demonstrated his laziness, cowardice, and cruelty while highlighting the most terrifying thing about him, his influence. We didn’t really see him being the leader of the yiga clan, we were just told that he was, and I think that his silliness exacerbated that disconnect for some. All in all though, I agree he’s a fun character on his own, and I’m glad he’s not just a straightforward overdone villainous-villainy-villain.
If you love talking to every NPC you'd probably love the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 system. They have a little star by a chat icon when an NPC has some new dialogue, that way you can find out who you have and have not talked too. I don't remember if this is in 3 but I know in XBC1 there's a system where it can track an NPC for you, it's so amazing for side quests and was vital for me and I would've never 100% the game if not for that feature
Glad someone made a video about this, always wanted to drop my theory the perspective of the yiga clan’s silliness. As you mentioned, the yiga constantly alternate between horrible moral lacking beasts, and goofy little comedians. And while at first I agreed it felt very offbeat, i came to realize it could very well be symbolism of their lost minds going insane. They have no concept of right and wrong, they are ruthless murders capable of anything, but they don’t see issue with that, they are driven insane by the abandonment from hyrule and grow more insane every day, eventually cracking at the death of their leader. On the part of Mighty Bananas, i feel like they are obsessed with them as they provide comfort to them in power, as they provide a power buff. The bananas could be seen as a coping mechanism, to give them that hit of dopamine when they are taken to their limit from the mental insanity they spiral into every day-it could almost be seen as a drug that they crave to ease the insanity. They’re so giddy because they know one banana is all it takes to get them lasting another hour
Kohga's strange movements and shouts are definitely straight from kabuki theater. I really did appreciate the nod to kabuki, which I think is pretty neat. It's still a little strange that he's so inept, and I think the writers could have made him more threatening, or even given a compelling reason for him to be so incapable... Some of the Yiga were super clownish too though. The first one I met was incredible, starting off saying he had a dream. I'm innocently like, 'oh cool, what was it about?', and then he very eerily relates a tale of being asleep in darkness, and then a voice called, and waking up in a glowing contraption that had healed him. By that point, my eyes were huge and my mind was reeling, and all I could think was 'WUT?' But then others just try to sell expensive bananas, or ask if you like Kohga's belly, or wail about needing poached salmon. So, haha, "pick a lane" is a relatable sentiment. ^.^' They are definitely such a great concept though!!
I don't have an in-universe explanation for Master Kohga's silliness, but I did come up with a potential meta reason: I think the writers and game devs got split off into designing different enemies and NPC interactions. At some point, they had the idea for "evil Sheikas" that could be encountered in disguise throughout the overworld. This led to the backstory about them being traitors who had sided with Calamity Ganon, becoming a sort of doomsday cult of assassins, with no qualms about who they attacked, so long as it furthered Ganon's power and eventual return. At the same time, however, a different team was riffing ideas for a more lighthearted villain that would juxtapose the grim overtones of the game's apocalyptic primary antagonist. Somehow or another, these two ideas wound up smashed together, and because the gameplay comes first in Nintendo games, they decided to roll with it, even though the two ideas didn't really fit together. I could be wrong about all of this, as this is just my speculation. Personally, I really like both the Yiga Clan as a sinister villain faction and Master Kohga as a bizarre, whimsical baddie who takes himself way too seriously. That said, I wish those ideas hadn't been forced together in the final game, as I think it significantly harms the impact of both of them.
You asked for an explaination for the odd choice of characterization of The Yiga clan boss, so here's mine. The Yiga clan is as ruthless and as evil as you explained in the video. When you meet the final boss, the tone is drastically changed to be silly, this is a practice I've seen before which can be used well with a developing character. It's a tactic to throw you and the character off in order to confuse you and your expectations. This is done intentionally. However this is best applied, in my opinion, when this guy whose supposed to be evil turns out to be really silly on the surface but then in small cracks in the persona are met with casual brutal remarks that show their true intentions. What this demonstrates is that this character is evil at his core and its supposed to juxtapose the silliness to really stand out. This can be a good way to show the audience the true intentions of the character and to have a unique character personality(showing off the insanity or deep beliefs within the character) in one. I do enjoy this character archetype, it is different and fun. But it only really works in the long run, when the character is able to live and give you the mental gymnastics you must go through to understand what that character truly wants and how far they are willing to go to achieve their goal. In Breath of the Wild, the Yiga clan boss is this character. A silly but evil concoction for you to enjoy. But this doesn't develop any further past the fight you have with him. To me it was just disappointing to see him die. To not use the character for what I see as the intended purpose just felt like a flat note. I think what the writers wanted was this kind of character for the Yiga big boss, but they were not able to use him again. So they had to end is story as soon as it started. Thanks for reading
I think Master Kohga being a joke is actually supposed to be a humanizing element. For all their evil, the person they care the most about is just a guy. No one in the clan has any advanced technology, none of them were alive when they split from the Sheika- they hate everyone and fight because their favorite wacky uncle Kohga tells them they were mean long ago.
That’s really true
reminds me a little of how Zant, despite all the power of Ganon backing him, he's an absolute joke.
Even this explanation ruins the Yiga Clan allure though.
Ok, so the Yiga Clan is just a group of angsty wannabes who follow their "humanizing" clown uncle. So the ninjas who steal, lie, hurt women/children, and are attempting to bring about the end of the world are just misguided youth that was never any real threat? So their entire betrayal to the world is just an ironic writer's joke?
Like what you said makes sense, but I don't see how that makes it any less underwhelming. They could have made Master Kohga misguided and not a literal cartoon character. The banana thing is also just... dumb?
I cant help feel that the whole concept of them was written to be serious, and then higher ups in Nintendo like Miyamoto stepped in and made unnecessary creative changes (as per usual these days) to not take the story so seriously and keep it dumb/as marketable as possible (in their eyes)
@@PantsaBear eh, they can be such heinous people and have a goofy leader, like you can be so very incompetent but still cause so much harm, take elon musk as example.
He might be goofy but he causes death and destruction
@@quaelgeist3337 I don't think Elon Musk is an apt analogy for the Yiga Clan lol
And not really. These are clever masters of disguise who strategically attack and steal. You cant be goofy/clumsy (to the point you literally drop a ball on yourself to die) and also be clever/cunning.
And even if you disagree with me on that, it's just lame af to write them this way from a storytelling perspective. All stakes from fighting these guys go from "oh damn, these are evil warriors fighting for Gannon I need to be careful" to "oh its the simple-minded goofballs who have no interesting motives and are likely not any real threat at all"
I don't think the Yiga just switched from intense to goofy.
The Yiga you meet in game were always goofy, up until Kohga's death. It's easy to spot which travelers are disguised Yiga because their story, mannerisms, and placements are all off. They're hamming up their performance.
They were always theatrical and Kohga, the most of all.
The Yiga you hear of, from the Sheikah and Gerudo, are not *_these_* Yiga. They're their ancestors. These Yiga, while being plenty capable, aren't driven by the same anger and betrayal as their predecessors. They weren't the ones slighted, but they were born and raised to serve Ganon.
They weren't acting out of conviction to Ganon or corruption by Malice. They were acting out of duty. Serving Ganon was just a job, for them, and their passions lie elsewhere.
This all changes when Kohga dies. They're no longer fulfilling their duty to Ganon and their parents, but acting out of conviction.
They're now more determined to end you, specifically, because you killed their passion. Their precious Master Kohga.
Now, whenever you find a disguised Yiga, they more quickly drop the act and end the conversation with "FOR MASTER KOHGA".
They didn't just switch. They developed and grew.
This right here. I was saying in another comment thread how I think the Yiga would easy turn against Calamity Ganon if threatened. The fact that Yiga drop all pretence once Master Kohga is defeated to end Link is very telling. Imagine if C. Ganon or someone closely aligned to C. Ganon had defeated Master Kohga. The Yiga would be incredibly incensed against who did the deed. Correct me if I'm wrong but they never say, "For Calamity Ganon," after Link defeats Master Kohga, it is as you said, "For Master Kohga!" The modern day Yiga don't care for the same reasons their ancestors did when the schism occurred.
@@Lightna this is reflected in age of calamity, while not exactly canon to Botw it gives us greater insight to characters and factions, and the yuga are no exception, turning in Ganon when Kohga was almost killed and his second in command killed (i think? I don't remember if he ended up living or not)
@@Lightna they don't mention Ganon before you kill him, either.
They say things like "die hero" or "goodbye Hylian Champion" after a long and elaborate act.
Honestly, that’s such a neat detail
Also, I imagine Master Kohga may not have expected the hero to reappear in his lifetime. That would explain why he knows all the techniques passed down to him, but isn’t disciplined in using them, he never expected to use them in battle. If he did think he’d face the hero, he likely never would’ve let himself go and be so lackadaisical.
My favorite Yiga assassin is the one that stands by a sign warning travelers about a criminal that attacks people. I manage to forget about him and fall for it every damn time and I don’t remember until he’s already dead and I read the sign
@@ray8221-y4r anybody use the ones that sell bananas as farms cause i like x3 damage buffs
@@ray8221-y4r real g right there
@@ray8221-y4r bro’s a real homie, I wish they got a name or something.
Im happy to say that a simliar thing that exists in totk
One more thing!
Monk Maz Koshia, the final boss of the DLC, shares some similarities with the Yiga. This includes a comical obsession with bananas, as well as having access to Master Kohga’s giant-spike ball summoning abilities. While Kohga summons one and kills himself, Maz Koshia summons dozens and hurls them at you.
This ties in with the lore that the Yiga split from the Sheikha about 10,000 years ago - the monks you encounter are 10,000 years old. So, some abilities (and the banana obsession) may have its roots in the ancient Shiekah, oddly enough.
I think it’s a real shame how Nintendo locked that boss fight behind DLC because it has some interesting lore implications, and is, to me, the TRUE master ninja fight.
I like to imagine that Monk Max Koshia was the head of the original splinter faction in the Shikah clan that eventually became the Yiga.
Maybe him doubting Hylia's choice in the Hero is a sign of that splintering?
Monk Maz Koshia might be my very favorite boss fight in the entire game and is definitely in my list of top Zelda boss fights
I've always said Monk Maz Koshia is what Master Kohga could have been if he wasn't a joke boss. Or I suppose, if he was the final boss of his own branch of the story instead of having to play second fiddle to Thunderblight.
@@pitbullnamedcupcake8485 nah, the Yiga Clan are a splinter group of the Sheika who no longer follow the guidance of Hylia. So why then would he still say “in the name of the goddess Hylia” if he didn’t follow her?
I think that the silliness of the Yiga is a reference to older Japanese ninja media, where Ninja were often depicted as very silly, yet powerful and magical. Like, a lot of actual ninjutsu techniques come off as very, very silly in modern times. Holding up a paper sheet with a wall pattern to hide behind worked in a time of expensive torches and moonlit nights, yes, but seems weird these days. Same for the incredibly strict diet of ninjas, that was exclusively vegetarian and high in fibre and protein. To the populace, ninjas had weird habits and a lot of older media depicted them as very silly.
And they were also deadly pesant spies and assassins.
Eccentric and yet respectable
@@peterwang5660 they’re weird but they get the job done so like, can’t complain
@@noizepusher7594 my favorite sort of trope “extremely weird to the point of looking stupid but in a pinch you understand just how dangerous all those weird habits make them”
@@Broomer52 very true
That vegetarian/protein diet was crucial in the ninja profession as protein gave ninjas longer lasting energy than regular carbs and could be packed into small food pills. Also meat was heavily discouraged since the strong noses of guard dogs could easily sniff out the smell of consumed meat on a person.
I think the reason you feel the whiplash between "Goofy uncle Koga and his banana loving family" and "We killed your wife, your children are next unless you do what we tell you too." because you think the Yiga are a fanatical doomsday assassin cult. They aren't. They are a group of punch-card villains who serve Ganon only because their grandparents did and their other job prospects are basically non-existent. Outside of their job they really are just a group of goofs who like bananas. Isolation and insulation makes people weird like that.
At least until you kill Koga. It's obvious that Koga was both the leader and the heart of the entire Yiga clan. Once he's gone they are very much looking to kill Link in cold blood.
Fr them going after Link goes from "9-5" to "Personal Vendetta"
Also... is Kohga actually dead...?
@@NovaMaster375 they do say "for my fallen master" but who knows
@@archivist_13 tbf, He did *fall*
Badum tss
@@NovaMaster375 Spoilers for TOTK
After falling down the pit Kohga ended up in an underground area and he is very much alive. He is a boss again in Totk
@@elfilin-to6dh i frickin knew it from the Moment i saw does Mfs in the Underground!
In defense of Kohga and their goofiness, there is one thing that hasn't really been mentioned in this video: The Yiga *won* in the events leading up to BotW. Think about it. Calamity Ganon was released, Zelda ends up trapped with said Calamity (which may as well be dead, as the Yiga were actively trying to assassinate her up until that point), the Divine Beasts and Guardians are corrupted by Malice, the four Champions are all slain, and Link is dead/missing. In short, Hyrule is on it's last legs. So it's no wonder the Yiga feel so energized, they can metaphorically let their hair down. Same reason why Kohga is an out-of-shape goofball: He doesn't need to be in his peak physical condition anymore, but he is the 'brilliant but lazy' kind of trope played out, as he is quite competent, and clearly inspires those under his command.
In short, the Yiga are on top and have a lot of advantages. They don't lose due to being bad at their jobs, it's more that Link is simply *that* much of a one-man army/war crime producer that the Yiga end up getting beaten back.
Not to mention they also just stole the thunder helm from the Gerudo. They're very much set to win, it looks like no one can stop them at all, the Gerudo sent someone and they captured her, and no one can even get near Vah Naboris without the thunder helm. Zelda also literally loses control of Ganon as you trigger the final boss fight, so if it weren't for Link, they'd win outright, Ganon would destroy the world, job done. Resting on their laurels has only become a bad plan in the time since you woke up.
@@sydneygorelick7484 BotW kinda reflects this too based on the actions you take too with the Yiga.
If you don't go/never go to the clan hide out, any Yiga are usually disguised, and very few and far between at that. Almost like they don't really see Link/the adventurer as much of a threat. OH they try and stop him, but it's never anything they put all that much focus on outright.
Fight Kohga however, and the Yiga (much as the game allows) end up out for blood.
i do also wonder like is master kohga a title or just one person, because while aoc isnt canon-canon because time travel and everything, it's still somewhat canon and kohga, seemingly the same one, is there, no wonder he's also a goofball if that's the case, he already won once
I think the fact that Koga is presented the way he is in this game makes the Yiga scarier, because that tells me it is either an act, or the Yiga are individually capable enough to do the assorted things we hear of them doing.
Nothing in this game would suggest this was an act, just stop it lol, thats hard coping
They scamper after bananas lying on the ground
Nothing about them is scary after you reach the Yiga hideout. In fact, I'd argue it could retroactively delegitimize the stories you hear about them and how much of it is false/hyperbole. Thats how dumb finding out "the truth" is
If you think about it I could see his end in BotW as him actually escaping, it was a trick to make Link lower his guard and not think about him anymore while he works in the shadows. Even the Yiga clans actions afterwards could be part of it.
@@PantsaBear To be Fair,
the Monk you Fight for The master Cycle does The exact Same thing With chasing The bananas.
Since the thing with bananas appears with Maz Koshia, an actual threat, it’s not out of the question that the obsession is played off as them selecting those willing to eat a lot for their attack boosting capabilities eventually leading to an obsession with weird historical reasons as the main explanation.
@@PantsaBear just because they really like bananas doesn't immediately make them a joke
Something that’s interesting to me about this:
People send assassins, thugs, hitmen, etc. after you all the time in Skyrim, but people hardly ever know about it because it only happens as a random encounter during travel and everybody I know just fast travels everywhere. It’s amazing how de-emphasized exploration is in an open world RPG
It primarily happens inside cities right after you quick travel. It actually happens very frequently with the only pre-requisite being to commit a crime. They work the same way as the courier, so simply making the game load is often enough for them to appear.
Honestly for as stark and confusing of a contrast between cartoonish and serious with the Yiga clan is I kind of like it. It creates a strange depth. The Yiga clan is a very human group of antagonists, like you said their motivations are understandable, characterizing them as silly is a very humanizing thing. They have a favourite food, they have napping spots, they don't just go around killing people they have lives outside of this. Dorian is probably the best example of this. Sure it make them less intimidating, but then you either remember or see their other side. The ruthless murderers who will threaten women and children to get their way. It's kind of like when you read up on the every day lives of soldiers of a conquesting army, what they do on the battlefield is often atrocious and yet they come home and they're people just like us. Given that they're an organization and not just a single entity it also gives them a bit of texture. Just because their leader is a buffoon doesn't mean that the foot soldiers aren't genuinely dangerous and intimidating. This is actually expressed really well in Age of Calamity through Sooga, Kohga's right hand. There's nothing comedic about that guy he's hyper competent and actually pretty wise, yet he serves and reveres an idiot. No matter how dumb Kohga is it doesn't stop someone like Sooga or the Blademaster from being intimidating and villainous. It's also a very Zelda thing. This serious is both very serious, dark and grounded, and one of the weirdest and goofiest things i've ever played and the Yiga clan are that to a T. I agree that they should definitely elaborate on the Yiga clan in the future theres a lot of potential there. Here's hoping.
I really like how Kohga gains the loyalty of Sooga with Sooga being a child who really loves bananas when they first meet. It also helps show that Kohga is able to be a really nice person and not just a buffoon. Hyrule Warriors also help show Kohga is more dangerous that what Breath of the Wild suggests since he nearly killed Zelda and was fooling her the whole time. He can be quite capable if he is focused and determined, while also keeping his temper in check with bananas. Then there is the DLC that shows him protest Sooga sacrificing himself showing more of his personality, how protective he can be and why he begged for forgiveness and a chance to fight against Ganon.
@Only a follower of vtubers Yeah, Kohga was onboard with Calamity Ganon up until his people were threatened in Age of Calamity. It begs the question that if C. Ganon did threaten Kohga's people in the canon timeline, would Kohga act the same? I am inclined to believe that he would if the situation had presented himself.
Regardless of what ideology they have compared to their parent root, the Sheikah, they are still the same people as everyone else. They are human and if C. Ganon or someone clearly from C. Ganon's camp threatens the Yiga, they would defend themselves and would be genuinely sincere when seeking allies against C. Ganon because survival is more important than their vendetta and vengeance against the Royal Family. If they were to die before attaining vengeance then what is the point if what they thought were their allies were actively attempting to exterminate them before their vengeance is achieved?
Sooga is honestly one of my favorite characters in Age of Calamity, dude's just a badass
@@irystocrattakodachithatmooms Sooga was so loyal he was gonna fight all 4 Blights and Astor just to protect Kohga
Bed the question, where was Sooga in the canon timeline? I mean if we had Sooga suddenly show up at some point we would have been a LOT more careful fighting against the Yiga as we’d have in game proof that while they can be goofy, they are also able to be really darn dangerous.
I think antagonists who alternate between seemingly incompetent and goofy to deathly serious and capable of murdering children can really work in the right atmosphere. Dorian's shrine side-quest is a prime example, as the Yiga murdered his wife and forced him to act as a spy for them lest they kill his kids.
And don't forget, the Yiga are ALWAYS laughing when you fight them.
The goofiness and the laughter always gave me the impression that this is a game to them, which is all the more unsettling when you put that in context with just how far they're willing to go and who they serve.
Killing kids and putting Hyrule under threat of a dark god's apocalypse is FUNNY to them, it's not serious enough to be dark and menacing, this is the kind of stuff that makes them laugh.
Wow. What a thing to think about
i always saw it as a sort of evil laugh lol
Kinda creepy
I love the Yiga clan, they're so creative in their evil. When you're disguised as one of them, they're actually pretty nice.
I think one thing that is pretty interesting to note is, Japan actually had two rival ninja clans.
Iga Clan: The Iga clan originated from the Iga province, which is now part of modern-day Mie Prefecture. This clan was known for their highly skilled ninja warriors and exceptional espionage techniques. They were hired by various warlords and feudal lords to gather intelligence, conduct assassinations, and perform other covert operations. The Iga clan was highly respected for their abilities, and they developed a unique set of skills and strategies that set them apart from other ninjas.
Kōga Clan: The Kōga clan hailed from the Kōka (or Koga) region in present-day Shiga Prefecture. Like the Iga clan, they were also renowned for their expertise in espionage, sabotage, and assassination. The Kōga ninja had their own distinct set of skills and strategies, and they were often employed by rival warlords who sought to counter the activities of the Iga ninjas.
During the Sengoku period (1467-1603), a time of social and political upheaval in Japan, the Iga and Kōga ninja clans were often pitted against each other as they were hired by opposing warlords. This rivalry was fueled by the constant competition for power and resources among the various daimyos and feudal lords of the era. The ninjas of these two clans would later come to be romanticized in Japanese folklore, literature, and popular culture as the archetypical image of the stealthy, cunning, and skilled ninja warrior.
I don't think it's too far fetched to say that the Yiga and Sheikah clans are possibly inspired by the two. Just as the Iga and Koga ninja clans served rival warlords, the Sheikah and Yiga tribes have opposing ideologies and masters in the game.
Not the sheikah, but definitely the Yiga. Yiga is just iga with a Y, and their master is master koga. This can’t be coincidental, so thank you for figuring it out!
I really hope you revisit this and talk about the Yiga in Age of Calamity. I think the way they’re portrayed in AoC is much better, especially Kohga since we now have more cutscenes with him and a voice to his name (seriously he’s amazing in it). Also, Sooga really helps balances Kohga’s goofiness with his stoic and prideful demeanour
The yiga had purpose in the age of calamity, but since hyrule fell they met their goal. So they just did stuff.
Sooga legit was amazing
In age of calamity they even joined up with hyrules forces after they got betrayed by that cult guy who’s name I forgot so that’s neat
From what Hyrule Warriors AOC i could tell, they were immediately disgusted when Astor sacrificed a lot of their soul to revive the Blight Ganons, so i think they thought they would be spared by Calamity Ganon if they sided with it.
Once they realized that Calamity Ganon gives no shit for pawns, they switched sides.
It really makes you think about them in a new light. That game shared a lot of light on the Yiga Clan that makes them more of a Found Family as they protect each other, ex. Is Kohga and Sooga
Yes. It is implied most of the Yiga don't understand Ganon's True Malice, and only the ones that actually do would sacrifice children for the Cause. And even those understand what a bad idea it is to be Vessel for the Demon, especially if you aren't Ganondorf himself.
@@Fragmentsinfractals488 very true, Ganondorf seems to be the only true vessel that can handle malice.
And absolutely none of it matters because AoC isn't canon.
@@mjc0961 I think it may be a different timeline which would be interesting
And also can we just mention how absolutely hilarious Master Kohga is in AoC, both as a character and a fighter. Whereas Sooga, Kohga's SUBORDINATE, is more serious and wise than even the antagonist, Astor
It is implied Zant was indeed always a schizoid and mad for power, but by becoming a vessel of Ganon and gaining power, he could put on a Mask of Calm. That is why Midna and the elders refused to give Zant power. They saw the crazy in his Eyes.
I mean Zant himself wasn’t much of a threat, just a schizophrenic weirdo who wanted Midna’s power. He was only dangerous because of the true threat Ganondorf pulling the strings for him, similar in a way to Kotake’s and Koume’s relationships with Ganondorf.
@@theonewhoknocks6950 Exactly. That is why Ganondorf picked Zant. Zant was emotional and physically weak. Therefore, Zant wouldn't resist that kind of devil's contract.
@@Fragmentsinfractals488 yeah, but once his plans start failing, his whole façade collapses to reveal the mentally insane psychopath that he truly is
@@Fragmentsinfractals488 he just reminds me of Ganondorf, because, just like Ganondorf, he never would’ve gotten as far as he did without puppet masters pulling the strings from the sidelines, AKA Twinrova in the case of Ganondorf and then Ganondorf himself in the case of Zant
@@theonewhoknocks6950Yup. And it's even more glaring in the manga adaptation where he becomes a crazed mess after loosing his litteral mask. Zant was nothing but a crazy fool puppet. 🤔
I personally thought Kohga being so damn silly and incompetent was kind of brilliant when I first met him in the game, because of how it both helps humanize these guys a bit more, but also how it exposes how much the Yiga have changed since their original betrayal;
As someone else mentioned in another comment, these are no longer the same Sheikah who swore allegiance to Ganon- they're their descendants. And in all the time that's passed, their isolation from the rest of Hyrulean society has made them much more goofy and crazy than they probably were originally. Their society has evolved a cult of personality centered around their master, and like in many real-world groups of violent, genocidal maniacs, this leader is- at the end of the day- just a man. A very silly, stupid, and pathetic man. The Nazis fx were full of people like this, especially in the upper echelons of their society. All while also having very deadly and skilled soldiers among them. I really liked that paralell.
So while I can perfectly understand where your frustration/surprise at the sillyness of the Yiga comes from (we can always discuss the execution of this aspect of their character), I do really think it's one of the best parts of their characterization in the game. It makes them feel much more real, and despicable as well. That's especially what I felt learning about what they did to Dorian's wife, which happened after the fight with Kohga for me.
Finally, I also just love how Kohga meets his end due to his own overconfifence/idiocy 😆 Though I do think they could've done better with the execution on that one too... I do wonder if he's really dead though? Some have suggested we might run into him underground in TOTK- wouldn't be surprised if we did, he's stubborn to a fault after all 🤣!
That last paragraph aged well
Totally
@@djhypernova4560 like fine wine
I used to think that Kohga was just a funny joke character but after he said he was gonna kill me… to death I started shaking and peeing out of fear. Truly one of the stupendous leaders of the Yiga Clan of all time
Ok but in all seriousness he is actually a pretty well written character when you take into account him raising Sooga and being willing to die for the sake of his clan
@theonewhoknocks6950 for victory! for honor! and for bananas!
Him and the Yigas obsession with bananas may seem silly but their also very weird which makes them seem very crazy and insane
@@Doodle1678the bananas factually make you do more damage when cooked into food it makes sense that ninjas would form a cult around them
@@voidify3 yeah that too it does make sense considering what the effect of the mighty bananas give too
I think it makes sense that, within the comfort of their own sanctum, The Yiga would be a little more weird than they are out in the field. They've been around for generations, and the world is effectively a post-apocalypse where Ganon's progress has been halted and the dude they're hunting (Link) hasn't been seen in a century. I don't think it's that odd they'd be a little cocky and complacent the higher up you go in the hierarchy, especially with how insular and fanatical they are. (You DO mostly see their footsoldiers, the youngest and most enthusiastic of the bunch, and their swordmasters, if memory serves right, are mostly encountered in their hideout.) You did describe them as a kind of doomsday cult, and cults... well, they can be hard to take seriously sometimes, especially their leaders. But, when those leaders DO die, they're seen as martyrs regardless of how ridiculous they might have been to outside observers.
Kohga's character is shown off greatly in AOC, in my opinion. His character is on full display and has an incredible arc when the calamity begins. He goes from a self-centered goofball who doesn't fight unless backed into a corner without his Right Hand Man, to showing how he became the Top Banana of the Yiga Clan by caring for his lackeys. His allegiance turns the moment Three-Eyes (his actual name illudes me, so I'll call him what Master Kohga calls him) begins sacrificing his troops to fuel the Calamity. He has an opponent to flee when the Supercharged Blights are unleashed on him and Sooga, but he stands his ground, not leaving Sooga's side and fights until he has no choice but to retreat. Kohga and the Clan are also shown to be goofy by being the "comic relief" during the reunion of Zelda and King Rhoam, by being the only ones audibly crying out of all the forces at the Temple of Time. The cutscene right before his big boss fight also shows both his threatening side and the comical side at the same time. The 1st person perspective combined with his frantic teleports everywhere and speech are the perfect means of showing you what *THESTUPENDOUSCHIEFOFTHEYIGACLAN* is as a character.
You won’t believe how long it took for me to figure out that every Yiga is called “Traveler”
Edit: now it’s “Researcher,” took me a week to learn that one
Must be pretty amusing when they're exanging intel. 😆
💀 but also same
it gets hilarious because they think theyre trapping me.
truth is, i'm the one trapping them.
i love what that implies about what the clan does now though… in BOTW, they were really just travelling Hyrule, looking for people to rob, espionage to do and news about Link and anyone who plans to fight back against the Calamity.
Now, the Yiga have a method to the madness… as far as I am into the game, they seem to genuinely want to figure out what the upheaval and all the Sky Islands and all the Zonai stuff actually mean… and how to use it for their goals. So they are really doing research, in a way.
@@atlas956 especially with them actually setting up bases outside of the hideout and experimenting w zonai stuff
I find Kohga hilarious regardless of how strange it is or if it's a good writing choice or not, I just really enjoy his presence
"You get the Master Kohga seal of approval!"
"Am I even _allowed_ to be this strong?"
"Oh look at that! I improved on perfection!"
"I did it? I DID IT!"
I too enjoy Master Kohga's presence. Especially in Age of Calamity.
@lasercraft32
"YIGA, ASSEMBLE! Me excluded of course."
"SOOGA, YOU'RE LATE! I NEARLY GOT PEELED LIKE A BANANA!"
"You're threads about to get cut, and I'm the shears! SNIP SNIP!"
"Today! Right now in fact! THE STUPENDOUS CHEIF OF THE YIGA CLAN, MASTER KOGHA! is gonna kill you all, TO DEATH!"
"Hey, prophecy man! You missed the part WHERE WE GET WALLOPED!"
Age of Calamity really elevated him to new heights
@@crumpchump aoc kohga is more evil than calamity ganon, he wants to kill us, to death.
The levity and laughter Kohga brings make it all worth it to me. Its a nice combo of silly and threatening that makes the world even more alive and curious.
I like to think that the yiga did use to be a lot more serious and threatening before, but after a 100 years of Link being absent and not really having any guidance from Ganon, they just started to goof around and be lazy, so by the time the hero does come back and all the shekah tech is waking up (so divine beasts, shrines and such) they´re kinda caught off-guard. They´re very fanatical yet at the same time have 0 guidance from the villain they´ve swore their allegiance to
god I hope they come back in TOTK in some form, they were awesome fights.
My thing with Kohga is that he's very fitting of a cult guru, he's decadent, lost his ways in more ways that one. His thing is doing flashy tricks to make himself look bigger than life.
In the french translation, he calls his goons "my boys", implying more of a father figure to his henchmen. This is really going well with the "death cult" aspect of it.
In real life, many a cult have a leader that is extremely decadent, "reject possession", they say, after buying a new luxury car for the Nth time.
Another thing to note is how Kohga might not even be the real head of the Yiga:
After Kohga's defeat, the Yiga are noted to have come back to their base, reforming and retaking the place, meaning there's already new commandment, which is real quick, meaning there was a second-in-command ready and popular enough to take the Master's place.
The fact that we haven't seen them in the trailers, is both concerning and interesting.
Funny enough, in Age of Calamity, Kogha did have a competent and deadly second in command. I think that game also helps flesh out some, but not all of the Yiga Clan’s motives.
Kohga was definitely leader at the time, and if he is replaced I like to think it's actually Sooga who fills that roll as in BotW's timeline going into TotK, Sooga didn't die. He just hasn't shown up yet.
@@chrange9714 And unlike Hylians, Sheikah can outlive them and I assume fight well even at their old age. So Sooga would be a cool interim leader. I actually doubt he’ll be made leader. It’s just temporary until they get a new one.
@@acgearsandarms1343 Exactly, as even Kohga if I'm not mistaken was over 100 years old. Oh yeah I agree, he'd probably be a temporary leader if anything. Especially seeing how loyal he is to Kohga and given his backstory, it's no wonder he is. Not only would it be cool but it's just awesome to get more of Sooga in general as I really liked him in AoC.
Honestly, I quite like how the Yiga Clan was expanded upon in the sequel. Spoilers incoming.
Once you start finding Yiga outposts in the Depths and reading their notebooks you get views into the progress the clan has made between games, or bits of lore like the functions of each branch, the clan anthem or info about their training.
Each branch contains a fight with Yiga members that grants you a piece of the clan uniform-something required to enter the hideout, which now has increased security. Once you do get in, the hideout is much more lively than before with weapon shops, NPCs you can talk to and one of the game’s coolest features: the training room. Engaging in training with your fellow clansmen not only grants you a Yiga-made 1:1 copy of the Thunder Helm but earns you access to the Earthwake technique used by enemy Blademasters.
These aspects, combined with the Master Kohga side adventure, serve to add more depth to a group that previously had rather little going for them from a worldbuilding perspective.
They also keep that incredibly serious AND goofy theming in the notes, with one note might be academic research another some guy just complaining its too dark, and a third a guy confessing he saw his friends soul get stolen by a statue
I'm a tall guy. As a gag I so wanna cosplay a Yiga swordmaster, get a bag full of bananas, and go to some sort of gaming convention.
Also, as far as Master Khoga goes, my first time playing the game I kinna enjoyed his silliness. I assumed that this guy is ancient, so old that he's gone a little insane. He might have been a powerful warrior at one point, and the rest of the Yiga still repect him enough to keep him around as a figure head of sorts, but there is another more sinister leader lurking in the shadows who is really pulling the stings.
Something, that unfortunately didn't happen.
I'd cosplay as a hidden Yiga spy, and ask random Links if they're interested in a banana 😂
Nit a hidden mastermind per se. but kogha being so old and past his prime (he is alteast 100 years ago so you can compare him and impa during botw and AoC). Instead the real muscle is the current soogha the bodyguard of the yiga leader himself
@@sul_9999 Sooga was exactly the kind of villain I was expecting in BotW.
@@mitwhitgaming7722 after AoC we may find him as part of the final yigha boss fight. Hes too popular to not use again.
He might also be the grandson or son of the previous Khoga
Like I said in the previous video, they explained a lot about Calamity Ganon right in the beginning of the game just so if you're a speedrunner and wants to tackle on Ganon right from that start, you at least don't miss on the core part of the story. The Yiga Clan on the other hand is developed in a more organic way because it requires you to explore the game, along with their story. If you just go straight to Ganon from the start you probably won't even see one single Yiga.
I rely on your videos to keep me sane
Honestly true
I think the choice to make them goofy is made to ease the fact that the Yiga are really a dark concept. If Kohga was as ruthless as the Yiga are made out to be in the NPC dialog and the game's story, you would have an unrelenting bloodthirsty monster who tries to kill the player until his very last breath. Nintendo wanted this to be an accessible and family oriented game. The guardians and the concept of Calamity Gannon is already a terrifying concept, especially to younger audiences. To avoid having two very terrifying and serious bad guys in the same game Nintendo made the active choice to cartoonify the Yiga. They couldn't cartoonify Gannon, he's the villian on the box. THE Zelda bad guy. That's always how I've felt about it at least.
Knowing that the old Sheika are quite the characters, I wouldn't rule out that Master Kohga is just like that, too. He is goofy cuz he is old, but he is also powerful and bloodthirsty.
Don't forget. When we last saw him, we banished him to the Hyrule underworld in a map location called "Bottomless Pit." He is not dead. I'm calling it here: he will be the Ghirahim of TotK.
Wow, spot on.
(About him living I mean)
@@littlefox_100 I was right about him being devoted to the main villain's resurrection and having multiple fights, too! 🫡
@@littlefox_100The Ghirahim-Thing was right, to
If u haven't seen the story of the yiga in age of calamity,u should check it out. I think it really helps flesh them out and make them more compelling while still keeping that cartoonish quality and more serious side as well
Yeah, Kohga’s relationship with Sooga is one of the best in the whole franchise
@@theonewhoknocks6950 Agreed
Honestly AoC is what sold Kohga for me. He's one of my favorite Zelda characters now.
I think that the exposition they give about Ganon is actually a great way to do it, specifically for a game in this style. BotW is an experience where anyone can choose the way they want to play the game. Heck, you can even rush the final boss right from the start, as soon as you finish the tutorial.
But for this to work, you need to know who the final boss is. You need to know the game’s objective and where it is, so you can choose if you want to rush it, build towards it, or ignore it entirely. All of the exposition is out of the way in the beginning so you’re not required to seek it out if that’s not how you want to play the game, and still know the basic premise.
I like to think Kohga's goofball schick is just that-a schick. Remember, these guys deal in stealth and trickery. Kohga probably likes for people to underestimate him. He likes for people to not consider him a threat until it's too late.
I think he overestimated his skills on getting the ball rollin' though. X)
He must be an amazing actor, throughout his entire fight in BoTW I never once considered him even close to a threat.
I saw the Master’s goofiness as a reflection of his group’s ultimately pointless plan. Like, the clan is IN HYRULE! Even if they are in those outfits and are warriors, they will overrun and consumed by monsters when Ganon is free. But the clan itself only sees their history, the historic grudge, how the world is getting worse because they aren’t in charge. The Master is their loving figurehead that they respect and love because, well, it’s all they know. They are really like a cult, as they are super blind to any other perspective. When Kohga dies, they really feel as if Link, the embodiment of their historic grudge against Hyrule, has once again slighted the clan. In reality, they were following a complete buffoon that just really knew how to please a crowd and keep his clan happy, because he was happy following their dumb way of life too. The blind leading the blind. Only now, they have a martyr to gather behind and fight for once Link “kills” him
Once you do get past the hideout and have mastered them as enemies, the goofyness fits better as they are less capable than you are. They may kill but against you, they turn into clowns.
I like Age of Calamity because we get to see what the Yiga thought about Calamity Ganon's return and then the regret they had when they realized the logical conclusion.
The Yiga and especially Master Kohga are examples of a specific type of character archetype/acting style found in Kabuki Theatre, the bright colors, the poses, the mixture of comedy with serious themes and drama etc. etc. Its also where you get things like Power Ranger poses, actions stances, dramatic camera zooms.
Honestly i love the extra goofiness for the yiga. Gives them more human personality and not just 1 note stooges despite being sinister
When looking at clownish villains like Kefka, I think Kohga plays into how fickle and uncaring he really is for the heinous crimes his clan as committed. He thinks like a child who disregards the consequences of his actions. That be what the writers were going for.
Found you through the RE4 deconstructions, love the other stuff too, keep it up
I started following your channel after becoming enthralled from your Ragnarok videos and I think it’s super cool how you’re able to pull so much literal analysis out of a, narratively, much more simple game. Keep up the great videos!
My issue issue with the Yiga Clan enemies is that, despite being quite dangerous and unexpected at first, aren't all too difficult after you learn their moveset. There is that big guy with the sword who starts showing up after you defeat master Kohga, but that is about the extent of it. I wish there could've been some more advanced ninjas to increase the difficulty as you grow stronger (like how the other enemies do), or if some of them had more elaborate setups to kill you. It would be seriously scary to run into another ninja again, only for several others to appear and begin jumping you.
I do the speak to every character / inspect everything in rpgs that I really love
I adore your videos!!!! I agree the Yiga clan definitely deserved to be fleshed out more. I think maybe if they weren't seen as silly they would be too much of a threat? If they actually had Ganons power they would be in a completely different ball park. Time has passed and their no longer what they once were.
I will admit though I was scares shitless when seeing the big yiga guards then when they danced towards a banana I started laughing so hard I choked on my snacks it was incredible. Also Koga's death which I doubt was actually a death was hilarious.
Imagine if he simply didn't want to rule the Yiga clan anymore? Maybe he faked it all?
play or watch a play though of Age of Calamity, it fleshes the yiga (especially kohga) out a lot more
"I hope they keep coming back in future games"
Boy do I have some good news for you...
I also enjoy Kohga’s comedic nature. The head of the evil is pathetic, as so often happens in reality and especially politics.
I like the detail that when kogha defeats himself, the ball rolls over and the upside down yiga eye becomes the sheikah eye
Given how Maz Koshia shares in their fanatical taste for bananas, I feel like there's more to their intense fervor than just the taste, since the monks are incredibly old, and they were keen to get their monk on when bananas are involved, I can see the Yiga having doubled down on that as a matter of historic pride. As for Master Kogha, I believe him to be someone who rose to power because of his potential rather than his ambition, since according to his Compendium entry, it was his 'mastery of the esoteric arts' that earned him respect despite his lay-about personality. I can easily see the Yiga looking at his opulence as well as their failing of letting their fascination with Bananas get their leader killed leading them to being a much more fanatical and dangerous force in TotK, and I look forward to seeing where they take them down the road if they do return.
the yiga clan are the best side enemies ever. theyre silly, theyre goofy, but behind all of that, they can be serious and awesome.
by the way, a detail i wanted to point out is how the yiga laugh the entire time while they fight you. its a GAME to them. it's like they think the opportunity to kill link is hilarious.
gosh theyre so cool.
20:08 Technically in a similar vein you got the witch sisters that make up Twintella who also tend to be on a goofy side of things with their bickering with each other.
Yeah, that's another villain that does some horrible stuff but ends up being silly. They brainwashed Nabooru and turn the Gerudo into a feared group serving Ganon but when you defeat them, they get halos over their heads and bicker about their ages. Honestly just seems par for the course for some Zelda villains to end up being goofy. Even to a lesser extent in Wind Waker, 'Beast Ganon' ends up being a silly looking puppet. Zelda can be silly, dunno why its so shocking admitedly.
Your videos are so well timed! I loved the Space Pirate villainy video since I just finished Metroid Prime, and this is a great refresher for Tears of the Kingdom next week! You’re one of my favorite new subs, keep up the good work.
The reason Khoga seems like such a joke in his intro cutscene is because he had no idea you were there and had no time to prepare. As we see in AOC and TOTK he is able to do the creepy/epic/cool intro with his "Kill you all to death" speech, impersonating Urbosa, and teleporting around everwhere while he makes his final "i was waiting for you" speech in the depths. We also know that he used to have a much more serious right hand Sooga, who likely died after the Calamity. So again, hes able to be the cool and deadly assain, but as he said in game, he wasn't prepared, he was sleeping.
The Yiga clan is legitimately one of my favorite aspects of Breath of the Wild
Breath of the wild: compulsive dialouge disorder turned to compulsive attack disorder
Tears of the kingdom: sees traveler. Puts on yiga clan outfit. Comfirm suspicion. Set up ten death turrets around the NPC. Takes off yiga clan outfit. Talks to traveler. Yiga footsoldier gets freaking blown into the stratosphere.
I feel like the only games I don't have this compulsion to talk to people is in Pokemon, especially in the first few towns because all they ever talk about it advice I already know about on how to play the series. XD
I love that Kohga and the Yiga are legitimate threats, capable of amazing feats that the average person would have little chance against.
Link is Hyrule’s last line of defense, though, and the things that would be dangerous to most are things that Link effortlessly has answers to.
I love your videos! I found your channel recently and its very cool to get a new perspective on the games you talk about
You know what would have been terrifying and actually ninja like. If the Yiga clan leader was just pretending to be a buffoon to throw you off. You beat him easily in a joke of a boss fight. Then as you're exiting the arena he back stabs you and the _real_ fight begins. He knows people let their guard down when they think they've won, especially in a disappointing fight. Now you've got a serious boss fight and you actually start with low health. Then the joke would have a narrative aspect, subvert expectations in another interesting way, and make him more intimidating and interesting as a villain. To know that he's even willing to make a mockery of himself to get every advantage he can get.
Thinking on Kohga, my immediate thought as to why he's portrayed so silly is one thing: ten thousand years is an extremely long time. I don't think it's out of the question that the current Yiga have effectively forgotten what cause they were originally fighting for, and are keeping up that fight for nothing more than cultural obligation. Kohga's family may have been the leaders of the Yiga going back to their inception, making him a leader by birthright rather than skill, allowing him to become such a fool in the process?
Even in the Warriors game despite the fact the Yiga are still wanting to revive Ganon theirs not the same sort of conviction it started with. The moment he’s released Khoga and the rest of the Yiga decide this wasn’t worth it and work to stop him. Ganon worship is more of a tradition at this point then something they truly feel.
The footsoldiers who ambush you say that the Yiga clan was founded by Kohga himself though, so I don't think it's a birthright thing.
@@BaronSterling fun fact: in Lore every Leader of the Yiga is required to be named Kohga. Which probably means a Kohga founded the Yiga Clan and to honor him every time a new member takes the place of Master of the Yiga they’re name is changed to Kohga for tradition. So if they return we might see a new Kohga or perhaps he somehow survived falling down a pit with a heavy iron spiked ball falling in him.
@@Broomer52 Do you have a source for this?
I personally saw the yiga's odd bit of comedy as more so proving that they're a fanatical cult, with a fanatical leader. Master Kohga is super charismatic and very crazy, but this is likely hidden behind some facades of seriousness or just is part of how he gets folks to drink the kool-aid.
I guess the closest we got to having a ninja antagonist in a previous Zelda story was in the Ocarina of Time manga. Where Sheik worked under Ganon during the years while Link was sealed away, acting as a spy right under Ganon’s nose.
Which lead to her having to trick Link once or twice. But it wasn’t really out of evil reasons like the Yiga, but more out of necessity to keep her cover intact.
(By the way, read the Zelda manga’s if you haven’t. Though they are not canon to the main continuity, they add a ton of new context to the stories of the games. And they are all definitely worth a read)
zant was a kid trying to look cool, master kohga is a sympathetic villain, his clan is a sympathetic antagonist and i can believe the members of the yiga clan actually see him in the way as they speak of him, in hyrule warriors he is shown as a brave, loyal and empathic leader, when someone sacrifices so he can flee he doesnt do it right away, he takes some seconds considering to accept the sacrifice.
Awesome video as always. I'd be really interested to see this level of analysis into Hilda from A Link Between Worlds
I think in a roundabout way, Kohga being goofy and cowardly kind of fits. The Yiga Clan and all its members are underhanded and take a “by any means necessary” approach while being fanatical about the guy. Kohga sends out his henchmen and lazily hides in his base, he hides behind barriers and avoids you in combat. He’s the kind of guy who’ll hide in the background, lying in wait for his opportunity. Him only appearing physically the one time is even kind of an extreme version of the typical yiga “Wait for a victim to come to me” tactic.
While the threat they pose is serious, the cause the Yiga are dedicated to is ridiculous on its face. Maybe Kohga is so silly because he is a failson born into this cause who has forgotten the face of his father, so to speak. The Yiga might be more serious if the story delved further into how they felt about being betrayed by the King; resentment from legitimate unresolved grievance devolving into nihilistic reactionary violence tracks, but could use more elaboration.
Kohga is locked into a generations old revenge vendetta over a betrayal he didn't experience and isn't inclined to take seriously. Even so, that inherited beef aligns him and his peopled with a senseless, non-communicating Malice way more powerful than anything they represent on their own. Despite himself and perhaps because of this Malice behind him, this fool maintains the loyalty of fierce assassins who must recognize the absurdity you laid out - that the calamity won't spare the Yiga in the end. These conditions may narratively justify how Dorian and folks like him could come to be in the Yiga and make the weighty choice to leave even as it endangers them and their loved ones.
the game came out already and the yiga disguises are way more convincing bro they can set up traps now it makes the game so fresh
2:53 in totk I've seen a Yiga Clan guy impersonate zelda. I was like "YO ZELDA!?" and then I got yigaed. Really cool.
I was thinking about that too.
I have a bit of a theory regarding Koga:
He is this era's reincarnation of Tingle.
The Yiga Clan are all very menacing and competent (they just don't seem that way because Link is such a boss)... the exception is Master Kohga. Kohga is out of shape and kind of chubby. He likely hasn't been out in the field for a very long time. He's the _leader_ because of his "charisma," and as we can see (especially in Age of Calamity) they're loyal to _him_ first and foremost, but that doesn't mean they're all silly like him.
I heard that Master Kohga specifically was based on a type of festival or dance, I think they talked about it in the Creating a Champion book, hence why he's so silly (I heard it in a TH-cam video somewhere but I don't have the book and I can't find any info about it from my skimming the internet/wikis via google search, so if able someone please confirm whether I'm remembering right).
And I personally like Kohga's silly nature. Especially in Age of Calamity. It takes place in an alternate timeline that isn't canon to the events of main botw, but his characterization is pretty much the same and he's great.
I love the idea of the Yiga assassins disguising as named characters to try to fool the player. Like maybe you go to Gerudo Town, speak with Riju, just to notice she has a Vicious Sickle on the golden waistband to her skirt. Or you go speak to Sidon, but his dialogue is much less chipper than he normally is.
Kohga being played for laughs feels better if you absolutely suck at stealth like me. I tried that stealth section over and over, and by the time I reached the boss I wasn't in a very good mood because of that. But the jovial air of the boss lifted my mood. Especially since it was the only boss fight in the game that felt like a traditional zelda style boss fight which was nice because the small quantity of unique boss fights is one of the only issues I have with botw.
Oh yeah the stealth section is brutal if you ever get caught since you get one shot
Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with a point I've seen a few people raise: I think your impression of tonal whiplash comes from an interpretation of the Yiga as serious, when in fact they're cartoon villains throughout. There's pathos and sympathetic back story there, but the Yiga we deal with in game are basically all buffoons.
I wish sooga was canon, like from age of calamity, he's kogas right hand man and he's actually threatening both in demeanor and skill. He's serious and strong. He would have been so cool to fight.
I love that Brett is dropping vids regularly now; I love his analyses. I play them before I go to bed; so calming and relaxing.
TOTK come out tomorrow, I'm making my prediction.
There are underground bits right? We're gonna go down that hole and Kogha is still gonna be down there, maybe even for a rematch.
You called it.
@@jeffd.683 and he has an epic boss theme remix
@@jeffd.683 th-cam.com/video/xSTN3mHEAOA/w-d-xo.html
my first encounter was actually the one you showed, it was really surprising
So as a comment to your questions, I learned of the Yiga by trying to help someone out in the wild before heading to Kakiriko village, The Yiga in my perspective are a bit of a ninja cult, and are seen at three times, once in the memories before the calamity in Breath of the wild, after the Calamity During the game, and in the Spin off that is in a separate timeline in Age of Calamity, in the normal timeline, where you see them, the current Yiga are 500 years removed from the time of the calamity, and were trained rigorously by those in the camp, and as such, to keep them as they are, Kohga needs them to be Fanatical, and thus encouraged the stuff like the banana worship and use, using 500 year old info, however I see Kohga in that time as a man that has more talent and Raw skill then he has sense, not once is he seen out of the fortress and not once do I think his followers see him as Link does, A talented man that still may be clever, but isn't too bright, but those around him are just so fanatically drawn and follow him where they will do anything to further his mission, and the others never see how we beat, or how Kohga beats himself, they just know we are to blame, but instead of going on their way they double down and dig in and go after link Harder, sending more after him to get revenge, and the Kohga of 500 years in the past, we don't see, but he does order the Yiga to attack when Ganon does in the past, and they bring Link to his knees with relentless attacks as we see in the flash backs. But they are two entirely different people, Age of Calamity gives us a better look at Kohga and no it is not really Cannon, just a split off timeline where the heroes are warned and time is messed with, but you do get to see Kohga of the past, and where he can be goofy, he is skilled and very strong, it's just he and his subordinates get a bit overzealous and it leads to their downfall at times where they would have won, but it is also shown SPOILERS FOR AGE OF CALAMITY! that the darkness knows of the Yiga and uses them, but doesn't care about them, and Kohga sees the writing on the wall, being careful of the main villain until his second in command is killed saving his life from the villain and at that point he is like "you know what... What is the point working and worshipping this force that doesn't care about us and is happy to kill us regardless of weather we help them or not" and the Yiga SWITCH SIDES in the conflict. But the two are fundamentally different people
On the topic of Kohga, something I’ve always found interesting is that he’s, fucking enormous. He’s a bit rotund, something I’ve chalked up to age, but that’s not what I’m referring to; no, he’s a good bit bigger than even the sword-wielding Yiga clan members, who themselves are a good bit bigger than most NPCs, something easy to see in the quest with the locked shrine near Kakariko. I feel like Kohga would have been a fearsome sight were he in his prime
I loved Master Kohga! And I secretly do hope he survived to return in tears of the Kingdom! xD
Oh boy
I think of kuga as one of those kids that inherited the business from their parents, there were spoiled they made their lackeys do everything and when it comes down to it they don't know the first thing about running the business.
In kogas case I think it's more that he has never really been in combat, he knows all the spells of the Sheik or whatever, he's a charismatic leader, but he has no practical experience or wisdom when it comes to using his abilities in combat. He's the undisciplined, illpracticed pupil of the previous leader.
I kinda like the leader of the Yiga clan being a petulant old man, they're so obsessed with past grievances so that tracks, but they could've toned the Clown Down. I really hope we get a new Yiga leader in TotK. Some new, charismatic upstart, rallying the Yiga to support their resurgent king and acting as the right hand of the returned Ganondorf.
Sooga for example?^^
03:20
“I want fish, and I also want you dead.”
In regards to Kohga, perhaps he plays more of the role of showing where the yigas strengths truly lie. The yiga are shown as murderous thieves who should be feared, and yet their leader is a total joke. And yet even after defeating kohga, the clan only becomes more of a threat. Considering Kogha learned his unique techniques from his family line, one might assume the position of leader was passed down through bloodlines. Perhaps it was Kohga's laziness that limited the yiga from using their full capability. In TOTK, the yiga now have a perfect contender for leader that can bring out their full strengths. One who has proven time and time again to be cruel, ruthless, and cunning: Ganondorf.
I personally like the silliness of the Yiga Clan. I think it serves as a great duality of the idea of this ganon serving doomsday cult. I will always remember my first time hearing or seeing the yiga being on my way to hateno where one of the yiga were crying on the path to it. It's a gaming moment I'll never forget because of how gobsmacked I was. I love how the Yiga are initially presented as threatening, with the strongest and most worthy members being sent out to the field to kill Link or Zelda if she randomly showed her face (because surely the Yiga didn't know what was happening with her).
I also love though, how when you enter the hideout none of the Yiga are prepared for it because you truely catch them off guard and vunerable. That's why to me I think it makes sense that they become "silly" as the clan were just chilling in their little den with each other, not afraid to be themselves. I also think it shows this idea especially well with Master Kohga. Master Kohga literally appears with a yawn sound effect playing. He literally just woke up and somehow Link was the one to wake him, so in a tired stupor he collects himself and prepares to kill Link for Ganon and all the Yiga of past, present and future. But to me I think he wanted to have fun with killing Link, underestimating the guy because he'd already failed once before, so he decides to dance around and be theatrical. But then once Link beats him Kohga doesn't know what to do, and so he does what he does and dies because he didn't realise he wasn't practiced in creating metal balls that big and controlling them.
I also love how Kohga's death causes the clan to be much less dumb in their approaches to things afterwards and act out of revenge for the guy. It's a nice bit of character development for the clan.
Villain? Master Kohga the glorious top banana of the yiga clan is clearly the hero. On the point of Kohga age of calamity (which is canon in its own split timeline) has sooga who is basically the REAL leader of the yiga but worships Kohga like the rest. I'm positive the current yiga have the same thing going we just never meet the number 2 man..but Kohga being silly is amazing and frankly made me love the yiga more.
AoC is not canon.
You could argue, Sooga is their leader, but Kohga is their bumbling father-figure.
@@mjc0961 its been said many times that its a new split. so it is canon just not in the botw current age since its...ya know..in the past lol
I absolutely love the Yiga Clan and really hope they return. The members are both cool and a little goofy, their leader Kohga is a lovable goofball who’s just such a fun personality, and even with Age of Calamity we met Kohga’s right hand, Sooga, who truly is the badass assassin you would expect to be after the hero’s head. When you add a new character or group like the Yiga and they’re already beloved by many within their first game appearance, you know you made a wonderful thing.
I wish that Kohga was some crazy powerhouse and just doesn’t have any fucks to give.
The fact we never got a Yiga armor set was a massive missed opportunity
Well, have I got some news for you…
If you just waited to post this video after tears of the kingdom came out you would’ve had a lot more to work with
My favorite undercover Yiga NPC (or least favorite from Link’s perspective) is the one found sitting at the campfire at the Hebrew Trailhead Lodge. Such a surprise finding them in a cozy, seemingly inviting spot like that.
As for Kogha’ buffoonery, although reading some of the comments here has opened my eyes to the effectiveness of his goofiness, I think it could have been handled in a more balanced way. For instance, it would have been cool to “overhear” some dialogue where khoga is being bossy and intimidating towards a yiga clan member while sneaking around the hideout. Or, if he had sent footsoldiers and swordsmen after us during the battle, perhaps including some dialogue where he mocks us or his soldiers that we defeat, it would have demonstrated his laziness, cowardice, and cruelty while highlighting the most terrifying thing about him, his influence. We didn’t really see him being the leader of the yiga clan, we were just told that he was, and I think that his silliness exacerbated that disconnect for some. All in all though, I agree he’s a fun character on his own, and I’m glad he’s not just a straightforward overdone villainous-villainy-villain.
I guess people already said it but the Idea of talking to a npc and then he attacks you appears in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
If you love talking to every NPC you'd probably love the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 system. They have a little star by a chat icon when an NPC has some new dialogue, that way you can find out who you have and have not talked too.
I don't remember if this is in 3 but I know in XBC1 there's a system where it can track an NPC for you, it's so amazing for side quests and was vital for me and I would've never 100% the game if not for that feature
Glad someone made a video about this, always wanted to drop my theory the perspective of the yiga clan’s silliness.
As you mentioned, the yiga constantly alternate between horrible moral lacking beasts, and goofy little comedians. And while at first I agreed it felt very offbeat, i came to realize it could very well be symbolism of their lost minds going insane. They have no concept of right and wrong, they are ruthless murders capable of anything, but they don’t see issue with that, they are driven insane by the abandonment from hyrule and grow more insane every day, eventually cracking at the death of their leader. On the part of Mighty Bananas, i feel like they are obsessed with them as they provide comfort to them in power, as they provide a power buff. The bananas could be seen as a coping mechanism, to give them that hit of dopamine when they are taken to their limit from the mental insanity they spiral into every day-it could almost be seen as a drug that they crave to ease the insanity. They’re so giddy because they know one banana is all it takes to get them lasting another hour
Fun fact: If an NPC's name is simply Traveler (or Researcher too in ToTK), then they're an Yiga Clan member, but by that point, it's already too late.
I have religiously watched all your god of war videos. When I knew you liked Zelda, I decided this is my favourite channel!!!!
Kohga's strange movements and shouts are definitely straight from kabuki theater. I really did appreciate the nod to kabuki, which I think is pretty neat. It's still a little strange that he's so inept, and I think the writers could have made him more threatening, or even given a compelling reason for him to be so incapable...
Some of the Yiga were super clownish too though. The first one I met was incredible, starting off saying he had a dream. I'm innocently like, 'oh cool, what was it about?', and then he very eerily relates a tale of being asleep in darkness, and then a voice called, and waking up in a glowing contraption that had healed him. By that point, my eyes were huge and my mind was reeling, and all I could think was 'WUT?'
But then others just try to sell expensive bananas, or ask if you like Kohga's belly, or wail about needing poached salmon. So, haha, "pick a lane" is a relatable sentiment. ^.^'
They are definitely such a great concept though!!
I don't have an in-universe explanation for Master Kohga's silliness, but I did come up with a potential meta reason:
I think the writers and game devs got split off into designing different enemies and NPC interactions. At some point, they had the idea for "evil Sheikas" that could be encountered in disguise throughout the overworld. This led to the backstory about them being traitors who had sided with Calamity Ganon, becoming a sort of doomsday cult of assassins, with no qualms about who they attacked, so long as it furthered Ganon's power and eventual return. At the same time, however, a different team was riffing ideas for a more lighthearted villain that would juxtapose the grim overtones of the game's apocalyptic primary antagonist. Somehow or another, these two ideas wound up smashed together, and because the gameplay comes first in Nintendo games, they decided to roll with it, even though the two ideas didn't really fit together.
I could be wrong about all of this, as this is just my speculation. Personally, I really like both the Yiga Clan as a sinister villain faction and Master Kohga as a bizarre, whimsical baddie who takes himself way too seriously. That said, I wish those ideas hadn't been forced together in the final game, as I think it significantly harms the impact of both of them.
Even if Master Koga was disappointed villain of the Yiga Leader you got to admit that his theme really slaps
Personally, i love the combination between goofy and threatening. Its comic relief but keeps you on your toes
You asked for an explaination for the odd choice of characterization of The Yiga clan boss, so here's mine.
The Yiga clan is as ruthless and as evil as you explained in the video. When you meet the final boss, the tone is drastically changed to be silly, this is a practice I've seen before which can be used well with a developing character. It's a tactic to throw you and the character off in order to confuse you and your expectations. This is done intentionally. However this is best applied, in my opinion, when this guy whose supposed to be evil turns out to be really silly on the surface but then in small cracks in the persona are met with casual brutal remarks that show their true intentions. What this demonstrates is that this character is evil at his core and its supposed to juxtapose the silliness to really stand out. This can be a good way to show the audience the true intentions of the character and to have a unique character personality(showing off the insanity or deep beliefs within the character) in one.
I do enjoy this character archetype, it is different and fun. But it only really works in the long run, when the character is able to live and give you the mental gymnastics you must go through to understand what that character truly wants and how far they are willing to go to achieve their goal.
In Breath of the Wild, the Yiga clan boss is this character. A silly but evil concoction for you to enjoy. But this doesn't develop any further past the fight you have with him. To me it was just disappointing to see him die. To not use the character for what I see as the intended purpose just felt like a flat note.
I think what the writers wanted was this kind of character for the Yiga big boss, but they were not able to use him again. So they had to end is story as soon as it started.
Thanks for reading
Did he die, though? Or did he fake his death and retire?
@@RustyhairedAlp9575 Idk could be within character, a delightful end 😁
@@Timinator193 well GUESS WHAT
@@RustyhairedAlp9575 LMFAO
@@Timinator193 Spoiler alert:
He bacc