In *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii*, building the best Pirate crew is crucial for progressing through the game's story efficiently. During Chapter 2, Goro and his crew enter Madlantis, a Pirate Sanctuary known for its Naval Colosseum battles. Here, you delve deeper into the backstories of Jason and Masaru, learning about their disbanded crew due to a betrayal in the Pirate Colosseum. Goro's mission becomes clear: upgrade his ship and recruit more crew members to compete in the arena. To move forward in the main story, you need to earn $10,000 to repair your ship and recruit five new crew members. Here are the best early-game recruits to help you advance quickly:

Nickelle Kidman

Nickelle Kidman, a playful nod to Nicole Kidman, is an actor found near the beach in Honolulu. To recruit her, your Goro Pirates need a two-star rating, which you can easily achieve by completing the main story missions up to this point. If you haven't reached two stars yet, you can quickly earn them by finding treasure, fighting thugs, and engaging in naval battles.

Hammerhead

Hammerhead, located on the second floor of the shopping center in Honolulu, can be recruited by defeating him in a fight. This method is one of the fastest ways to recruit members, and Hammerhead's relatively low health makes him an easy target. Recruiting him is a quick step towards completing the *Pirate Yakuza* story.

Kenzo

Kenzo, a ship hand at the dock area of the beach in Honolulu, can be recruited by giving him raw materials or paying a few thousand dollars. Players typically have plenty of building materials and money from their adventures, making Kenzo a fast and reliable addition to your crew.

Lucas

Lucas, found in Madlantis, requires a fistfight to join your crew. His interaction with Goro is amusing, and the fight, while slightly more challenging due to his melee weapon, should be manageable given the boss fights you've already encountered in the first two chapters.

Obispo

Obispo can be recruited by dining at his restaurant in Honolulu. Engage in battles to lower your health, then buy a meal at his establishment. Repeat this process five times, and Obispo will join the Goro Pirates. While slightly more tedious, this method is still easier than recruiting others with more complex tasks or higher rating requirements.

These five crew members are the quickest to recruit in the early game, allowing you to progress through *Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii* swiftly. As the game advances and more challenging battles arise, you can focus on recruiting crew members with higher stats and more demanding recruitment processes.

*Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii* is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.