Head of the Go-Ryu Clan
Ryuji is part of the Omi Alliance and the second Chairman of the Go-Ryu Clan. He bears the title The Dragon of Kansai opposite to Kazuma's Dragon of Dojima. One thing that makes it easy to remember his clan name is the fact that it shares similar syllables to his name Go Ryu (Goda Ryuji). In fact, if not for the fact that he was the second chairman, I would insist that Ryuji has a terrible naming scheme. As the boss of the Go Ryu clan he is tough and well respected. His men would do anything for him. Ryuji generally treats his boys well. As a boss and dragon, Ryuji is both feared and respected. He uses it to his advantage but often relies heavily on his pure brute strength. He doesn't enjoy being the Dragon of Kansai and wanted nothing to do with those he felt were stupid or foolish (Sengoku and Nikaido who kidnapped Haruka to get at Kazuma). He has particular set of morals that he follows believing in the strongest and feeling that one's strength is the determining factor in everything. He is proud to a fault, discarding his title completely and loathing it once he'd been expelled. Though he is willing to help and clean up after his boys when they cause a mess despite his clear and obvious reluctance to be in the middle of anything Omi-related. He goes so far as to traverse into Tojo Clan offices to warn them of the danger but is often unsuccessful.
In Dead Souls, Ryuji tells the hostesses that he is much more accustomed to doing stupid things with his boys. He often drinks with them and they pal around, but it's nice to have drinks with lovely women from time to time. The truth is, though, that he doesn't know how to react or behave around them since he's always lived in a man's world and has already been surrounded by men. He shows a sort of nostalgia as he remembers drinking with his boys, but knows that he can never go back to those days. He has the fond memory but he also shows no signs of wanting to relive them.
There are a few instances in which he couldn't care less though. When Kazuma first meets Ryuji in the Cabaret is one. Ryuji get extremely annoyed (to the point of violence) when his men address him as the Dragon of Kansai. In part this stems from Ryuji's belief that there should only be one dragon in Japan. Until he beats Kiryu, he refuses to truly accept his title. He spends much of Yakuza 2 setting the stage for a grand battle to prove who the stronger dragon is.
While he headed the Omi Alliance, he let most of the other families do what they pleased. He gave the Tojo Clan a three day grace period and promised not to fight them during that time. Sengoku kidnaps Haruka to lure out Kazuma. Ryuji intervenes and kills Sengoku feeling it is underhanded to use children as bait and shields. He leaves a wounded Kazuma because there is still some time on the grace period. Later, in Dead Souls he is reunited with Haruka. The first time he does not recognize her, but he shows obvious disgust for the fact she is being used as bait.
Again in Dead Souls, Ryuji must live up to his old title of The Dragon of Kansai. He still loathes the name as he tells one man not to address him by it anymore. Every where he goes and is recognized it is because he was the Dragon of Kansai. In one set of substories he goes into the Ryurei clan's office to work out some problems. He notes that his family and the Ryurei were on good business terms. The boss immediately recognizes Ryuji but refuses to bend to his will. When Ryuji asks "Did you forget who I am?" the Ryurei boss straightens right up and insists on doing what he can. Although Ryuji doesn't like the title, he is not beyond using it to get what he needs. He only introduces himself as Goda Ryuji or The Dragon of Kansai if he needs to move quickly and without obstacle.
Nikaido Testuo
In Dead Souls, one of Ryuji's boys, Nikaido Tetsuo (Ryuji calls him Testu), is the main antagonist. Nikaido is desperately trying to rebuild the Omi Alliance. He goes to Ryuji to get assistance. Ryuji was expelled from the clan because he was defeated by Kazuma. Nikaido bears an unhealthy grudge to bringing down the Tojo clan, kidnaps Haruka, plots Kiryu's death, and sets zombies loose onto Kamurocho. He offers several times for Ryuji to join him. Everytime Ryuji declines stating he is simply out of the life. Nikaido's devotion to Ryuji turns into obsession to the point of destroying everything in his path.
Ryuji spends much of the game cleaning up after Nikaido. Ryuji feels responsible for what is going on and simply goes into the quarantine zones to clear out the zombies and save those trapped. He only shows regret once, in which he has to kill his mentor, Pops. From that point, Ryuji makes it his mission to really teach Nikaido a lesson going so far as to team up with his old rival. He believes that he can punish Nikaido and make him change, and is willing to forgive him. Unfortunately, DD intervenes and Ryuji has to kill Nikaido.
In truth, Nikaido reveres Ryuji. Everything he has been doing has been to restore the glory to his hero. In the final moments of their meeting, Nikaido pours out his heart to Ryuji stating that he looked up to him and that if he has to die, it is best that it is Ryuji who kills him. Nikaido apologizes and is ready to face any punishment that Ryuji will give him but DD shoots him with the newest batch of Thanatos and instead becomes the final boss of the game. His willingness and devotion to Ryuji are unquestioned. Even in his frustration, he wanted nothing more than for Ryuji to be back to how he was. He wanted nothing more than to really be one of Ryuji's boys again.
DD explains that Thanatos is a strain of bacteria that adheres to the pleasure center of the brain. In this way, when people die they are released from all their pain and feel nothing but pleasure. It instills a need to pass that on to others, especially those that people are close too, so the bacteria spreads. When Nikaido is shot and becomes a zombie he fights Kazuma and Ryuji. After his initial defeat he becomes an even larger and meaner creature. DD states that Nikaido is very fond of Kazuma and Ryuji. Nikaido's deep hatred for Kazuma and deep admiration for Ryuji allowed him to continue to mutate in a way that might allow him to turn both of them into zombies. Unfortunately, Ryuji is unable to help Nikaido and sends Kazuma to do it instead.