In recent years, the Like a Dragon Yakuza video game series has strengthened its fanbase in Japan while also captivating Western audiences (check out our preview of the upcoming spin-off, Pirate in Hawaii): the appeal of the IP has grown immensely beyond its local and gaming context, leading to a live-action adaptation in a six-part TV series set to premiere on Prime Video this fall. Indeed, there will be little time between announcement and airing: the first three episodes will be available on the platform on October 25, while the final three will follow on November 1, launching globally in thirty languages, including local dubbing. Now, let’s take a look at the first official trailer for the series, which looks very promising: the violence exceeds expectations, although the trailer does not reveal the comedic or absurd moments that balance out the brutal scenes and melodramatic elements typical of the genre.
The series is directed by Masaharu Take (“100 Yen Love”) and Kengo Takimoto (“Kamen Teacher”), featuring Ryoma Takeuchi (already well-known in Japan for “Kamen Rider”) as the iconic Kazuma Kiryu. Details about the plot and how it will differ from the original have not been disclosed, but it has been announced that the story will take place in 1995 and 2005, so we can reasonably be sure that the series will adapt the first video game episode, which was released on PlayStation 2 in 2005.
Building excitement in the room, the speakers surprised fans with exclusive clips shown only to the live audience, teasing Ryoma’s portrayal of Kazuma Kiryu and Kento as Nishikiyama Akira on screen. The panel concluded with a special video message from Masayoshi Yokoyama, executive producer of RYU GA GOTOKU Studio in Japan, who shared his behind-the-scenes impressions on creating the SEGA video game “Like a Dragon.”
The first three episodes of Like a Dragon: Yakuza will debut exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide starting Thursday, October 24.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza is a crime series packed with suspense and action, as well as a live-action adaptation featuring an original story based on SEGA’s famous Yakuza: Like a Dragon video game series. Set in Kamurochō, it tells the story of the protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, through an original screenplay. The series is directed by renowned Masaharu Take with Ryoma Takeuchi in the lead role of Kazuma Kiryu. Spanning from 1995 to 2005, the series follows the lives of childhood friends and the consequences of Kazuma Kiryu’s decisions as a formidable and unmatched Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity.