I am trying my best to maintain my composure while writing this but DAMN if I'm not extremely excited at the news that Amazon's Prime Video will release Like a Dragon: Yakuza starting this October. This is a live-action adaptation of Sega's Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise.
This "crime-suspense-action series" is directed by Masaharu Take and Kengo Takimoto. It will star Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu. The screenplay and story are handled by Sean Crouch and Yugo Nakamura, with a Japanese screenplay by Yasuhiro Yoshida and Kana Yamada.
Though it's a six-part series, the episodes will be uploaded to Prime Video in two separate batches. The first three episodes will be out on October 25, 2024. The second batch of three will be out on November 1, 2024. Each episode will offer subtitle and dubbed versions across 30 different languages.
In statements issued to Variety, a Prime Video spokesperson said that this series "showcases modern Japan and the dramatic stories of these intense characters, such as the legendary Kazuma Kiryu, that games in the past have not been able to explore."
Director Take says, "I have pour out my heart, soul, and the experience that I have garnered over 35 years into 'Like a Dragon: Yakuza.'"
Masayoshi Yokoyama, studio lead at Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, issued the following statement about the show.
Since the day I first put pen to paper on the original ‘Yakuza’ script, I’ve never once thought about revisiting any of my work on the series. It’s because I understand all too well the challenges and hardships that come with remaking a finished title. However, if I were ever sent to the past through some kind of cosmic joke, this is the experience I’d want to create. If I had to go through the wringer anyhow, I’d want to make the most engaging versions of Kamurochō and Kazuma Kiryu I could —and this show has it all.
While the games let you experience their world through the subjective lens, this adaptation will be the ultimately objective way to enjoy the show. I have no doubt that fans of the series will be drawn to how it brings the games to life and adds new surprises. Newcomers, I’m sure will find themselves invested simply in the gritty realism of the show.
While the games let you experience their world through the subjective lens, this adaptation will be the ultimately objective way to enjoy the show. I have no doubt that fans of the series will be drawn to how it brings the games to life and adds new surprises. Newcomers, I’m sure will find themselves invested simply in the gritty realism of the show.
