Amazon has introduced an authentic live-action collection for Prime Video primarily based on Sega’s profitable Like a Dragon sport collection, beforehand often called Yakuza.
Merely titled Like a Dragon: Yakuza and together with six episodes, this authentic collection is directed by Masaharu Take, greatest identified for the drama collection The Bare Director. Made in Japan, the collection stars the massively widespread Japanese drama and stage actor Ryoma Takeuchi within the function of Kazuma Kiryu.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza will likely be obtainable on Amazon Prime in over 240 nations and territories worldwide, launched in two batches on October 25 and November 1, 2024.
A brand new story loosely primarily based on the unique Yakuza
The live-action crime-suspense collection relies on an authentic screenplay loosely impressed by the primary sport within the collection, 2005’s Yakuza. It is going to be set primarily within the Kamurocho leisure district, straight from the video games, and follows Kiryu and three of his childhood buddies in two time durations, 1995 and 2005.
Much like the video games, protagonist Kiryu is described within the present’s press launch as a “fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior with a robust sense of justice, obligation, and humanity”, and the story will take care of the repercussions of his actions within the two time durations. Takeuchi commented that the present will embody “intense preventing scenes”, alluding to the wild motion the collection is famed for.
The collection was introduced right now at a press convention on the picturesque Resort Gajoen Tokyo. On the occasion, Takeuchi and Take mentioned the method of adapting the acclaimed sport collection for a live-action drama.
![Director Masaharu Take and actor Ryoma Takeuchi at today's announcement.](https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/06/04/yakuza-show-1717470220217.jpg?width=1280&fit=bounds&height=720&quality=20&dpr=0.05)
Talking of the tattoo on his again and sculpting his physique for the function, as seen in the important thing visible picture launched right now, Takeuchi mentioned, “You may’t play Kiryu Kazuma with out moving into form, so I knew I needed to throw myself into it. This was a job not just for me but in addition for the costume and make-up groups. It took two and a half hours simply to organize for this shot.”
He added, “It’s partly Kiryu Kazuma and it’s partly me. I acquired so near the half that it was onerous to differentiate the place he ended and I started. That included moving into form for the half, the costume and so forth. Slightly than performing the a part of Kiryu, I really feel like he turned a part of the household.”
Director Take mentioned, “Having somebody with such a big bodily presence as Takeuchi makes all of the distinction. I understood that he is aware of his physique higher than anybody, so I left it to him to get into form. Takeuchi did all of the motion himself as nicely. It was spectacular.”
Of Kiryu’s place within the story, Take mentioned, “In 1995, the protagonist remains to be younger and he makes lots of errors, and these result in him spending a decade in jail and the results he faces when he will get out in 2005. I attempted to indicate these variations within the two time durations, and the forged helped to realize this as nicely.”
Taking their positions in entrance of a golden folding display screen emblazoned with a dragon paying homage to the tattoo on Kiryu’s again, the actor and director made a symbolic prayer for the present’s success.
![Ryoma Takeuchi will star as iconic Yakuza character Kiryu Kazuma in the upcoming series.](https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/06/04/img-8734-1717470697624.jpg?width=1280&fit=bounds&height=720&quality=20&dpr=0.05)
Meet the brand new Kazuka Kiryu
Takeuchi broke by along with his function as Shinnosuke Tomari in a number of Kamen Rider initiatives. His credit embody a cameo in 2019’s Detective Pikachu film adaptation as a Pokémon coach, in addition to offering the voice for Justice Smith’s character Tim Goodman within the Japanese dub. He additionally has a profitable profession in stage performing, and earlier than that was a budding soccer participant.
In a press launch, Masayoshi Yokoyama, head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and govt producer of the brand new drama collection, mentioned, “Whereas the video games allow you to expertise their world by the subjective lens, this adaptation would be the in the end goal method to benefit from the present. I’ve little question that followers of the collection will likely be drawn to the way it brings the video games to life and provides new surprises. Newcomers, I am certain, will discover themselves invested merely within the gritty realism of the present.”
The Like a Dragon sport collection is developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and printed by Sega. The primary sport, upon which the Amazon collection will likely be partly primarily based, was launched in 2006 within the West, with IGN praising its story and awarding it 8.2/10. The sport spawned a globally profitable franchise, with a number of sequels and spinoffs, a film adaptation directed by Takashi Miike in 2007, and a remake of the primary sport titled Yakuza Kiwami in 2016.
The collection was renamed Like a Dragon in 2022, and the latest entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, was launched globally in January 2024, receiving 9/10 scores from each IGN and IGN Japan.
Daniel Robson is Chief Editor of IGN Japan. Discover him on Twitter right here.