Like a Dragon: Yakuza explained

Like a Dragon: Yakuza is a Japanese-language American crime action television series produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Wild Sheep Content, and 1212 Entertainment. It is a live-action adaptation of Sega's Like a Dragon video game series, and the first since the 2007 film Like a Dragon. It follows Kazuma Kiryu (Ryoma Takeuchi), a former yakuza who after years in prison, returns to the underworld during a vast conspiracy involving his best friend Akira Nishikiyama (Kento Kaku) and their former Dojima family.^[1]

The series borrows the characters and setting of the original 2005 Yakuza game as well as its 2016 remake Yakuza Kiwami,^[2] but the story is a loose adaptation and follows an original plot, though some major plot-points are retained.

The project was initially announced as a film before being retrofitted into a television series instead.^[3] It premiered on Amazon Prime Video with the first three episodes on October 24, 2024, and with the remaining three on November 1, 2024.^[4]

The series received mixed reviews, praising the series for the performances, especially from Ryoma Takeuchi and Kento Kaku, but criticized it for its inconsistent pacing, unrefined editing and the lack of fidelity towards the source material.

Cast

• Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu,^[5] a former Yakuza who returns to society following a ten-year prison sentence. In light of recent events regarding his best friend Nishiki becoming the new head of the former Dojima Family as well as the recent disappearance of 10 million yen from the Omi Alliance, Kiryu is called back into action. Aleks Le voices Kiryu in the English dub.^[6]
• Kento Kaku as Akira Nishikiyama,^[7] Kiryu's best friend from Sunflower Orphanage who has since become a Yakuza boss in the last ten years. Johnny Yong Bosch voices Nishiki in the English dub.
• Munetaka Aoki as Goro Majima,^[8] a member of the Shimano Family. Matthew Mercer voices Majima in the English dub, reprising his role from the video games.
• Yuumi Kawai as Yumi Sawamura.^[9] Xanthe Huynh voices Yumi in the English dub.^[10]
• Hinano Nakayama as Miho Nishikiyama, Nishiki's younger sister.
• Toshiaki Karasawa as Shintaro Kazama, the adoptive father of Kiryu, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho, and a former Yakuza member himself.
• Kōichi Satō as Masaru Sera, chairman of the Tojo Clan^[11]
• Subaru Shibutani as Makoto Date, a police detective
• Saki Takaoka as Reina, the head hostess of a hostess club that Yumi and Miho work at
• Ryudo Uzaki as Jin Goda, the chairman of the Omi Alliance
• Shōhei Uno as Koji Shindo
• Masaya Kato as Sohei Dojima, the patriarch of the Dojima Family within the larger Tojo Clan. Kaiji Tang voices Dojima in the English dub.^[12]
• Tomoya Maeno as The Florist of Sai, an underground informant
• Orakio as Awano

Episodes

Season 1

Notes and References

1. Web site: Jackson . Kourtnee . July 26, 2024 . Like a Dragon: Yakuza TV Series Teases First Look at Comic-Con 2024 . CNET.
2. Web site: Yakuza.
3. Web site: Sega Developing Live-Action Adaptation Based on 'Yakuza' Video Game With 1212, Wild Sheep (EXCLUSIVE). Dave McNary. September 24, 2020. Variety.
4. Prime Video to Premiere Like a Dragon: Yakuza, an Amazon Original Crime-Action Series Adapted from th e Popular Japanese Game Franchise; Streaming Worldwide from October 24 . June 3, 2024 . .
5. Web site: Hernon . Matthew . June 4, 2024 . Ryoma Takeuchi to Play Kazuma Kiryu in 'Like a Dragon: Yakuza' . Tokyo Weekender.
6. https://x.com/AleksLeVO/status/1849626606991704410
7. Web site: Frater . Patrick . July 29, 2024 . Kaku Kento Joins Takeuchi Ryoma to Unveil 'Like a Dragon: Yakuza' Trailer at Comic-Con . Variety.
8. Web site: Garside . Megan . Amazon confirms Majima casting in Like a Dragon: Yakuza – and it's an actor brought in from the games . gamesradar . September 20, 2024 . September 20, 2024.
9. Web site: Pineda . Rafael Antonio . Live-Action Like a Dragon: Yakuza Series' Trailer Unveils More Cast . September 30, 2024 . September 30, 2024.
10. https://x.com/ItsXanthor/status/1849903252030001273
11. Web site: ドラマ「龍が如く ～Beyond the Game～」河合優実さん，佐藤浩市さんら新たなキャスト情報や本予告映像，場面写真を一挙公開 . October 2, 2024 . 4Gamer.net.
12. https://x.com/KaijiTang/status/1849522454974300340