Amazon Prime has just released a new extended trailer for the upcoming series Like A Dragon: Yakuza. The show is being directed by Masaharu Take and Kengo Takimoto. The former is known for 100 Yen Love and Underdog, while the latter is famous for his work on Kamen Teacher and Sawako. Most importantly for fans of the long-running video game series, the titular Kiryu Kazuma is being played by Ryoma Takeuchi, who is known for shows like Kamen Rider Drive, Love You as the World Ends, and more recently, Believe.
The description of the show promises to put viewers in the dark underworld of the yakuza, exploring the idea of family, whether through bloodlines or otherwise. It will focus on yakuza bosses and the power struggle between them. So expect deep conflicts set in the fictional, yet familiar, town of Kamurocho during the 10 years between 1995 and 2005.
Kiryu will start his story with a simple local arcade heist gone wrong which ends up getting the protagonist in jail for the next 10 years. When he comes out, he finds that his friends who accompanied him in said heist are now in trouble, fueled by the desire to protect them from the yakuza, Kiryu sets out to find them, but things aren’t how they used to be.
The show seems to be a lot darker and a lot more serious when compared to the fairly lighthearted tone of some of the games. Stakes seem to be higher, and the comedic part of the franchise might not make it into the show.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza will air on Amazon Prime Video on October 24, and it will be available in both original Japanese voice acting with subtitles or dubbed in other languages, the former being the ideal way to watch.
The video game series by Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku recently got a new game in the form of an announcement of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The upcoming game will be an action-adventure title instead of an RPG like some of the recent entries and will follow the story of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The game is set for February 28, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, and PC through Steam.
