In swearing fealty to the Dojima Family, Amazon has officially announced that a live-action adaptation of SEGA’s Yakuza video games is now in production for their eponymous streaming platform.
Titled Like A Dragon (after the series’ original Japanese name), the six-episode miniseries will reportedly be “set in two time periods, 1995 and 2005, and follows the life, childhood friends and the repercussions of the decisions of a fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior” – Kiryu Kazuma – “with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity”.
Notably, given the two specific years mentioned in the live-action series’ synopsis, it appears that the series will begin by adapting the events of the original 2005 Yakuza title (later remade as Yakuza Kiwami), which begins in 1995 with Kiryu being sentenced to a ten-year prison sentence for a murder her did not commit before later picking back up in 2005 as he merges back into the world and attempts to clear his name.
Per a June 3rd exclusive from Variety’s Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachadran, the project will be directed by Take Masaharu (Underdog: Part Two) and Takimoto Kengo (Kamen Teacher) and star none other than Kamen Rider Drive lead Takeuchi Ryoma as the aforementioned Kiryu Kazuma.
Meanwhile, it’s screenplay and story will be provided by Sean Crouch (The Exorcist TV series) and Nakamura Yugo with the Japanese version of the screenplay being provided by Yoshida Yasuhiro (Plage) and Yamada Kana (Hare-Kon).
In a statement provided to Variety, a representative for Amazon Prime boasted that Like A Dragon “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.”
Offering his own thoughts on the project, Take separately asserted, “I have poured out my heart, soul, and the experience that I have garnered over 35 years into Like a Dragon: Yakuza.”
Further, Amazon MGM Studios Head of International Originals James Farrell declared, “The unfettered appeal for Japanese content from within Japan and other parts of the world has been growing exponentially. While Prime Video Japan continues to offer a variety of content across genres, adapting an internationally popular game franchise that has such deep resonance and layered characters presents a unique charm and makes for an extremely compelling watch.”
However, perhaps the most notable of those who commented on the series’ announcement was Masayoshi Yokoyama, the current head of Yakuza development studio Ryugagotoku Studio.
“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,” said Yokoyama, who has served as a writer and producer on every Yakuza entry since its very first release. “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,” he concluded. “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.”
At current, Like A Dragon is set to hit Prime Video in two batches of three simul-dubbed and -subbed episodes, with the first releasing on October 25th and the second on November 1st.
NEXT: SEGA Announces Live-Action Yakuza Adaptation Under Supervision Of Series Creator Toshihiro Nagoshi