"Like a Dragon: Yakuza" is a great reimagining of the hit Sega series

October 27, 2024

Courtesy: Prime Video

Like a Dragon: Yakuza is Japan's original six-part series (available in English subtitles) and the live adaptation of Sega's hit video game series, "Like a Dragon." The first three episodes premiered on Thursday, October 24 on Prime Video with the following three episodes set to premiere on October 31.

Paying homage to the iconic video game, the action-packed series follows the dark underbelly of the yukuza (organized crime) between 1995 and 2005, with Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu. In 1995 Kiryu and his friends Nishikiyama, Yumi, Miho, and Aiko are desperate to escape their orphanage and plan a hesit at the local arcade however the arcade is under the control of the Dojima Family, a powerful yakuza organization that rules Kamurocho. They dive into the yakuza-controlled criminal underworld told in non-chronological order as the timelines shifts to 2005 with Kiryu freshly released from prison. The aforementioned relationships are destroyed, however when Kiryu finds out his friends are in danger he returns to Kamurocho. Tensions between the 2 factions, the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance escalate as Kiryu must face his childhood friend-turn enemy, Nishikiyama.

Created by Sean Crouch and Yugo Nakamura with executive producers Erik Barmack, Roberto Grande, Joshua Long and Masayoshi Yokoyama; the production companies are The Fool, Wild Sheep Content, 1212 Entertainment, and Amazon MGM Studios.

Courtesy: Prime Video

The series stars:

• Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu

• Kento Kaku as Akira Nishikiyama

• Munetaka Aoki as Goro Majima

• Yuumi Kawai as Yumi Sawamura[

• Hinano Nakayama as Miho Nishikiyama[

• Toshiaki Karasawa as Shintaro Kazama

• Kōichi Satō as Daigo Sasaki

• Subaru Shibutani as Makoto Date

• Saki Takaoka as Reina

• Ryudo Uzaki as Jin Goda

• Shōhei Uno as Koji Shindo

• Masaya Kato as Sohei Dojima

• Tomoya Maeno as The Florist of Sai

• Orakio as Awano

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The series is a nostalgic treat, especially for anyone who is a fan of the original video games and the many movie iterations. The series enhances the personalities of their characters with a fresh reimagining of continued storylines while taking creative liberties within their world that is completely satisfying. Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu impressively embodies the character in a role many fans would love. The action sequences and fight scenes are very reminiscent of the video game as the series focuses on the personalities of the characters. Like a Dragon: Yakuza is a fantastic homage to the Sega series.

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Like a Dragon: Yakuza is currently on Prime Video.

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