Like a Dragon: Live-action series trailer released

Sega and Prime Video finally gave fans a glimpse of the upcoming Yakuza live-action adaptation. Read on to learn more about the show and what Director of RGG Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama had to say about the project.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza to Premiere on October 24A Fresh Take on Kazuma Kiryu

The teaser showcased Japanese actor Ryoma Takeuchi as the renowned Kazuma Kiryu and Kento Kaku as the series’ principal antagonist, Akira Nishikiyama. Director of RGG Studio Masayoshi Yokoyama noted that Takeuchi, acclaimed for his role in the show ‘Kamen Rider Drive’, and Kaku imparted fresh perspectives to their characters.

"To tell you the truth, their enactment of the characters are totally different from the original story," the director said in a Sega interview at SDCC. "But that’s what’s distinctive about it." Yokoyama expressed that while the game had refined Kiryu, he valued that the show offered a novel take on both characters.

The teaser only offered fleeting glimpses of the show, but fans were given a preview of the iconic Coliseum in Underground Purgatory and Kiryu’s confrontation with Futoshi Shimano.

According to the teaser’s alluring description, the live-action adaptation promises to "depict the lives of bold yet ardent gangsters and people living in a sprawling entertainment district, Kamurochō, a fictional district modeled after the notorious Shinjuku ward’s Kabukichō."

Loosely inspired by the first game, the series chronicles the lives of Kazuma Kiryu and his childhood friends, showing fans a part of Kiryu that previous games have not been able to explore."

Sega’s Interview with Masayoshi Yokoyama

Despite initial fan worries about how the show’s gritty atmosphere might not do honor to the game’s goofy moments, Masayoshi Yokoyama assured fans that the upcoming Prime Video series will capture "facets of the original’s essence."

In an interview with Sega at SDCC, Yokoyama explained that his biggest concern for the live-action adaptation is that it "would just be an imitation. Rather, I wanted people to feel Like a Dragon as if it was their first encounter with it."

"To be honest, it was so good to the level I was jealous," Yokoyama continued. "We created the setting 20 years ago, but they were able to make it their own… Yet they didn’t ignore the original story."

After watching the show, he noted that "If you’re fresh to the game, it’s a brand new world. If you recognize it, you’ll be beaming the whole time." He even teased that there will be a significant surprise at the end of the first episode that made him shout and leap on his feet.

Not much is shown in the teaser, but fans will not have to wait for long, as Like a Dragon: Yakuza is set to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on October 24 of this year, with the first three episodes dropping in unison. The remaining three episodes will be released on November 1.