Renowned Game Series "Yakuza" Becomes an Amazon Series: Release Date Set for "Like a Dragon"

Like a Dragon: Yakuza series announced. RGG Studio confirmed that the globally famous video game series will soon grace the screens of Prime Video.

The first announcement about the "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" series has been made. Amazon MGM Studios is bringing the renowned video game series to Prime Video.

Known as Ryū ga Gotoku (Like a Dragon), the Yakuza game was first released in 2005 under the SEGA banner. Since the days of PlayStation 2, Yakuza has been recognized as a pioneer in action and role-playing games. Most recently, in January, the series saw the release of "Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth", and it has also inspired numerous games, books, radio dramas, and theater plays.

Following the attention garnered by its Fallout series adaptation in April, Prime Video is pressing forward with another live-action video game adaptation. SEGA's Like a Dragon: Yakuza is being adapted into a series under the Amazon banner. Amazon's "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" Series Reveals First Details

The "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" series will consist of 6 episodes and will be directed by Take Masaharu, known for "100 Yen Love", and Takimoto Kengo, director of "Kamen Teacher". The iconic character of the series, Kiryu Kazuma, will be portrayed by Takeuchi Ryoma, famous for his role in "Kamen Rider".

With RGG Studio's surprise announcement, the release date for the series has also been revealed. "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" will debut on October 25, 2024, with the first three episodes. The remaining three episodes will be available on November 1, 2024. The series will be released with subtitles and dubbing in 30 different languages.

The story of the series spans two separate time periods, 1995 and 2005, following the life of a fearless Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity. It also explores his childhood friends and the repercussions of his decisions. The screenplay and story are by Sean Crouch and Nakamura Yugo.

The Yakuza game series followed the lives of wild and passionate gangsters living in Kamurochō, a fictional area modeled after the Kabukichō district of Shinjuku.

Prime Video stated that the series will "showcase modern Japan and the dramatic stories of intense characters like the legendary Kazuma Kiryu, stories that games have never been able to explore."

The production of the series is being handled by The Fool, with executive producers Erik Barmack, Roberto Grande, and Joshua Long.

Take Masaharu stated in his announcement:

"I poured my heart, soul, and 35 years of experience into Like a Dragon: Yakuza."

James Farrell from Amazon MGM Studios added:

"We are aware of the ever-growing interest in Japanese content in Japan and around the world. While Prime Video Japan continues to offer diverse content in different genres, adapting such a popular game series with complex characters on an international scale is a unique experience for us."