I’m not really a Yakuza guy so take it for what it’s worth, but when I think of the series I think of, well, this:
(Image credit: Sega)
Not just that, obviously, but generally speaking a perspective on the legendary Japanese crime syndicate that doesn’t take itself entirely seriously. Violent crime and all the attendant unpleasantness, yes, but also karaoke, trivia games, good times with good buds, and all-around weirdness, much of it relatively light-hearted.
The live-action Like a Dragon: Yakuza series coming to Prime does not look light-hearted. Weird? Sure, a little, but very darkly so. Nobody in this video seems like they’d be inclined to do sambuca shots and belt out their favorite Meat Loaf track in front of a crowd of strangers.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza unfolds across two “intersecting timelines,” 1995 and 2005 and promises a descent into “the dark underworld of the yakuza, exploring the universal theme of family not only through bloodline but also through ties between yakuza bosses and their underlings, orphans and their caretakers, as well as mentors and students.”
Here’s the back-of-box blurb: “In 1995, eager to escape their restrictive lives, Kiryu and his friends, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho plan a heist at a 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 underworld of 1995 Kamurocho. Meanwhile, in 2005, Kiryu is set to be released from prison. He learns from Detective Date that his friends are in danger and decides to return to Kamurocho to protect them. However, their friendship has deteriorated, as tensions between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance are at a boiling point.”
Amidst all that drama, the Demon of Shinjuku is slicing people up, some guy gets a close-up face full of automatic gunfire, at least one car drops from the sky, and there’s absolutely no reference to Guitar Hero-style rhythm games anywhere.
I suppose it makes sense. A live-action Yakuza series that goes all-in on Like a Dragon as we know the game might be too baffling for mainstream audiences, but a dark, stylish retelling of Yakuza 1? That could fly. It’s a more conventional approach than that of the highly regarded Fallout live-action series, also on Prime, which successfully balances the grit and humor of the Fallout games, but it’s also more conventional subject matter, at least to those completely unfamiliar with the games, and so playing it straight be the right way to go.
Speaking strictly for myself, though, I’d be a lot more inclined to watch a series that rolled like this:
Like a Dragon: Yakuza is set to debut on October 24, and will be available exclusively on Prime.
