Like a Dragon: Yakuza[a] is a Japanese-language American crime action television series produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Wild Sheep Content, and 1212 Entertainment. It is a live-action adaptation of Sega's Like a Dragon video game series, and the first since the 2007 film Like a Dragon. It follows Kazuma Kiryu (Ryoma Takeuchi), a former yakuza who after years in prison, returns to the underworld during a vast conspiracy involving his best friend Akira Nishikiyama (Kento Kaku) and their former Dojima family.[1]
The series borrows the characters and setting of the original 2005 Yakuza game as well as its 2016 remake Yakuza Kiwami,[2] but the story is a loose adaptation and follows an original plot, though some major plot-points are retained.
The project was initially announced as a film before being retrofitted into a television series instead.[3] It premiered on Amazon Prime Video with the first three episodes on October 24, 2024, and with the remaining three on November 1, 2024.[4]
The series received mixed reviews, praising the series for the performances, especially from Ryoma Takeuchi and Kento Kaku, but criticized it for its inconsistent pacing, unrefined editing and the lack of fidelity towards the source material.
Cast
Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu,[5] a former Yakuza who returns to society following a ten-year prison sentence. In light of recent events regarding his best friend Nishiki becoming the new head of the former Dojima Family as well as the recent disappearance of 10 million yen from the Omi Alliance, Kiryu is called back into action. Aleks Le voices Kiryu in the English dub.[6]
