The star of Like a Dragon: Yakuza hasn't played the games - and I couldn't be happier
Aug. 19, 2024Opinion | You can’t innovate by copying what came before you
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When the newsbroke, residents of the Internet voiced their concerns. The series has a loyal, protective fanbase, and this apparent disregard for the titles was perceived as a negative. However, as a committed member of said fanbase, I’m arguing the opposite. Iwantan adaptation that offers something different to what we, as players, already have. After all, the games have plenty of cutscenes with world-class acting that we can revisit whenever we like (most of them are even onGame Pass), so why ask for a strict reenactment?
This sentiment is clearly present in the decision making of the showrunners. Takeuchi, who plays protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, explained that they specifically asked him, and his co-star Kento Kaku, not to play the video games, with the idea being to “explore from scratch.” Takeuchi respected the decision, confirming that’s why he “decided not to play.”
Prime example
Like a Dragon: Yakuza cast on how Kiryu evolves between the Prime Video series’ two timelines – including a difference in fighting styles
When you considerWalton Gogginsdidn’t play any Fallout games before working on thePrime adaptation, it’s hard to argue against this approach. Yes, his character Cooper Howard – AKA The Ghoul – wasn’t directly lifted from any title, which contrasts Takeuchi and Kaku (the latter plays Akira Nishikiyama), but nobody could argue against the success of his portrayal.
Then there’s the show’s length of only six episodes which, even if we’re talking an hour each, still wouldn’t compare to the average Like a Dragon campaign playtime. Of course one could argue that this wouldn’t directly affect Kiryu’s portrayal, but if the story is going to have to change to accommodate the potentially shorter runtime, then the characters will also need to adapt. We can’t have our leading man running off on side quests every five minutes now, can we?
Now, I adore Kazuma Kiryu. Voiced beautifully by Takaya Kuroda, he’s a character I look up to like a father, even embracing his limitations as they make him feel more human. To me, he’s perfect, and the idea that someone should have to take up the impossible task of flawlessly recreating him in live action is, frankly, cruel. We’re talking about a gaming icon who takes pride inbeing true to himself. So let’s follow his example and allow people to express themselves how they want.
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
In the run-up to release, check out our picks for the best shows onAmazon Prime.
Henry Cavill breaks silence on Warhammer TV show and teases the amount of work that’s already been put into the project
The Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible”
8BitDo’s latest Switch controller is perfect for a very specific type of player
