Amazon's New Show Nails the Like A Dragon Game Essence
- Amazon's "Like a Dragon" show adapts the Yakuza game series.
- Lead actor Ryoma Takeuchi portrays Kazuma Kiryu.
- The show blends original storylines with game narratives.
- Kamurocho's portrayal reflects shifts in laws and culture.
- Director Masaharu Take captures the essence of Kamurocho.
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Amazon's New "Like a Dragon" Show is Being Made by People Who Really Get the Games
Like a Dragon, formerly known as Yakuza, is getting a TV adaptation by Amazon.
Lead actor Ryoma Takeuchi, portraying Kazuma Kiryu, discusses how the show will honor the series while charting its own path.
Key Points from the Interview
- The series will not entirely adapt the games but will follow the larger points of the established narrative.
- The show is partly an original story.
- Takeuchi claims the game developers at Sega said the show is faithful to the games.
Takeuchi respects the fans' feelings but wants to express the character in his own way.
He aims to honor the original game while making something new as an artist.
Takeuchi is fully embodying Kiryu, including doing his own fight scenes and developing his fighting style.
In 1995, Kiryu's fighting style is rough and not very effective.
As the story progresses to 2005, Kiryu grows as a fighter, becoming more disciplined.
Takeuchi will look and sound different depending on the era the scenes take place.
In the 90s, he plays Kiryu with youthful energy.
In 2005, he subtracts those youthful emotions to reflect Kiryu's growth.
Portrayal of Kamurocho
The show will portray Kamurocho, a fictional district influenced by Kabukicho, an actual red-light district in Japan.
Kamurocho changes extensively throughout the series, reflecting shifts in laws, attitudes, and culture.
The show filmed on sets rather than on location, with a lot of attention paid to the place and its people.
In 1995, Kamurocho is lively and filled with energy.
In 2005, the district is moodier and colder, reflecting the passing of laws criminalizing Kiryu's way of life.
Director Masaharu Take has captured the flavor of Kamurocho with detailed sets and background actors.
The set was so detailed that it felt like traveling back in time, according to Takeuchi.
CG enhancement was used, but the people really brought the setting to life.
The show understands what has made the Like a Dragon series beloved over the years.
Its cinematic qualities will likely translate well to a TV adaptation.
The deep sense of place and Kiryu's complex character in an evolving world make it apt for adaptation.
Everything Takeuchi has said leads to the belief that the team knows what it's doing with this property.
Excitement is building for this series.
