Amazon’s Live-Action Yakuza Adaptation Gets a First Look

Get ready to dive into the world of organized crime with Amazon’s live-action TV adaptation of Like A Dragon/Yakuza, set to premiere on Prime Video on October 24th. The streaming service has just dropped a brand-new trailer, giving us a glimpse into the series’ exuberant chaos.

A Tale of Two Timelines

The show spans two different time periods – 1995 and 2005 – as it follows the life of protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, a “fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity”.

• In 1995, Kiryu and his friends plan a heist at a local arcade, but things take a turn when they discover the arcade is under the control of the powerful Dojima Family, a yakuza organization that rules Kamurocho.
• In 2005, Kiryu is released from prison and learns that his friends are in danger. He returns to Kamurocho to protect them, but finds that their friendship has deteriorated, and tensions between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance are at an all-time high.

A Dark Underworld of Yakuza

Kiryu’s story is woven together with “dramatic stories [the games] have not been able to explore”, all focusing on the “dark underworld of the yakuza” and the “universal theme of family” – not just through bloodlines, but also through ties between yakuza bosses and their underlings, orphans and their caretakers, and mentors and students.

For this live-action adaptation, Kazuma Kiryu is portrayed by actor and model Ryoma Takeuchi, with Masaharu Take on directorial duties. You can get a sneak peek at what’s to come in the new 90-second trailer above.

Aiming for Success

Amazon will be hoping Like A Dragon: Yakuza sees some of the success enjoyed by its live-action adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, which was watched by 65m people in its first two weeks. Like a Dragon might not be as immediately recognizable as the Fallout brand, but it’s hardly an unknown quantity, having sold over 21.3m units worldwide.

In related news, Sega recently announced the next game in the long-running series, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which is exactly as delightfully bonkers as it sounds.