Like A Dragon: Yakuza On Prime Faces A Difficult Challenge In Adaptation

Like a Dragon: Yakuza is based on the Sega series of the same name, which has crossed genres between beat ’em up and RPG. The series is known for its loving rendering of Tokyo’s red-light district, movie-inspired plots, and its wide array of mini-games.

The upcoming series is expected to cover the events of the first game, centered around Kazuma Kiryu’s return to the fictional Kamurochō district after serving his prison sentence for a murder he didn’t commit. 

For most games in the series, the main plot is a straightforward crime drama, told in a mostly serious fashion. Like a Dragon: Yakuza could adapt the main plot of the first simply enough.

However, that adaptation wouldn’t be a faithful adaptation of the games and would almost certainly let fans down. 

If Like a Dragon: Yakuza is going to capture the spirit of the franchise, Amazon has to contend with the much sillier side of the games as well. Much of the series’ whackier moments come from the mini-games and accompanying side plots.

These side quests provide comedic relief and many fans, myself included, consider them just as important as the main plot. 

These mini-games also help Kamurochō feel like a real place, serving as a window into people’s lives. The decision to shoot Like a Dragon: Yakuza in Japan shows that Amazon understands how important the setting is to the franchise, but it’s the silly mini-games and their characters that bring that setting to life. It would be impossible for the show to depict all of these mini-games, but I think it needs to incorporate at least one or two. 

While Fallout is a serious game with comedic elements, the dark comedy of that series is designed to be part of its post-apocalyptic setting. Like a Dragon: Yakuza is a series where the comedy often comes directly from how out of place it is in a serious crime drama.

The beloved karaoke segments are a perfect example of this, with the comedy coming from seeing the stoic criminal Kiryu, pouring his heart and soul into a song.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza can bridge the gap between its serious plot and the fan-favorite comedy, by focusing on characters like the excentric Goro Majima.

While he was barely present in the original game he was given a more prominent role in the remake, hatching comically over-the-top plots to ambush Kiryu. The show would be wise to do something similar with the character. 

Amazon has established itself as the master of live-action video game series, but Like a Dragon: Yakuza will be their biggest challenge yet. I expect the bulk of the show to be focused on the main plot, but I’ll be disappointed if the whacky sidequests are completely absent and I know I’m not alone.

A Like a Dragon adaptation that doesn’t feature Kiryu playing mahjong or spending time at the Pocket Circut races is an adaptation that completely missed what made the games great.