Like a Dragon: Yakuza

Not to be confused with Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza
Release poster
Genre	Crime drama Action
Created by	Sean Crouch Yugo Nakamura
Based on	Yakuza / Like a Dragon by Toshihiro Nagoshi
Starring	Ryoma Takeuchi Kento Kaku
Country of origin	United States Japan
Original languages	Japanese English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	6
Production
Executive producers	Erik Barmack Roberto Grande Joshua Long Masayoshi Yokoyama
Production locations	Roppongi, Tokyo
Production companies	Amazon MGM Studios The Fool Wild Sheep Content 1212 Entertainment
Original release
Network	Amazon Prime Video
Release	October 24, 2024 (2024-10-24) – present (present)

Like a Dragon: Yakuza 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.

The series borrows the characters and setting of the original 2005 Yakuza game as well as its 2016 remake Yakuza Kiwami, 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. It premiered on Amazon Prime Video with the first three episodes on October 24, 2024, and with the remaining three on November 1, 2024.

The series received mixed reviews, praising the series for the performances, especially from Ryoma Takeuchi and Kento Kaku, but criticized it for the lack of fidelity towards the source material.

Episodes

Season 1

No.	Original release date	title	story
1	October 23, 2024	Departure／Return	In 1995, eager to escape their restrictive lives, Kiryu and his friends plan a heist at a local arcade. However, the arcade is under the control of the Doujima Family, a powerful yakuza organization that rules Kamurocho. Meanwhile, in 2005, with Kiryu set to be released from prison, he learns from Detective Date that his friends are in danger and he decides to return to Kamurocho to protect them.
2	October 23, 2024	Ambition／Desire	1995. Kazama, who runs the Sunflower orphanage, had hoped that Kiryu, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho would lead honest lives. However, contrary to his wishes, the four are ultimately plunged into the underworld of the yakuza. Meanwhile, in 2005, tensions between the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan are at a boiling point over a 10 billion yen heist.
3	October 23, 2024	Brothers／Sisters	1995. The Doujima Family closes in on Edgar's younger sister, who was entrusted with the official seal necessary for selling his land. Meanwhile, Yumi travels to Osaka in search of her estranged older sister. At the same time, the battle over Edgar's seal escalates.In 2005, Aiko disappears, leaving her daughter Haruka behind. Kiryu and Yumi decide to protect Haruka, but they soon make a discovery.
4	October 30, 2024	Betrayal／Promise	In 1995, an overworked Miho falls seriously ill. Nishiki, deeply concerned for his sister, finds himself at the mercy of Doujima's scheme that exploits his vulnerability. In 2005, while Kiryu and Yumi continue their search for Aiko in Osaka, they encounter Chairman Goda of the Omi Alliance, who forces them to promise to return the 10 billion yen by midnight the next day.
5	October 30, 2024	Despair／Hope	In 2005, Kazama meets with Chairman Goda of the Omi Alliance in an effort to prevent a war with the Tojo Clan. The unresolved conflict between Kiryu and Nishiki from ten years ago resurfaces, once again driving a wedge between them. In 1995, Kiryu, who had been on a winning streak in underground fighting to fund Miho's surgery, finally reaches the pinnacle with a high-stakes title fight.
6	October 30, 2024	Fate／Showdown	1995. The bond between Kiryu, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho, who had been there for each other like family, tragically falls apart. 2005. Can Kiryu prevent a war between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance? How will Kiryu and Nishiki resolve their 10-year-old conflict? And what is the true identity of the Shinjuku Devil? With rising tensions, they face the final battle in Kamurocho.

Cast

• Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu, 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.
• Kento Kaku as Akira Nishikiyama, Kiryu's best friend from Sunflower Orphanage who has since become a Yakuza boss in the last ten years. Johnny Yong Bosch voices Nishiki in the English dub.
• Munetaka Aoki as Goro Majima, a member of the Shimano Family. Matthew Mercer voices Majima in the English dub, reprising his role from the video games.
• Yuumi Kawai as Yumi Sawamura. Xanthe Huynh voices Yumi in the English dub.
• Hinano Nakayama as Miho Nishikiyama, Nishiki's younger sister.
• Toshiaki Karasawa as Shintaro Kazama, the adoptive father of Kiryu, Nishiki, Yumi, and Miho, and a former Yakuza member himself.
• Kōichi Satō as Daigo Sasaki, chairman of the Tojo Clan
• Subaru Shibutani as Makoto Date, a police detective
• Saki Takaoka as Reina, the head hostess of a hostess club that Yumi and Miho works at
• Ryudo Uzaki as Jin Goda, the chairman of the Omi Alliance
• Shōhei Uno as Koji Shindo
• Masaya Kato as Sohei Dojima, the patriarch of the Dojima Family within the larger Tojo Clan. Kaiji Tang voices Dojima in the English dub.
• Tomoya Maeno as The Florist of Sai, an underground informant
• Orakio as Awano

External links

• Official website
• Like a Dragon: Yakuza at IMDb