If studios and platforms are starting to serve us video game adaptations ad nauseam, there are certain projects that still have the merit of retaining our attention. Against all expectations, SEGA franchises are among those which seem to suffer the least from the transition from one media to another. The initial fiasco of Sonic the Movie ended up turning into a truly successful trilogy, and Yakuza could well be the next game to benefit from this treatment. The misadventures of Kazuma Kiryu in the fictional district of Kamurocho began in 2005 on PS2, before arriving in 2006 in Europe. In almost 20 years, the license has offered no less than 19 parts and 3 spin-offs. Suffice it to say that the legacy of these games is substantial and that an adaptation is therefore well deserved.
To give life to Yakuza – known as Ryu ga Gotokuliterally Like a Dragonin Japan – in live action, SEGA has chosen to partner with Prime Video in order to produce a television series. Like a Dragon : Yakuza will enter the streaming platform on October 24 and will attempt to tell Kiryu’s story from a new perspective. THE six episodes will juggle between two eras: his entry into the Dojima clan in 1995 and his release from prison in 2005. The new trailer promises a good dose of action worthy of the fights of the original games, but fans will agree to say something is wrong. The franchise Yakuza is not only known for its fights, but also for its atmosphere and its offbeat humor: major elements completely absent from the extracts shared until now.
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A more serious adaptation?
At the moment, it is difficult for us to know whether Like a Dragon : Yakuza is about to draw a line under the wacky moments of the games. By presenting a high-octane action series via trailers, Prime Video is certainly seeking to captivate subscribers who are not yet familiar with the license. It is not by showing Japanese mafiosi at karaoke or at the hostess club that spectators will flock in droves. But will these scenes specific to the identity of the games appear in the adaptation?
Amazon and SEGA may have kept them as a surprise for fans, but we can only hope. It’s not as easy to juggle drama and humor on television as it is in video games, and the series seems to be shedding any comedic aspects. However, a short extract from the latest trailer seems to refer to the famous cabaret found in the original titles. Will this adaptation succeed in convincing people without these essential components of the games? Verdict on October 24.
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