Highlights

• The Yakuza TV series will focus on human emotions, departing from the quirky antics seen in the games while still maintaining a strong resonance.
• Actors had a blast portraying two versions of their characters, creating organic chemistry between the young and hardened versions of Kiryu and Nishiki.
• Despite the challenge of surviving hot summer shoots, the hair and makeup team did an amazing job differentiating the characters’ looks between 1995 and 2005.

The Amazon Prime Yakuza TV Series announcement was one of the most exciting things to come from the recent Like a Dragon panel at LA’s Anime Expo.

The Reason For A Lack Of Substories

Q: Can the viewers of the Like a Dragon Yakuza series expect Kiryu to get up to any of his crazy antics that we see in the games?

Takeuchi: We don’t have that much in this iteration. We’re diving into the human emotions and emotional elements of the characters. There is a strong resonance between the game and drama.

Barmack: The series includes Easter eggs that tie back to the game, creating a balance between the quirky world and the authentic characters.

The Reality Of Playing Two Versions Of The Same Character

Q: How difficult was it to play two versions of the same character?

Takeuchi: Playing the young and hardened versions of Kiryu allowed me to create a contrast and generate passion in the character’s evolution from 1995 to 2005.

Kaku: Connecting with Nishiki’s character was easy, as I felt synchronized with him. The challenge was surviving the intense summer shooting conditions.

Takeuchi: The hair and makeup team did a fantastic job differentiating the character looks between 1995 and 2005.