Amazon and Sega announced a partnership last month that saw the reveal of development work on a live-action TV series adaptation of the Like a Dragon game franchise.
But recently, over the weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con event, the studio shared the show's first teaser trailer which got fans hyped up. The series is known as Like a Dragon: Yakuza and centers around Kazuma Ryu, who is played by Takeuchi Ryoma.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza Trailer
The show will follow the protagonist's life during two different time periods; 1995 and 2005 and is set in the series' fictional Tokyo district of Kamurocho. Furthermore, the first trailer's synopsis stated that it depicts the "lives of fierce yet passionate gangsters and people."
The series will reportedly have six episodes and will come to Prime Video in two parts. The first of which will have three episodes premiering on Oct. 24, 2024, and the latter three will come on Nov. 1, 2024, according to GameInformer.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza will be subbed and dubbed in 30 different languages and is being directed by Take Masaharu. Many fans are expecting high-powered fight sequences and bustling scenes from the upcoming series.
The latest trailer for the show gave fans a glimpse into nightlife within Kamurocho, where fights, money, and brooding are the norm. There is also the notable zoom-in on the skin as Kiryu's famous dragon tattoo gets inked and shaded.
In the upcoming series, every single Yakuza character's tattoo has meaning and this is something that seems like it would be conveyed throughout the show. Masayoshi Yokoyama was responsible for working on the original video game series, said CNET.
He will serve as executive producer in Amazon's live-action adaptation and he shared a special message for fans of the franchise. He shared his excitement for the upcoming TV series, calling it bold and surprising.
Live-Action Adaptations
Ahead of the show's release, Amazon said that Like a Dragon: Yakuza "showcases modern Japan and the dramatic stories of these intense characters." It adds that the series will show what past games were not able to explore.
The hype for the upcoming series comes from the recent success of quite a few live-action adaptation shows inspired by video games. These include The Last of Us on HBO, Twisted Metal on Peacock, and Fallout from Amazon as well.
Meanwhile, Sega has already made success in live-action adaptation of video game franchises, including its own Sonic the Hedgehog, which has a third movie coming out later this year, according to The Verge.
