Like a Dragon: Yakuza Is a Top 2 Series on Prime Video, but Is It Worth Watching?

The crime miniseries Like a Dragon: Yakuza, an adaptation of the iconic SEGA Yakuza game series, has launched on Amazon Prime Video.

Yakuza Had a Number of Adaptations

Released exclusively for PlayStation 2 in 2006, Yakuza became one of the best-selling console games of its generation. More than one million copies were sold worldwide, which not only led to the development of the game franchise, but also sparked the interest of filmmakers.

To date, the Yakuza series has nine main games, three remakes, and 11 spin-offs. So it is not surprising that the story of Kazuma Kiryu, the main protagonist of the series, has been tried to be brought to the screen more than once.

In 2007, the feature film Like a Dragon was released, directed by Takashi Miike. And this adaptation cannot be called successful.

The movie was a box office failure, failing to gain recognition among both the audience and fans of the video game. Only 17 years later, the story of Kazuma Kiryu was transferred to the screen again.

What Is Like a Dragon: Yakuza About?

The plot of the series is based on the events of the first game and takes place in two time periods: 1995 and 2005. In 1995, the young orphan Kazuma and his half-brother Akira decide to rob a casino.

But the casino belonged to the Dojima clan. The two stole from the Yakuza. Hoping to save his life and that of his loved ones, Kazuma joins the crime syndicate.

2005. Kiryu, now an adult, is released from prison. During Kazuma's time in prison, Tokyo has changed beyond recognition. Akira has become a major crime boss, and the city is on the verge of drowning in a fierce gang war. Ten billion yen have been stolen from one of the clans. Everyone is under suspicion.

Only Kiryu can stop a bloody war that could kill hundreds of innocent people. But now he only wants one thing – a quiet life.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza Goes for Realism

Unlike the 2007 movie, the series focuses on hyper-realism. There are no super attacks or characters glowing in blue and orange flames, just them trying to survive in the urban jungle.

Takashi Miike was not afraid to dilute serious gangster showdowns with visual humor, which gave the characters more depth and charm. The creators of the show deprived the story of necessary and sometimes obvious gags, even cutting out the karaoke scene in the final cut where Kiryu sings the song Baka Mitai – one of the canonical compositions of the entire series.

Using hyper-realism and a dark tone, the show's creators tell a moralizing parable about the importance of making the right choice.