tThe crime drama genre is a pretty crowded one across all forms of media, from novels to the big screen, from games to TV shows. And that's especially true for stories that focus on the world of the yakuza, the name given to members of organized crime syndicates in Japan.
Amazon's upcoming show Like a Dragon: Yakuza, based on the beloved video game series, is therefore the latest in a long line of these stories set in the Japanese criminal underworld. So, the question is then, what makes this stand out within such a crowded sub-genre?
According to actor Ryoma Takeuchi, who portrays the fearless Yakuza warrior Kiryu, it all comes down to the nature of the relationships within the gang that features in the new Prime Video series. Speaking to 12DOVE at SDCC, via translators, Takeuchi emphasized: "Even though it's perhaps a strange community, it's still very human. They consider these feral gang members as family even though they are not related by blood. There are strong bonds which is a really interesting factor."
Meanwhile for co-star Kento Kaku, who plays Kiryu's brother-in-arms Akira Nishikiyama, it has more to do with the show's tone, which continues the original one that has been set by the games. As any gamer knows, the Yakuza series is known for balancing dark drama with wacky humor, a fine tightrope it walks very carefully. The team therefore wanted to achieve the same balance with their TV adaptation, believing this is what makes both the games and their show unique.
Kaku emphasizes: "It's so colorful in a way, it has this wackiness to it - it's a very deep human drama that has a fun side. That's the thing that makes it different to other stories, that lighter element. The game creators we talked to spoke about how they had this certain point of view - it's very fearless and dark, but fun and human. I think that's the very unique way they cut out the city and part of why it's very attractive to people outside of Japan. When you play the games you feel you have to go there and try it out."
That place you will want to head to after watching the show is the fictional Kamurochō district, which is where all the action takes place. Set across two timelines, we see how childhood friends Kiryu and Nishikiyama navigate Japan's criminal underbelly, seeing how their decisions can have serious consequences.
The first three episodes of Like a Dragon: Yakuza will premiere on Prime Video on October 24, with new episodes following weekly.
For what else should be on your radar, check out our guide to the upcoming TV shows to watch out for.
