Amazon’s Like A Dragon Is The Perfect Video Game Adaptation For People Who Hate Video Games

As a gamer and a fan of great storytelling, I’m thrilled to hear that Amazon is adapting the popular video game series, Like A Dragon, into a live-action series. For those who are unfamiliar, Like A Dragon, also known as Yakuza, is a beloved SEGA franchise that follows the rise and fall of the Japanese mafia.

The Universal Themes Of Like A Dragon

What sets Like A Dragon apart from other video game franchises is its ability to tackle universal themes that resonate with people from all walks of life. The series explores complex emotions like revenge, redemption, honor, brotherhood, and remaining true to oneself as the world changes. These themes are woven throughout the games, making it a compelling watch for gamers and non-gamers alike.

A gritty and intense scene from the Like A Dragon series

Likely Based On The First In The Series

The Amazon series will likely adapt the first game in the franchise, which follows Kazama Kiryu after his release from 10 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Kiryu, a man of honor, took the fall when his best friend, Akira Nishikiyama, murdered their boss for assaulting their friend, Yumi. Back in Tokyo in 2005, Kiryu finds himself in the middle of a mob war, trying to find Yumi, reconnecting with Akira, and realizing that he has to leave behind his old life as an enforcer.

A Grounded Video Game Franchise

Every game in the series has multiple twists and turns, as what starts out as a simple plot at the beginning expands to encompass more of the Tokyo criminal underworld. Like A Dragon: Yakuza will likely follow the same pattern, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

A bustling street in Tokyo, the setting for the Like A Dragon series

Like A Dragon Will Appeal To A Vast Section Of The Streaming Audience

Similar shows have become hits in the last decade, from Tokyo Vice to Narcos, which is why using subtitles shouldn’t be an issue for Like A Dragon: Yakuza. Crime and mafia shows are also incredibly popular, and Kiryu is a hero cut from the same mold as Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy, so with him as the center point, fans of Sons, Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders, and even Boardwalk Empire or Brotherhood, will have a character they can latch onto.

Kiryu, the protagonist of the Like A Dragon series

Don’t Expect The Goofy Sidequests To Remain

Anyone who has played a Like A Dragon game knows the wild side quests are part of the fun. From helping an entertainer working as a living statue avoid paying the “dark price” to helping a live streamer hunt down ghosts, they help offset the seriousness of the main plot. If you mainline one of the games without spending more time on sidequests and playing mahjong or pocket racer, you’re not playing it right.

Like A Dragon Streams In October

While we don’t know any details about Like A Dragon: Yakuza when it’s a hit, there’s plenty of material for more seasons, and in the later games, there’s an expanding cast of protagonists, though none are as fleshed-out as Kiryu. As excited as I am, as a huge fan of the franchise, for the upcoming series, I’m even more excited knowing that I’ll be able to get my dad, who has only played Microsoft Flight Simulator, to sit down and watch the adventures of Kiryu in Kamorocho.

The poster for the upcoming Like A Dragon: Yakuza series

Amazon’s gamble on a video game franchise outside of the mainstream is going to pay off big time. We’ll know for sure if I’m right or not when Like A Dragon: Yakuza airs its first episode on October 25.