At San Diego Comic-Con, one of the world's largest pop culture events held from July 25 to 28, a panel discussion for the Amazon Original drama "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" (Japanese title: "Ryu ga Gotoku Beyond the Game," six episodes) was held on July 27, local time. This marks the first time a panel discussion has been hosted by Prime Video Japan at San Diego Comic-Con. The panel featured Ryoma Takeuchi, announced in June as the lead playing Kazuma Kiryu, and Kento Kaku, revealed as Akira Nishikiyama on that day, engaging in a talk session.

Based on Sega's hit game series "Like a Dragon: Yakuza," this crime suspense action drama follows the growth story of Kazuma Kiryu, known as the "Dragon of Dojima," with an original script. Nishikiyama is Kiryu's childhood friend from the Sunflower Orphanage and later becomes his rival.

During the panel discussion, a video message from Masayoshi Yokoyama, the representative and executive producer of Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, was shown.

The "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" series has previously been adapted into live-action films and dramas. Yokoyama admitted he was initially fearful of this adaptation, saying, "My biggest fear was that it would end up being an imitation." However, he praised the script, stating, "The script that came back answered my wish to make it enjoyable from scratch. I was amazed at how much it could be transformed. It felt like leaving it to Director Masaharu Take, who speaks as if he were the original author, would be fun."

Reflecting on his first viewing of the production, Yokoyama said, "Honestly, it was so well-done that it made me feel jealous. It was astonishing to see the settings we created 20 years ago turned into something new, yet it didn't neglect the original work. The love from the scriptwriters and production team shines through, with plenty of 'Like a Dragon: Yakuza' Easter eggs that fans of the game will recognize. For those familiar with the series, it's full of surprises, and for newcomers, it presents a convincing world. After watching the first episode, I couldn't help but stand up and shout, 'This is amazing!' It was so good it made me tremble with excitement."

Regarding the performances of the leads, Takeuchi and Kaku, Yokoyama remarked, "Honestly, their portrayals of Kiryu and Nishikiyama are completely different from the original characters. But that's what makes it great. I believe there's nothing to add to the characters of Kazuma Kiryu and Akira Nishikiyama we created 20 years ago, so the battle they fought wasn't about how to play the game versions of Kiryu and Nishikiyama."

He concluded by emphasizing the impact of the entire cast, "It's not just these two; there are many characters with remarkable performances. Especially the female cast surrounding them, their acting and presence are truly stunning. I hope everyone will pay attention to the cast announcements and look forward to it."

The Amazon Original drama "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" will begin exclusive global streaming on October 25.

Source : ORICON NEWS