Did you know Amazon Prime was making a live action adaptation of the Yakuza franchise, now known as Like a Dragon? There was a Japanese movie in 2007, but this new television series will covet worldwide appeal, as it loosely plots the events of the original game across six episodes. The first part of the story will launch on 25th October, with the second part following on 1st November.

Masaharu Take, of The Naked Director fame, has directed the series, while Japanese star Ryoma Takeuchi will play protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. The story will largely unfold in Kamurocho, although it’ll span two timelines, as the well-dressed hero’s actions in the past influence the outcome of the present. You can expect some “intense fighting scenes”, as are befitting of the brand.

“In 1995, the protagonist is still young and he makes a lot of mistakes, and these lead to him spending a decade in prison and the consequences he faces when he gets out in 2005,” director Take revealed at a glitzy Tokyo press event, as reported by IGN. “I tried to show those differences in the two time periods, and the cast helped to achieve this as well.”

It sounds like Amazon Prime has taken this project seriously, and while the Like a Dragon series has been on an upward trajectory for several years now, we could see this catapulting the franchise forward even further if it’s a hit. Will you be tuning in to the show? Throw a strong right hook at the comments section below.

[source ign.com]