The latest Amazon Prime series sees another beloved video game get the screen adaptation treatment.
Based on the popular franchise published by Sega, Like a Dragon: Yakuza marries the two titles that the games have been known for across its near twenty-year lifespan.
Some fans may be confused why and how the long running series has had two different names, what the title actually means and if that definition differs from the game to the television version.
There are some theories around the origins but the game’s creator also has their own ideas about what the name means to them. Here’s everything you need to know.
As the original game neared release back in 2005, it began gaining comparisons to another popular open world series, namely Grand Theft Auto, reports the Mirror.
Many began to label the upcoming title as GTA in Japan and the theory is that in an effort to capitalise on this marketability they went with a simple title of Yakuza. In the developer’s native Japan however, the games have always been titled Ryu ga Gotoku, which translates as Like a Dragon.
The studio that makes the game, even adopted this moniker, but have since shortened their own name to RGG Studios.
However, when the seventh title in the main series was released in 2020 in the West, the publishers took the opportunity to switch things up. As the new title introduced a new character to focus the story on, the name was altered to reflect this.
Renowned in Japan as Ryu ga Gotoku 7, the title is familiar to English speaking gamers as Yakuza: Like A Dragon. In a twist, the developers dropped ‘Yakuza’ from the name entirely for the 2022 sequel, dubbing it Infinite Wealth.
Toshihiro Nagoshi, the original creator of the series, commented on the strong symbolism behind the initial naming, noting that dragons emit a formidable aura, and by experiencing the life within the game, players become acquainted with the formidable nature not only of these creatures but also of the principal protagonist.
In an alteration for the Amazon Prime series, the title has been adapted slightly to Like A Dragon: Yakuza.
During an interview captured for Comic Con in San Diego earlier this year, Masayoshi Yokoyama, Director of RGG Studio and executive producer of the show, mentioned that the show’s title adjustment honours the seminal vision of the games.
His statement included: “When the original game was first released I didn’t think its world setting would be well-received. And we named it Yakuza without much consideration. I didn’t think it would sell, nor did I care if no one understood it.”
“It’s the charm of evil, that only Japanese could understand. By depicting Kamruocho, I wanted to portray the drama of the people living in those districts. That’s the idea we had 20 years ago.”
Like a Dragon: Yakuza episodes 1-3 are now available to stream with the final episodes available on October 31