Japanese star Kaku Kento has confirmed his role in Like a Dragon: Yakuza, a film adaptation of the popular Sega video game from Amazon MGM Studios. Kaku joined co-star Takeuchi Ryoma at San Diego Comic-Con to unveil the trailer for the upcoming series.
The six-part crime thriller series is directed by Take Masaharu (100 Yen Love) and Takemoto Kengo (Kamen Teacher). The screenplay and story are by Sean Crouch and Yugo Nakamura, and the Japanese screenplay is by Yoshida Yasuhiro and Yamada Kana.
As in the game, which was known as “Yakuza” and “Like a Dragon” in different markets and at different times, the series takes place in a fictional entertainment district called Kamurocho. The game's designers modeled the area after Kabukicho, the violent neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The stories of Like a Dragon: Yakuza depict the lives of gangsters and fierce, passionate people living in Kamurocho, across two time periods, 1995 and 2005. In particular, it follows the lives and childhood friends and the repercussions of the decisions of a fearsome, unparalleled yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity.
Kaku, who has appeared in the TV series “House of Ninjas,” “Tokyo MER” and the movie “AI Amok,” plays Akira Nishikiyama, also known as Nishiki, in the series. His character is closely related to Takeuchi, who has appeared in several “Kamen Rider” series.
At the Comic-Con panel, the two stars premiered the official trailer and joined James Farrell, President of International Originals at Amazon MGM Studios, and series executive producer Erik Barmack, to discuss their various creative roles.
The first three episodes of “Like a Dragon: Yakuza” are set to premiere on Prime Video starting October 24.
Watch the trailer here.
