I’ve been concernedaboutPrime’sLike a Dragonadaptationsince it was announced. The press release alone gave me pause, with its focus on grittiness and Japanese gangster culture. There was no mention of the comedy element that’s so prominent in the games, and to me and many other players, that comedy is intrinsic to the soul of the series.
Now we’ve seen a proper first look at the series, and my worries haven’t been assuaged – in fact, I’d go so far as to say it was disappointing. From the little it shows us, it seems entirely dark and dramatic – there are men crying, stacks of yen, and katanas. There is a definite focus on the grittier side of the series.
We’ve gotten first-hand confirmation of this as well –in our interviewwith the cast and producer of the adaptation, lead actor Ryoma Takeuchi told us the show is “digging into the… emotional elements of the characters of this iteration” and that the show will be “departing from the game”.
Executive producer Erik Barmack also told us that making sure “fans were emotionally connected to these characters” was a challenge, and that “it’s a balance that has to be found between the world that is so quirky and these characters, which need to feel real to everybody who is watching the series.” In short, no fights with dudes in diapers.
We also know that the show has an original screenplay that’sbasedon the games, but according to Ryu Ga Gotoku director Masayoshi Yokoyama, the portrayal of its characters are“totally different” from the original story. There are characters unique to the adaptation as well – I’m expecting that we’re going to see an adaptation that’s quite a radical departure from the games.
TheGamer’s Jade King wrote abouthow the television medium makes it difficult to embody Like a Dragon’s comedic aspectsalongside its undoubtedly dramatic story, and that spotlighting the absurdity of the series would be a mistake. Sorry Jade, but I couldn’t agree less.
It’s not like adaptations departing from their source materials is a death knell – I’ve said time and time again thatHBO’sThe Last of Us’ changes to the seriesimproved it overall, and Prime’s Falloutpulled off its original storywithgreat success. But those adaptations still accurately captured the spirit of the games they were based on, incorporating the tone, iconography, and themes in a way that preserved what the experience of the games feels like.
It’s this change in tone that’s most worrying to me. Like a Dragon can be very serious, yes, but it’s undeniable that thespiritof the games lies in the juxtaposition of this seriousness and its humour.Yakuza 0was the first game to make me weep with laughter, specifically the first time we see Majima working in his cabaret. Very few games manage to toe the line between absurdity and drama so well.
Fans know this well – it’s the series’ defining characteristic. I can’t imagine a fan of the series watching a completely self-serious adaptation and being thrilled about it. Add this to the fact that the show seems to be departing radically from the characters and story we know and love, and it seems that this adaptation isn’t for fans, and is barely an adaptation at all.
So if the series isn’t for fans, is it for mainstream audiences? I expect it will draw viewers who like dark, gritty shows about crime, like Narcos or Breaking Bad. Adaptations are mostly for making money, as is most media, but they usually serve a secondary purpose of redirecting new fans to the source material. If any of those people do decide to try out the games, they’re going to be in for a potentially unpleasant surprise when they find out the series isn’t like the TV show.
I still have high hopes, especially considering Prime’s last video game adaptation was so good, but everything I hear about the upcoming series makes me wonder if those hopes are misplaced. Maybe the adaptation just isn’t meant for fans, but fans were always going to be the ones most excited about it. I wonder if fans will also be the most disappointed.
Yakuza
Yakuza, also known as Like a Dragon, is a series of action-adventure games developed by Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Taking place largely in the fictional Tokyo district of Kamurochō, the games are often crime dramas featuring characters such as Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga, and are known for their host of fun minigames such as karaoke.
