Key Takeaways
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Like a Dragon: The Yakuza fight Majima using the Thug style from the game series.
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It's a neat inclusion of authenticity.
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There aren't many other aspects of the show that fans love.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza is a critically mixed bag. Some reviewers really liked Amazon's adaptation of Sega and RGG Studios' beloved game series, with most describing it as an aimless crime drama. However, one aspect of the show that many have praised is its adaptation of Kamurocho, a fictional district in Tokyo that appears in the game.
Shimano's Mad Dog
A neat detail of the show is that it brings Goro Majima's fighting style from the games to the show, adding another layer of faithful adaptation. As X's discerning Yakuza fan Shoorehplppl discovered, when Majima starts fighting in the show, he's using his gangster stance from the game. This style involves raising your left hand high in front and lowering your right hand. It is a left-handed style similar to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.
We primarily see the Thug style in action in Yakuza 0, as Majima is one of the two protagonists of the game. However, he has been seen using the style in other games in the series, including his match against Kiryu. It's a fast style that focuses on exploiting weaknesses and countering the enemy's excessive attacks rather than relying on indiscriminate attacks. Majima may not be able to defeat Kiryu, but he is a master of close combat.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza isn't universally hated by any means, but fan reaction is generally negative. “Yakuza in name and nothing else,” one comment read. Another reviewer was critical of the show's adaptation of Kiryu, saying “This Kiryu is someone the real Kiryu would beat up in the substory to teach him some kind of life lesson.”
Like a Dragon: Yakuza has received negative reviews, currently sitting at 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and 48 on Metacritic. However, not all published reviews are aggregated from both sites.
yakuza
Yakuza, also known as Like a Dragon, is an action-adventure game series developed by Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Taking place primarily in the fictional Tokyo region of Kamurochō, the game is a crime drama featuring characters such as Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga, and is known for fun minigames such as karaoke.
