New blog about PlayStation (thanks, cheerful fanzine PCGamer per spot) provided some informative information about the upcoming movie Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii and, in many respects, the entire LAD series. The most crucial conclusion: the fact that pirate Yakuza was at one point intended to be a fishing game called Like A Dragon: Tuna.
Sachi Kobari interview RGG studio director and LAD executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, along with RGG lead producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto, talk about the origins of LAD: Pirate Yakuza. From the very beginning, Kobari asks how the game was created – and the answer is golden.
Yokoyama says that when work on Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Yakuza 8) was completed, they wanted to create a “blown-out side story” for the game, a sort of spin-off that would also feature other characters in addition to the main character. main character Ichiban Kasuga. It turns out that “for some time” Yokoyama wanted to create a game called “Like A Dragon: Tuna”, in which Kiryu “as a tuna fisherman goes out to sea to fight fishing boats”. Of course, it didn’t end up happening, but Yokoyama says words like “ship,” “sea” and “fight” “stood out in his mind.” And it was this mix of themes that ultimately led to piracy.
Interesting that they abandoned Kiryu and went with Majima. This is probably because Kiryu is featured in many of their games – most recently the semi-spin-off Like A Dragon Gaiden – and Pirate Yakuza gives fans what they want: control of the absolute weapon that is Goro Majima, with his clever ideas and stylish movements. He’s an amazing character, with real trauma fueling this external “madness”, and believe it or not, he has a gentle heart capable of love. We learned all this in the brilliant Yakuza 0, and then expanded on it a bit in Yakuza Kiwami 2 in a memorable reunion. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve recovered.
Let’s hope Pirate Yakuza will be the first of many silly spin-offs. Back in 2018 (or 2021 on PC), we had Judgment as an action spin-off to LAD’s turn-based battles, starring a great lawyer and his buddies fighting crime from the inside. Unfortunately, the Judgment series apparently came to a halt when actor Takuya Kimura, who plays main character Takayuki Yagami, got into some rights issues (Japanese link to these rights issues Here). You know what I would kill for? Spin-off of another LAD game, but it’s Haruka, that is anyone realizing the J-pop dream. God, this part of Yakuza 5 was great.
Oh, and Kiryu’s taxi driver antics in Yakuza 5? Also great. I’m just spitting RGG here, but I wouldn’t be mad if Like A Dragon went a little Crazy Taxi.
You can learn more about Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii in our pre-announcement coverage. And you can find it further Coupletoo.
