Despite how far video game adaptations have come over the years, there’s been one glaring omission: there hasn’t been a good prestige drama based on a Japanese game. Like a Dragon: Yakuza finally solves that problem, delivering a high-stakes drama that dives into the criminal underworld of Japan’s yakuza, based on Sega’s series of the same name. It takes a bit of time to find its footing, but the sheer raw talent of the cast makes this a story that hits hard and doesn’t let go.
Like a Dragon tells a story of found family and acceptance, following four young orphans who are forced to contend with the world of the yakuza, and how they each struggle to retain their humanity in the face of its brutality. Two timelines are woven together across the show’s six episodes, and while there’s initially some awkward pacing and confusion, the way everything comes together is unforgettable.
