The world premiere of Amazon Original’s live-action drama “Yakuza: Beyond the Game” was held in Tokyo on the 21st. Attending the event were the lead actor Ryoma Takeuchi, who plays Kazuma Kiryu, Kento Kaku as Akira Nishikiyama, Yumi Kawai as Yumi Sawamura, Toshiaki Karasawa as Shintaro Kazama, Munetaka Aoki as Goro Majima, Hinano Nakayama as Miho Nishikiyama, and director Masaharu Take.
The drama is based on Sega’s hit video game series Yakuza (Ryu ga Gotoku), set in the bustling city of Kamurocho. It tells the story of two men, Kazuma Kiryu and Akira Nishikiyama, who are drawn into the world of organized crime. The series intertwines events from 1995 and 2005 in an original crime-suspense script.
Synopsis for “Yakuza: Beyond the Game”:
In 1995, four children—Kiryu, Nishikiyama, Yumi, and Miho—grow up in the orphanage “Sunflower.” Wanting to escape their strict lives, they attempt a raid on an arcade. However, the arcade is controlled by the Dojima clan, a powerful yakuza group. The clan leader demands repayment for the damage caused, putting the group in a dangerous situation.
Despite the wishes of their guardian Shintaro Kazama, who hoped they would lead honest lives, they begin to descend into the criminal underworld. Fast forward to 2005, Kiryu returns to Kamurocho to protect his loved ones, leading to violent confrontations.
At the premiere, Ryoma Takeuchi expressed his excitement, saying, “It’s a difficult challenge, and everyone—cast and crew—knew that when we started. But without taking risks, you can’t create surprises. I felt that this project was special because everyone was united in facing those challenges.” He also mentioned being thrilled that the series will be seen by viewers around the world.
Co-star Kento Kaku praised Takeuchi’s intense action scenes, saying, “The conditions were tough—we were filming in a small, hot room with around 100 extras. To be honest, it didn’t smell great with all the guys sweating (laughs). But Ryoma did all his stunts himself, and I was just watching, hoping he’d make it out alive.” He encouraged fans to watch the first episode carefully, as the fast pace is unlike anything typically seen in Japan.
The drama will have six episodes, with the first three released on October 25 and the remaining three on November 1, exclusively on Prime Video.
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