There are now almost as many live action Yakuza adaptations as there are unexpected Kazuma Kiryu comebacks, but you can watch this one for free.
Not to be confused with 2024’s critically maligned Amazon conversion, this one features actors from Japan’s long-running gangster drama series, Nihon Touitsu.
Episode 1 is available now, and you can watch it for free with full subtitles on IGN. (Yes, we appreciate that’s an odd location for this to exist, but at least you’re not going to have to sign up for yet another subscription service.)
There’ll be three episodes in total, and these will roll out over the remainder of the week.
Here’s the summary for the series:
A city swirling with desire and violence… Kamurocho. The legendary yakuza once known as the Dragon of Dojima, Kazuma Kiryu, takes the fall for his best friend who killed their patriarch. Ten years later, guided by fate, he returns to Kamurocho once more. But what awaited him were former members of his own organization who now hated him, a dangerous trap, and a series of mysterious incidents further corner him.
We’ve watched about half of Episode 1 so far, and it clearly understands the source material better than most adaptations, even if it is undeniably low budget. It even incorporates elements from the games, including cutscenes and backgrounds rendered in-engine from the PS5.
Will you be tuning in to this? Let us know in the comments section below.
