Like a Dragon: Yakuza, the series adaption of the video game, which was first released in 2005, is coming to Amazon Prime Video this month, and we have everything you need to know about the 31-year-old actor who is playing Kazuma Kiryu in the upcoming series.
Who Is Ryoma Takeuchi?
Born on April 26, 1993, Takeuchi has done it all! From acting to modeling and even starring in musicals, some may say he is a triple threat!
The Japanese actor got his start during a male model competition in 2013. Women’s Fashion Magazine held its first auditions, where he was chosen as the Grand Prix out of 2,457 participants, which kickstarted his career. The following year, he was chosen as the main character of the series drama Kamen Rider Drive. He then also appeared in other dramas titled Hiyokko, Kahogo no Kahoko, and Rikuo.
In 2017, he won a Japan Academy Award for Best New Actor for his role in the film Teiichi no Kuni. Then, in 2019, he went on to try voice acting, where he made his debut in the first Hollywood live-action film, Detective Pikachu, for the video game series Pokémon. He appeared in the film as the main character, Tim, dubbed in Japanese.
He even dabbled in the theater life when he starred in a musical for 17 Again, based on the 2009 film starring Zac Efron. Then, in 2022, he played the lead role in the remake of the Korean Drama Itaewon Class titled Roppongi Class, which made it big in Asia. Now, the actor is making another splash in the entertainment industry as the lead role in Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming series, Like A Dragon: Yukaza.
During an interview with IGN Japan, Takeuchi said that he was “surprised” when he was offered the role. “I knew about the game series and had played the first game at my uncle’s home. It’s a real challenge to play a character from an existing work, and I considered very carefully whether I was suited to portray Kiryu, and whether it was right for me. From the beginning, I knew I would have to give it everything I have, or I’d never pull it off,” he said.
He went on to talk about how he made sure to stay true to how he thought the character should be played and not listen to the pressures of the fans.
“I have great respect for the feelings of the fans,” the actor said. “But when I play a character, I have to express them in my own way, so I can’t pay attention to the preconceptions of others. I researched the games for myself, to identify Kiryu’s qualities and embody them in my own way. Of course, I hope the fans will be happy with my portrayal — but I can say with confidence that I’ve done my best to play Kiryu. There’s no point in trying to surpass the original game; rather I wanted to show respect to the games while making something new as an artist.”
Cast List for Like A Dragon: Yakuza
- Ryoma Takeuchi as Kazuma Kiryu
- Kento Kaku as Akira Nishikiyama (AKA Nishiki)
- Munetaka Aoki as Goro Majima
- Toshiaki Karasawa as Shintaro Kazama
- Yuumi Kawai as Yumi Sawamura
- Saki Takaoka as Reina
- Kōichi Satō as Daigo Sasaki
- Misato Morita as Aiko
- Masaya Katō as Dojima
- Hinano Nakayama as Miho
- Ryûdô Uzaki as Goda
- Subaru Shibutani as Detective Date
- Tomoya Maeno as The Florist of Sai
Where Can I Watch Like A Dragon: Yakuza?
Fans can watch Like a Dragon: Yakuza on Amazon Prime Video, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. The new live-action adaption is set to release a six-part series in two installments. The first three episodes will be available on Friday, October 25, and the last three will be available on Friday, November 1.
Published: Oct 22, 2024 07:35 am