'Like a Dragon' Live-Action Skips Karaoke Scenes

The Yakuza series' highly anticipated live-action adaptation will omit the beloved karaoke minigame. Read on to learn more about producer Erik Barmack’s comments and how fans reacted to the news.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza Excludes KaraokeKaraoke Might Arrive Eventually

Like a Dragon: Yakuza’s executive producer, Erik Barmack, revealed in a recent roundtable discussion that the live-action series will omit one of the game’s popular features: the karaoke minigame.

The karaoke minigame is undeniably a fan favorite in the Yakuza series. Introduced in Yakuza 3 in 2009, it has become a mainstay of the franchise, even appearing in the 2016 remake of the first game, Yakuza Kiwami. The minigame’s popularity is such that its signature song, ‘Baka Mitai’, has transcended the game and become a widely recognized meme.

"Singing may appear later," Erik Barmack said, according to TheGamer. "When you begin to determine how to condense this world into six episodes… there’s so much source material to draw from." Despite this, the team remains receptive to incorporating karaoke in the future, especially given Ryoma Takeuchi, the actor portraying Kazuma Kiryu, admitted to singing karaoke often.

With only six episodes to adapt a game that spans over 20 hours, including side activities like karaoke could potentially detract from the main narrative and impede director Masaharu Take’s vision for the series. While the omission of karaoke might disappoint some fans, the possibility for future seasons to include these popular elements remains. If the live-action adaptation succeeds, it could lead to expanded storylines and perhaps even to Kiryu singing ‘Baka Mitai’ enthusiastically.

Fans Lament ‘Dame Da Ne, Dame Yo, Dame Nano Yo!’

While fans retain optimism for the show, the omission of the karaoke minigame has sparked concerns that the series might heavily favor a serious tone, potentially neglecting the humorous aspects and eccentric side stories that characterize the Yakuza franchise.

Adaptations often contend with fan pressure to stay true to the original source material. As long as it is loyal, fans would watch it. For example, Prime Video’s Fallout series garnered 65 million viewers in just two weeks due to its loyal portrayal of the game’s tone and world-building. In contrast, Netflix’s 2022 Resident Evil series faced criticism for its departure from the source material, with many viewers labeling it a teen drama rather than a thrilling zombie show.

In a Sega interview at SDCC last July 26, RGG Studio Director Masayoshi Yokoyama described the upcoming live-action series as "a daring adaptation" of the original game. He highlighted his desire for it to avoid being a mere copy, stating, "I wanted people to experience Like a Dragon as if it was their first encounter with it."

When asked about his impressions of the series, Yokoyama assured that fans will uncover aspects of the show that will keep them "grinning the whole time." While the specifics remain undisclosed, this might indicate that the live-action adaptation didn’t entirely remove the series’ signature quirky charm.

Check out our article below to learn more about Yokoyama’s interview at SDCC and Like a Dragon: Yakuza’s first teaser!