Like a Dragon: Yakuza’s Kiryu actor “really wants” to try the game series, but only if he has enough time to play it from start to finish

Despite not playing the game series for his hard-hitting role, Like a Dragon: Yakuza’s Kiryu actor Ryoma Takeuchi is “looking forward” to playing them in future.

“Yes, actually I do have a strong feeling towards that. I really want to play the game, but if only I could be given a break to do so,” Takeuchi said (via translation) when GamesRadar+ asked whether he would now be tempted to play the Like a Dragon series, formerly known as Yakuza in the west. 

“What I mean is that I really like playing video games, but if I start playing it I need to play the whole game. So, I need to stay in front of the television screen for a long, long time.”

Despite Takeuchi outlining his intentions, don’t expect him to be Tiger Dropping gangsters or getting seriously into Pocket Circuit on the virtual streets of Kamurocho any time soon.

“I have so many things that are waiting for me to do and accomplish in front of me,” Takeuchi said. “So, that’s where I am right now. But I look forward to playing the games.”

Previously, Takeuchi told us at San Diego Comic-Con that the creative team behind the new Prime Video series suggested he explore the character of Kiryu “from scratch”.

“I know these games – everybody in the world knows these games,” Takeuchi said at the time. “But I haven’t played them. I’d like to try them but they had to stop me because they wanted to – for the character in the script – explore from scratch. That’s why I decided not to play.”

Makes sense to us. After all, even the likes of The Last of Us’ Ellie actor Bella Ramsey and Joel actor Pedro Pascal were told not to pick up a controller and dabble in the source material before filming.

“I was actually encouraged not to,” Ramsey told USA Today. “After my first audition, they asked me, ‘Have you played it?’ And I said, ‘Nope,’ and they said, ‘Keep it that way.'”

The first three episodes of Like a Dragon: Yakuza are now streaming worldwide on Prime Video. For more, check out the full Like a Dragon: Yakuza release schedule, our verdict of the first season in the Like a Dragon: Yakuza review, and our ranking of the best Yakuza games.