Put aside whether or not Amazon Prime’s Like a Dragon is a good adaptation. Is it, in and of itself, a good series? Taken on its own terms, does it present a well shot, well written, interesting series that is consistent within its own bounds?
No.
The series is dominated by flat, brightly lit shots, often in broad daylight. Route shot-reverse-shot consumes most of the runtime, sometimes cutting to the next shot mid-line or mid-movement in a way that does not add to the scene, or put us into a character’s mindset, but kills momentum and confuses the production. Apart from a few conspicuously higher budget sequences, the show resists giving the presentation any mood or shadow. Action scenes are brief, uninteresting, and do little to sell the characters or thrill the audience.
Baffling audio issues reign. Like a Dragon is so quiet that turning the volume way, way up will have most scenes still operate at a whisper. Then a sudden sound effect, a bar of music, or a few lines of dialogue will be at a normal volume until it flickers back down. Trying the show on several devices showed it wasn’t our set-up, the problem is with the series.
The narrative is confused, and confusing. If you are unfamiliar with the games, the series presents an impenetrable story. Without playing the games, I’m not sure someone could give a cogent explanation of who is doing what in 1995, and why. For example, who is Kazama and what is his relation to the characters at Sunflower and the Dojo Clan?
Despite prior announcements, the show is not truly its own take on the narrative, only a halfhearted remix. Understanding events hinges on a familiarity with the source material, leaving any new audience in the dust. But it is also a singularly unfulfilling, haphazard adaptation. The problem is not that the characters are changed—the problem is that the changes prevent satisfying character arcs and surprise (to word it vaguely, Nishiki knows the truth from the very beginning) or defeat the narrative at hand (Kazama as a loving father, or the truth behind the Dragon of Dojima).
Amazon Prime’s Like a Dragon has nothing to offer.
We are given a limited number of hours on earth. Spend the hours you could watch this show telling your friends and family you love them, volunteering at a local charity, cooking a delicious dinner, pursuing your passion, making art, sending the people you care about a real letter or postcard, and, if you haven’t, playing Yakuza 0 and the original Yakuza.
Featured Image: Amazon Prime
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