In a new interview, producer and writer ofYakuza: Like a Dragon, Masayoshi Yokoyama, has stated that the game was inspired by the popular anime and manga series,One Piece. Yokoyama also went on to detail how the game’s name was agreed upon as well as the future of the franchise.Yakuza: Like a Dragonwas first released back in 2020 as a mainline entry that featured turn-based combat and focused on a protagonist named Inchiban Kasuga, who was apparently heavily inspired by Luffy fromOne Piece.
Yakuza: Like a Dragonwas thelast game in the franchise to use the title “Yakuza” outside of Japan, before adopting “Like a Dragon” as the new series title in the West.Sega clarified theYakuzafranchise’s name changeback in September. Given how popular the series has gotten around the world, it will likely be difficult to not refer to the series as “Yakuza,” and given how popular theOne Piecefranchise has gotten, it isn’t as much of a stretch for the manga to have been such a big influence on this unique entry in the franchise upon further examination.
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In an interview with Crunchyroll, Yokoyama, looked back fondly onYakuza: Like a Dragon, stating that writing the game was his take on aOne Piecegame. “I’ve never really talked about this before, so I’m not sure if I should just go for it now, but forYakuza: Like a DragonI was really, really inspired byOne Piece. To me, Ichiban is basically Luffy. And around him there’s Zoro and Nami and basically the rest of the party, you know?One Piece’s party composition was on my mind so much during writing that it was a massive influence,” said Yokoyama. Yokoyama also stated that catch copy forYakuza: Like a Dragonwas something similar to “life is an adventure.” That phrase goes well with theOne Pieceseries, as it focuses on pirates, journeys, and a grand sense of adventure.
In the same interview, Yokoyama also detailed the future of theYakuzafranchise(nowLike a Dragonin the West). A remake ofLike a Dragon: Ishin, which is getting a release in the West for the first time, is set to be released in February 2023, followed byLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namein 2023, andLike a Dragon 8in 2024. TheYakuzafranchise has exploded in popularity in the West. TheOne Piecefranchisealso has numerous projects in development for it, in addition to the long-running anime.
One Pieceis one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, so the fact that Yokoyama took inspiration for it for a game isn’t all that surprising. Much likeOne Piece,Yakuza: Like a Dragonhas a colorful cast, an energetic feel, and a gripping story. WithLike a Dragon 8confirmed to have dual protagonists, the strong sense of adventure is sure to continue on.
Yakuza: Like a Dragonis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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