Baka Mitai! Yakuza Series Skips Karaoke

The much-anticipated live-action adaptation of the Yakuza series, titled "Like a Dragon: Yakuza," will not feature the beloved karaoke minigame. Executive producer Erik Barmack shared this news during a recent roundtable discussion, sparking a range of reactions from fans. Barmack noted that while the minigame, a staple since its introduction in Yakuza 3 in 2009, won't be included in the initial six-episode series, there's potential for its inclusion in future seasons.

Karaoke May Come Eventually

The karaoke minigame has become a cherished part of the Yakuza franchise, with its song 'Baka Mitai' gaining meme status beyond the gaming community. Barmack explained the decision to exclude it from the series, stating, "Singing may come eventually... When you start to figure out how to boil down this world into six episodes… there’s so much source material to pull from." Despite this, the team remains open to future possibilities, especially since Ryoma Takeuchi, who plays Kazuma Kiryu, is an avid karaoke singer.

With the game's extensive 20-hour storyline to adapt, the team felt that including side activities like karaoke might detract from the main narrative and director Masaharu Take's vision. While some fans may be disappointed, the promise of future seasons potentially featuring karaoke offers hope. A successful first season could lead to expanded storylines and perhaps even Kiryu's iconic rendition of 'Baka Mitai.'

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

The absence of the karaoke minigame has raised concerns among fans about the series' tone, fearing it might shift too heavily towards seriousness and neglect the quirky, comedic elements that define the Yakuza franchise. Fans often expect adaptations to stay true to the source material, as seen with Prime Video's Fallout series, which attracted 65 million viewers in two weeks due to its faithful representation of the game's world and tone. In contrast, Netflix's 2022 Resident Evil series faced backlash for deviating from its source, being criticized as more of a teen drama than a thrilling zombie narrative.

During a Sega interview at SDCC on July 26, RGG Studio Director Masayoshi Yokoyama described the upcoming series as "a bold adaptation" of the original game. He expressed his desire for the series to offer a fresh experience, saying, "I wanted people to experience Like a Dragon as if it was their first encounter with it." Yokoyama hinted at elements in the series that would keep fans "grinning the whole time," suggesting that the show might retain some of the franchise's signature charm despite the absence of karaoke.

To delve deeper into Yokoyama's insights and see the first teaser of Like a Dragon: Yakuza, check out our detailed article below.