Summary
The highly contentious dub of theLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namespin-off has been released and is available for fans to download via a post-launch patch.Gaidenlaunched earlier this November, serving as a short interlude and bridging point for the mainlineLike a Dragongames. One feature that missed the game’s launch was the inclusion ofan English dub voice track forGaiden, a feature that has become a new staple of recent games in the franchise, following its re-introduction inYakuza: Like a DragonandJudgment.
The originalYakuzagame featured an English dub, featuring TV and movie actors like Mark Hamill, Michael Rosenbaum, and Darryl Kurylo, but wasn’t received very well at the time of its release. After the series was sub-only for roughly 13 years,Like a Dragonspin-off gameJudgmentwould bring back English dubs into the series. The seventh mainline game in the series,Yakuza: Like a Dragon, would also see it getting an English dub. The series would continue producing English dubs for most of its new releases, includingLike a Dragon Gaiden.
One early point of contention regardingGaiden’s English dub was there-casting of longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. Kiryu was previously played by Darryl Kurylo in both the original PS2 release of the firstYakuzagame, along with reprising the role years later for the dub ofYakuza: Like a Dragon. Starting withLike a Dragon Gaiden, Kurylo would be succeeded by Yong Yea. While there were some positive reactions to Yea becoming the new voice of the Dragon of Dojima, there were a lot of fans who weren’t enthusiastic about the change in actors.
Kiryu’s new voice inGaidenstill seems to be a point of contention among fans, the main crux of the ire being Yea’s interpretation and how it compares to Kurylo’s portrayal in English and Takaya Kuroda’s voice in Japanese. Many favored Kuroda’s voice by default, as fans considered him to be the definitive version of the character, who had a strong baritone voice. Detractors ofGaiden’s English dub found Yea’s interpretation to be too nasally and high-pitched, sounding ill-fitting as a result.
This contention still persists among fans, as evidenced by the mixed responses to the announcement of the patch on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Twitter account and the trailers uploaded to YouTube promoting the dub. Some of the vitriol from Yea’s portrayal inGaidenhas trickled down intoKiryu’s appearance inInfinite Wealth, as he will be playing the character there as well. The consensus from fans was that Yea still sounds too young for Kiryu, especially since the character will be pushing his 50s in the upcomingInfinite Wealth. Regardless, there are some fans that also want to give Yea a shot at standing out on his own as the Dragon of Dojima, regardless of the backlash.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
WHERE TO PLAY
ERASE YOUR PAST TO PROTECT YOUR FUTURE: Once a legendary yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu faked his own death and abandoned his name for the sake of protecting his family. Now, he is thrust into conflict by a mysterious figure attempting to drive him out of hiding. Under the codename “Joryu,” Kiryu embarks on a gripping action narrative with bone-shattering combat in vibrant locations filled with exciting characters and activities.ULTIMATE COMBAT WITH TWO HIGH-IMPACT FIGHTING STYLES: Dynamically switch between the Yakuza and Agent fighting styles in visceral melee combat. With the Yakuza style, strike fear into enemies by unleashing wildly aggressive moves powered by Kiryu’s unparalleled strength and flair. Or up the ante with the Agent style by delivering blows with absolute speed and precision, while using an array of high-tech gadgets like electrified bind wires to stun enemies then send them flying. Strategically adapt to the situation and leverage both styles to dominate and destroy hordes of enemies.ENDLESS ENTERTAINMENTWhether you’re brawling in the secret Battle arena, singing a new karaoke song, enjoying a drink at the live-action cabaret club, or racing in the pocket circuit, the world offers a variety of immersive experiences. An intriguing informant named Akame also provides thrilling sub-missions, drawing you into an epic showdown that unfolds the more you explore and enjoy Sotenbori and Yokohama.
