Ryu ga Gotoku: Beyond the Game (2024)

The Fine Line Between Loyalty and Megalomania

Fans' opinions about the game deserve respect and recognition; after all, they have a long-standing relationship with this story, dating back to its very beginning. It’s natural for their evaluation to be more critical, as evidenced by the ratings throughout the mini-series on TVTIME. That said, as someone who has never played the game—though I was aware of its existence—I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of watching the adaptation. Amazon Prime Video deserves praise for its investment and the way it brought this narrative to life.

Overall, the script was quite cohesive, despite leaning a bit too heavily on flashbacks. However, these back-and-forth moments in time ultimately converged on a central point, which helped offset that minor flaw. As for the plot, I have to admit I had already suspected that Nishikiyama was the "Demon of Shinjuku." It wasn’t exactly a shocking twist, but the development of his plan, born from the tragedy of his sister’s death, was compelling. It’s a plan tinged with both schizophrenia and megalomania, but it offers plenty of layers for those willing to look deeper.

The mini-series ends with a clear hook for a potential second season. However, given the critical feedback from fans of the game, I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t continue. Still, if it gets renewed, I’ll be first in line to watch.

It’s also worth highlighting the technical excellence of the production: the set design, costumes, and overall atmosphere were flawless, elevating the experience to a visually stunning level. Even with a few missteps in the script, these elements helped solidify the adaptation’s quality.

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"Dumbass"

Like a Dragon was based on a video game. I’m guessing the video game was written better than this drama. It had potential but couldn’t get out of its own clichéd way.

Four teens being brought up by Kazama at his orphanage decide to break ties with him and rob a gambling den. Turns out it’s run by the yakuza. Kazuma and Nishika are allowed to work for the yakuza to pay off their debt while Miho and Yumi are sent to the hostess bar to work their debt off. Kazuma ends up in prison for 10 years. Upon his release he discovers that his made family is caught up in a mess that could lead to an all out gang war.

This drama bounced back and forth between 1995 and 2005 in every episode. When a drama overly relies on this technique, it usually means there’s not enough story and the writers are trying to build some sort of suspense. People familiar with the game may be able to fill in the gaping narrative holes. The characters were poorly written which did not help the actors. The acting ranged from good to painfully bad. Majima Goro is currently listed as a main character, if you are watching for him, you’ll be disappointed as his appearances were fleeting.

I’d hoped the drama would strengthen as the characters headed for the big showdown. Instead, the story felt more convoluted and the performances more forced. I suppose I should mention what I liked about the drama. Takeuchi Ryoma was very pretty to look at and had obviously worked out for the role of the Dragon. This drama could also win a world’s record for longest princess carry. If you are familiar with the game you’ll probably get more out of this drama than I did.

30 April 2025

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