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Demian Smith had the (mis)fortune to get a job working as a translator on the very first Yakuza game for the PS2. If you haven't played it, know that for a game set in Japan and called Yakuza, it wasn't that Japanese. More »
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Ever wonder why thugs turn to a life of crime? Maybe it's because their threads cost so damn much. More »
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Sega is releasing a new Yakuza crime game this month in Japan. This game already has a title — Yakuza: New Chapter Black Panther. The Japanese company has another new Yakuza game. This game doesn't have a title. More »
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And it's covered in stickers. Because Japanese gangsters just love stickers? More »
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Yakuza. Shocking, we know. More »
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Pictured here is not adult video actress Rio. That's Anzu Takizawa, who on her blog says she loves Japanese crime game Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza in the West). More »
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SEGA held a cattle call for its upcoming Yakuza game with an open audition. Women with experience as cabaret hostesses were encouraged to apply. One finalist has more experience than that. Much more. More »
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SEGA has started holding "hostess" auditions for an upcoming Ryu Ga Gotoku (aka Yakuza) game. More »
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SEGA isn't just looking for actual bar hostesses (or hostess "types") for an upcoming Ryu Ga Gotoku (AKA Yakuza). Oh no. SEGA is looking for night club cabaret stories. More »
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Going on sale last February, Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) has shipped over half a million copies in Japan. It's a hit, and SEGA is hard at work on another entry in the franchise. More »
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If buying Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) isn't enough of a commitment, how about the Ryu Ga Gotoku cell phone? Japanese cell phone carrier Softbank is rolling out a Yakuza phone, SoftBank815T model, in three colors: red, black and white. The tastefully decorated clamshell is packed with game-themed icons, wallpaper and ringtones. Buy the phone and get goodies like a Ryu Ga Gotoku notebook and cell phone charm strap. At least the design is tastefully understated. More »
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Oneechanbara isn't the only video game-to-movie adaptation screening at the upcoming New York Asian Film Festival. Director Takashi Miike's film Ryu Ga Gotoku, known as Yakuza in the West and Like A Dragon when literally translated, is based on the PlayStation 2 game from Sega of the very same name. It will make its North American premiere next Monday, June 23 at the IFC theater, with a repeat performance on July 3. But wait, there's even more video game fun hitting that silver screen. More »
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Phew! Sure seems like Sega listens to fans. After the first Yakuza game was released with an English language dub, erasing the brilliant original Japanese one, people complained. Why not, you know, release the game with subtitles? It is called Yakuza and English dubbing, no matter how good, kills the mood! Well, that is, unless you're one of those can't-see-foreign-movies-with-subtitles people. For the PS2 sequel, Sega points out on the game's official site: More »
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Now typically, if we post nerdy figurines, that means one thing. No, it means two things: jubblies. This too! SEGA Toys is releasing a topless Kiryu Kazuma from Ryu ga Gotoku/Yakuza figure. Kiryu stands on a lit pedestal, holding a bat and sports yakuza-style back tattoos. No plans to release this outside Japan, but it's available for pre-order for US $68.90. Kiryu and his male nipples are slated to ship this July. More »
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We don't like Toshihiro Nagoshi's games quite as much as we like the man. Sure, Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza (aka Ryu Ga Gotoku) are fantastic Sega franchises, but we're far more impressed with Nagoshi's transition from run of the mill developer to a bronze god bedecked in nothing but gleaming white and leopard print. He's an awesome god. More »
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The Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! publicity machine continues! The game, dubbed Yakuza 3 for the West, is a PLAYSTATION 3 exclusive and will be released in Japan in early March. How can SEGA get the Japanese population worked into a frenzy? That's right, two Ryu Ga Gotoku KENZAN! "concept bar and cafes," complete with demo kiosks and promotional videos. We can only hope the cafes will be as awesome as the Photoshopped PR pics SEGA's sending out. Doubt it, though! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=359008&view=rss&microfeed=true Give it up. Give it up for Sega and Yakuza's main man, Toshihiro Nagoshi. Not only does Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzen—to be known as Yakuza 3 outside of Japan, we're guessing—feature extraordinary cleavage, it also features turtle racing. Yes. Turtle racing. Turtle racing that you can wager on. There's some other stuff in here, too, like amazing depth and breadth of detail, pretty graphics and all that crap. But those turtles. My God! More »
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Ryu Ga Gotoku arrived on Western shores as the dubbed Yakuza. PS2 title Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 didn't. Now with the third Ryu Ga Gotoku, a period game, is slated for PS3s next Spring, the question remains: Will North America and PAL territories see a release? Will it get a PS2 or PSP release? Says SEGA fashion plate-slash-game producer Toshihiro Nagoshi: More »
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While Sega's Yakuza may have flopped hard in the U.S., the Japanese equivalent, Ryu Ga Gotoku is nothing short of a mega-budget mega-hit overseas, spawning a sequel, two movies and funding producer Toshihiro Nagoshi's cell phone buying habits. Both Ryu Ga Gotoku games went "Best Hits" meaning a sequel was inevitable. And now that the official Ryu Ga Gotoku site in Japan is sporting a handy countdown calendar, an announcement seems inescapable. More »
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Sure, we knew that our favorite brown man and Monkey Ball creator, Toshihiro Nagoshi used to write articles for UK gaming mag EGDE in which he discussed important things like boozing. More »
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For purists, subtitles are better than dubs. Just think how Sega's Yakuza could've been better with the original Ryu Ga Gotoku voice track. Just! Well, leave it to the French to get it right with Naruto. Ubisoft's North American arm is developing Naruto: Rise of a Ninja, but including the original voice actors from the anime. That's right! The French game maker is including a Japanese voice track with English language subtitles. What's more, everything in the game has been approved by the creators of the original series. Well done, Ubisoft. Brian Ashcraft More »
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Sure beats popcorn! Filmmaker Takashi Miike and Ryu Ga Gotoku (AKA "Yakuza") film star Kazuki Kitamura sit in a movie theater with weapons to promote the movie in Kansai Walker. Don't like their adaptation of the Sega PlayStation 2 game, they'll beat you. Then shoot you. More »
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The upcoming Takashi Miike movie based on Sega's Yakuza (aka Ryu ga Gotoku) is due to hit Japanese theaters next weekend. To get gamers and Miike fans hyped, the official site has added a 6 minute-plus extended trailer for the movie, hightlighting the film's characters. I'm personally pretty psyched as a marginal Miike buff and will keep anyone interested updated on a DVD release. More »
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Back when Ryu Ga Gotoku ("Yakuza") was originally released in Japan, filmmaker Takashi Miike was roped in to make short promotional films, which were eventually cut into a forty-minute flick. The game went to be a smash, spawning a highly successful sequel, the cleverly titled Ryu Ga Gotoku 2. More »
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Sega stuff you can't get from a game you can't play. While Yakuza met a horrible dubbing fate, it's doubtful that Sega will give the game's PS2 sequel (called Ryu Ga Gotoku 2) the same drubbing for an US/Euro release. To get Japanese gamers ready for the title's December 7th domestic release, various stores retailers across the country are holding lottery type events to give away neat freebies like this jacket, which I'd actually wear anywhere except Japan. Brian Ashcraft More »
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by Brian Ashcraft More »
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Just as Yakuza goes on sale in North America for $50, Sony Computer Entertainment announces that the unlocalized version Ryu Ga Gotoku will be part of the "PlayStation 2 the Best" series and go on sale in Japan next month 1,890 yen (US $16). D'oh! Sure the game's not exactly new, but way to make everyone who's now paying full price feel like a chump. Brian Ashcraft More »
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Sega has announced not only a sequel for Ryu Ga Gotoku out this December in Japan, but also a schedule feature film version directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer), who also directed the live-action promo flicks for the original title. Known in the West as Yakuza, the game gave players a first-hand tour of the Japanese crime underworld. Sadly, the game was subtitled dubbed in English—ultimately killing some of the buzz around the title. Here's hoping Sega gets it right the second time. Brian Ashcraft More »
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To promote Sega's crime blockbuster Ryu Ga Gotoku (retitled "Yakuza"), Osaka-born filmmaker Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition) was roped into create a short 40-minute "prequel" that was sold in Japan. The film's been broken up into four segments and is airing on Sega Europe's Yakuza site. The movie is subtitled, leaving me still puzzled why the game is not. The game, in all its dubbed glory, drops September 5th. Brian Ashcraft More »
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When the Yakuza voice cast was announced I was depressed—well, as depressed as one can justifiably be when learning of a potentially bad dub for a video game. Enlisting a handful of B-minus acting talent filled my head with awkward, phoned-in performances from an all anglo cast doing their worst Japanese gangster impression. Since Sony—not to mention the gross majority of Western PS2 owners—would never go for a subtitled localization with the original Japanese language track intact, we're stuck with, well, shit. More »
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Sega's stayed true to its insanity and is moving forward with its dub of Ryu Ga Gotoku (US title: Yakuza). The game was made by Toshihiro "I Love Tanning Salons" Nagoshi and features some crackling Yak dialogue. That of course is going to be replaced with tough-sound American English. Scary! More »
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Frame Zero: IGN interview, dated May 30th, 2001. So full of light and laughter. This man knows only of monkeys and balls. More »
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The biggest mystery at E3, the thing that got everyone talking was not the Wii or the PS3. Rather, it was what the hell happened to Toshihiro Nagoshi's skin. Somewhere between bringing us classics like Super Monkey Ball and Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza), the acclaimed designer got locked in a tanning booth. In the center of the Earth. For years. More »
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At the Nintendo party earlier this week, I pulled aside Sega's Toshihiro Nagoshi (Super Monkey Ball) to talk about Yakuza's English dub. Titled Ryu ga Gotoku in Japanese, the game is one of the biggest budgeted ever and cost a cool 21 million US dollars. The game examined yakuza culture in great detail and paid close attention to the language, vocabulary and delivery Japanese gangsters use while speaking. Sega has decided to give the title an English language track, instead of subtitling the game. More »
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