Though the series was recently rebranded to Like A Dragon, it is still most commonly known by the long-standing Yakuza name. There is such division over the names that it's frankly even difficult to know which phrasing to prioritise while searching for them.

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So what's caused this confusion in the first place? The series had taken off in the West with the release of Yakuza 0, so why suddenly change the name to Like A Dragon? Turns out, there's actually quite a bit of history in a name, so let's dive in and figure it out.

The Origins Of The Ryu Ga Gotoku Name

Kiryu Kazuma from Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Looking at this first section, you might be wondering what, exactly, Ryu ga Gotoku is actually referring to. Well, aside from it being the name of the studio that develops꧃ the games in question, it is also the name of the series in Japan.

Ryu ga Gotoku has been the name of the series in Japan since its inception, and they remain numbered to this day. For example, while Yakuza: Like A Dragon was the first Western entry to get the name change, it was more directly called Ryu Ga Gotoku 7 in Japan. Confusing? Only if you're aware it's happening.

Considering Kiryu's common title of 'The Dragon of Dojima' (Dojima no Ryu), the Ryu Ga Gotoku title makes a lot of sense

The Origins Of The Yakuza Name

Kiryu being held at gunpoint in Yakuza Kiwami

So now we 🎶know why the series got its name in Japan, what about why they changed it to Yakuza in the first place? Besides, Kiryu is only very brie🍷fly even in the Yakuza in the original game.

Well, as you may recall around the time of Yakuza 0, the series was commonly referred to as 'GTA in Japan' which was exactly Sega of America's mindset with the original English localisation.

Trying to thrive off the other open-world crime game of the day, the name Yakuza was chosen to match those vibes. The funny thing is that the name stuck for the following decade, but the English dub never returned until the name changed. And with good reason. No matter how much you throw Mark Hamill at a voice-acting problem, it won't solve butchered localisation direction.

In a humourous twist, Kiryu's original English voice, Darryl Kurylo was returned for the dub in Yakuza: Like A Dragon with a much more lauded performance.

The Modern Shift From Yakuza To Like A Dragon

Kasuga Ichiban on a Honolulu beach, looking horrified and confused
via RGG Studio

At this point, you might be starting to see where the name change has come from. Unlike what it may seem, the names are actually aligned in all regions now, with Like A Dragon just being the direct English translation of Ryu ga Gotoku. You can get even more information about the title change from 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:th🌺e producer 🥃of the Like A Dragon series himself.

There is technically still the complication of how the Japanese games have kept their numbered entries while the rest of🦩 the world has gained subtitles, despite the series all being one chronological tale. That said, h🍰aving a consistent primary title is more important, and reduces the barriers to entry to a long-running series.

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