The world of Ryu ga Gotoku doesn't end within the game. Two live-action adaptations have been previously released. How is the story of the sleepless town of Kamurocho portrayed in film?
Ryu ga Gotoku, having conquered the gaming world with its elsewhere unseen, overwhelming sense of realism, was also made into live-action films. These were Ryu ga Gotoku: Prologue, released to DVD, and Ryu ga Gotoku: The Movie, shown in cinemas. They both have a unique charm, different to that of the game.
Prologue, released on DVD, came out in March 2006, the year after RGG1's release. Former martial artist Masakatsu Funaki was cast as Kazuma Kiryu. He was a perfect fit for the RGG series, with its pulsating action. Also containing bonus features such as a digest movie of the game, it became a topic amongst fans who wanted to know more about the world of Ryu ga Gotoku.
Ryu ga Gotoku: The Movie opened in March 2007, the year after RGG2's release. Playing Kiryu was skilled actor Kazuki Kitamura, with Goro Kishitani as his long-time rival Majima. It also boasted a magnificent supporting cast including Haruhiko Kato, Saki Takaoka and Sho Aikawa, showing how serious the film was. The game's general manager Nagoshi served as the film version's executive producer. He also appears in it as an actor.
"I told the director that I really wanted to be in it, but at first he said no... I wanted to try it out because I think all kinds of experiences are important." (Nagoshi) Nagoshi's passionate performance as Kyohei Jingu, the man who moves secretly in the darkness of Kamurocho, is a must-see.
The story of a red light district created in a fictional place in a video game this time appears in a live-action film, spinning its tale. Make sure you experience its charm.
Story
Kazuma Kiryu, Akira Nishikiyama and Yumi Sawamura. These three childhood friends, raised at Sunflower Orphanage, gradually begin to become aware of each other being the opposite sex as they grow into adults. They know nothing of the harsh destiny that awaits... Why did Kiryu begin to live as a yakuza? The story of his past becomes clear.
Commentary
This story tells the tale of Kazuma Kiryu's youth. It shows how he, raised at an orphanage along with Nishikiyama and Yumi, became a yakuza known as the "Dragon of Dojima". It is also full of events not made clear in the game, such as the secret of Yumi's ring, which will make playing the game more enjoyable.
Story
Kamurocho - a sleepless town caught in a whirlpool of ambition and violence. Kazuma Kiryu, a feared legendary yakuza known as the Dragon of Dojima, serves his prison term and returns. Visiting Kamurocho in the search for Yumi, the woman he once loved, he has a fated meeting with Haruka, a girl looking for her mother. The two finally become pulled into the dark plot surrounding the 10 billion yen, pursued by Majima, his lifelong rival. What awaits Kiryu and Haruka as they wander through the crazy town - hope or despair?
Commentary
The first surprise is the townscape, possessing a different sense of realism to that of the in-game graphics.
Playing the protagonist Kazuma Kiryu is Kazuki Kitamura. The manly charm and sparkle in his eye will make your heart squeeze. Goro Kishitani, playing his lifelong rival Goro Majima, also puts on a stellar performance. Since, unlike the game, the film version shows several intertwined incidents occurring simultaneously in Kamurocho, some people may find this strange. However, Kiryu and Majima's battle to the death in the film, standing out with its contrasting darkness and neon, is filled with the alluring charm of a live-action movie.