Kiryu's New English Voice in Like a Dragon: Love it or Hate it?

Fans of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name spin-off are once again divided after getting a glimpse of the new English dub voice actor for the beloved protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. This upcoming spin-off, set between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, follows the retired Kiryu as he undertakes secret agent missions under the alias Joryu. The English dub will feature a new voice actor for this iconic Dragon of Dojima, replacing the previous performer.

In Like a Dragon Gaiden, Kazuma Kiryu will now be portrayed by Yong Yea, a voice actor who is also known for his gaming YouTube channel. He takes over the role from Darryl Kurylo, who voiced Kiryu in the original Yakuza game. The announcement garnered mixed reactions from fans, with some expressing enthusiasm and others feeling uncertain about the casting choice. The scrutiny intensified when a brief preview of the character's portrayal was shown at Anime Expo 2023 during a game panel.

Yea performed the line in his own home booth instead of a professional recording studio, still giving fans a glimpse of his voice in Like a Dragon Gaiden. The line was directly taken from the English release date trailer subtitles, offering a point of comparison to Takaya Kuroda's voice. While many fans accepted Yea's portrayal of the legacy hero, some remained skeptical.

The main source of debate was the voice itself and how it stacked up against both the previous English dub and the original Japanese version. A majority of fans preferred Takaya Kuroda, considering him the definitive voice of the character due to his deep voice that perfectly matched Kiryu's demeanor and stoicism. Critics found Yong Yea's interpretation to be too nasally and high-pitched for the character, especially when compared to Darryl Kurylo's more baritone portrayal.

Yong Yea has showcased his talent in various anime and video game projects, including Sword Art Online, Cookie Run, and The Prince of Tennis. His portrayal of Father Enrico Pucci in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean has been considered his breakthrough role. While some fans may have reservations, many are eager to see Yea's performance in the upcoming game, recognizing the potential of the dubbed version in attracting new fans. On the other hand, some fans are satisfied with sticking to the original Japanese track.

Mark your calendars, as Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is set to release on November 9 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.