Updated July 7, 2023
Fans are again divided for the Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name spin-off after hearing a quick preview of the brand-new English dub voice actor for longtime protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. This upcoming spin-off will be taking place in between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It will focus on a retired Kiryu, who is working as a secret agent under the codename of Joryu. A new voice actor for the legendary Dragon of Dojima be present in the English dub, replacing the previous actor who portrayed him.
Starting with Like a Dragon Gaiden, Kazuma Kiryu will be voiced by Yong Yea, a voice actor who many may also know for being a gaming YouTuber. He will be succeeding Darryl Kurylo, who first played Kiryu in the original Yakuza game. The announcement drew both positive and confused reactions from across the fanbase, with a vocal minority being quick to criticize the casting decision. This drew even more scrutiny when a quick read of the character was showcased at Anime Expo 2023 during a panel for the game.
During a panel at the Anime Expo, Yea read a line taken from Like a Dragon Gaiden's English release date trailer, which was then shared on Twitter by ANN Events. Shortly afterward, to give fans a better quality impression of what Kiryu will sound like in the game, Yea tweeted a version of the line that had been recorded in his home booth. While many were accepting of Yea's interpretation of the legacy hero, some fans were still skeptical.
The main point of contention was the voice itself and how it compares to both the previous voice in the English dub and the Japanese original. Many favored Takaya Kuroda by default, as fans considered him to be the definitive voice of the character, having a suitably deep voice that reflected Kiryu's attitude and stoicism. Detractors found Yong Yea's interpretation to be too nasally and high-pitched to suit the character, especially in comparison to Darryl Kurylo's interpretation, who had given him a more baritone voice.
In terms of Yong Yea's previous performances in anime and video games, he has had roles in Sword Art Online, Cookie Run, and The Prince of Tennis. Anime fans might know him best as Father Enrico Pucci from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, which some argue was his star-making role. Despite the objections of some fans, many also want to give Yea a chance to prove himself in the latest game and acknowledged that the dub can help bring on new fans on-board. Others are content with sticking with the Japanese track.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will launch November 9 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
