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like a dragon ishin takeda kanryusai
Image via Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega

Like a Dragon Ishin Brings Back a Yakuza 0 Fan Favorite Actor

He's easily recognizable, even without a purple suit.

Those of you who played Yakuza 0 may remember Hiroki Awano, a Dojima Family Captain with a love of money, ladies, and dancing. Awano was a very distinctive character, which is why it’s a shame he only appeared in that game. Luckily, Like a Dragon Ishin has revived his spirit, thanks to the same actor who originally portrayed him.

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Like a Dragon Ishin Brings Back a Yakuza 0 Fan Favorite Actor

In Yakuza 0, Awano was portrayed by veteran actor Riki Takeuchi. Takeuchi has appeared in a variety of classic yakuza action films and lent both his face and smoky voice to Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio to bring Awano to life. The original version of Like a Dragon Ishin, released in 2014, came out before Yakuza 0, so while that game featured many mainstays of the series in similar roles, they couldn’t have Awano.

Related: When Will Like a Dragon: Ishin Be Released? Answered

The team wanted to rectify this for the remake, casting Takeuchi in the role of antagonist character Takeda Kanryusai. Kanryusai originally had a more generic face, but for the remake, he’s gotten a complete overhaul to better resemble Awano in both face and mannerisms.

Riki Takeuchi’s Return

like a dragon ishin fortress
Image via Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega

In a brief interview with RGG Studio Director Masayoshi Yokoyama posted on Sega’s official YouTube channel, Takeuchi described what it was like to make a comeback as Awano (or at least a character extremely similar to Awano).

“Honestly, that’s the sort of role I’m used to, I would say,” he said about playing an Awano-ified version of the historical Takeda Kanryusai.

When asked if there was anything he didn’t like about the role, Takeuchi said “no, the opposite really. I like sinking my teeth into a villain that way. In real life, I’m a perfectly nice guy. But I can take a character like that and give my own unique take on him. That’s what I’m good at.”

In a message to the fans, Takeuchi said, “Awano rampages through the city in a topknot, so what’s not to love?”

Even if it’s technically not Awano himself, it will undoubtedly be a pleasure to see Takeuchi in this kind of role again, not to mention hear his excellent voice work.


While we’re waiting for Like a Dragon Ishin, why not take a step back and check out our list of Trophies for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as well as our guide on finding Gold Keys in that game. Visit our Facebook page as well for more news and guides.

Author
Image of Daniel Trock
Daniel Trock
Since the first time he picked up a controller as a child, Daniel has been a dyed-in-the-wool gaming fanatic, with a Steam library numbering over 600 games. His favorite pastime, aside from playing games, is doing deep dives on game wikis to learn more about their lore and characters.