Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like A Dragon series (formerly known as Yakuza) has experienced a wild resurgence with Western audiences in recent years. Newer games in the series like Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Lost Judgement have capitalized on this by offering English dubs as well as native Japanese to bring in new players to their growing audience. Does the newest title trend or does it go back to basics? Here’s everything we know about whether Like A Dragon: Ishin has an English dub.
Does Like A Dragon: Ishin Have An English Dub?
Like A Dragon: Ishin will not have an English dub. This is likely to be very jarring for new players who have only just gotten into the franchise, but it is sure to make longtime fans and purists of the series very happy. There are plenty of fans who completely forego the English dub in recent games and opt for native Japanese.
Given the franchise’s growth over the years, it might seem like a step back for Like A Dragon: Ishin to not feature a dub. When asked about the exclusion, RGG Studio insisted that this was in fact a stylistic choice and that it also came down to practicality.
In an interview with the fansite Tojo Dojo, producer Masayoshi Yokoyama explained that the dialect featured in the game’s historical setting would be extremely cumbersome for English voice actors to translate and record saying:
For the Ishin remake, we’re using subtitles. We’re not dubbing voiceovers. We’re translating the game into English, but the specialised vocabulary and the way people talked during the Bakumatsu era would make the lines incredibly long so it just wouldn’t work. So, this time we’re doing subtitles.
Masayoshi Yokoyama via Tojo Dojo
Honestly, it makes total sense. Like A Dragon has always been considered to be the strongest example of digital tourism in gaming and has been lauded for embracing its Japanese culture, traditions, and lifestyle. It only feels right that the series once again goes back to its roots to deliver the most authentic portrayal of this era in history.
In the same interview, Yokoyama highlights that Yakuza 0, which features no dub, is still considered to be the series’ most successful title and is considered a fan favorite. If no English dub is a deal breaker, then it’s likely that the upcoming Like A Dragon Gaiden will feature one, and it’s almost certain that Like A Dragon 8 will bring back its English voice cast.
That’s everything we know about whether Like A Dragon: Ishin will have an English dub. Be sure to check out the rest of our coverage ahead of the game’s release next week.
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