For many years, the vast majority of games in the Like a Dragon series did not have official English dubs. This allowed fans of the franchise to become accustomed to playing the games with Japanese audio, and while recent mainline and spin-off titles have been dubbed in English, many players have opted to stick with Japanese. These players may need to reconsider their selection when starting Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, though, as there are some compelling reasons to pick the English dub.
While players will presumably be able to switch between English and Japanese audio during their playthroughs of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, doing so may be disruptive, and fans will likely want to stick to just one setting.
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Samoa Joe’s Voice Performance in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Professional wrestler Samoa Joe, a former WWE United States Champion and AEW World Champion, plays the role of Pirate King Raymond Law in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and this is perhaps the most obvious reason for players to engage with the game’s English dub. Indeed, some fans will definitely want to experience Joe’s voice acting firsthand, and that will only be possible when English audio is selected.
Players who opt to play Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii with Japanese audio will hear the voice of Miou Tanaka when encountering Pirate King Raymond Law. Fans may recognize Tanaka’s voice from Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, where he played Yosuke Tendo, and he is sure to give a great performance in the upcoming spin-off.
The Celebrity Cameo Problem in Like a Dragon
As an aside, some players may wish that there was an option to have all the characters in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii speak Japanese except for Samoa Joe’s character, who would be voiced in English. This would allow fans who prefer playing Like a Dragon games with Japanese audio to do so while still getting to hear Samoa Joe’s performance. While the availability of this audio arrangement is unconfirmed, it is definitely something that developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio may want to consider, as this is not the first time that players have desired such a configuration.
Indeed, actor Danny Trejo’s appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth also created a situation where players wanted just his character, Dwight Mendez, to speak English. Moreover, it is likely that this desire will continue to arise over time, as it is rumored that some big-name celebrities, who are native English speakers, are being eyed for future entries in the series. Those rumored celebrities for future Like a Dragon games include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Keanu Reeves, and Seth Rogen, and players who prefer Japanese will miss out on their performances if the way that the series approaches audio remains unchanged.
Matthew Mercer as Goro Majima in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Matthew Mercer, a prolific voice actor and the Dungeon Master for Critical Role, is back in the role of Goro Majima for Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and players may want to see how he approaches the performance by selecting the English dub. While it is true that Mercer’s portrayals of Majima in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth were divisive, the spin-off’s intense focus on the character could give the voice actor a chance to really settle into the role. And even if Mercer is not quite able to reach the heights of Hidenari Ugaki, the much-beloved voice of Majima in Japanese, there is still one big reason to be excited about his performance: karaoke in English.
24-Hour Cinderella in English
Karaoke will return in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and Mercer’s involvement means that players will get official English versions of some classic Majima songs. Of those songs, “24-hour Cinderella” from Yakuza 0 is perhaps the one that fans will find most exciting, though “As Long As You’re Happy” from Yakuza Kiwami 2 also has its appeal. Players will need to wait a bit longer before they can hear Mercer’s take on those Majima tunes, but they can get a sense of how they might sound by watching the following video, which centers around the English-language version of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii‘s Goro Pirates Anthem.
While Samoa Joe and Matthew Mercer might not be enough to convince players to pick English audio over Japanese, their involvement definitely adds a new layer to the choice. Additionally, there are some other very talented actors involved in the English dub, including Debra Wilson as Queen Michele, which may sway some fans’ decisions. Regardless of which audio setting players ultimately prefer, it is definitely difficult to argue that the Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii‘s English dub is without any merit.
- Released
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February 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol