Yakuza, already a hit in Japan, is gearing up for its western release, and today SEGA has announced the line-up of Hollywood talent lending their voices to the game's characters. Michael Rosenbaum, Michael Madsen, Eliza Dushku, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Mark Hamill have all been signed up to voice characters in the game.
Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Sin City) will voice Shimano, a Yakuza boss who relies on brutality to achieve his selfish goals; Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor from Smallville) lends his voice to Nishiki, a ruthless Yakuza member who has turned against his friend Kazuma; Eliza Dushku, (Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) voices Yumi, who grew up with Nishiki and Kazuma in an orphanage; Rachel Leigh Cook (She's All That) plays Reina, the owner of the Serena hostess bar; and Mark Hamill (son of Darth Vader) voices Majima, a violent and insane Yakuza boss.
"Yakuza was an immense hit in Japan, and in bringing the game to the western market, we wanted to ensure that the subtle nuances of the game were brought to life," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "The title delivers the cinematic visuals and fast-paced action gamers demand, and with these top notch performances, they will experience a deep, character-driven storyline like nothing they have encountered before."
Yakuza is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 in September.
User Comments
vandy@ B
Teh_Gord@ B
vandy@ B
Machetazo@ B
Sega should release a Special Edition of Yakuza. It would cost about a tenner more than the standard version, but you get the original audio with subs. That audio exists already, it's not like they'd have to re-record anything, and everyone goes home happy.
If you desire that authenticity, and that's important to you (I for example am quite a stickler to the belief that the creator's original vision in media is paramount to be respected) then a tenner on top's nothing really, but it would help make it worth Sega's while.
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