Like a Dragon Gaiden: Akame fans fall even harder for Uika, the actress that plays her
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name released on November 8. Amidst the various responses to the new title, the Japanese celebrity First Summer Uika has been growing in popularity from her appearance in the game, gaining a new fanbase among western fans.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is the latest spin off title in the Like a Dragon series that tells the story of Kazuma Kiryu who, during the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, faked his own death and disappeared. In the same vein as the other Like a Dragon titles, the latest game also casts real-life celebrities and influencers, and among them, it seems that First Summer Uika has managed to fulfill a demand fans weren’t aware they had.
First Summer Uika is a Japanese celebrity who used to belong to the alternative idol group BiS and is currently active as a singer, actress, and TV personality. She is known for her charismatic talking skills – as a native of Osaka (western Japan), she talks in the playful Kansai dialect, and her ability to carry jolly conversation has brought her success in variety shows as well as acting roles.
Uika makes an appearance in Like a Dragon Gaiden as Akame – a figure that operates from the shadows, grasping information and controlling Sotenbori from behind the scenes. On the other hand, she is not a yakuza, and holds contempt for those who try to harm society. She is eager to stand up for the weak and wishes for peace in Sotenbori.
While Akame is already popular as a character, becoming many people’s bias as soon as Gaiden released, Uika herself has also been gaining attention for her appearance, fashion and versatility. While Japanese players who knew of her from before were impressed by how well she suits the character of Akame, international fans are discovering all of her unique sides and talents for the first time.
Uika’s music has also been in the spotlight on social media – a video she directed, filmed and edited on her own while in quarantine for her song “Open the Door” last year has been brought back by Akame fans, earning her praise such as “divine gift.”
But thinking of the gravity of Akame’s role in Like a Dragon Gaiden, the surge in her and her real-life counterpart’s popularity comes as no surprise. Akame is a key player in the plot, with most events in Sotenbori involving her and a big portion of play time being spent together with her. It’s almost as if she’s a lowkey second protagonist.
Then there’s her memorable personality. Although she operates in the underworld, she is good-natured and just, while also being fun and charming. She stands out significantly from past female characters in the Like a Dragon series, and the light-hearted dynamic she has with Kiryu is satisfying to watch. Since she very much has a strong woman energy to her, the more cute and girly sides her real-life counterpart Uika sometimes shows has people even more enraptured.
Even Google Trends show that Uika’s recognition is growing internationally, and the global popularity of the Like a Dragon IP is no doubt what contributed to this. Going forward, future titles of the series may result in more and more Japanese celebrities getting discovered internationaly.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is available for the PC (Steam/Microsoft Store) and PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S. It is also available for PC/Xbox Game Pass.
Written by. Amber V based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-11-13 12:11 JST)
Ayuo Kawase
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