Sega Unveils Hollywood Voices For Yakuza

Sega of America and Sega of Europe announced the cast of actors who will lend their voices to the upcoming PlayStation 2 release of Yakuza. The game will ship on September 5 in both territories. Yakuza, which was scripted by noted Japanese novelist Hase Seishu, and was released last December in Japan to widespread acclaim (including an impressive 37/40 from popular Japanese publication Famitsu), will feature the voices of Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Sin City) as Shimano, a physically imposing Yakuza boss who relies on brutality to achieve his selfish goals; Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) as Nishiki, a ruthless Yakuza member who has turned against his childhood friend, Kazuma; and Eliza Dushku, (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring It On) as Yumi, who grew up with Nishiki and Kazuma in an orphanage, and is at the center of the mystery. Other actors lending their voices to the game include Rachel Leigh Cook (She's All That) as Reina, owner of the Serena hostess bar, whose secret love leads her down a road of betrayal; and Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: New Times) as the insane Majima, a violent Yakuza boss with a twisted sense of honor. “Yakuza was an immense hit in Japan, and in bringing the game to the U.S. 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. “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.”