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Persona 4 RevivalTakeo Godai
Takaya Kuroda, the Japanese voice of Kazuma Kiryu, plays Takeo Godai in Stranger Than Heaven, a skilled craftsman and a man of few words. Godai is a new character, not Kiryu, and his era and role had not been shown as of Nov 3, 2026.
Takeo Godai is "a skilled craftsman and a man of few words" in Stranger Than Heaven (SEGA, Sep 25, 2026), portrayed by Takaya Kuroda, the Japanese voice of Kazuma Kiryu in the Like a Dragon (Yakuza) games (Final Weapon, Aug 28, 2026). Godai is a new character, not Kiryu: Stranger Than Heaven is set from 1915 to 1965, long before Kiryu's story. As of Nov 3, 2026, SEGA has not said in which era Godai appears or what his craft is, and no preview has described him.
Quick facts
| Portrayed by | Takaya Kuroda |
| Kuroda is also | Kazuma Kiryu's Japanese voice |
| Who Godai is | A taciturn craftsman of solid skill |
| Era | Not announced as of Nov 3, 2026 |
| TGS 2026 | Kuroda on SEGA's stage, Sep 20, 2026 |
Sources: SEGA: cast page; Final Weapon, Aug 28, 2026; Sakura Index (SEGA), Aug 29, 2026.
Is Kiryu's voice actor in Stranger Than Heaven?
Yes. Takaya Kuroda is credited on the official cast page as Takeo Godai, and he appeared on SEGA's Tokyo Game Show 2026 stage on Sep 20, 2026. Kiryu himself is not in the announced cast, and SEGA has given no hint that Godai is tied to him.
Other Like a Dragon voices
Kazuhiro Nakaya, the voice of Ichiban Kasuga, was announced as not appearing in Stranger Than Heaven (AUTOMATON, May 20, 2026). No other character from the series has been announced. See Characters and Cast and Is Stranger Than Heaven a Yakuza Game?.
Frequently asked questions
Who does Takaya Kuroda play in Stranger Than Heaven? Takeo Godai, a skilled craftsman and a man of few words. Stranger Than Heaven has not revealed his era or story as of Nov 3, 2026.
Is Kazuma Kiryu in Stranger Than Heaven? No. Kiryu is not in Stranger Than Heaven's announced cast; his Japanese voice actor, Takaya Kuroda, plays a different character.
Is Ichiban Kasuga's voice actor in Stranger Than Heaven? No. AUTOMATON reported on May 20, 2026 that Kazuhiro Nakaya will not appear in Stranger Than Heaven.
Sources
- STRANGER THAN HEAVEN: Cast, SEGA, undated
- Stranger Than Heaven Reveals New Info On Key Characters And Show Business Theme, Worthplaying (SEGA press release), Sep 25, 2026
- Stranger Than Heaven Gamescom Demo Walkthrough and Yokoyama Interview Released, Final Weapon, Aug 28, 2026
- Stranger Than Heaven TGS 2026 Onstage Guest Lineup Revealed, Sakura Index (SEGA press release), Aug 29, 2026
- Ichiban Kasuga's voice actor will not be appearing in Stranger Than Heaven, AUTOMATON, May 20, 2026
Related
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Suzy DayTori Kelly plays Suzy Day in Stranger Than Heaven, a talented singer who dreams of making it big and whose rise in show business begins when she meets Makoto Daito in the Shizuoka segment. Kelly also co-wrote and sings the theme song.
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Tupac Shakur as AmaruSEGA says Tupac plays Amaru in Stranger Than Heaven, "a man living in hiding in Japan," a CG character RGG Studio built from archival footage and photographs with the permission and supervision of his estate, Amaru Entertainment, and without the use of AI. Amaru's voice, era and role had not been announced as of Nov 3, 2026.
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Yu ShinjoYu Shinjo is Makoto Daito's lifelong friend and rival in Stranger Than Heaven, a half-Japanese, half-British young man he meets on the ship to Japan in 1915. He is portrayed by Dean Fujioka.
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DevelopmentStranger Than Heaven was in development at RGG Studio for 6 to 7 years, began as a planned trilogy, was revealed as Project Century in December 2024 and renamed in June 2025, and uses no generative AI, according to RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama.
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Like a Dragon Games in OrderThe Like a Dragon (Yakuza) games in release order, from Yakuza (2005) to Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (2026), with the Judgment spin-offs; Stranger Than Heaven, out Jan 15, 2027, is RGG Studio's next game, set in the same world but not a numbered entry.
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Masayoshi YokoyamaMasayoshi Yokoyama is the head of RGG Studio and the executive director of Stranger Than Heaven, a longtime writer of the Like a Dragon (Yakuza) series who took over the studio in October 2021. The game's director is Mikinobu Abe.
- Netflix MovieSEGA and Netflix announced a live-action Stranger Than Heaven film on Sep 14, 2026, produced by SEGA head producer Toru Nakahara. As of Nov 3, 2026 no director, writer, cast or release date has been named.
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RGG StudioStranger Than Heaven is made by RGG Studio (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio), SEGA's in-house team behind Like a Dragon (Yakuza) and Judgment, led since October 2021 by Masayoshi Yokoyama. SEGA publishes it on Jan 15, 2027.
See also
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Characters and CastStranger Than Heaven's official cast page credits 17 characters to the people who portray them, led by Yu Shirota as the hero Makoto Daito, with Dean Fujioka, Snoop Dogg, Ado, Tori Kelly, the late Bunta Sugawara in CG and Tupac as Amaru. No separate English voice cast has been published as of Nov 3, 2026.
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Genzo IwakiGenzo Iwaki is the big boss of Kure in Stranger Than Heaven, head of the Iwaki Family that Makoto Daito joins in 1929. He is portrayed by the late actor Bunta Sugawara, made in CG from archival footage with his family's consent and Toei's materials, and voiced by Takashi Ukaji.
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Keiko ShiraiAdo plays Keiko Shirai in Stranger Than Heaven, the diva of wartime Osaka in the 1943 Minami chapter, and both voices her and sings her era's songs. Ado is also one of the four singers on the game's theme song.
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Makoto DaitoMakoto Daito is the hero of Stranger Than Heaven, the son of an American father and a Japanese mother who flees San Francisco for Japan in 1915 and, over fifty years, becomes a yakuza known as the Red Oni and a showman. He is portrayed by Yu Shirota.
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OrpheusSnoop Dogg plays Orpheus in Stranger Than Heaven, a globe-trotting smuggler who finds Makoto Daito stowed away on a ship in 1915, takes him to Japan and spots his musical talent. Snoop Dogg also sings on the theme song, and his son Cordell Broadus plays the Veiled Stranger.