Hi guys, I was thinking about the original plan for Shenmue's story by Yu Suzuki and the info he shed about that in 2014. Well, almost the original plan, since at first it should have been 16 chapters, then it was set for 11.
This picture shows them all:
Here instead we have the map:
Le'ts consider also the second picture, the map. Here we see 10 locations, since one is covered (but we can still see the arrow).
So, if we carefully check these pictures, from left to right, top to bottom, we recognize:
1. Yokosuka (Shenmue I)
Introduction. According to Yu Suzuki himself, here the story should have been a bare minimum, just setting the pace and reasons for the whole saga.
- Ship segment -
Not a chapter per se, just a short story about the travel from Japan to China. It appeared as a short manga. Yu Suzuki recently stated he'd like to reuse some of these ideas (possibly for Shenmue III Boat DLC?)
2. Hong Kong (Shenmue II)
Real start of the story, meeting with Ren and Xiuying.
3. Fujian [Baisha] (originally planned for Shenmue III, then scrapped)
This is my speculation, since it's the not visible destination. We only see an arrow pointing from Hong Kong to Fujian, where ideally Baisha should be (because of the confirmed presence of the tulou). Probably some connections to the specific story of the Phoenix Mirror.
This is the first chapter that Suzuki said he decided during the development of Shenmue II to postpone to Guilin. The reason is that he knew back then he had almost no chances of making Shenmue III, so he wanted to reach a sort of small conclusion for the saga, have Ryo meet Shenhua and see the Shenmue tree.
During the development of Shenmue III, as we know, it was included back again and then scrapped again Notice that in the orignal Kickstarter video, Baisha is the first area Suzuki describes, probably following the original plan.
4. Shanghai-Suzhou (Shenmue III)
These two cities were scrapped/postponed for the same reason of Baisha during the development of Shenmue II. They became Niaowu, a chapter where Ryo focuses on his training. The picture shows Ryo in fact training, and around him the faces of possibly different masters? We assumed that Fenghuang is the main inspiration for the architecture of Niaowu, but the water towns around Shanghai and Suzhou are very similar as well.
5. Guilin (Shenmue II-Shenmue III)
About halfway of the original story, where Ryo should have finally met Shenhua. A more introspective chapter according to Yu Suzuki
6. Xi'an (Shenmue IV?)
It's highly likely that the story will resume here. We know Ryo reaches the Great Wall and near Xi'an there's the Southernmost segment of this monument.
7. Luoyang
Famous for the Longmen Grottoes. The closest location to the Shaolin Temple.
8. Cangzhou
It might be the part of the story that Yu Suzuki reffered to as "the sadness", a major turning point in his personal growth. The picture shows the Iron Lion of Cangzhou.
9. Loulan
Oasis city in the Xinjiang desert.
10. Beijing
The final fight with Lan Di?
11. Xinjiang (??)
I assume this should be something like... life goes on after the whole story. Maybe Ryo promised someone to return after he went to Loulan, who knows. I like the idea that the saga might not finish with the final big fight, but in another way, just like Shenmue II didn't end with the Dou Niu fight.
This picture shows them all:
Here instead we have the map:
Le'ts consider also the second picture, the map. Here we see 10 locations, since one is covered (but we can still see the arrow).
So, if we carefully check these pictures, from left to right, top to bottom, we recognize:
1. Yokosuka (Shenmue I)
Introduction. According to Yu Suzuki himself, here the story should have been a bare minimum, just setting the pace and reasons for the whole saga.
- Ship segment -
Not a chapter per se, just a short story about the travel from Japan to China. It appeared as a short manga. Yu Suzuki recently stated he'd like to reuse some of these ideas (possibly for Shenmue III Boat DLC?)
2. Hong Kong (Shenmue II)
Real start of the story, meeting with Ren and Xiuying.
3. Fujian [Baisha] (originally planned for Shenmue III, then scrapped)
This is my speculation, since it's the not visible destination. We only see an arrow pointing from Hong Kong to Fujian, where ideally Baisha should be (because of the confirmed presence of the tulou). Probably some connections to the specific story of the Phoenix Mirror.
This is the first chapter that Suzuki said he decided during the development of Shenmue II to postpone to Guilin. The reason is that he knew back then he had almost no chances of making Shenmue III, so he wanted to reach a sort of small conclusion for the saga, have Ryo meet Shenhua and see the Shenmue tree.
During the development of Shenmue III, as we know, it was included back again and then scrapped again Notice that in the orignal Kickstarter video, Baisha is the first area Suzuki describes, probably following the original plan.
4. Shanghai-Suzhou (Shenmue III)
These two cities were scrapped/postponed for the same reason of Baisha during the development of Shenmue II. They became Niaowu, a chapter where Ryo focuses on his training. The picture shows Ryo in fact training, and around him the faces of possibly different masters? We assumed that Fenghuang is the main inspiration for the architecture of Niaowu, but the water towns around Shanghai and Suzhou are very similar as well.
5. Guilin (Shenmue II-Shenmue III)
About halfway of the original story, where Ryo should have finally met Shenhua. A more introspective chapter according to Yu Suzuki
6. Xi'an (Shenmue IV?)
It's highly likely that the story will resume here. We know Ryo reaches the Great Wall and near Xi'an there's the Southernmost segment of this monument.
7. Luoyang
Famous for the Longmen Grottoes. The closest location to the Shaolin Temple.
8. Cangzhou
It might be the part of the story that Yu Suzuki reffered to as "the sadness", a major turning point in his personal growth. The picture shows the Iron Lion of Cangzhou.
9. Loulan
Oasis city in the Xinjiang desert.
10. Beijing
The final fight with Lan Di?
11. Xinjiang (??)
I assume this should be something like... life goes on after the whole story. Maybe Ryo promised someone to return after he went to Loulan, who knows. I like the idea that the saga might not finish with the final big fight, but in another way, just like Shenmue II didn't end with the Dou Niu fight.
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