5 things I love about Shenmue I

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England
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leedsutd97
5 things I love in particular about Shenmue I
Despite being relatively new to the Shenmue world, I have already formed observations and opinions on the game as well as an emotional attachment that no other video game has ever given me. Although there are more than 5 things I love about the game, these are my main ones. I must warn that there are spoilers, just in case anybody who hasn't completed the game (or it's successors) has made their way to this thread. So, here we go...


Is this love that I'm feeling?
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A big part of the first game is Ryo’s relationship with Nozomi. After Ryo defended her at school against bullies, her feelings grew for our hero Hazuki-san and I feel it’s one of the most interesting parts of the game. Due to Ryo’s mind being fully focused on avenging his fathers death, he doesn’t seem to care much when Nozomi shows him affection or expresses her feelings toward him. Nozomi shows what a kind-hearted girl she is by leaving Iwao Hazuki's favourite flowers in the altar room. If my timing was correct, a conversation takes place between Ryo and Kurita (who owns the military shop) who has just split up with his partner. Kurita resents the fact that he didn’t value his partner and tells Ryo that he should value “his girl”, but he already knows that, right? Ryo says “not really”. Now, I may not have got the order of that right, but it happened when I spoke to Kurita after Nozomi left the flowers while I was waiting around for the infamous 12 noon date at the arcade. Either way, it’s a fine example of Ryo not caring much about romance in his situation and makes me feel that when Ryo doesn’t express himself towards Nozomi, it’s more of a state of mind thing, rather than knocking her back. Also, since Kurita says “his girl” I assume he is referring to Nozomi as it seems that the neighbourhood believe that there is something going on between Ryo and Nozomi with one example being Mario of Bob's Pizzeria offering to cook Nozomi’s favourite meal when Ryo interacts with him.

My emotional investment only increased when the devastating news arrives that Nozomi would be leaving for Canada. I often wonder if she would have stayed in Yokosuka if Ryo had shown her the same feelings back. Of course, it wouldn’t have mattered either way as Ryo would end up leaving for Hong Kong. Even if they were together, I doubt that Ryo would have brought Nozomi over to China with him due to the potential danger that could lie ahead - just like when he knocked back Fuku-san’s request to go with him. With that in mind, I would say that the whole thing is bad timing for Ryo himself, as I'm sure Nozomi would have happily become his girlfriend at this point. The scene between the two at the harbour is also a fantastic idea. The photo taken by Eri is a nice item to have (I picked the one where they are closest together - why don’t you smile Ryo?!) but the more the story progresses in Shenmue 2 and 3, the more it saddens me to look back on it which was probably the desired effect.

It’s clear to me that Ryo cares enormously for Nozomi and that belief is only strengthened when he rescues her from the Mad Angels. It lead to one of the most memorable scenes in all three games to date in my opinion, when the two rode back home on a motorcycle. During the scene, I feel Nozomi seizes a rare opportunity of some form of intimacy with Ryo when she places her head against his back during the journey. Maybe she felt that this was going to be the last time she would have a chance like this with him, either forever or for a long time at least, due to her impending move to Canada. To me, it’s both a beautiful and very sad scene. The same can be said for the amulet scene and Nozomi wishing that they had more time together.

I truly wish that we see Nozomi resurface in-person, in a future Shenmue title. She did say that she would head back to Japan when on vacation and for all we know, Ryo could return to Japan himself in one of the future games. After all, the events of the first game and the ending of the third are only roughly six or more months apart although it feels much longer for fans that were waiting since 2001 for Shenmue 3. Both Nozomi and the subplot involving her were unforgettable to me.

The Forklift job at Yokosuka harbour and all it entails...
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I must confess that I disliked this part of the game when I first started it. I didn't have a clue on how to work the forklift - let alone find the warehouses I needed to offload the boxes at! My dislike and poor attitude lasted for around 2 shifts but then I ended up getting the hang of it, and finally used to the routine itself. Of course the job serves its purpose in relation to finding out more about the Mad Angels, but aside from that, you end up getting used to the characters you work in and around with, such as Mark. From the conversations at the work breaks, to the whacky transformation of Goro and everything else, I started to become more invested these characters. I think there's a part of Ryo himself that becomes invested when he is sat around on those breaks. Especially his supervisor Mark, whom he has something in common with as Mark has a deeply strong reason to hate the Mad Angels too. When Ryo interacts with his other colleagues, he seems interested in chatting to them and finding out what they are planning to do after their time on the harbour. The job is also a part of Ryo becoming a man in the real world. His father Iwao often drilled values into him from a young age, like when we saw the flashback where Ryo doesn't want to eat his carrots. Now, he is living a life not too dissimilar to that for the first time. Of course it's all for his own self-interest in pursuing the Angels and ultimately Lan Di, but he's living it all the same.

The moments where Ryo saves Goro and Mark from the Angels' thuggery is made more meaningful by the fact that he has formed rapports with both men and the whole thing is built so well. The more this period of the game went on, the more I started to enjoy it. I really started to embrace everything about it. This was a complete transformation from when I first started when I didn't like it so much. Then of course, Ryo gets fired from the job due to his war against the Mad Angels. I was so disappointed because I was happy with the routine. I believe that this is one of the many beauties of Shenmue. You get used to things, whether it be people or the surroundings, yet it gets taken from you but you still go on to enjoy and love whatever is next in store for Ryo.

A respect that is hard-earned but ultimately worthwhile

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The relationship between Ryo and Guizhang gets off to a bad start when Ryo turns up unannounced at the old warehouse no.8. Guizhang probably sees him as a no good, arrogant kid that has no business around him or his father that he loves and respects so much. Guizhang antagonises Ryo with jibes and the two seemed destined to just simply not get along, at first. As they get to know each other more, that respect from the side of Guizhang grows. The first time I'd say it grew probably would have been when the two came to blows after it's revealed Guizhang has been set as Ryo's bodyguard by Master Chen. That respect probably went to hell when he found Ryo wasting his money at Asian Travel Co. if he was still following him at that point, though! Joking aside, we start to see the first signs of respect from that point. Ryo's words and animated body language towards Guizhang when he asked what he would do if something happened to his father will have struck a chord, but the fact that Ryo could handle himself probably meant that little bit more too.

I felt it was rather emotional when Guizhang trains Ryo on how to do a move and then tells him that if he was in his shoes, then he would do the same as what he plans to do in regards to avenging his father's death. It's a good scene and nobody is doubting that Guizhang wouldn't do it due to the clear affection he has for his father. The two clearly have something in common, they are/were both close to their fathers. Maybe Guizhang starts to sympathize with Ryo more, but finds it difficult to show it, due to the way he is. I can only describe Guizhang and Ryo taking on all 70 members of the Mad Angels (after initially fighting each other) as epic.

It was such a shame that he got hurt before setting off for China with Ryo. I honestly played Shenmue 2 expecting him to show up halfway through the game to save Ryo in a hopeless situation (which instead fell to Xuying Hong as it turned out). I lost faith in that thought the more Ryo advanced into Hong Kong and sadly it never happened. I thought Ryo and Ren's relationship was interesting, but imagine a Guizhang and Ren relationship?! I can already picture Guizhang scolding Ryo, telling him that he shouldn't associate with a thief and that they need to focus on finding Zhu rather than waste their time on "scum" like Ren. Or how about Ryo, Ren and Guizhang being backed into a corner and having to fight 70 Yellow Head members? Anyway, I digress. Guizhang was a great character in this game and I loved how his relationship with Ryo developed from a rocky start. I hope that we see him again in the series. It's about time that he caught up with Ryo in China!

Enter: ''The Great'' Chai

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Following Guizhang and Ryo's first scuffle, we see Chai emerge on top of one of the neighbourhood's houses. I honestly didn't know what the hell he was at first. He spooked me out and instantaneously gave me vibes of the cannibals from the movie 'The Hills Have Eyes''. I even wondered if there was more creatures just like Chai and that he had his own brotherhood that worked for Lan Di, at first. I'm now a lot wiser in hindsight and know he was just one individual that works for Lan Di, but when he debuted with that music, it opened up a lot of possibilities in my mind. The music is excellent and you know who's around when it plays. Going back to his first appearance, I thought the plot was getting even more interesting since at the time the Phoenix Mirror was fresh in the mind and now this mysterious threat had joined the story.

I quickly came to dislike him after he ate the Hong Kong ticket. It's obvious from there that he's gonna be a thorn in Ryo's side but given the way he beat me at the arcade, there was respect for his toughness, which is important considering he ultimately turns out to be the game's final boss. My dislike for him increased further when kidnaps the lovely Nozomi with the Mad Angels and threatens to kill this innocent young lady unless Ryo turns up at a certain time. Then, he makes matters worse later on by injuring Guizhang when he and Ryo look set to travel to China together!

Don't get me wrong, Chai won't be the strongest villain that Ryo will come across. Since Shenmue is a drawn-out story, he is perfect for the first game. He brought a different vibe when in many ways I didn't expect somebody (or something?) like him to turn up and it just adds another layer to the story in the right way. He's got all of the ingredients of a good villain: easy to dislike, does despicable things and is a genuine threat despite his destitute appearance.

Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same...
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Although the circumstances of why Ryo is rooting around Yokosuka trying to find clues on how he might Lan Di are very sad, I found the setting of his hometown and the characters rather likeable. The sight of running past Nozomi who is stood outside Aida Florist and Tom dancing around by his burger van becomes all too familiar with the music and surrounding noises playing. Especially the first time I played the game since I was really new to it and didn't know where to go or who to speak to. It's easy to get used to it all, and quite homely if I do say so.

Things start to change. Ryo starts to fight sailors and gangs. He discovers the Phoenix Mirror which I thought was the real first tinge that he is going to be on an adventure of a lifetime. His heart starts to become set on going to Hong Kong, which would mean leaving virtually everybody that we have come to know behind. Some are leaving him behind in their own way too, though. Potential love interest Nozomi has to go back to Canada and Tom is shutting his van down and heading back to America. It's scary with how things are moving rather fast. That homely feeling I previously described is now gradually turning into a clock ticking to potential catastrophe as Ryo gets himself into further danger. His dying father told him to keep those he loves close to him, and it feels like Ryo is neglecting that amid his pursuit of Lan Di. Not just all of that, but we then start to realise that the Phoenix Mirror holds great power and there's a lot of responsibility on Ryo's shoulders now he has it in his possession. All of these changes are happening but we as players only know our human emotion. It ''got me'', most of the time. On the other hand, it's hard to tell what Ryo is thinking when other things (aside from his pursuit of Lan Di) are happening. We see him watch Tom's plane fly away to the the land of opportunity and say ''My friend... Tom.'', so he isn't oblivious to it, but what is he thinking?

This may come across as a ''depressing'' part of my positives and in some ways, it is. It's reality though, and I feel Shenmue prides itself on realism. The music changes around the time you discover the Phoenix Mirror and that's so poignant in relation to where things start heading. Don't get me wrong, I love a happy ending and I want one for Ryo. I want him to be with Nozomi in the long-term. I was sad that Tom left, it was out of the blue and something I never expected at the time. These things such as potential heartbreak and friends drifting away from one another are all apart of life, though. Yu Suzuki and his team are telling an important story in such a brilliant way. With that being said, I simply couldn't leave this out of my favourite parts of the game, even if it is bittersweet.
 
What a great writeup! It made my appreciation of Shenmue I really grow, because in my last playthrough of last year (after not playing it in 20 years) it felt a bit rough, and totally overshadowed by the sequel.

I relate specially to the first three things you describe. Nozomi, Gui Zhang and the workmates at the harbor were really well written, even if they are probably inconsequential in the big picture of the whole series storyline.
 
Hey Dan, amazing thead. "Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same " i think i know what you did here, you like the band Keane right? I love Keane and i love this song. 😊

I loved reading about your thoughts and what you felt playing the game, really nice to read. I agree with a lot of things you wrote, i hope Nozomi and Guizhang appear again. Shenmue is really special for me and in my opinion it is a masterpiece, playing Shenmue is like a therapy for me and it helps me dealing with my Mother's death.

Would be really nice if you do threads like this about yout thoughts of Shenmue II and III too, if you want of course.

Nice to see new Shenmue Fans here.
 
What a great writeup! It made my appreciation of Shenmue I really grow, because in my last playthrough of last year (after not playing it in 20 years) it felt a bit rough, and totally overshadowed by the sequel.

I relate specially to the first three things you describe. Nozomi, Gui Zhang and the workmates at the harbor were really well written, even if they are probably inconsequential in the big picture of the whole series storyline.
Thanks a lot! That’s most likely one of the best compliments I could receive (you appreciating a Shenmue I more as a result of the write-up).

I agree that most of these subplots will most likely be inconsequential to the big picture. I believe only Nozomi may feature towards the end of it, if my hunch is right. On the other hand, Guizhang proved to be similar matched to Ryo when they fought and Ryo was fairly new to fighting men which doesn’t really bode well for Guizhang helping him out against more powerful enemies later down the line.

Shenmue 2 was such an epic sequel and I really feel bad saying that I preferred that over the first game because I love both of them so much. I guess you could say it’s like picking a “favourite child”!
 
Hey Dan, amazing thead. "Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same " i think i know what you did here, you like the band Keane right? I love Keane and i love this song. 😊

I loved reading about your thoughts and what you felt playing the game, really nice to read. I agree with a lot of things you wrote, i hope Nozomi and Guizhang appear again. Shenmue is really special for me and in my opinion it is a masterpiece, playing Shenmue is like a therapy for me and it helps me dealing with my Mother's death.

Would be really nice if you do threads like this about yout thoughts of Shenmue II and III too, if you want of course.

Nice to see new Shenmue Fans here.
Thanks a lot Hiki!

That was my intention with that header. I felt it was a great way to describe how that part of the game made me feel. I agree, it’s a great song! I seem to be striking a “musical” chord with members of the forum already :D

It’s really awesome that the game helps you deal with your mother’s passing and I am sorry to hear about that. I agree, Shenmue is a masterpiece and it irritates me that the game didn’t sell as many copies as it deserved to. On another personal note, it has quickly become my favourite video game series of all-time and I’m new to it. It didn’t take long at all while playing to make me feel this way either.

I find it really flattering that you would like to hear my thoughts on the second and third games. I will definitely follow up with those threads. Thank you!
 
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Thanks a lot Hiki!

That was my intention with that header. I felt it was a great way to describe how that part of the game made me feel. I agree, it’s a great song! I seem to be striking a “musical” chord with members of the forum already :D

It’s really awesome that the game helps you deal with your mother’s passing and I am sorry to hear about that. I agree, Shenmue is a masterpiece and it irritates me that the game didn’t sell as many copies as it deserved to. On a personal note, it has quickly become my favourite video game series of all-time and I’m new to it.

I find it really flattering that you would like to hear my thoughts on the second and third games. I will definitely follow up with those threads. Thank you!
Many years ago i saw Keane here where i live and it was awesome, such a amazing band, i think my favorite album is the first album Hopes and Fears, but i like the others albums too.

I feel the same, and Shenmue is my favorite video game series of all-time, if you play the game more times you will discover new things, new scenes, new conversations and much more. If you want try playing the game and get to the first day of January and then come here and comment with me what you saw, the attention to detail is something very interesting and beautiful, Shenmue is really a game ahead of its time.

It is so amazing, and the ending of the game is so emotional, leaving Yokosuka is so emotional because we got the chance to interact a lot with the characters, we got the chance to really feel the city Yokosuka. for me Shenmue is more than a game, Shenmue is a experience that i will never forget, i’m even creating my own story that have a Shenmue vibe.
 
Many years ago i saw Keane here where i live and it was awesome, such a amazing band, i think my favorite album is the first album Hopes and Fears, but i like the others albums too.

I feel the same, and Shenmue is my favorite video game series of all-time, if you play the game more times you will discover new things, new scenes, new conversations and much more. If you want try playing the game and get to the first day of January and then come here and comment with me what you saw, the attention to detail is something very interesting and beautiful, Shenmue is really a game ahead of its time.

It is so amazing, and the ending of the game is so emotional, leaving Yokosuka is so emotional because we got the chance to interact a lot with the characters, we got the chance to really feel the city Yokosuka. for me Shenmue is more than a game, Shenmue is a experience that i will never forget, i’m even creating my own story that have a Shenmue vibe.
It’s awesome that you got to see Keane live! I can’t say I am a huge fan of them like you are, most likely because I haven’t visited their library in detail as of yet, but I do like quite a few of their songs. “Everybody’s Changing” in particular used to remind me a lot of when my football/soccer team got demoted from the top league (coincidentally around 2004 when the song came out) when they were previously a powerhouse just a few years before - it was a fall from grace. The song gave me a feeling of like “hey, we are getting so bad and we are getting left behind by the top teams, big style and so sudden too”. With Shenmue and Ryo though, it’s more of a feeling of “Hey Ryo, you live in a cool neighbourhood. Nozomi is the girl for you. Can’t you forget about revenge for a moment and show this nice girl some love? Most guys would love somebody like that in their lives. But no, he won’t listen, and his whole world is changing as each day passes and it doesn’t feel the same. His destiny is calling” - I hope that makes sense to you!

I think that you will be right about replaying the game. Honestly, when I first played all three I rushed through it because I love the story so much. It’s only when I started replaying the first game partly to relive the tale again and for PS4 trophies did I notice some subtle things which made me want to write about it, and ultimately lead me here to ShenmueDojo which has given me an awesome platform to share it with fellow fans such as yourself.

I couldn‘t agree more regarding your words on Yokosuka. I wonder if Ryo will ever return there in a future game? Although it would be such a shame without Nozomi stood outside the flower shop or seeing Tom dance around outside his van while you seek answers from the locals.

Your own story sounds interesting and I would read it if you do sure it one day.
 
5 things I love in particular about Shenmue I
Despite being relatively new to the Shenmue world, I have already formed observations and opinions on the game as well as an emotional attachment that no other video game has ever given me. Although there are more than 5 things I love about the game, these are my main ones. I must warn that there are spoilers, just in case anybody who hasn't completed the game (or it's successors) has made their way to this thread. So, here we go...


Is this love that I'm feeling?
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A big part of the first game is Ryo’s relationship with Nozomi. After Ryo defended her at school against bullies, her feelings grew for our hero Hazuki-san and I feel it’s one of the most interesting parts of the game. Due to Ryo’s mind being fully focused on avenging his fathers death, he doesn’t seem to care much when Nozomi shows him affection or expresses her feelings toward him. Nozomi shows what a kind-hearted girl she is by leaving Iwao Hazuki's favourite flowers in the altar room. If my timing was correct, a conversation takes place between Ryo and Kurita (who owns the military shop) who has just split up with his partner. Kurita resents the fact that he didn’t value his partner and tells Ryo that he should value “his girl”, but he already knows that, right? Ryo says “not really”. Now, I may not have got the order of that right, but it happened when I spoke to Kurita after Nozomi left the flowers while I was waiting around for the infamous 12 noon date at the arcade. Either way, it’s a fine example of Ryo not caring much about romance in his situation and makes me feel that when Ryo doesn’t express himself towards Nozomi, it’s more of a state of mind thing, rather than knocking her back. Also, since Kurita says “his girl” I assume he is referring to Nozomi as it seems that the neighbourhood believe that there is something going on between Ryo and Nozomi with one example being Mario of Bob's Pizzeria offering to cook Nozomi’s favourite meal when Ryo interacts with him.

My emotional investment only increased when the devastating news arrives that Nozomi would be leaving for Canada. I often wonder if she would have stayed in Yokosuka if Ryo had shown her the same feelings back. Of course, it wouldn’t have mattered either way as Ryo would end up leaving for Hong Kong. Even if they were together, I doubt that Ryo would have brought Nozomi over to China with him due to the potential danger that could lie ahead - just like when he knocked back Fuku-san’s request to go with him. With that in mind, I would say that the whole thing is bad timing for Ryo himself, as I'm sure Nozomi would have happily become his girlfriend at this point. The scene between the two at the harbour is also a fantastic idea. The photo taken by Eri is a nice item to have (I picked the one where they are closest together - why don’t you smile Ryo?!) but the more the story progresses in Shenmue 2 and 3, the more it saddens me to look back on it which was probably the desired effect.

It’s clear to me that Ryo cares enormously for Nozomi and that belief is only strengthened when he rescues her from the Mad Angels. It lead to one of the most memorable scenes in all three games to date in my opinion, when the two rode back home on a motorcycle. During the scene, I feel Nozomi seizes a rare opportunity of some form of intimacy with Ryo when she places her head against his back during the journey. Maybe she felt that this was going to be the last time she would have a chance like this with him, either forever or for a long time at least, due to her impending move to Canada. To me, it’s both a beautiful and very sad scene. The same can be said for the amulet scene and Nozomi wishing that they had more time together.

I truly wish that we see Nozomi resurface in-person, in a future Shenmue title. She did say that she would head back to Japan when on vacation and for all we know, Ryo could return to Japan himself in one of the future games. After all, the events of the first game and the ending of the third are only roughly six or more months apart although it feels much longer for fans that were waiting since 2001 for Shenmue 3. Both Nozomi and the subplot involving her were unforgettable to me.

The Forklift job at Yokosuka harbour and all it entails...
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I must confess that I disliked this part of the game when I first started it. I didn't have a clue on how to work the forklift - let alone find the warehouses I needed to offload the boxes at! My dislike and poor attitude lasted for around 2 shifts but then I ended up getting the hang of it, and finally used to the routine itself. Of course the job serves its purpose in relation to finding out more about the Mad Angels, but aside from that, you end up getting used to the characters you work in and around with, such as Mark. From the conversations at the work breaks, to the whacky transformation of Goro and everything else, I started to become more invested these characters. I think there's a part of Ryo himself that becomes invested when he is sat around on those breaks. Especially his supervisor Mark, whom he has something in common with as Mark has a deeply strong reason to hate the Mad Angels too. When Ryo interacts with his other colleagues, he seems interested in chatting to them and finding out what they are planning to do after their time on the harbour. The job is also a part of Ryo becoming a man in the real world. His father Iwao often drilled values into him from a young age, like when we saw the flashback where Ryo doesn't want to eat his carrots. Now, he is living a life not too dissimilar to that for the first time. Of course it's all for his own self-interest in pursuing the Angels and ultimately Lan Di, but he's living it all the same.

The moments where Ryo saves Goro and Mark from the Angels' thuggery is made more meaningful by the fact that he has formed rapports with both men and the whole thing is built so well. The more this period of the game went on, the more I started to enjoy it. I really started to embrace everything about it. This was a complete transformation from when I first started when I didn't like it so much. Then of course, Ryo gets fired from the job due to his war against the Mad Angels. I was so disappointed because I was happy with the routine. I believe that this is one of the many beauties of Shenmue. You get used to things, whether it be people or the surroundings, yet it gets taken from you but you still go on to enjoy and love whatever is next in store for Ryo.

A respect that is hard-earned but ultimately worthwhile

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The relationship between Ryo and Guizhang gets off to a bad start when Ryo turns up unannounced at the old warehouse no.8. Guizhang probably sees him as a no good, arrogant kid that has no business around him or his father that he loves and respects so much. Guizhang antagonises Ryo with jibes and the two seemed destined to just simply not get along, at first. As they get to know each other more, that respect from the side of Guizhang grows. The first time I'd say it grew probably would have been when the two came to blows after it's revealed Guizhang has been set as Ryo's bodyguard by Master Chen. That respect probably went to hell when he found Ryo wasting his money at Asian Travel Co. if he was still following him at that point, though! Joking aside, we start to see the first signs of respect from that point. Ryo's words and animated body language towards Guizhang when he asked what he would do if something happened to his father will have struck a chord, but the fact that Ryo could handle himself probably meant that little bit more too.

I felt it was rather emotional when Guizhang trains Ryo on how to do a move and then tells him that if he was in his shoes, then he would do the same as what he plans to do in regards to avenging his father's death. It's a good scene and nobody is doubting that Guizhang wouldn't do it due to the clear affection he has for his father. The two clearly have something in common, they are/were both close to their fathers. Maybe Guizhang starts to sympathize with Ryo more, but finds it difficult to show it, due to the way he is. I can only describe Guizhang and Ryo taking on all 70 members of the Mad Angels (after initially fighting each other) as epic.

It was such a shame that he got hurt before setting off for China with Ryo. I honestly played Shenmue 2 expecting him to show up halfway through the game to save Ryo in a hopeless situation (which instead fell to Xuying Hong as it turned out). I lost faith in that thought the more Ryo advanced into Hong Kong and sadly it never happened. I thought Ryo and Ren's relationship was interesting, but imagine a Guizhang and Ren relationship?! I can already picture Guizhang scolding Ryo, telling him that he shouldn't associate with a thief and that they need to focus on finding Zhu rather than waste their time on "scum" like Ren. Or how about Ryo, Ren and Guizhang being backed into a corner and having to fight 70 Yellow Head members? Anyway, I digress. Guizhang was a great character in this game and I loved how his relationship with Ryo developed from a rocky start. I hope that we see him again in the series. It's about time that he caught up with Ryo in China!

Enter: ''The Great'' Chai

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Following Guizhang and Ryo's first scuffle, we see Chai emerge on top of one of the neighbourhood's houses. I honestly didn't know what the hell he was at first. He spooked me out and instantaneously gave me vibes of the cannibals from the movie 'The Hills Have Eyes''. I even wondered if there was more creatures just like Chai and that he had his own brotherhood that worked for Lan Di, at first. I'm now a lot wiser in hindsight and know he was just one individual that works for Lan Di, but when he debuted with that music, it opened up a lot of possibilities in my mind. The music is excellent and you know who's around when it plays. Going back to his first appearance, I thought the plot was getting even more interesting since at the time the Phoenix Mirror was fresh in the mind and now this mysterious threat had joined the story.

I quickly came to dislike him after he ate the Hong Kong ticket. It's obvious from there that he's gonna be a thorn in Ryo's side but given the way he beat me at the arcade, there was respect for his toughness, which is important considering he ultimately turns out to be the game's final boss. My dislike for him increased further when kidnaps the lovely Nozomi with the Mad Angels and threatens to kill this innocent young lady unless Ryo turns up at a certain time. Then, he makes matters worse later on by injuring Guizhang when he and Ryo look set to travel to China together!

Don't get me wrong, Chai won't be the strongest villain that Ryo will come across. Since Shenmue is a drawn-out story, he is perfect for the first game. He brought a different vibe when in many ways I didn't expect somebody (or something?) like him to turn up and it just adds another layer to the story in the right way. He's got all of the ingredients of a good villain: easy to dislike, does despicable things and is a genuine threat despite his destitute appearance.

Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same...
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Although the circumstances of why Ryo is rooting around Yokosuka trying to find clues on how he might Lan Di are very sad, I found the setting of his hometown and the characters rather likeable. The sight of running past Nozomi who is stood outside Aida Florist and Tom dancing around by his burger van becomes all too familiar with the music and surrounding noises playing. Especially the first time I played the game since I was really new to it and didn't know where to go or who to speak to. It's easy to get used to it all, and quite homely if I do say so.

Things start to change. Ryo starts to fight sailors and gangs. He discovers the Phoenix Mirror which I thought was the real first tinge that he is going to be on an adventure of a lifetime. His heart starts to become set on going to Hong Kong, which would mean leaving virtually everybody that we have come to know behind. Some are leaving him behind in their own way too, though. Potential love interest Nozomi has to go back to Canada and Tom is shutting his van down and heading back to America. It's scary with how things are moving rather fast. That homely feeling I previously described is now gradually turning into a clock ticking to potential catastrophe as Ryo gets himself into further danger. His dying father told him to keep those he loves close to him, and it feels like Ryo is neglecting that amid his pursuit of Lan Di. Not just all of that, but we then start to realise that the Phoenix Mirror holds great power and there's a lot of responsibility on Ryo's shoulders now he has it in his possession. All of these changes are happening but we as players only know our human emotion. It ''got me'', most of the time. On the other hand, it's hard to tell what Ryo is thinking when other things (aside from his pursuit of Lan Di) are happening. We see him watch Tom's plane fly away to the the land of opportunity and say ''My friend... Tom.'', so he isn't oblivious to it, but what is he thinking?

This may come across as a ''depressing'' part of my positives and in some ways, it is. It's reality though, and I feel Shenmue prides itself on realism. The music changes around the time you discover the Phoenix Mirror and that's so poignant in relation to where things start heading. Don't get me wrong, I love a happy ending and I want one for Ryo. I want him to be with Nozomi in the long-term. I was sad that Tom left, it was out of the blue and something I never expected at the time. These things such as potential heartbreak and friends drifting away from one another are all apart of life, though. Yu Suzuki and his team are telling an important story in such a brilliant way. With that being said, I simply couldn't leave this out of my favourite parts of the game, even if it is bittersweet.
Excellent thread! I read everything you wrote.

I've always wondered how Shenmue will end. Will Ryo return to a Japan.. ? I mean I want him to, but at the same time not. I don't know how things play out yet. But it felt sad to leave Nozomi, Tom, Mark and Gui Zhang.
I really liked Gui Zhang. I know that all these characters can't have a deeper story. I think Ryo was meant to begin a new Journey where new people come and go out of his life. I do however think that Xiuying defenetly will come back. I hope so!
The phonecalls was a good idea but It's not the same thing as characters returning.
I'm not sure if there will be anything deeper between Ryo and Shenhua but I hope so.
 
About my story i think about it as games that have a Shenmue vibe, but if i never have the opportunity to make the games i will release in other format.

Yeah, that makes sense to me, and it was sad that maybe we will not see this characters again. 😟

In my opinion if Ryo return to Yokosuka will be in the last game, sometimes i think he will come back and sometimes i think he will not come back.

I think Xiuying will come back and maybe she will fight Ziming. Xiuying is in the last chapter card.
LastChapter.png
 
Excellent thread! I read everything you wrote.

I've always wondered how Shenmue will end. Will Ryo return to a Japan.. ? I mean I want him to, but at the same time not. I don't know how things play out yet. But it felt sad to leave Nozomi, Tom, Mark and Gui Zhang.
I really liked Gui Zhang. I know that all these characters can't have a deeper story. I think Ryo was meant to begin a new Journey where new people come and go out of his life. I do however think that Xiuying defenetly will come back. I hope so!
The phonecalls was a good idea but It's not the same thing as characters returning.
I'm not sure if there will be anything deeper between Ryo and Shenhua but I hope so.
Thanks a lot for your comments and taking the time to read everything! It took many hours but it feels more than worth it with the feedback and conversations.

With Lan Di I guess being predominantly based in China, it’s hard to think of a reason why Ryo would return to Japan. Unless, he kills Lan Di mid way through the story and is more focused on getting both mirrors, and maybe destroying them so no evil force like Niao Sun or anyone else in the Chi You Men could ever use both mirrors together? After all, Master Chen spoke of how important it was that Lan Di didn't capture both mirrors. At the moment, it's hard to see Ryo killing Lan Di midway through the story though considering how powerful Lan Di is and the way their encounter went at the end of the third game.

I agree that many were meant to come and go, I just get the feeling that Nozomi might be different in that respect. What do you think?

Xiuying and the tale of her brother to me seemed like a seed being planted for the future. She was a brilliant character and hopefully we do see her return at some stage.

It's hard to tell with Ryo and Shenhua. She reminds me of Nozomi actually, in the way that she is kind-hearted, attractive and seemingly caring for Ryo. Unlike Nozomi though, she seems integral to the plot regarding the mirrors. It will be interesting to see if there is a spark of romance between the two but Ryo seems to keep females at an arms distance in that sense. Maybe he'll loosen up as time goes by. He certainly cares about her, as we saw him get so animated when Shenhua gets kidnapped towards the end of the third game. Either way, I feel there's more to come from Shenhua.
 
Thanks a lot for your comments and taking the time to read everything! It took many hours but it feels more than worth it with the feedback and conversations.

With Lan Di I guess being predominantly based in China, it’s hard to think of a reason why Ryo would return to Japan. Unless, he kills Lan Di mid way through the story and is more focused on getting both mirrors, and maybe destroying them so no evil force like Niao Sun or anyone else in the Chi You Men could ever use both mirrors together? After all, Master Chen spoke of how important it was that Lan Di didn't capture both mirrors. At the moment, it's hard to see Ryo killing Lan Di midway through the story though considering how powerful Lan Di is and the way their encounter went at the end of the third game.

I agree that many were meant to come and go, I just get the feeling that Nozomi might be different in that respect. What do you think?

Xiuying and the tale of her brother to me seemed like a seed being planted for the future. She was a brilliant character and hopefully we do see her return at some stage.

It's hard to tell with Ryo and Shenhua. She reminds me of Nozomi actually, in the way that she is kind-hearted, attractive and seemingly caring for Ryo. Unlike Nozomi though, she seems integral to the plot regarding the mirrors. It will be interesting to see if there is a spark of romance between the two but Ryo seems to keep females at an arms distance in that sense. Maybe he'll loosen up as time goes by. He certainly cares about her, as we saw him get so animated when Shenhua gets kidnapped towards the end of the third game. Either way, I feel there's more to come from Shenhua.
In 2 Shenhua asks Ryo about the special meaning of the trees, the Shenmue tree and the Cherry Tree. In a phone call in 3, Ryo says how much the tree reminds him of home. Shenhua says once they've found Yuan, she'd consider visiting Japan. I think this could help advance Shenhua's development and come further out her comfort zone.

Returning to Japan and unravelling one last mystery about Shenhua's family and the tress, could be a decent reason to return there. I imagine it could be a bit like 'The Scouring of the Shire' The Chi You Men tried to use the power of the Mirrors and destroy themselves, and Lan Di comes for Ryo at home. Except this time things go right, and Lan Di has a moment, when he realizes the same thing that destroy his father, and the CYM will destroy him.

I think after that, Ryo would decide to move to China and continue his adventures of becoming a master.
 
You used the word homely to desribe the feeling of running through Yokosuka, and I couldn't agree more. That is exactly how I feel playing the game. That is the beauty of Shenmue, it sucks you into it's world and gives you the feeling of never wanting to leave it.
 
An absolutely brilliant post! I couldn't have articulated Shenmue Chapter One: Yokosuka better myself! What makes the experience so masterful is how slowly it engages the player if you allow it. Rewarding you for exploring its rich depth and learning to appreciate the minutia of everyday life. Since each player approaches the game differently, their rewards are uniquely their own. In other words, while the game follows a general outline, everyone can make the experience their own.

For me, the game has a very Zen-like quality to it with its spiritually rich atmosphere. When you combine this with its harmonious composition, memorable characters, and its excellent combat system you have something special. Something that feels whole as you experience the highs and lows of Ryo's everyday life.

That's why the ending had such an impact on me. It felt complete, yet like I only began a truly epic journey.

If you like, I created a Shenmue Chapter One: Yokosuka appreciation thread a while back. So, please feel free to check it out.
 
An absolutely brilliant post! I couldn't have articulated Shenmue Chapter One: Yokosuka better myself! What makes the experience so masterful is how slowly it engages the player if you allow it. Rewarding you for exploring its rich depth and learning to appreciate the minutia of everyday life. Since each player approaches the game differently, their rewards are uniquely their own. In other words, while the game follows a general outline, everyone can make the experience their own.

For me, the game has a very Zen-like quality to it with its spiritually rich atmosphere. When you combine this with its harmonious composition, memorable characters, and its excellent combat system you have something special. Something that feels whole as you experience the highs and lows of Ryo's everyday life.

That's why the ending had such an impact on me. It felt complete, yet like I only began a truly epic journey.

If you like, I created a Shenmue Chapter One: Yokosuka appreciation thread a while back. So, please feel free to check it out.
Thanks a lot for your very kind words! I‘m really pleased so many have enjoyed this post/thread. It has genuinely touched me. There’s no doubt I’ll be posting the same type of thread but about Shenmue 2 before so long. It’s really cool to see other people’s theories, thoughts and the discussion around the possibility of a return to Yokosuka or Japan in general.

You worded your feelings on this game beautifully. I also see that Shenmue I is your favourite title which is great. Picking a favourite is such a difficult choice from my own point of view! With Shenmue I being the first game of (hopefully) a long series, it had to be something special, and it didn’t disappoint! The story-telling and character development are probably my favourite parts. They are as you put it, masterful, in Shenmue. It staggers the mind that this game was created all the way back in the nineties.

That thread sounds great and right up my alley too, I will have to check it out!
 
Thanks a lot for your comments and taking the time to read everything! It took many hours but it feels more than worth it with the feedback and conversations.

With Lan Di I guess being predominantly based in China, it’s hard to think of a reason why Ryo would return to Japan. Unless, he kills Lan Di mid way through the story and is more focused on getting both mirrors, and maybe destroying them so no evil force like Niao Sun or anyone else in the Chi You Men could ever use both mirrors together? After all, Master Chen spoke of how important it was that Lan Di didn't capture both mirrors. At the moment, it's hard to see Ryo killing Lan Di midway through the story though considering how powerful Lan Di is and the way their encounter went at the end of the third game.

I agree that many were meant to come and go, I just get the feeling that Nozomi might be different in that respect. What do you think?

Xiuying and the tale of her brother to me seemed like a seed being planted for the future. She was a brilliant character and hopefully we do see her return at some stage.

It's hard to tell with Ryo and Shenhua. She reminds me of Nozomi actually, in the way that she is kind-hearted, attractive and seemingly caring for Ryo. Unlike Nozomi though, she seems integral to the plot regarding the mirrors. It will be interesting to see if there is a spark of romance between the two but Ryo seems to keep females at an arms distance in that sense. Maybe he'll loosen up as time goes by. He certainly cares about her, as we saw him get so animated when Shenhua gets kidnapped towards the end of the third game. Either way, I feel there's more to come from Shenhua.
Yeah. I feel that Nozomi cared much more for Ryo, or should I say that she expressed it more clearly than Shenhua? But maybe this is because she's been a friend of Ryo since they were kids. I do however feel like there was more ´romance´ in the air between Nozomi and Ryo compared to Shenhua. I'm confused about what Shenhua actually feels for Ryo.
It's still to early to know.. they've just met. But to us they've been knowing each other for 19 years, living in a cave and all. We'll see what happens in Shenmue IV. I think the project already has begun in some way or form. Yu said that in 2020 that he would start a new ´open world´ project (correct me if I'm wrong) and that couldn't be anything else than Shenmue. Right?. And he has promised to continue the series. So there is hope. The Anime series is happening. Shenmue is alive and I think it's thanks to us.

If Ryo and Shenhua aren't meant to be togather romantically.. Then it makes more sense for Ryo returning to Japan to see Nozomi again. But the sad part is that there wouldn't be any story left to tell between the two, except for a cutscene.. ?

This is partly (actually one of the main reasons) why I made the Shenmue 0 thread, (which is way too long by the way and I have to make it easier to read.. or shorten it down) because I had this idea that a well made official prequel could tell a deeper story between Ryo and Nozomi. It doesn't have to be perfectly in line with Shenmue 1. It could be made as a "spin-off title" and / or: with a slightly different ´parallell universe´ where things won't play out exactly in line with Shenmue 1. Like for the sake of fan service. I would be fine with that as long as it's not something extremely off with the story of Shenmue 1.

The first Shenmue game was, at least for us outside Japan, a very special game. We liked that culture and atmosphere. If there won't be a Shemue 0 - prequel / parallell universe spin-off, they could Remake the first game. In this game there could be a much deeper and much more developed story between Nozomi and Ryo. But it's not very likely this would happen. Maybe if enough people ask for it? Sega was already planning a remaster of the first two games that were cancelled.
Who knows!

There was one theory on this forum, I don't know where this theory originates from. But let's say Ryo and Shenhua are related. Maybe she's Ryo's half sister? The man who raised her (forgot his name, again) isn't her biological father.
Or maybe they both are related to the ´ancestors´, or maybe they were but in another life time?. There are many theories. I don't know if they make sense. I probably have to double check the actual storyline and the details since I tend to forget about certain detailes..

Story wise we are about midway (or not even midway) through the story of Shenmue. We got stuck with only the beginning part of the series which was I & II. These two games wasn't meant to define the series as a whole, but because we got stuck with these two games for 19+ years. That is what defined ´Shenmue´ to us. That's probably one reason why we really want to see more of those characters to return. If the series had continued with III and IV back in 2003 or 2006 maybe we wouldn't be so focused on the two first games and its characters. Not as much.
 
Yeah. I feel that Nozomi cared much more for Ryo, or should I say that she expressed it more clearly than Shenhua? But maybe this is because she's been a friend of Ryo since they were kids. I do however feel like there was more ´romance´ in the air between Nozomi and Ryo compared to Shenhua. I'm confused about what Shenhua actually feels for Ryo.
It's still to early to know.. they've just met. But to us they've been knowing each other for 19 years, living in a cave and all. We'll see what happens in Shenmue IV. I think the project already has begun in some way or form. Yu said that in 2020 that he would start a new ´open world´ project (correct me if I'm wrong) and that couldn't be anything else than Shenmue. Right?. And he has promised to continue the series. So there is hope. The Anime series is happening. Shenmue is alive and I think it's thanks to us.

If Ryo and Shenhua aren't meant to be togather romantically.. Then it makes more sense for Ryo returning to Japan to see Nozomi again. But the sad part is that there wouldn't be any story left to tell between the two, except for a cutscene.. ?

This is partly (actually one of the main reasons) why I made the Shenmue 0 thread, (which is way too long by the way and I have to make it easier to read.. or shorten it down) because I had this idea that a well made official prequel could tell a deeper story between Ryo and Nozomi. It doesn't have to be perfectly in line with Shenmue 1. It could be made as a "spin-off title" and / or: with a slightly different ´parallell universe´ where things won't play out exactly in line with Shenmue 1. Like for the sake of fan service. I would be fine with that as long as it's not something extremely off with the story of Shenmue 1.

The first Shenmue game was, at least for us outside Japan, a very special game. We liked that culture and atmosphere. If there won't be a Shemue 0 - prequel / parallell universe spin-off, they could Remake the first game. In this game there could be a much deeper and much more developed story between Nozomi and Ryo. But it's not very likely this would happen. Maybe if enough people ask for it? Sega was already planning a remaster of the first two games that were cancelled.
Who knows!

There was one theory on this forum, I don't know where this theory originates from. But let's say Ryo and Shenhua are related. Maybe she's Ryo's half sister? The man who raised her (forgot his name, again) isn't her biological father.
Or maybe they both are related to the ´ancestors´, or maybe they were but in another life time?. There are many theories. I don't know if they make sense. I probably have to double check the actual storyline and the details since I tend to forget about certain detailes..

Story wise we are about midway (or not even midway) through the story of Shenmue. We got stuck with only the beginning part of the series which was I & II. These two games wasn't meant to define the series as a whole, but because we got stuck with these two games for 19+ years. That is what defined ´Shenmue´ to us. That's probably one reason why we really want to see more of those characters to return. If the series had continued with III and IV back in 2003 or 2006 maybe we wouldn't be so focused on the two first games and its characters. Not as much.
Great post. I agree with what you say and the theory you mentioned is certainly interesting. As soon as we found out that Shenhua's parents had passed away, it crossed my mind that her and Ryo could be related. We don't know much about Ryo's mother either, do we? Apart from the fact that she died of a ''mysterious illness''...

If the Dreamcast hadn't ended so early, then maybe we have got the third game in let's say, 2002-03? Hopefully the others would have followed after that. So, by now we would have gotten the full story or close to the end, I'd like to have thought so anyway. Instead almost two decades have passed with barely any movement. That makes me sad. Luckily for me, I'm fairly new to the series so I haven't had to wait as long as others, but it still saddens me either way that it happened. Anyway, like you say, if we had gotten sequels much sooner then we may not have remembered the characters in this game as much - especially if they don't end up resurfacing in the sequels to come. ''Out of sight, out of mind'' would spring to mind regarding some of them in this hypothetical situation, but some are more memorable than others. With that being said, the phone call options in the third game were a nice touch. I couldn't help but feel a little sad during the Nozomi call though. Maybe it was the voice acting, or the dialogue/script? Not sure, I really need to revisit it again.
 
awesome to see posts from new fans who can grasp how Shenmue transcends the game medium into high art. Do you have any favorite tunes from the soundtrack and where/when it plays that grabs you?
Thanks a lot! I’m thankful that the original two games were ported onto the PS4 otherwise I may never have got the chance to become a fan. I had only heard of Shenmue‘s unique style and reputation as a great game which enticed me into buying. It would have been quite risky to buy a Dreamcast just for two games (although I’m not saying there aren’t other great games for that console). I actually wonder how many people have been and are in the same situation? I hope they take the plunge and buy the games!

From the top of my head, I really enjoy the transition from day to night music. The great story is unfolding but when those cutscenes happen, it makes you step back a moment and think “what a beautiful game” and makes you appreciate the attention to detail that little bit more. Aside from that, the music where Master Chen explains the importance of the Phoenix Mirror felt very well fitting to match the dialogue and kept me even more focused on the scene. I’ve played Shenmue I twice in about five weeks now and I still think it’s one of the better scenes in the game. In that same scene with Chen, Chai ends up almost stealing the mirror. So we get Chai’s music again which is so fitting to him and a very cool transition musically, for the story. From powerful information to then immediate danger which would directly affect the thing have just been warned about. Anyway, since these scenes are important to the story and perhaps the bigger picture in terms of the whole Shenmue story due to the mirror, it’s all a great touch when you look back.

What are your favourite tunes?
 
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