This post have spoilers of the games
The Shenmue story has many intriguing and mysteries elements, one of these mysteries is what happened in Meng Cun between Iwao Hazuki (Ryo's Father) and Sunming Zhao (Lan Di's Father).
Lan Di killed Ryo's father in the beginning of the first game, Lan Di did that because he thinks that Iwao killed his father, he did because of revenge, now Ryo want the same thing, Ryo want revenge as well.
It is interesting to notice that Lan Di didn't killed Ryo, Ine-san and Fuku-san. Lan Di could have killed these characters if he wanted but he didn't do that. Lan Di killed Iwao, he took the Dragon Mirror and leave the Hazuki Residence.
In Shenmue II Lan Di could have killed Ryo in the rooftop part if he wanted but he didn't do that, in Shenmue III Lan Di could have killed Ryo in the fortified castle but he didn't do that. Maybe deep down Lan Di can relate with Ryo because Ryo wants reveenge for the same reason, the death of his father.
This to me means that Lan Di is not a person that enjoy killing, so far Lan Di killed because of revenge, just like how our hero with a jacket Ryo wants to do, so Lan Di really is a bad person or he is a victim in the story? with Shenmue III we learned that after Sunming Zhao's death Lan Di was raised by The Chiyoumen, that in one part of the story his father had the mirros.
With this information we can imagine that maybe when Sunming Zhao died Lan Di was just a kid, so for some reason The Chiyoumen took care of Lan Di and raised him. I can imagine Lan Di as a kid with 6 years old suffering because his father died, i can imagine The Chiyoumen twisting with his mind to make Lan Di think that Iwao killed his father, we don't know what really happened in Meng Cun between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao, maybe Iwao killed Sunming Zhao or maybe not, we still don't know, but i believe that the Chiyoumen twisted with Lan Di's mind, so Lan Di probably grew up with a lot of hatred for Iwao.
I can imagine Lan Di training since he was a kid to defeat Iwao, to achieve his revenge, Lan Di went to the path of evil and achieved his revenge, just like how Ziming probably did it, and just like how our hero Ryo wants to do as well, these 3 characters have a lot in common because of that.
It is interesting to notice how much Lan Di and Ryo are similar, the motivation of both characters are revenge, both characters have a scar on the face, someone did this scar in Lan Di's face? in my opinion someone did this scar, when everything happened Lan Di was in Meng Cun as well? he saw everything that happened between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao just like how Ryo saw his father dying? maybe, we still don't know.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion Lan Di is a victim in the Shenmue story, when i say this it doesn't mean i agree with what Lan Di did in the story, it just means that probably Lan Di have reasons for being the way he is, that probably Lan Di is not the real villain of this story, that maybe the real villain of the story twisted with Lan Di's mind since he was a kid, so if this happened Lan Di grew up with a lot of sadness and hatred in his heart.
Lan Di killed Iwao because of revenge, he killed Iwao and took the Dragon mirror with him, Lan Di also want the Phoenix mirror, but why Lan Di want both mirrors? Lan Di really want to do bad things with the mirrors? maybe someone said to him that with the mirrors he can revive his father, maybe this is why Lan Di wants both mirrors so much, because probably the real villain twisted with Lan Di's mind since he was a kid.
If this really happened then i understand why the character is the way he is, if this really happened i hope in one part of the story Lan Di and Ryo can understand each other, their fathers were friends, friendship is one of the themes in the Shenmue Story, so i hope Ryo and Lan Di can understand each other in one part of the story.
If the Chiyoumen really twisted with Lan Di's mind maybe Lan Di will even want revenge against the Chiyoumen, this can be a awesome plot twist, so maybe we will see Ryo and Lan Di fighting together at one point in the story to defeat the true leader of the Chiyoumen Tentei, this would be really exciting to see in my opinion.
Maybe Lan Di will have a heroic death or something like that, in many stories i saw things like this happening, characters regretting the bad things they did in their lives and then having a heroic death.
All i know is that if Shenmue IV happen i hope we can see more revelations about these things, Shenmue III is like the first game and i love that, especially in Bailu Village like a second home for Ryo, now for Shenmue IV i think Yu Suzuki will focus a lot in relation to the story, i think Shenmue IV will progess the story a lot, and that will be really intense about the story, intense with a lot of action/fights, revelations, training, maybe important characters dying and much more.
What do you think about this? Lan Di is a bad person and the villain of the story or he is a victim in the story? share your opinions in the comments below, thank you all for reading, and remember to keep friends... those you love... close to you, see you all in my next blog post, bye bye. ~
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