Shenmue I & II - which voice language will you all choose?

zeldafan1002

zeldafan1002

Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Shenmue I & II has dual-audio support, as many of you now know. Which language will you all choose? Personally, I'll stick with the English audio because that's how they were originally released as in the US. I also like the "Ah good" Ryo says after drinking a soda.
 
I'll always pick English. I'm kinda sick of this "The Japanese version sounds so good!" crap because it really actually isn't that great of a performance either. So I'll just play in English because its funny and quotable in how bad it is rather than the boring and montone Japanese VO.
(Please don't take this the wrong way, I've spent years learning Japanese and listen to Japanese media all the time I just genuinely think Shenmue doesn't have the best acting)
 
Will start with English as it's easier to check out if anything about the audio has changed somehow and also to check the newly translated subtitles. I'm also just more used to that and since I've played it in Japanese a few times before I don't need it as much as many others.

Shenmue II will probably be in Japanese then, since that's how I use to play and like it there. Maybe I'm going to mix up here and there just to check stuff out. Having a brand new option also brings brand new choice problems. :LOL:
 
my nostalgic bones will ache if I don't play in English. I'm under no illusion on the quality of said dub but its the way it must be experienced for old time's sake.
 
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As odd as this sounds, I'll play Shenmue 1 in English and Shenmue 2 in Japanese. That's because I'm from the UK and owning both on the Dreamcast it is what I grew up with and it's what I'm used to.
 
While I am glad the Japanese option is there for newcomers, I'm a sucker for the English sobaditsgood voice acting! It just feels more natural to me - even though I played through the EU version of Shenmue II first!
 
Shenmue 1 in English and Shenmue 2 in Japanese, because thats how I used to do it... and sorry but the Shenmue 2 Egl. Dubb is simply awful. when I heard it first I wanted to pour Bleach into my Ears.
 
The Wanderer said:
Shenmue 1 in English and Shenmue 2 in Japanese, because thats how I used to do it... and sorry but the Shenmue 2 Egl. Dubb is simply awful. when I heard it first I wanted to pour Bleach into my Ears.
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I have to agree. Shenmue 1's English voice acting is bad, but kinda charming. Shenmue 2's is just god awful though. It's way worse than the Shenmue 1 dub.
 
Initially, Japanese for first and English for second game, just to mix things up. Afterwards, maybe both in English at some point, but mostly both in Japanese forever. Love reading subtitles; Shenmue 2 influenced me into diving deep into foriegn Criterion collection cinema.
 
Reprise said:
As odd as this sounds, I'll play Shenmue 1 in English and Shenmue 2 in Japanese. That's because I'm from the UK and owning both on the Dreamcast it is what I grew up with and it's what I'm used to.
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I think I'll do the same with my first play through on the re-release, it's a homecoming of sorts after all.
 
English audio for Shenmue and Japanese audio for Shenmue 2 as that's how I originally experienced them.
I really wasn't keen on the Shenmue 2 English dub, so I'll probably still give that a miss. However I'm really looking forward to experiencing the first game in Japanese for the first time!
 
Going to have to do 2 playthroughs I think. First will be like it was back on the PAL Dreamcast, Shenmue 1 English with Shenmue 2 in Japanese. Second time around I'll switch it up and play Shenmue 1 for the first time in Japanese (cannot wait), and then Shenmue 2 in English. I have played S2 in English before but never to completion. Really cannot wait for these to drop! Hoping they will arrive early from the retailer like usual!

Edit: Thinking about it more, I might go Japanese for both, and then English on the second playthrough.
 
As charming as the English dub is, it really doesn't hold a candle to he Japanese VA. I'm from Sweden so I got to experience the second game with the much superior Japanese VA on DC. I've yet to play the first one in Japanese though as I'm a purist (against modding/emulation) so I'm hyped to play it in Japanese finally.

I will however play it in English as well on subsequent playthroughs.
 
English for both, and then Japanese for both on my second playthrough :) - i'm one of those weird people that prefers the English dub for both games!
 
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