Shenmue ~ Live Action ~

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Shenmue boasts an intriguing storyline brimming with unforgettable characters. The main medium of Shenmue is game
form that was released in 1999, and in 2022, it received an anime adaptation.

In this series of posts i will imagine the Shenmue series in other medias like Manga, Movies/TV Shows, books,
novel/visual novel, musicals and so much more.

Over the years, we've witnessed numerous live-action Movies and TV Shows based on renowned franchises. Disney, for instance, has produced a plethora of live-action adaptations of beloved tales like Aladdin, Cinderela, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, and many others.

Famous anime franchises also got live action adaptations, with live-action versions of Dragon Ball, Death Note, Rurouni Kenshin, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Saint Seiya, and several more.

Moreover, the world of gaming has not been left untouched, with live-action adaptations of well-known game franchises such as Tomb Raider, Tekken, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Sonic, and several others hitting the big screen.

While some of these live-action adaptations have enjoyed immense success, receiving praise from both the public and critics, others have turned out to be disappointments.

Now, turning our attention to Shenmue - is it a viable idea to create a live-action adaptation of our beloved franchise? In this blog post, I'll share my opinion on this intriguing topic.

~ Martial Arts Movies ~



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Martial Arts movies have gained significant popularity as a genre. There is a diverse range of options to choose from, including mainstream Hollywood productions, Chinese movies, Japanese movies, Korean movies, and more.

Numerous famous martial artists, such as Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, among others, have starred in these movies.

These films vary in their level of popularity, with some being widely recognized, while others fall into the category of underground or cult movies.

Interestingly, many martial arts films feature revenge as a central theme, much like the plot of Shenmue. Now, let me share with you all 7 martial arts movies that revolve around a revenge story.

1. ~ Fist of Fury ~ (1972)

Synopsis: A young man seeks vengence for the death of his teacher. Chen Chen (Bruce Lee) returns to his school in Shanghai when he learns that his beloved teacher has been murdered. While investigating his death, he discovers that a rival Japanese school has a drug trafficking operation. To get his revenge, he will finish off the assassins.

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2. ~ The Shaolin Temple ~ (1982)

Synopsis: A young man (Jet Li) learns martial arts to exact revenge for the murder of his father.

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3. ~ One Foot Crane ~ (1979)

Synopsis: An orphan girl (Lilly Lee) studies Crane boxing for 10 years to revenge on the ones who slaughtered her family.

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4. ~ Crystal Fist ~ (1979)

A young man vows revenge against the killers of his father. To do this, he must train with his father's teacher who teaches him the "Shadow Claw", a deadly combination of the eagle claw and shadow fist.

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5. ~ Dance of Death (1976)

Synopsis: Seeking to avenge her slain friends, a martial artist learns the styles of two elderly kung fu masters who duel every five years.

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6. ~ Revengeful Swordsman ~ (1978)

When Hsiang Ying, the daugher of a slain general, discovers her kung-fu teacher was responsible for her fathers
murder, she sets out to avenge him.

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7. ~ Venus the Cavalier ~ (1982)

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Synopsis:
A prince (Fei Meng) wants to marry a commoner, but that's a major no-no in feudal China. When the girl's parents are brutally murdered, however, a kung fu master known as the Silver Fox takes the girl under his wing and teaches her some choice killing techniques. Soon, the girl learns that the prince is being threatened by the same marauders who killed her parents. Now, it's time for revenge!

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As we can see the revenge plot is a common theme in martial arts movies, probably Yu Suzuki was even inspired by some
martial arts movies to create Shenmue.

~ Shenmue Live Action ~ ​

It is a good idea to make a Shenmue Live action? in my opinion it is a beautiful idea. Shenmue is a revenge martial arts story, it is perfect for live action movies and TV Shows.

~ Movies ~


Made by lukeheartthrob​

The first Shenmue movie could only adapt the first game, with the 70-man battle and Terry being the movie's climax,
and the ending of the movie could be exactly how the first game ended, with Ryo going to Hong Kong.

I believe the first movie adapting only the first game could work well, depending on its execution. If done properly, it has the potential to become a good and visually appealing film. The movie team could even add some new scenes not present in the game to enhance the action, romance, and overall experience, similar to what we saw in the anime.

Afterward, the second Shenmue movie could adapt the second game, and the third movie could cover Shenmue III. I think Shenmue III has the potential to translate really well into live-action due to the numerous meaningful conversations between Ryo and Shenhua, their growing bond, Ryo's training with Master Sun and Grandmaster Bei, and other compelling aspects. The movie team could even expand the story and characters of Shenmue III, making it even more engaging.

Another possible scenario for a Shenmue live-action movie is one that combines Shenmue I and Shenmue II, following the anime's approach. Though the pacing would be faster, if executed properly, it could still result in a visually stunning movie.

The movie's climax could be the Yellow Head Building showdown, with Ryo's intense fight against Dou Niu. The film could conclude with Ryo leaving Hong Kong, creating room for a second movie to continue the story or follow the ending of the second game with the cave scene, leading to the adaptation of Shenmue III in a subsequent film.

Personally, I prefer the first scenario, with the first movie solely adapting the first game. This approach would present a great opportunity to include the entire Karate tournament, more interactions between Ryo and other characters, additional scenes with Lan Di, Shenhua, Nozomi, Tom, Shozo Mizuki, Guizhang, and many others. This way, when Ryo leaves Yokosuka, the emotional impact would be as profound as it is in the game.

~ TV Show ~


Made by lukeheartthrob

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For a Shenmue TV show, i envision each episode of the first season to be around 42 minutes in length. I believe it would be a great idea to have the first season consist of 12 episodes, solely adapting the events from the first game.

Following that, the second season could focus on the story of Shenmue II, and the third season could delve into the events of Shenmue III. If executed well, this TV show has the potential to be captivating, just like i mentioned about the movie adaptation. Additionally, similar to the anime, the TV show could incorporate new scenes to expand the story further, making it an even more immersive experience.

Another scenario is to adapt both Shenmue I and Shenmue II in the first season, drawing inspiration from the anime's approach, but maybe the TV Show could have more episodes than the anime. Then, in the second season, the focus could be on Shenmue III or even a combination of Shenmue III and a hypothetical Shenmue IV storyline. Though Shenmue IV hasn't been released yet, it's interesting to consider potential scenarios for a live-action adaptation of the series.

Ultimately, these are just imaginative scenarios that could work well for a Shenmue Live Action adaptation, and it would depend on how the artists choose to bring this iconic story to life in a TV Show.

~ Cast ~​

Shenmue have many unique and interesting characters. Imagining the cast for a Shenmue live action movies and TV shows is really fun.

I will imagine the cast in two ways, one with real people and one with AI. I will do now just with AI because i still need to search more for real people that could do the characters well, i will update this post as soon as i find nice actors for the roles, and i will create a thread here on the forums for everyone to share even more ideas about a Shenmue Live Action.

~ Ryo Hazuki ~



~ Iwao Hazuki ~




~ Lan Di ~





~ Shenhua Ling ~






~ Nozomi Harasaki ~





~ Guizhang Chen ~






~ Master Chen ~



~ Fukuhara Masayuki ~






~ Ine Hayata ~





~ Chai ~






~ Wang Guang Ji ~





~ Goro Mihashi ~





~ Mark Kimberly ~





~ Terry ~






~ Fan Made Live Action ~​

We haven't received an official Shenmue Live Action movie adaptation, but some dedicated Shenmue fans have created wonderful videos envisioning Shenmue as a live-action production.

Made by Fred Ngyuyen Khan


Made by Rising Tiger Films


Made by Gang Entertainment
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~ Shenmue Movie Extra: Ryo & Ren in Shanghai ~​

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A official live action behind the scenes look at Shenmue II featuring the voice actors of Ryo (Masaya Matsukaze) and Ren (Takumi Hagiwara ~ Voice of Ren in Shenmue II) acting it up as their in-game characters.

~ Final Thoughts ~​

A live-action adaptation of Shenmue is truly a fantastic idea. The compelling revenge martial arts story in Shenmue is perfect for both movies and TV shows. If executed well, the live-action version could be incredibly successful and appealing to a broader audience, including those who are not familiar with Shenmue. It could serve as a gateway for new fans to join the Shenmue community and further bolster the series' popularity and growth. The more Shenmue in more
media the better.

Unfortunately it seems unlikely that we'll see Shenmue live-action movies or TV shows anytime soon. However, one can't help but hope that we'll be pleasantly surprised with a Shenmue live-action project in the future, much like we got the delightful Shenmue anime that expanded the franchise's universe. Let's keep dreaming and hoping for the possibility of "Shenmue: The Live Action" one day.

As for my thoughts, I am absolutely on board with the idea of a Shenmue live-action adaptation. It has the potential to bring the thrilling storyline and captivating characters to life in a fresh and engaging way. As for casting, I would love to see actors who can truly embody the essence of Ryo, Shenhua, Lan Di, and other iconic Shenmue characters. It's essential to find actors with both the physicality and emotional depth to portray these beloved roles convincingly.

I'm eagerly looking forward to more Shenmue content, be it in games, anime or other medias. What about you? how do
you envision a Shenmue Live Action adaptation? who would you cast for the live action adaptation? please share your opinion in the comments below.

Thank you all for reading, and remember, cherish the bonds with your loved ones and friends. Until my next blog post, take care, bye bye. ~ Hiki ~

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[Seaman]

Wang Baoqiang as Zongquan Bai, the street performer. Because he really knows sending a sense of tired but inner power with just his eyes.



Leaving main characters and rest of cast to other contributors.

 

[9dragons]

Wow it looks just amazing

I would watch it without any doubt.

Shenmue live-action sounds like a really cool idea.

 

[Eishen]

Shenmue is compatible at 100% with this, Who knows if even the possibility has already been on the table or can be in the future. Series are more fashionable than ever.

Of those movies I remember seeing Ip-Man (Awesome movie, I have to watch the other parts) and Fist of Fury (Casually if I'm not wrong they put in the tv those days). I will watch the others when I can, interesting.
The montages are also very cool.

Another movie that can be interesting IMO is "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story", that touches the bright and dark aspects of Bruce Lee life and martial arts in a very original way and is a good movie overall.

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[Seaman]

Another movie that can be interesting IMO is "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story", that touches the bright and dark aspects of Bruce Lee life and martial arts in a very original way and is a good movie overall.

Oh that movie use to be despised by Bruce Lee purist due the bio liberties taken. But its a very entertaining tale imo, Jason Scott Lee was great on the role and the ending was beautiful, not following the usual morbid path of every biopic "introduction-rising-fall-rising-death". It ends at a peak of joy.

 

[sdojo]

I am not to sure. I saw the movie Yakuza Like a Dragon which was based off of the PS2 Yakuza game and I thought is freaking awful. This would have have one hell of a script and actors to pull it off.

 

[sdojo]

Shenmue is compatible at 100% with this, Who knows if even the possibility has already been on the table or can be in the future. Series are more fashionable than ever.

Of those movies I remember seeing Ip-Man (Awesome movie, I have to watch the other parts) and Fist of Fury (Casually if I'm not wrong they put in the tv those days). I will watch the others when I can, interesting.
The montages are also very cool.

Another movie that can be interesting IMO is "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story", that touches the bright and dark aspects of Bruce Lee life and martial arts in a very original way and is a good movie overall.

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Dragon The Bruce Lee Story was about 95% entertainment 5% facts. If you really want to watch a movie that will truly tell you about his life watch The Legend of Bruce Lee which can be found on You Tube

 

[Eishen]