Spoilers Shenmue The Animation: Episode 1 - Thunderclap - Thread

Does anyone know how I can watch the Shenmue animation episode in English? Crunchyroll has it in Japanese, and I see it's on Toonami website but when I click on it I get a 404 error on Toonami. Any other way to view this? Thanks
 
Fire Tiger said:
Anyone uploaded the episode to YouTube yet?
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Good luck with that, I just tried to upload the comparison video I just made and got hit with "Copyright Claims" by Turner...fuck...I guess I will just upload it to my Google Drive instead.
 
kaliskonig91 said:
People are seriously overestimating how much compelling story content Shenmue 1 had. Especially in the form of an anime. If you truly stripped down the story beats you would have a few hours of content at most.
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Agree. There's more fat to trim on Shenmue than Shenmue II, and if you use the 90 minute Shenmue: The Movie as a yardstick that's still approximately 4/5 episodes of the anime to wrap up the story of the first game. A full 13 episode season focussing on the first game would be fatally, impenetrably slow unless they came up with a ton of new content.
 
I felt moved while I was watching it. I love it!

They are not copying the game frame by frame but I think that's better.

It's nice to see Ryo smile for a while and spend time with Nozomi. At first It was strange to see Ryo smiling and I thought after Iwao's inciddent he would be again the serious guy we all know but, as someone said, they seem to try make him a bit less stoic.

They have rearranged the story to make it a bit more dynamic but everything is there.

This is a dream we all before 2015 would have never been imagined and it's very heartwarming to experience.
I hope the Shenmue saga can live many years more and if this anime helps with it, it's fine by me.
 
Loved the first episode, but it feels like a very weird choice to spoil the cave part right from the beginning, one of the best effects from the games story was that you gradually realized the story was getting bigger and bigger along with the stakes, with the cave reveal being the apex.

Also, 1 episode per week is cruel, i need more damn it.
 
Right. I've literally just finished it. Watched it in bed with coffee in hand.

I was worried how they were going to cram 1 1/2 games (about 40 hours) into 13 episodes, but if episode 1 is anything to go by, they have been very clever with going back and forth and consolidating bits to make the narrative tighter.

Having the end of Shenmue II as the opening bit is a very good gambit as I've known other shows/films to do this. Seeing Fuku-san, Ine-san, Tom and Nozomi was wonderful. Chai looked even more demented. They nailed them! I loved how they incorporated things that would make more sense such as involving the police, Ryo being a little unconfident in himself and SMILING AT ONE POINT. The fight scenes were brilliant as they didn't feel overwhelming. The camera made it so you can see everything.

My only criticisms (and they are minor) is that it was simply too short! The Japanese voice actors are brilliant, but I always loved the English voice of Lan Di where he did the pregnant pause "for the last time..where is..the mirror" which gave it a sense of menace lacking in the Japanese.

Lots of lovely easter eggs for hardcore fans like myself and easy enough to follow for newcomers. Being a Shenmue fan has been difficult over the last 22 years, so today has been good. I eagerly await the thoughts of newcomers.

Shenmue the Animation so far is a triumph. We did it everyone ♡
 

Well since I can't upload the video I just made to Youtube, I'll upload it my Google Drive. I made a comparison video of the Iwao/Lan Di scene for anyone who wants to check it out. There it is for anyone who wants to check it out. I can post it on Instagram I guess. Just a shame about YT and its copyright check. Or maybe go Dailymotion with it.
 
WOW!
I have just finished to watch it, it is very good :)
The last time I found an anime that good it was one punch man saison 1 (I havn't watch all anime of course)

Can't wait to see episod 2

I really hope there will be a saison 2 ! :)
 
Shenhua-Nani? said:
Loved the first episode, but it feels like a very weird choice to spoil the cave part right from the beginning, one of the best effects from the games story was that you gradually realized the story was getting bigger and bigger along with the stakes, with the cave reveal being the apex.

Also, 1 episode per week is cruel, i need more damn it.
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I think in anime/manga especially ones that may be considered "slow paced", its a common tactic to let people know that the stakes will gradually grow higher. A recent example is Boruto. There are people still watching/reading that series based solely on the opening scene that STILL hasn't happened yet. lol

AOT did this too to a lesser extent, started with the big wtf moment of the first episode and went back after the opening credits. You see it often to varying degrees.
 
Haven't posted in quite a while, but loved this first episode and wanted to do a bit of an overall analysis of what I think this episode is doing with Ryo's character whilst looking at story, theme and so on.

So the first thing to say is it actually gives Ryo a mini-arc, so as to get him to a certain place by episode end, and imo follows through on it rather well.

An aspect of Ryo's "aloofness", (Yu's words) are seen at episode start, where, supremely confident, Ryo takes out his opponent in the tourney, "it's not your fault. Nobody has ever managed to land a punch on me before" (also his semi-dismissal of the teacher i.e. "I know".) He's supremely confident, and has never lost a fight.

After Iwao's death, the anime translates the Iwao flashbacks from the S1 game, not only with its own flashback, but also by way of Ryo more overtly pondering that he isn't "strong enough" - after all he was nearly killed by Lan di, couldn't save his father, and has been outclassed for the first time. A theme/subtext in the game flashbacks is that young (child) Ryo, and then 17 yr old Ryo, hasn't yet understood the true nature of Iwao's teachings. And so the anime finds itself in the same position, with its own version: Ryo just thinks you have to be generally "stronger" than your opponent, but Iwao tells him that isn't the case, and that he'll understand one day.

At episode end with the Chai fight, Ryo is initially defeated with a mirror of his defeat to Lan di earlier in the episode: a cut across the face followed by the gut punch that sends him sprawling across the dojo (and in the same location!). Chai's gloating "strength not enough" line echoes Iwaos earlier words, and Ryo finally recognises that his "aloof" concept of "strength" was never enough. So he turns it on its head: assume lack of strength, and instead precisely study your opponent to win.

The ensuing victory then represents a "first step" in Ryo's understanding: he has finally, finally understood his father, the "day has come" (Iwao's words) in that respect, albeit tragically as a result of Iwaos death. This essentially completes ryo's mini arc, and to my mind also incorporates some of the "polished mirror" themes from the game (especially if you add in the "perserverance" banner shot from earlier in the episode.)

It's unsurprising, and smart actually, that ep 1 would conclude with this first little arc: not only do we get a dramatic battle but it gets Ryo to where he needs to be for ep 2.

I think this development and the slight motivational shift away from the game is indeed a change, but I think its one which will turn out well based on how the series is going to unfold.

Ryo now verbalises that part of his motivation is not only to find out who his father really was, but to prove that he really was the man he thought he was.

"I've trained my entire life to surpass my father, but I never truly paid attention to him. That's why I need to learn about my father's past...Then I can be sure that my father was really the man I thought he was!"

By episode end, Ryo is now the man who has listened to his father at last (in this respect at least.) It doesn't preclude revenge as a big motivational factor still either - we see that when we see the way Ryo clenches his fist when thinking of Lan Di. Honestly I loved this whole speech and it got me emotional. I also love the way Ryo gives Fuku the credit with Chai, basically saying Fuku scared Chai off when it was Ryo who sent him packing.

All in all I loved how Ryo was represented here: his "aloofness" (already discussed), the inherent kindness/manners he shows, (the boy, Nozomi and Fuku) and his mopey irritability after Iwao's death. It's all there.

More thoughts to come!
 
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danielmann861 said:

Well since I can't upload the video I just made to Youtube, I'll upload it my Google Drive. I made a comparison video of the Iwao/Lan Di scene for anyone who wants to check it out. There it is for anyone who wants to check it out. I can post it on Instagram I guess. Just a shame about YT and its copyright check. Or maybe go Dailymotion with it.
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That is amazing. Great work
 
Mr Sun said:
Haven't posted in quite a while, but loved this first episode and wanted to do a bit of an overall analysis of what I think this episode is doing with Ryo's character whilst looking at story, theme and so on.

So the first thing to say is it actually gives Ryo a mini-arc, so as to get him to a certain place by episode end, and imo follows through on it rather well.

An aspect of Ryo's "aloofness", (Yu's words) are seen at episode start, where, supremely confident, Ryo takes out his opponent in the tourney, "it's not your fault. Nobody has ever managed to land a punch on me before" (also his semi dismissal of the teacher I.e. "I know".) He's supremely confident, and has never lost a fight.

After Iwao's death, the anime translates the Iwao flashbacks from the S1 game, not only with its own flashback, but also by way of Ryo more overtly pondering that he isn't "strong enough" - after all he was nearly killed by Lan di, couldn't save his father, and has been outclassed for the first time. A theme/subtext in the game flashbacks is that young (child) Ryo, and then 17 yr old Ryo, hasn't yet understood the true nature of Iwao's teachings. And so the anime finds itself in the same position, with its own version: Ryo just thinks you have to be generally "stronger" than your opponent, but Iwao tells him that isn't the case, and that he'll understand one day.

At episode end with the Chai fight, Ryo is initially defeated with a mirror of his defeat to Lan di earlier in the episode: a cut across the face followed by the gut punch that sends him sprawling across the dojo (and in the same location!). Chai's gloating "strength not enough" line echoes Iwaos earlier words, and Ryo finally recognises that his "aloof" concept of "strength" was never enough. So he turns it on its head: assume lack of strength, and instead precisely study your opponent to win.

The ensuing victory then represents a "first step" in Ryo's understanding: he has finally, finally understood his father, the "day has come" (Iwao's words) in that respect, albeit tragically as a result of Iwaos death. This essentially completes ryo's mini arc, and to my mind also incorporates some of the "polished mirror" themes from the game (especially if you add in the "perserverance" banner shot from earlier in the episode.)

It's Unsurprising, and smart actually that ep 1 would conclude with this first little arc: not only do we get a dramatic battle but it gets Ryo to where he needs to be for ep 2.

I think this development and the slight motivational shift away from the game is indeed a change, but I think its one which will turn out well based on how the series is going to unfold.

Ryo now verbalise that part of his motivation is not only to find out who his father really was, but to prove that he really was the man he thought he was.

"I've trained my entire life to surpass my father, but I never truly paid attention to him. That's why I need to learn about my father's past."

By episode end, Ryo is now the man who has listened to his father at last (in this respect at least.) It doesn't preclude revenge as a big motivational factor still either - we see that when we see the way Ryo clenches his fist when thinking of Lan Di. Honestly I loved this whole speech and it got me emotional. I also love the way Ryo gives Fuku the credit with Chai, basically saying Fuku scared Chai off when it was Ryo who sent him packing.

All in all I loved how Ryo was represented here: his "aloofness" (already discussed), the inherent kindness/manners he shows, (the boy, Nozomi and Fuku) and his mopey irritability after Iwao's death. It's all there.

More thoughts to come!
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incredible breakdown. Welcome back
 
People talking about the cave scene as one big spoiler need to remember that out of context it means absolutely nothing. For those who don’t already know the story, it’s just two people in a cave with two giant mirrors. Like FFX’s cold opening, the location only begins to matter once the characters’ journey to get there has been told.

As is, starting in the cave provides mystery, which is something that they’ll need to replace the mystery surrounding Shenhua. Part of the reason I didn’t like the Bailu cutaway (and the idea of there being more of them in future episodes) is that the desire to find out who the strange Chinese woman who kept appearing in Ryo’s dreams was a big part of why I was so psyched for Shenmue 2 after completing the first game.
 
Wow, you guys don't hang around! 9 pages to get through to get up to speed with the discussions.

That said, I watched it this morning and I absolutely LOVED it. I almost had goosebumps throughout the entire episode... In some ways, it moved me more than Shenmue 3 did. They absolutely nailed the tone, they mixed things up in a convincing way to allow both the narrative to flow in a manner better suited to this medium, whilst also adding things to the story that make sense, like showing the police involvement. I loved the scenes with Ryo spending time with Nozomi and actually showing emotion. It worked well. And I was worried about them skipping from story beat to story beat in a way that would feel rushed, but it didn't. It felt organic and flowed naturally. As others have said, Shenmue 1 has a lot of fat that can easily be trimmed for something like this that focusses on the narrative.

It's going to be really tough waiting an entire week between episodes, but at least it means we have 13 weeks to enjoy and savour the series. I really hope we get merchandise out of this, especially a blu ray release. Hell, I want everything from this. I want a manga release, I want a spin off game based on the anime, I want a second series, I want action figures and statues. Let's hope it's a huge success (and that we eventually get Shenmue 4).

Edit: Oh and I thought starting with the mirror scene from the end of Shenmue 2/start of Shenmue 3 was genius personally. As tomboz said, the context only becomes clearer once you get deeper into the series. I actually think it's a great story device when TV shows and films do stuff like that, where they show something grand but completely out of context and then go straight to the beginning of the story.
 
danielmann861 said:
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I can't be the only one who thinks the anime shot on the left looks like Lan Di is about to dick slap Ryo right?
 
Just finished watching the first episode on Live TV and was happy with it. I liked how the anime delved into more details with the world like Ryo going to a karate tournament and Nozomi in school wearing a uniform. Can't wait for more and hope some good animation comes for the 80 Man Battle.

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