SPOILERS - SHENMUE THE ANIMATION EPISODE 13 "SHENMUE" THREAD

Ryo will hit Dou Niu and Lan Di once each with his greatest technique - the iron palm pipe then to save the rest of the budget it's just the gang pushing Zhu's wheelchair down 40 flights of stairs in the yellowhead building. At the bottom Zhu stands up and cracks his back and the rest of the guys are like OH ZHU! They all laugh and credits roll. Shenmue 5 is then announced as DLC for Yakuza 8.

Book it.
 
For those wondering if we'll get to Guilin, or how far we'll get into it, bear the following in mind:
  • The episode is entitled ‘Shenmue’ – this seems to suggest that we will see the titular tree before the end of the episode
  • Both Ryo and Shenhua announce the title of the following episode in unison after this week’s end credits – suggesting that the two will finally meet.
  • Episode 1 began with the scene of Ryo and Shenhua in the stone pit before we went backwards to the story beginning in Yokosuka – having the season end here would be an effective bookend.
The third point is less of a sure thing, I'll admit - but I'm positive at the very least we will get as far as the Shenmue tree reveal, even if we don't get to the cave.
 
I enjoy the preview, i really like Ryo's eyes turning red to show how much he want revenge, nice detail.

I don't know how will be the full fight against Lan Di but Ryo will probably lose in a fast way, i don't know exactly how i feel about Lan Di saying a similar thing that he said in the fight with Ryo in Shenmue III, the thing about that Ryo improved a bit.

In Shenmue III this was a big moment, it was the first real fight with Lan Di and we can see that Ryo really improved a bit, and to see Lan Di saying that Ryo improved a bit before the fight, Ryo saying for Lan Di to fight him and that he will avenge his father had a huge impact to me.

If we don't get a second season then at least we will get a fight with Lan Di in the anime, but if we get a second season then i really don't know how the anime team will do the final events of Shenmue III, Lan Di will say the same thing in Niaowu? the same thing he already said in Kowloon in the anime? the anime will change the final events of Shenmue III? what exactly will happen? i don't know.

This will not ruin the anime for me, i will probably enjoy the fight in the final episode but i question myself about what will happen if we get a second season, that big moment with Lan Di in the Fortified Castle will lose impact in the anime? i question myself about that.

I'm looking forward to see Ryo remembering Xiuying's words and defeating Dou Niu, i hope this part is not cut out in the anime. I hope we can see the talking with Yuanda Zhu. I'm also looking forward to see Ryo saying goodbye to all his friends in Kowloon and Hong Kong, it will probably be an emotional scene.

The name of the episode is Shenmue so i imagine that we will see something about the Shenmue tree, i noticed as well that Ryo and Shenhua say the name of the last episode together, i agree as well that that this is probably a hint that Ryo will meet Shenhua in the next episode.

I really don't want to see the Guilin part in a fast way. To me the Guilin part in the game is gentle, calm, mysterious, interesting, ZEN and much more. So many wonderful moments in Guilin like Shenhua singing, Ryo training Tai Chi, all the beautiful places Ryo and Shenhua pass to arrive in Bailu Village and much more, it is one of my favorite parts in videogame history.

I don't want to see the Guilin part in a fast way so i hope the season ends with Ryo trying to save Shenhua and the deer, or with Shenhua saying for Ryo to follow her, i don't know something like that, but it is possible that maybe the season will end in the cave scene and this will come full circle in relation to the first episode.

Maybe it will end with Shenhua showing the Shenmue tree for Ryo, Shenhua explaining for Ryo that this tree is the Shenmue tree, this way the people that never played the games will know why the name of the anime is Shenmue, then maybe we will get a scene similar to the game like this and then the season ends, i think if the season ends like this will be really nice, but like i said i really don't want to see the Guilin part in a fast way, so i think maybe the best is to end with Ryo
meeting Shenhua.

Oh, and i can't forget, i have hope that after that we will see Yu Suzuki saying that Shenmue IV is in development, ❤️


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I'd be amazed if they dedicated much to guilin at all in the last episode. That whole disc 4 section is beautiful storytelling for a game but it's not a cliffhanger or ending on a bang which new fans need to be left with, nor is it a pacing that the anime has even attempted to this point. Personally, I'm glad they decided to bring the Lan Di rematch forward and I think it would be enough just to have Ryo and Shenhua meet at the end of the episode and that's it. Next season (if there is one) can deal with the issue of how much time to dedicate to it and to build their relationship, but it would be silly to try and fit it in now.

I also wonder if they would even want to do a season 2 before the release of S4 as considering how fast season 1 has gone through the series, season 2 would either have to stretch S3's events beyond recognition (and be very slow), include a lot of extra S3 story (which would likely bring up a lot of S3 story criticism again) or would have to include S4 events and ruin the story of an upcoming game.

It really would be perfect if the anime ends with a 'See you in Shenmue 4' message. That would be all kinds of epic, and almost most importantly, would be telling potential fans to get on Shenmue 3 in the time being.
 
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It's been an amazing season and I've been incredibly happy as a longtime Shenmue fan. Let's do this!
 
That was interesting I guess
 
"The story goes on" is this some kind of easter egg?
 
So much that I want to say yet I think I'm going to need to time to decompress and gather my thoughts. The final fights were good, excellent choreography and animation. The real triumph here of this episode is going to be the sense of closure. Devoting so much time to the good byes in Hong Kong is risky but a truly satisfying way to end things on a high note. Then to actually end up in the cave for the final scene - just so beautiful. I'm very happy with how this anime has turned out.
 
Wait...did they actually give Ryo the moment I've been waiting for him to have in game in this episode?

The moment where someone smacks him over the head and makes him realize this is bigger than his need for revenge?

In Shenmue II, I always got the feeling he was still just seeking revenge as he left Hong Kong and he hadn't really let it all sink in yet. But here, it makes it seem like he's actually wizened up a little.

It's interesting how they bought what is essentially the Lan Di fight from Shenmue III into this episode. Which makes me wonder, if we do keep going with the Anime then how much will be changed regarding the story going forward?

Other than that, was a bit bummed that the long walk was not here but is completely understandable given time constraints.
 
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It's interesting how they bought what is essentially the Lan Di fight from Shenmue III into this episode. Which makes me wonder, if we do keep going with the Anime then how much will be changed regarding the story going forward?

Gotta feeling Shenmue 3 will be getting a lot of revisions, especially if it could potentially be the entirety of season 2. Hopefully Niaowu's story structure won't be a copy-pasted version of Bailu Village's this time around :p
 
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