SPOILERS Shenmue The Animation Episode 4: Shackles Thread

So now that Ryo understanding Mandarin is out of the way, how often do we think we'll see characters speaking it when the story shifts to Hong Kong and Kowloon? I somehow think very little since Bailu Village is speaking Japanese for the audience.
 
Easily the best episode so far and a 9.5/10 for me. A lot of the changes so far have been very hit and miss, but all of the big ones in this episode landed just perfectly. Giving Goro a bit of a back story to explain why he’s helping Ryo was a nice tough, as too was having Nozomi land herself in trouble rather than the Mad Angels seek her out (which I don’t think would have worked given how quickly they breezed through Ryo’s time working at the harbor). I also liked how Mark gradually warmed to Ryo as he got to know more about him, even if it was a little weird to see him acting like a total douche.

I can see some fans being annoyed with how much of the story was cut out, but I can’t say I’m all that bothered. It’s now looking like next episode will be the last one to take place in Japan, which leaves 8 episodes for Shenmue 2. Given how much more there is to get through in the sequel, I expect they’ll need every one of them!
 
Many thoughts spinning through my head while watching this, I think this is the strongest episode yet. The additional scenes we saw that weren't in the game do wonders to flesh things out - particularly the parts with Goro, Mai and Nozomi - in a way that I felt could really pull in a viewer who hasn't played the games.

As for pacing, it definitely condensed quite a lot into the last half of the episode but our point of reference is a 15 hour game that was stretched out to cover 1 chapter of a 10+ chapter story. Obviously we were the target audience for a game like Shenmue 1, it is perfect in our eyes, but I always believed that condensing it would have retained more players. The team behind this anime totally could make a compelling 12 episode series that focused on just Shenmue 1, and as fans we would gobble that up, but the reality is they are covering both games this season so this pacing makes sense...I am hoping that they're able to take more time with Shenmue 3 and beyond and tell the remaining story in a way that doesn't feel rushed. Two more seasons seems ideal but I am getting a little too ahead of myself.

This episode even gave me the urge to pop in Shenmue 1 tomorrow for my first playthrough since its ps4 release, I have not even considered it since Shenmue 3 to be honest. Some of the cinematography aspect from the games that I felt the anime was lacking was present in ep4, the sweeping shots of Yokosuka, the music, especially the main theme remix at the end while Ryo and Gui Zhang were fighting...I haven't rewatched any episode yet but I think I might now, I am stoked on where this adaptation is heading.
 
tomboz said:
Easily the best episode so far and a 9.5/10 for me. A lot of the changes so far have been very hit and miss, but all of the big ones in this episode landed just perfectly. Giving Goro a bit of a back story to explain why he’s helping Ryo was a nice tough, as too was having Nozomi land herself in trouble rather than the Mad Angels seek her out (which I don’t think would have worked given how quickly they breezed through Ryo’s time working at the harbor). I also liked how Mark gradually warmed to Ryo as he got to know more about him, even if it was a little weird to see him acting like a total douche.

I can see some fans being annoyed with how much of the story was cut out, but I can’t say I’m all that bothered. It’s now looking like next episode will be the last one to take place in Japan, which leaves 8 episodes for Shenmue 2. Given how much more there is to get through in the sequel, I expect they’ll need every one of them!
Click to expand...

To be honest we may well get more story than expected next episode. It looks like they're condensing the nozomi rescue, Guizhang fight and 70 man battle into one big sequence, but surely that won't take a full 23 minutes. It may well be that there is a bit of pay off with Mark (maybe a new twist?), possibly a shorter cameo of Shozo towards the end, and even Tom teaching Ryo Tornado kick, as this happens right at the end of S1 as well if I'm remembering correctly. That said, as Tom has only had a tiny cameo so far I'm not too confident in that, but fingers crossed. I could have sworn when Goro gave Ryo the coffee that was going to lead to Ryo giving that to Shozo Mizuki as well, so I'm still hoping they squeeze him in somehow.
 
Mr Sun said:
To be honest we may well get more story than expected next episode. It looks like they're condensing the nozomi rescue, Guizhang fight and 70 man battle into one big sequence, but surely that won't take a full 23 minutes. It may well be that there is a bit of pay off with Mark (maybe a new twist?), possibly a shorter cameo of Shozo towards the end, and even Tom teaching Ryo Tornado kick, as this happens right at the end of S1 as well if I'm remembering correctly. That said, as Tom has only had a tiny cameo so far I'm not too confident in that, but fingers crossed. I could have sworn when Goro gave Ryo the coffee that was going to lead to Ryo giving that to Shozo Mizuki as well, so I'm still hoping they squeeze him in somehow.
Click to expand...
I’d be very surprised if they cut the Tom goodbye scene, especially as they went to so much trouble to introduce him in episode one. Granted, they’ve completely neglected him since then, but it’s an important scene and the idea of Tom, Ryo and Nozomi all leaving Yokosuka (albeit for very different reasons) helps to bring the first chapter of the story to a satisfying close.

I’m inclined to agree with you that we’ll get some new content in one way or another as I can’t see how the seventy man fight, Ryo saying his goodbyes and the Chai fight could realistically be stretched out to fill 23 minutes. That said, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if Ryo leaves Japan at the end of the first half of the episode and the second half covered the boat journey and Ryo’s initial arrival in Hong Kong (particularly if the Chai fight at the harbor gets cut).
 
First episode without the prophecy or Chai!

But man, these episodes just fly by and end before you realize. That's a good sign that they're keeping my attention. I agree that the harbor scenes were a bit accelerated. I followed the sequence where Ryo tried to buy a flight to Hong Kong, realized he couldn't afford it, realized he would need a job, and then ended up working in the harbor but the way that led to the Mad Angels was kind of spontaneous. I wouldn't say I had a huge issue with it, but it was probably the first example to me of a sped-up story element that went by TOO quickly.

I don't think we'll see a goodbye from Tom or will meet Shozo next episode. If we forget what we know about the games, I think it would be too many characters to keep track of in this format. Tom was introduced as more of an acquaintance as well, so it would come out of nowhere to have him say goodbye and teach Ryo a move. You could even argue that adding a Tom goodbye scene will be a distraction to a Nozomi goodbye scene (and also overkill with a potential Chen goodbye scene....and a Hazuki residence goodbye scene).

I think some of the characters and story elements that were cut work better in the games, and I honestly prefer the anime to be a cliff notes/abridged version of the story, at least as far as Shenmue I is concerned.
 
tomboz said:
Out of interest, what are everybody’s predictions as to why Ryo wrote 17 on the floor? I’m guessing that Ryo and Guizang will actually be overwhelmed in the 70 man fight and that Master Chen and his goons will show up to save them.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about that actually...I was thinking "did I miss something here""
 
Another great episode. Loved how they gave us more Goro backstory that we never heard in the game before. Love these little touches that I'm sure had to get cut in the original game for time. Definetly excited for next week with the 80 Man Fight!
 
danielmann861 said:
I was wondering about that actually...I was thinking "did I miss something here""
Click to expand...
Not that I noticed. For them to have shown it though one has to assume there’s some significance to it.

Given how little the show has focused on Ryo’s training and improvement as a martial artist thus far, I think it makes sense for him and Guizang to need help overcoming the Mad Angels. What’s more, seeing his son in danger would help Master Chen to realize that he does still have paternal feelings for him and thus provide a satisfying conclusion to the pair’s arcs.
 
Kintor said:
View attachment 14324

Had to pause the episode to take this screenshot. Simply breathtaking in its own right. What I love though is the context, as Nozomi looks out towards the Harbor thinking about Ryo. That's when it hit me, I don't think we've ever seen an establishing shot like this connection every area in Shenmue 1 before, that would simply be beyond the Dreamcast's capabilities. Yet here we have Yokosuka as a fully realised world in one image.
Click to expand...

Makes me almost crave a remake....hey, Sega...how about Shenmue Kiwami ;)

Honestly, do you think SEGA ever would consider remaking Shenmue and doing it with a new focus? Maybe something that is less life simulator and more a chance to reboot the story and take another stab at finding the mid ground between what makes Shenmue and what makes a modern game?
 
tomboz said:
Out of interest, what are everybody’s predictions as to why Ryo wrote 17 on the floor? I’m guessing that Ryo and Guizang will actually be overwhelmed in the 70 man fight and that Master Chen and his goons will show up to save them.
Click to expand...
I'll re-watch the scene, but I originally thought Ryo was reading the number, not writing it, knowing that he can retreat to the "empty" warehouse where a bunch of people were going to be hanging out. Though it seems kind of odd that Ryo would put others in danger that way, but we'll see how it plays out.

(I thought he was keeping his foot over the number so the Mad Angels wouldn't see what he was looking at, but I could be wrong)
 
Tomato Convenience Store said:
I'll re-watch the scene, but I originally thought Ryo was reading the number, not writing it, knowing that he can retreat to the "empty" warehouse where a bunch of people were going to be hanging out. Though it seems kind of odd that Ryo would put others in danger that way, but we'll see how it plays out.

(I thought he was keeping his foot over the number so the Mad Angels wouldn't see what he was looking at, but I could be wrong)
Click to expand...
Pretty sure he scratched it into the ground with a rock or a piece of chalk. The number certainly looked like 17, which is where the Mad Angels initially told him to go.

In hindsight, Goro did say something about empty warehouses earlier and so it could just as easily be related to that. It could also be a message intended for Goro, who would likely go and ask Master Chen for help after seeing what was going down.
 
As always, my thoughts are immediately after watching and then i'll go back and read everyone elses thoughts!

Today was a strange one! In a way, it felt like the best episode, but also the weakest. I think what they've managed to cram into one episode is mighty impressive and there lots to like. Who knew there would be a scene with Nozomi and Goro?! Blimey!

I wasn't sure what to think of Mark as he came across as more angry than in the games, but his motivations make sense. Like Nozomi, I quite liked the original English melancholy voice, so the tone in the Japanese was a little strange to me. Goro's motivations for helping Ryo was brilliant. His thinking he was a big shot in the underworld by mistake and then learning about his absent father filled in so much information in such a brilliant economical way!

I also liked how Nozomi wanted to help, although I was disappointed that the confession scene was skipped (although I can see this being a flashback in the next episode before he goes to Kowloon). Nozomi's confession is one of my all time favourite scenes in Shenmue and pretty much set me on the path to be the gentle romantic that I believe myself to be.

So...forklifts. We got them! There was just enough wink, wink fan service, although part of me wished for just a little more. The lack of forklift racing was a shame, but given the context of the story, time pressures and the real life reason of that it would be bloddy dangerous (think of the insurance!), it makes sense not to do this.

So why am I disappointed? Well, truthfully, i'm not. It was brilliant as always. I just wasn't smiling as much. It might be because i've not gotten into a rhythm and now the 'novelty' of the show has ended. I just wish there were a few more episodes, because whilst I think the pacing is almost right, I think there was just a little too much going on this time around.

Finally - I did notice a little easter egg in Nozomi's room of other photo's - one of which was with Nozomi's grumpy friend having a go at Ryo!
 
IMO this raised the bar again. Really meaty episode, and easily the best animated I think.

Even though they crammed a ton into this one (lots more than I expected!), I actually felt the pacing was spot-on so long as you let go of the impulse to compare it to the game. As a single episode of a martial arts anime series it had basically everything you want - character development, great action, and a cliff-hanger ending to keep you on edge until next week.

They also delivered YET ANOTHER absolutely amazing rendition of the main theme, lol.

Think next week's episode is going to be something special if they stick the landing on the dual action/emotional climax of the 70 man battle and the motorcycle ride home with Nozomi. Blending those two events together makes total sense for a TV series about to hit a mid-season finale, and it ties up the Yokosuka arc neatly in one go.

I guess the question now is whether episode 6 covers any of the boat chapter, or if we're jumping straight in to Hong Kong.
 
I have to rewatch the episode but at the beginning when Ryo is watching Ine-San doing calculations, did anyone interpret it as the Dojo is struggling to keep afloat? I mean it’s an element the games never wanted or frankly needed to focus on, but with Iwao’s passing where was money coming in to support Hazuki residence?

With the anime showing remixed or new scenes it just makes me wonder about even more elements touched on or hinted in the original games and I feel like that’s a good sign.
 
danielmann861 said:
Makes me almost crave a remake....hey, Sega...how about Shenmue Kiwami ;)

Honestly, do you think SEGA ever would consider remaking Shenmue and doing it with a new focus? Maybe something that is less life simulator and more a chance to reboot the story and take another stab at finding the mid ground between what makes Shenmue and what makes a modern game?
Click to expand...
On paper a full remake seems a good idea but it would be really tricky to get right. So often you see franchises trying to reach for a new audience, only to alienate the old fans with the same move. Even so, I would like to see what could be achieved with Shenmue on modern hardware and a bottomless AAA budget like the old days. I say this knowing full well that certain design tweaks would probably be necessary to justify the project.

As an example, last year I was really impress by The Matrix Awakens tech demo:


That whole Matrix sequence was done in CG and in real-time with the Unreal Engine 5. It just makes my mind race with possibilities to imagine what a Shenmue game with that kind of power behind it would be like.
 
danielmann861 said:
Makes me almost crave a remake....hey, Sega...how about Shenmue Kiwami ;)
Click to expand...
IMO the anime makes this a bit redundant now. At least from the perspective of remixing the story.

But the learnings from what works in the Shenmue anime would be well applied to Shenmue IV, which is why I hope there's a collaboration in the pipeline. 👀
 
I enjoyed this episode more than the 3rd one somehow, despite them rushing quite a few story bits, and i didnt like how they handled the Guizhang fight (no “pretend to lose” and it was quite short).

Cant wait until the Hong Kong arc!

Edit: as a side note, the italian subs took a visible nosedive in quality for some reason, with Some sentences missing the final word or not making sense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top