SPOILERS Shenmue The Animation Episode 6 "Dignified" Thread

Demon's Triangle said:
I suppose Ryo can just save Joy from the CYM at the yellow head building top floor and Baihu could probably be moved to series 2 (if it's renewed) since he's a mysterious, blank slate of character really.

I wonder if they'll keep the journey to Bailu Village as leisurely as the game or intercut it with battles with enemies, like the blue spiders who were meant to operate across the river.
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Sean Patrick Judge has already confirmed that Baihu is one of the characters he's voicing in the dub:
 
From this point on, the diversions that the adaptation will take may very well make or break this show for me. I'm very attached to the Shenmue II story and I'm open to changes. I'm just not sure how I'll react depending on the change. However I'm very excited as these chapters are the heart of the franchise for me.
 
Interesting...already meeting with Xiuying, one wude has made an appearance via Jianmin, Joy, Sam, Larry, Cool Z, Wong, Guixiang, and Hanhui have shown up, as well as the Iron Palm! Beautiful music going up to Man Mo Temple, and I like Xiuying's design!
 
Felt some martial arts movie vibes with Jianmin. Looks like they might ditch the rest of the wude, which is kind of a shame, but it would be a lot to introduce all of those characters with only seven more episodes to go to at least arrive in Guilin. The promo of Shenmue III with Lan Di sitting in the chair made an appearance! Several lines lifted straight from the games, and I am loving the feel of Hong Kong already...plus, REN!
 
As did I! Literally sat up straight and went "WHOA!" No doubt that that is him in the Old Castle, but probably just an easter egg. I'm sure he will still show up on the roof of the Yellow Head Building.
 
On another note I hope they really didn't cut out the other wude. I feel there is space to give some of them a little time, shouldn't be too much trouble. Maybe they just wanted to end this episode on a high note, and next episode xiuying is going to refuse to help him/train him until he gets them all. I will be massively disappointed if it's all cut.
 
A shame the anime didn't expand upon the boat travel but that's neither here nor there. With only 13 episodes the time constraints are a good excuse to avoid that moment. As much as die hard Shenmue fans like us would enjoy the elaboration, wasting time on that boat would be self-indulgent at best.

Regardless, the episode itself moves along at a lighting fast pace and introduces a huge new cast of characters. Yet remarkably nothing about the episode feels rushed. As a setting Hong Kong feels somehow relaxed, despite all the combat and a certain character racing around on a red motorbike. Everything and everyone is given time to breath, to really soak in the atmosphere and allow the audience to adjust to the new status quo.

I'm also pleasantly surprised by how well the Iron Palm martial arts training was represented. These kinds of martial arts segments were something largely absent from the anime until now and I was honestly worried these sorts of tutorial sections (because that's what they really are) would be virtually unfilmable. So to have the Iron Palm move represented so convincingly and so accurately to the game, in a way that still feels natural to the anime, is a real treat. It's a testament to Yu Suzuki as a storyteller that this cleverly disguised tutorial could be translated successfully to a new medium in the complete absence of any player input.
 
Homages everywhere to the games as well, with the shot of Ryo taking his first steps off the boat, Fortune's Pier buildings in the background of the first scene with Joy, Ren Dan tossing the COGH key over his shoulder to Ryo, the Poison Brothers, the plane flying over the rooftops of the buildings at the end...
 
24Nathan said:
Homages everywhere to the games as well, with the shot of Ryo taking his first steps off the boat, Fortune's Pier buildings in the background of the first scene with Joy, Ren Dan tossing the COGH key over his shoulder to Ryo, the Poison Brothers, the plane flying over the rooftops of the buildings at the end...
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Yeah, a lot these moments are basically shot for shot remakes of Shenmue 2 cutscenes. Not too bad for a 20 year old Dreamcast game. Shenmue really was ahead of its time.
 
Ok. I liked the episode. I like what they're doing with Joy and the digging into the character. Happy they were able to incorporate Jianmin, Guixiang, and at least one of the Wude.

And yes! Xiuying looks and sounds great. Loved getting a peek at Ren. He also sounds great.

Here's my only beef. I didn't like that they overlaid the end credit theme on the reveal of Xiuying as Master Tao. I felt it undercut what should've been a bigger moment. I get that it probably had more to do that the show had 23 minutes because of the broadcast and they were trying to stuff as much as they could within the episode. However all of Xiuying's scenes mean a lot to me so of course I'll be more of a purist regarding her appearances.

But yeah it was good. Also gotta say though that the camera work in Shenmue II was so good that it's really making it harder for the anime to match the epic nature of the game cutscenes.
 
RetroLord120 said:
On another note I hope they really didn't cut out the other wude. I feel there is space to give some of them a little time, shouldn't be too much trouble. Maybe they just wanted to end this episode on a high note, and next episode xiuying is going to refuse to help him/train him until he gets them all. I will be massively disappointed if it's all cut.
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I would mentally prepare now. I can see the show having to consolidate it to 1 wude. I'm of the mind of being just glad we got one of the Wude. If they do all 4 then I'm approaching that as a pleasant surprise.
 
That scene with the leaves falling from the tree after Ryo successfully landed the strike, holy crap was that ever beautiful.

Nice to see they jampacked in Joy, Xiuying and then even Ren in the final moment of this episode. Moving along nicely.

It'll be great to watch all the episodes in succession. Right as each episode gets interesting and I'm into it, it's already over. 23 minutes is way too short.
 
I was a little worried they cut the Wude entirely, but the emphasis that was given to Gon has me thinking that Ryo will learn of them throughout the rest of his time in Hong Kong, but perhaps in different ways?

Loved Joy's little monologue on Hong Kong, and maybe a tease to her backstory that we only saw in the side story comic. Wong, Xuiying and Hanhui were spot on in both the way they looked and acted.

The continued homages to the games are not lost on me either.

This episode did not feel rushed to me despite some of the changes leading us to the Tao Lishao reveal much quicker than the game. From a storytelling perspective I think Shenmue 2's plot lends itself to the anine medium better than Shenmue 1.
 
Lan Di-sama said:
I was a little worried they cut the Wude entirely, but the emphasis that was given to Gon has me thinking that Ryo will learn of them throughout the rest of his time in Hong Kong, but perhaps in different ways?
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Oh yeah I can see that working, now that you mention it.
 
That's what I was thinking with the wude...the way they had the character and the freeze screen animation of it, maybe the others will come as we progress further into the story. Also, anyone think we will get some Joy backstory paid off, maybe with Ryo learning how she knows Guizhang and Master Chen as part of it?

And Xiuying's "single wish"...ZIMING IS CANON.
 
Overall I really liked the episode, felt like the best paced yet.
Kinda sad that it seems they'll ditch the other wude (but they also say "one of the wude"), so not all hope is lost yet.
And damn, I was marveled by the beautiful background work, amazing work.
 
I knew Hong Kong was a much better fit to make the anime actually take off in pace and quality, wish they would have dedicated less episodes to Yokosuka.

Cant wait for Ryo’s ass getting kicked in next episode!
 
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