Why did Ryo race home in the beginning?

Jerrid'sRamenShop

Jerrid'sRamenShop

Joined
Jan 27, 2020
I am not sure if it was ever explained why Ryo raced home initially. You see him running with determination and the scene is ominous with dark clouds, a mysterious black car and the school's sign broken at the gate entrance. But why was Ryo heading home so quickly for to begin with?

Even if the excuse was the black car was unusual and passed him on the way home, it feels to me that Lan Di and his men had been there for a little while at least, maybe twenty minutes to half an hour. I see the gang walking leisurely, but directly to the dojo, not running to get there.

Surely walking would of gotten Ryo home faster than that if he was already near his home. And if he was not that close to home, there would never of been any concern to run home to begin with, because the car could of been headed anywhere anyway.
 
I'd like to think it's because he doesn't want to miss an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air until I realised that it didn't exist for another 4 years~

On a serious note, it's a good question, but probably not one i'm worried about finding out. Perhaps he was walking home and saw the black cars go towards his house, so he ran home to see what was going on?
 
This style of opening, where you are just thrown in, is quite common. But usually it is later assisted by some flashback.
So... only natural that something feels missing here.

The simplest answer would be that he got passed by the speeding black car on his casual stride home. Bad feeling ensues.

The anime could indeed fix this by giving us a much more drawn out opening. Let it be cliche as hell and make it start at Suka High. Classes just ended and Ryo and his classmates and friends talk about how they are going to celebrate later that day. After all, the day of the incident is Ryo's 18th birthday. And then let Ryo do that stride home seeing the black car thingy.
If they make this really drawn out, if could be enough to let the first episode end as early as with Iwao's death.

At any rate, this introduction of Nozomi, Naoyuki, Ichiro, Yuji, Noriko and maybe also Enoki's gang would be a great way to establish who Ryo's friends are. Something that the game itself practically did nothing for with the Player being thrown in and all.
 
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The two theories I can remember off the top of my head are (1) Ryo was hanging out in town with his friends, and (2) Ryo was jogging home
BlueMue said:
This style of opening, where you are just thrown in, is quite common. But usually it is later assisted by some flashback.
So... only natural that something feels missing here.

The simplest answer would be that he got passed by the speeding black car on his casual stride home. Bad feeling ensues.

The anime could indeed fix this by giving us a much more drawn out opening. Let it be cliche as hell and make it start at Suka High. Classes just ended and Ryo and his classmates and friends talk about how they are going to celebrate later that day. After all, the day of the incident is Ryo's 18th birthday. And then let Ryo do that stride home seeing the black car thingy.
If they make this really drawn out, if could be enough to let the first episode end as early as with Iwao's death.

At any rate, this introduction of Nozomi, Naoyuki, Ichiro, Yuji, Noriko and maybe also Enoki's gang would be a great way to establish who Ryo's friends are. Something that the game itself practically did nothing for with the Player being thrown in and all.
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There's one problem with your headcanon: Ryo isn't wearing his school uniform. If class had just got out, he would be dressed the same as Enoki, Nagashima, and those other two you can batter in that FREE battle.

I was also going to point out that the events of the introduction take place on a Saturday, but I have just discovered that school on Saturdays is not uncommon in Japan, so that point can slide.
 
Jerrid'sRamenShop said:
I am not sure if it was ever explained why Ryo raced home initially. You see him running with determination and the scene is ominous with dark clouds, a mysterious black car and the school's sign broken at the gate entrance. But why was Ryo heading home so quickly for to begin with?
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He needed a shit j/k
 
Im assuming someone in the neighborhood had seen the car and the damage done to the entrance to the home and happened to know where to find Ryo. Given the Chi You Men confronting Ine San and then Fuku and Iwao inside the dojo followed by Lan Di asking for the last time where the mirror is, a few extra minutes may have passed. Im assuming there was a bit of back and forth between Lan Di and Iwao before Ryo arrived back home
 
Dehone said:
Im assuming someone in the neighborhood had seen the car and the damage done to the entrance to the home and happened to know where to find Ryo. Given the Chi You Men confronting Ine San and then Fuku and Iwao inside the dojo followed by Lan Di asking for the last time where the mirror is, a few extra minutes may have passed. Im assuming there was a bit of back and forth between Lan Di and Iwao before Ryo arrived back home
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Agreed, someone sees the black car heading to his home. As they see Ryo they mention that someone important must be at your home I saw big black car parked outside.
 
But do you run home just because a car is seen driving to your home? He also seemed serious on his run to home, although that may of just been a perk of facial expressions and why smile when running. (I usually cuss under my breath...) But it comes off as he "knows" some stuff is about to go down.

But did anyone else notice, even AFTER he finds Ine-san laying on the ground, that he takes his sweet time to get to the dojo. Like he already saw the sign was broken out front and your "maid" assaulted or at least injured, possibly just simply falling in the confusion. But Ryo just "walks" and slowly to the front of the dojo. -_- Like boi, get your ass up in there! :cautious:

Maybe he was busy with the capsule toys or at the arcade trying to get the high score and he runs home afterwards.

"Father, I am here!"

"Where were you Ryo!? I expected you over an hour ago! And Fuku-san may be dead..."
 
I think a big black luxury car being at someones home in Shenmue is a big deal. Firstly, there aren't many cars in Shenmue and almost everyone uses the bus. Seeing as how the Chiyoumen are international criminals I'm guessing this was a very nice luxury car, a car that would stand out in that part of town. Ryo has always exhibited Yi(Wude) and naturally hearing about a strange luxury vehicle he rushed home to see what was what.

The gameplay mechanics of Shenmue has also taught us that the town is full of citizens that love and respect Ryo and his family. Word could've/would've gotten back to him easily. At least I think so🤪
 
Didn't Shenmue: the Movie have more of an "intro" scene than the one the game offered? I don't think it explained this though, if anything it was just the camera panning around the environments a bit, but I liked it (unless I'm completely imagining it)
 
Lan Di-sama said:
Didn't Shenmue: the Movie have more of an "intro" scene than the one the game offered? I don't think it explained this though, if anything it was just the camera panning around the environments a bit, but I liked it (unless I'm completely imagining it)
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The movie started with the scene in Sakuragaoka Park with Nozomi/Enoki...then after that it just cuts to how the game begins, if I remember right?
 
Had Ryo shown the proper respect of removing his shoes before entering the dojo, he may of won that fight. Didn't Iwao teach him anything?
 
He was running late for practice at the Dojo and was affraid of having his butt kicked by Iwao.
 
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