Shenmue the Animation

For the uninitiated, Shenmue might just be another series that people are willing to take a back seat on binging all at one time, but for the true diehards, Shenmue is a masterpiece of a franchise that's like no other: it's arguably one of Sega's most beloved IPs with a heavy cult following with the first two games released on Sega's once-beloved but short-lived final game console, the Sega Dreamcast in 1999 and 2000, and Shenmue III making a revival in 2019. And fans might've wondered what an anime adaptation of Shenmue would look like if it was made modern, and courtesy of series creatorYu Suzuki and One Punch Man S2 director Chikara Sakurai, we finally got it thanks to Crunchyroll and Adult Swim's Toonami collab (that's thankfully no longer under their once-maligned Crunchyroll Originals banner). Let's get this out of the way for the true diehards: According to producer Yu Kiyozono, the anime was in development for around two to three years during the time Shenmue III was produced and released, but it wasn't released until after the game came out. Kiyozono also stated that the production crew went to Yokosuka to get an accurate feel of the city's streets and atmosphere, while the anime will see most of the core Japanese voice actors return from the video games (i.e. Masaya Matsukaze with Ryo Hazuki and Takahiro Sakurai with Lan Di), although some of the cast will include new voice actors to appeal to the game's younger fanbase. Producer Joseph Chou of Sola Entertainment mentions that Yu Suzuki was heavily involved in the production to plan out the narrative with backstory information that was never implemented in the games, while director Chikara Sakurai added that some free roaming aspects were included with Ryo talking to people in the streets. So take in all of these, and you can see the care and passion of the staff team in bringing the Shenmue dream alive to the small screen, and they've largely succeeded. For the newcomers who don't largely know what Shenmue is all about (largely because time is lost to this beloved IP), Shenmue the Animation adapts the overarching story from the Dreamcast games into one package. The premise is that Ryo Hazuki is the son of a family dojo, and so sets the story that his father was murdered by this clan called the Chi You Men through Lan Di, and that Ryo Hazuki is bent on getting revenge, crossing paths with people and learning the way of martial arts until he reaches his goal to defeat Lan Di. Sounds way too simple for modern-day standards, but I'd tell you that back in 1999/2000 this was something very different than your typical RPG that defies genres and even causes polarizing opinions till to this day. The core characters are back with Ryo Hazuki and Lan Di (their VAs are the same as the Japanese version of Shenmue), while some others like Shenhua and Nozomi Harasaki get some new VAs in order to make the anime sound fresh to newcomers. That's why diehard fans have craved for a Shenmue revival after the Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001, and Shenmue III was released to fanfare in 2019 to feature more of the same, but yet still having the same polarizing opinions. And this is where the new younger fanbase comes in to experience what would the first 2 original games would've felt like, without getting too flashy on its character appeal that's all the same if you've played both games before (and not the overzelaous English version which were some of the worst but hilarious dialogue VOs). Being a subsidiary of TMS Entertainment, Telecom Animation Film did decent on the visuals and action overall, it just did enough to service the plot with a tight budget. But I've gotta say that it's such a treat to finally watch Shenmue summed into 13 episodes which I feel is the perfect duration to flesh out both games in general without losing too much of its mostly side-quest appeal and the alluring story that was so far ahead of its time back in the day. But I miss the Lucky Hit segment, wish there was more of it. Music was decent-to-good as well with Kashitaro Ito churning out another banger song of an opening with Narudora's calm ending that also fits within Shenmue's draw of musical proportions that while is not close to famed composer Yuzo Koshiro's stellar composition in the games, it's just good enough to glide over the series in the most general way. Fans of Shenmue, DO NOT MISS this adaptation. It's a faithful replication of the Dreamcast games, and I can reassure you that you won't be disappointed at all. As for the newcomers, please don't take the somewhat maligned score for what it is, try it out for yourself and experience the Shenmue franchise the way that it's supposed to be in its own greatness.

Shenmue The Animation is an adaptation of the masterpiece game series Shenmue. A game series that revolutionized the game world in 1999, Shenmue and Shenmue II are games way ahead of its time. Shenmue is more than games to me, Shenmue it is a beautiful experience that i will never forget, and now we got a anime and this is wonderful. The more Shenmue in more media the better This adaptation tells the story of the games Shenmue I and Shenmue II. I'm a Shenmue fan and i love the anime, the anime added more informations and even more screen time and development for a lot of characters,this way adding many things that don't have in the games. Some things that have in the games were cut out in the anime, and other things changed but i understand why, the anime is another version of Shenmue and i'm okay with that. The anime expanded the story, the lore and the characters of Shenmue and this is beautiful. The anime team had the attention and the care to the details about the Shenmue world. The action/fights are good, the story is wonderful, the characters are interesting, the soundtrack of the anime is beautiful and much more, a great adaptation. I love the opening and the ending of the anime, beautiful animations and beautiful songs. The anime complement the games and the games complement the anime. The anime is recommended for everyone, for the Shenmue fans and also for the people that never played the games, if you never played the games then the anime is a good way to start in this beautiful franchise. If someone want to have the complete Shenmue experience with all the details then i recommend the anime and the games. If you love the anime then i recommend the games as well, the games are special and unique experiences. Some things i prefer the anime version and other things i prefer the games version. I'm so happy that the Shenmue franchise is alive, and i have hope that one day we will see the conclusion of this wonderful journey in the games and in the anime, i will always support Shenmue. I hope one day we can get a Shenmue Anime Blu-ray release and Shenmue Anime soundtrack. I love the anime and i hope we can get the second season, beautiful adaptation The anime in my opinion is a companion to the games, it is not something to replace the games, it is not something to look 100% like the games, it is something to walk side by side with the games and to me this is wonderful. Shenmue is an amazing story about martial arts, family, friendship, revenge, is about dealing with the pain of losing someone important and many other things. It is about the people Ryo meet and what he learns from them, it is about Ryo improving as a martial artist and as a character, all of this done in a beautiful way. It is so unique and special to see Ryo's journey. I lost my mother. I relate to the Shenmue story in many ways Shenmue is so special to me and help me in many moments in my life, Shenmue help me dealing with my mother's death and much more. When any kind of art manages to help someone in life in some way it's something very beautiful and special. Shenmue is important to me and to many other Shenmue fans around the world. Shenmue is a wonderful journey and experience. Shenmue touched my heart in a deep way that i will never forget, Shenmue means a lot to me. Shenmue is a beautiful and special journey, a unique experience. Watch it and judge it for yourselves.

A great anime adaptation of console masterpieces. Recommended both for those who have never played the video games, as well as for the fans of them. Very faithful to the originals, but at the same time introduces interesting changes that are not at odds with the story or the characters, in addition to adding new scenes. The production staff are fans of the games due to the love and passion they have put into the project. The pacing is really good and it keeps the intrigue and interest going at all times. very well adapted to the anime medium. The animation is quite successful, especially in the action and themusic is the same as in the games and is very well used in each scene. The voice actors in Japanese are the same as in the games and their acting is really good (I can't comment on the dubbing since I'm only seeing it in Japanese at the moment, but in the trailer did look good too.). Do not pay attention to the bad score of this page or some negative reviews since it is clear that some of those people have not even bothered to watch the anime or only want to do harm to the franchise. Watch it and judge it for yourselves, surely you will not regret it.

Shenmue is a divisive series. On one hand it is a relic of the past, an ambitious attempt at an open-world game that has failed so that other games can surpass it. On the other, fans swear that it is a timeless masterpiece that deserved to be celebrated among the best games ever made. Personally, I love the games I think it has a charm and story that are not seen often in other martial arts stories. However, I also agree that the video game’s biggest barrier is its nigh outdated game design and English dub which makes it a struggle to play through. WhenI saw that it was getting adapted into an anime, I was very skeptical since most video game adaptations end up in disappointment (Bayonetta, Persona, Tekken, etc). Luckily that is not the case. This is as close as you can get to the perfect adaptation of a video game. Newcomers to the series will enjoy a modernized take on Shenmue with script, writing, and voice acting adapted to an enjoyable anime experience without having to go through the outdated slog of the old video game. If you are a fan of martial arts, travel, or authentic East Asian culture, there is plenty to enjoy. For fans of the Shenmue, there is added context to what we have experienced before. New plot points and an already loveable supporting cast are even more fleshed out making the experience fresh and equally nostalgic. In the beginning, you may think that Shenmue is a generic revenge story. In martial arts action, a common trope is your main character is an invincible fighting force that goes on a raging rampage for that sweet revenge often sprinkled with lessons on morality surrounding revenge (e.g: Fist of Fury, Hokuto No Ken, Kill Bill, etc). That is not the case with Shenmue. Our protagonist Ryo is a high school student whose skills are good as a karate high school champion, yet somehow he has to travel the world with barely has any allowance, infiltrate an international crime syndicate and somehow take revenge on his father’s murderer who is also one of the leaders of said organizations that beats Ryo’s ass in less than 10 frames in episode 1. Shenmue is more of a coming-of-age/murder mystery story about people's effects on each other told through an epic adventure of a young man unraveling his father's murder. As Ryo gets deeper into the mystery, he traces back to his father’s footsteps meeting a colorful cast of characters and equally shady individuals. It is the best at depicting the highs and lows of travel and its encounters with strangers. The best among them will leave you with a memory that lasts a lifetime, and the worst will screw you over. Ryo meets gang members that end up being friends, wise martial arts masters who impart their wisdom to him, local citizens, etc. In these encounters, you can see how Ryo grows as a character and a martial artist. Through Ryo's lens, we also remember them for the effects they have on Ryo and us by extension which is what makes them memorable. These characters may have 1 episode of screentime, yet these characters are still fan favorites in the community. It is like remembering your best high school teacher or a random encounter you had in the streets. You part ways eventually but something about them sticks with you. Speaking of travel, The efforts of Yu Suzuki’s research of the environment in the story takes place for his ultra-realistic project translated well into the anime in the forms of great world-building. You can see a very distinct shift in moods from the first and second half of the season as Ryo transitions from his hometown of suburban Japan Yokosuka and following his adventure to Hong Kong as he has to deal with different cultures, customs, and environments. Admittedly, I think this was done better in the games due to the immersive strength of the medium, but if you are a fan of east Asian culture you may find real locations for your next travels. I can’t talk about Shenmue without talking about its music. There is something almost ethereal with its use of Erhu (The Chinese fiddle, an instrument you may have heard in Kung-fu Panda’s Oogway Ascends). The leitmotif of Shenmue’s main theme will be stuck with you as you can’t help but feel something when you hear it. You will experience that in the opening section of the show. To me, Shenmue has a lot to say about relationships with people know or meet along the way and how they affect your life told in an epic adventure full of wonderful people and places with elements that tie well into each other. If you like martial arts, East Asian culture, or heck even travel I highly recommend that you experience this show yourself. It may not be your favorite thing ever, but you may have a good time or at least understand why people love it.

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