Is Lan Di a victim in the Shenmue story?


shenmue-3-recebe-nova-imagem-com-lan-di-1550597473414.jpg

This post have spoilers of the games


The Shenmue story has many intriguing and mysteries elements, one of these mysteries is what happened in Meng Cun between Iwao Hazuki (Ryo's Father) and Sunming Zhao (Lan Di's Father).

Lan Di killed Ryo's father in the beginning of the first game, Lan Di did that because he thinks that Iwao killed his father, he did because of revenge, now Ryo want the same thing, Ryo want revenge as well.

It is interesting to notice that Lan Di didn't killed Ryo, Ine-san and Fuku-san. Lan Di could have killed these characters if he wanted but he didn't do that. Lan Di killed Iwao, he took the Dragon Mirror and leave the Hazuki Residence.

In Shenmue II Lan Di could have killed Ryo in the rooftop part if he wanted but he didn't do that, in Shenmue III Lan Di could have killed Ryo in the fortified castle but he didn't do that. Maybe deep down Lan Di can relate with Ryo because Ryo wants reveenge for the same reason, the death of his father.

This to me means that Lan Di is not a person that enjoy killing, so far Lan Di killed because of revenge, just like how our hero with a jacket Ryo wants to do, so Lan Di really is a bad person or he is a victim in the story? with Shenmue III we learned that after Sunming Zhao's death Lan Di was raised by The Chiyoumen, that in one part of the story his father had the mirros.

With this information we can imagine that maybe when Sunming Zhao died Lan Di was just a kid, so for some reason The Chiyoumen took care of Lan Di and raised him. I can imagine Lan Di as a kid with 6 years old suffering because his father died, i can imagine The Chiyoumen twisting with his mind to make Lan Di think that Iwao killed his father, we don't know what really happened in Meng Cun between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao, maybe Iwao killed Sunming Zhao or maybe not, we still don't know, but i believe that the Chiyoumen twisted with Lan Di's mind, so Lan Di probably grew up with a lot of hatred for Iwao.

1656718186438.png

I can imagine Lan Di training since he was a kid to defeat Iwao, to achieve his revenge, Lan Di went to the path of evil and achieved his revenge, just like how Ziming probably did it, and just like how our hero Ryo wants to do as well, these 3 characters have a lot in common because of that.


It is interesting to notice how much Lan Di and Ryo are similar, the motivation of both characters are revenge, both characters have a scar on the face, someone did this scar in Lan Di's face? in my opinion someone did this scar, when everything happened Lan Di was in Meng Cun as well? he saw everything that happened between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao just like how Ryo saw his father dying? maybe, we still don't know.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion Lan Di is a victim in the Shenmue story, when i say this it doesn't mean i agree with what Lan Di did in the story, it just means that probably Lan Di have reasons for being the way he is, that probably Lan Di is not the real villain of this story, that maybe the real villain of the story twisted with Lan Di's mind since he was a kid, so if this happened Lan Di grew up with a lot of sadness and hatred in his heart.

Lan Di killed Iwao because of revenge, he killed Iwao and took the Dragon mirror with him, Lan Di also want the Phoenix mirror, but why Lan Di want both mirrors? Lan Di really want to do bad things with the mirrors? maybe someone said to him that with the mirrors he can revive his father, maybe this is why Lan Di wants both mirrors so much, because probably the real villain twisted with Lan Di's mind since he was a kid.

1656765904520.png

If this really happened then i understand why the character is the way he is, if this really happened i hope in one part of the story Lan Di and Ryo can understand each other, their fathers were friends, friendship is one of the themes in the Shenmue Story, so i hope Ryo and Lan Di can understand each other in one part of the story.

If the Chiyoumen really twisted with Lan Di's mind maybe Lan Di will even want revenge against the Chiyoumen, this can be a awesome plot twist, so maybe we will see Ryo and Lan Di fighting together at one point in the story to defeat the true leader of the Chiyoumen Tentei, this would be really exciting to see in my opinion.

Maybe Lan Di will have a heroic death or something like that, in many stories i saw things like this happening, characters regretting the bad things they did in their lives and then having a heroic death.

All i know is that if Shenmue IV happen i hope we can see more revelations about these things, Shenmue III is like the first game and i love that, especially in Bailu Village like a second home for Ryo, now for Shenmue IV i think Yu Suzuki will focus a lot in relation to the story, i think Shenmue IV will progess the story a lot, and that will be really intense about the story, intense with a lot of action/fights, revelations, training, maybe important characters dying and much more.

What do you think about this? Lan Di is a bad person and the villain of the story or he is a victim in the story? share your opinions in the comments below, thank you all for reading, and remember to keep friends... those you love... close to you, see you all in my next blog post, bye bye. ~



Longsun.png

 
Last edited:
I agree that Lanny also likely once
was a victim of the Chiyoumen. Maybe Ryo can forgive Lanny some day and they will break this "cycle of pain" Shenny talked about.

I agree, i also think Ryo will forgive Lan Di some day and they will break the cycle of revenge and pain, and maybe Lan Di will have a heroic death.
 
All with Lan Di is a mistery. What it is goal? World domination? World peace so nobody have to suffer again from a father loss or feelings like revenge? Revive his father as you say? (Good one, I didn't think about that),

And what about the black dragon that always is related with him? In the games, in Shenmue Online, in the anime, etc.
Shen Hua as the phoenix and Lan Di as the black dragon. Any relation between these two?

Why is Zhao Sunming entrusted with the mirrors? Becase he is strong or because he is part of the royal familiy/dinasty? If is the last one, perhaps Lan Di also have "powers"? Why he can use the mirror and the dragon? (Shenmue online)

And also, can Lan Di be the one that betrays Tentei in the end, there are many many possibilities and routes... Shenmue is like a book in white.

The thing about if he watched his father death is interesting too, we have the scar thing, and that Iwao know about the existence of Sunming son. Also in the anime we have that Lan Di have some empathy with Ryo (You STILL can´t defeat me). My bet is that he watched his father death, is more efective for dramatic purpouses.

Being a Shenmue fan one learns to live with uncertainty of fictional stories. Will we have the answer to all of this one day?

Watching the Shenmue online videos, I think that another good possibility to end the saga could be a CG movie. Give me all the rest of the story in a 2 hours movie, (CG is in fashion now)well done, with spectacularity and emotion, a movie that newcomers and fans of the games can enjoy for equal, I think it would´t be a bad option if more games are not possible. (Yeah, in a perfect world I also would want more quality games, but we don't know if that is possible...)

A 2 hours movie with graphics like this. Or 2 movies of 2 hours every one.


If that happened, still we did have a three awesome open world games and a movie to conclude the story, in my opinion would be still a great closed saga. And who knows after that? Imagine that the movie is a sucess, more anime, more games and more things.
 
Last edited:
All with Lan Di is a mistery. What it is goal? World domination? World peace so nobody have to suffer again from a father loss or feelings like revenge? Revive his father as you say? (Good one, I didn't think about that),

And what about the black dragon that always is related with him? In the games, in Shenmue Online, in the anime, etc.
Shen Hua as the phoenix and Lan Di as the black dragon. Any relation between these two?

Why is Zhao Sunming entrusted with the mirrors? Becase he is strong or because he is part of the royal familiy/dinasty? If is the last one, perhaps Lan Di also have "powers"? Why he can use the mirror and the dragon? (Shenmue online)

And also, can Lan Di be the one that betrays Tentei in the end, there are many many possibilities and routes... Shenmue is like a book in white.

The thing about if he watched his father death is interesting too, we have the scar thing, and that Iwao know about the existence of Sunming son. Also in the anime we have that Lan Di have some empathy with Ryo (You STILL can´t defeat me). My bet is that he watched his father death, is more efective for dramatic purpouses.

Being a Shenmue fan one learns to live with uncertainty of fictional stories. Will we have the answer to all of this one day?

Watching the Shenmue online videos, I think that another good possibility to end the saga could be a CG movie. Give me all the rest of the story in a 2 hours movie, (CG is in fashion now)well done, with spectacularity and emotion, a movie that newcomers and fans of the games can enjoy for equal, I think it would´t be a bad option if more games are not possible. (Yeah, in a perfect world I also would want more quality games, but we don't know if that is possible...)

A 2 hours movie with graphics like this. Or 2 movies of 2 hours every one.


If that happened, still we did have a three awesome open world games and a movie to conclude the story, in my opinion would be still a great closed saga. And who knows after that? Imagine that the movie is a sucess, more anime, more games and more things.

I agree, all with Lan Di is a mystery, even in the anime we saw Lan Di more than we saw in 3 games, in the games we saw Lan Di just a few times, i hope we can see more about Lan Di in Shenmue IV. I agree, many routes that the story can go on.

If Yuanda Zhu is really Tentei and the real villain of the story then maybe he was the one that gave the mirrors to Sunming Zhao.

I'm really curious to know who is this character in this concept art, is this character Tentei or this character is one of Ryo's masters? i think is Tentei, really interesting and maybe we will see this character in the future.


1656941959118.png



I think Lan Di is a victim of the Chiyoumen since he was a kid, and that in one part of the story Ryo and Lan Di will get the revelations about what really happened in Meng Cun, depending on the revelations maybe Ryo and Lan Di will understand each other and join forces to destroy the Chiyoumen, and maybe Lan Di will have a heroic death. This can be a awesome plot twist.

I agree, if Yu Suzuki feel that he doesn't have more opportunities to continue with the games then maybe he will try to finish the story in another way. Maybe a 2 hours movie, maybe the anime or other things, but i really have hope that right now Yu Suzuki is making Shenmue IV, i have hope that Yu-san will complete the Shenmue story with the games, thanks for the comment.
 
Last edited:
Watching the anime, I don't think that Yuanda Zhu is bad. He cares for Wong for example, and Lan Di don't know him.
Well, it would be a enormous plot twist, imagine that Yuanda Zhu/Tentei objective is the end of the conflict in the world and for that he is the secret leader of all organization and does what he does, but at least for now I don't think history goes that way.

If someone twisted Lan Di mind that must be Tentei, I don't see another boss of the organization doing it, and that requires that Lan Di has seem Tentei in person, and knows how he is.

Very good observation at the character at that card, I think the same, He can be one of both, I also thought that Ryo "definitive" master can be the master of Xiu Ying and be inspired in another Virtua Fighter character. Perhaps Lei Fei? And old version of him? It would be fine if is a Shaolink monk.

The problem I see with Lan Di becoming "good" is that if he kills Ren, I don't see Ryo forgiving him for that too, but who knows, perhaps the story don't go that way. Lan Di in the anime gives me more "good vibes" that in the games.

I hope you're right and we can see the end of this great story well done. Is interesting to talk about these things, maybe in the end everything is much simpler than we think and it disappoints us for it with all the stories we are putting together, ha ha.

Thanks to you for these post.
 
Watching the anime, I don't think that Yuanda Zhu is bad. He cares for Wong for example, and Lan Di don't know him.
Well, it would be a enormous plot twist, imagine that Yuanda Zhu/Tentei objective is the end of the conflict in the world and for that he is the secret leader of all organization and does what he does, but at least for now I don't think history goes that way.

If someone twisted Lan Di mind that must be Tentei, I don't see another boss of the organization doing it, and that requires that Lan Di has seem Tentei in person, and knows how he is.

Very good observation at the character at that card, I think the same, He can be one of both, I also thought that Ryo "definitive" master can be the master of Xiu Ying and be inspired in another Virtua Fighter character. Perhaps Lei Fei? And old version of him? It would be fine if is a Shaolink monk.

The problem I see with Lan Di becoming "good" is that if he kills Ren, I don't see Ryo forgiving him for that too, but who knows, perhaps the story don't go that way. Lan Di in the anime gives me more "good vibes" that in the games.

I hope you're right and we can see the end of this great story well done. Is interesting to talk about these things, maybe in the end everything is much simpler than we think and it disappoints us for it with all the stories we are putting together, ha ha.

Thanks to you for these post.

Maybe Niao Sun will kill Ren, but i agree that if Lan Di kill Ren then Ryo will not forgive Lan Di. In one interview Yu Suzuki talked about Yuanda Zhu, he said that Yuanda Zhu cannot be trusted, something like that, i don't remember now where he said that, if i find i send for you, but if Yuanda Zhu is the mastermind of the Chiyoumen then it will be an awesome plot twist, haha.

In this interview Yu Suzuki confirmed that Ryo will give up about revenge, so what will be the reason for Ryo to give up about revenge? i think it has something to do with the revelations we will see about what happened in Meng Cun between Iwao Hazuki and Sunming Zhao, to me this is one of the big mysteries in the Shenmue story, many things can change in the story when Ryo and Lan Di discover the truth about what happened.

 
Back
Top