SPOILERS - SHENMUE THE ANIMATION EPISODE 13 "SHENMUE" THREAD

[ShenSun]

Nah I'm sorry it was terrible how they did it. The journey was beautiful in the game, they didn't need to do it exactly the same, they can streamline it, but what we got was nothing.

Yeah, the journey is awesome in the games. Personally, I would have streamlined the Wude into 3 episodes and dedicated more time to Guilin.

My point was, that newcomers have no idea what happens in Guilin, so to them it looks normal, whereas we can see it's been rushed.

Don't forget that the original plan was to cover most of Shenmue 2, not all of it. I'm actually surprised they included Guilin, but I suspect it was because of how they opened the anime with the ending of Shenmue 2.

 

[Revan]

Really enjoyed this anime, it's been a real highlight of my weeks!

Sad we didn't get to see the Chunyan fight or Ryo's leaf catching, but the series gave us a lot of expanded scenes which make up for it.

If this doesn't get a Season 2 to adapt Shenmue 3 and 4 (4 should be released by then, surely?) it would be a crime against humanity.

 

[Jibby]

Can't believe they really hit us with a 'The story goes on...' 😂

Man, what a ride this has been! The anime was basically everything I wanted it to be and more. I'm keeping my fingers crossed tight for a second season down the line.

 

[ShenSun]

The death stare from Ryo to Lan Di was on another level

 

[~ ヒキ ~]

I finished the episode now... wow... i'm still processing everything that happened, i need to watch this episode more times but i enjoy the episode, i even cried.

In my opinion the Lan Di VS Ryo fight is okay, i'm just curious about what the anime team will do in the Fortified Castle when the times comes. It is interesting that Yuanda Zhu said for Lan Di to go to Bailu, without even questioning Lan Di return to the ladder of the helicopter to go to Bailu, as far as i remember this don't have in the game, interesting addition.

In this version Lan Di went to Bailu Village, Ryo is there now as well, in the second season Ryo will find Lan Di there? probably not but it is interesting to think about it, was a big moment to me seeing Yuanda Zhu talking about Bailu to Lan Di and Lan Di deciding to go there, really interesting.

Ryo was losing his mind and sanity because he want revenge, then what happened? REN SAVED RYO, Ren even managed to calm Ryo down, as far as i remember this don't have in the game and it was a intense scene to me, amazing addition, we can see that Ren really care about Ryo. This scene with Ren trying to calm Ryo down is super intense to me, loved it.

I love the fight Ryo VS Dou Niu, i love the way the anime team did it and i'm glad that this part is in the anime.

It is interesting that Ren said again Junnen Hayai da yo, Akira phrase when he wins a fight in VF, probably in the Legend of Akira scripts/novels Ren say this phrase a lot, probably is his catch phrase. I think in the scripts/novels Ren die and as a way of honoring and remembering his friend Ryo (Akira) decide to use Ren's bandana as his headband, and decide to say Junnen Hayai Da Yo a lot as well, as a way to honor his friend that died protecting him, and through pain and sadness i feel Ryo will finally understand the last words of his father... "Keep friends... those you love... close to you"

Some people only learn lessons in life in the hard way, i can talk about myself as an example, i don't want to talk about my life in detail on the internet anymore, but for people here to understand the theory about Ren i will say one thing. I lost my mother, my mother is not here with me but i'm still learning lessons with my mother, about the things that my mother used to say to me, i learned some lessons in life in the hard way.

i don't think is a bad idea to go this route with Ryo, for Ryo to lose Ren and after that finally learn the lesson to "keep friends... those you love... close to you"

Ryo need to fully learn 2 important lessons

1. "Keep friends... those you love... close to you."

Ryo only see the path of revenge in front of him, Ryo is not focusing on love and friendship, Ryo right now in the story only care about revenge, so probably at one point of the story Ryo will fully learn this lesson, maybe in the hard way with Ren's death, if Ren die it will probably have a big impact to the story and in Ryo's life so i like this theory.

2. Martial arts are used to protect people's lives. If you use your fists otherwise, you will walk on the path of evil, too!"

Same thing i said in the other lesson, Ryo right now only see the path of revenge in front of him, in the final moments Ryo will probably learn this lesson, Ryo will probably not go to the path of evil like Ziming went.

Overall the climax in the rooftop part is really good and intense, i enjoy a lot.

The talking with Yuanda Zhu is nice, i think some things were cut out but i understand.

The goodbye scenes are beautiful and emotional to me, the scenes with the songs really touched my heart, when Wong appeared trying to sell banana we can see that Wong really changed after meeting Ryo, and we see that now Ren will go to Guilin as well, i don't remember if in the game Ren talked about going to Guilin, but here in the anime was a nice scene that Ren talked so interested about going to Guilin, if this is not in the game is a nice addition, and explain more Ryo seeing Ren again in Niaowu.

All the goodbye scenes and seeing that Wong really changed made me cry, really emotional.

About the Guilin part... well... i never imagined that the anime team would cut out the entire journey to Bailu Village, i thought that some cuts would happen but not the entire journey. Ryo just woke up in Shenhua's house, this make it seems that her house is really near.

It is really sad to me that one of my favorite parts in videogame history was cut like that in the anime but i really understand, with just 13 episodes is understandable. I love the part when Ryo save Shenhua and the goat, as far as i remember in the game is a deer, but this change is okay to me.

I love seeing Shenhua showing the Shenmue tree for Ryo, Shenhua explaining about the tree for Ryo, nice scene.

The ideal would have been a Shenmue anime with 24 episodes or even 34 episodes like VF anime, but probably because of budget we couldn't get more episodes and i really understand that, it is what it is, but to me just the fact that we got a Shenmue anime is amazing.

With 13 episodes the anime team managed to tell the story of Shenmue I and II in a beautiful way with a lot of new content, new stories for the characters, more development for them, a lot of characters getting expanded like Guizhang, Nozomi, Joy, Wong, Ren, Lan Di, Shenhua and much more, this is one of the beautiful things about the anime to me.

Some things that i love were cut out in the anime like everything about Shozo Mizuki, Ryo learning the tornado kick with Tom and the goodbye scene, Nozomi confessing her love for Ryo, the journey to Bailu Village and much more but i really understand, with 13 episodes is really understandable

Some things i prefer the anime version and other things i prefer the games version.

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.

I hope one day we can get a Shenmue Anime Blu-ray release and Shenmue Anime soundtrack.

I have hope that we will get the announcement of Shenmue IV this year, and i have hope that one day we will get the second season of the anime telling the story of the games Shenmue III and Shenmue IV.

LetsGetShenmue4 LetsGetShenmueAnimeSeason2

What a beautiful journey it has been to follow the Shenmue anime with everyone here, thanks everyone. ❤️

 

[the_phoenix_mirror]

It wasn't even confirmed that we were getting Guilin to begin with, so I'm just happy we even got it! Yeah, maybe Ryo didn't hear Shenhua sing about the legend, but like 95% of it is just walking. It makes perfect sense they cut it out.

 

[~ ヒキ ~]

To me the journey to Bailu Village is not 95% just walking, the journey is more than just walking. It is Ryo and Shenhua walking while talking and getting to know each other, we got a lot of beautiful informations about them, about Guilin/Bailu Village and much more in this moments, in this conversations while Ryo and Shenhua are walking.

A lot of beautiful interaction between Ryo and Shenhua in this journey to Bailu Village, a lot of nice informations about them and about Guilin/Bailu Village as well.

The places that Ryo and Shenhua pass are beautiful, Shenhua singing, Ryo training Tai Chi, in some night moments Ryo and Shenhua have nice conversations. When Ryo and Shenhua arrive in Shenhua's house we have more beautiful moments and more nice conversations and much more.

I understand why the anime team did this cut in the anime but i don't agree that 95% is just walking.

Everything about the Guilin part in Shenmue II is wonderful to me, one of my favorite moments in video game history.

 

[GM-Shenmue]

Loved the anime and the added parts that filled some plot holes from the game but like some i didnt liked most of the changes but overall it was great and very fast paced, Guilin was indeed rushed unfortunately it deserved to be a whole episode if not more, about the Lan Di fight i remembered that in the Shenmue The Movie on the credits it shows what looks like to be Lan Di actually on the roof top with the chopper ladder behind him and not holding it, so what if you were supposed to fight him (beta) after all there but was cut for some reason and moved it over to shenmue 3. And you can even see the Sky is different.

 

[code l name]

Loved the anime and the added parts that filled some plot holes from the game but like some i didnt liked most of the changes but overall it was great and very fast paced, Guilin was indeed rushed unfortunately it deserved to be a whole episode if not more, about the Lan Di fight i remembered that in the Shenmue The Movie on the credits it shows what looks like to be Lan Di actually on the roof top with the chopper ladder behind him and not holding it, so what if you were supposed to fight him (beta) after all there but was cut for some reason and moved it over to shenmue 3. And you can even see the Sky is different.View attachment 15341

I also believe @LanDC discovered some line Lan Di says to Yunda Zhu that seemed timed related oddly only found on the Xbox port. My memory is a little hazy so it’s not out of realm of possibility some encounter was planned originally?

 

[GM-Shenmue]

I also believe @LanDC discovered some line Lan Di says to Yunda Zhu that seemed timed related oddly only found on the Xbox port. My memory is a little hazy so it’s not out of relma of possibility some encounter was planned originally?

Indeed i remember that too. I'm pretty sure it got changed, the movie came out 8-9 months before shenmue 2 got released that is plenty of time to change a lot in the game.

 

[the_phoenix_mirror]

Also in that pic with Lan Di, it's daytime. It's impossible to reach the roof at that time of day. Maybe Ryo and Ren were supposed to arrive earlier in the building?

 

[Taarabt]

Absolutely loved the anime, a credit to the game. Superb

 

[currypowder84]

Overall really enjoyed the Anime, as a fan this has been a real treat. Objectively however, it's an ok anime at best, the pacing is what kills it.

While I absolutely loved the new character development that we never see in the games, overall there is still a lack of character development. The low budget is also clearly an issue as most fight scenes have been reduced to mere seconds and the animation is for the most part choppy as well.

With that said, I am over the moon that this exists and really hope we get a season 2 that adapts Shenmue 3. Ideally that would come out right in time for Shenmue 4, here's hoping those 110 teases actually lead to something.

 

[Spaghetti]

Final watchalong stream of Season One is now LIVE!

As always, NO SPOILERS in the chat please.

 

[BruceWayne911]

A good time to announce Shenmue 4 would have been during the Ryo and Lan Di fight. Yu Zhu tells Lan Di to stop he'll surrender but Ryo doesn't accept this. Ryo moves in for another strike but is swiftly countered by Lan Di. While Ryo is wincing in pain Lan Di yells to Ryo.

LAN Di: Enough your not strong enough to defeat me we'll finish this in Shenmue 4."

Ryo: Shenmue 4?

Lan Di: Yes its currently in development. Lan Di boards the helicopter and flys away to Bailu.

 

[shredingskin]

That episode was hype as fuckkkkk

 

[JCJ]

This final episode was one of contrasts to me.

On one side, I felt the rooftop scene, and the farewell to Hong Kong, was truly great. Not only I didn't mind the changes, but I think they probably are better than the game version of the events. While having Lan Di/Ryo only exchanging glances in the game was badass (and a perfect fit to the deliberate slow buildup structure of the games), the kind of short and unballanced fight they have makes much more sense at this point in the story than at Shenmue 3 ending (which is supposed to be more than halfway into the overall plot).

On the other side, though, I'm a bit devastated about what they did to the Shenhua meeting and the journey to Bailu. I fully understand they probably ran out of screen time, and I didn't expect to get that journey in this episode. However, I would have hoped they hadn't closed the possibility of showing it in the first episode of a new season, when I think it could have been fit very well (there would be plenty of screentime available, and the need for a big event to kickstart the season). They could have played with the flashback/flashforward structure, as they have done during the whole season. But they chose to "eliminate" all that physical space in anime Guilin.

There are too many important and iconic moments during that story segment, like the butterflies as "flying flowers", the jog to escape dusk, the firework conversation, Shenhua singing at night, Ryo practising Taichi, the lullaby pond, the flying dandelions scene, etc. I'm not sure how could they compensate for all these losses in a future season, once Ryo and Shenhua already know each other and have been in the cave already.

Anyway, overall I really enjoyed the anime. This has been an exception because I think I agree and I enjoyed all the other changes they did during the series.

Overall really enjoyed the Anime, as a fan this has been a real treat. Objectively however, it's an ok anime at best, the pacing is what kills it.

While I absolutely loved the new character development that we never see in the games, overall there is still a lack of character development.

I often was wondering that while seeing the anime. That if I was a new viewer I would probably be complaining about having so many characters in such a short time. I'm not a frequent anime watcher, but is that a thing in other shows?

 

[Down by Law]

Final watchalong stream of Season One is now LIVE!

As always, NO SPOILERS in the chat please.

Although I watched through the PS5 YouTube app so couldn't join in the chat I've really enjoyed watching you guys and the chat banter over the weeks. Must take some willpower to not catch the newest episode soon as you get up on Sunday so fair play to both of you and thanks for the streams!

 

[Ryo47]

I like the change of having Lan Di on the roof maybe it happened off-screen in the game. Yunda Zhu tells him where to go, and then he gets on the ladder and then Ryo shows up on the roof. Now...what the hell I'm going to do on Sundays now? lol

 

[Joka]

To me the journey to Bailu Village is not 95% just walking, the journey is more than just walking. It is Ryo and Shenhua walking while talking and getting to know each other, we got a lot of beautiful informations about them, about Guilin/Bailu Village and much more in this moments, in this conversations while Ryo and Shenhua are walking.

A lot of beautiful interaction between Ryo and Shenhua in this journey to Bailu Village, a lot of nice informations about them and about Guilin/Bailu Village as well.

The places that Ryo and Shenhua pass are beautiful, Shenhua singing, Ryo training Tai Chi, in some night moments Ryo and Shenhua have nice conversations. When Ryo and Shenhua arrive in Shenhua's house we have more beautiful moments and more nice conversations and much more.

I understand why the anime team did this cut in the anime but i don't agree that 95% is just walking.

Everything about the Guilin part in Shenmue II is wonderful to me, one of my favorite moments in video game history.

Agreed. Disc 4/Guilin became bittersweet to me on repeated plays, because you knew it was leading to an unresolved saga back when hope was gone for S3, I used to stretch the Guilin section out and scour Shenhua's for anything we'd missed. They were the days 😄

It also played a crucial role in showing the different worlds Ryo and Shenhua come from.

I would've happily settled for just them trekking for a bit and maybe the fireflies/stepping stones/dandelions as some fan service.

It was mentioned earlier in this post but the anime really didn't show the scale of Ryo's journey and panorama of the locations very well at all, be that arriving Wan Chai or Kowloon or arriving in Guilin and the journey to Bailu... Possibly for budget reasons.
Non-Shenmue fans might not realise but it's also a missed opportunity to a) produce some beautiful panoramic scenes and show off a bit and b) give the sense of epic scale of the physical journey Ryo is on, as well as the emotional/personal one.

Maybe we'll get some concept artwork on the Blu-ray 🤞🏼