Video [ENG subs]: Yu Suzuki in Dobuita with Esra Krabbe

Switch

Shenmue analysis at www.phantomriverstone.com
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Jul 28, 2018
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Japan
Thanks a lot, Switch!!! :love::love::love:

Just curious, how's the progress of the subtitles for the Shenmue Premiere video (if you can tell, of course)?
 
Amazing work as usual @Switch

A couple of interesting quotes jumped out at me-
So even at this point, a fair number of characters who would appear in Shenmue 2 had already been created.
Suzuki: Yes, since originally I had been planning to release it as a two-part game, you see.

A two-part game? I always thought it was one large game that got split up.

Suzuki: I remember correcting it, saying it differed from the original. The background story for it, is that it was a converted Japanese temple building.

Krabbe: Oh, so it's background is that it used to be a temple long ago?

Suzuki: Those ancient buildings have a distinctive construction, don't they. And so... since we had done that in Shenmue One, I had it corrected to match the way it was in the first game.

Krabbe: So it's something you noticed while checking, and pointed out?

Suzuki: That's right.

I love how Suzuki picked up on difference originally in anime rendering and asked them to match it to the original.

Krabbe: At around what stage were these made? The mirrors were central to the story from the beginning, weren't they.

Suzuki: I don't think they were initially part of it... I think they were added along the way.

Interesting, I don’t recall this ever being addressed before. I always assumed the prophecy and mirrors were always an intrinsic part of the story from the start.
 
Interesting, I don’t recall this ever being addressed before. I always assumed the prophecy and mirrors were always an intrinsic part of the story from the start.
Indeed I don't recall it either. My belief is the mirrors were used in production to shift from the elixir of youth as pivot. There's a specific frame at GCM Postmortem where we can see a character (presumably the Old Man/Kung Fu master from the proto-quest) holding into what seems some seeds or fruits. While its just my guessing, the way it makes it look as important item gets me into the Trees of Eternal life myths scattered around the globe.

edit: Not of eternal life really but here its a sacred tree from my land. I, I... I believe it existed.
https://elhierro.travel/que-hacer/arbol-garoe/
click save coupon: a tree so tall and with a system of branch/leaves which allowed to filter night/morning air humidity into clear water. And people went to it with buckets and all to fill.
 
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Just curious, how's the progress of the subtitles for the Shenmue Premiere video (if you can tell, of course)?
Not very far I'm afraid! I think the Shenmue the Animation event came along just after I had planned to commence so my time got diverted. (I'll add it in as an option in the blog's Patreon poll for the monthly blog topic, as I think there would be a lot of interest in getting started on this).

A two-part game? I always thought it was one large game that got split up.
It's certainly tricky to find consistency across various years and interviews. As you say, this thread on the old Dojo forums has a quote from Yu in a English-translated 2000 interview that supports the "one large game" and then a three-part scenario:

"The original plan was to go with three different chapters, but this was changed to a huge story with 16 chapters. Then, these 16 chapters were divided into three parts (slash, slash), with sections 1-5, 5-10 and 11-16 incorporated into Shenmue 1, 2 and 3 respectively. At its grandest scale, Shenmue 1 was supposed to contain all 16 chapters".

With even the decision to release the Yokosuka section as Shenmue 1 being made quite late in the process, it seems that the number of games & chapter split were in an ever-changing state of flux!

Interesting, I don’t recall this ever being addressed before. I always assumed the prophecy and mirrors were always an intrinsic part of the story from the start.
Indeed I don't recall it either. My belief is the mirrors were used in production to shift from the elixir of youth as pivot.
Yes this caught me by surprise also. A great question from Esra as it's something you wouldn't think to ask normally. That's an interesting theory about the elixir of youth, @Seaman, do you think that's why that bottle remains in the basement?
 
It's certainly tricky to find consistency across various years and interviews. As you say, this thread on the old Dojo forums has a quote from Yu in a English-translated 2000 interview that supports the "one large game" and then a three-part scenario:

"The original plan was to go with three different chapters, but this was changed to a huge story with 16 chapters. Then, these 16 chapters were divided into three parts (slash, slash), with sections 1-5, 5-10 and 11-16 incorporated into Shenmue 1, 2 and 3 respectively. At its grandest scale, Shenmue 1 was supposed to contain all 16 chapters".

With even the decision to release the Yokosuka section as Shenmue 1 being made quite late in the process, it seems that the number of games & chapter split were in an ever-changing state of flux!

Thanks for hunting down that quote. Yeah it’s clear the scope was influx as you said. In addition, I recall Suzuki during his interview with @David De ville forgetting some basic characters so I am sure his memory is hazy on a lot of details.

More reason to have a lore expert dare I say.

Yes this caught me by surprise also. A great question from Esra as it's something you wouldn't think to ask normally. That's an interesting theory about the elixir of youth, @Seaman, do you think that's why that bottle remains in the basement?

That is a really interesting theory @Seaman

Given it doesn’t remain in your inventory in subsequent games including Shenmue 3 I always took it as red herring and something I don’t expect to hear more of.
 
I honestly don't know @Switch, maybes are all I got. I recall somewhe Yu Suzuki said his knowledge about China prior the research travel was mostly from kung fu movies. "The elixir of youth" was a common gimmick in movies set at the Quin era as igniter of the adventure or villain device. So I guess thats how it got into the plot. But when the spiritually affecting experience that was the travel, he knew about the polished stone mirrors and thought that was a better, less trope element. (?)
I hope Shenmue: The Final Episode includes the Akira's Journey document in someway at special edition, to know about these things.
Or you learning about and telling us of course 🙂.
 
This was awesome. As mentioned above, the revelation about the mirrors was fascinating.

I was asking Yu my own questions in my head as I read the article :ROFLMAO:. Two in particular were 'Where is the Yakuza building in Dobuita?' and 'Do you think Chai is watching us from one of these roofs?'. I definitely would have been forcibly removed from his company...
 
Not very far I'm afraid! I think the Shenmue the Animation event came along just after I had planned to commence so my time got diverted. (I'll add it in as an option in the blog's Patreon poll for the monthly blog topic, as I think there would be a lot of interest in getting started on this).


It's certainly tricky to find consistency across various years and interviews. As you say, this thread on the old Dojo forums has a quote from Yu in a English-translated 2000 interview that supports the "one large game" and then a three-part scenario:

"The original plan was to go with three different chapters, but this was changed to a huge story with 16 chapters. Then, these 16 chapters were divided into three parts (slash, slash), with sections 1-5, 5-10 and 11-16 incorporated into Shenmue 1, 2 and 3 respectively. At its grandest scale, Shenmue 1 was supposed to contain all 16 chapters".

With even the decision to release the Yokosuka section as Shenmue 1 being made quite late in the process, it seems that the number of games & chapter split were in an ever-changing state of flux!



Yes this caught me by surprise also. A great question from Esra as it's something you wouldn't think to ask normally. That's an interesting theory about the elixir of youth, @Seaman, do you think that's why that bottle remains in the basement?
And there's another log in the "16 chapters" fire. Wonder when it changed to 11?
 
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