As a fan of the first 2 Shenmue video games I was delighted to find out SEGA made an animated series of it. It's beautifully animated, with lush backdrops and in bright colors. Biker girl Joy is beautiful as ever and even gets a bit more of a background story. I loved to revisit many things from the game, like the taoist who teaches Ryo a powerful move of which he has to prove his mastery by punching a tree so hard that it's leaves drop.
There are some things in the game not in this anime like the many beautiful little Chinese tunes for each area in Hong Kong, or the ways Ryo has to make money like Lucky Hit or gambling Big or Small. In the game, Ren asks an extravagant amount of money before he helps Ryo, this is one of the things skipped in the anime.
The only things I can hope for is a new season since Shenmue 3, while out as a game has not been adapted (yet?). And after Shenmue 3 at least one more sequel is necessary to wrap up the story. One can hope. I'm sure that yet another Kickstarter funding would be succesful as long as they listen to criticism.
Shenmue 3 has not been received too well despite a succesful Kickstarter. Many fans were as eagerly awaiting it as they were disappointed for it's lack of revelations in the story as well as tedium in it's gameplay compared to the previous chapters. Shenmue game history is a troubled one, with the first two being the most expensive game projects ever at the time and having a hard time to earn back the costs as the SEGA Dreamcast flopped hard.
The main gripe I could find with this anime is that Ryo is too strong and wins most fights. I would have liked to see a bit more struggle. The show makes some giant leaps to cram the epic tale so far into 13 episodes. But it was quite addictive to watch with a lot of tempo, some good jokes among more serious philosophical musings related to martial arts as well as a bit of esoterical mystery.
I can highly recommend this even for people that never heard of the games.
There are some things in the game not in this anime like the many beautiful little Chinese tunes for each area in Hong Kong, or the ways Ryo has to make money like Lucky Hit or gambling Big or Small. In the game, Ren asks an extravagant amount of money before he helps Ryo, this is one of the things skipped in the anime.
The only things I can hope for is a new season since Shenmue 3, while out as a game has not been adapted (yet?). And after Shenmue 3 at least one more sequel is necessary to wrap up the story. One can hope. I'm sure that yet another Kickstarter funding would be succesful as long as they listen to criticism.
Shenmue 3 has not been received too well despite a succesful Kickstarter. Many fans were as eagerly awaiting it as they were disappointed for it's lack of revelations in the story as well as tedium in it's gameplay compared to the previous chapters. Shenmue game history is a troubled one, with the first two being the most expensive game projects ever at the time and having a hard time to earn back the costs as the SEGA Dreamcast flopped hard.
The main gripe I could find with this anime is that Ryo is too strong and wins most fights. I would have liked to see a bit more struggle. The show makes some giant leaps to cram the epic tale so far into 13 episodes. But it was quite addictive to watch with a lot of tempo, some good jokes among more serious philosophical musings related to martial arts as well as a bit of esoterical mystery.
I can highly recommend this even for people that never heard of the games.
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