Shenmue Dojo

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:49 am**

Shenmue Dojo forum member aizen59 has recently conducted an interview with Yu Suzuki. Among the topics discussed are Shenmue's development, never before revealed Chiyoumen bosses and some other shorts stories.

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The article has also been published natively in French over at Retro Playing.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:15 pm**

Great read. Im happy that we now know the names of the bosses.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:22 pm**

"My ambition was to create Shenmue based on real world standards and not as a video game." + "I wanted to detail the game so much that gamers would feel like being in a real world while playing."
These two comments further strengthen my belief that Shenmue is not a game (indeed, even the AM2 development team kept saying "Is this a game?"). Not really touching the extreme of a "not game" - notgames.org - because it has gameplay elements in various points, but they are being used as tools, means, to let you link yourself to the world, its inhabitants and objects, to be immersed and engrossed.

Zhao Sun Ming "For now, he's dead.", as Yu Suzuki said. That means there is a possibility that he will be resurrected... [Does this has anything to do with Chi You or Baihu?...]

Also, all bosses names end in "tei"; Entei, Rantei, Koutei, Gentei and Tentei. What "tei" means?

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:35 pm**

This was really an awesome read! Finally some new and usefull information. I liked the bit where Yu was talking about the noodles growing in the water. That's the crazy Shenmue detail right there!

Best part was of course about the four leaders and that Ziming is actually not one of them. The "hints" given about the fact if Zunming Zhao is really dead and if he was actually killed by Iwao give a LOT of room for new theories.

By the way, "tei" is shortend from "kotei" and it means "emperor". The prefixes stand for the four elements I guess. "En" stands for "flame" at least. So Entei means "emperor of flames" or something similar to that.
(Good thing there is a Pokemon called Entei so this was easy to look up :lol:

)

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:19 pm**

BlueMue wrote:[...]

By the way, "tei" is shortend from "kotei" and it means "emperor". The prefixes stand for the four elements I guess. "En" stands for "flame" at least. So Entei means "emperor of flames" or something similar to that.
(Good thing there is a Pokemon called Entei so this was easy to look up :lol:)

Entei is Niao Sun; Phoenix, Fire, all fit. Therefore, Kou could mean Metal, Ran could mean Wood or Wind, and Gen could mean Water. Considering Wu Xing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xing. Tentei means "Heavenly Emperor" (as we already know, I think), so "ten" means "heaven".

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:23 pm**

The four leader's names. That more than I wanted to know. OMG. So amazing. But with Ziming being not a leader... That breaks all my theories. And now we have at least, four more questions. Who are the grand masters?

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:37 pm**

Giorgio wrote:Also, all bosses names end in "tei"; Entei, Rantei, Koutei, Gentei and Tentei. What "tei" means?

てい【帝】
［常用漢字］　［音］テイ（漢）　タイ（呉）　［訓］みかど
〈テイ〉
１天下を治める最高の支配者。天子。

tei（帝） - the most supreme ruler governing a society; the emperor;

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:38 pm**

Yeah i provided answers and brought questions.

Regarding Grand Masters, my mouth is sealed sorry. But i am not giving up, just like most of us and will keep working hard to make sure we get Shenmue III in the future.

Here is what Suzuki san said :

"With the new infos i am allowing to share, i want Shenmue fans to imagine characters design"

Basically, he still has hope to make it and doesnt want to give up, thats how i felt while talking to him.

Him sharing everything would ruin it all so imagination is something that make us wait while he is still trying to sort it out.

Yu Suzuki is really a great person. Hope to meet with him again.

Glad you liked it and sorry kept you waiting.

Edit :

Regarding 帝, Tei is a grade within the organization.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:43 pm**

When I met him he signed all fans in the conference. Too bad we did not have enough time and another conference was waiting to enter in the room but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have any problem by asking more questions to the fans.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:34 pm**

Giorgio wrote: "My ambition was to create Shenmue based on real world standards and not as a video game." + "I wanted to detail the game so much that gamers would feel like being in a real world while playing."
These two comments further strengthen my belief that Shenmue is not a game (indeed, even the AM2 development team kept saying "Is this a game?"). Not really touching the extreme of a "not game" - notgames.org - because it has gameplay elements in various points, but they are being used as tools, means, to let you link yourself to the world, its inhabitants and objects, to be immersed and engrossed.

I was talking about that yesterday with my girlfriend. Specifically when you learn a new move and someone is actually teaching you the steps. I found that a stroke of genius to incorporate it that way. It kept you immersed.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:35 pm**

how can ziming not be one of the 4 leaders? the silhouette looks just like ziming as he appears in that comic scene from the xbox version.

and wasn't this interview also supposed to reveal the true identity of Baihu?

on reflection i'm glad that this interview ended up not revealing too much. however it would have been nice to hear more about any cut content like removed features, and the boat chapter.
one of the better Suzuki interviews . thanks

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:52 pm**

johnvivant wrote:and wasn't this interview also supposed to reveal the true identity of Baihu?

I think he said he actually saw who was behind the mask as well as the identity(or at least the design) of Tentei, but I didn't expect him to reveal either.

Could Ziming be Tentei? All Suzuki said was "Oh and, Ziming Hong is not one of the 4th leaders."

--EDIT--

And if Aizen can tell us, I'd like to know if Baihu or Tentei are people we know or if they haven't been introduced and we're wasting our time with theories.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:11 pm**

The biggest shock I got from reading this interview was Yu Suzuki being undecided how Shenmue 3 would begin.

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:28 pm**

Thanks again guys, much appreciated !

If you read my previous posts, i said that i wouldn't be able to reveal some things so regarding Baihu, i am sorry, but i have to.

For the Chiyoumen bosses, as you know now, they are :

Zhao Longsun / Rantei / 藍帝
Niao Sun / Entei / 炎帝
???? / Koutei / 昊帝
???? / Gentei / 玄帝

And of course, ???? / Tentei / 天帝

We will probably come across other Chiyoumen members (low ranked) before facing the high ranked bosses, but thats it. We still need to find their real names since Entei, Koutei and Gentei can be seen as their nickname within the organization.

I really pray for Shenmue III to happen. So many things awaits and the story is just gonna be epic !

Posted: **Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:24 pm**

aizen59 wrote:If you read my previous posts, i said that i wouldn't be able to reveal some things so regarding Baihu, i am sorry, but i have to.

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Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today

Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today

Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today

Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today

Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today

Re: Yu Suzuki Interview: Shenmue, From Prototypes to Today