Our favourite blue-bucketed Snowman makes a reappearance in the December Kickstarter update. But who is our festive friend, where did he come from, and is he an innocent link to Shenmue's festive past, or is there a hidden meaning behind the blue bucket?
Our oldest known sighting of the Snowman is in the beta version of Dobuita Street (huge kudos to James Reiner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn1uo3R8BMc) where he can be spotted twice, chilling out (sorry) with a cigar by the fishmongers and, later, underneath the tattoo parlour.
The Snowman makes the final cut for Shenmue I, making an appearance outside Heart Beats bar when Ryo receives a frosty reception (I really need to stop with these wintry puns) at the start of the QTE scene. The Snowman has often been mistaken for bags of trash, but you can clearly see him in the bottom left corner of the screen at the beginning of the cut scene, sporting blue bucket minus cigar.
But where does he disappear to, I hear you cry? Unfortunately, the Snowman falls victim to one of Ryo's ass whoopings, with the sailor falling backwards into the Snowman, crushing him to pieces as the blue bucket goes flying into the air. The Snowman is reduced to nothing but a few lumps of snow.
A further reference to the Snowman can be found in the Exciting SEGA World Set capsule toy machines which can be found in both Shenmue I and Shenmue II. You may have come across the Poppors capsule toy, a relatively unknown SEGA character.
So, who is Poppors?
Poppors was one of the bosses in the 1987 arcade game, Fantasy Zone, and bears a remarkable resemblance to the Shenmue snowman.
My theory?
The Shenmue Snowman is a direct homage to Fantasy Zone. Yu Suzuki was an admirer of Hidekazu Katagi, the coder behind Fantasy Zone, and also worked with Fantasy Zone's composer, Hiroshi Kawaguchi on the music for Space Harrier, Out Run and After Burner.
I'm fairly certain the Snowman has been a running joke, frozen in time (last one, I promise) - its inclusion is noticeable but insignificant.
But, with the reapperance of the Snowman in the December Kickstarter update, I wouldn't be surprised if Yu, somehow, manages to keep the joke running by squeezing (or should I say, slushing) the Snowman into Shenmue III!
One thing I've not yet figured out, however, is why Chai's face has been used on the latest depiction of our frosty friend, unless it's yet another hint that Chai will be back in Shenmue III.
Festive thoughts?
)
