Hi all,
I’m the other guy that attended the dinner yesterday. I don’t know if it was the best day of my life, but definitely one of them! Couldn’t have hoped for a better reception and atmosphere, and everyone there played their part in creating an unforgettable experience. Making many new friends along the way, Amir, Rob and I were very lucky indeed...
(As Amir said, I’m unable to disclose much of the actual details of the meeting or post pictures, at least until I have been given permission by YsNet and Shibuya Productions, so please bear with me. Good things come to those who wait 8) )
Throughout the day Suzuki-san gave me the impression of a father figure - a kind leader who always looks out for others, yet very humble and unassuming himself. You can’t tell by looking that he’s a superstar in any way. He’s also very curious, from inspecting details of the Eze buildings to asking about us (jobs, hobbies etc), and you cannot help but feel inspired by his energy.
Once we got down to business (so to speak), you can see another side of his character: dedication. Shenmue is his legacy, and seeing what we’ve seen (incredible, by the way), there’s no doubt that he’s giving his all to the project. Given his talent, and with passionate comrades like Mr Biscay, we should have a lot of faith about the quality of the finished article, so please be patient!
Thank you Dojo-ers all again to make this project a reality, I know everyone would have jumped at the opportunity to experience what I have, but perhaps different circumstances prevented you from doing so. To be honest I didn't initially choose this reward, but considering how life-changing Shenmue is to me, I felt compelled to sacrifice my savings to help Suzuki-san. It's taught me values which I took for granted, and I think has made me a better person as a result. And what's money worth when compared to one's own values?
If you believe the same way, and do still have some capacity to help (money or otherwise), then please do so. Suzuki-san is grateful already to the contributions you have given to him, but with more support Shenmue III can become even better!
Best regards,
Chao