Yu Suzuki Shenmue Interview

[Yama]

This is the second interview of Yu Suzuki held by Kenji Seang from the French fan website Shenmue Master. This interview takes place in Monaco at the Animé Game Show on Sunday, March 3rd for a duration of 15 minutes.

"We wanted to do an interview by the fans for the fans and it focuses on the meaning of this masterpiece." - Shenmue Master.

Watch Video | Shenmue Master

[Axm]

Probably the best interview we've had with him in years. Really great job to those involved.

[Sailors?]

Nothing we didn't already know, but it's nice to hear Yu talk about the 4 bosses and even Tentei.

[starscream178]

Honestly, I was psyched after watching the video. I can't wait until the game is made.... I feel like he really hasn't given up on it, but he's just byding his time until he can get it in production.

[Yokosuka Martian]

I wonder if he ever replays those games, and then cries himself to sleep

[shenhua legend]

Nice interview...if only we can get the rights from SEGA.

[DoubleO_Ren]

Can someone please give me an explanation that makes sense as to why Sega wont give up the rights if they are not doing anything with the IP and from what I've been seeing, have no plans to?

[Lan Di-sama]

Nothing new here, (except maybe the Yuanda Zhu bit) but it was cool to hear him describe Niao Sun as "scary" and "cruel". I think she's my favorite character and we still haven't been properly introduced.

Also, not that I doubted Kiyuu and the Japanese community, but this was the first time I've seen Yu acknowledge the "Tentei/boss of bosses". I'm not sure if this factoid was ever officially mentioned in a translated interview or article.

But what did he mean about Zhu Yuanda telling lies? I wonder if he was referring to anything that he might have told Ryo at the end of Disc 3. Maybe Lan Di wasn't really headed to Guilin after all and Zhu just said that to ensure that Ryo actually would go there and meet Shenhua.

[mue 26]

Yeah that Zhu Yuanda answer was pretty puzzling. It has been a while since I've played the games I admit, but I don't remember anything at all suggestive of the fact that he might be telling lies or trying to double cross Ryo. Maybe he turns out to be shady later on in the saga...and Yu dropped us a major spoiler? I think it's more likely Yu just made up some vague nonsense for that answer; the tell tell sign being that immediately preceding his reply he admitted he doesn't even remember the character

[Let's Get Sweaty]

Can someone please give me an explanation that makes sense as to why Sega wont give up the rights if they are not doing anything with the IP and from what I've been seeing, have no plans to?

Because as long as they're controlling the license, they can cash in with Shenmue-related merchandise and DLC for other games, even if it's once in a blue moon, without having to invest in a full, dedicated Shenmue game. It's not a practice that's making them rich, but some money is better than no money, and until they experience a real backlash for their inaction they will continue to find the status quo preferable to releasing the IP for someone else to profit from. As a campaigning fanbase we have to reach a point where the negative PR outweighs the current minimal benefits of holding onto the rights.

[Henry Spencer]

Yeah that Zhu Yuanda answer was pretty puzzling. It has been a while since I've played the games I admit, but I don't remember anything at all suggestive of the fact that he might be telling lies or trying to double cross Ryo. Maybe he turns out to be shady later on in the saga...and Yu dropped us a major spoiler? I think it's more likely Yu just made up some vague nonsense for that answer; the tell tell sign being that immediately preceding his reply he admitted he doesn't even remember the character

I remember coming up with a theory about Zhu years ago and being shot down by Clint, I think it was (he had his own theories too). I've always thought it was suspicious the guy just sends you off to Guilin like that revealing very little about the Chiyoumen...

The fella definitely knows a lot more than he's willing to give up to Ryo. He knew Lan Di's father and no doubt knew Iwao.

I mean, we never did find out why Lan Di wanted to get ahold of Zhu so badly, right? Very mysterious.

[Giorgio]

I mean, we never did find out why Lan Di wanted to get ahold of Zhu so badly, right? Very mysterious.

Zhu Yuanda probably (or certainly) knows a lot about the mysteries of the Dragon Mirror (I say Dragon, because Lan Di knows only about that one). That comes from the scene where he smokes to the Phoenix Mirror and a map (basically a constellation) is revealed. Therefore, that is why Lan Di (at least in my personal, probably questionable by others, perspective) wants to take Zhu with him, to get to know about these mysteries (which will serve for the treasures of the Qing Dynasty and what else) by Zhu's hand.

And that generates to me, right now, this thought: You are aware about the bad ending in Shenmue I, when Lan Di says that he heard that there is another mirror. Probably, in that bad scenario, Lan Di heard about the Phoenix Mirror from Yuanda Zhu, who caught him by the time (because Ryo didn't do as Shen Hua suggests, that is he didn't hurry up).

[BlueMue]

Really nice interview with some interesting answers.
That thing about Zhu not telling the full truth about things for protective reasons is really strange and gives even more room for speculations about future events in the story...
It was however really cool that the man himself actually talked about the Chiyoumen and especially Tentei.

In that interview Yu Suzuki really showed that he still loves his masterpiece and wants Shenmue III being made just as much as the fans do. The things he told, that he actually wanted to keep the interview going a little longer and most important the big thank you to the fans.

Regarding the Shenmue license, I've developed a theory recently that may hint that things are actually getting done or at least they talked about seriously.
We all know how much of an impact it was, when Ryo was a playable character in Sonic ASR. He got promoted big time with the 360 Avatar jacket, the forklift DLC and of course the forklift figurein. He was also an often used character. So why didn't they feature him again in Transformed? Why haven't we still recieved the DLC character that could be voted for in a poll. Ryo won that poll and it would be easy to do but nothing...

What if Ryo simply didn't make it into the game because Sega was unsure about the Shenmue license?
Actually, when Sumo Digital released that stupid General Winter DLC for the PC version and made a statement that it isn't the DLC character from the poll they said that things are so delayed because they have to get the license and that seems to be a hassle. It does add up and it could easily be that way. Or it could turn out that the license thing is about Hatsune Miku who came in second and had games that were published by Sega.

Another thing about the Shenmue license I just have to get out of my chest: I would personally rather see Shenmue III as a Sega game becasue without Sega some things would have to be cut out. All the capsule toys would have to be removed and the arcade games also possibly. Now with Shenmue III that might not be that bad because I have a feeling that the gameplay will shift away from these things anyway but I also want HD rereleases or actual Remakes with the same new graphics to go alongside Shenmue III and these would get hurt big time without Sega.
But if it's the only way to finally get Shenmue III I'll be happy with that solution no matter what.

Anyways, all these interviews and things made me more hopeful, that Shenmue III will happen.

[James Brown]

Too be honest, the bit about Zhu, I feel as though Yu had trouble describing the character, and so wasn't hinting at a certain spoiler that may or may not have already been involved in Shenmue 2, such as Zhu lying to Ryo about something, I just feel like Yu meant that Zhu is the type of person who is loyal to his friends, and who he cares about, and if he has to alter the truth slightly to keep them safe he would.

At no point at this part of the interview did I feel as though Yu was trying to tell us that Zhu was a villain. I could be wrong ofc

Also, I agree about Shenmue 3 being a Sega licened game, half of what made the first 2 games extra special was that their was loads of hidden Sega gems, weather it'd be the capsule toys, arcade machines, sega saturn in Ryo's home, posters of Virtua Fighter in Fukusans room...Shenmue IS a Sega game to me, and if it was entirley licencses by someone like Sony or Microsoft and if the posters suddenly turned into Halo, and the arcade games were things like Geometry Wars, that knowing these companies would probably add an actual real money element to playing them "Just like a real arcade", I think the 3rd game may lose a little of it's charm. But again, if it is the only possible way for it ever to be released, I would be over the moon with whatever I was given

[*Kenshin Himura*]

Simply "amazing"