The following article contains spoilers forShenmue: The Animation.
Ryo Hazuki continues to adapt to his new surroundings in Hong Kong as theShenmueanimetackles the second game’s plot, however, just like in real life, things are looking brighter now that the protagonist has had at least a couple of weeks to get used to this new town.
That is because, after taking aduller turn in the previous episode,Shenmuepicks up the pace again thanks to a bit of the extra character exposition the series’ first part offered for some of the game’s NPCs, thus greatly boosting the appeal of Xiuying, Ryo’s temporary master among a few others. That is not to say the anime hits the previous highs it earned before, especially considering the fact that -ironically- drama moves way slower in Hong Kong than in the quiet town of Yokosuka.
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The prime reason for the show seemingly changing its approach continues to be the Wude, the famed four aspects of martial arts Ryo is tasked with to warrant Xiuying’s attention and that game and series creator Yu Suzuki is bent on portraying one by one. And thusafterShenmuetaught Ryo the value of disciplineand courage, he now must learn “Yi”, a lesson that is portrayed pretty much exactly like the games.
The biggest changes here come from the fact that Ryo now gets to truly interact with characters like Fangmei and Eileen, making it clear that the show does leave room for the small side quests related to the former to remain optional. The results are some pretty charming interactions materializing between the two, which should lead to proper payoff as a sign that this Ryo can make new friends.
Nevertheless, the more interesting moments come when the story briefly strays away from Ryo and starts following Xiuying or Joy, who engage with people in their own way, as locals instead of being absolute foreigners. For example, when Master Xiuyin and Fangme run errands they save a couple of siblings from some gang members, much like Ryo does whenever he gets the chance to kindly lend a hand to some random strangers.
Joy and Wong are also crucial in unraveling the mystery of where Ryo can find more martial arts experts in town, with the redhead’s crush on the protagonist being more openly exposed. Due to all of this, “Aspiration” lacks any bell and whistles in its storytelling, as it lacks any sort of memorable fights or big moments where the music sets the atmosphere.
The epic gamer moment feature in this episode derives from Ryo rescuing Guixiang Lee from a shakedown attempt from the Yellow Heads gang, yet another pivotal instance used to carry Ryo to his final destination, though it’s not overly impressive by any means.
Flashbacks also return to provide some insight into Xiuying’s childhood, and although these alone are not enough to paint the whole picture, they do help the audience form a better idea of why she is so reluctant to help Ryo embark on his vengeful mission. Unfortunately, Xiuying isn’t seen fighting as her mere presence is almost enough to dissuade bad guys from committing further crimes, but her graceful martial arts style would have certainly been a bonus to see once more.
There’s also no sign of Ren in this episode, which again brings the clock down for everything that has to unfold in the last five episodes as he and Ryo finally meet, and villains like Yuan and Dou Niu pop up in their way. It won’t be the next episode though, because “Always act without hesitation to do what you perceive is right” is not a mantra Suzuki appears to embrace in this part of the series.
The Wude seem to havegained way too much relevance in the anime, and while these teachings do feel like an important part of Ryo’s journey, having them play out individually with one full episode dedicated to each one is a bit strenuous. At four total episodes, they account for roughly 30% of the anime’s runtime which is way higher than in the games.
One thing worth mentioning is Suzuki’s continued mention of theHong Kong handover from British to Chinese authorities, because it provides a better setting for the city’s crime scene, which Ryo is becoming familiar with. This was a social component that was essential for Hong Kong cinema to establish itself as an industry, and it’s what helps fans relateShenmuetoother glorified games such asSleeping Dogsor classic movies likeInfernal Affairs.
Shenmue’sstory should be digestible for non-anime fans, as the games’ charm back in the day was its day-to-day almost cinematic experience, but some creative choices often leave thefeels as dated asShenmue 3. Overall, this is s much better Wude-centered episode than the previous ones, however, that is not due to factors related to Ryo’s formation but to the extra scope it gives on his newfound friends.
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