Shenmue voice actor Corey Marshall urges fans to support the 'Shenmue Tweetathon'

For far too long, video game players who experienced Yu Suzuki’s 1999 epic adventure game saga that is the “Shenmue” series have been left hanging, as the series was left unfinished after the release of Shenmue II for the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft Xbox. 

 

The sequel left series’ protagonist and hero Ryo Hazuki at a pivotal point in his quest to avenge his father’s death, as he meets the mysterious girl Shenhua and finds more clues that lead to more questions than answers in his journey. That was back in 2001, and more than a decade later, the series has yet to continue and move forward.

 

Fortunately, a strong movement has been created by fans of the series to give a voice behind those who want to see Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece finished. 

 

Dubbed the “Shenmue Tweetathon,” it’s a monthly event initiated by Shenmue fangroup “Team Yu” to campaign pleas and requests from everyone worldwide for Sega to give Suzuki the Shenmue license so he can finish his work. The hashtag “#GiveYuTheShenmueLicense” is used by the drive to make a movement on Twitter, and so far it’s been pretty successful and growing by the numbers with every installment. 

 

Even Corey Marshall, the actor who gave life to Ryo Hazuki in the US releases of Shenmue 1 & 2, is a strong advocate of the movement, and is joining hands with fans and fellow enthusiasts alike to make sure this dream becomes a reality. 

 

 

Despite lacking a sense of closure, the Shenmue series was a pivotal and influential part of video game history. Not only was the game ahead of its time, but it was woven together by one of the most respective minds in the industry, namely Space Harrier and Virtua Fighter creator Yu Suzuki. 

 

Set in the mid-1980’s, the game focuses on a young teenaged martial artist named Ryo Hazuki, who witnesses his father Iwao Hazuki’s murder at the hands of a Chinese martial artist named Lan Di. Resolved to avenge his death, young Ryo embarks on a quest that takes him around his hometown of Yokusuka Japan to the streets of Hong Kong, where he not only discovers clues leading to his father’s murderer, but the mystery surrounding why he was attacked and what Iwao did in China. Ryo even meets new allies and encounters enemies on his journey that helps him grow as a martial artist and mature as an adult, helping him fully understand his path as a warrior and someone who can use his potential for good or for evil.

 

Shenmue, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki, was released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on December 1999 and ported for US release the following year on November 2000. It’s sequel, Shenmue II, would see release for the 128-bit system only on Japan and Europe (with English subtitles for the latter), and would be ported to the Microsoft Xbox with English Dubbing on October 2002.

Two Spin-Offs, Shenmue Online and Shenmue City, were announced but saw limited to no release at all outside of Asia. A true sequel has yet to happen. — VC, GMA News