How i think shenmue will end

[Rhayno G.]

first off, let me say that this is just another dumb theory, actually more like an opinion than a theory. Im psoting this because it been bugging me the last couple of days and wondered if anyone agrees. Anyway, i was wondering why shenmue takes place in 1986-87. It seems to have nothing to do with the 80's, its not like suzki did it because he thinks the 80's are cool and wants us to experience it as vice city does. Shenmue could just as well take place in 1976, 1996, or 2004 for that matter. So why 1986? I think its because ryo and shenhua will get married after the game is comlete, they will have a young kid, and the game will show the final cutscene right after the story is concluded. Fast forward to present time for the final cutscene; Ryo has taken over as proprietor of the Hazuki dojo and is teaching his young son martial arts, much like Iwao did to Ryo at a similar age. Perhaps Ryo tells his son that "keep your friends close" line and they all live a quaint life at the Hazuki house. I see the final cutsecene much like the flashback Ryo had. Just my thoughts.

[Brothaman]

Intersting theory, andrew. I like it. That would be a great ending for the series.

[KiD]

and then at that instance lan di's son kills ryo for killing lan di, and then ryo's son, ryu, goes on to seek revenge

[Bluecast]

It will end with credits.

[Silas]

I'm afraid I think the real reason for setting it in the 80s was to have HangOn and Space Harrier in the arcades. Also to remove other aspects of 2000 life which would be difficult to simulate, such as mobile phones.

On the other hand, I think it is just possible that one reason for setting it in the 80s and simultaneously planning a 16-chapter saga (maybe back when they thought they would make 16 games for the DC and its SEGA successors) was that the whole saga would take place over years and decades and finish in the present day (2010?)

Either way, I'm damn sure that when they set the original game in 1986, they weren't intending to finish the saga with Shenmue III. So that since they probably won't make the game as long as originally intended, they may well finish with a scene of the kind you describe, andrew.

[asnozz]

first off, let me say that this is just another dumb theory, actually more like an opinion than a theory. Im psoting this because it been bugging me the last couple of days and wondered if anyone agrees. Anyway, i was wondering why shenmue takes place in 1986-87. It seems to have nothing to do with the 80's, its not like suzki did it because he thinks the 80's are cool and wants us to experience it as vice city does. Shenmue could just as well take place in 1976, 1996, or 2004 for that matter. So why 1986? I think its because ryo and shenhua will get married after the game is comlete, they will have a young kid, and the game will show the final cutscene right after the story is concluded. Fast forward to present time for the final cutscene; Ryo has taken over as proprietor of the Hazuki dojo and is teaching his young son martial arts, much like Iwao did to Ryo at a similar age. Perhaps Ryo tells his son that "keep your friends close" line and they all live a quaint life at the Hazuki house. I see the final cutsecene much like the flashback Ryo had. Just my thoughts.

yeah that is probably how i would imagine it! I also agree wat Silas said...
hmm, although i wouldnt have saying replicating mobile phones would be hard or a rudimentary computer (like a BBC or origial Apple) but these make take up alot of data space. Maybe since shenmue was Yus dream, he imagined himself as Ryo (and dreamt it in 1986).... hmmm that gets me thinking :o

[Only Child]

I wondered the same thing actually, about why it was set in the 80's. I usually forget it's set then when I'm playing it, and need to remind myself of it. It just seems so unimportant. I'd love it if the saga continued to present day, I think that'd be really cool.

[mickmils]

The whole geopolitical situation was different. And don't tell me such things don't matter, especially since Ryo travels around a lot and a lot of it happens in...Hong Kong .

Also, it fits with the Karate & martial arts movies of the 80s.. you know, the ambiance. I like the feeling of these lost years.

[Gutcruncher]

The whole geopolitical situation was different. And don't tell me such things don't matter, especially since Ryo travels around a lot and a lot of it happens in...Hong Kong .

Also, it fits with the Karate & martial arts movies of the 80s.. you know, the ambiance. I like the feeling of these lost years.

that sounds like the right answer. yu mustve wanted ryo to visit the old hong kong when it was controlled by the british and no the chinese

[Man Mo Something]

I thought about this a little while ago.

Remember when Shenmue was originally announced as a concept Virtua Fighter RPG? Well how about Lan Di being the son or grandson of virtua fighter Shun Di? Can you image if Shun were to appear somewhere in the Shenmue series? That would be incredible.

So maybe the end of Shenmue will explain the roots of Shun Di's quest in VF.

Hmmm... just a thought.

[Only Child]

So maybe the end of Shenmue will explain the roots of Shun Di's quest in VF.

Love that idea.

[Silas]

And I hate it. Not being a particular follower of VF, as far as I'm concerned Shun Di is a capsule toy figure, who would be completely inappropriate as Lan Di's grandfather!! (Particularly if he looks like "Kids Shun Di"!

[Only Child]

And I hate it. Not being a particular follower of VF, as far as I'm concerned Shun Di is a capsule toy figure, who would be completely inappropriate as Lan Di's grandfather!! (Particularly if he looks like "Kids Shun Di"!

Heh, I'm not a follower of Virtua Fighter either, but I like the idea that Shenmue ties in to another one of Yu's franchises, and it's like the backstory to it, without us really realising it until the end.

[Snoopbob2006]

For some reason I think there could be a tragic ending with some good points...

[B-Man]

I agree with Silas. First of all, it makes it seem realistic that games like Hang-On and Space Harrier are current arcade games. Secondly, it allowed them to not have to bother simulating the technology of today. For instance, they didn't need to put a usable PC in Ryo's house. Also, there probably wouldn't have been space to put current arcade games in the arcade, so being able to just use old classics was ideal.

And about VF characters appearing....I've posted on this topic a couple of times before. I'm strongly, strongly against it. The VF characters are friggin' capsule toys in the Shenmue universe. To introduce them to the series as real people at this point would be ludicrous. Also, Shenmue's story is a masterpiece, a work of art. It should not be mixed with the silly, meaningless, run-of-the-mill story of a fighting game. And this is coming from someone who is a follower of Virtua Fighter.

And what would Shun Di have to do with Shenmue anyway? If Lan Di were related to anybody, it would be Lau. Also, how could Lan Di be the son of Shun Di if he is the son of Sunming Zhao?