Nozomi should be pissed.

[ShenmueTree]

Hear me out.

You're Nozomi, and you're childhood friends with Ryo. Suddenly, his father dies, not only that, he's murdered. You try to comfort him but the more you try, the more you're pushed away. You try to understand him but he's obsessed on exacting a lone revenge mission, you notice this guy start making more dangerous and careless decisions as the days go by, dragging himself down into a world of trouble. You tell him that soon you'll be leaving for another country, in the extraordinary small chance you can get through to him and have your feelings requited but again, he has his own agenda, he doesn't have time for an old friend who's in love with him for the most part... and then one day you're fucking kidnapped. Because of his dumb careless actions.... but that's not all.

Ryo goes to Hong Kong and immediately upon arriving there he meets some biker who is all over him, making all kinds of innuendo and sexual invitations. Ryo doesn't recuperate these invitations, sure but he does stay in the ComeOver Guest House on her suggestion.

Not long after, he meets his teacher, and sleeps in her apartment.... in the very same room no less! He then enables some kids crush on him by trying to make her happy and debatably even flirting with her, that's insane. why is he even putting thoughts into this poor girls head?

And after that? At in the end of Shenmue 2, he's met some mysterious girl and begins to tell her about his whole life, family, friends, even Nozomi. Opening up and pour his heart out to at total stranger, and then she's making him dinner and imo cooking is a very intimate thing to do so, if you're Nozomi you see this as being very affectionate and you're wondering just why the fuck this guy wouldn't open up to you when he was in Japan, and pissed because in Shenmue 3 he's presumably even living with this girl.

I mean, when Ryo calls Nozomi and tells her what he's been doing in China I think she has a right to be upset. Ryo is kind of an asshole.

[Himuro]

Pretty sure that's the whole point. Ryo is told by his father "keep those you love close to you" but he ends up not doing that exact thing. You can make the case for Ine, Fuku, Nozomi, even Ichirou and Naoyuki.

I wouldn't necessarily call him an asshole though. His circumstances are understandable. Selfish, yes, but understandable. Nozomi is the one that got away, she's probably in Canada just living her life and probably met someone new.

Also, you are missing the underlying message. Ryo loves Nozomi. He keeps her at a distance BECAUSE he loves her. He's stoic. He's guarded. He's not guarded with Shenhua because he doesn't love her. He barely knows her, and for that reason he can talk with her. Never mind the fact they have a natural spiritual connection of destiny. Living with Xiuying isn't a big deal at all. It is purely platonic. Ryo does not let Fangmei in at all. He never really tells her what's going on. He doesn't flirt with her either. He's just talking to a kid who has been kind enough to cook for him and ask to do his laundry. I think you're looking into this more than you should be.

[NeoShredder]

Standard bro code: You don't have to tell her "everything" ;)

Seriously though, it was probably her own infatuation that stopped her from straight up confronting him in Dobuita unlike other 'platonic' characters. The most she could say was 'i'm worried' rather than 'you're an idiot'. So there's that.

It might be interesting as Himuro says whether she's 'moved on' or not. Perhaps we'll hear a cooler headed Nozomi. However, inferring from the fact that the phone card was a Kickstarter-exclusive bonus, we know she won't play a part in the storyline as such. She's not jumping on a plane to Guilin or anything. It'll be interesting to see how its handled, and whether it'll be more than an 'easter egg'.

[Himuro]

I also find it weird how people rationalize that Ryo and Nozomi's relationship takes precedence over Ryo's grieving over his father's murder. Having a parent die is hard already. But having your father murdered in front of your very eyes?

Yet, from what ShenmueTree described, Ryo merely has "his own agenda", when for most players, Nozomi's confession comes not even a month after the murder of his father.

I think a lot of you are far too used to games overloading the player with romance idealization. Ryo's going through a lot, but Nozomi should be pissed because her childhood friend is on a person journey?

If Nozomi should be mad at anyone, it's Lan Di. Ryo and she were close before Iwao died. Ryo was close to her and told her things. Now he's guarded. Lan Di is why she was sent back to Canada, because her parents feared for her safety. Lan Di is what made Ryo distance. Lan Di is what made Ryo leave Japan. Lan Di is what took Ryo's innocence and turned a caring, respectful boy into an aggressive teen who fights people.

Are you sure we've been playing the same Shenmue?

[drunkensailor]

I also find it weird how people rationalize that Ryo and Nozomi's relationship takes precedence over Ryo's grieving over his father's murder. Having a parent die is hard already. But having your father murdered in front of your very eyes?

Yet, from what ShenmueTree described, Ryo merely has "his own agenda", when for most players, Nozomi's confession comes not even a month after the murder of his father.

I think a lot of you are far too used to games overloading the player with romance idealization. Ryo's going through a lot, but Nozomi should be pissed because her childhood friend is on a person journey?

If Nozomi should be mad at anyone, it's Lan Di. Ryo and she were close before Iwao died. Ryo was close to her and told her things. Now he's guarded. Lan Di is why she was sent back to Canada, because her parents feared for her safety. Lan Di is what made Ryo distance. Lan Di is what made Ryo leave Japan. Lan Di is what took Ryo's innocence and turned a caring, respectful boy into an aggressive teen who fights people.

Are you sure we've been playing the same Shenmue?

this is all people should know

[fittersau]

I also find it weird how people rationalize that Ryo and Nozomi's relationship takes precedence over Ryo's grieving over his father's murder. Having a parent die is hard already. But having your father murdered in front of your very eyes?

....

If Nozomi should be mad at anyone, it's Lan Di. Ryo and she were close before Iwao died. Ryo was close to her and told her things. Now he's guarded. Lan Di is why she was sent back to Canada, because her parents feared for her safety. Lan Di is what made Ryo distance. Lan Di is what made Ryo leave Japan. Lan Di is what took Ryo's innocence and turned a caring, respectful boy into an aggressive teen who fights people.

I read OP as a bit of tongue in cheek, not to be taken too seriously and written with a bias on purpose.

Your points Himuro are spot on, Lan Di is the villain and changed their lives forever.

[Himuro]

No, a lot of people kind of really want Ryo and Nozomi to hook up. I get it, but Ryo is dealing with some heavy shit. So I figured he was being legitimate. It's okay, though. I just offered a verbose counterpoint. It's not so much directed at him but generally most people who feel that the romance options were lacking.

[shredingskin]

No, yo re wrong. Roy should dice te grandote

Forma resonancia.

[shredingskin]

No, yo re wrong. Roy should dice te grandote

Forma resonancia.

WOW cellphone butchered that.

[Englishhedgehog]

Was there evar an explanation as to why Joy was all over Ryo? Heck, I found her interaction with Ren to be vastly more interesting.

[Ryuman]

Was there evar an explanation as to why Joy was all over Ryo? Heck, I found her interaction with Ren to be vastly more interesting.

Like what? She just seems to be that type of person, I guess. Bit raunchy, bit provocative.
Maybe she a thing for Ryo's cold seriousness.

[ShenmueTree]

I was definitely being tongue in cheek, and going for comedic value. Though, like all comedy I think there is a bit of truth within when you looking at it from solely Nozomi's perspective.

Also, I absolutely know that Ryo loves Nozomi. I wrote a post in 2012, I think that explained that due to difference of western and Japanese culture, it's a different perspective than what most of us are used to, and why Ryo acts the way that he does within the context of the setting he's in because I was tired of reading so many posts about how Ryo never takes any chances or anything with girls, so I absolutely agree with you on a lot of your arguments.

[-=SPZ=-47]

Lan Di is searching for anothet mirror. If Ryo settels down to live peacefully with Nozomi, then he'll end up just like his father. Noone near Ryo is safe until he deals with Lan Di/Chiyou men.