In the beginning, you may think that Shenmue is a generic revenge story. In martial arts action, a common trope is your main character is an invincible fighting force that goes on a raging rampage for that sweet revenge often sprinkled with lessons on morality surrounding revenge (e.g: Fist of Fury, Hokuto No Ken, Kill Bill, etc). That is not the case with Shenmue. Our protagonist Ryo is a high school student whose skills are good as a karate high school champion, yet somehow he has to travel the world with barely has any allowance, infiltrate an international crime syndicate and somehow take revenge on his father’s murderer who is also one of the leaders of said organizations that beats Ryo’s ass in less than 10 frames in episode 1.
Shenmue is more of a coming-of-age/murder mystery story about people's effects on each other told through an epic adventure of a young man unraveling his father's murder. As Ryo gets deeper into the mystery, he traces back to his father’s footsteps meeting a colorful cast of characters and equally shady individuals. It is the best at depicting the highs and lows of travel and its encounters with strangers. The best among them will leave you with a memory that lasts a lifetime, and the worst will screw you over. Ryo meets gang members that end up being friends, wise martial arts masters who impart their wisdom to him, local citizens, etc. In these encounters, you can see how Ryo grows as a character and a martial artist. Through Ryo's lens, we also remember them for the effects they have on Ryo and us by extension which is what makes them memorable. These characters may have 1 episode of screentime, yet these characters are still fan favorites in the community. It is like remembering your best high school teacher or a random encounter you had in the streets. You part ways eventually but something about them sticks with you.
Speaking of travel, The efforts of Yu Suzuki’s research of the environment in the story takes place for his ultra-realistic project translated well into the anime in the forms of great world-building. You can see a very distinct shift in moods from the first and second half of the season as Ryo transitions from his hometown of suburban Japan Yokosuka and following his adventure to Hong Kong as he has to deal with different cultures, customs, and environments. Admittedly, I think this was done better in the games due to the immersive strength of the medium, but if you are a fan of east Asian culture you may find real locations for your next travels.
I can’t talk about Shenmue without talking about its music. There is something almost ethereal with its use of Erhu (The Chinese fiddle, an instrument you may have heard in Kung-fu Panda’s Oogway Ascends). The leitmotif of Shenmue’s main theme will be stuck with you as you can’t help but feel something when you hear it. You will experience that in the opening section of the show.
To me, Shenmue has a lot to say about relationships with people know or meet along the way and how they affect your life told in an epic adventure full of wonderful people and places with elements that tie well into each other. If you like martial arts, East Asian culture, or heck even travel I highly recommend that you experience this show yourself. It may not be your favorite thing ever, but you may have a good time or at least understand why people love it.
