English Dub Review: Shenmue the Animation “Aspiration”

Overview

Xiuying Hong (Aka Lishao Tao) ignores Ryo’s wish to meet Yuanda Zhu and keeps making him do chores for the Man Mo Temple to understand Xiuying’s notion, Ryo must learn the “Wude” (Pronounced “Wu-dah), which in a nutshell is the 4 philosophical principles of martial arts, so his search begins to seek out martial artists throughout Hong Kong who has acquired the Wude Wisdom…

Our Take

While it may sound innocuous in this show, in the videogame, Ryo being asked by Master Xiuying to air books was a key event to leading Ryo one step closer to knowing more info about his possible lead towards Yuanda Zhu. But sadly he fell victim to bad timing and led to ridicule on Ryo’s end which I think was purposefully done to make the story longer, but these books sound significant to the Man Mo Temple.

What’s easily the biggest plot hole, is that sometimes I don’t get why all these so-called “masters” keep leaving it up to chance whether Ryo will figure out these obscure Wude rules by wandering around a big foreign city by himself. However once Ryo learns the meaning behind the 3rd Wude, Xiuying finally reveals her reason for not completely helping Ryo’s personal goal, despite earning his keep of staying at his new place…

Overall, aside from those minor gripes, I enjoyed this episode. I never expected them to adapt each Wude into a specific episode but somehow I think it works. In the game given its pacing, you have to go out of your way to encounter some conversations with Joy and Xiuying, but here it’s nice to get a more rounded take on them without all the work.