Shenmue the Animation

Shenmue the Animation will air on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim February 5, 2022

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Some 20 years after Shenmue was released on the Sega Dreamcast, an anime adaptation titled Shenmue the Animation is coming to Crunchyroll and Adult Swim, with the premiere at 9:30 pm PST (12:30 am EST on Sunday) on Saturday, February 5th, 2022.

Shenmue the Animation
Promotional artwork for Shenmue the Animation. Source: Crunchyroll

Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block will broadcast Shenmue the Animation dubbed in English, while Crunchyroll will stream the subtitled version online globally, except in Japan and China.

It’s the mid-1980’s in Yokosuka, Japan where Ryo Hazuki has trained hard under his father’s guidance to learn Hazuki Style Jujitsu. Ryo’s life is changed when his father is murdered by a man named Lan Di, who has come to retrieve a precious item known as the Dragon Mirror that his father had been hiding. Pursuing Lan Di, Ryo winds up in Hong Kong and enters the vast criminal underworld beneath the glittering metropolis.

Crunchyroll, through a press release, provided the voice cast and background on some of the leading characters in Shenmue the Animation.

  • Ryo Hazuki voiced by Masaya Matsukaze (Japanese) and Austin Tindle (English): A high school boy and heir to the Hazuki style martial arts. When his father is murdered by a mysterious man named Lan Di, Ryo begins a journey to polish his martial arts and uncover the truth behind his father’s death.
  • Lan Di voiced by Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese) and Scott Gibbs (English): A high-ranking member of the underground organization Chi You Men who murders Ryo’s father and steals the Dragon Mirror.
  • Shenhua voiced by Natalie Rial (English): A young girl who lives in a rural village in Guilin under the care of her foster father. Pure and simple, she has vast knowledge of plants, animals, and other natural survival skills.
  • Nozomi Harasaki voiced by Cat Thomas (English): Ryo’s classmate who has secretly admired him ever since he saved her from bullies in middle school. Strong and considerate, she usually spends her time helping in her grandmother’s flower shop.
  • Guizhang Chen voiced by Jeremy Gee (English): Guizhang was born in Yokohama and taught martial arts by his father from a young age. Since Ryo has a similar upbringing, although Guizhang acts cold he feels close to Ryo.
  • Chai – voiced by Greg Ayres (English): A member of Chi You Men. He has a unique condition allowing him to do superhuman-like moves. After Lan Di has taken the Dragon mirror, he begins looking for the second mirror. 
  • Wong voiced by Bryson Baugus (English): A member of Heavens. He looks up to Ren like a brother and aspires to be like him. 
  • Joy voiced by Luci Christian (English): Joy is a young woman who loves motorcycles. Her father runs a trade business and is highly trusted by many. Like Ryo, Joy has also lost her mother at a young age.
  • Xiuying Hong voiced by Christine Auten (English): Her priest name is Lishao Tao. Although she is young, she is known as the grand master of Bajiquan. Her facial expression is always calm, but her clear eyes look like she can see through people’s hearts and intentions. 
  • Ren voiced by Cody House (English): The charismatic head of Heavens, a street gang that operates in Beverly Hills Wharf. He is obsessed with money and does not trust anyone other than his friends. Ren is rivals with the Yellow Heads gang and plans to beat them one day. 
  • Dou Niu voiced by Joe Daniels (English): While being the boss of Yellow Heads, Dou Niu is also part of Chi You Men. To gain trust from Lan Di, he also begins looking for Yuanda Zhu. Dou Niu has a large bear-like body, which puts Ryo and his friends in a difficult situation when fighting him.

Created in partnership between Crunchyroll and Adult Swim, Shenmue the Animation is directed by Chikara Sakurai, with chief animation director Kensuke Ishikawa, writer Kento Shimoyama, character designer Udaka, and original concept created by Yu Suzuki. Ito Kashitaro’s song “UNDEAD-NOID” will serve as the opening theme to the series.

Crunchyroll and Adult Swim have formed a partnership that has released new original animated shows for broadcast and streaming including Fena: Pirate Princess and Blade Runner: Black Lotus.

Source: Crunchyroll press release

© Sega/Shenmue Project © Ellation, LLC TM & © 2021 Cartoon Network

 

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