Shenmue I & II Announcement Video (with English Subtitles)

The announcement of the planned 2018 release of Shenmue I & II for modern platforms was an awesome event for fans all over the globe.

• Related post: check out Switch's on-the-ground report of the presentation

With the live event being held in Japan, the primary language for the announcement was of course Japanese. Although "Shenhua" the official interpreter was present on stage for the main part of the announcement, not everything that Sega Sammy CEO Haruki Satomi said was translated - so we have added translated subtitles for those parts.

View the subtitled video below. A written transcript of the Japanese translations follows the video in this post.

Note: during the interaction Haruki Satomi makes one or two comments in Japanese that could be interpreted as being made at John Clark's expense. However I believe these were meant in a spirit of fun and were not intended to be disrespectful.

Transcript (Translations from Japanese only)

Haruki Satomi [HS]: SEGA FES 2018 starts from today. We held Sega Group's first one, as a trial, in November 2016. At that time, we ran a live show late at night over a period of 48 hours. Back then, "work-style reforms" and ""exploitative corporations" weren't really a thing, so the employees worked through for 48-hours.


Well, now times have changed and we're not going to be running a 48-hour broadcast this time, but at that time as a late-night special we ran some Sega Polls. Do you recall them? We set up polls for various categories for Sega fans from all around the world to vote on. Some may recall them, while others may not. So for those who don't, we've put together a video. Please have a look.

[Game countdown plays with Shenmue at #4, followed by Shenmue I & II announcement trailer]

We heard everyone's passionate voices and while the latest game is already being talked about, we would like to bring back once again the world's first open-world games, Shenmue I & II and revive them on modern platforms.

Shennmue was one of the most popular titles for the Dreamcast. We had been thinking of various titles that we hoped would please the fans. Shenmue reached the high ranking of #4 in our Poll, and furthermore we had been hearing constantly from fans, not only in the West but also in Asia, who have been wanting to play it again. And now I'd like to ask on stage someone who has been deeply involved with this Shenmue I & II project; the leader of the project: John Clark, EVP of Publishing for Sega Europe. Please join us, John.

Welcome, John. How are you feeling today?

John Clark [JC]: I'm really honored to be here for this announcement before so many Japanese Sega fans. Shenmue is acclaimed in the West as being a title that symbolizes Sega's spirit of challenge and one that has had overwhelming popularity as a wished-for release.

In response to the voices of long-term fans we have carefully ported across the classic world of the original version.

HS: By the way, about the costume you're wearing today... It might look a little dissimilar around the girth but - it's Ryo Hazuki's costume, right?

No need to translate what I said about the stomach!

JC: On the day it was decided to make the announcement here at SEGA FES, I made up my mind to wear it in celebration.

HS: This doesn't need translation, but our translator is in the costume of Shenhua, aren't you.

Translator: Yes, this morning John told me to be sure to wear it.

HS: Oh, I see! You two make a set.

Tranlsator: Yes.

He decided that when he stood on stage at SEGA FES, he wanted to be standing with Shenhua.

HS: They look good as a set, don't they. Although you don't quite look Asian.

Well, let's move on to Shenmue I & II, which are set in Yokosuka and Hong Kong respectively. What is their reception like in Europe?

JC: Shenmue was released in Europe in 2000, and was a revolutionary game. It was a time when there was no Grand Theft Auto 3 or The Elder Scrolls. Yokosuka was an unknown world to us, but that was part of its exotic charm.

HS: By the way, we haven't introduced John properly yet, so... would you say a few words about yourself, over again?

JC: I'm responsible for the marketing, editing, sales strategies and so on for games for Europe. In recent years I have also been in charge of the world-wide deployment of European-developed titles such as Total War. Shenmue I & II will of course also be released in locations including Europe and the US.

HS: What are your thoughts about that?

JC: It's not only me who is excited about this announcement. There are a huge number of fans who have been waiting for Sega's legendary Shenmue I & II to be brought back. At this moment right now, I think there is non-stop applause from around the world

HS: To conclude, could you give a message to everyone in Japan?

JC: I'm proud to have  been part of this project and I'm happy to have had this opportunity to speak about Shenmue before Sega's fans in Japan. Shenmue is great!

Shenmue, saikou desu! [="Shenmue is great!"]

HS: "Shenmue, saikou desu!" - you said it twice!

Thank you very much, John.

[John & translator leave the stage].

It'd be funny if John was actually fluent in Japanese though.

I asked him to do it in Japanese, but he had to decline on account of not speaking the language; so he brought along Shenhua.

Shenmue I & II for Japan is planned for release for PS4 during 2018. Don't miss it!

Translations to English by PhantomRiverStone.com


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