Shenmue III New Images: Lan Di, Ren and a Riverboat | MAGIC Monaco Local Press Conference

Yesterday three new Shenmue III images were shared by the game's co-producer. Cédric Biscay, as part of a local press conference for MAGIC Monaco 2019. This was separate from the earlier global press conference on February 8th at which new images were also shared (see Yu Suzuki Confirmed for MAGIC 2019 + Two New Shenmue 3 Images)

We will recap the images in this post, commenting on some of the smaller details.

First Image: Lan Di

First image: Lan Di (tap to enlarge)

The detail, lighting and textures in this image are exquisite, from the fine patterning in his silk sleeves to the ornate surroundings. The ceiling decorations, wall scroll and lanterns match those of the room in which Lan Di was standing in the Gamescom 2018 trailer (see Shenmue III Trailer "The Prophecy" Dissection [Part Two]).

Finely-detailed patterning on Lan Di's sleeves.

Research note, courtesy of Shenmue Unofficial:  

The circular motifs on Lan Di's sleeve are traditional Chinese patterns, and similar symbols can be observed set into the framework behind him next to the purple pillar, as well as on a ceiling tile. These patterns are in fact highly-stylized auspicious symbols derived from Chinese written characters that represent a concept such as happiness (fú 福), prosperity (lù 禄) and longevity (shòu 寿).

[Image: TutorMandarin.net]

As seen on Lan Di's clothing, such auspicious symbols and patterns have traditionally been used extensively in garment pattern designs, dating back to the early Chinese dynasties. A research paper about the application of these patterns in the design of silk garments notes the intimate relationship between traditional Chinese auspicious patterns and silk garments, both having "characteristics of the traditional Chinese cultures".

Thank you to Shenmue Unofficial for contributing this research information via the blog comments.

And of course, the character model of Lan Di has been updated since we last saw him. The improvement in his face and hair is especially noticeable when set side by side (and we also get a better look at his scar):

Lan Di comparison: Gamescom 2018 trailer (left) and the latest image (right)

One detail that was not visible in the old trailer are the Chinese characters on the wall: "古城" which means "ancient town," referring to a historical old city - such as Choubu.

In real life also, the town that is believed to be the model for Choubu, Fenghuang, is known as Fenghuang Ancient Town due to its well-preserved historical townscape.

Fenghuang Ancient Town (image: Wikipedia)

(For more on Fenghuang, I recommend checking out Shenmue Unofficial's detailed video which includes many images of the town).

Second Image: Ferry

Second image: Ferry (tap to enlarge)

The grime, smudges and dirt on all surfaces add an extra level of realism to this interior shot of a river boat or ferry; not to mention the various pipes and wires running up the walls and across the ceiling.

Immediately leaping to the eye are a couple of capsule toy machines sitting at the left. The closest capsule machine appears to have a fire-fighting theme. On the front label can be seen a human figure operating an extinguisher and hose attachment, with other items such as a fire axe and other smaller fire extinguishers also illustrated.

Here is a close-up of the label on the blue machine, corrected for perspective.

Through the interior windows can be seen a couple of posters, advertising a bottle of some kind, with text written in vertical columns at the side. An illustration on the right-hand poster shows a female figure in red standing next to a flowering tree; perhaps the drink is some kind of Chinese plum wine.

Some fans have questioned whether there may be a link with another bottle seen previously as part of the on-screen health meter display in a warehouse battle scene (see Examining the Warehouse Battle Scene | Kickstarter Update #85). The bottle on the left-hand poster above does indeed have a similar oval label, but lacks a cloth covering tied at the top, so it is hard to draw a conclusion. This will be an interesting point to confirm when playing the game!

Coincidence? We have seen a bottle with the health meter in a previous battle image.

Third Image: Ren

Third image: Ren (tap to enlarge)

The final image shows a camera-shy Ren admiring the pastel hues in the sky as he looks out towards the river at the Choubu docks. This image really shows off the natural lighting and weather effects/

Perhaps, as Cédric hints in his tweet below, we will get to see his face at last at MAGIC Monaco, coming up soon on March 9th.

Link to tweet.

Did these images whet your appetite for MAGIC Monaco in March? Feel free to leave a comment below.

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