Shenmue Clothing Through the Years | Guest Post by James Brown

A vast amount of merchandise has been produced for the Shenmue series since its release on the Dreamcast in Japan back in 1998. As an avid Shenmue collector, it used to surprise me, but now I have more of a shocked feeling that SEGA and various other companies have released such an incredible amount of items for a game series that is seemingly considered "niche".

People are often quick to attack the total cost of the original games as setting world records for the most expensive games every created. However, if you take into account all the merchandise that came with the marketing that Shenmue had, from small video game shop events to huge-scale events such as E3 and TGS (not to mention its own special events) and with batches of new items being added quite often to this day, some of those original "losses" must have been recouped by now!

In this post I'd like to take a more specific look at all of the clothing items that have been released and sold since 1998.

After reading this post, the next time you see a tweet from SEGA asking fans what Shenmue merchandise they would like to see next, and someone inevitably chimes in thinking they have an original idea for a "Ryo Hazuki jacket"... you'll be able to let them know that there have already been 6 (and technically more)!

I'm going to go through everything that I am aware of (and for the most part, own myself), in chronological time order. 

Let's begin with the aforementioned Ryo Hazuki jackets!

JACKETS

[2001] SEGA Promotional Jackets

For the sake of completeness, let's start by mentioning the jackets that were created by SEGA for their promotion of Shenmue 2 in 2001. This is the technicality mentioned above about the number of jackets made to date.

Japanese voice actor Masaya Matsukaze wore one at events such as the AM2 Summer Festival, and in a mock "television commercial" promo video for Shenmue II.

Masaya Matsukaze wearing Ryo's jacket at the AM2 Summer Festival event in 2001

The jacket also made an appearance in a mock "television commercial" for Shenmue II

A promotional jacket from the same time period, which differs in appearance to the one above, was made available for one of the reward tiers in the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter in 2015, at the not-insignificant level of $10,000! This jacket reward was later moved to the Slacker Backer campaign and a pledge was made for it at $8,000.

The "Ryo's Jacket" award from the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter

[2012] HAZUKI TIGER - Insert Coin

The first time we would see a purchasable official jacket based off of Ryo's would be in 2012, when UK-based online store Insert Coin Clothing teased the release of new clothing. This jacket turned out to be a hoodie style, named the Hazuki Tiger.

Insert Coin's 2012 jacket concept image

[2012] HAZUKI TIGER - Insert Coin

As you can imagine, any new merchandise at the time had fans creating rumors that Shenmue 3 was in the works!

[2014] HAZUKI - Insert Coin

Following this jacket, after fans cried out for a leather version, Insert Coin released a new faux-leather jacket in 2014, which unfortunately dropped the use of actual patches and opted for prints all over: the Hazuki.

[2014] HAZUKI - Insert Coin

[2017] HAZUKI 2017 - Insert Coin

After the announcement of Shenmue 3 in 2015, Insert Coin went back to the drawing board again and started to tease a new Shenmue range of clothing. Following a batch of t-shirts, the next jacket from the company became available in 2017.

This new Hazuki 2017 jacket surprised fans, as it wasn't leather at all this time but was in fact an unusual hybrid wind-breaker / bomber-jacket style.

HAZUKI 2017 - Insert Coin

[2018] CLASSIC HAZUKI - Insert Coin

Insert Coin at this stage pretty much had the monopoly on Ryo Hazuki replica jackets. They then followed up with two more jackets a year later in 2018.

One was another hoodie style, but much lighter than the 2012 version. It was called the Classic Hazuki.

[2018] CLASSIC HAZUKI - Insert Coin

[2018] ULTIMATE HAZUKI JACKET - Insert Coin

The other was faux leather again but was of a much higher quality than the 2014 leather jacket, with sewn-on patches, and overall the closest replica to date: the Ultimate Hazuki Jacket.

[2018] ULTIMATE HAZUKI JACKET - Insert Coin

[2020] Official Shenmue Logo Hoodie - SEGA Shop

The most recently-released jacket was on the Europe SEGA Shop website. This was a hoodie with a really nice Shenmue logo on the chest and a mirror design on the back.

[2020] Official Shenmue Logo Hoodie - SEGA Shop

[Scheduled 2020] Yu Suzuki-Approved Replica Jacket

This final jacket we still have yet to see properly. This was another Kickstarter reward for Shenmue 3, being produced by Fan Gamer, and is expected to ship in 2020.

The only image shown so far is the one used for the reward. The Kickstarter reward level was $3,000, but the jacket was also made available by itself on the Slacker Backer campaign for $2,400. Bargain!

[Scheduled 2020] Yu Suzuki-Approved Replica Jacket

T-SHIRTS

If you thought that was a lot of jackets, you're in for a treat with the amount of t-shirts made available over the years!

Let's go back to 1998, before Shenmue had even hit the Dreamcast. At this time, the only glimpses of the game were press-released images in magazines.

[1998] Shenmue Premiere T-shirt

The first time we would see the game properly was at an exciting preview event held in major cities throughout Japan, the first venue being the Yokohama National Exhibition Hall. This was the famous Shenmue Premiere, which boasted a myriad of merchandise for sale. The first-ever Shenmue t-shirt was available at this event.

[1998] Shenmue Premiere T-shirt

[May 1999] Network Jungle II Digitaliland Exhibition

More t-shirts followed in 1999, as the marketing for Shenmue was pushed. 5 shirt designs were made available at the Network Jungle II Digitaliland event, which ran from May 1st to May 3rd.

T-shirts at the Network Jungle II Digitaliland Exhibition

[July 1999] UFO Prizes 

Two months later, more shirts were produced as prizes that could be won in SEGA's UFO prize grabber machines. To the best of my knowledge, 4 shirt designs were made available in this way.

T-shirts for SEGA's UFO prize grabber machines

The size of these shirts was labeled as "Free": not to be confused with the revolutionary game genre that Yu Suzuki coined for Shenmue - in this case Free Size indicated a size likely to fit most people - typically around medium / large in size.

Here is a closer look at these 4 UFO prize t-shirts.

• [1999] Shenmue White Free Size - UFO Grabber. This t-shirt was also shown as part of a Shenmue 3 Kickstarter reward (Vintage Grab Bag).

[1999] Shenmue White Free Size - UFO Grabber

An image of the t-shirt in the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter Vintage Grab Bag reward ilustration

• [1999] Shenhua Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

[1999] Shenhua Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

• [1999] Shenmue Logo Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

[1999] Shenmue Logo Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

• [1999] Shenmue Ryo Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

[1999] Shenmue Ryo Yellow Free Size - UFO Grabber

• [1999] Shenmue SEGA UFO Grabber Prize Bag
  
  Each of these t-shirts would have be housed inside one of these Prize bags. To keep the shape of the t-shirt quite small and easy to be grabbed by the UFO machine claw. We can see the Shenmue logo across the middle of the bag, along with the SEGA logo, date and a Prize website URL.
  
  An archive of this Prize website can be viewed on The Wayback Machine.

[1999] Shenmue SEGA UFO Grabber Prize Bag

[1999?] Yu Suzuki Shenmue

The first t-shirt I cannot find any information on currently is this awesome Yu Suzuki-branded shirt with original concept art of Ryo on the rear. I would personally place this t-shirt around the 1999  period.

[1999?] Yu Suzuki Shenmue

[1999?] PAL Promo Shenmue Dreamcast

Another t-shirt without a lot of known info is this promotional Shenmue Dreamcast t-shirt. The front of the shirt features a large Dreamcast logo and blue swirl, showing that this shirt is in fact from a PAL promotion. On the rear is a fantastic large graphic of Ryo and Shenhua, a piece of promo artwork at the time. The SEGA copyright is also shown on this image dating it as a 1999 item. This is unusual, since Shenmue (and the Dreamcast console itself) weren’t actually released in PAL territories until 2000. This shirt therefore could have been made available at an event of some kind, as excitement was rising for SEGA’s next console!

[1999?] PAL Promo Shenmue Dreamcast

[2000] Shenmue American - Software Etc. Event

In 2000, Shenmue finally released in the West, and to celebrate the launch in America, Yu Suzuki held a signing event in California at the Software Etc. event. Fans arrived in droves to get their fresh copies signed by the legend himself, and a t-shirt was handed out at this event.

[2000] Shenmue American - Software Etc. Event

[2001?] Shenmue.com - Shenmue.com Website

With the rise of the internet, and speedy 56k modems connecting fans to the Shenmue.com website, a t-shirt was made to advertise the website. I'm not 100% on how this shirt was able to be obtained, perhaps being ordered through the website or distributed as a promotional item. I would place this shirt's release around 2001.

[2001?] Shenmue.com - Shenmue.com Website

[2001?] Shenmue Logo on Blue Shirt (From Kickstarter Rewards image)

Another t-shirt about which information is scarce is one that was shown in a recent Kickstarter rewards image. It may be sent to backers of the grab bag tiers, perhaps as a random variant to the white t-shirt that was shown in the original reward images.

Shenmue Logo on Blue Shirt (From Kickstarter Rewards image, at left)

I would place this t-shirt around the same time period as the Shenmue.com one, as those with a keen eye will note that the label appears to match exactly.

[2002] Xbox Launch Staff Top

With both Shenmue 1 and 2 now having been released, and SEGA no longer in the hardware business, merchandise completely dried up over the years following. However with the launch of Shenmue 2 on the Xbox, staff promoting the game for Microsoft wore this nifty sewn Shenmue 2 logo top!

[2002] Xbox Launch Staff Top

[2012] Hazuki Tiger - Insert Coin

With nothing but Shenmue Online to hold fans hopes together for 10 years, the series felt like it had almost been forgotten. It was in 2012 that, alongside the original Jacket (hoodie) shown earlier, the next Shenmue t-shirt came along: the Hazuki Tiger.

[2012] Hazuki Tiger - Insert Coin

[2014] Core Chocolate x Shenmue - Hardcore Chocolate

With fans' hopes for a third game slightly raised again, it was in 2014 that another t-shirt randomly came to release. Japanese online store "Hardcore Chocolate" brought us an awesome t-shirt which  you may recognize if you are a fan of Adam Koralik on YouTube!

[2014] Core Chocolate x Shenmue - Hardcore Chocolate

[2015] Shenmue Dreamcast - TGS 2015

The following year...I think we all remember how that went! Shenmue 3 was finally announced at E3 2015, and SEGA was quick to the punch, bringing a Shenmue t-shirt (and button badge) to TGS 2015 only a few months later.

[2015] Shenmue Dreamcast - TGS 2015

[2016] Hazuki Tee - Insert Coin

With Shenmue back in the spotlight after the best part of 15 years, Insert Coin jumped back in to add to their ever growing Shenmue collection. 4 t-shirts were released at the same time in early 2016. The first was the Hazuki Tee.

[2016] Hazuki Tee - Insert Coin

[2016] Bell Wood's Jet Cola - Insert Coin

Next, Bell Wood's Jet Cola.

[2016] Bell Wood's Jet Cola - Insert Coin

[2016] Tomato Convenience Store - Insert Coin

The Tomato Convenience Store tee...

[2016] Tomato Convenience Store - Insert Coin

[2016] Forklift Racing - Insert Coin

...and Forklift Racing.

[2016] Shenmue II - Forbidden Planet

Later that same year UK store Forbidden Planet released a Shenmue 2 line of merchandise. It seemed a little random at the time, and every item used the same image - the Dreamcast Shenmue 2 cover art. One of the items was a t-shirt, of course!

[2016] Shenmue II - Forbidden Planet

[2018] Shenmue Forklift - TGS 2018

With the release of Shenmue 3 getting pushed back, fans were ecstatic to find that SEGA had decided to release HD versions of Shenmue 1 and 2 as a collection in 2018. To celebrate the news, at TGS that year a brand new t-shirt was sold at SEGA's booth (later also made available on the Ebten Sega Store).

[2018] Shenmue Forklift - TGS 2018

[2018] Ryo 2018 - Insert Coin

With merchandise now beginning to flourish again, Insert Coin dipped their toes back into the Shenmue merchandise scene and issued more clothing! They released a Ryo white t-shirt with images of the jacket patches.

Ryo 2018 - Insert Coin

[2019] Shenmue 3 Monaco Magic - Magic Monaco 2019

We are now officially into the era of Shenmue 3!

Fans who made the trip to Magic Monaco in 2019 were treated to a rather pricey, yet awesome exclusive event t-shirt for Shenmue 3. This was the very first t-shirt for the game, and regardless of cost, fans grabbed it! The event itself was free to attend, and each shirt came in a rather cool Magic 2019 tote bag.

Shenmue 3 Monaco Magic - Magic Monaco 2019

[2019] Shenmue 3 Forklift - Ebten

On the roll-up to Shenmue 3's eventual release date of November 19th, various sites offered exclusive t-shirts.

First up was Ebten again who released another Forklift style shirt at TGS 2019.

[2019] Shenmue 3 Forklift - Ebten

[2019] Shenmue III Official - Rakuten

Next, Japanese online store Rakuten put up their own t-shirt to coincide with preorders of the game.

[2019] Shenmue III Official - Rakuten

[2019] Shenmue 3 Chibi Ryo Forklift - Deep Silver Preorder

Finally, Deep Silver put up a preorder combo, with a game + Chibi Ryo Forklift t-shirt bundle.

[2019] Shenmue 3 Chibi Ryo Forklift - Deep Silver Preorder

[2020] Official Shenmue Logo - SEGA Shop

Fast-forward to the current year, 2020. SEGA Shop EU, surprised us with an awesome line of new Shenmue merchandise. Included in the range were 2 brand new Shenmue t-shirts!

The first: the Official Shenmue Logo t-shirt.

[2020] Official Shenmue Logo - SEGA Shop

[2020] Official Shenmue Ryo - SEGA Shop

The Official Shenmue Ryo tee.

[2020] Official Shenmue Ryo - SEGA Shop

[July 2020] Shenmue 3 Kickstarter T-shirt

The latest two shirts are the Kickstarter and Slacker Backer reward ones!

The Kickstarter shirt which arrived in July is of a black and orange design. The “we saved Shenmue” logo is displayed on the front, and on the rear a nice concept art of Ryo and Shenhua.

[July 2020] Shenmue 3 Kickstarter T-shirt

[Shipping October 2020] Shenmue 3 Slacker Backer T-shirt

The Slacker backer variant which is to be shipped in October, is a white tee, with a blue logo and rear image.

[Shipping October 2020] Shenmue 3 Slacker Backer T-shirt

We are now caught up with all t-shirts that have been released!

Next are 4 shirts with uncertainty on when (or if ever) they will be released. Hopefully we will see these items available to buy at some point:

[???] Chobu-Chan Face (Originally given away Jan 2020)

The first was shown on an Official Shenmue 3 live stream on YouTube on the day of launch of Shenmue 3 in November 2019: an awesome yellow Chobu-Chan face! It was given away as a prize by IGN Japan, for the best screenshot from their Shenmue 3 "Photo Competition".

Chobu-Chan Face t-shirt

The other 3 shirts featured briefly in a live stream on a Taiwanese channel called "Bahagamecrazy". Shown were two different Chobu-chan t-shirts, and one with the Hotel Owner at Hotel Niaowu.

[???] Chobu Chan "I can fly!" White & Chobu Chan Black

Chobu Chan "I can fly!" White & Chobu Chan Black

[???] Hotel Niaowu

Hotel Niaowu

Phew! And that is all of the t-shirts, to the best of my knowledge!

Finally, I want to bundle in 2 final items into this clothing collection post. I'll list these as "Hats"!

HATS

[???] Shenmue Bandanna

I couldn't actually find any information on this first item. However, it is without a doubt from 1999, since it says so on it! It is an official Shenmue Bandanna, an extremely rare item I believe.

Shenmue Bandanna

The Shenmue.com website is written underneath one of the logos, so this item may have been connected to its promotion

If you know anything about where this item came from, or where it was available, please do let me know directly or in the comments!

[2019] Shenmue Cap - SEGA Shop

Moving all the way on to 2019, the first official Shenmue item to bless the SEGA Shop Europe webstore was a Shenmue cap.

[2019] Shenmue Cap - SEGA Shop

Final Comment

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this crazy Shenmue clothing ride with me! We've looked through every item of clothing that I'm personally aware of over the years.

If you would like to see the majority of these items up close I filmed a video on my YouTube Channel showcasing each piece (PRS: the video can also be found at the top of this post!).

Many thanks again for Switch for having me on his awesome blog. I hope to return again one day!

-James Brown

Thank you to James for this epic report! This is sure to be of great interest and value to anyone who is interested in extending their own Shenmue collection, or just to appreciate the wide range of clothing that has been released over the years.

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