The start of Shenmue's tale revolves around two intriguing letters obtained by Ryo Hazuki, setting the stage for the enigmatic narrative to unravel.
The first letter holds poignant meaning as it was written by Ryo's late father, Iwao, who passed away in a violent encounter with a man in Chinese clothing called Lan Di. Ryo discovers it sitting out on his father's desk for him to find.
Adding to the intrigue, a second letter arrives from Hong Kong, sent by a mysterious individual whom Ryo later learns is named Zhu Yuan Da. Written in cryptic Chinese script, it arrives shortly after Iwao's passing.
Upon having it translated, Ryo uncovers that this letter served as a warning to his father, although it arrived too late to fulfill its intended purpose.
The two letters raise some interesting questions. How did Zhu Yuan Da know about the threat to Iwao? And did Iwao Hazuki know Lan Di was coming?
Today, we will attempt to answer these questions by examining the letters, comparing the Japanese and Chinese sources with the English translations provided by the game, and by delving into the events that take place over the course of the first two games.
This topic was suggested by blog patrons Patrick Fuller and James Brown.
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