In this post, we present the final part of our English translation of Famitsu’s 25th anniversary roundtable with the original Shenmue developers. In Part 5, the team recounted the challenges of building Shenmue II, reflected on the long road until Shenmue III, and shared their hopes for seeing the series reach its conclusion one day.
In this final part, the discussion closes with a message from actor Masaya Matsukaze, the voice of Ryo Hazuki in the Japanese version, who shares his memories of the series’ early days and what Shenmue has meant to him. The developers then reflect on their own experiences and the lasting impact Shenmue has had on their lives, careers, and friendships.
What Does Shenmue Mean to Each of You?
Masaya Matsukaze – 25th Anniversary Comment
"I have so many memories tied to Shenmue that I don’t even know where to start...
First off, let me talk about the audition. It was all extremely top-secret, and a ton of people participated. One thing that really stuck with me was being told, “Bring a personal seal (inkan) to stamp the confidentiality agreement - if you don’t have it, you’ll be sent home.” I remember thinking that was pretty strange, and also telling myself, “If I forget it, I won’t just fail the audition, I won’t even be allowed to apply, which would be ridiculous,” so I made extra sure not to forget it.
By some miracle, I passed the audition. I later heard the reason I got the role was, “We knew the production would be tough, so we chose someone who looked sturdy and had a good personality.”
A few years later, the game was finally announced with a press event at Pacifico Yokohama! After years of keeping everything confidential and working in a secret facility, without even telling my own parents, Shenmue was finally going public. But during preparations for my own appearance on stage, we ran into a problem during the costume check. Apparently, it was felt that “Matsukaze’s outfit is lame.” So at the last minute, on the night before the event, I had to run to a department store in Tokyo and buy a whole new outfit! There wasn’t time for tailoring, so the fit was a little off - that’s another memory that sticks with me.
Once, in the dressing room for the motion capture, the actor Yukijiro Hotaru said to me, “You’re still young, right Matsukaze? While you’re young, you should try everything. Later on, you’ll naturally start to weed out the things you don’t want to do, and that’s how you’ll find the path you should take.” I’ve lived by those words ever since. The advice I've received from Yu Suzuki and Hiroshi Fujioka is also something I treasure. The people I met through Shenmue have had a profound impact on who I am today.
Cancellation, then revival - when I was told “The series will be put on hold after II,” I was so shocked it felt like my heart stopped. We had already recorded so much motion capture for what came next... Then, years later, when I heard the words, “We’re making a sequel!” I was absolutely speechless. And then came the anime... Shenmue is full of surprises. You truly never know what’ll happen next. I could go on and on forever.
Oh, and speaking of which - I recently made Ryo’s leather jacket as a hobby project!"
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| See the full video on Matsukaze's YouTube channel |
Kasahara: Thank you, Mr. Matsukaze. Ryo’s leather jacket - that's great. Speaking of which, Wada, are you wearing Ryo’s jacket today?
Wada: It’s something we made at the company. I actually received it as a retirement gift.
Kasahara: It's a one-of-a-kind piece, made from real leather! Don't go putting it up for sale online! We’ll have Mr. Matsukaze wear it at the Shenmue IV announcement event!!
—Now for our final question: What does Shenmue mean to each of you?
Hirai: Shenmue really represents a very important chapter in my life. Without it, I don’t think I would’ve become the kind of engineer that others could trust. If I hadn’t been part of it, my career might’ve ended as just another programmer. Now I’ve started my own company, and I’m able to take on all sorts of projects, and that's all thanks to Shenmue. In fact, I’m currently working with some of the same people who were on the Shenmue team back in the day.
—Wow, the bonds of Shenmue!
Hirai: Oh - just to be clear, it’s not Shenmue IV we’re working on! (laughs) But after 30 years as a programmer, I honestly don’t think there’s any project that can top Shenmue. Even now, people still call me “Shenmue Hirai”. That’s how much it's become part of my identity. Those four years we spent on it… to me, that was really my youth.
Wada: What Shenmue means to me… that’s honestly a tough question. All I did was pour myself into getting this game finished and out into the world. That was the one and only thing on my mind as I worked. I really respect Yu-san's dreamer side. His unwavering desire to make something truly great, right to the very end - that kind of conviction is just incredible.
I was never a creator myself; I was a builder. So to me, Shenmue was about continuing to build, day after day, to help realize Yu-san’s vision. That’s what it was all about.
Kurooka: I wasn’t a Sega employee at the time, but I spent two years in my early twenties working on Shenmue, and it really felt like my first trial as a developer. The development team was massive, and we were constantly staying overnight at the studio. I think it really toughened me up, mentally.
It was like being thrown into the deep end and forced to grow through sheer intensity. But as a result, ever since then, no matter what challenges I face, I can always say, “Compared to Shenmue, this is nothing,” and push through.
Matsuda: To me, Shenmue has been like a compass for making games and for running a company. As everyone here has said, Shenmue was a project where, even though the details weren't nailed down, everyone shared the same goal. It taught me how a creator should operate in that kind of situation - where there are no clear spec sheets, but you still have to deliver something fun.
After going independent and making my own games, I realized it was a mistake to think that as long as you gather the right people, you can make a game even without a solid plan. Shenmue succeeded because it had true geniuses working on it. I genuinely believe Shenmue taught me everything about how to create games that people can enjoy.
Miyawaki: For me, Shenmue was simply the opportunity that changed everything. I was just a guy who wanted to be a manga artist, suddenly thrown into this incredible environment. Because people from so many different fields worked on it, I got to meet a wide range of people and learn so much from them.
Now I’m freelancing, and still involved in game development. I’ve also worked on anime projects with a director I met during the Shenmue days. The fact that I’m still able to work doing what I love is all thanks to Shenmue.
Kasahara: It was the hardest project I’ve ever been on, but it’s also the one I have the deepest memories of. Shenmue was something we survived together - shoulder to shoulder, in the trenches with so many comrades. That bond has endured, even as many of us moved on to different companies.
It was also a chance to witness the work of a true genius, Yu Suzuki, up close. Looking back even now, there were so many things that make me think, “That was amazing!” There was a lot I didn’t fully grasp at the time, but when we were porting Shenmue I & II for the 2018 re-release, I found myself thinking, “Wait… this game is actually incredible!”
Back then, the development team was young - most of us were in our twenties. It’s amazing we managed to pull it off. Yu-san himself was only in his thirties.
Miyawaki: I actually brought some old documentary footage from back then, and yeah - everyone was young.
Everyone: Whoa, we were so young. This brings back memories! Mr. Okayasu, you really haven’t changed much… Oh hey, that’s me…
Hirai: Ah, a bicycle. I wrote the program for that.
Matsuda: I think I made the bicycle loop animation.
—Finally then, Mr. Okayasu: what does Shenmue mean to you?
Okayasu: Without a doubt, it’s the title that changed my life. I’ve worked with Yu-san for a long time, but Shenmue is where I understood his way of thinking the most clearly. I’m not sure if I should really be sharing this with everyone, but... During the development of Shenmue III, Yu-san said something like, “If I pass on, finish Shenmue for me.”
Everyone: Whoa...
Matsuda: A successor nomination?
Okayasu: I suppose in a way, it was. But at the time, I didn’t say yes or no. It’s not something you can respond to lightly, you know? (laughs awkwardly)
Shenmue’s development was grueling, but years later, when open-world games started becoming popular, I finally understood: that’s the kind of world Yu-san had envisioned. Back then, we didn’t fully grasp what he was trying to do, but now it all makes sense. He was right. Whether or not I’ll become his successor is another matter entirely, and I don’t know what the future holds... but personally, I really hope the Shenmue story gets a proper ending someday.
Hirai: If you’re doing it, Mr. Okayasu, then I’m in too.
Kasahara: Count me in too.
Matsuda: This is starting to feel like a Japanese comedy skit! (laughs)
Okayasu: After you... no, I insist!
Everyone: (laughs)
-- End of Interview --
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