Yu Suzuki and YS Net have once again marked the arrival of the New Year with a charming Shenmue-themed greeting illustration and message, published as part of Famitsu.com’s annual New Year special.
Famitsu introduced the feature as a celebratory roundup of New Year’s cards and messages from 95 game companies, reflecting on a lively 2025 and looking ahead to 2026, an anniversary year marking Famitsu’s 40th birthday.
YS Net’s New Year Message
YS Net shared the following message with Famitsu readers:
ファミ通読者の皆様、新年明けましておめでとうございます！
昨年お知らせした『シェンムーIII エンハンスド』は、より遊びやすく、より深く楽しめる作品として鋭意準備中です。もう少しだけお時間をいただければと思います。
今年も皆様の期待を超えられるよう、新しいチャレンジを届けていきます。本年もよろしくお願いいたします！
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| New Year 2026 illustration from Yu Suzuki and YS Net, published as part of Famitsu’s annual New Year feature. |
English translation:
To all Famitsu readers, Happy New Year!
As announced last year, Shenmue III Enhanced is currently in active preparation, with the aim of making it easier to play and more engaging. We appreciate your patience a little while longer.
This year as well, we will continue to deliver new challenges that exceed your expectations, and we thank you for your continued support.
The phrasing here is characteristically careful. The phrase “in active preparation” is a standard but reassuring expression in Japanese that suggests steady work rather than a pause. It’s a brief update, but one that confirms progress is continuing.
Cultural Details in the 2026 Illustration
As with many Japanese New Year’s cards (年賀状, nengajō), the accompanying artwork is rich in seasonal symbolism.
Year of the Horse
The most immediately striking detail is the pair of small horses flanking the image. These represent the Year of the Horse, one of the twelve animals of the East Asian zodiac. Horses are traditionally associated with energy, progress, endurance, and forward momentum.
Each horse holds a decorative wooden paddle as they bat at the shuttlecock, depicting the traditional New Year’s game hanetsuki.
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| Horses playing hanetsuki. |
A closer look reveals a neat visual pairing. The left horse’s determined expression and sticking plaster mirror that of Ryo's, while the right horse’s long eyelashes and pink cheeks reflect Shenhua. With each character facing their respective horse, the illustration clearly presents two parallel hanetsuki matches. A neat touch!
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| Ryo's equine opponent also wears a sticking plaster |
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| Horse vs Shenhua |
Calligraphy and the Rising Sun
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| "Hinoe-uma" represents 2026 in the traditional calendar |
Ryo and Shenhua in Traditional Dress
Ryo and Shenhua appear in festive Japanese attire, dancing joyfully as they hold up their own paddles. Shenhua wears a floral kimono, with a subtle nod to her more familiar casual clothing in the form of her red shawl and hat. Ryo is dressed in a traditional male outfit. Keen-eyed readers will have noted the Hazuki family crest inscribed on his paddle and jacket lapels.
Wearing kimono during the New Year is commonly associated with hatsumōde, the first shrine or temple visit of the year, and symbolizes renewal, good fortune, and fresh beginnings.
Kadomatsu and Seasonal Motifs
At the lower corners of the illustration are kadomatsu, traditional New Year decorations made from pine and bamboo. These are placed at entrances to welcome the Shinto deity of the New Year. Pine symbolizes longevity and resilience, while bamboo represents growth and flexibility.
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| A kadomatsu decoration |
Scattered plum blossoms and soft pastel clouds also decorate the background. Plum blossoms bloom in late winter and are often associated with perseverance and the early arrival of spring.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, the message and illustration strike a familiar Shenmue balance: respectful of tradition, quietly optimistic, and focused on steady progress rather than spectacle. While fans may await the next concrete update on Shenmue III Enhanced, YS Net’s New Year greeting reassures that the project remains very much alive and that 2026 will bring new challenges and, hopefully, new surprises.
Here’s wishing Yu Suzuki, YS Net, and all Shenmue fans a very Happy New Year and a fulfilling year ahead from Phantom River Stone.
Source: Famitsu.com (Japanese)
Previous New Year's Greetings from YS Net
- 2020 Season's Greetings Illustrations from Yu Suzuki & Team
- 2017 New Year's Greeting from Yu Suzuki and Team
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