Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for November 2026

Every month, Phantom River Stone holds a poll among our patrons to choose a topic for the blog in the coming month. After tallying the votes (including those carried over from previous months), the winning topic this time is:

“Interview with Shenmue Director Keiji Okayasu (Dec 1999)”

In this interview, Okayasu discusses his role in the development of Shenmue and how the game evolved from a more conventional RPG during its Saturn days into something quite different.

We'll also be including a contemporary magazine account of an early Saturn prototype shown during an interview with Yu Suzuki.

Coming soon to the blog!

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Shenmue II Pre-Release Interview with the Actors Behind Ryo, Ren and Shenhua | DoriMaga, June 2001

Originally published in the 22 June 2001 issue of the Japanese magazine DoriMaga, this interview features Masaya Matsukaze (Ryo Hazuki), Hazuki Ishigaki (Shenhua), and Takumi Hagiwara (Ren) reflecting on three years of recording, memorable scenes from development, and their expectations just before the release of Shenmue II. The interview also includes recollections from the early Saturn-era development, offering a glimpse into scenes that were ultimately never used.

Shenmue II was released in Japan a few months later on 6 September 2001.

The translation begins below.

Shenmue II finally set for release on Thursday, September 6, 2001!!

From left: Masaya Matsukaze (Ryo Hazuki), Hazuki Ishigaki (Shenhua), and Takumi Hagiwara (Wuying Ren). The three share a variety of stories from recording that spanned two and a half to three years.

With development finally complete, the main cast reunites for this interview!!

At the Sega "Contents Strategy Conference" held on Tuesday, June 5, the release date for Shenmue II was finally announced. It wasn’t only Dreamcast users who had been waiting for this news. The voice actors who brought the characters of Shenmue to life felt the same way.

So to celebrate the confirmed release date, the three lead actors have reunited. They share plenty of memories from over three years of recording, along with highlights to look forward to in Shenmue II. This is a must-read!

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for October 2026

Every month Phantom River Stone holds a poll among our patrons to choose a topic for the blog in the coming month. After tallying the votes (including accumulated votes from previous months), the winning topic that has been voted this time is:

"Weekly AM2: Translation of Next Issue (Vol. 17)"

The topic selected this time is a continuation of our translations of the official online magazine published by Sega's AM2 team back in the day, the Weekly AM2. This magazine published content about the Shenmue series from December 1999 through to around the release of Shenmue II in 2001, and a link to issues of the Weekly AM2 thereafter became a regular feature of the Shenmue.com website.

This time we will be translating a further edition of the Weekly AM2: Volume 17, published online on 4th April 2000.

Vol. 17 Preview of Shenmue-related content:

• Takuan's Dobuita Visit Report (Second Part)

• A Guizhang Illustration by Manga Artist Ami Shibata
  

• Tokyo Game Show 2000 Spring Report (Part One)

• Shenmue at the Third CESA Game Awards, where it was nominated in five categories

This edition will be translated in a future post on the blog.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for September 2026

Every month Phantom River Stone holds a poll among our patrons to choose a topic for the blog in the coming month. After tallying the votes (including accumulated votes from previous months), the winning topic that has been voted this time is:

"Translation of an early Muecas edition" 

Before the eccentric Muecas Dan became a regular feature on the official Shenmue website, it began life in February 2001 as Shenmuecast FAN, part of Sega AM2’s online magazine. The name “Muecas” (ムーキャス) was formed by combining abbreviated versions of “Shenmue” and “cast,” reflecting the feature’s focus on the actors behind the game’s characters.

The first installment, Vol. 01, saw Masaya Matsukaze, the Japanese voice and motion actor for Ryo Hazuki, respond to readers seeking advice on their problems. It also showcased some of the unusual ways in which Japanese fans expressed their love for Shenmue.

The Weekly AM2 staff also joined in with their own contributions, including a series of romantic scenes inspired by Nozomi and Ryo... staged by two male staff members.

Two Weekly AM2 staff members recreate a tender moment between Nozomi and Ryo.

Other highlights included a mysterious package sent in by a reader containing a pair of handcuffs bearing Ryo and Ren’s names.

Takumi Hagiwara and Masaya Matsukaze try on a reader’s Ryo-and-Ren handcuffs,

In this upcoming article, we will present an English translation of Shenmuecast FAN Vol. 01, originally published on February 6, 2001, offering a lively glimpse of the Shenmue cast and Japanese fan community in the months leading up to the release of Shenmue II.

Coming soon to the blog!

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The 11 Chapter Tiles (GDC 2014) - Examination & Theories [Part Two]

In this second part continuing on from Part One, we will be examining the remaining four chapter tiles: 8 (Cangzhou), 9 (Inner Mongolia), 10 (Beijing) and 11 (Xinjiang).

While the first seven tiles broadly align with locations and events seen in the released games, the final four move into largely unexplored territory within the Shenmue narrative.

Below are the map images again showing where each of the tiles is set for reference.

Yu Suzuki’s development map

Cangzhou, Inner Mongolia, Beijing and Xinjiang are located to the north of the earlier chapters.

Analysis of the final tiles is somewhat more challenging, as at the current time high-resolution images are not available.

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