Yu Suzuki & Kenji Eno on Shenmue, D2 and Game Development | October 1999 (Famitsu)

In the October 1999 edition of Famitsu DC magazine, an extensive discussion was published between two great figures in the games development industry: Yu Suzuki (SEGA) and Kenji Eno (Warp Inc.), about their much-awaited upcoming titles that would see release in Japan a few months later in December of that same year.

Yu Suzuki and Kenji Eno, 1999

The article starts with the following introduction, suggesting a mix of reactions from gamers at the time: anticipation for the upcoming releases, and frustration at delays:

Shenmue and D2: two titles that have been part of the Dreamcast's lineup since the console's announcement. However, these two games have been continually delayed, much to the disappointment of many. While some devoted fans have waited patiently, the number of frustrated fans has also grown.

These two epic titles have finally begun to reveal their full scope. The timeline for their release has almost firmed up. The more you see and learn about these games, the more you realize that they're not the kind of projects that could be developed in just a year or so. Both of these games employ realistic, cinematic CG that is animated in real-time. Picture ten years from now, for example: it will be clear that these creators are writing a new chapter in the history of games as interactive entertainment, and that these two titles have irreversibly raised the bar for both quality and quantity.

Standing at the brink of history in the making, this is something we should humbly appreciate.

This extensive discussion totals 6 pages - thanks to SkillJim for providing the page scans.

Let's get started!

Yu Suzuki - Profile

Director of Sega Enterprises' Second Software Research and Development Department. A game creator with a large fan base, who made "AM2" (his old department name) common terminology in the industry. He has worked on 3D fighting games like the Virtua Fighter series and has created arcade hits such as Hang-On and Space Harrier. In his private life, he is a guitar enthusiast, with a deep love for his Peavey Eddie Van Halen* model and a collection of large Marshall amplifiers.

* Note from Switch: the Peavey Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang guitar series is a collaboration between guitarist Eddie Van Halen and Hartley Peavey's company, Peavey Electronics manufactured between 1996 and 2004.

Kenji Eno - Profile

CEO of video games development company Warp, with his first hit game being D. Afterwards, he worked on titles like Enemy Zero and Real Sound: Kaze no Regret. Three years ago, he started on D2. Its originally-planned platform, M2*, was canceled, so the project had to be entirely reworked for the Dreamcast. In addition to his duties as CEO, he also took on production, direction, composition, and performance. For D2, he was responsible for all of the music.

* Note from Switch: the Panasonic M2 was a planned video game console platform developed by 3DO and then sold to Panasonic. However plans to release as a console were canceled in 1997 and instead Panasonic released M2 as an Interactive Media player in 1998. 

Kenji Eno passed away at the age of just 42 on February 20, 2013, due to heart failure brought on by hypertension (Wikipedia).

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Shenmue 2 Interview with Yu Suzuki | DoriMaga May 2001

This interview with Yu Suzuki about the upcoming release of Shenmue II for Dreamcast was published in the May 2001 edition of Japan's DoriMaga magazine. It took place following Sega's decision to cease production of the Dreamcast a couple of months earlier in March 2001.

The translation begins below.

DoriMaga: There was a huge turnout at SEGA's recent event, Game Jam*, reaffirming the great anticipation for Shenmue II. What plans are there for the Dreamcast in future, and what is the significance of Shenmue II? Let's hear a message from Yu Suzuki to the readers of the new-look DoriMaga magazine and users of the Dreamcast.

*Note from Switch: Game Jam was a trade event held in Tokyo by SEGA the previous month, in April 2001, and featured preview gameplay of Shenmue II.

Suzuki: Game Jam was fantastic. While we apologize for any inconvenience caused due to the crowded space, we are delighted that so many people attended. Seeing such a large number of attendees makes us very happy. Seeing so many attendees on that day made me think, "It's a shame we're giving up on the Dreamcast..."

DoriMaga: The event featured the first-ever demonstration using actual hardware, but how far along is the development of Shenmue II at this point?

Suzuki: Well, as of the end of March, it's mostly been bug fixes. That means we've essentially locked in the program code, and from there, it's mostly about replacing data and focusing on debugging. Since April, we've been diving into that work, and at the moment, we're at a stage where it's nearing the finalization process. At this stage, if we are able to iron out any critical bugs, we'll be looking at finalization in just a few weeks.

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Yu Suzuki's 2025 New Year's Resolution: "Getting Active!" [Famitsu.com]

 

"158 Game Creators' New Year's Resolutions" from Famitsu (the Chinese Zodiac animal sign for 2025 is the Snake)

Famitsu.com has released its annual survey spotlighting insights from notable figures in the Japanese gaming industry, and Yu Suzuki was included again this year. This year 158 creators were surveyed and, as per tradition, the respondents were invited to choose a "keyword" or phrase that represents their aspirations for the year ahead, share their New Year's resolutions, and offer updates on their current activities.

Yu Suzuki, CEO of YS Net.
(Not a particularly recent photo of Yu-san - this archive photo dates back to 2022).

Yu Suzuki's responses for the coming year in 2025 are as below, translated from the original Japanese. 

This year they are short and sweet, highlighting the recent game announcement from YS Net, and committing to continuing on with new development. His keyword for the year has a self-improvement theme:

Q: Your Keyword for 2025?

YS: Getting active! [literally "resolving my lack of exercise!"]

Q: Your New Year's Resolution?

YS: In 2024, I was able to announce the release of a new title at the year end. I will continue developing to bring new gaming experiences to everyone!

Q: Recent News

YS: Very soon, Netflix will deliver my new game, Steel Paws, to you. It’s a thrilling action game where you can blow away hordes of enemies with simple controls. If you’re subscribed to Netflix, you can play it on any supported mobile device.

Q: Looking Ahead

YS: I’m looking forward to Ghost of Yōtei*!

*Ghost of Yōtei is the next big action-adventure game set in Japan from the team behind Ghost of Tsushima, coming to PlayStation 5 in 2025. This time, the story is set in 1603 on the snowy slopes of Mount Yōtei in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido), where you’ll play as Atsu, a fierce female warrior taking on the mantle of "The Ghost." With a mix of open-world exploration, dynamic weather, and upgraded combat, it’s shaping up to be an even more immersive experience than its predecessor. Fans of Ghost of Tsushima or Japan-based adventures should definitely keep an eye on this one!

Related Links

Yu Suzuki's end-of-year responses from recent years:

• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2024: "Creating Games I'd Want to Play Myself"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2023: "Light AI"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2022: "Mix"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2021: "Shooting / RPG"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2020: "A New Project Start"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2019: "Balance"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2018: "Immersion"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2017: "Shortcuts"

Source (Japanese): Famitsu.com

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Yu Suzuki Mini-Interview: "Similarities with Shenmue" | 30th Anniversary of Virtua Fighter Video

Together with the announcement of a new Virtua Fighter game at The Game Awards, Sega released a mini-interview with Yu Suzuki to commemorate the "30th anniversary" of the Virtua Fighter franchise.  As part of this, a short video interview with Yu Suzuki was released.

(Technically, Virtua Fighter premiered in the arcades in 1993, with the December 1994 timing most closely tying in to its release on the Sega Saturn console in November 1994). 

Within the interview, in which Suzuki recalls development of the original Virtua Fighter, Shenmue also gets a mention in relation to the background graphics:

"The backgrounds in particular are a variety of Asian themes, which I like. The detailed renditions were quite noteworthy to me. I faintly* feel some similarities with Shenmue".

- Yu Suzuki (official subtitles)

*Note: Suzuki's words don't actually imply "faintly"; a closer translation would simply be: "I feel some similarities with Shenmue". 

In a past interview with 4Gamer in 2017, Suzuki declared "Going forward, I'm aiming for graphics you can smell". And so we can take his comment about the background and scenery graphics seen for the new Virtua Fighter as high praise:

"They've grown more and more realistic, so much that you can almost smell them."

Suzuki praises the realistic background graphics (image grab from the new Virtua Fighter trailer)

Suzuki is also impressed by the battles seen in the footage for the new Virtua Fighter game, especially its collision detection as seen by the following line. Note: this is a full translation of his words; the video subtitles are incomplete:

"[In particular,] when your punch lands on your opponent, there's a moment where the hit is absorbed by the flesh, and then the power is transmitted, sending them flying".

Achieving this level of detail into battles echoes something Yu-san mentioned he wanted to achieve himself (and demonstrated with a slow-motion punch to his own face!) during the Shenmue community interview by the Shenmue Dojo and Phantom River Stone earlier in the year. 

View the Video

A transcript of the interview subtitles follows below.

Video Transcript: Sega Mini-Interview with Yu Suzuki

Q: Now that Virtua Fighter is looking at its 30th anniversary, could you say a few words?

Yu Suzuki: Happy 30th anniversary! I'd like to thank everyone for these 30 years, building the Virtua Fighter brand into what it is now. When we developed the world's first full 3D fighting game, I can still remember working on it, and excitedly wondering how it would be received by the public.

Q: Could you share your feelings on Virtua Fighter?

Yu Suzuki: The Virtua Fighter characters back then were built out of what looked like cardboard boxes.

They didn’t look anywhere near human. Internally, we called them names like Robo 1 and Robo 2,  since they looked like robots. Virtua Fighter has evolved since then, and now the characters finally look human. Thinking about it fills me with emotions.

Q: Could you talk a little bit about your thoughts on the announcement of a new Virtua Fighter game?

Yu Suzuki: These are just my feelings after watching the footage, but the backgrounds in particular are a variety of Asian themes, which I like. The detailed renditions were quite noteworthy to me. I faintly feel some similarities with Shenmue.

They've grown more and more realistic, so much that you can almost smell them. That's how believable they look now. The part that leaves the biggest impression on me is the battling. Even just the demo looked really good. I get the feeling this one is going to be a big hit.

The main point of focus is the "collision detection". When your punch lands on your opponent, there's a moment where the hit is absorbed by the flesh, and then the power is transmitted, sending them flying.

It feels incredibly realistic, and I feel like the battle systems have gotten really close to what I've always envisioned.

Q: Could you say a few words about the future of the Virtua Fighter series?

Yu Suzuki: Now that I've heard that the RGG [Ryu Ga Gotoku] team is going to be working on Virtua Fighter, I'm very excited. I hope I can play it soon.

That's all from me!

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Steel Paws: Trailer & Images for Yu Suzuki's New Mobile Game

A new mobile game has just been announced from Yu Suzuki and YS Net! Steel Paws is billed as a "feel-good battle action" game for mobile devices. It was revealed by way of a premiere trailer at the recently-held The Game Awards and is set to launch exclusively on Netflix Games in 2025.

Steel Paws: a "Dynamic Action Adventure Game"

The description provided by Netflix for the trailer reads:

"Embark on a dynamic action adventure game as a girl alongside her Buddy Robots to conquer a mysterious Tower that reappears every century".

The Japanese trailer has a similar description, with some additional detail (translation):

 "A girl sets out on an adventure with her companion robots to conquer the mysterious tower that appears once every 100 years. Master abilities, upgrade your companion robot, and take on the enigmatic tower. Defeat enemies, earn rewards, and fight your way through a world beyond imagination!"

The Game Awards Premiere Trailer

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Yu Suzuki Special Interview (Biography) - Japanese Air Twister Booklet 2023

Following on from its original worldwide release via Apple Arcade for Apple devices in June 2022, Air Twister was subsequently released for consoles & PC in November of 2023.

Air Twister Special Edition (Japan)

One of the physical editions made available in Japan was a Special Edition that included a number of extras, including the soundtrack on double CD, a square card with Yu Suzuki's signature and a "Special Interview" booklet.

This 50+ page booklet (which can be seen near the bottom right in the image below) contains an extensive interview with Yu Suzuki, in which he talks about not just Air Twister but also his own background in the games industry - with one of the games discussed being Shenmue, of course!

Contents of the Air Twister Special Edition set (Japan)

With the set being for the Japan market, the Special Interview booklet was only in the Japanese language.

Air Twister Collector's Edition (Strictly Limited Games)

For the overseas market, the Air Twister Collector's Edition has been announced by Strictly Limited Games, and is to feature a Yu Suzuki Biography booklet with its own unique cover design.

Yu Suzuki Biography booklet cover (Air Twister Collector's Edition from Strictly Limited Games)

While its exact content has not yet been confirmed, presumably this contains a translation of the Japanese Special Interview booklet.

 

However, as of the release of this post, the Collector's Edition has not yet been released. Originally slated to be released in "Early 2024", at the time of this post in August 2024 it is yet to be seen, with the expected release date given on the official website now reading "2024 (exact date TBC)". A brief product status is provided, although this has remained unchanged since the start of the year:

Product Status - Update:

Production files have been approved by licensor and are now with Platform Owners. Once completed, files will be handed to production.

Interview Translation

To ease the pain of the wait for the Collector's Edition to appear and discover Yu Suzuki's thoughts and anecdotes, we have translated the Japanese interview into English - originally, the intention was to translate excerpts of interest, but we've ended up covering the full interview from the booklet!

Thanks to SkillJim for providing scans of the interview pages.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for September 2024

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:

"1999 Interview with Yu Suzuki and Kenji Eno (Famitsu)"

In the October 1999 edition of Famitsu magazine, an extensive interview was published with two great figures in the games development industry: Yu Suzuki (SEGA) and Kenji Eno (Warp Inc.), about their much-awaited upcoming titles that would see release in Japan a few months later in December of that same year.

Yu Suzuki and Kenji Eno

The interview has the following introduction, suggesting a mix of anticipation and frustration from gamers at the time:

Shenmue and D2: two titles that have been included in the Dreamcast's lineup since the console's announcement. However, these two games have continued to be delayed, much to the disappointment of many. While some devoted fans have patiently waited, the number of fans growing frustrated has also risen.

These two epic titles have finally begun to reveal their full scope. The timeline for their release has almost solidified. The more you see and learn about these games, the more you realize that they are not the kind of projects that could be completed in just a year or so. Both of these games possess the characteristic of moving movie-level realistic CG in real-time, interactively. For example, ten years from now, those who attempt to write the history of games as interactive entertainment will surely recognize that these two titles have irreversibly changed the quality and quantity of games as interactive entertainment.

Should we not humbly appreciate the fact that we are witnessing this moment in history? 

We will be translating this extensive 6-page interview, from scans kindly provided by SkillJim.

Coming soon to the blog!

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The Manga 'Kenji' and Shenmue: Insights From a Virtua Fighter Developer | Part 4 (Final)

This is the last part of our 4-part series comparing the 1980s' manga "Kenji" and Shenmue. In this post, we'll translate an interview with one of the developers of the hit arcade game Virtua Fighter, to gain insight into influences in its creation, to understand how the manga may have provided inspiration, and by extension may have helped to shape the game that eventually became Shenmue.

Parts in this Series

• Part One - Unveiling Inspiration: Exploring the Manga 'Kenji' and Shenmue
• Part Two - Character Threads: Themes and Characters in 'Kenji' vs Shenmue
• Part Three - Exploring Parallel Paths: Locations and Scenes in Kenji vs Shenmue
• Part Four (this part) - Insights From a Virtua Fighter Developer

Virtua Fighter, Virtua Fighter RPG and Shenmue

Soon after the release of the first Virtua Fighter in 1993, Yu Suzuki went on a trip to China, primarily to gather materials for the upcoming Virtua Fighter 2 which was released in 1994. 

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Exploring Parallel Paths: Locations and Scenes in 'Kenji' vs Shenmue | Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of our analysis comparing the 1980s' manga "Kenji" and Shenmue. The previous part covered Characters and Themes. In this part, we'll look at how both stories follow the protagonist's journey from Japan to China, highlighting certain locations and scenes that shed light on potential influences between the two works.

Parts in this Series So Far

• Part One - Unveiling Inspiration: Exploring the Manga 'Kenji' and Shenmue
• Part Two - Character Threads: Themes and Characters in 'Kenji' vs Shenmue
• Part Three (this part) - Exploring Parallel Paths: Locations and Scenes in Kenji vs Shenmue

Kenji vs Shenmue: Journey from Japan to China

A clear parallel can be seen in terms of the broad setting and locations of the stories. In both, a Japanese boy who has been brought up studying martial arts resolves to set out on an overseas journey by ship that takes him through locations in Hong Kong and mainland China.

In the case of Kenji, his parents are initially against the idea, but reluctantly give their permission after being persuaded by one of Kenji's adult martial arts mentors. Kenji is able to secure his boat trip for free thanks to the connections of his friend. His initial destination is Taiwan, from where he travels by plane to Hong Kong.

In Ryo's case, the main obstacles to his wish to go to Hong Kong are the permission of his housekeeper, Ine-san, and the lack of money for the boat ticket. Overcoming these obstacles - in particular, the second of these - is the focus of Shenmue's first chapter.

Leaving Japan by Ship

Kenji departs from Japan by ship from Yokohama, and is seen off by a group of friends and family. 

Kenji's friends and family see him off at the port in Yokohama

In Shenmue, Ryo also leaves by ship a little further down the coast in Yokosuka. The cutscene that plays shows Master Chen and his son, Guizhang, watching his departure.

Ryo sets off on his journey from Yokosuka after saying farewell to Master Chen and Guizhang

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Character Threads: Themes and Characters in 'Kenji' vs Shenmue | Part 2

In this second part, we continue on our exploration of the 1980s' manga series Kenji in comparison to Shenmue. We will take a look at the personalities of the two main characters, and then explore themes and story connections between the two creations.

Previous Part: Exploring the Manga 'Kenji' and Shenmue

Kenji vs Shenmue: The Protagonists

The main characters of both Kenji and Shenmue - Kenji Goh and Ryo Hazuki, respectively - are Japanese school students with an interest in martial arts.

Their personalities, however, are rather distinct from each other, understandably as Kenji is still a carefree primary school pupil at the start of the series, as compared to Ryo who is a senior high school student who experiences the shocking loss of his father in the prologue of the game. 

In the initial chapters of the manga, we observe that Kenji is a good-hearted, cheerful child who often causes his mother despair at his mischievous ways. He has a great fondness for his grandfather, whom he loves to spend time with and learn martial arts moves and history. He is also quick to stand up to bullies and protect those weaker than himself. When he grows older, he is driven to travel to China in order to search for his missing grandfather.

Kenji's light-hearted nature can be seen frequently, such as when tries to balance a ruler on his head as he is scolded by his school teacher

In Shenmue, on the other hand, Ryo Hazuki also exhibits many of the same traits of determination and belief in justice, but is weighed down by his grief at the loss of his father. He tends not to open up easily to others around him trying to help, and keeps to himself. His motivation for his journey for China is thus for much darker reasons, as he seeks to locate his father's killer.

Grief takes a heavy toll on Ryo

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Unveiling Inspiration: Exploring the Manga 'Kenji' and Shenmue | Part 1

In the landscape of martial arts-themed storytelling, Kenji stands out as a beloved manga series that potentially paved the way for later works like Shenmue. Spanning from 1988 to 1992, the series chronicles the journey of the young Japanese protagonist Kenji as he develops both his character and skills in Chinese martial arts. Written during the years preceding the development of Shenmue, this manga has a strong connection to the world of martial arts, drawing inspiration from the author's personal expertise.

Throughout Kenji's adventures, readers are immersed in a rich tapestry of martial arts styles as he traverses locations such as Hong Kong and China. Along the way, he encounters formidable masters, forms lasting friendships, and confronts various challenges, all while honing his skills through diverse martial arts disciplines.

As far as I am aware, Shenmue's creator, Yu Suzuki, has not explicitly referenced Kenji as being a direct influence in published materials. However, given the timeframe in which Kenji was published, its popularity in Japan and its storyline set around martial arts themes, it would be a natural source of inspiration for similarly-themed creative works that followed.

In this initial post of our series, we aim to unearth parallels and similarities between Kenji and Shenmue. We will consider the narrative, characters, and thematic elements shared between the two works while also scouring interviews with development staff for any indications of Kenji's influence on Shenmue's creation.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for August 2024

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:

"Yu Suzuki Interview Excerpts from the Japanese Air Twister Booklet"

Following on from its original worldwide release via Apple Arcade for Apple devices in June 2022, Air Twister was subsequently released for consoles & PC in November of 2023.

Air Twister Special Edition (Japan)

One of the physical editions made available in Japan was a Special Edition that included a number of extras, including the soundtrack on double CD, a square card with Yu Suzuki's signature and a "Special Interview" booklet.

This 50+ page booklet (which can be seen near the bottom right in the image below) contains an extensive interview with Yu Suzuki, in which he talks about not just Air Twister but also his own background in the games industry - one of the games discussed being Shenmue, of course!

Contents of the Air Twister Special Edition set (Japan)

With the set being for the Japan market, the Special Interview booklet was only in the Japanese language.

Air Twister Collector's Edition (Strictly Limited Games)

For the overseas market, the Air Twister Collector's Edition has been announced by Strictly Limited Games, and is to feature a Yu Suzuki Biography booklet with its own unique cover design.

Yu Suzuki Biography booklet cover (Air Twister Collector's Edition from Strictly Limited Games)

While its exact content is not yet known, it is reasonable to assume that it contains the same material as Japan's Special Interview booklet.

 

However, this Collector's Edition has not yet been released. Originally slated to be released in "Early 2024", at the time of this post in August 2024 it is yet to be seen, with the expected release date given on the official website now reading "2024 (exact date TBC)". A brief product status is provided on the website, although this has remained unchanged since February:

"Production files have been approved by licensor and are now with Platform Owners. Once completed, files will be handed to production."

Interview Excerpt Translations

To ease the pain of the wait for the Collector's Edition to appear and discover Yu Suzuki's thoughts and anecdotes revealed in the interview, in an upcoming post we will be translating his comments about Shenmue and other selected excerpts from the Japanese interview booklet into English. (Scans of the interview pages have been kindly provided by SkillJim).

Watch for the post to come soon to the blog!

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TBS Interview with Yu Suzuki: Arcade Game Development at SEGA (Feb 2022)

This post contains the contents of a TV interview held with Yu Suzuki and other guests on the Japanese TBS channel in February 2022. The interview was originally shown on TBS as an episode in a series called X年後の関係者達 ("X Years Later: Those Who Were Involved") where key figures reflect and comment on past accomplishments.

This time the episode featured Yu Suzuki, joined by three others from the game industry at the time, with the MC being Kazlaser, a Japanese comedian who is known for his love of Sega, who participated through a video link. Suzuki talks about the development of some of his hit arcade games at Sega in the 1980s through to the 1990s. (Shenmue also gets a mention!)

--- Start of transcript ---

Narrator:

Let's go back 37 years, to 1985.

In the world of arcade games, where tabletop cabinets once dominated, two revolutionary games emerged in succession. The world's first motion-sensing game, Hang On. And UFO Catcher, which still boasts immense popularity today. The name of the company reshaping the landscape of game centers with its ideas and development power was: SEGA.

What enabled Sega to consistently produce groundbreaking games one after another?

X years later, former members of Sega's arcade division gather for a reunion.

Yu Suzuki with the episode's participants

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Top 10 Shenmue Story Revelations | Shenmue Dojo & Phantom River Stone Interview with Yu Suzuki

Earlier this month saw the release of a brand-new, extensive interview with Yu Suzuki that was held in person by James Brown of the Shenmue Dojo and myself (Switch) for Phantom River Stone at the YS NET office in Japan. 

The full interview can be found at the Shenmue Dojo's website, who have also recorded an in-depth discussion stream but in this post we will focus in on summarizing some of the most surprising story details revealed during the interview, ending with new information regarding the leaders of the Chi You Men!

The Day of the Interview

On the fine Spring morning of the interview, we gathered at a local coffee shop in the vicinity of the YS Net office for a quick run-through of the topics we would be covering, and making sure reference images were at hand and ready. Having been granted such a precious opportunity to spend time with the legendary game creator, we wanted to be sure not a single minute in his company would go to waste due to lack of preparation.

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for March 2024

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 for this time is:

"Shenmue II Special: a Message from Yu Suzuki - DoriMaga Interview May 2001"

This interview with Yu Suzuki about the upcoming release of Shenmue II for Dreamcast was published in the May 2001 edition of Japan's DoriMaga magazine. As noted in the introduction to the interview,  it fell in the period shortly after Sega's decision to cease production of the Dreamcast a couple of months earlier, in March.

DoriMaga: There was a huge turnout at SEGA's recent event, Game Jam, reaffirming the great anticipation for Shenmue II. What plans are there for the Dreamcast in future, and what is the significance of Shenmue II? Let's hear a message from Yu Suzuki to the readers of the new-look DoriMaga magazine and users of the Dreamcast.

Suzuki: Game Jam was fantastic. While we apologize for any inconvenience caused due to the crowded space, we are delighted that so many people attended. Seeing such a large number of attendees makes us very happy. Seeing so many attendees on that day made me think, "It's a shame we're giving up on the Dreamcast..."

DoriMaga: The event featured the first-ever demonstration using actual hardware, but how far along is the development of Shenmue II at this point?

Suzuki: Well, as of the end of March, it's mostly been bug fixes. That means we've essentially locked in the program code, and from there, it's mostly about replacing data and focusing on debugging. Since April, we've been diving into that work, and at the moment, we're at a stage where it's nearing the finalization process. At this stage, if we are able to iron out any critical bugs, we'll be looking at finalization in just a few weeks.

Watch for the translation of the rest of the interview in a future post!

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Poll Result: Patrons' Choice Topic for January 2024

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:

"Yu Suzuki on Arcade Game Development at SEGA + Keiji Okayasu on the Virtua Fighter Port to the Saturn"

A TV interview with Yu Suzuki on the Japanese TBS channel in February 2022 will form the basis of this upcoming post, in which he discusses several of the arcade games he developed while at Sega in the 1980's through to the 1990's, such as Hang On, R-360 and Virtua Fighter.

Comments from Keiji Okayasu (who later went on to become Game Director for Shenmue I and Director for Shenmue III) will also be included on the technical process and challenges involved with the much-lauded port of Virtua Fighter for the Sega Saturn.

Coming in a future post on the blog.

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Yu Suzuki's Key Theme for 2024: "Creating Games I'd Want to Play Myself" [Famitsu.com]

"163 Game Creators' New Year's Resolutions" from Famitsu (the dragon represents the 2024 animal sign of the Chinese Zodiac: the Dragon)

Famitsu.com has unveiled its yearly survey of individuals within the Japanese gaming industry, engaging with a noteworthy 163 game developers. As customary, the survey prompted them to select a "keyword" or phrase encapsulating their focus for the upcoming year. Additionally, participants were asked to share their New Year's Resolution and provide a comment regarding their present circumstances.

Yu Suzuki, CEO of YS Net.
(This archive photo was seen in 4Gamer's developer survey last year)

Yu Suzuki's responses for the coming year in 2024 were as below, translated from the original Japanese:

Q: Your Key Theme for 2024?*¹

YS: Creating games I'd want to play myself!

Q: Your New Year's Resolution / Aspirations for 2024?

YS: Collaborate on a project with scriptwriters and musicians from different industries.

Q: Status update

YS: In 2023, we successfully released a fantasy shooting game called Air Twister on home gaming consoles and PC. Feel free to enjoy the year-end and New Year holidays with the casual fun of Air Twister!

Q: What will you be keeping an eye on in 2024?

YS: I believe that clever and compelling stories like those found in Spy × Family*² and The Apothecary Diaries*³ could be beneficial in game development. By the way, I recently got my hands on the Juzo Itami Film Collection Blu-ray Box*⁴ and have been grinning happily ever since.

Notes:

1. In Japanese the first question translates more literally as "your keyword(s)", however it is a versatile term that can refer to both a single word or a phrase that encapsulates a main theme, idea, or concept. Taking this into account, here it is translated more broadly as "key theme".
2. Spy × Family is a Japanese manga series that was first published in 2019 and was subsequently adapted to an anime television series, and has been described as "an action-packed comedy about a fake family that includes a spy, an assassin and a telepath." It has received widespread acclaim, having won several manga prizes and awards. An anime film adaptation and a novel were released in Japan earlier this month.
   

   

   Spy × Family

   
   
3. The Apothecary Diaries (Japanese name: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) is a fictional series set in Ming-era China that was originally published as a novel, and has been subsequently adapted to a manga series as well as an anime television series.  
   
   

   

   The Apothecary Diaries

   
   
   
4. The Juzo Itami Film Collection Blu-ray Box is a collection of all 10 movies by acclaimed director Juzo Itami who made his directorial debut at the age of 50 with the film "The Funeral" in 1984. The movie gained popularity in Japan and received numerous awards, including Japanese Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. However, it was his second film, the 1985 "Tampopo," with the story of a woman's quest to create the perfect bowl of ramen, that brought him international recognition and praise.

Yu Suzuki's response to his theme or concept for the year - "creating games I'd want to play myself") - suggests a personal and passion-driven approach to game development. Throughout his successful career, he has often developed games based on concepts suggested by others, particularly during his earlier years at SEGA. In this later part of his career, he has the freedom to create games that he finds personally engaging, as an initial benchmark for their broader appeal. It may also reflect his desire to continue to bring innovation and creativity into the development process and explore unique ideas and gameplay mechanics that resonate with him personally.

His mention of involving scriptwriters and musicians from other industries (i.e. outside of games) recalls his response to Famitsu's survey held in December 2021 in which he expressed a similar desire to "bring a different style to game making" by working with people from other industries. And indeed, this has already been seen in Air Twister, collaborating with Dutch artist Valensia who provided the amazing soundtrack for this game.

Suzuki ends by emphasizing his appreciation for "clever and compelling stories". He has mentioned in previous interviews his admiration for a scene in director Juzo Itami's "The Funeral" that depicts the everyday life of the Japanese culture in a humorous way - in one scene a guest staggers from "pins and needles" (the tingling feeling in one's limbs) when trying to stand after sitting with his legs folded underneath for a long period of time. It is pleasing to see his affirmation of the importance of story-telling, something that is an important component of the Shenmue series.

The "pins and needles" scene from the movie "The Funeral", directed by Juzo Itami

Related Links

Yu Suzuki's end-of-year interviews from recent years:

• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2023: "Light AI"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2022: "Mix"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2021: "Shooting / RPG"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2020: "A New Project Start"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2019: "Balance"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2018: "Immersion"
• Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2017: "Shortcuts"

Source (Japanese): Famitsu.com

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Yu Suzuki Confirms Desire to Make Shenmue IV (TGS 2023)

Yu Suzuki's Livestream with IGN Japan 

Yu Suzuki attended the Tokyo Game Show last week to promote the upcoming release of the YS Net arcade game Air Twister for the PC and consoles, having been originally released last year for Apple devices.

On the third day of the event, Suzuki appeared as a guest on a livestream with Esra Krabbe of IGN Japan.

While the talk was centered around Air Twister, Suzuki made comments about future ideas, touched on a new unspecified project YS Net has underway and even spoke briefly on Shenmue. This post picks up conversation snippets of particular interest.

Yu Suzuki Classics Re-imagined

With Air Twister having its roots in Yu Suzuki's classic arcade game Space Harrier, Suzuki was asked if he has any plans to develop further games similarly inspired by his other past hit games such as Out Run, Power Drift, Hang On, After Burner and so on.

Yu Suzuki: I'd like to make a kind of set of around six games... that's if discussions happen about something like that. It would be nice to have them collected together, don't you think? Like a series.

 

Air Twister Special Edition: Yu Suzuki Interview Booklet

It was highlighted that the Special Edition of Air Twister will come with a booklet containing an extended written interview with Yu Suzuki.

Esra Krabbe: I was the one who conducted the interview with you, and it lasted for about three hours if I recall correctly. While the booklet is for Air Twister, I have a feeling it also touches on Shenmue quite a lot - my bad! It has a lot about your upbringing and contains stories that we haven't heard before, doesn't it.

Yu Suzuki: Yes, it has quite a few in-depth stories.

Esra Krabbe:  I think we spoke for around three hours. I think that your fans can look forward to both the actual game as well as the interview.

New Project In Progress

 

Esra Krabbe: Recently you've announced Air Twister, but are there still various other games you're planning to create going forwards?

Yu Suzuki: I can't talk about it yet, but we're working on something.

Esra Krabbe: Oh, really? That's big news just to mention casually! I hope it was okay for you to say it.

Yu Suzuki: [laughs] I can't say any more than that.

Esra Krabbe: Well, hearing that there's something else to for fans to look forward to is really good news.

Yu Suzuki: It's still in development right now, so...

Esra Krabbe: I'm looking forward to it!

Shenmue's Influence

Esra Krabbe: I myself of course love Shenmue, and at the session just a little while ago there was a Japanese game set in the 1980's, so I asked them whether it had been influenced by Shenmue. And that turned out to be the case*! They said that they started development when they had been playing Shenmue I and wanted to incorporate the atmosphere of Japan in the 1980s. Recently do you also come across a lot of people who admire or have been influenced by Shenmue?

Yu Suzuki: Being at the game show today, I've been meeting a lot of different people who have said things like their life was changed by Shenmue, or that they started creating games thanks to Shenmue. I'm extremely happy to receive comments like that.

 *Note from Switch: the game being referred to is "Last Time I Saw You". There is a free demo currently out on Steam. I've made an introductory post about it here.

Yu Suzuki On Shenmue IV

Esra Krabbe: There are a lot of people who have been influenced by Shenmue in this way. We'll soon be coming up to 4 years since Shenmue III [was released]. Are you still wanting to continue on with Shenmue? 

Yu Suzuki: Yes, of course. Because it's still partway through.

Esra Krabbe: So it sounds like you have a lot of possibilities and things you'd like to do, such as Shenmue, arcade-style games, as well as a lot of other ideas?

Yu Suzuki: Yes, there's a lot I'd like to do... it's a matter of having the opportunity. If I meet the right people, or can find the right partner.

Esra Krabbe: Publishers, if you are listening...! I'm looking forward to what you will surprise all the fans with next.

 

IGN Japan Video

IGN Japan's full Air Twister segment with Yu Suzuki, from which the above interactions were extracted, is embedded below. Auto-translate captions are available.

Air Twister for PC & Consoles

Air Twister will become available in both physical and digital formats for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 & 5 and digitally for Xbox and PC on November 10, 2023. There will also be a Special Edition that comes with extras.

The Air Twister Special Edition, at right, includes soundtrack, interview booklet & art

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Free Guy: Interview with Yu Suzuki, Keiichiro Toyama & Kazunobu Sato by IGN Japan (2021) | Video

In 2021, IGN Japan invited three legendary Japanese game creators (Yu Suzuki, creator of Shenmue and numerous hit arcade games; Keiichiro Toyama, creator of the Silent Hill, Siren and Gravity Rush franchises and Kazunobu Sato, producer of The Last Guardian) to a private viewing of the newly-released film Free Guy.

While the interview is based around the movie, several themes that relate to game creation are explored and discussed.

Free City Interview Video

We have added translated subtitles in English to the interview video below. A written transcript also follows the video.

Interview Transcription

IGN Japan: Hi everyone, this is Daniel from IGN Japan. Today we'll be asking three game creators for their first impressions and thoughts on watching the movie Free Guy, which was released on 13th August (2021). This video is a promotional tie-up with the movie.

Let's start by introducing our guests. Firstly: Yu Suzuki. Thank you for being here.

Suzuki: Thank you.

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Yu Suzuki's Responses: 4Gamer's 2022 End-of-Year Survey

Yu Suzuki was one of the 165 prominent games industry figures who were surveyed by Japanese games site 4Gamer.net in their annual feature that was released today.

Here are his responses, translated from the original Japanese text.

Yu Suzuki

Q1: Of all the games released in 2022, which title impressed (or shocked) you the most?

YS: Vampire Survivors, which was officially released on October 21.

Its intricate design, which has clearly been finely tuned over many iterations, and the movements of the enemies are superb.

I'm impressed with the way the game has been made, by not solely relying on graphics but by refining the playability and feel of the game.

Vampire Survivors is an action roguelike game developed and published by indie developer poncle

Q2: Of the entertainment content that was released or announced during 2022, which work left the deepest impression?

YS: The anime Chainsaw Man.

It is a well-executed work that incorporates modern techniques in its scenario, composition, and direction without being a hodgepodge.

It is wonderful how it combines the original [manga] story's audacious premise of parts of the body being chainsaws, with human drama.

Chainsaw Man, released in anime form in 2022

Q3: Which person is (or has been) in your personal spotlight in 2022?

YS: Billiards player Naoyuki Oi.

He is ranked 4th in the WPA world ranking and is the closest male player to [number one in] the world in Japan today.

His intuitive, unique and rapid decision-making that he has refined in the international scene is what sets him apart from other players, and makes his play so appealing.

Billiards player Naoyuki Oi

Q4: What are your ambitions for 2023, and what is your message to 4Gamer readers?

YS: I will be continuing diligently to create games next year.

In 2022, we announced a new shooting game, Air Twister, on Apple Arcade. It is a shooting game with a fun swiping mechanic, so I hope you will enjoy playing it during the year-end and New Year holidays.

Air Twister

Source (Japanese): 4Gamer.net

Related Links

Here are some of our past blog posts detailing Yu Suzuki's end-of-year responses to 4Gamer from recent years:

• 4Gamer End-of-Year Survey: Yu Suzuki's Responses in 2021
• 4Gamer End-of-Year Survey: Yu Suzuki's Responses in 2018
• 4Gamer End-of-Year Survey: Yu Suzuki's Responses in 2017
• 4Gamer End-of-Year Survey: Yu Suzuki's Responses in 2016

See also the recent survey from Famitsu.com: Yu Suzuki's Keyword for 2023: "Light AI"

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