Action-adventure game series Shenmue has been credited for the spread of quick time and open world gameplay in the industry, having gained a cult following since its release in 1999. Fans of Shenmue have been eagerly looking forward to its upcoming anime announced back in September 2020. Now, Crunchyroll and Adult Swim both dropped trailers for Shenmue the Animation, coupled with the show’s release date.
Shenmue the Animation trailers
The trailers follow protagonist Ryo, who witnesses the mysterious Lan Di murder his father at his family dojo. Seeking out the reason behind his father’s death, Ryo travels to Yokosuka, though he’s met with an unsteady welcome. As he follows a quest of vengeance, Ryo may learn more than he originally bargained for…
Both the animation and the direction of the show seem great. Full of action and intrigue, much like the original game, the anime looks like it may be just as stunning. Additionally, fans of the series will likely recognize Masaya Matsukaze reprising his role as Ryo for the sub, as well as Takahiro Sakurai’s Lan Di. Both voice casts sound great, as the animation will have both the original Japanese sub as well as an English dub.
English voice cast:
- Ryo Hazuki: Austin Tindle
- Lan Di: Scott Gibbs
- Shenhua: Natalie Rial
- Nozomi Harasaki: Cat Thomas
- Guizhang Chen: Jeremy Gee
- Chai: Greg Ayres
- Wong: Bryson Baugus
- Joy: Luci Christian
- Xiuying Hong: Christine Auten
- Ren: Cody House
- Dou Niu: Joe Daniels
When does the Shenmue anime release ?
The animation premiers on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll February 5, 2022 at 9:30pm PST. Thankfully, there’s not too much of a wait before the series starts to air. Shenmue the Animation plans to have 13 episodes and will release on Adult Swim’s Toonami program block and Crunchyroll.
Are you excited for the Shenmue anime? What characters are you hoping to see in the show? Let us know what you think down below!
