REVIEW: ‘Shenmue,’ Episode 10 – “Comeback”

Shenmue the Animation (Shenmue) is a Crunchyroll/Adult Swim exclusive action anime based on the video game Shenmue and is developed by Telecom Animation Film. Having said goodbye to the Man Mo Temple, Ryo continues his search for Yuanda Zhu with the help of Ren. But when the duo attempts to hunt down the elusive key to Ryo’s quest for answers brings down the ire of the local gang, theYellow Heads, things are going to get dangerous in Shenmue Episode 10.

The latest entry in this series manages to lift itself above most of its predecessors thanks to the plethora of events that take place during its run time. There is a fair amount of story progression here. Since Ryo has moved past his treadmilling attempts to learn about the Wude, Shenmue Episode 10 sees a burst of activity that is interesting in its own rights, while also providing ample distraction from its dull protagonist. While I would often complain at the sheer speed some of these plot moments are buzzed through here, it remains better than much of what we have seen previously.

Along with the episode’s rapid pace, comes a fair amount of action. Ryo and Ren find themselves in a spot of unique trouble in the middle of this story. While the sequence isn’t all that original in and of itself, the bit of weird fun helps it stand out against the other chases and escapes that have populated the series.

Shenmue Episode 10 also takes a moment to continue fleshing out the scale of the organization Ryo is looking to confront. When Ren learns who Ryo’s ultimate target is he is more than a little shocked. And to be fair, so would I be. The description Ren gives paints a picture of a criminal empire orders of magnitude greater than what I had formerly thought. The concept of Ryo managing to find his way to the top of this veritable empire seems highly unlikely since he seems barely capable of finding his way out of a back alley in Hong Kong.

The visuals deliver all the action and chases that fill Shenmue Episode 10 skillfully. From the ornate to the rundown, every environment in the story feels authentic. This coupled with the solid animation of the characters and the series provides another strong performance for the show’s visual side.

Shenmue Episode 10 provided one of the more enjoyable outings this series has produced. With a solid cliffhanger of an ending, the next episode looks poised to provide some more action next week.

Shenmue Episode 10 is streaming on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim.