Is Nozomi In Shenmue 3?

Shenmue fans were over the moon when the Kickstarter for Shenmue 3 was successful and it was confirmed that the third game would, in fact, be happening. And while fans are excited to see Ryo back in action, they're also wondering what other legacy characters they'll get to interact with in the latest title. One question seems to be dominating the internet: is Nozomi in Shenmue 3?

The answer to this question isn't quite as black and white as you might think. While it has been confirmed that the voice actresses responsible for the Japanese and English speaking versions of Nozomi are credited with being in Shenmue 3, no official confirmation has come. Gamers who have had early access to the third Shenmue game have let fans know that, in a way, Nozomi has been positively identified in the game, but not as a character you get to have a conversation with.

Located around the various locations you'll visit in Shenmue 3, are capsule toy machines. Inside of these you can often find chibi toy versions of some of your favorite Shenmue characters. Among them is a toy version of your sweet shy friend Nozomi. So in this sense, Nozomi absolutely appears in Shenmue 3. But that's not exactly what fans are hoping for. 

Because Nozomi moved to Canada during her story arc in Shenmue, it seems unlikely that she'll make an in-person appearance in the third game. However, rumors have been circulating that she'll be one of the characters you'll be able to interact with via telephone. This would explain why the voice actresses for Nozomi have been credited with being in the third game. With the entry in the series coming out in just over a week, fans won't have to wait long for confirmation of this rumor.

Shenmue 3 comes out Nov. 19, 2019.