- "Driving a forklift, it's easy. You'll get the hang of it real quick."
- ―Mark about to coach Ryo on his first day of work as a forklift operator.
Mark Kimberly (マーク・キンバリー Māku Kinbarī) is a worker at the New Yokosuka Harbor District. Mark met Ryo Hazuki in the workplace.
Biography[]
Mark is a warm, quiet person, with a strong philosophical character. As he and Ryo became closer, they developed a friendship, and began conspiring together, each for their own purposes, against the criminal elements in the harbor.
Mark has a brother about Ryo's age who might have been dumped into the bottom of the sea and killed by the Mad Angels. This was because he leaked some important information. Mark could tell that only one person was killed; either the man who heard the information or his brother. So Mark looks out onto the ocean daily, hoping to find his brother.
Shenmue[]
Mark teaching Ryo how to use the forklift.
Ryo first meets Mark during his first day of work as a forklift operator at the New Yokosuka Harbor. Mark trains Ryo on how to use the forklift, and can teach him successfully depending on how the player does during the tutorial. If the player fails to learn by the time the shift is over, Mark will just say it's something Ryo will have to learn on his own, failing to teach him. Mark acts as his supervisor on the job, giving him instructions on what tasks to perform, and what the daily quota for the day is. He also acts as the referee during the daily warm-up forklift races, and told Ryo to come in early to work daily after his first day of training, saying there's something they got to do before work, which Ryo learns the next day is the races. He also hands out the prizes, which are miniature toy versions of the forklifts, and the one Ryo recieves will depend on what place he gets in the race (For example if he gets 1st place, he'll get a forklift with the #1 on the side of it).
Mark telling Ryo information he heard about the sailors and Mad Angels' illegal dealings.
Throughout Ryo's time working at the harbor, Mark gets harassed by the Mad Angels during times they're off work or on their lunch break, due to them thinking that he works with Master Chen, the gang's nemesis, even though he has nothing to do with him. They even kicked his lunch he was eating into the sea during Ryo's second day of work, and beat him up on several different occasions. But Ryo intervenes every time and helps Mark. Ryo's relationship with Mark grows during his time working, and he even gives Ryo information he finds on the sailors and Mad Angels, but still worries about Ryo's safety and well being.
Shenmue III[]
During a phone call with Ine Hayata when Ryo is at Hotel Niaowu, it is revealed that Mark had visited the Hazuki Residence in hopes of thanking Ryo for everything he'd done for him, only to discover that he had already left for Hong Kong. By the time Ryo calls Ine-san regarding this, Mark had already returned to America.
Shenmue the Animation[]
Mark as he appears in the anime.
Mark appears in Shenmue the Animation. In Episode 4, he shows Ryo how to use the forklift when he gets hired as a forklift operator at the harbor. Mark is not as trusting to Ryo at first, and he slowly earns his trust, unlike the game. In Episode 5, Mark helps Goro Mihashi and Mai Sawano rescue Nozomi Harasaki when she is held hostage by the Mad Angels, using his forklift to stop the thugs guarding her. After Guizhang Chen decides to convince Master Chen to help Ryo go to Hong Kong, Ryo quits his job.
Trivia[]
Mark part of the sailor group.
- As seen in the Japanese What's Shenmue? VHS tape, Mark was originally going to be part of the sailor gang. However, in the final version of Shenmue, Harry Thompson took his place, and Mark was instead a forklift operator at the harbor. This could mean that Mark was initially going to be the leader of the gang, since Harry is the leader in the final version of the game.
- Mark appears in free quest in Dobuita in the What's Shenmue? demo, while in the actual game he only appears in free quest at the harbor.
- A picture of 5 americans can been seen in room 201 of Hotel Niaowu in Shenmue III. Mark is among them.
- Mark's zodiac sign is Cancer and he has a O blood type.
- Mark's Japanese voice actor in Shenmue is Captain George, who also is the Japanese voice actor for Tony Abrams in the game.
Gallery[]
