Some may consider this sacrilege, but I've always considered Yu Suzuki the 'Akira Kurosawa' of the game industry. Their respective abilities to craft experiences that redefined their industries, combined with their abilities to push the boundaries of their art forms to levels never seen before always seemed unique to me. Plus, the parallels between the later part of Kurosawa's life and his inability to secure funding (until George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola stepped in) always seemed to parallel Yu Suzuki's struggles with Shenmue III to me.
I always was afraid that like Kurosawa, he would not be truly appreciated in his lifetime, and that it wouldn't be until his passing that people began to realize the profound effect he had on the industry. Thankfully, the day has come where Shenmue III can be completed. Hopefully, this will begin a career revival that will allow fans to continue to enjoy Yu's work for years to come.