I'm not sure if it's entirely AJ's fault that things are so anaemic. They can only produce so much with the materials that Ys Net have provided for them and I think some of the holes in the campaign so far may be more Ys Net's doing.
As I see it the major problem is that they are not drawing a through line from the beginning of the series to where Shenmue III is going to take it. Take today's interview with the character designer for instance, he talks for a bit about what he was doing before joining Shenmue way back when, talks a little bit about first designing Shenhua and then......nothing, that's the end of video. It's a nice bit of remaniscing but it says absolutely nothing about where the series went as it became Shenmue I and II and where he wants to go with Shenmue III.
Look at everytime Yu has been asked to elaborate on the stretch goals, he starts to give some vague ideas, that at least hint that there's more to them, but then cuts it off without delving deeper, as though he doesn't seem to get that he has actually got to sell his vision to both veterans and newcomers and that requires actually informing people of what that vision is.
Take the character page on the KS, each character gets an illustration and a short line of description.
Ryo - On a journey to avenge his father
Really, that's really all they have to say about Ryo.
Shenhua - Raised among the forests of China
Once again, gobsmackingly informative.
Lan Di - Coldblooded boss of the shadowy Chi You Men.
Niao Sun - Deadly siren of the Chi You Men
Not even a word of explanation as to what the Chi You Men actually is. It's been 14 years, people may remember Lan Di but do they remember much about the organisation he belongs to?
As for Niao Sun, even someone who's played both games extensively isn't going to remember her. I'm not ever sure she is ever mentioned by name in the games themselves.
And Yu has even said we are going to meet all 4 Chi You Men bosses in III, so where are their designs, where are their character descriptions?