can anyone tell me if i can jump straight into shenmue 2 without having played the original? i'd like to play what most would call the better of the 2 games, but would like to know if it would lose its value without having the background of the first couple of chapters?

You won't know what the hell is going on if you just start with S2. It continues from where S1 left off.

You can play shenmue 2 stand alone. all the characters are new and you start off with everything you need from the first one.
i think it adds to the experience if you played the first one IMO

yeah I think it is possible to play it by itself but as was said, it starts IMMEDIATELY after where the first game ends, there is practically no intro (in a way the end sequence to the first game was the intro to this game).

The game does have a pretty lengthy Shenmue I digest video that does a pretty good job summarizing the first game and leading it into the next. If you dont play the first one you'll most likely miss a lot of the references to the first game though, I spotted quite a few, and I agree with sistasoulja, it will add to the experience.

thanks for the response. i want to experience shenmue but i don't have the time to complete both. i don't think i'll mind filling in the blanks from the first part of the story. i already know the basic premise so as long as it's not dependent on s1 i should be okay. it would ruin my day if s2 made me recall something like, where i worked in s1.

Well I haven't played part 2, so I don't know what it makes mention of from part 1. But basically, some guy kills your father, you go looking for him all through part 1 only to find that he's gone to Hong Kong. The game ends with you on your way to Hong Kong.

So you should be fine.