Jin Kazama
Encyclopedia
is a video game player character
in the Tekken
fighting game
series released by Namco Bandai
. Trained by his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima
in order to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Jin wishes to avenge his mother's apparent death. However, during the tournament it is revealed that Jin possesses the , a genetic abnormality within his body, which causes the betrayal of Heihachi who wants to take it. He is also antagonized by his father, Kazuya Mishima
, from whom he inherited the gene. While dealing with them, Jin loses control of the Devil Gene, which causes his transformation into an alter-ego named , first introduced as a playable character in Tekken 5
.
Outside the video games, Jin has also appeared in the animated adaptations from the games as well as the live-action film. Jin was created to be the new protagonist of the series whose constant fights with his family members would eventually lead him to become an apparent antagonist as crafted by the director, Katsuhiro Harada. Critical reception to him has been mostly positive with comments focused on his role within the story and techniques. However, the character's change of fighting style in Tekken 4
resulted in mixed opinions by critics.
, he also wore the jacket of the gi openly, exposing his torso. Tekken 4 also introduced Jin's hooded jumpsuit, which he kept until Tekken 6. In both Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament
, players can select a Mishima High School uniform for Jin to fight in. In Tekken 6, he wears a long black coat similar to the one that he wore in his ending in Tekken 5.
Devil Jin is nearly identical to Jin Kazama, except for his inhuman transformations and a change in clothing. In Tekken 3, Devil Jin simply bore tattoos over his face, sported altered glowing red eyes with changed pupils, and grew black wings used for flight. In subsequent games, however, the transformation has been expanded upon. In Tekken 4, there is a noticeable sequence to Jin's changes. As the transformation began, his body was surrounded by a purple haze, then the familiar tattoos formed on his chest and arms, and, finally, he grew two black wings from his back. This is as far as the sequence goes within that game, however, as Jin was stopped before his transformation was complete.
According to Tekken 5s story, Jin's transformation within that game recurred as a reaction to Jinpachi Mishima's return. Because of this, there is no visible transformation, and Devil Jin simply appears in his most advanced state to date. His new look includes horns, chains on his right arm, waist, and legs, and warped, talon-like fingers and a paır of gauntlets wıth spikes growing out of them. Like his father's Devil form, Jin also has a third eye upon his head used to fire a beam of energy at his opponents. However, like all characters within Tekken 5 and Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Devil Jin can be customized with an assortment of physical changes. In Tekken 6, Devil Jin's appearance remains roughly unchanged. However, in actual gameplay, the chain on his waist must be purchased before it appears.
Jin's feud with his other Mishima family members and the inner turmoil caused by his "Devil Gene" are consistent topics throughout the series. This struggle has formed somewhat of a "tragic hero
" role around the character, punctuated by his very name, Jin, which means "benevolence" in native Japanese. According to the profile provided by the Tekken 3 instruction booklet, Jin likes his mother's precepts and hates deception. Both values are demonstrated in his ending for Tekken 4: Jin resolves to kill Heihachi Mishima
for betraying him, but soon changes his mind and tells Heihachi "thank my mother, Jun Kazama." By the events of Tekken 6
, Jin's ambitions seem to have changed from stamping out the Mishima bloodline to global supremacy until the ending, where it is revealed that his true motive is to destroy Azazel and rid himself of the Devil Gene.
Jin's first appearance was within Tekken 3, where he is introduced as a boy "claiming to be Heihachi's grandson" as a result of being the child of Jun Kazama and Kazuya Mishima
. Jin was raised by his mother until a few days after his 15th birthday, when Jun was attacked by Ogre and disappeared. Swearing revenge, Jin goes to train with his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima. During Tekken 3, Jin destroys the Ogre in the King of Iron First fighting tournament, but is betrayed by Heihachi. Jin's Devil Gene then awakes, allowing him to surivive Heihachi's attack and escape. During this game, Jin also meets fighter Hwoarang whose rivalry would develop in following games. His following apeparance is in Tekken Tag Tournament
which does not contain a storyline.
By Tekken 4, Jin fell into a pit of self-hatred
, despising everything related to the Mishimas. Learning a new karate style for two years, Jin enters into a new tournament where he is to confront his father. Defeating Kazuya after his Devil form awakenes, Jin tries to kill Heihachi, but spares him after remembering his mother. Immediately after leaving Heihachi, Jin's Devil form goes berserk and appears for the first time as a playable character and sub-boss. Seeking to control the Devil Gene, Jin enters the King of Iron Fist tournament whose host, Jinpachi Mishima, is responsible for Jin's change. In the same game, a mini-game focusing on Jin's prologue is featured.
In the aftermath of the fifth Iron Fist Tournament, Jin has been revealed as the winner and is now the new CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu. During Tekken 6 Jin begins using the company for world conquest, having started a war against all the nations. Jin hosts a new tournament to rid himself of Kazuya and his enemies. Jin plays the primary antagonist in Tekken 6
who is rallying a faction within the Zaibatsu's Tekken Force military to take down their corrupt leader. Lars eventually catches up to Jin in the courtyard of Azazel's chamber, after which it is revealed what Jin's true motivation is: Jin has been throwing the world into disarray in an effort to awaken the beast known as Azazel. Jin's ultimate goal in awakening such a monster is to fight it in a suicidal battle and free himself of the Devil Gene. During the ending of Scenario Campaign, Jin's plan is successful and Azazel awakens. Jin rushes at the monster, plunging both of them into the depths of the temple, which is promptly sealed by the sands of the desert. After the credits, Jin's body is unearthed at the temple site by a crew led by Raven.
Jin is one of the first four fighters demonstrated in the debut gameplay trailer for Tekken Tag Tournament 2
.
and Ken Masters
from Street Fighter
and seeks to defeat Devil Kazuya who was his father through the Devil Gene.
He appears on a promotional poster for the Namco-produced crossover fighting game Tekken X Street Fighter
, along with Street Fighter
, has so far not confirmed Jin as a playable character in the game, but he is mentioned in a trailer by Kazuya, who states that Jin desires to meet Ryu.
Jin makes a brief appearance in the ending of the original video animation
Tekken: The Motion Picture
as a child talking with his mother.
In the 2010 live-action film Tekken, Jin is portrayed by Jon Foo. This version of Jin differs slightly, wherein he was never raised by Heihachi and his mother was killed during a crackdown on insurgents by the Tekken Corporation. In addition, though he is still the illegitimate son of Kazuya, no mention of the Devil Gene is referenced in the film, and he speaks with an English accent (given that Foo is English). He enters the Iron Fist tournament to take revenge on Heihachi for his mother's death, but during the tournament, he learns that it was Kazuya who was responsible for the crackdown. He progresses through the tournament, falling in love with Christie Monteiro and forming alliances with Steve Fox, Raven and even Heihachi himself when Kazuya overthrows him. Eventually, Jin makes it to the final, beating Yoshimitsu and even Bryan Fury, and defeats his father in battle, yet refuses to kill him for the sake of their blood relation.
He also appears in the CGI movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance which takes place between Tekken 5
and Tekken 6
.
. As Jin's power was therefore reduced, in following games he would go through minor changes.
Devil Jin incorporates moves from Jin's previous incarnations, which makes him a stronger fighter than Jin. On the other hand, Devil Jin is weak in low attacks.
, a group of four Japanese manga artists
.
Video game publications have mostly praised Jin's character, topping various lists. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Jin was voted as the staff's thirty-first favorite character. He shared the spot with three other characters, including Street Fighter
characters, Charlie, and Yang. Gaming Target
rated him as the fourth best Tekken character in a list, commenting on his popular heroic and demonic traits which caused comparison between him and other fighting game protagonists. In Game Informer
s "Top Ten Best Fighting Game Characters" Jin was fourth with comments comparing him Star Wars
character Luke Skywalker
. In IGN
's "Franchise Players 2: Reader's Choice", Jin was one of the video game characters voted to be featured in a live-action movie with the site commenting his role in the Tekken series noting that it could be the "focal point" of any film. The staff from site did not choose as a result of the poor quality from films based on fighting games. In the book Trigger Happy
, writer Steven Poole
labelled Jin as an amalgam of "body-building action grunts" including popular martial arts film protagonists.
Multiple reactions were made in response to Jin's special moves and their changes across the series, mostly in Tekken 4. His initial moveset was noted to be based on his relatives' techniques, with the change shown in Tekken 4 labelled as a "nice touch" by Leon Hunt in the book Kung Fu Cult Masters as it demonstrates the character's feeling towards Kazuya and Heihachi. GameSpot
shared similar comments, stating that Jin was one of the most notable changed characters from Tekken 4. Other publishers such as IGN and Computer and Video Games
came to regard Jin's incarnation from Tekken 4 as a character almost completely different from his original form although both shared different opinions regarding the result. While the former site found such modifications entertaining as it meant learning new moves, the latter criticized the change as it made the practice from veteran players pointless. Nevertheless, Computer and Video Games still called Jin the "top-ranked character" from Tekken 4 because of his balanced movesets.
Capcom
's senior community manager Seth Killian has found the character too powerful to the point that his constant defeats with him led him to quit the Tekken series. In regards to Jin's Tekken 5 fighting style, GameSpy
stated that now players would need to be patient playing as him, as he lost his overpowered moves. Because of such change in Tekken 5 regarding Jin's moves, the same site recommended players to use Devil Jin's incarnation in such game if they missed his original techniques. In promoting Tekken 6 Namco Bandai featured various trailers with Jin as the focus. Jin's design in the trailers has received positive response by GameSpot as the character "has never looked better." In a GamesRadar
article by Michael Grimm, a fight between Devil Jin and Evil Ryu
was written as one of the ones players wanted to see in Street Fighter X Tekken
as the two are evil alter egos from two existing characters sharing also similar designs and movesets to their original forms.
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in the Tekken
Tekken
is an arcade fighting game franchise created and developed by Namco. Beginning with the original Tekken arcade game released in 1994, the series has received several sequels, as well as various home conversions and spin-off titles released for consoles...
fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
series released by Namco Bandai
Namco Bandai
, also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005...
. Trained by his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima
Heihachi Mishima
is one of the main characters in the Tekken fighting game series. He is one of only four characters to have appeared in every game in the series and he makes two appearances within the series as the final boss...
in order to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Jin wishes to avenge his mother's apparent death. However, during the tournament it is revealed that Jin possesses the , a genetic abnormality within his body, which causes the betrayal of Heihachi who wants to take it. He is also antagonized by his father, Kazuya Mishima
Kazuya Mishima
is a fictional character in the Tekken fighting game series. Although originally appearing as the main protagonist in the original Tekken game, he becomes one of the series' leading villains from Tekken 2 onward, after being overtaken by the Devil Gene, where he is known as Devil Kazuya .-In the...
, from whom he inherited the gene. While dealing with them, Jin loses control of the Devil Gene, which causes his transformation into an alter-ego named , first introduced as a playable character in Tekken 5
Tekken 5
is the sixth installment in the popular Tekken series. It also marks the tenth anniversary of the series. It was updated for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 as Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection and succeeded by Tekken 6.- Story :...
.
Outside the video games, Jin has also appeared in the animated adaptations from the games as well as the live-action film. Jin was created to be the new protagonist of the series whose constant fights with his family members would eventually lead him to become an apparent antagonist as crafted by the director, Katsuhiro Harada. Critical reception to him has been mostly positive with comments focused on his role within the story and techniques. However, the character's change of fighting style in Tekken 4
Tekken 4
Tekken 4 is the fifth installment in the Tekken series. It was developed and published by Namco. It was released as an arcade game in 2001 and on the PlayStation 2 in 2002. It is succeeded by Tekken 5.- Gameplay :...
resulted in mixed opinions by critics.
Tekken games
Jin is a young Japanese man with black hair which spikes up in a distinctive pattern. On his left arm, he bears a mark that was branded onto his skin by the Devil. His most recurring outfits usually comprise of a karate gi or jumpsuit—both with some sort of flame design (the color of which is varied throughout the series, and has been customizable since Tekken 5). While Jin's gi costume usually consists only of trousers, gauntlets and footpads, in Tekken 4Tekken 4
Tekken 4 is the fifth installment in the Tekken series. It was developed and published by Namco. It was released as an arcade game in 2001 and on the PlayStation 2 in 2002. It is succeeded by Tekken 5.- Gameplay :...
, he also wore the jacket of the gi openly, exposing his torso. Tekken 4 also introduced Jin's hooded jumpsuit, which he kept until Tekken 6. In both Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament
Tekken Tag Tournament
is the fourth installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It, however, is not canonical to the Tekken storyline. The game was originally available as an update kit for Tekken 3. Tekken Tag Tournament was originally released as an arcade game before it was ported to the PlayStation 2...
, players can select a Mishima High School uniform for Jin to fight in. In Tekken 6, he wears a long black coat similar to the one that he wore in his ending in Tekken 5.
Devil Jin is nearly identical to Jin Kazama, except for his inhuman transformations and a change in clothing. In Tekken 3, Devil Jin simply bore tattoos over his face, sported altered glowing red eyes with changed pupils, and grew black wings used for flight. In subsequent games, however, the transformation has been expanded upon. In Tekken 4, there is a noticeable sequence to Jin's changes. As the transformation began, his body was surrounded by a purple haze, then the familiar tattoos formed on his chest and arms, and, finally, he grew two black wings from his back. This is as far as the sequence goes within that game, however, as Jin was stopped before his transformation was complete.
According to Tekken 5s story, Jin's transformation within that game recurred as a reaction to Jinpachi Mishima's return. Because of this, there is no visible transformation, and Devil Jin simply appears in his most advanced state to date. His new look includes horns, chains on his right arm, waist, and legs, and warped, talon-like fingers and a paır of gauntlets wıth spikes growing out of them. Like his father's Devil form, Jin also has a third eye upon his head used to fire a beam of energy at his opponents. However, like all characters within Tekken 5 and Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Devil Jin can be customized with an assortment of physical changes. In Tekken 6, Devil Jin's appearance remains roughly unchanged. However, in actual gameplay, the chain on his waist must be purchased before it appears.
Jin's feud with his other Mishima family members and the inner turmoil caused by his "Devil Gene" are consistent topics throughout the series. This struggle has formed somewhat of a "tragic hero
Tragic hero
A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy. Tragic heroes appear in the dramatic works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Seneca, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Webster, Marston, Corneille, Racine, Goethe, Schiller, Kleist, Strindberg, and many other writers.-Aristotle's tragic hero:Aristotle...
" role around the character, punctuated by his very name, Jin, which means "benevolence" in native Japanese. According to the profile provided by the Tekken 3 instruction booklet, Jin likes his mother's precepts and hates deception. Both values are demonstrated in his ending for Tekken 4: Jin resolves to kill Heihachi Mishima
Heihachi Mishima
is one of the main characters in the Tekken fighting game series. He is one of only four characters to have appeared in every game in the series and he makes two appearances within the series as the final boss...
for betraying him, but soon changes his mind and tells Heihachi "thank my mother, Jun Kazama." By the events of Tekken 6
Tekken 6
is a fighting game developed and published by Namco Bandai. It is the eighth game in the Tekken franchise. It was released in Japanese arcades on November 26, 2007 as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based System 357 arcade board. The game received an update, subtitled Bloodline...
, Jin's ambitions seem to have changed from stamping out the Mishima bloodline to global supremacy until the ending, where it is revealed that his true motive is to destroy Azazel and rid himself of the Devil Gene.
Jin's first appearance was within Tekken 3, where he is introduced as a boy "claiming to be Heihachi's grandson" as a result of being the child of Jun Kazama and Kazuya Mishima
Kazuya Mishima
is a fictional character in the Tekken fighting game series. Although originally appearing as the main protagonist in the original Tekken game, he becomes one of the series' leading villains from Tekken 2 onward, after being overtaken by the Devil Gene, where he is known as Devil Kazuya .-In the...
. Jin was raised by his mother until a few days after his 15th birthday, when Jun was attacked by Ogre and disappeared. Swearing revenge, Jin goes to train with his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima. During Tekken 3, Jin destroys the Ogre in the King of Iron First fighting tournament, but is betrayed by Heihachi. Jin's Devil Gene then awakes, allowing him to surivive Heihachi's attack and escape. During this game, Jin also meets fighter Hwoarang whose rivalry would develop in following games. His following apeparance is in Tekken Tag Tournament
Tekken Tag Tournament
is the fourth installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It, however, is not canonical to the Tekken storyline. The game was originally available as an update kit for Tekken 3. Tekken Tag Tournament was originally released as an arcade game before it was ported to the PlayStation 2...
which does not contain a storyline.
By Tekken 4, Jin fell into a pit of self-hatred
Self-hatred
Self-hatred refers to an extreme dislike and hatred of oneself, or being angry at or even prejudiced towards oneself. The term is also used to designate a dislike or hatred of a group, family, social class, mental illness, or stereotype to which one belongs and/or has...
, despising everything related to the Mishimas. Learning a new karate style for two years, Jin enters into a new tournament where he is to confront his father. Defeating Kazuya after his Devil form awakenes, Jin tries to kill Heihachi, but spares him after remembering his mother. Immediately after leaving Heihachi, Jin's Devil form goes berserk and appears for the first time as a playable character and sub-boss. Seeking to control the Devil Gene, Jin enters the King of Iron Fist tournament whose host, Jinpachi Mishima, is responsible for Jin's change. In the same game, a mini-game focusing on Jin's prologue is featured.
In the aftermath of the fifth Iron Fist Tournament, Jin has been revealed as the winner and is now the new CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu. During Tekken 6 Jin begins using the company for world conquest, having started a war against all the nations. Jin hosts a new tournament to rid himself of Kazuya and his enemies. Jin plays the primary antagonist in Tekken 6
Lars Alexandersson
is a video game character from the Tekken fighting game series developed by Namco Bandai. Introduced in Tekken 6 Bloodline Rebellion, Lars appears as a member from the Tekken Force military unit confronting the Mishima Zaibatsu that started a war...
who is rallying a faction within the Zaibatsu's Tekken Force military to take down their corrupt leader. Lars eventually catches up to Jin in the courtyard of Azazel's chamber, after which it is revealed what Jin's true motivation is: Jin has been throwing the world into disarray in an effort to awaken the beast known as Azazel. Jin's ultimate goal in awakening such a monster is to fight it in a suicidal battle and free himself of the Devil Gene. During the ending of Scenario Campaign, Jin's plan is successful and Azazel awakens. Jin rushes at the monster, plunging both of them into the depths of the temple, which is promptly sealed by the sands of the desert. After the credits, Jin's body is unearthed at the temple site by a crew led by Raven.
Jin is one of the first four fighters demonstrated in the debut gameplay trailer for Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
is a fighting game in the Tekken series and the successor to 1999's Tekken Tag Tournament. The game was released in Japanese arcades on September 14, 2011 and will be released on the PlayStation 3 sometime in 2012...
.
Other appearances
Jin is also featured in Namco × Capcom, where he joins forces with RyuRyu (Street Fighter)
is a video game player character created by Capcom, the main protagonist of the Street Fighter series. Having premiered in the first Street Fighter in 1987, Ryu appears as the lead character from the game along with his best friend Ken Masters participating in the Street Fighter tournament...
and Ken Masters
Ken Masters
, originally spelled in Japanese as , is a video game character created by Capcom. As a main character, he has appeared in all of the Street Fighter games along with his best friend and rival, Ryu...
from Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
and seeks to defeat Devil Kazuya who was his father through the Devil Gene.
He appears on a promotional poster for the Namco-produced crossover fighting game Tekken X Street Fighter
Tekken X Street Fighter
Tekken X Street Fighter is an upcoming crossover fighting game being produced by Namco Bandai Games. It crosses the universes of Tekken and Street Fighter into one game creating a roster from both franchises....
, along with Street Fighter
Street Fighter X Tekken
is an upcoming crossover fighting game being developed by Capcom. The game was announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International by Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono. The game is set to release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation Vita sometime in March 2012. The game...
, has so far not confirmed Jin as a playable character in the game, but he is mentioned in a trailer by Kazuya, who states that Jin desires to meet Ryu.
Jin makes a brief appearance in the ending of the original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
Tekken: The Motion Picture
Tekken: The Motion Picture
is a Japanese animated adaptation of the Tekken video games by Namco produced in by ASCII Corporation and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Originally released in Japan as a two-episode OVA, an English adaptation was produced by ADV Films, which edited both episodes into a single hour-long film and...
as a child talking with his mother.
In the 2010 live-action film Tekken, Jin is portrayed by Jon Foo. This version of Jin differs slightly, wherein he was never raised by Heihachi and his mother was killed during a crackdown on insurgents by the Tekken Corporation. In addition, though he is still the illegitimate son of Kazuya, no mention of the Devil Gene is referenced in the film, and he speaks with an English accent (given that Foo is English). He enters the Iron Fist tournament to take revenge on Heihachi for his mother's death, but during the tournament, he learns that it was Kazuya who was responsible for the crackdown. He progresses through the tournament, falling in love with Christie Monteiro and forming alliances with Steve Fox, Raven and even Heihachi himself when Kazuya overthrows him. Eventually, Jin makes it to the final, beating Yoshimitsu and even Bryan Fury, and defeats his father in battle, yet refuses to kill him for the sake of their blood relation.
He also appears in the CGI movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance which takes place between Tekken 5
Tekken 5
is the sixth installment in the popular Tekken series. It also marks the tenth anniversary of the series. It was updated for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 as Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection and succeeded by Tekken 6.- Story :...
and Tekken 6
Tekken 6
is a fighting game developed and published by Namco Bandai. It is the eighth game in the Tekken franchise. It was released in Japanese arcades on November 26, 2007 as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based System 357 arcade board. The game received an update, subtitled Bloodline...
.
Gameplay
In his early appearances, Jin's moves were a blend between both of his parents, Jun Kazama, and Kazuya Mishima—a combination of "Kazama-Style Self Defense" and "Mishima Fighting Karate". He fights in this style in both Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament. In Tekken 4, however, this style was discarded in favor of "traditional" karateKarate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. As Jin's power was therefore reduced, in following games he would go through minor changes.
Devil Jin incorporates moves from Jin's previous incarnations, which makes him a stronger fighter than Jin. On the other hand, Devil Jin is weak in low attacks.
Creation and design
Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada has stated that Jin is his favorite character in the overall series alongside Heihachi Mishima as he states that the story from Tekken is written from Jin's perspective because of being the main character. Jin's concept was that of an innocent young kid corrupted with evil powers that would become one of the series' greatest villains as crafted by Harada for ten years. As a result of being introduced as the protagonist from Tekken 3, Jin's movements were made to be balanced so that he would not have neither strong or weak movesets, which caused difficulties in the design of the character. As Jin has no model for his fighting style, several of his karate moves were created by the Tekken staff. In Tekken 6, Jin's alternative outifit was designed by ClampClamp (manga artists)
, is an all-female Japanese manga artist group that formed in the mid 1980s. Many of the group's manga series are often adapted into anime after release. It consists of their leader , who provides much of the storyline and screenplay for all their works and adaptations of those works respectively ,...
, a group of four Japanese manga artists
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
.
Promotion and reception
Jin has been featured in various types of merchandising including action figures from both his Tekken 3 and Tekken 4 appearances.Video game publications have mostly praised Jin's character, topping various lists. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Jin was voted as the staff's thirty-first favorite character. He shared the spot with three other characters, including Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
characters, Charlie, and Yang. Gaming Target
Gaming Target
Gaming Target is a website covering video games and gaming culture that was founded on February 17, 1999 by Matt Swider.-History:When it launched in 1999, Gaming Target focused solely on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color...
rated him as the fourth best Tekken character in a list, commenting on his popular heroic and demonic traits which caused comparison between him and other fighting game protagonists. In Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
s "Top Ten Best Fighting Game Characters" Jin was fourth with comments comparing him Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
character Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
. In IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's "Franchise Players 2: Reader's Choice", Jin was one of the video game characters voted to be featured in a live-action movie with the site commenting his role in the Tekken series noting that it could be the "focal point" of any film. The staff from site did not choose as a result of the poor quality from films based on fighting games. In the book Trigger Happy
Trigger Happy (book)
Trigger Happy is a book by Steven Poole, examining videogames in terms of their aesthetic appeal - what makes certain games more fun to play than others...
, writer Steven Poole
Steven Poole
-Biography:Poole studied English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has subsequently written for publications including The Independent, The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, The Sunday Times, and the New Statesman...
labelled Jin as an amalgam of "body-building action grunts" including popular martial arts film protagonists.
Multiple reactions were made in response to Jin's special moves and their changes across the series, mostly in Tekken 4. His initial moveset was noted to be based on his relatives' techniques, with the change shown in Tekken 4 labelled as a "nice touch" by Leon Hunt in the book Kung Fu Cult Masters as it demonstrates the character's feeling towards Kazuya and Heihachi. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
shared similar comments, stating that Jin was one of the most notable changed characters from Tekken 4. Other publishers such as IGN and Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
came to regard Jin's incarnation from Tekken 4 as a character almost completely different from his original form although both shared different opinions regarding the result. While the former site found such modifications entertaining as it meant learning new moves, the latter criticized the change as it made the practice from veteran players pointless. Nevertheless, Computer and Video Games still called Jin the "top-ranked character" from Tekken 4 because of his balanced movesets.
Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's senior community manager Seth Killian has found the character too powerful to the point that his constant defeats with him led him to quit the Tekken series. In regards to Jin's Tekken 5 fighting style, GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
stated that now players would need to be patient playing as him, as he lost his overpowered moves. Because of such change in Tekken 5 regarding Jin's moves, the same site recommended players to use Devil Jin's incarnation in such game if they missed his original techniques. In promoting Tekken 6 Namco Bandai featured various trailers with Jin as the focus. Jin's design in the trailers has received positive response by GameSpot as the character "has never looked better." In a GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
article by Michael Grimm, a fight between Devil Jin and Evil Ryu
Ryu (Street Fighter)
is a video game player character created by Capcom, the main protagonist of the Street Fighter series. Having premiered in the first Street Fighter in 1987, Ryu appears as the lead character from the game along with his best friend Ken Masters participating in the Street Fighter tournament...
was written as one of the ones players wanted to see in Street Fighter X Tekken
Street Fighter X Tekken
is an upcoming crossover fighting game being developed by Capcom. The game was announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International by Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono. The game is set to release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation Vita sometime in March 2012. The game...
as the two are evil alter egos from two existing characters sharing also similar designs and movesets to their original forms.