Line #81 VideoGame/JetSetRadio


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/collage.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Even the keisatsu tune in when they're not [[DonutMessWithACop eating donuts]]!]]
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4	''Jet Set Radio'' (originally known as ''Jet Grind Radio'' [[MarketBasedTitle in the NTSC U/C region]]) is a platforming/skating game released by Creator/{{Sega}} for the Platform/SegaDreamcast in 2000, developed by Smilebit, who were made up of previous AM-6 employees, responsible for the ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon'' series. The game is centered around [[RollerbladeGood roller-blading]] [[GangBangers street gangs consisting of teens and young adults called rudies]], who battle for turf by spraying graffiti around the streets of [[UsefulNotes/{{Tokyo}} Tokyo-to]]. Meanwhile, the rudies' culture is under attack by an evil corporate conglomerate called the Rokkaku Group which seeks to homogenize the city and whose [[CorruptCorporateExecutive leader]] seeks to take over the world through demonic means.
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6	The game is also known for [[TropeMaker pio]][[TropeCodifier neering]] the use of CelShading to create cartoonish characters and backgrounds using 3D polygon graphics, and its use in this game popularized the style in interactive media as a whole. Additionally, the game is also remembered for its [[AwesomeMusic/JetSetRadio eclectic soundtrack]].
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8	In 2002, a sequel was released for the Platform/{{Xbox}} called ''Jet Set Radio Future''. Set rather ambiguously to the first game, ''Future'' is more of a [[ReformulatedGame "remix"]]. The story is much the same, with some new twists and new elements, though the characters of the game are very different, and the city of Tokyo-to has seen a very drastic overhaul. The game was made to play much faster, replacing the [[ActionCommands joystick graffiti spraying]] with a simple 'hold the button and run' system, as well as making grinding a much more important skill (as well as making it easier to do).
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10	Despite heavy promotion from Sega, neither game sold that well. ''JSRF'' was bundled with new Xbox consoles along with ''Sega GT 2002''. While both games received critical acclaim and are fondly remembered, sales weren't enhanced as much as one would hope -- people would often buy the console bundle, but return the game to buy a copy of the original ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', thus copies of the combo disc are plentiful on the secondary market.
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12	Despite everything, the series was very well received, even to this day, with ''Jet Set Radio'' considered to be one of the Dreamcast's defining games, and ''Jet Set Radio Future'' being considered one of the Xbox's best exclusives. The games have gotten plenty of love from the ''VideoGame/SegaSuperstars'' crossover games, especially ''All-Stars Racing'', which features nothing but ''Future'' representation. The game was also featured in Anime/HisCooolSeHaGirls in late 2014.
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14	The original ''Jet Set Radio'' was re-released in full HD on Platform/XboxLive Arcade, Platform/PlayStationNetwork, and PC in September 2012, netting the series a boost in popularity. It was also released on iOS and Android, but these versions have since been removed due to a percieved low quality from SEGA.
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16	Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'', a completely unrelated game.
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18	A SpiritualSuccessor, ''VideoGame/BombRushCyberfunk'', was released in 2023 by Team Reptile (''VideoGame/LethalLeague''), which apes much of [=JSR=]'s style. The only difference is that game has the characters use other movement options in addition to roller blades, like bikes, skateboards, and even [[LeParkour free-running]].
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20	At the end of 2023 at The Game Awards, Sega announced several new titles in classic series as part of a ''POWER SURGE'' project, including a brand new ''Jet Set Radio'' game.
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22	See also ''Manga/AirGear'', a manga that was inspired by this series.
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24	----
25	!!The ''Jet Set Radio'' series contains the following tropes:
26
27	%% I have commented out some zero context examples; someone familiar with this please fix them, or remove them if they're shoehorned.
28
29	* HundredPercentCompletion: In ''JSRF'', after beating the main storyline, if you collect every collectable in a level (which requires you to meet several prerequisites to make them all appear), you unlock additional challenges that require you race against the clock which, when completed in a set, gets you another character. The crushing thing is that some of [[AndYourRewardIsClothes the "new" characters share the same stats as another core character, and are pretty much just a different skin/model and voice]]. Further added to in that, should you redo all your graffiti in all levels, [[CosmeticAward you get absolutely nothing.]] Seriously.
30	* AbortedArc: Rokkaku Gouji's son takes over for his recently-deceased father at the end of the original game. This is never followed up on, especially since ''Future'' is essentially a re-imagining of the original game rather than a direct sequel.
31	* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: This game takes it to the extreme, especially in ''JSRF'', where the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility is a sprawling, multiple-story high monstrosity of a level. Expect to spend a few chunks of both games in these.
32	* AcidTripDimension: The final boss level in ''JSRF''.
33	* ActionCommands: In the original game, large and xtra large graffiti tags require you to move the stick in the patterns the game indicates to successfully tag the wall. Characters with a higher Graffiti stat have a lower spray can {{cap}} and have to perform more complex commands to complete these tags, but they receive more points as a tradeoff. This was axed in ''JSRF'', which simply has you spray larger tags in the same way as small ones.
34	* ActionizedSequel: ''Future'' takes several steps to keep the player skating around. Tagging is simplified to a mere button press, the areas are much bigger to explore, getting up to speed and turning are ridiculously easy compared to the first game, and grinding on rails allows you to chain tricks together to speed up and build up a high score.
35	* AdaptationDyeJob: And how. Tab/Corn goes from brunette to blond (and so does Piranha/Boogie), Yoyo goes from being a redhead to having lime green hair, and Combo goes from having black hair to blue hair. Not to mention everybody changes outfits, and most of the changes are pretty significant, too.
36	* AdaptationalVillainy: The Noise Tanks from the original ''Jet Set Radio'' were {{Playful Hacker}}s who weren't particularly evil (with their crimes largely being minor things like selling pirated software, causing blackouts in residential areas and stealing the GG's dog). In ''Jet Set Radio Future'', the Noise Tanks are still mischievious, but are [[RetCon Retconned]] into cyborgs created by Rokkaku who are determined to destroy the GG's.
37	* AggressivePlayIncentive: In ''Classic'', certain characters have to perform more elaborate controller motions when spraying any of the larger graffiti patterns, leaving them exposed to police attack for longer, but also vastly increasing the point payout upon completion, making Jet rankings easier to obtain.
38	* AllCrimesAreEqual: Graffiti removal is SeriousBusiness. For first-time offenders, a plainclothes cop skips the handcuffs and blows your head off with a magnum. Twice, and a SWAT team gets called in. Three times, and the [[SerialEscalation army]] starts to roll in with ''tanks and helicopter gunships''.
39	* AllThereInTheManual: The year ''Future'' takes place is never explained in-game, but according to pre-release details and advertisements, it's set in the year 2024. Some details about characters in ''Classic'' are also only seen in the manual.
40	* AfroAsskicker: The Golden Rhinos each look they they've stepped out of a Tarantino film, with seventies hair and mustaches.
41	* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield: The finale of ''JSRF''.
42	* AmazingTechnicolorWildlife: Potts, a blue pooch (green in ''JSRF'').
43	* AmazonBrigade: The Love Shockers and Rapid 99.
44	* AnthropomorphicZigZag: Once unlocked as a playable character, Potts can transform from a quadruped into a rollerblading, spraycan-wielding canine of justice. This occurs as a result of his dog-napping by the Noise Tanks, who outfit him with a helmet which makes Potts believe he's a cow. During a second playthrough, the Noise Tanks finally agree to 'fix' Potts - but only if you earn a "Jet" ranking in every stage.
45	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: In ''JSRF'', several hidden characters are often nothing more than re-skins; despite having to get a "Jet" rank on several difficult challenges to play as minor characters and antagonists, several of them turn out to be pretty much the same thing. Note that it's not even subtle sometimes with certain combinations: Cube, [[spoiler:the ex-leader of Poison Jam]], is different only in clothes and color, even retaining the same skills and dances; the same applies for [=YoYo=], Beat and [[spoiler:their robot counterparts, who are identical save for different colors and an altered model respectively.]]
46	* ArtAttacker: Your strange graffiti is somehow strong enough to knock out policemen and destroy machinery, up to and including helicopters and giant mecha.
47	* AxCrazy: Hayashi - though considering who he works for, it might not be much of a stretch. Hayashi's been known to blow up police cars if his toadies fetch him the wrong flavor of candy.
48	-->'''Prof. K''': Can you believe this fool?
49	* BadassLongcoat: Hayashi wears one, complete with a HighCollarOfDoom.
50	* BaldOfEvil: Gouji Rokkaku sports a vampiric [[BeardOfEvil goatee]], but his head is completely bare.
51	* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: [[spoiler:When Rokkaku sucks you and hundreds of bystanders into his HumongousMecha,]] you are transported into an acid-trip version of Tokyo-to filled with shadow creatures that constantly run after you. During all this, Rokkaku situates himself on the highest part of his dreamworld where he then transforms himself into a giant monster on skates. You have to grind and jump all the way up in order to fight him.
52	* BigApplesauce: Grind City. You can see the [[BrooklynRage Brooklyn Bridge]] from Bantam Street, though that stage is allegedly modeled after UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}.
53	** FultonStreetFolly: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with Grind Square (a parody of Manhattan's Times Square). The streets are deathly quiet, with the only foot traffic consisting of uzi-packing mooks.
54	* BilingualBonus:
55	** Rude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi or rudy were common terms for juvenile delinquents and criminals in 1960s Jamaica, and have since been used in other contexts.
56	** Many of the GG's have katakana of their name or part of it somewhere on their character. Tab has it written on the front of his beanie, Mew has it tattooed under her left eye, and Gum (in some artwork) has it tattooed on the inside of her left thigh.
57	** The Rokkaku Group's logo is a hexagon - "Rokkaku" is Japanese for "hexagon".
58	** [[spoiler:Gouji's final boss form in ''Future'', A.Ku.Mu, means "Nightmare" in Japanese.]]
59	* BlindIdiotTranslation: Though it never gets downright incomprehensible, it's clear that ''Future's'' English script is just a straight translation of the Japanese script, but with a ton of typos, grammatical errors, and mismatched subtitles thrown in.
60	* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: The initial three GG's in ''JSR''; Gum is blonde, Tab is brunette [[HairColorDissonance (though whether his hair is brown or black is anyone's guess)]], and Beat is a redhead.
61	* BloodlessCarnage: Even getting hit by a missile will merely knock you off your feet for a while.
62	* BloodierAndGorier: The original ''Jet Set Radio'' had plenty of violence, but it was largely cartoonish in nature, with Gouji being the only character to have unambiguously died. The sequel took the safety brakes off and gave the bad guys gruesome deaths.
63	* {{Bowdlerize}}: Some songs in both games had certain lyrics cut in order for the games to retain a Teen rating. For example, in "Birthday Cake", the original version has a verse that goes: "''It's moldy mom, isn't it?'' // ''I DON'T GIVE A FLYING'' ''[[PrecisionFStrike FUCK]]'' ''THOUGH!!!''" The game's version cuts right to the chorus after the "It's moldy, mom..." lyric. Another example, "I'm Not a Model" had a segment where a woman goes into disturbing detail on giving oral sex. This part was cut in the game version for obvious reasons.
64	* BuccaneerBroadcaster: Tokyo-to's gang activity is reported via a pirate radio station named [[TitleDrop Jet Set Radio]], hosted by DJ Professor K.
65	-->''[[TheStinger What's that? You think I just made all that up?]]''
66	* BurningRubber: The skates in ''JSRF'' emit plumes of flames when you go fast enough.
67	* CarFu: ''Classic'''s cops have no compunctions about running you over with their cruisers or motorbikes.
68	* CastOfSnowflakes: The GG's express this trope the best out of all the street gangs, as every member has their own distinct outfit and character model. The other gangs count when compared against each other, but their individual members all [[YouAllLookFamiliar look like their fellow members]].
69	* CelShading: The original game was the first to do this with both black outlines and the use of two-tone shading on characters.
70	* ChangingOfTheGuard: In ''JSR'', Yo-Yo is a character unlocked near the end of the first chapter. In ''Future'', he replaces Beat as the first person you play as and who has to go through the tutorial. Subverted as [[spoiler:he's kidnapped and rendered unplayable for about two-thirds of the game.]]
71	* CharacterSelectForcing: On your first playthrough, the Grind City flashbacks may only be played through as Combo or Cube. You can select anybody you like during a NewGamePlus.
72	* ChekhovsGun: In Chapter 5 of ''Future'' you can see an evil-looking tower in the background. No attention is drawn to it, and no one mentions it, so you'd assume it to just be a background element, right? [[spoiler:Turns out it's the device used by the BigBad at the end of the game to absorb some sort of energy from the people of Tokyo-to, and sends you and them into an alternate dimension.]]
73	* CityOfAdventure: Tokyo-to in either game, as either version of the city is a sprawling metropolis with many distinct districts.
74	* ClimbingClimax: In ''Jet Set Radio Future''.
75	* ClusterFBomb:
76	** The song ''Rockin' the Mic'', which features a lot of S-bombs and N-bombs.
77	** "Rock It On" near the end of the song.
78	* ColdSniper: If you see a red laser sight pointed at you, it means a Golden Rhino sniper is nearby. Luckily, they're complete cowards and run away if you confront them head-on.
79	* CollisionDamage: Bumping anyone in any way in the original can send you flying in the opposite direction. Not only is the damage and knockback reduced in ''Future'', but if you bump an enemy in the back, ''they'' take damage!
80	* CombatCommentator: Professor K fills this role in the sequel, providing such useful gems as, "Wow, you're pretty flammable!"
81	* CompanyCameo: There are several nods to Creator/{{Sega}} in the first game:
82	** The semi-trucks have mudflaps reading "SEGA".
83	** [[BigApplesauce Grind City]] has signs advertising sega.com.
84	** In the HD rerelease, unlocking the SecretCharacter [[spoiler:Potts the dog]] nets you five bonus graffiti tags. The large one is a graffiti-styled Sega logo.
85	* CookingDuel: The gangs resort to competitions of skating and tagging skills to settle their differences directly. All of the 'boss' battles are just tagging people within a set time limit. ItMakesSenseInContext.
86	* ConvenientlyEmptyBuilding:
87	** The moment the military shows up, pedestrians magically vanish from the scene. Needless to say, this removes some of the guilt associated with crashing helicopters into the pavement.
88	** When you fight the Immortals on Highway Zero in ''Future'', you can clearly see busy traffic before the cutscene, but after that's over, all vehicles disappear to make way for your battle.
89	* CouldntFindAPen: Coin's final instructions to his friends before [[DyingClue dying]] were, fittingly enough, written in graffiti. It's a cryptic mural featuring rhinos, an airplane and an arrow pointing to Tokyo-to. Presumably, the Rhinos didn't catch onto its meaning.
90	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Rokkaku Gouji, who already owns the city by buying up all the major players and businesses. Now he wants to make it official by becoming Mayor.
91	* {{Crawl}}: Grind Square has a couple of fake news tickers.
92	* CulturePolice: The uniformed police, military, and later ''trained assassins'' all play this role, trying to suppress a skater counterculture.
93	* DefeatMeansPlayable:
94	** The rival gangs (and even Gouji!) end up becoming playable, should you rack up enough points.
95	** Points aren't even required to recruit [[spoiler:Cube. You just have to continue playing until she comes back out of hiding.]]
96	* DemotedToExtra: The Love Shockers in ''Future'' were greatly sidelined, only appearing as underlings of the Noise Tanks. Combo also suffered from this, with all of his plot relevancy being transferred to Cube.
97	* DisneyVillainDeath: Gouji's ultimate fate in ''Classic''.
98	* DismantledMacGuffin: The Devil's Contract, a vinyl record rumored to [[SummoningRitual summon a demonic entity]]. Somewhere along the line, the record was broken into three shards and scattered between Grind City and Tokyo-to.
99	* DisproportionateRetribution: Thinking of tagging up the streets of Tokyo-to? Be prepared to have '''tanks''' and '''helicopters with missiles''' coming after you, and that's just for people who dare to spray a couple of districts up.
100	* DramaticStutter: Once he's safe inside his trippy light show, ''JSRF'''s Gouji suddenly goes all [[VideoGame/SystemShock SHODAN]].
101	* DontTryThisAtHome: Both games on start-up display a message stating that, while graffiti is art, doing it as an act of vandalism is a crime.
102	* DubNameChange: A large amount of the GG's have different names between regions; among others, the guy in the blue jumpsuit and beanie is Tab in English and Corn in Japanese, the girl in the blue sundress is Mew in English and Bis in Japanese, and the lanky guy in the orange jacket is Slate in English and Soda in Japanese.
103	* EdibleThemeNaming: Probably unintentional, but some of the rudies have names like Beat (beet), (bubble)Gum, Corn, Soda, and Garam (Malay for salt).
104	* {{Egopolis}}: The drive behind Rokkaku's crackdown on the streets in ''Future'' is to pave the way for his "Rokkaku Expo", essentially branding everything with his logo.
105	* EliteMooks: The Golden Rhinos replace the police after you've run through all the levels once, all of them being far more deadlier than the regular cops.
106	* EnemyChatter: The police dispatcher and Onishima can be heard barking orders over their radio. Gouji and his Golden Rhinos take over the airwaves later.
107	* EvilBrit: The unseen voice commanding the Golden Rhinos over their PA system.
108	* EvilCounterpart: "DJ Big Gouji" could be seen as an evil counterpart to Professor K.
109	* EvilKnockoff: Zero Beat, an advanced robot based on Beat and meant to take on the rudies at their own game.
110	* EvilLaugh: Onishima, Assassin #4 Hayashi, and Gouji in equal measure.
111	* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Gouji Rokkaku's lair in both games. In ''JSRF'', he can't be bothered to name it.
112	-->'''Gouji:''' The name of this tower is -- well, [[BlahBlahBlah blah-diddly-blah-blah.]] '''''ITS NAME IS IRRELEVANT!'''''
113	* EvilTwin: NT-3000 is a robotic clone of Yoyo.
114	* ExpressiveHair: Professor K's electrified hair is in a constant state of motion.
115	* EyepatchOfPower: The Love Shockers wear these as part of their [[GangOfHats gang uniform]].
116	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Yoyo in ''JSRF''. Later subverted when it’s revealed that he really was kidnapped the whole time, and the Noise Tanks had used [[EvilKnockoff NT-3000]] to make the GG's think he had turned on them.]]
117	* FlashbackEffects: The flashbacks to Grind City appear in sepia tone, then slowly shift to color.
118	* FluffyTheTerrible: The [[{{UsefulNotes/Kawaisa}} cutesy]] Rokkaku mascot, a gold rhino in overalls. At the end of the game, the Rhino statue on the front of Gouji's building comes to life and starts belching fire.
119	* ForcedTutorial: JSRF's is ''ridiculously'' easy, even if you're a new player.
120	* ForTheEvulz: Unlike his counterpart in the first game, the Gouji of ''JSRF'' is truly crazy.
121	* FourthWallMailSlot: Professor K reads aloud a couple letters from "Mr. Osaki", who is beset by roaches in his home. K jokingly advises him to burn his house down ([[AdviceBackfire which he does]]).
122	* GameplayGrading: Upon completing a level, you're given a ranking based on how many [[ScoringPoints points]] you got. They all share the theme of being related to mobility: from worst to best, there's Pedal, Motor, Engine, Turbo, Nitro, and finally Jet.
123	* GangOfHats: A rather... quirky variety of these hang out around the city and defend their turf. Most of them are just kids, though.
124	* GasLeakCoverup: Gouji's death and the implosion of his building in ''JGR'' is written off as "a construction accident".
125	* GasMaskMooks: Assassin #3 and his posse.
126	* GenericGraffiti: Averted in ''JGR'', as some of the characters have their own tags. This isn't the case in ''JSRF'', where each gang has their own range of tags. The player can choose to avert or play with this, by choosing what they want to spray on the walls.
127	* GeniusSweetTooth: The Noise Tanks are noted to have sworn off health food, subsisting entirely on artificial chemicals and sweeteners. [[spoiler:Subverted in that not only their poor diet contributed to their defeat (roller skating like this demands some personal fitness), DJ Professor K also vaguely implies in the ending that they abandoned it in favor of fruits and veggies. ("The Noise Tanks are in repair.")]]
128	* GenreMashup: The soundtrack, composed by Hideki Naganuma, incorporates elements of many genres such as rock, funk, and techno to make a very unique sound.
129	* AGodAmI: Rokkaku, towards the end in either game.
130	* GogglesDoNothing: Fairly ubiquitous amongst the cast, along with CoolShades.
131	* GondorCallsForAid: In the RegionalBonus missions, Combo and Cube are forced to flee Grind City after the Golden Rhinos kidnap (and [[AmbiguousSituation possibly murder]]) the third member of their gang.
132	* {{Gonk}}: Soda/Slate, an incredibly lanky dude with only a few strands of hair atop his head, a pill-shaped head half-obscured inside his jacket, and a nose that looks like [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants Squidward's]].
133	* GoodGunsBadGuns: The Rhinos are packing some serious heat: [=Mac-10s=] and dragonovs.
134	* GoodHairEvilHair: Onishima inverts this trope by sporting a two-foot pompadour and a [[PermaStubble stubble]]. Oddly enough, this hairstyle is associated with delinquents in Japan. [[EpilepticTrees A clue to Onishima's enigmatic, tortured past?]]
135	* GraffitiOfTheResistance: This is the premise in the games. Rokkaku and his corporation have bought practically all of Tokyo-toto in the future; your player character is a gang leader who sticks his middle finger to Rokkaku by spraying graffiti all over the town.
136	* GratuitousJapanese: Gouji does this in the cutscene before his boss fight in ''JSRF''.
137	* GrindBoots: The rudies' rollerblades automatically attach to metallic surfaces, allowing for seamless grinding on rails, with the player not having to worry about keeping their balance.
138	* HandCannon: Onishima totes around a pistol as big as his massive pompadour.
139	* HiddenDepths: Call [[BigBad Gouji]] a CorruptCorporateExecutive all you want, but you ''have'' to admit; having turntablism skills so good that [[spoiler:you can both ''summon demons'' and '''''absorb the souls of Tokyo-to''''']] would ''not'' be something to gawk at.
140	* HitTheGroundHarder: In ''Future'', at least. Fall damage will happen upon landing once your character has begun their "I'm falling and screaming" animation. If you keep pulling air tricks on the way down, you won't get hurt upon hitting the ground. Because falling stylishly stops the force of impact from happening, of course!
141	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The Golden Rhinos of ''JSRF'' make colorful departures when defeated, such as getting hit by a stray missile fired from a Rokkaku harrier jet. The flamethrower assassin is immolated when her flame tank explodes, and then crushed by a falling billboard sign which she had previously set aflame.
142	* HotbloodedSideburns: Professor K's ''JSRF'' incarnation.
143	* HotterAndSexier: Gum, Mew/Rhyth, and Cube's outfits are skimpier in JSRF. And then there's [[ProgressivelyPrettier Yoyo]].
144	* IHaveYourWife: Pet version. The Noise Tank's path in the first game sees them kidnapping Potts and holding him hostage.
145	* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Against Poison Jam (who would have thought?). In the penultimate level, Rokkaku attaches [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashing helmets]] to the trio and then sics them onto you.
146	* IdleAnimation: All of the Rudies dance if left alone.
147	* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: Dashing or grinding rails renders you basically invulnerable to police gunfire. Averted while you're on the ground, where you have to be really evasive to avoid gaining a few dozen pounds of lead.
148	* ImprobableWeaponUser: Every Rudie with a spray can. Adding to the fun, all the spray cans floating about are described in the tutorial as concentrated "Soul of the Streets". You're not just knocking down the police with graffiti, you're doing it with Soul juice!
149	* ImprovisedWeapon: Graffiti has the ability to blow up skyscrapers, helicopters and mecha on a regular basis. Helicopters can at least be justified in that you cover the cockpit with it, but buildings have no excuse.
150	* InASingleBound: All rudies can jump six to nine feet in the air from a standing position, and grinding or wall-riding can let them leap even farther.
151	* InconsistentDub: Several characters went through various name changes between the first game and ''Future'', sometimes not even related to their Japanese name. Two characters in particular went through three names: Bis/Mew/Rhyth, and Sugar/Pirahna/Boogie.
152	* InformedAttribute:
153	** The character profiles on the official Japanese site for ''JSR'' (as well as the [[http://beat.happydays.ro/post/102415841903 official Japanese guide)]] list a single defining characteristic and a favorite thing for each Rudie. But many of these traits aren't even [[AllThereInTheManual in the instruction manual]], never mind in the actual game. For example, Garam [[InformedFlaw is apparently short-tempered]] and Mew likes money.
154	** Yoyo's profile for both games describe him as a SelfProclaimedLiar, which could explain why Professor K calls him "a guy who'll blow your mind with his silver tongue" in ''Future''.
155	* {{Irony}}: Hideki Naganuma is well-known for the crazy funky electronic beats of both games (plus ''VideoGame/SonicRush''), but his work in the first game is actually the tamer stuff, with Deavid Soul and F-Fields providing the loudest, funkiest, craziest, densest, and closest to what someone today would picture Naganuma doing.
156	* JapaneseDelinquents: The games are all about them and their struggles against the city police.
157	* JetPack: Assassin #2 and his cronies have jetpacks, allowing them to rain gunfire on areas that other mooks can't, making them paticularly deadly.
158	* KidsVersusAdults: It's teenage gangs versus the cops, as well as a conglomerate that also has it out for them.
159	* LargeHam:
160	** Rokakku Gouji is a modest [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnDTerbOGGo example.]] He's voiced by Creator/CharlesMartinet.
161	** Onishima's [[EstablishingCharacterMoment first in-person line]] is belting out a loud "GOTCHA!", and his radio requests for backup have him yelling for paratroopers, helicopters and tanks - and receiving them.
162	** DJ Professor K mans the local LargeHamRadio, regularly shouting its name and extending the last syllable for a few seconds. One such shout provides the game's TitleScream.
163	* LaughingMad: Gouji's last moments in ''JSRF''.
164	* LawEnforcementInc: Rokkaku Gouji buys out the police department prior to the games' start, replacing them with his own forces as the real police are stuck in their offices.
165	* LeParkour:
166	** The GG's combine this with their rollerblades, grinding on handrails, highway dividers, fences, and wires, and riding on walls before leaping far away.
167	** Assassin #5 isn't a big believer in stairs.
168	* LemmingCops: A few times in ''JSR'':
169	** In "Monster of Kogane", spraying the large tag on the wall near the water tower to begin with will prompt two cop cars to speed over to where you are and then attempt to bring the vehicles to a stop. Emphasis on "attempt", as they fail at this and then drive over a cliff into the water.
170	** During the revisit to Benten, you can trigger a hidden scene in which dozens of pursuing Rokkaku sedans crash into a giant, flaming pileup.
171	* LetterMotif: The NTSC-U/PAL versions introduces three new characters from out of town: Coin, Combo, and Cube.
172	* LivingStatue: Gouji's corporate {{Mascot}}, a giant cartoon rhino, is stationed on the front of his building. The statue comes to life during the final battle and begins [[BreathWeapon breathing fire]].
173	* LoadBearingBoss:
174	** Defeating Rokkaku causes his entire skyscraper to explode.
175	** Rokkaku's HumongousMecha starts to collapse after you defeat him at the end of ''JSRF''.
176	* LocomotiveLevel: ''JSRF'' has a variant, in the sense that you're ''chasing after'' a locomotive robot.
177	* LonelyAtTheTop: At the conclusion of the first game, Combo speculates this might have been the case with Gouji Rokkaku.
178	-->''He didn't know how to deal with people that he couldn't buy with his money. Maybe it really is lonely at the top... or maybe he's just another eccentric millionaire.''
179	* MadBomber: Assassin #4 has bombs strapped to his chest, and has planted several throughout Shibuya - he's particularly fond of [[ExternalCombustion placing them near cars]]. He also lobs [[MolotovCocktail molotovs]] and is surrounded by flunkies who may [[SuicideAttack detonate themselves]] if they miss a tackle.
180	* MadeOfPhlebotinum: According to the opening narration, the Rudies' skates are powered by newly-developed "Netrium" batteries.
181	* MalevolentMaskedMen: Poison Jam and the Noise Tanks.
182	* ManOfWealthAndTaste: Gouji, again.
183	* MarketBasedTitle: The original game was renamed "Jet Grind Radio" in America due to there being a band named Jet Set Satellite, and they feared that people would associate this game with them. The radio station is still referred to as "Jet ''Set'' Radio" in-game however, and the only changes are the title screen and the graffiti saying "To Jet Set Radio" in the intro is changed to "To Jet ''Grind'' Radio". This conflict was long gone by the time that JSRF and the HD re-release of the original came out, although the GBA port still retains the "Grind" title.
184	* MaskedLuchador: Assassin #1 is a hulking, masked wrestler who also employs judo kicks.
185	* MechaMooks: The Noise Tanks in ''JSRF'', who are now out and out robots instead of geeky kids in high-tech gear.
186	* {{Megacorp}}: Rokkaku Corporation. The logo is emblazoned on gas stations, satellite dishes, and trucks marked "[[BlandNameProduct Rokkaku Depot]]" (using the same typeface as Office Depot). Taken even further in ''Future'', where the Rokkaku symbol can be seen on street signs, hydro plants, and construction equipment.
187	* TheMenInBlack: The Golden Rhinos, a group of dudes boasting suits and afros. Professor K announces their arrival by referring to them as a new gang; it's plain to see, however, that they're working for Rokkaku Corp. Their 'graffiti' is merely Rokkaku advertisements plastered over your own tags.
188	* MercyInvincibility: You get a small grace period of invincibility after taking damage, indicated by your character flashing red. Quite helpful when getting chased by the various dogs, assassins with whips, attack helicopters, and jetpack gunners throughout the game.
189	* MiniDressOfPower: Gum and Rhyth in either game, which doesn't stop them from skating like their gang members.
190	* MockGuffin: The [[spoiler:Devil's Contract]] is revealed to be a hoax at the end.
191	* MrExposition: DJ Professor K, who tells you what's going on in the city, tells you where to go in it, and tells you what needs doing when you get there.
192	* MyNameIsQuestionMarks: Normally, you're told the name of each character that joins the GG's as soon as you unlock them. However, the final SecretCharacter has their name written as "???" on the unlock prompt to avoid spoiling who it is before you see them for yourself: [[spoiler:the GG's pup, Potts]].
193	* MythologyGag:
194	** Yoyo[[spoiler:'s robot doppelganger]] in ''Future'' wears his hoodie up, which, combined with its green color, seems like a reference to his original appearance.
195	** Also in ''Future'', [[spoiler:Potts]] shares an idle dance with the Noise Tanks, [[spoiler:the gang responsible for kidnapping him and connected to unlocking him]] in the original game.
196	* TheNapoleon: Captain Onishima is a very short little man with an aggressive temper.
197	* NeverSayDie: Coin's body is plainly visible in a cutscene, lying dead at the foot of his mural. Nobody ever refers to him as such: rather than avenge Coin, Cube asks the gang to help her for "the ''sake'' of Coin." The ending states that he was another victim of Gouji's machinations, but doesn't explicitly say "assassinated."
198	* NewGamePlus: In the original game, you return to Chapter 1 after completing the game, but retain any new team members you recruited and Graffiti Souls you collected.
199	* NintendoHard: Larger levels in the first game can be quite frustrating: you have to find and tag dozens of spots with graffiti, while collecting spraypaint cans (most characters can only hold between 15 and 30 cans, some spots use up ''seven'' of them, and endgame levels tend to have at least one section with no cans at all) and running away from police and assassins, who will come at you in helicopters and on jetpacks even while you're tagging. On a time limit.
200	* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: Weirdly subverted. Tokyo is referred to by name, but it bears almost no resemblance to the real Tokyo. Also, Tokyo-to ''is'' actually the full name of Tokyo ("to" is a suffix meaning "city/metropolis").
201	* NoIndoorVoice: Professor K. He mellows out in ''JSRF''.
202	* NoKillLikeOverkill: The Tokyo-to Police and the Rokkaku Police believe in this heart and soul. Their initial response to vandals is to send a squad of police to forcibly arrest the delinquent with batons. Beat that, and they'll send policemen armed with guns to shoot you dead. Beat that, and then they ''deploy military vehicles'' to stop graffiti, and it only gets more lethal from there.
203	* NoOSHACompliance: Especially prevalent in ''Future'' with the industrial levels. The Skyscraper District, for example, has a number of construction sites with absolutely no safety rails or nets to stop workers (or you) from falling 50 plus stories to their death. Pharoah Park does have some safety features, but that's a very small part of the level. Sky Dinosaurian Square is an entire ''theme park'' placed precariously between the skyscrapers of Tokyo, again, with nothing beneath the tracks and attractions.
204	* OccidentalOtaku: Combo can be assumed to be this. He has a yen necklace, has no trouble speaking to the GG's, and very likely got the idea for his gang from the various gangs around Tokyo. And it's not like they couldn't have changed his necklace in the western release (Cube got an entire redesign for the west).
205	* OddlySmallOrganization: The rival gangs have three members each. (Or at least we assume, since we only see three at once. It's likely that the other gangs are around the same size as the GG's.)
206	* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:When Rokkaku transforms into A.KU.MU during your BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.]]
207	* OneWomanWail: Gouji's boss music.
208	* OutOfCharacterAlert: The intro to ''JSR''[='s=] penultimate mission, "Beneath the Mask'', has them comment on the odd state of Poison Jam:
209	-->''Those faceless vandals...\
210	Poison Jam arrived without their masks!\
211	Something's wrong with this picture.\
212	[[spoiler:Have they been brainwashed?]]''
213	* PatrickStewartSpeech: The narrator drops a fairly {{Anvilicious}} one in ''JSRF'''s ending.
214	* PerkyGoth: ''JSR''[='s=] token gaijin chick Cube wears a black-and-red ensemble, but is generally cheerful, punctuating her level completion with a smile and "I got mad skills!".
215	* PlayerHeadquarters: The GG's' garage. (Though it's more like an abandoned construction site in ''Future.'')
216	* PlaylistSoundtrack: A favorite of the series. In the first game, each level has a small playlist of music, usually only containing songs pertaining to a specific area (eg. You usually wouldn't hear "Sneakman" in Kogane-Cho). In Future, the music is instead divided by chapter (except for the sewer levels that always have their own playlist) due to the increased length. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] since the music is coming from the eponymous pirate radio station, Jet Set Radio, and the protagonists are constantly listening to it.
217	* PoliceAreUseless:
218	** When assassins with guns and firebombing-throwing terrorists go after you, the police are nowhere to be seen. One intro states that they're too scared to even touch them.
219	** The Tokyo-to police don't even show up once in ''Future'', as sometime before the game begins, Rokkaku Gouji bought out the police department to allow his Rokkaku Police to operate without interference.
220	* PosthumousCharacter: It's strongly implied that Coin was murdered for his vinyl record. This was left vague enough for gamers to [[UrbanLegendOfZelda scour the game trying to unlock him]], though.
221	* ThePowerOfRock: A rare evil example, as Gouji's plan in both games revolves around harnessing music for an evil plan.
222	* PowerTrio: Beat, Gum, and Tab/Corn initially comprise the GG's' gang.
223	* PsychoElectro: Assassin #6 can only attack by electrifying rails. This makes him more a nuisance than a genuine threat.
224	* PunkPunk: The "Graffiti/Skater Punk" variation.
225	* {{Pyromaniac}}: Both games feature a flamethrower-wielding assassin with a love for torching cities.
226	* RandomizedTitleScreen: ''Jet Set Radio''[='s=] title screen shows gameplay of a random member of the GG's skating around in one of four levels; in order, Shibuya, Kogane, Benten, or Bantam Street (Grind Square isn't showcased).
227	* RealIsBrown: ''JSRF'' has a brownish tint compared to its predecessor.
228	* RecursiveImport: After ''Classic'' introduced some extra content and bug fixes in its NTSC and PAL exports, the result were rereleased back in Japan as ''De La Jet Set Radio''.
229	* RegionalBonus:
230	** The North American release of ''JGR'' contains two extra missions in Grind City, sandwiched between the two run-throughs of Tokyo-to. These later made it onto the UpdatedRerelease in Japan and the 2012 release in all regions.
231	** Also, each regional release of the game had some songs that the other version didn't. Most of these region-exclusive songs were included in the HD re-release though.
232	* RemixedLevel: The second half of ''JGR'' consists of beating the same three city districts again -- only ''this'' time, the maps aren't segmented into individual missions; you have to tag the entire district at once, and you'll be dealing with the Golden Rhinos and their assassins on top of that.
233	* ResistanceIsFutile: Hayashi quotes this directly during a surprise raid.
234	* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: The Noise Tanks, Zero Beat, and [[spoiler:the fake Yoyo]].
235	* RobotBuddy: Roboy, a jive-talking robot who saves your game, gives you tutorials, and sets up street challenges.
236	* RollerbladeGood: Magnetic ''and'' rocket-propelled rollerblades, no less.
237	* RuleOfCool: The whole game runs on this.
238	* RushmoreRefacement: The [[Art/StatueOfLiberty Lady Liberty]] statue in Grind Square is sporting a rhino's head, courtesy of Gouji's gang.
239	* {{Sampling}}: Very prevalent in both games' soundtracks.
240	* SanitySlippage: Over the course of ''JSRF'', Hayashi's already-lacking sanity wears down more and more with each defeat he suffers.
241	* SavingTheWorldWithArt: Both games are initially about rollerskating around and tagging over the graffiti of other roller gangs. Halfway through the game, there's a shift and you start tagging the art of the [[EvilInc Rokkaku Group]], becoming TheLastDJ and resisting the evil group. In the end, you manage to defeat the final boss [[spoiler:who is a demon summoned by the CorruptCorporateExecutive]] using nothing but your graffiti. The sequel has you doing all of the above as well, but the graffiti can now be used to cure poison and purify the streets.
242	* ScoringPoints: ''Deceptively'' important -- Earning a "Jet" ranking in each level is the key to unlocking characters in the first game. Tagging and performing stunts adds to your score, as does completing the level with lots of time left on the clock. In ''Future'', it instead unlocks some of the Graffiti Souls.
243	* SealedEvilInACan: In the first game, it's revealed in the later levels that the Golden Rhinos are searching for [[spoiler:a record called the Devil's Contract, which can apparently summon demons]]. [[BigBad Rokkaku]] wants it so he can TakeOverTheWorld.
244	* SecretCharacter:
245	** In the first game, getting a Jet rank in all levels of a district nets you one of their gang members as a playable character; a Noise Tank for Benten-Cho, a Love Shocker for Shibuya-Cho, and a Poison Jam for Kogane-Cho. Grind City follows this with the Golden Rhinos' gang leader, [[spoiler:Gouji Rokkaku]].
246	** In both games, [[spoiler:the GG's dog, Potts]] is an unlockable character.
247	* SequelHook: The first game ends with Gouji being defeated, but the final narration segment claims that his son took over the Rokkaku company after his father's defeat, setting the stage for further graffiti fighting.%%What's ''Future''[='s=] Sequel Hook?
248	* SerialEscalation: The police in both games will keep resorting to more ridiculous and deadly means to stop the graffiti issue. When you deploy an prototype combat mecha piloted by a psychotic detective to squish one teenager, you know you've gone a tad insane.
249	* ShabbyHeroesWellDressedVillains: In both games, the normal/modified clothes of the GG's and other gangs are contrasted with the {{Elite Mook}}s of the Golden Rhinos, dressed with [[TheMenInBlack black suits and ties]], and the BigBad Gouji Rokkaku, who is a ManOfWealthAndTaste.
250	* ShoutOut:
251	** Surprisingly, to [[Series/GakiNoTsukaiYaArahende Downtown]]'s Hamada and Matsumoto of all things. The original ''Jet Set Radio'' (and its remakes) feature an XL-size graffiti of Hamada giving Matsumoto the DopeSlap as per their trademark.
252	** Very easy to miss: the Golden Rhinos' black cars are a hardtop version of [[VideoGame/CrazyTaxi Axel's cab]]. [[note]]For those interested, it seems to be a mashup of a 1963 Chevy Impala (trunk and taillights) and a 1959/60 Cadillac Eldorado (everything else), plus massively simplified tailfins and front bumper[[/note]]
253	** Guitar Vader's "Super Brothers" is apparently about [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario and Luigi]]. The very first line talks about how they're going to "[[GratuitousEnglish come go to]] [[SaveThePrincess rescue]] [[DamselInDistress Peach]]".
254	** "That's Enough" repeats the phrase "Comin' at ya," popularized in [[TheNineties 90's]] Hip Hop songs like "How I Could Just Kill a Man" by Music/CypressHill and "Shame On A Nigga" by Music/WuTangClan.
255	** Professor K is essentially a GenderFlip of Creator/LynneThigpen's unnamed DJ character in ''Film/TheWarriors''.
256	* SimilarSquad: Combo's gang on the other side of the Pacific also roller-skates and tags up the city. Chapter 2 begins with them joining the GG's, where they fit right in.
257	* SinisterSilhouettes: Gouji's son, as pictured in the ending sequence of the first game.
258	* SissyVillain: Hayashi. He sports a huge health bar, but is no more powerful than the regular Rokkaku mooks you face.
259	* SkateHeavenIsAPlaceOnEarth: Almost everything that's narrow can be used as a rail to grind, from fences to benches to guardrails, and skaters can also wallride on many of the game's walls to pick up speed.
260	* SoulBrotha:
261	** Professor K, though not out spraying with the GG's, blasts funky music from his radio station.
262	** One of the songs in the game is actually ''called'' "Sweet Soul Brother", and is aptly about one.
263	* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
264	** The GG's dog is "Potts" in the original releases of the first game, and "Pots" in ''Future'' and the HD rerelease.
265	** The first name of the head of the Rokkaku Group is variously "Goji" and "Gouji".
266	* SpiderTank: Rokkaku supplies Hayashi with one of these, complete with police lights.
267	* SpiritualSuccessor: Inverted. The manga/anime ''Manga/AirGear'' and the Korean MMORPG ''Street Gears'' were both inspired by ''Jet Set Radio'''s style and premise.
268	* SpontaneousChoreography: Each gang seemingly has a dance number [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GetSwmueOaw&playnext=1&list=PL5D21278681BAD822 prepared in advance]].
269	* StoryBranching: A very minor version. Depending on whether you tackle the Noise Tanks or Poison Jam's home turf first, either Potts will be kidnapped, or the GG's hangout will be infested with frogs.
270	* SummonBackupDancers: During the final battle with Rokkaku, gyrating cage dancers are suspended from revolving cranes.
271	* SuperDrowningSkills: Causes a deduction in health, after which the player climbs out of the water. Perhaps justified because they are wearing rollerblades.
272	* SuperWindowJump: In Bantam Street, there's a three-story building with windows you can leap out of on two of the stories (you can also leap into them by way of wallriding).
273	* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The obvious example is Onishima/Hayashi, who are basically interchangeable as detectives trying to stop the Rudies running wild. Hayashi's only defining feature is how bonkers he is.
274	* SwissArmyWeapon: Player characters can use ''spraypaint'' to stun police officers, give their rollerblades a crazy boost, disable machinery, cover spotlights, disable bomb timers, operate switches, essentially anything they need done. In ''JSRF'', it just looks like spraypaint, but is in actuality ''the soul of the streets''. Uh-huh.
275	* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Captain Onishima in ''JSR'' since he's just doing his job, Hayashi to a lesser extent in ''JSRF'' since he's psychotically violent.
276	* TankGoodness: Hayashi and Onishima are both a little crazy for tanks.
277	-->'''Hayashi:''' Send in ALL the tanks!!
278	* TechnologyMarchesOn: InUniverse, Roboy was an obsolete Noise Tank Model (NT-1000) that was taken by the GG's, repaired and reprogrammed.
279	* ThankingTheViewer: ''Jet Set Radio''[='s=] credits end with the character you defeated the FinalBoss with spraying a tag reading "Thanks for playing!!" on the video screen at the Shibuya bus station.
280	* ThereWasADoor: Played for laughs in the first stage of Kogane. One method of crossing the river is plowing through a half-dozen plaster wall apartments. It's not until later that Garam shows you a cleaner and quicker route that uses a wall-ride to leap over the basin.
281	* ThrivingGhostTown: Averted. The game's most important character is Tokyo-to itself, and is designed to overwhelm the player with the sprawl of the urban landscape, populated by endless terrified [=NPCs=].
282	* TitleDrop: Inevitable, as the pirate station the game is based around is called "Jet Set Radio". But in the sequel, Professor K goes out of his way to say "Jet Set Radio '''Future!'''" near the endgame.
283	* TitleScream: "'''JET SET RADIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'''" In the original North American version, the title was screamed by the ''VideoGame/CrazyTaxi'' announcer; in the HD version it's instead shouted by DJ Professor K.
284	* TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse: Both variations are here. The game proper is set in Tokyo-to, and you briefly visit Grind City, the setting's New York City.
285	* TranslationConvention: Despite hailing from the states, Combo and Cube have no trouble communicating with the Japanese Rudies. Possibly justified in that ''JSR'''s setting exists somewhere between reality and punk fantasy.
286	* UnblockableAttack: The first Assassin you encounter, #5, has a whip which ''cannot be dodged'' by dashing.
287	* VictoryPose: Everyone has a special dance they do upon completing an objective.
288	* VillainWithGoodPublicity: No one makes the connection between the Golden Rhinos, a notorious gang of Asian killers, and Gouji Rokkaku, whose corporate mascot is... a gold rhino. Gouji's sheer wealth probably makes this a JustifiedTrope, though.
289	* VoiceOfTheResistance: Professor K through the titular radio station.
290	* VolumetricMouth: [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/jetsetradio/images/b/b5/Dj.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101220021814 Professor K]] has a pretty big mouth.
291	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Rapid 99 are in ''Future's'' plot for a grand total of five minutes, and are never brought up or seen again. In conversations with your fellow rudies, they're built up pretty well, so it makes you wonder why their appearance is short.
292	* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Your solution to everything in this series involves rollerblading, spraypainting, or both. This includes the final boss of ''JGR''; [[spoiler:he converts the roof of his office tower into a giant turntable, and to defeat him, you have to platform to the adjoining towers and spray graffiti over his occult symbols]].
293	* WhenThingsSpinScienceHappens: In ''JSRF'', Gouji's DJ booth is adorned with a 'halo' of spinning radio antennae.
294	* WhiteGangBangers: Some of the gangs qualify. Poison Jam are a good example, and they also worked for an Asian boss for a while. The main characters are a mix of ethnicities, including White, Black, Japanese and possibly other kinds of Asian.
295	* WickedHeartSymbol: The Love Shockers' graffiti and symbol are in the image of a broken heart.
296	* WomanScorned: Professor K jokes that the Love Shockers are entirely comprised of these.
297	-->''Love broke their hearts, and now they're looking to do some ''breaking'' of their own!''
298	* YouAllLookFamiliar: Not only there are a limited number of pedestrian designs, but each pedestrian of a particular design exclaims the exact same thing when bumped into. Every. Single. Time. One level features dozens of women in identical orange jumpsuits in rows (presumably doing morning exercises or something) that all exclaim "Ah! He touched my butt!" in comically high voices.
299	* YouAreNumberSix: The Rokkaku "Assassins" are each numbered from #1-6. They appear in the remixed version of previous levels after you cause enough trouble, essentially replacing the military.

Context VideoGame / JetSetRadio