Character Index
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Platinum Prince
"Platinum Prince" Toshihiko Kūonji
Platinum Prince's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
Silence Cassiopeia
"Silence Cassiopeia" Ihide Sai
Silence Cassiopeia's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
Deep Blue Sniper
"Deep Blue Sniper" Shūto Kazama
Deep Blue Sniper's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
Dawn Garnet
"Dawn Garnet" Akane Sasawara
Dawn Garnet's logo
Click here to see her silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
Skull Bullet
"Skull Bullet" James Biggins
Skull Bullet's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
PHANTOM NINE
In General
The PHANTOM NINE are a loose team of recent creation. After Jintei disappeared and the Thirteen Devils dissolved, Snake Eyes gathered eight of the top class racers from the Tokyo metropolis and filled the power void that had been created, running amok over the Expressway and wiping the slate clean in the process.
- A Friend in Need: After Snake Eyes' defeat, Sandstorm Emperor is the only one to remain by his side, believing in his leader to get back up and claim back his spot.
- Caps Lock: The group's spelling swings back and forth between four variations, two of which are spelled in all-caps, and two of which replace the word "Nine" with the number "9". note
- Sequential Boss: The three Kurosaki brothers, usually the first members of the PHANTOM NINE that the player gets to race against, are all fought one after the other, with no breaks between battles.
- Sketchy Successor: To the Thirteen Devils and the Zodiac. Everyone who has an opinion on it makes it abundantly clear that the PHANTOM NINE are vastly inferior to their predecessors, and will make no secret of it. It doesn't help that, unlike them, some members of the team tend to rely on sheer numbers to overwhelm opponents. Snake Eyes is aware of this, but denies it at every occasion, even to himself. He's looking for someone as strong as Jintei he can defeat so he can properly proclaim himself the fastest on the Expressway. He suffers a Villainous Breakdown when you first beat him, as a result.
- Who Needs Enemies?: Although it might not seem so at first, every PHANTOM NINE member can't stand the others outside of their own unit — and even then, only the Kurosaki brothers truly get along with one another. The moment the player defeats Snake Eyes, everyone except Sandstorm Emperor promptly abandons him and the team, gladly admitting they couldn't stand him and wanted to bring him down.
- Zerg Rush: The go-to strategy of Dark Goblin, Sandstorm Emperor and Crazy Monkey, is to face any opponent in a three-against-one battle. This way, they'll overcrowd the road, with one driver to block the fastest line, a second to be left to his own devices, and a third to be free to pull away, winning the battle for his team with ease. This would make them unbeatable... if they actually had anything resembling cohesion to do it on a routine basis.
Crimson Boy
"Crimson Boy" Masamichi Kurosaki
Crimson Boy's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
"Crimson Boy" Masamichi Kurosaki is the youngest of the three Kurosaki brothers, as well as the youngest member of the PHANTOM NINE. In spite of that, he's the most mild-mannered of both groups, as well as one of the most mature ones.
- Big Ego, Hidden Depths: Masamichi is the most verbose of the brothers, and as such tends to be the one making overblown declarations on their behalf, but once beaten, he's the first to recognize that it was their own overconfidence that lead to their defeat, and warns the player to not make the same mistake.
- The Gift: Described as having a natural sense for all things racing, as well as having made a name for himself in only a few years.
- Sibling Team: Forms one with his older brothers, "Golden Wisdom" and "Old Iron Man".
- Villainous Respect: Unlike his older brothers, he immediately recognizes the player's skill upon being defeated, and is more than happy to be fought again, hoping he can be of any use.
Golden Wisdom
"Golden Wisdom" Masanori Kurosaki
Golden Wisdom's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
"Golden Wisdom" Masanori Kurosaki is the second of the three Kurosaki brothers. Rash, arrogant, and a show-off, he's mostly known for his fangirls, to the point that even older brother Masazaku finds him to be a handful.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Definitely the most arrogant of the brothers, and the only one to try to come up with an excuse upon losing to the player.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: It's mentioned that he has a fair, softer side to him that's usually hidden.
- Sibling Team: Forms one with his older and younger brothers, "Crimson Boy" and "Old Iron Man".
Old Iron Man
"Old Iron Man" Masazaku Kurosaki
Old Iron Man's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
"Old Iron Man" Masazaku Kurosaki is the oldest of the three Kurosaki brothers, and the one who introduced his younger brothers to the world of highway racing. A veteran of the Tokyo Expressway, in spite of his relatively young age, he's known to be calm, collected, and unflippable.
- Promoted to Parent: The brothers' parents passed when Masazaku was young, forcing him to raise Masanori and Masamichi by his lonesome.
- Sibling Team: Forms one with his younger brothers, "Crimson Boy" and "Golden Wisdom".
- Wise Beyond Their Years: As a combination of having to raise his brothers, having learned to work on his car through trial-and-error hundreds of times, and having started to run on the Expressway as soon as legally possible, Masazaku has the life experiences of people twice his age.
- Younger Than They Look: Let's just say Masazaku didn't get the street name of "Old Iron Man" for actually being old... having to handle Masanori and Masamichi definitely makes him come across as far older than he actually is.
Dark Goblin
"Dark Goblin" Ken'ichi Mayama
Dark Goblin's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Drives Like Crazy: He used to be an Inversion, but as a result of rumors surrounding him, Snake Eyes, and the PHANTOM NINE, he's started to become a dirty driver with next to no impunity.
- Dub Name Change: Downplayed, but present: in the Japanese version of the game, his street name is "Yami Tengu", whereas in the international release, it's changed to "Dark Goblin"... in spite of the fact that his sticker still reads "Yami Tengu".
- Foreshadowing: He's the first to mention that Snake Eyes might be looking to induct a new driver into the PHANTOM NINE, and fears that he might get kicked out of the team to make room for them. Turns out, he's spot on about the first one, as Snake Eyes believes he's been grooming the player into a projection of Jintei, and will offer them a spot on the PHANTOM NINE should he beat them.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: It's abundantly clear that his fellow team mates do not have a positive opinion of Ken'ichi: Yoshiro yells at him and insults him at every occasion, Tsutomu is largely indifferent to him, and even Snake Eyes seems to not care for him, only seeing him as a pawn in his plans.
- It's All About Me: It's clear he could not care less about his fellow PHANTOM NINE team mates. His entire motivation for beating the player is to impress Snake Eyes and cement his position within the PHANTOM NINE, to the point of asking to face them alone if the player faces the trio again after losing to them the first time.
- The Napoleon: Short, has been developing a bad temper and even worse driving as a result of the pressure he feels on himself... Ken'ichi fitst he trope to a T.
- Otaku: He's described to have a strong interest in anime and collecting figurines in his bio. His sprite has him holding a figure. It doesn't get much more otaku than that.
- What's He Got That I Ain't Got?!: The very first words that leave his mouth make it clear he wants to beat strong drivers to impress Snake Eyes. Turns out, it's because he fears he might get kicked out of the PHANTOM NINE for a new driver if he fails to do just that, which has been pushing him over the edge.
Sandstorm Emperor
"Sandstorm Emperor" Yoshirō Ashibe
Sandstorm Emperor's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Bald of Evil: Looking carefully at his silhouette makes it clear he's completely bald, the only character in the entire game to be so. He's also one of the most unpleasant people in Tokyo's street racing scene. Being the only member of the PHANTOM NINE to not abandon the team and remain by Snake Eyes' side after the latter's defeat is the cherry on top, really.
- Never My Fault: To the point that it's basically a character trait. Did he manage to beat the player by any means? Then they wasted his time. Didn't get any recognition for beating the player? Ken'ichi and Tsutomu made him look bad. Lost to the player twice? It's Ken'ichi's fault for being too slow!
- Psychological Projection: What his constant insults and blaming towards Dark Goblin can feel like. Since they, alongside Crazy Monkey, are fought in a three-against-one, they're all responsible of their collective defeat, even more so since they had a truly unfair advantage. Ultimately, all three were defeated, but Yoshiro only blames Ken'ichi.
- With Friends Like These...: Yoshiro constantly insults his teammate Ken'ichi. And we mean constantly: half his lines are insults aimed at his team mate. It gets to the point that even Tsutomu tells him off and orders him to focus on his own shortcomings, least they all get kicked out of the PHANTOM NINE.
Crazy Monkey
"Crazy Monkey" Tsutomu Shiraishi
Crazy Monkey's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Cowboy: Dresses like one, complete with Stetson hat... and finger guns!
- Dub Name Change: Downplayed, but present: in the international release of the game, his street name is changed to "Mad Murdoc"... in spite of the fact that his sticker still reads "Crazy Monkey".
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Should you challenge him, Dark Goblin and Sandstorm Emperor after losing to them once already, he'll complain about the three of them getting no credit for having defeated you, hoping for second time to be the charm.
- Foil: To his fellow PHANTOM NINE member "Dark Tengu" Ken'ichi Mayama. Both are Badass Drivers amongst the best of the Tokyo Expressway, fiercely loyal to Snake Eyes, are at odds with some fellow team members, and belong to the same sub-unit. But whereas Tsutomu is a cheerful, confident guy willing to take a leadership role and at odds with the Kurosaki brothers for disrupting team unity, Ken'ichi walks with his head hung low, has little in self-esteem, can only think of himself, and is at odds with his own sub-unit because of their clashing personalities.
- Quit Your Whining: On subsequent wins against his sub-unit, he'll tell Yoshiro to stop whining and stop antagonizing Ken'ichi, because if they don't all make up for their losses, it will be all three of them getting kicked out of the PHANTOM NINE.
- Villainous Respect: He's the only member of his sub-unit to tip his hat to the player should he beat all three of them, and understand why Snake Eyes is so interested in the player.
- What Does She See in Him?: Platonic example: Tsutomu will wonder how Snake Eyes can see a replacement to Jintei in the player after beating them.
Dirty Fox
"Dirty Fox" Kazumi Amachi
Dirty Fox's logo
Click here to see her silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Drives Like Crazy: Double Subverted. Kazumi has a reputation for dirty driving and blocking her opponents' line... but she is an incredibly skilled driver, capable of navigating the narrow Shibuya Route 4 at great speeds. Thing is, she has no idea of how dangerous and reckless her driving style truly is to other drivers.
- Genki Girl: Kazumi is quite a bit bubblier than the rest of the PHANTOM NINE, and her awareness when driving extends solely to herself, but she is otherwise down-to-earth.
- Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: A ballerina by profession, with her clothes generally being frilly short gowns, Kazumi nonetheless is physically stronger than she looks, and retains a genuine passion for highway racing. She also possibly uses her physical strength from her experiences as a ballerina, for utilizing a very "unlady-like" driving style, aggressive and dirty - hence the street name. This is all without dwelling on the towering amount of rumours about her off-job behaviour.
- The Smurfette Principle: She's the only female member of the PHANTOM NINE.
NAMAHAGE
"NAMAHAGE" Naoki Fujimaki
NAMAHAGE's logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Ambiguous Situation: What the relation between him and Jintei truly is. Some evidence hints at him being Purple Meteor, having the same name and having raced on the Expressway for decades. On the flipside, other evidence hints at that not being the case, since Purple Meteor drove a Skyline R32 GT-R, whilst NAMAHAGE claims he's been driving his A70 Supra for twenty years. Moreso, Purple Meteor apparently reappears as a member of Be Legend to begin with. Unless he's splitting his time between the PHANTOM NINE and Be Legend...
- Caps Lock: His street name specifically is written this way.
- Old Master: NAMAHAGE is old when compared to his peers, especially his far younger teammates in the PHANTOM NINE. He's been racing on the Tokyo Highway for decades by the time you face him. He's also the most skilled driver of the bunch alongside Snake Eyes.
- Rice Burner: Subverted: His Supra A70 has a... erm... unique wide body kit, also available to the player, that makes it resemble a fifth-generation Ford Mustang, and decals that feel somewhat amateurish in their design and application. The car, nonetheless, nears a thousand HP.
- Significant Name Overlap: Shares his full name, Naoki Fujimaki, with Purple Meteor. That is, if he straight-up isn't Purple Meteor to begin with, which is strongly implied, but never outright confirmed or denied.
- Undying Loyalty: He's a close friend of Snake Eyes... but also has some sort of connection to Jintei. Upon being defeated by the player, however, he will fully admit that he joined the PHANTOM NINE to escape his past, but that Snake Eyes does not have what Jintei and others before him had to become the fastest, before begging the player to "shoot him down", stopping him for good.
Snake Eyes
"Snake Eyes" Hajime Hisanaga
Snake Eyes' logo
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
Five years ago, right before Jintei disappeared, he defeated a talented racer. The young man was so shaken by his defeat that he moved to the United States to hone his skills, vowing to return to Japan and get his revenge.
When he finally crossed the Pacific once again, he hadn't let go of his desire for vengeance, not even for a single day. But the man who indirectly sent him down this path had long been gone. Unable to accept it, the young man rose to the top of the Metropolitan Expressway, crushing long-time drivers and teams in the process, and gathered eight of the fastest drivers alongside him, with the sole objective of becoming the fastest in Japan.
"Snake Eyes" Hajime Hisanaga is the founder and leader of the PHANTOM NINE. He considers himself, and is considered by many, to be the fastest racer active on the Tokyo Expressway. He also holds a deep-seated grudge towards Jintei... one he's decided to project on the player.
- Always Someone Better: In spite of Snake Eyes' belief that all he needs to do is beat Jintei, or a projection of him, to truly become Japan's fastest, he's nowhere close to being the fastest racer in Tokyo: after his defeat, Gloomy Angel and White Charisma return to prove themselves faster than him, whilst NO LOSER and D3 lead expeditions from their hometowns of Osaka and Nagoya to prove that he's not nearly as fast as he likes to think he is.
- Badass Longcoat: As shown by his silhouette, he wears an objectively cool leather one with buttons. He's also an incredibly skilled street racer, and a legitimate contender to the title of Tokyo's fastest.
- Create Your Own Hero: Believes he directly played a role in making the player a better driver, but in reality, the trope is Averted: Snake Eyes had zero to do with it, and it's merely part of his ongoing delusion in trying to get a win back against Jintei.
- Driven by Envy: Part of the reason why Snake Eyes obsesses so much over erasing Jintei from history, even in his head, is because of the reputation the former head of the Thirteen Devils has built over time. He couldn't accept his loss to him to begin with, but now he can't accept what Jintei represents compared to himself.
- I Need You Stronger:
- Claims that he sent the PHANTOM NINE after the player and maneuvered everyone from behind the scenes in order to make the player as strong as Jintei. He's obviously satisfied of the level you reached by the time you get to finally face him.
- In the logical conclusion to the trope, should he defeat you, Snake Eyes will claim he no longer has any use for you... as an opponent, atleast. See We Can Rule Together below.
- Smug Snake: It can't be denied that Hajime is both cunning and skilled, being responsible for the closest possible thing to a Salt the Earth scenario on the Tokyo Expressway and becoming one of Tokyo's fastest in the process. His Fatal Flaw, however, is his massive ego, to the point that anything remotely damaging to it causes him to lose it. Bonus points for having a snake skin motif at the base of his Supra's decals.
- This Cannot Be!: His reaction to his first defeat by the player's hands. He isn't angry at having lost, more dumbstruck... but the moment he starts suspecting Jintei of having played a role in it, he goes into full denial, even yelling a Big "NO!".
- We Can Rule Together: Should Snake Eyes beat the player, he will offer them a spot as part of the PHANTOM NINE.
