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Julia Chang

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This article is about the fictional character. For the Chinese American diplomat, see Julia Chang Bloch.
Julia Chang
Tekken character
Julia Chang in Tekken 6 (2007)
First gameTekken 3 (1997)
Voiced by
In-universe information
AliasJaycee
NationalityAmerican[3]

Julia Chang (Japanese: ジュリア・チャン, Hepburn: Juria Chan) is a character in the Tekken series by Japanese company Bandai Namco Entertainment. She made her debut in Tekken 3 (1997) and is the adopted daughter of Michelle Chang, another character in the Tekken series. Julia's story often revolves around her efforts to save her tribe's forest. In Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011), she adopts a different identity known as Jaycee (Japanese: ジェイシー, Hepburn: Jeishī). Julia has been featured in several Tekken games, as well as in comic books, anime, and merchandise. She has been voiced by multiple actors over the years. Critics have acknowledged her portrayal as a representative of Native American heritage and she has also received recognition among competitive Tekken players.

Design and gameplay

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When working on Tekken 3 (1997), the development team decided to retire their existing Native American character, Michelle Chang. To replace Michelle, they created Julia Chang. Julia was designed to be intellectually gifted while retaining Michelle's overall appeal. Additionally, the developers wanted to emphasize a rebellious streak in Julia, contrasting her with other fighters who focused heavily on aesthetics. This led to the decision to portray Julia as attractive while wearing glasses.[4] The creation of Julia and Michelle was constrained by the technological limitations prevalent in the gaming industry of the 1990s. Despite these restrictions on time and polygonal complexity, the developers prioritized individual expression in character design. Seeking inspiration from indigenous cultures, the team referenced the traditional war bonnets of Plains Indigenous peoples. To respectfully acknowledge Native American heritage, "feather accents" were incorporated into the characters' designs.[5]

In the 2011 fighting game Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Julia was introduced as the alter-ego Jaycee (also referred to as "JayCee" or "J.C."), adopting a lucha libre persona. This shift introduced a new set of wrestling-inspired moves and a masked appearance, diversifying her role within the game.[6][7][8]

According to Japanese game director Katsuhiro Harada, Julia's conception was challenging. Over time, the developers found it increasingly difficult to keep Julia popular among fans. Throughout the Tekken series, Julia would experience temporary surges in popularity, followed by periods of waning interest. In an attempt to boost her appeal, the developers gave Julia an alternative version, Jaycee, in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011). Harada explained that while Julia was statistically one of the best Tekken characters in terms of usage, she received far less player feedback compared to other female characters like Asuka Kazama and Lili De Rochefort. This lack of player engagement led to the creation of Jaycee, aimed at giving Julia a more unique personality and attracting more player attention.[7]

Debuting in Tekken 3 as a 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) tall young American woman,[9] Julia's original design was inspired by Native American fashion, featuring a crop top, a short denim skirt, cowgirl boots, and a small feathered headdress.[5] However, this headdress is absent in Tekken 4 (2001), where her design undergoes drastic changes, including the addition of glasses.[10] In Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Julia adopts the identity of Jaycee, embracing the lucha libre style and taking the place of her friend, who was the original Jaycee. Jaycee is a wordplay on Julia's name, and her moveset is more grappling-focused.[6] In Tekken 7 (2015), Julia changes her occupation to a live streamer, streaming her fights to gain attention and support. By broadcasting her battles online, she aims to reach a wider audience and engage with her fans, utilizing her platform to maintain her presence in the public.[11]

In terms of gameplay, Julia uses various Chinese martial arts, with many techniques similar to those of her adoptive mother, Michelle.[12] In addition to her numerous wrestling-style throws, Julia also possesses quick attacks that can transition into combos (combinations of attacks).[13] Her several variations of consistent attacks make her tricky to compete against, and she can mix up different kinds of moves to confuse her opponents.[9] Along with these properties, she is equipped with both weaknesses and strengths. One of her weaknesses is the lack of damage output, while her quickness is a major aspect of her playstyle, as she can benefit from it by performing juggle combos (attacking mid-air). She must be played carefully to avoid being attacked. Similarly, due to her limited power, she must continuously execute juggle combos on her opponents to inflict significant damage.[10]

Appearances

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In Tekken (main series)

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Introduced in Tekken 3 (1997), Julia was adopted by Michelle Chang, a Native American woman who taught her martial arts. Julia studied archaeology and, at age 18, entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3 (Tekken 3) to find Michelle, who disappeared while investigating her stolen pendant.[14][3] Julia managed to rescue Michelle and discovered that the tournament host, Heihachi Mishima, was the reason behind Michelle's disappearance.[15] Later, Julia researched ecosystem restoration techniques to save her homeland from climatic change, collaborating with G Corporation. However, her data was stolen by the Mishima Zaibatsu organization, prompting her to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4 (Tekken 4) and King of Iron Fist Tournament 5 (Tekken 5) to recover it.[10][16]

After reclaiming her stolen data and completing her research, Julia returned to Arizona (her homeland) to implement the reforestation plans. Along the way, Julia met with an old woman who proved helpful for the reforestation project and she gave Julia a warning about an impending battle between two people, Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima, which could revive a dangerous creature. Determined to prevent this, Julia entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6 (Tekken 6).[17] In Tekken 7 (2015), after retiring as a masked fighter, Jaycee. Julia focused on global reforestation. However, she needed money and aimed to defeat Kazuya Mishima, believing it would gain global attention and funding for her project.[18]

Other appearances

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For the 2012 crossover game Street Fighter X Tekken, Julia received a swap costume option featuring Chun-Li's classic design from the Street Fighter series, creating a visual crossover.[4]

Julia is featured as a playable character in the Tekken series' tag team-based games such as Tekken Tag Tournament (1999) and as Jaycee in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011).[19][20] She is also a selectable character in the Tekken series spin-offs, such as Tekken Card Challenge (1999), Tekken 3D: Prime Edition (2012), and as Jaycee in Tekken Revolution (2013).[21][22][23] Jaycee is also present in Tekken Pachislot 3rd (2014), a slot machine game, and as a non-playable character in the 2015 fixed shooter mobile game Galaga: Tekken 20th Anniversary Edition.[24] Julia can be seen on a poster in the 2005 action-adventure game Death by Degrees.[25] She also appears as a playable character in the crossover game Street Fighter X Tekken (2012).[26] A reference to her is present in the 2023 fighting game Street Fighter 6.[27]

Video games aside Julia has been featured in comics and manga, including Tekken 3 (1996), Tekken: Tatakai no Kanatani (2000), Tekken Forever (2001), and Tekken Comic (2009).[28] Julia also appears in the 2022 six-episode anime Tekken: Bloodline, where she is voiced in Japanese by Seiko Yoshida and in English by Jeannie Tirado.[1] Tekken: Bloodline is based on the events of the 1997 fighting game Tekken 3. In the narrative, Julia appears to be among the participants who received invitations to the King of Iron Fist tournament. She enters the tournament to find her mother's stolen pendant from the tournament's host, Heihachi Mishima. During the tournament, she confronts Heihachi for the pendant. Another participant, Jin Kazama, intervenes to protect Julia from Heihachi.[29] Jin promises Julia that he will give her the pendant back after the tournament.[30]

Promotion and reception

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In Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011), Jaycee's alternative costume was designed by Japanese illustrator Mutsumi Inomata. This design collaboration brought a different visual approach to the character, integrating elements reflective of Inomata's artistic style.[31]

Action figure company Kazya released a 1/7-dimensional garage kit action figure made of resin material, which was based on Julia's Tekken 3 (1997) appearance. This figure was released on August 20, 2000.[32] A resin garage kit figure of Julia from her Tekken 4 (2001) iteration was manufactured by BROVO COMPANY, circled by Heihachi Zazen, and sculpted by Honda Heihachi. It was released during Wonder Festival 2003 in the winter season.[33] Diamond Select Toys produced a 1.95-inch Julia PVC action figure based on her Street Fighter X Tekken (2012) design. It was released on December 30, 2012.[34] A prepainted 1/7 scale PVC figure of Julia as Jaycee from Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011) was sculpted by Busujima Takamaki, illustrated by the graphic artist Yamashita Shunya, and manufactured by Kotobukiya. It was released on February 15, 2013 in Japan.[35]

In May 2003, PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia confirmed Julia to be one of the most popular characters among the professional players of Tekken 4 (2001).[36] In September 2012, professional Tekken player Rene Maistry, during an interview with Prima Games, said that Julia was one of the most challenging characters for him to compete against in Tekken 5 (2004), reasoning that he disliked playing against quick characters.[37] Fergus, a professional Tekken player, with extensive experience using Julia. In an interview with Ryan "Saint Cola" Collins on the Medium website, he talked about his journey with Julia. He started playing Julia competitively in the early 2010s and found her interesting because of her distinct playstyle, the potential for having "best combos", and her personality as a live streamer.[38]

During the release of Tekken 6 (2007) and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (2011), Japanese game director Katsuhiro Harada received feedback about Julia's design, particularly her feathered headband. A Native American enthusiast criticized the headband for promoting stereotypes and not accurately representing Native American culture. Harada addressed this concern, acknowledging the feedback and noting the importance of sensitivity in cultural representation.[39][5] Before later being added as DLC, Julia's absence from Tekken 7 (2015) was met with widespread disappointment.[40] In December 2018, when Harada announced Julia as a downloadable content (DLC) character for Tekken 7, professional Tekken player Seong-ho 'Chanel' Kang enthusiastically celebrated her inclusion with a stage hug for Harada.[41]

Julia has also been discussed as a representative of Native Americans in multiple publications.[42][43][44] In the study "Representation of Native Americans: From Literature to Video Games", conducted in February 2018 by English professor Samuel Martínez Linares, it is argued that the portrayal of Julia and her adoptive mother, Michelle Chang, falls short of authentically representing Native American culture. Linares emphasizes the absence of specific tribal characteristics, which hinders players' understanding of the significance of choosing a Native American background. The lack of cultural depth prevents players from fully connecting with and appreciating the richness of Native American heritage. Additionally, the characters' similar physical appearances and questionable attire further contribute to a stereotypical and inaccurate representation.[45]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Julia Chang Voices (Tekken)". Behind The Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ Sheh, Stephanie [@stephaniesheh] (2020-02-23). "Thanks for the support but actors really don't have any control over what gets dubbed" (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-03-05 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b "13. Julia Chang "Wandering Fighter"". Computer and Video Games (188). July 1997. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  4. ^ a b Street Fighter X Tekken: Artworks. UDON Entertainment. September 2012. pp. 150–151. ISBN 978-1926778518.
  5. ^ a b c Ngan, Liv (January 10, 2024). "Tekken director seeks feedback from Native American community on Michelle and Julia designs". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Fanelli, Jason (June 19, 2011). "Get Ready For The Next Interview! Katsuhiro Harada Of Tekken". GamerNode. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  7. ^ a b タケヤマ カメラ [Takeyama] (September 14, 2011). "鉄拳が目指すアクションゲームの究極とは――本日稼働開始の「鉄拳TAG TOURNAMENT2」。新宿平八こと原田Pが語る格闘ゲーム，その哲学" [What is the ultimate action game that Tekken aims for? Tekken TAG TOURNAMENT2 starts today. Shinjuku Heihachi, also known as Harada P, talks about his philosophy on fighting games]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Don't be fooled. That drop-kicking Luchadore lady is actually returning Tekken veteran Julia Chang in disguise". Gamer (22): 75. September 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Julia Chang - Wandering Fighter". Computer and Video Games (202): 52. September 1998.
  10. ^ a b c Barton, Jeff; Littlefield, Michael; Sakamoto, Kevin (2002). "Julia Chang". Tekken 4: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games: 56 – via Internet Archive.
  11. ^ Tarason, Dominic (February 18, 2019). "Julia and The Walking Dead's Negan hit Tekken 7 next week". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  12. ^ "Julia Chang: chico nueovos el barrio". PlayStation Power Especial Trucos: Tekken 3.
  13. ^ "Ten of The Best". Computer and Video Games (198). May 1998. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  14. ^ Hill, Simon (1998). "Julia Chang". Tekken 3: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games: 126 – via Internet Archive.
  15. ^ Namco (1998). Tekken 3 (PlayStation). Level/area: Julia Chang - Homecoming. Julia: Michelle! Mother! / Michelle: You have conquered Ogre. Now the key to control Ogre is this pendant. It was all Heihachi's evil plot. / Julia: I'll never let Heihachi get away with this. / Michelle: No Julia. Wait. Julia, hatred is not the answer. Do you remember why I taught you the prowess to fight? It was to protect mother Earth, not to destroy. Now let's go home, back to Arizona. Where the land awaits us.
  16. ^ "Characters - Julia Chang". Tekken 5 NTSC-U/C Manual: 38 – via Internet Archive.
  17. ^ Tekken 6 Official Strategy Guide, Brady Games (2009). p. 146.
  18. ^ "『鉄拳7』有料DLC第8弾"ジュリア"、第9弾"ニーガン" の配信日が2月28日に決定。キャラクターPVも公開" ["Tekken 7" Paid DLC 8th "Julia" and 9th "Negan" will be released on February 28th. Character PV also released]. ファミ通.com [Famitsu.com] (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Namco (1999). Tekken Tag Tournament.
  20. ^ "A New Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Challenger Enters The Ring". Siliconera. GAMURS Group. January 12, 2011. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  21. ^ "Tekken Card Challenge for WonderSwan". IGN. July 15, 2000. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  22. ^ Edwards, Matt (February 17, 2012). "Tekken 3D: Prime Edition Review". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Jaycee Joins Tekken Revolution Just In Time For Valentine's Day". Siliconera. GAMURS Group. February 13, 2014. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  24. ^ Bandai Namco Entertainment (September 2014). Tekken Pachislot 3rd.
    Bandai Namco Entertainment (April 30, 2015). Galaga: Tekken 20th Anniversary Edition.
  25. ^ Audrey, Sean (September 1, 2005). "Death By Degrees Walkthrough". PSX Extreme. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  26. ^ "Julia Chang Is Ready For Street Fighter X Tekken". Siliconera. GAMURS Group. May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  27. ^ Wong, Kevin (August 2, 2023). "15 Character Revelations We Learned In Street Fighter 6". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  28. ^ Li Zhonghao (w), Kuang Shijie (a). Tekken 3 (1996). Namco.
    Keiichi Suzuki (a). Tekken: Tatakai no Kanatani (2000—2001). Shogakukan.
    Dave Chi (w), Paco Diaz (a). Tekken Forever (2001). Image Comics.
    Rui Takato (a). Tekken Comics (2009—2010). Shueisha.
  29. ^ Tekken: Bloodline. Episode 5. Bandai Namco Entertainment. 2022. Heihachi: Hmm? / Julia: I want to know what happened to my mother. And I want her pendant back now, Heihachi. / Heihachi: The pendant is from a time and people well before Michelle Chang. / Jin: What the hell? Grandfather, what are you doing? / Heihachi: Do not waste your Kazama empathy on this wannabe assassin. / Jin: Assassin? Are you kidding? / Heihachi: You, leave, now! / Jin: I'll make sure she leaves. / Heihachi: You have a tournament to win. / Jin: And you have a tournament to run. I'll take care of it. You won't see her again.
  30. ^ Tekken: Bloodline. Episode 5. Bandai Namco Entertainment. 2022. Julia: I don't need help from another Mishima. / Jin: What? / Julia: It all makes sense now. I heard you call him "grandfather." You... you're the son of Kazuya Mishima. / Jin: You should leave. / Julia: I'm not leaving until I recover my mother's pendant and find out what happened to her. / Jin: Pendant? / Julia: You've seen it, haven't you? My mother was determined to make sure the pendant was used for good, and Heihachi stole it from her. Heihachi got it from some lowlife who got it from the bottom of a lake. After my mother hid it there, trying to keep it away from him. Heihachi will only use its power for evil. / Jin: Heihachi's trying to help me rid the world of someone. Of something truly evil. / Julia: The Ogre? Who do you think unleashed it on all of us? / Jin: What? You're saying Heihachi released Ogre into the world? / Julia: That's what my mother believed. / Jin: Ogre killed my mother. / Julia: That should just make you more determined to prevent Heihachi from using the pendant. / Jin: You'll... get the pendant back. / Julia: What? / Jin: After the tournament. I'll see to it. After I fight that masked freak.
  31. ^ "Tales And Tenjho Tenge Artists Create Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Costumes". Siliconera. GAMURS Group. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  32. ^ "Tekken 3 - Julia Chang - 1/7 (Kazya)". MyFigureCollection.net. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  33. ^ "Tekken 4 - Julia Chang - 1/8 (BROVO COMPANY, Heihachi Zazen)". MyFigureCollection.net. Archived from the original on 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
  34. ^ "Street Fighter x Tekken - Julia Chang - Minimates (Diamond Select Toys)". MyFigureCollection.net. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  35. ^ "Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - Jaycee - Julia Chang - Bishoujo Statue - Tekken". MyFigureCollection.net. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  36. ^ "Tekken on the World". PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia. 14: 15. May 2003.
  37. ^ "Meet The Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Team: KOR". Prima Games. September 12, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  38. ^ Collins, Ryan (March 10, 2019). "Stream Monster: Fergus Talks About His History With Julia Chang And Her Transition To Tekken 7". Medium. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  39. ^ Harradence, Michael (January 10, 2024). "Tekken 8 Boss Wants Feedback From Native American Community On The Designs Of Michelle & Julia". PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  40. ^ Borkowski, Alex (2017-05-31). "'Tekken' fans are antsy for the return of Julia Chang". Mic. Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  41. ^ Glaze, Virginia (December 3, 2018). "Tekken pros rush stage to hug producer after major character reveals". Dexerto. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  42. ^ Wisniewski, Nicholas (2018). Playing with Culture: The Representation of Native Americans in Video Games (Thesis). Archived from the original on 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  43. ^ Ząbecki, Krzysztof (2020). "Promoting and Preserving Indigenous Languages and Cultures in the Americas Through Video Games". Handbook of the Changing World Language Map. pp. 1785–1802. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-02438-3_114. ISBN 978-3-030-02437-6.
  44. ^ Sanna-Kaisa Lamminpää (December 2019). "How The Source Material Affects Visual Design For Video Game Characters". Designing Video Game Characters Based On An Unfamiliar Culture: Case Skábma (PDF) (Thesis). Tampere University of Applied Sciences. p. 31.
  45. ^ Martínez Linares, Samuel (February 2018). Representation of Native Americans: From Literature to Video Games (Thesis). p. 53—54.
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