History YMMV / JetSetRadio

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: The game's soundtrack is largely responsible for its Teen rating. Although the most explicit lyrics were censored, several made it in about drugs, sex, and [[PrecisionFStrike "rock that shit, homie!"]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: The upcoming 2023 game ''Bomb Rush Cyberfunk'' is the first (albeit unofficial) new entry to a series that hasn't had a new game since the early 2000s.

** It's this with ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' because of their similar aesthetics and color-spreading gameplay. It helps that Hideki Naganuma, the series' composer, [[https://twitter.com/Hideki_Naganuma/status/585785661065531392 retweeted some fanart]] of two Inklings in Beat and Gum's clothes, stating a crossover between the two series would be a "dream project."
** With ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' as well, thanks to their similar aesthetics and a comment from the creator about one of the characters loving the game's soundtrack.
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: In Japan, ''Classic'' was released in an unfinished state on a [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast sinking ship]], and ''Future'' was exclusive to the Xbox, which sold much worse than the competition. Neither game appealed to the wants of their Japanese audience at the time of their release, as they preferred anime [=RPGs=] and arcade fighters. On the other side of the pond, Western players consider both games [[CultClassic cult classics]] and have been frequently cited as examples of the artistic and aesthetic potential of video games.

* CultClassic: To date, the series consists primarily of two games - 2000's ''Jet Set/Grind Radio'' and 2002's ''Jet Set Radio Future'' - plus a downgraded GBA remake of the first game, a Japan-only typing game for mobile phones, and two {{updated rerelease}}s of the first game (the first being the Japan-exclusive ''De La Jet Set Radio'' and the second being the worldwide ''Jet Set Radio HD''). Despite this, ''Jet Set Radio'' is beloved for its stylized aesthetics, diverse characters, unique gameplay, and ''especially'' its [[AwesomeMusic/JetSetRadio incredible soundtrack]].

** It's this with ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' because of their similar aesthetics and paint-spreading gameplay. It helps that Hideki Naganuma, the series' composer, [[https://twitter.com/Hideki_Naganuma/status/585785661065531392 retweeted some fanart]] of two Inklings in Beat and Gum's clothes, stating a crossover between the two series would be a "dream project."

* HarsherInHindsight:
** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, got a lot less fun and cartoony as these methods became more common and publicized.
** Professor K's line of "hijacking the airwaves and terrorizing you with tunes" wouldn't pass in a [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror modern US release]].
** The Golden Rhinos were heavily implied to be Arabian in ''Jet Grind Radio.'' In ''Jet Set Radio Future,'' they have fedoras and trenchcoats due to post-9/11 cultural sensitivities.

* EvenBetterSequel: ''Future'' irons out nearly every flaw of the original game, with a more interesting story and varied gameplay. Many of the frustrating elements were dropped (see SequelDifficultyDrop) and the elements that did work were expanded upon with more depth and better control. Even those who have the SeinfeldIsUnfunny reaction to the original game freely admit to having enjoyed the successor.

** The final boss song, "Grace and Glory." ''(shudders)''

* TheScrappy: ''Classic'' Yo-Yo is disliked for several reasons. Primarily, his recruit race is a DifficultySpike[[labelnote:note]]It's Benten-Cho's Jet Crush mission. Since Yo-Yo challenges the player before it's unlocked in The Garage, they likely don't practice beforehand unless they delay his, and the other characters', challenges.[[/labelnote]] and his voice clips sound like he's taunting the player. He's also one of the hardest characters to use thanks to his frailty, low paint storage and complex graffiti combos. None of these apply to his ''Future'' counterpart, who got the opposite reaction.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezTFFCA5Spk "That's Enough"]] has a lot in common with Music/FatboySlim's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emzN7bU0OR0 "Always Read The Label".]]

* CultClassic: To date, only three games (one being a downgraded port) and a few rereleases on post-launch platforms exist in the series. Despite this, ''Jet Set Radio'' is beloved for its aesthetics and gameplay, and ''especially'' for its [[AwesomeMusic/JetSetRadio music]].

*** Fight or Flight has snipers from hard-to-reach areas that guard most of the graffiti spots. If you tag enough of them, ''gunners in jetpacks'' will show up. With their speed and firepower, it can be difficult to weave through the lead even if you planned your route in advance.

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: [[spoiler:In both games, Rokkaku's dream world where you fight a giant robot]] because of both fights' vivid, trippy color choices and bizarre scenarios.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, got a lot less fun and cartoony as these methods became more common and publicized.
** Professor K's line of "hijacking the airwaves and terrorizing you with tunes" wouldn't pass in a [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror modern US release]].
** The Golden Rhinos were heavily implied to be Arabian in ''Jet Grind Radio.'' In ''Jet Set Radio Future,'' they have fedoras and trenchcoats due to post-9/11 cultural sensitivities.

** Two in "Grafitti High:"

*** The Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility is a vertically-oriented stage with quite a few tricky jumps over health-sapping water. With no fast way to get back up and plenty of ways to fall down, falling off of a higher level or getting a Game Over makes it even more difficult.
*** The Skyscraper District & Pharaoh Park has a much darker color palette than the other stages, which can make judging your jumps tricky. They're usually over bottomless pits and preceded by unusual ramp mechanics, too[[note]]You accelerate while going up specific sloped surfaces in this area; in almost any other stage, you'd lose speed trying to do this on similar setpieces[[/note]]. Should you fall, the area's checkpoints are spread apart and far from your objectives (especially ones in the perimeter).

** The Latch Brothers sound ''very'' much like the [[Music/BeastieBoys]].

* OvershadowedByAwesome: The combo disc with ''JSRF'' and ''Sega GT 2002'' was this -- at the time, people wanted ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'' or other titles, so the standard practice was to take the disc you got with your Xbox and return it so you could get something else. This in turn made the combo disc easy to find on the secondary market.
** On that note, ''Sega GT 2002'' was itself overshadowed by ''JSRF'', mostly because it wasn't [[FollowTheLeader much more than a clone of]] ''VideoGame/GranTurismo''... though it has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvX91_pTUes an absolute killer soundtrack]].

* HypeBacklash[=/=]SeinfeldIsUnfunny: ''Classic's'' HD remaster, while still liked, was criticized more than the original Dreamcast version despite being a near-perfect port. A common thread in many reviews was that cel shading's novelty distracted critics from the game's flaws. Compare the Dreamcast version, which scored in the 90s on Metacritic, to the remasters, which usually score 20 points lower.

* BleachedUnderpants: The full, uncensored version of "I Am Not A Model" is VERY explicit.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: The song Rockin' The Mic by The Prunes does ''not'' censor the N-word.
** The lyrics to Funky Radio are disturbingly reminiscent of [[spoiler: date rape]].
** There are DummiedOut adult film posters in the data files for ''Jet Grind Radio.''
** One of the grind tricks is called "Porn Star."
* CultSoundtrack: The soundtrack, composed by Hideki Naganuma, is very well-known. It consists of hip-hop and funk with heavy use of {{sampling}}, so unique and energetic that the soundtrack alone is one of the game's major selling points.

* CrapPastTheRadar: The song Rockin' The Mic by The Prunes does ''not'' censor the N-word.

* {{Fanon}}: Because of the manual and guides' obscurity, many characters' common interpretations tend to be quite different. Gum has the most stark changes: official resources describe her as energetic and loyal, but she's commonly portrayed as a stoic DeadpanSnarker.
* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, got a lot less fun and cartoony as these methods became more common and publicized.
** Professor K's line of "hijacking the airwaves and terrorizing you with tunes" wouldn't pass in a [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror modern US release]].

* GoodBadBugs: Two in "Grafitti High:"
** By spawning two Onishimas, you can get a second helping of 500 bonus points, marvel as they ram into each other, or synchronize their tagged animations.
** A paratrooper gets stuck on the geometry. This makes the player character constantly alert over an enemy that can't hurt them.

*** Yo-Yo's recruit race. Very few characters outpace him: [[spoiler:the Love Shockers]], who are unlocked late and require all Jet ranks across Shibuya-cho, and [[spoiler:Pots]], who requires Jets in all levels. The race itself is Benten-cho's Jet Crush route, which is also ThatOneSidequest as described below.

* CultSoundtrack: The soundtrack composed by Hideki Naganuma is very well-known. It consists of hip-hop and funk with heavy use of {{sampling}}, it's so unique and energetic that the soundtrack alone has attracted many players and the music is still one of the games major selling points.

** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, become a lot less fun and cartoony when you consider their real-life parallels.

** Has a bizarrely amicable relationship with ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', thanks to Hideki Naganuma posting it frequently on his Twitter account. Ever since his followers followed suit, a lot of ''JSR'' crossover art/memes use the Griffins ironically.

* GoodBadBugs: Two in "No. 540:"
** You can spawn two Onishimas. You can get a second helping of 500 bonus points this way, marvel as they ram into each other or, with a dash of luck, synchronize their tagged animations.

** ''Future'''s final boss. Unlike the rest of the game, it's set in the dark, psychedelic interior of the Tower of Beauty, which uses living people as its fuel source (you can even see them helpless during the fight). Shadow figures relentlessly pursue the player unless they can make it to the top. All of this is punctuated by Gouji's unnerving, unhinged speech, glitching into itself a la [[VideoGame/SystemShock SHODAN]].

*** Fight or Flight has snipers from hard-to-reach areas that guard most of the graffiti spots. If you tag enough of them, ''gunners in jetpacks'' will show up. With their speed and firepower, it can be difficult to weave through the lead, even if you planned your route in advance.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Many were probably confused by the Teen rating on the games...until they listened closely to the lyrics of most of the songs. Although the most explicit lyrics were censored, several made it in about drugs, sex, and the [[PrecisionFStrike S and N-bombs out of nowhere]].

** The Noise Tanks' voice clips in ''Classic's'' [[https://youtu.be/B-5b4zyE2vs?t=78 Japanese release]]. They're composed of technical sounds, indecipherable speech and a hauntingly low pitch, as if the Noise Tanks are malfunctioning. Their lack of visible mouths makes it even more unnerving.

** The GG's:
*** Cube's goth aesthetic and comparatively extensive backstory in both games led to her being a fan favorite.
** Rival gangs:
*** The Noise Tanks have an appealing and distinct cyborg-based aesthetic which manifests in their numerous gadgets, such as rocket skates and tertiary arms.

* JustHereForGodzilla: While ''Sega GT 2002'' was a really fun racing game that holds up to this day, how many times did you play it compared to ''Jet Set Radio Future''? Many will tell you, not as much. Some who otherwise had no interest in ''Sega GT 2002'' whatsoever simply bought the disc because it was actually cheaper than getting ''Future'' on its own. (And that's not even getting into the fact that many who bought the Xbox bundle with both games would go out and get rid of both to buy something else, typically ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', which accounts for the combo disc's large presence on the second-hand market.)

* TheScrappy:
** ''Classic'' Yo-Yo is disliked for several reasons. Primarily, his recruit race is a DifficultySpike[[labelnote:note]]It's Benten-Cho's Jet Crush mission. Since Yo-Yo challenges the player before it's unlocked in The Garage, they likely don't practice beforehand unless they delay his, and the other characters', challenges.[[/labelnote]] and his voice clips sound like he's taunting the player. He's also one of the hardest characters to use thanks to his frailty, low paint storage and complex graffiti combos. None of these apply to his ''Future'' counterpart, who got the opposite reaction.

*** Cube's goth aesthetic and comparatively extensive backstory in both games led to her being a fan favorite as well.

*** Gum stands out for her fun character design and glimpses of personality. For hardcore ''Classic'' fans, she's also a decent way to get Jet ranks because she's a starting character with maximum Graffiti and usable stats in other areas. Thanks to all these, Gum's considered one of the unofficial mascots of the series and tends to appear in [[VideoGame/SEGASuperstars SEGA crossover games]] alongside Beat as a result.

** DJ Professor K, for being ''the'' LargeHamRadio host who broadcasts the series' SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic in-universe.

* EvenBetterSequel: ''Future'' irons out nearly every flaw of the original game, with a more interesting story and far more fleshed out gameplay. Many of the frustrating elements were dropped (see SequelDifficultyDrop) and the elements that did work were expanded upon with more depth and better control. Even those who have the SeinfeldIsUnfunny reaction to the original game freely admit to having enjoyed the successor.

** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, become a lot less fun and cartoony when it happens in real life, especially during the Black Lives Matter protests.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: In Japan, ''Classic'' was released [[ObviousBeta in an unfinished state]] on a [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast sinking ship]], and ''Future'' was exclusive to the Xbox, which sold much worse than the competition. Neither game appealed to the wants of their Japanese audience at the time of their release, as they preferred anime [=RPGs=] and arcade fighters. On the other side of the pond, Western players consider both games [[CultClassic cult classics]] and have been frequently cited as examples of the artistic and aesthetic potential of video games.

** Beat's shrug.[[labelnote:Explanation]]Because his character model seems to be in a constant state of amusement, fans have latched onto it as a reaction image.[[/labelnote]]
** Some of the voice clips:
*** "Hey, you!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Gum during cutscenes. It caught on because of its repeated appearance in the tutorial and Gum's popularity.[[/labelnote]]
*** "Damn!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Plays whenever you thwart Onishima. Its frequency and hammy delivery endeared it to the fanbase.[[/labelnote]]

** Clutch is the face of a GameBreakingBug in which he stops appearing, halting the player's progress unless they have an earlier save file. Even when working as intended, he steals the GG's Graffiti Souls and has the same stats and Jazz, leading many to bench him in favor of the latter.
* ScrappyMechanic: In ''Classic'', graffiti and camera control are mapped to the same button. Tag battles and small tags, in turn, can become disorienting as the player sprays paint and adjusts the camera at the same time. Thankfully, this can be reconfigured in the HD remaster.

** ''Future'''s final battle against [[spoiler:Gouji/A.Ku.Mu]] in their disorienting, psychedelic arenas. Getting to the fight requires a difficult series of jumps, and since the paint is at the bottom and the boss has a large health bar, the player needs to refill and clear the jumps at least twice.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Initially, a huge chunk of the soundtrack couldn't be licensed again for ''Classic'''s UpdatedRerelease. Fortunately, efforts by Sega brought back all but one of the original songs and even a few from ''Future'' to compensate.

** The extreme levels of police brutality, such as through teargassing and military weapons, become a lot less fun and cartoony when it happens in real life, especially during the recent Black Lives Matter protests.