Character Index
The Thirteen Devils
In General
After the Four Devas and the Four Devils were defeated, a power vacuum was left behind, with drivers and teams through-out the Expressway trying to stake their claims at being the very best.
Ultimately, it would be one young man who went by Jintei who'd come out on top, gathering thirteen of the fastest drivers in the Tokyo metropolis in the process. The rest is history.
The Thirteen Devils, known as "Thirteen Demon Generals" note in Japanese and mistranslated as "Thirteen Ogre Military Officers" by Crave, are a recurring group in the Tokyo Xtreme Racer franchise. They are some of the fastest racers in Tokyo, if not all of Japan.
Ultimately, it would be one young man who went by Jintei who'd come out on top, gathering thirteen of the fastest drivers in the Tokyo metropolis in the process. The rest is history.
The Thirteen Devils, known as "Thirteen Demon Generals" note in Japanese and mistranslated as "Thirteen Ogre Military Officers" by Crave, are a recurring group in the Tokyo Xtreme Racer franchise. They are some of the fastest racers in Tokyo, if not all of Japan.
- Zero-Approval Gambit: The entire team pulls one in Touge Legends. With Hamagaki's plotting causing them them reunite one more time and painting them as vile villains, how does Jintei deal with it? He orders the rest of the Devils to spread out through Japan's mountain passes and drive other racers away from them, thus playing up the image Hamagaki painted of them. This way, he either isolates the Kingdom Twelve, making it easier to crush them, or causes racers across Japan to rally together against a common foe, just in case he and the Devils fail in stopping Hamagaki. Jintei is also the only one aware of this plan, by the way.
- 13 Is Unlucky:
- Let's just say that having a run-in with one of them, be it on the Tokyo Expressway or the mountain passes of Japan, can't exactly be described as a pleasant experience, what with their overwhelming strength and skill... that's without going into specifics, such as wildly dangerous driving styles or auras so strong they drive opponents to give up racing altogether.
- Zero plays with the numbering, depending on how you count the team's members: if you include Jintei, there are actually fourteen members.
- The number's played with in 3 as well, where only eleven members of the team show up, and two of them are replaced by former members of the Zodiac. By that point, though, the name has its' own prestige.
- The Dreaded: It's strongly implied that the Thirteen Devils are known nationally in the racing world, if the massive Freak Out at their appearance on mountain passes through-out Japan is any indication. And rightfully so: they are thirteen of the fastest drivers across all of Japan, with very little competition. Even after the team dissolves, they are still on everybody's mouth in Import Tuner Challenge, and every up-and-coming racer who wants to become the fastest is inevitably compared to them.
- The Fellowship Has Ended: If Jintei brought them back together in Touge Legends to contrast Hamagaki's plans, once that had been dealt with, the Devils had no further reason to continue racing together. Alternatively, see We Were Your Team below.
- Legend Fades to Myth: By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, the Devils have been gone for so long, and so few of the people who raced against them remain, that memory has fused with blatantly false stories and rumors. For example, that they weren't a cohesive unit that ran together, that members of Be Legend belonged to both teams, or, more absurd of all, that Jintei is a cat. The only one immune to this is Bloodhound, because he's the only one who stuck around the Expressway.
- Quirky Mini Boss Squad: Even bigger than their predecessors, going from four to thirteen (Fourteen in Zero), and even quirkier. Lighting incense sticks on the dashboard to focus might not even be the most absurd thing a member of the Devils has done.
- Revolving Door Band: It's not exaggeration to state that the Thirteen Devils have a different line-up every time they appear:
- In Zero, for starters, the team has fourteen members when Jintei is counted. It's also the only time True Slide and Depraved Blade are part of the line-up.
- In 3, only eleven members appear, with Lucifer Ootsuka, Sitar Kaneyama, Dream Wraith and Hard Weapon absent. Midnight Rose, Grief Pluto and Red Devil, former members of the Zodiac, sub in for them, with the first two becoming permanent members.
- In Street Supremacy, the team reforms as the New Thirteen Devils, with Blood Hound, Dying Star, Steel Heart, Shadow Eyes, Pursuit Tail Gunner, Lucifer Ootsuka and Sitar Kaneyama replaced by Purple Meteor, Exhaust Eve, After Midnight Cinderella, Midnight Silver Wolf, Red Devil (again), Death Driver and White Charisma, whilst Hard Weapon reappears in the line-up for the final time. What further makes this noteworthy is that Blood Hound is otherwise always present, and is implied to be a close friend of Jintei in Import Tuner Challenge, creating further ambiguity in whether the game is canon or not.
- Finally, in Drift 2, Blood Hound, Dying Star, Steel Heart, Shadow Eyes, Pursuit Tail Gunner, Lucifer Ootsuka, Sitar Kaneyama and Dream Wraith all return.
- The Rival: To the Zodiac in Zero, and later to the Kingdom Twelve in Drift 2.
- We Were Your Team: Strongly implied; Jintei appears to have been the one to bring them together in the first place, and any time he disappeared or went on hiatus, most of the Devils followed suit: first in 3, when Jintei stepped back after their collective defeat in Zero, leaving Steel Heart as the lone flag bearer for a while, and then in Import Tuner Challenge, when Jintei retired from Expressway racing after the events of Drift 2, leading to the team's definitive dissolution.
Betrayal Jack Knife
"Betrayal Jack Knife" Kiriji Sakamoto
Cars: Nissan Pulsar N15 SR16VE N1 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Nissan RS13 Sileighty (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Nissan Silvia RS13 Custom "Jack Knife" (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3), Nissan Silvia S15 RS-R Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Nissan RPS13 Sileighty Custom "Jack Knife" (Street Supremacy), Mazda RX-7 FD3S (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
Betrayal Jack Knife's logo
- Fighting alone.
- Agent Peacock: Gradually became one over time: the first sign was when he made his car look flashier through bright decals. By Street Supremacy, he stands out amongst the crowd of street racers by being one of the few style-conscious people, wearing fashionable clothing with aplomb. Those who underestimate Kiriji because of this are regularly blown away by his advanced technique.
- Berserk Button: Half-baked tune-ups tend to rile him up very easily. He mostly expresses this over visual modifications, as he'll chastise the player for doing so in Street Supremacy and refuse to join their team.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Jimmy Jones" in 2 and "Dave Rene" in Zero.
- Barely-Changed Dub Name: Meanwhile, his name in the Crave translation of 3 became "Toji Sakamoto".
- Early-Installment Weirdness: His car in 2 is a dark aqua Nissan Pulsar N15, a far cry from his usual bright yellow, rear-wheel drive coupès with bright red decals.
- Friendly Rival: Has developed something akin to a rivalry with Blood Hound by the time of 3, with him having been spurred to return to the Tokyo Expressway by Kiriji's own return to street racing. Drift 2 flat-out describes them as rivals. In spite of this, they have been long-time team mates with no problems working together.
- Jump Scare: He will show up unannounced in Zero, heralded only by the loud wailing of an electric guitar
, and challenge the player upon defeating anytwo of the C1 Loop's team leaders. Safe to say, first-time players will not be expecting it. - Surpassed the Teacher: Kiriji became True Slide's disciple between the events of 2 and Zero, massively improving and reaching his mentor's level in a relatively short time. In later entries, he's become a better driver than True Slide, to the point of being able to step out of his comfort zone and tackle mountain passes whilst still proving himself to be incredibly competitive, something his mentor struggled with.
- Teen Genius: If his age in Street Supremacy is canon and taken into consideration alongside the years he's been racing for, as stated in 3, Kiriji became a street racing prodigy at 18. His bios in 2 and Zero strongly imply this, as he begun racing immediately after getting his driver's license: in just six months under True Slide's mentorship, he became one of Tokyo's fastest racers and was brought into the Thirteen Devils by Jintei.
- Wake-Up Call Boss:
- This is essentially his job, as he'll always be the first member of the Thirteen Devils the player faces, and he's far, far tougher than the regular opponents you've been battling with up until that point. It makes sense, as the player is suddenly jumping from run-of-the-mill drivers to one of the very best racers Tokyo has to offer.
- He shows up a bit later than usual in Touge Legends, after the first couple of Slashers are defeated, so players are generally better equipped than usual. That does not make him any easier, and he'll often serve as a signal to buy a new car for future battles.
True Slide
"True Slide" Hiroyuki Itsuki
Cars: Nissan Fairlady Z32 Twin Turbo (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Nissan Fairlady Z32XK (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Nissan Skyline ER34 Special Blitz D1 SPL (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix)
True Slide's logo.
- I'll hold a grudge.
- Chameleon Camouflage: His Z32 is painted in a unique deep blue metallic paint, which makes it blend with its' surroundings during dimly-lit nights. He uses this characteristic of the car to blindside opponent, leaving them incapable of defending from his attacks.
- The Coup: He was the former leader of CATZ, until the other members of the team ousted and banished him. Flame Revenger, who lead the coup, promptly replaced him as the team's leader.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Tommy Adkins" in 2 and "Mike Daglesh" in Zero.
- Hopeless Suitor: Carries a torch for fellow teammate Gloomy Angel, who is not interested in looking for a man. By the time she is, Hiroyuki's gone from the Expressway. Not that it changes anything: Setsuko's personality causes her to push away or turn down any man who can't meet her impossibly high standards.
- The Mentor: Betrayal Jack Knife's bio mentions that Hiroyuki is the one who took him under his wing and taught him the floatier, drift-like style of attacking corners both employ.
- Photographic Memory: He has the C1 Loop and the New Belt Line so ingrained into his memory, he could drive on them with his eyes closed. It's because of this that he doesn't let off the throttle in corners, knowing exactly the amount of speed he can carry through each one.
- The Power of Hate: Being ousted from CATZ's leadership and pushed out of the team by Flame Revenger caused Hiroyuki no small amount of grief. He channeled his anger and regret into drives to improve himself, which lead him to become one of Tokyo's best racers and eventually be invited to join the Thirteen Devils.
- Relegated Mentor: Mentor to Betrayal Jack Knife, he only appears in Zero, where his student has matched his level in an astoundingly fast time. By the time Kiriji has effectively surpassed Hiroyuki in 3, the latter is nowhere to be seen, and he doesn't reappear in any other game barring Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix.
- Sore Loser: Hiroyuki will not take a loss to the player well in Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix, berating them for making him look like an idiot in front of the entire racing world. This was after he expressed outrage at the player's "easy-going" racing style beforehand.
Gloomy Angel
"Gloomy Angel" Setsuko Kuroe
Cars: Nissan Silvia S14 K's (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Nissan Silvia S14 K's MK (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Nissan Silvia S15 Custom "Melancholy Angel" (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Street Supremacy, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2), Honda S2000 Genki Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Mazda RX-8 SE3P Custom "Melancholy Angel" (Import Tuner Challenge)
Gloomy Angel's logo in Import Tuner Challenge
Click here to see her appearance in Shutokou Battle Xtreme.
- Beauty and fortune seldom go together.
If it wasn't clear already, highway racing isn't strictly a man's world. Plenty of women fly down the straights at breakneck speeds. And none of them are more famous than "Gloomy Angel" Setsuko Kuroe. Originally an independent driver, she was brought into the Thirteen Devils by Jintei.
- Achilles' Heel: Her S15 has issues with acceleration, which puts her at a massive disadvantage in short battles. Her best bet to make up for it is to try and drag races on long enough for her car to pick up speed. Her RX-8 in Import Tuner Challenge, by contrast, was tuned with this exact issue in mind, sacrificing some of its top speed to be capable of accelerating far faster.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: As part of her Character Development following Zero, she begun analyzing her shortcomings after every major defeat, adjusting her car and her driving in the process to avoid being defeated in the same way. By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, she's become capable of analyzing races so well, she's capable of immediately pinpointing her opponents' strengths and weaknesses, as well as the best approach to deal with them.
- Blatant Lies: Her bio in Zero states that she thinks Jintei is "a legend born from the delusions of other racers". Mind you, that's pretty much her boss she's talking about. Unless she's doing it on purpose, which should not be put past her.
- Come to Gawk: She'll self-mockingly ask the player if they've returned to see what a loser looks like if challenged after being defeated once before in Touge Legends.
- Dismotivation: At first, Setsuko seemed to truly lack motivation to do anything, looking bored or downright apathic whenever she wasn't racing. She grew out of it by the time of Zero, and gradually starts chasing after her goals in life. To the point of retiring from street racing by the time of Xtreme for their sake.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changes her real name to "Janet May" in 2 and "Shirley Jimenez" in Zero.
- Everyone Has Standards: She used to date "Lucifer" Ootsuka Hifu before both joined the Thirteen Devils, but she broke up with him over the rumors surrounding his ruthless methods and behaviour in his work as a television producer.
- The Faceless: As with every other driver from the games. Until the mobile-exclusive Shutokou Battle Xtreme had the player meet her in the flesh for the first time.
- Girl Friday: Her day-to-day job is administrative secretary, with the matching responsabilities. Not only does it match perfectly with her analytical skills behind the wheel, but she also puts her abilities from her job to good use in Touge Legends, where she serves as the Thirteen Devils' PR agent in Ura Rokko.
- I Just Want to Be Loved: Starting sometimes after 3, she started to look for a boyfriend, but her insistence at putting her dates in the passenger's seat before being inevitably dragged into races caused every single one so far to run away. It definitely doesn't do any good to her already-melancholic nature.
- Interface Screw: Whenever the player gets into her S15's slipstream whilst battling her in 3, a blue filter's applied over the camera.
- Mood-Swinger: Setsuko's normally apathetic towards most things. Racing, however, manages to pull out her hidden passion, and she becomes downright aggressive once fully behind the wheel. Because of this, however, she has caused every man she's ever dated to run away and never come back.
- Palette Swap: Downplayed: Her S15 in 3 has the exact same decals and body kit as "Death Driver"'s, but with a different base color, spoiler, rims, and side mirrors.
- The Power of Apathy: Her sheer disinterest towards everything that didn't involve battling not only allowed Gloomy Angel to develop as a driver, as she focused all of her energy on developing, but accidentally caused her to build a mystique around her person. However, she truly took the plunge and became a legend in her own right when she actively started caring.
- Retired Badass: She took a long hiatus from racing between the events of Touge Wars and Import Tuner Challenge, returning in the latter after the PHANTOM NINE had been defeated. That'd be her last proper go as "Gloomy Angel", as she's retired for good by the time of Shutokou Battle Xtreme, where she goes under the pseudonym of "Kanna Tanimura" to distance herself from her past. She even gave away her race-tuned car in favour of more plain, basic commuters. Issue is, she still drives just as fast as she used to... or atleast, as fast as her cars let her go.
- Rice Burner: Her Mazda RX-8 SE3P in Import Tuner Challenge has some rather... interesting aftermarket parts, including small angel's wings attached to the roof and heart-shaped exhaust tips. At its' heart, though, it's still a car capable of breaking the 200 MPH treshold.
- Signature Scent: Sometimes after 3, she started to heavily spray her car's cockpit with perfume, to the point it became heavily associated with her. It apparently smells like flowers, and causes a strong feeling of melancholy in those who notice.
- Smug Smiler:
- Her unique sticker features a rather cocky smirk until Import Tuner Challenge.
- Setsuko herself usually sports one in Shutokou Battle Xtreme.
- Took a Level in Badass: She gradually gets better and better over time, starting as the third-last member of the Thirteen Devils and working her way up to the point she's faster than Snake Eyes, the man who ruled the Tokyo Expressway with an iron fist since Jintei's disappearance..
- Victory by Endurance: Her strategy when heading into a race boils down to this, due to her car's acceleration issues. By dragging races on for long enough, she manages to build up enough speed that she can safely plan her moves out and decisively gap her opponent, winning in the process. She abandoned it by Import Tuner Challenge upon switching cars.
- Warm-Up Boss: She's the first boss the player faces in Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix, introducing them to one-on-one duels and what to expect from the other bosses.
Hard Weapon
"Hard Weapon" Toshiki Takahashi
Cars: Toyota Altezza XE10 AS300 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Toyota Chaser X100 Tourer V (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII CT9A Custom "Hard Weapon" (Street Supremacy)
Hard Weapon's logo.
- Risk is the name of the game.
A military maniac, a knives-and-model-guns collector, a rumored mercenary, a notorious highway racer... these are all things "Hard Weapon" Toshiki Takahashi is. The first of the three "sedan brothers", and of the original members of the Thirteen Devils, he's infamous for, for lack of a better description, his complete and utter refusal to use the brake pedal.
- Animal Lover: His bio states that he, surprisingly enough, is one.
- Ax-Crazy: Outside of his obsession with knives, guns, and all things military, Toshiki doesn't just not brake in corners, he ups the ante by keeping those brakes stock on a race-oriented car.
- Badass Family: Toshiki is a sworn brother to Depraved Blade and Blood Hound, all three having grown up in the same orphanage, with the latter having introduced the other two to street racing. All three are some of the fastest highway racers in Tokyo.
- Brass Balls: The way he drives, diving into turns at ludicrous speeds and complete nonchalance to what might be coming around the corner, earned him a reputation as completely fearless. It got to the point some think of Toshiki as undefeatable, as his lack of fear makes him prone to doing anything others would balk at to win a race.
- Conveniently an Orphan: He grew up in an orphanage. It's mentioned in Street Supremacy that he donates the money he makes through racing to that very same orphanage.
- Childhood Friend: He, Depraved Blade and Blood Hound grew up together in the same orphanage, to the point they went beyond mere friends and became sworn brothers.
- Determinator: Toshiki will take just about anyone in a race, no matter how outmatched he might be, and never gives anything less than a hundred percent when doing so.
- Gun Nut: Collects knifes and model guns as a hobby alongside street racing.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Rudy Judas" in 2 and "Mark Gersh" in Zero.
- Hypocritical Humor: The only way to recruit "Hard Weapon" in Street Supremacy is to beat him in a race with stock brakes installed on the player's car, much like him. Upon pulling it off, Toshiki will be the one to call the player crazy, before approving.
- Retired Badass:
- Maybe? His bio puts forwards rumors that Toshiki used to be a mercenary, but it's also hinted that it might just be that, a rumor. He's also in his twenties, which makes one wonder how he'd manage to enroll a retire in such a short span of time.
- Completely and unambiguously averted in Street Supremacy, where he's listed as working for a security company.
- Rice Burner: His Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII in Street Supremacy looks less like a car and more like a tank, with a roof-mounted machine gun. And yet, it's still completely capable of leaving most other cars in the dust.
- Took a Level in Badass: By Street Supremacy, his driving style has gotten even more aggressive than before since switching from his Chaser to the Evo VIII, as he somehow manages to carry even more speed through corners.
Depraved Blade
"Depraved Blade" Fujishita Hirotada
Car: Nissan Cedric Y33 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero)
Fallen Blade's logo.
The second of the so-called "sedan brothers", '''"Depraved Blade" Fujishita Hirotada seeks speed above everything else, and is willing to go to any length to achieve his objectives, no matter how dangerous.- Awesome, but Impractical: His Cedric Y33 has been tuned with two fundamental concepts in mind: minimize weight, maximize power. The result was a car that betrays its "mere" 638 HP by being capable of breaking the 200 MPH barrier on the Wangan Line... but that is near uncontrollable because of its' instability, and that could oversteer into a wall at any moment. Fujishita realized this and lowered the body in an attempt to fix this, but it barely made a change on the car's behaviour.
- Ax-Crazy: Less than his brother Hard Weapon, but still there. Under a superficially cold and practical personality lies a far too enthusiastic horror movie fanatic and street racer whose car is the very definition of Awesome, but Impractical, being so unstable it tends to fishtail note at speeds exceeding 200 MPH. And yet, he will still climb into the cockpit and push his Cedric to those very dangerous limits without batting an eye, night after night.
- Badass Family: Fujishita is a sworn brother to Hard Weapon and Blood Hound, all three having grown up in the same orphanage, with the latter having introduced the other two to street racing. All three are some of the fastest highway racers in Tokyo.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changes his real name to "Simon Pickens" in 2 and "Jeff Nachbaur" in Zero. Likewise, his street name is changed to "Maximiser" in 2 and "Fallen Blade" in Zero.
- The Generic Guy: Compared to his fellow Thirteen Devils, Depraved Blade fails to stand out on his own. His bios focus almost entirely on his car, with the sole things mentioned about the driver being his relationship to his sworn brothers and his love of horror movies.
- Glass Cannon: His car is fast, with a great power-to-weight ratio. However, in spite of its' size, it's been lightened to the point of instability, meaning that all it takes is one mistake on Fujishita's behalf for him to irredeemably lose the race.
Blood Hound
"Blood Hound" Shirou Sasaki
Cars: Toyota Aristo JZS161 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3), Toyota Verossa VR25 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2), Toyota Aristo JZS161 Custom "Blood Hound" (Import Tuner Challenge)
Blood Hound's logo by the time of Import Tuner Challenge.
Click here to see his silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge.
- Little by little.
And then, there's "having a bad time" when running into him.
"Blood Hound" Shirou Sasaki is the oldest of the three "sedan brothers", and the one who brought them into the world of highway racing to begin with. He's rumored to be the fastest sedan driver across the Tokyo Expressway, and if it isn't through speed, then it's through his raw skill, on par with a professional race car driver. His admiration for Jintei was so strong that he immediately joined the Thirteen Devils upon their formation, and always stuck with them until their very end. By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, he's one of the very few members of the old guard still racing the highways, and at first, the last member of the Thirteen Devils still active.
- Ax-Crazy: Inverted; Shirou is actually the most sane out of his three brothers, and one of the most sane members of the Thirteen Devils altogether.
- Badass Family: Shirou is a sworn brother to Hard Weapon and Blood Hound, all three having grown up in the same orphanage; moreso, he's the one to have introduced street racing to them. All three are some of the fastest highway racers in Tokyo.
- Boring, but Practical: His car, compared to the far flashier ones of his own teammates, is very plain looking, to the point it could easily pass as a normal traffic car if it wasn't for the exhaust note. This works in Shirou's advantage in two ways: one, the car retains its' standard aerodynamics, making it far more predictable to drive and cheaper to maintain; two, his opponents are lead to underestimate him, with catastrophic results for them.
- Cool Old Guy: Downplayed, atleast in the age department: Shirou's gotten older by the time of Import Tuner Challenge, being somewhere in his forties, and is definitely older than the very young average of Expressway racers. In spite of that, he still retains his characteristically aggressive driving style, and is almost idolized by many younger drivers.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Eddy Valdez" in 2 and "Dan Emura" in Zero. Likewise, his street name is changed to "Hot Dog" in 2.
- Friendly Rival:
- Has developed something akin to a rivalry with "Betrayal Jack Knife" Kiriji Sakamoto by the time of 3, with his return to the Tokyo Expressway having been what spurred Shirou to do the same. Drift 2 flat-out describes them as rivals. In spite of this, they have been long-time team mates with no problems working together.
- He had a one-sided one with Jintei before the latter disappeared. Although always at his side under the Thirteen Devils' flag, Shirou admits that he wanted to defeat Jintei himself, something he regrets not having been able to do before he disappeared.
- Hellhound: Not him, but his unique sticker and namesake feature a demonic-looking bloodhound flashing a Slasher Smile. A more realistic take is featured as part of his car's unique decals in Import Tuner Challenge, drawn on the foreground of a cemetery.
- Hero-Worshipper:
- His devotion to Jintei tends to become this at times. To wit, whenever the Thirteen Devils were reunited, Bloodhound was one of the few to always be there, ready to be at Jintei's beck and call.
- He's on the receiving end of this trope by the new generation of racers by Import Tuner Challenge, who admire him for his long tenure and aggressive-yet-safe driving style. Many see him as a point of reference, if not an example to follow.
- I Am Not Left-Handed: Shirou might prefer chasing and pressuring opponents, but when the stakes get high enough, he will put his foot down on the throttle and use every single one of his 820 HP to erase any opponent from his rear view mirror.
- Just Toying with Them:
- His preferred method of approaching battles is to stay behind his opponents and pressure them relentlessly, weaving in and out of traffic and closing the gap on corners until they mentally collapse.
- He does likewise when leading, aggressively trying to shake chasing opponents and breaking their slipstream on straights, then widening the gap on corners until they make a mistake in trying to keep up.
- Last of His Kind: The last member of the Thirteen Devils to still race on the Tokyo Expressway by the time of Import Tuner Challenge. This doesn't last, as Gloomy Angel and Jintei later return as well.
- Mr. Exposition: Takes up the role in Import Tuner Challenge, giving pointers to the player on their future opponents and what to do, as well as regaling them with tidbits of stories and events that took place in the past.
- Older and Wiser: Zigzagged. Age definitely removed the more Hot-Blooded edge Blood Hound might've had in his younger years, as he's remarkably calm and amicable in person. His driving remains as aggressive as ever, although it's definitely gotten cleaner, if not more careful at points.
- Rage Quit: On the delivering end: his car's overwhelming power, combined with his competitive edge and driving style, is said to have pushed many newbies to the brink of tears, if not surrender.
- Rain of Blood: If challenged during a rainy night in 3, the water will turn blood red.
- Super-Persistent Predator: His driving style is best described as this, atleast when first chasing an opponent. In Zero, his bio claimed he'd hide behind other cars and under trucks in order to get the jump on his opponents.
- Undying Loyalty: To Jintei and, by relation, the Thirteen Devils. He's the only member of the team to not have been broken by the PHANTOM NINE, and continues to carry the team's banner out of devotion.
- Workaholic: He's described to be a very devoted worker who puts his whole being into anything he does, including his off-racing job as a bartender.
Lucifer Ootsuka
Dark Producer's logo.
"Lucifer" Ootsuka Hifu
Car: Honda S2000 AP1 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
There are people who are so feared, whose reputation is simply so absurd, they edge closer to being an urban legends than real persons. This man is one of them."Lucifer" Ootsuka Hifu is rumored to beat opponents so thoroughly to break them mentally and spiritually, making them give up highway racing out of fear of running into him again. He's none the nicer in his actual job as a television producer. His signature car is a jet-black Honda S2000 AP1.
- Badass Boast: Gives one to the player about his S2000 before being fought for the first time in Touge Legends:My S2000's acceleration pierces darkness itself. By the time you'll notice it, I'll be gone from your sight.
- The Dreaded: Rumors abound that Ootsuka is capable of destroying his opponents' morale to the point of causing them to quit street racing for good. Even those who didn't quit claim that having to deal with him left them with psychological scars. Per his bio, this seemingly extends into his job as a television producer, where he treats his underlings very poorly. This also means that no one wants anything to do with him, and even his own teammates barely tolerate his presence. He and Gloomy Angel used to be a thing, only for her to break things up over his behaviour and attitude.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Bob Hersh" in 2 and "Jeff Barnhart" in Zero.
- Evil Wears Black: The base color of his S2000 is jet black in all of its' appearances. He's also the most morally black member of the Thirteen Devils.
- Improbably Cool Car: His Honda S2000 in Zero dances around the defintion. The car was pretty expensive as is note , but Ootsuka's stands out because of its' one-of-a-kind bodykit resembling the 1995 SSM concept car version. Earlier and later appearances keep his AP1's appearance stock, though, barring some body panels in carbon fiber in Touge Wars.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Lucifer Ootsuka. Amongst a myriad of street names that go from amusing to laughable, from cool to awe-inspiring, his makes one thing abundantly clear: those who have the misfortune of facing him are supposed to be afraid. Very afraid.
- No Challenge Equals No Satisfaction: His personal philosophy, as detailed in Zero, is this: he has a never-ending influx of new challengers due to his personal reputation, but Ootsuka only wants to take on those who'd give him something of a challenge. Granted, it might be because of his reputation, as seeking out newbies before they've come into their own would eventually leave him without anyone to face.
- The Perils of Being the Best: As a result of rising to be one of the best racers on the New Belt Line between the first game and 2, Ootsuka ended up stuck in a vicious cycle: rumours began abounding that anyone who faced him would never return to racing on that part of the Expressway, those who heard it did exactly that, and the rumour kept gaining momentum, until there was no one left to willingly face him. This changed upon being bested, which lead to the racers who avoided him to actively seek him out, leading to a subsequent change in his personal philosophy.
- Token Evil Teammate: To the rest of the Thirteen Devils, who range from flat-out good people to Jerk with a Heart of Gold with some redeeming qualities. Ootsuka seemingly lacks anything good, and is described as borderline abusive in his day-to-day job. The other Devils barely tolerate his presence on the team, but put up with it due to his impressive ability behind the wheel.
Sitar Kaneyama
"Sitar" Daigo Kaneyama
Cars: Toyota Soarer JZZ30 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Special M Speed (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Toyota Supra JZA80 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
Sitar Kaneyama's logo by the time of Drift 2.
- Mental concentration.
- Achilles' Heel: In spite of his training, Daigo is a creature of habit. When forced to switch his usual Soarer out for a Supra in Touge Legends due to the requirements of mountain passes, he finds himself disorientated due to their differences in handling and his lack in dexterity to handle such changes.
- Brilliant, but Lazy: Has become this by the time of Import Tuner Challenge: everyone says Daigo is still fully capable of being one of Tokyo's fastest drivers, and his tuning skills are near unmatched, but he rarely puts in the effort behind the wheel to match up with his car's capabilities.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: We're talking about a street racer who lights incense sticks on his sports car's dashboard and drives with his cockpit filled with incense, openly encourages his opponents to continue improving, believes one should change their car like they change their clothes, and has near-unnatural amount of positivity here. We're also talking about one of Tokyo's fastest racers, as well as one of its best tuners. This also extends to outside of his street racing endeavours, as he's a talented multi-instrument player and trading company manager in spite of his many quirks.
- Don't Think, Feel: His driving style relies on reacting above acting, going with the flow and taking any opening the opponent might leave. It works when chasing, but when leading, Daigo leaves himself defenseless: being aware of this, he'll try to pull away as fast as possible to end the race.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Dennis Kay" in 2 and "Jim Sitar" in Zero. Likewise, his street name was changed to "Mystic Racer" in 2 and "Mr. Sitar" in Zero.
- Enlightenment Superpowers: "Superpower" is stretching it, but as part of his spiritual training, he spent time in India, where he reportedly reached enligthenment. This lead him to develop a zen-like concentration that seems to be impossible to shatter, and caused his personality to change. Daigo mentions his belief that Jintei somehow reached enlightenment without even realizing it by observing his driving style, which is why he actively sought him out.
- Friendly Enemy: Daigo never shows any form of hostility towards the player whenever they have the chance to interact. In Import Tuner Challenge, he constantly cheers them on and encourages them to improve.
- Meaningful Name: The sitar is a stringed instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent, which Daigo traveled to seeking enlightenment. Import Tuner Challenge added another layer to the name by revealing Daigo to be capable of playing multiple instruments, adding a musical tie-in to his street name alongside the cultural one.
- Mellow Fellow: Very relaxed in his approach to street racing, often dispensing his bizarre advice out to his opponents and never getting hung up over losing. It's all the more notable given his position as one of Japan's top street racers, which usually puts massive amounts of pressure to whoever's holding it due to what implies... but not in Daigo's case.
- The Mentor: He was this to Bloodhound, per Daigo's own bio in Zero.
- New-Age Retro Hippie: Displays enough elements of the trope to qualify for it, such as his idealism, open-minded internationalism, propensity for meditation and ascetism, and general counter-culture behaviour when compared to his fellow countrymen as a whole. note
- Renaissance Man: Surprisingly enough, Daigo Kateyama of all people is knowledgeable and skilled in a plethora of fields: trading, management, electronics, car tuning, music and car racing are all arrows in his quiver. More specifically, he's a multi-instrumentalist and go-to sound specialist for Be Legend's theatre trope.
Steel Heart
"Steel Heart" Atsuya Takenaka
Cars: Toyota Supra JZA80 RZ (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2), Toyota Altezza AS200 Alpine Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix)
- More power to you.
- Boring, but Practical: Compared to other set-ups, his Supra is described as being "very orthodox and reasonable" in the way it has been tuned. As such, it isn't particularly flashy, or difficult to drive, nor does it have some hidden gimmick. It's just a solid, all-around good car whose parts are not made to overextert themselves.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his street name to "Heartbreaker" in Drift 2.
- Meaningful Name:
- As explained in The Stoic below, Atsuya is a very calm person who is rarely, if ever, perturbed. Even when faced with a massive mistake that might've cost him the win, he'll pick himself back up like it was no big deal.
- In a bit of meta-troping, this extends to his name in the games' codes, which is written as "Steal Heart". Although likely born from a mistake, his bios repeatedly mention how he has a lot of female fans in the highway racing crowd, and how he doesn't reciprocate the love of admiration, making him a literal thief of hearts.
- The Mentor: His bio in Zero reveals that Sitar Kaneyama and Lucifer Ootsuka were both his disciples. This, in turn, creates a chain linking him to Kaneyama's own disciple, Bloodhound. Not casually, all three have driving styles that require massive mental fortitude to find success with.
- Not Distracted by the Sexy: In spite of his enormous female fan base, some members of which try just about anything to catch his attention, Atsuya remains focused exclusively on cars and racing.
- The Stoic: Atsuya is not a very emotive type, on top of being generally taciturn. He feels absolutely nothing towards his reportedly massive female fanbase, and he was the only one to continue racing on the Expressway in 3 after the Devils were first defeated in Zero. This, obviously, extends to when he's inside his car: no matter what happens or how many mistakes he might made, Atsuya continues trucking on, something others have noted requires "an heart of steel".
- Not So Stoic: That said, the moment he pulls ahead of his opponent, his guard will immediately go up, and he'll single-mindedly focus on defending the position with shocking aggressiveness. His bio in 3 mentions that, in spite of what he projects outwardly, Atsuya does have a passionate fire burning deep inside him. He just keeps it very well hidden.
- Real Men Wear Pink: His Supra in Drift 2 ditches the typical military green in favour of a shocking bright pink with silver decals in a literal case of the trope.
- You Remind Me of X: When faced for a second time in Drift 2 after having been previously defeated, he will claim the player reminds him of White Charisma. Atleast in the Japanese version: in international releases, he will claim the player resembles "another highway racer, but he drove a white Charisma", as in the car. note
Dying Star
"Dying Star" Shizuta Uozumi
Cars: Honda Civic EG6 SiR (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Mitsubishi GTO Z15A MK (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mitsubishi GTO Z15A Custom "Dying Star" (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3), Nissan Silvia S15 Sun Line Auto Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Mitsubishi GTO Z15A (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
Dying Star's logo by the time of Drift 2.
- Silence doesn't talk.
- 10-Minute Retirement: His defeat in Zero broke Shizuta to the point he sold his GTO and swore off of racing and anything involving cars in any capacity. This lasted for a few years, until he finally decided to face his past and bought his GTO back. This generally tends to happen to him anytime he loses, as explained below.
- Artifact Name: His street name used to be a reference to his EG6's peculiar properties. When he changed cars, his new one lacked said properties, but the street name stuck.
- Blasé Boast: Gives the player one in Touge Legends, musing on how his technique improves the more he wins before asking if they want to join his winning streak. He's very casual, and not one bit arrogant when proclaiming this.Dying Star: My technique really shines when I find a groove and keep on winning. You wanna join my streak?
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: Quickly develops an enormous win streak in Omote Rokko upon making the jump from highway racing to mountain pass racing in Touge Legends, one he humbly boasts about. When interacted with again after defeating him, he'll sadly lament his streak's demise.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: His car in 2 is a bright yellow Civic EG6 which, reportedly, is painted to reflect light and blind opponents. From Zero onwards, his car has consistently been a GTO, whilst the reflective paint gimmick was dropped entirely.
- Elite Four: Is considered one of the four best drivers of the Thirteen Devils; in the Japanese version, he's described as "a member of the Four Devas, part of the Thirteen Devils".
- Graceful Loser: He does not handle losses well... but, credit where is due, he will recognize when he's beaten, and openly admits to be grateful to have lost against a driver as skilled as the player of all people.
- In Harm's Way: No matter how many times he calls it quits, Dying Star finds himself constantly lured back to street racing, a very dangerous affair even in a Japan that's as close to openly legalizing it as possible.
- Meaningful Name: A "dying star", one whose stored hydrogen is running out, is also a star at its physical brightest. Shizuta's EG6 was painted in such a way that it reflected light, making it appear as brighter than what it actually was. The street name immediately lost its meaning upon his switch to the GTO.
- Villainous Blue Screen of Death: "Villainous" purely for being on the opposite side of the player in every game, but Shizuta does not handle losses well, needing months to recover from them. When he was first defeated as a member of the Thirteen Devils in Zero, he took it so badly he sold his GTO and left the automotive world altogether, thinking that all his efforts were completely rendered vain by a single loss.
- What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: In a rather indirect way, he boasts of his growing win streak in Touge Legends before asking the player if he'd like to join it. The same player who has defeated his fellow Devils and whom he has been warned about. Needless to say, his streak ends right then and there.
Pursuit Tail Gunner
"Pursuit Tail Gunner" Kenji Naitō
Cars: Toyota Soarer UZZ30 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Mazda RX-7 FC3S (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2), Mazda RX-8 FD3S RE Amemiya GReddy9 Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix)
- Reign over the Metropolitan Highway.
- Always Second Best: At one point, Kenji was thought of as next-in-line to become Tokyo's fastest in a post-Devas Expressway. Alas, he was defeated by Jintei on his way to become Tokyo's fastest. In spite of his ever-present desire to personally beat Jintei and claim the title, Kenji retains a Friendly Rivalry with him, and respects him enough to be part of his team.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: Instead of expressing it outwardly, towards his opponents, Kenji focuses his analysis inwardly, on his car and himself. He focuses on the tuning and settings of it above all other things, which allows him to adjust it to better fit his evolving driving style and the opponents he faces.
- Delinquent Hair: His art in Shutokou Battle Xtreme depicts him with blonde hair.
- Elite Four: Is considered one of the four best drivers of the Thirteen Devils; in the Japanese version, he's described as "a member of the Four Devas, part of the Thirteen Devils".
- Meaningful Name: A tail gunner is the crewman on military aircraft who acts as a lookout and defends against enemies by manning the rear guns. Kenji's driving style, likewise, is described as observation-based, uncannily seizing on occasions to make the most of them. A "pursuit" tail gunner might appear to be paradoxical, but it's more of a statement on Kenji's approach to deal with his opponents.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Thinks of himself as being destined to battle against and eventually defeat Jintei. When Jintei lost to the player in the climax of Zero, Kenji's reaction lead him to become a former shell of himself and leave street racing altogether. He only returned once he heard his fellow Devils, including Jintei, were crawling back out of the woodworks.
- The Perfectionist: Never, ever satisfied with his car's set-up. He thinks his RX-7's suspensions to be sub-par in Zero, which leads to him rebuilding the entire car from scratch in 3 to fix the issue. He's confident he finally found the perfect tune in Touge Legends... so much so, that when defeated, he'll openly consider if the only thing that isn't perfect is the driver, himself.
- Shrouded in Myth: What his life was in the past and how is life is beyond the Expressway are both complete and utter mysteries. In 3, his job is straight-up listed as "Unknown".
- Skeleton Motif: Rather easy to miss, but his sticker features a small white skull in the corner of the flag. Far more glaring are his car's decals in Touge Legends, which feature a spine on the car's sides and a skull on the hood.
- Trash Talk: Declares how his RX-7 has been tuned to the point of perfection, before openly proclaiming he's going to mess the player up without breaking a sweat in Touge Legends.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Kenji used to be far more cheerful and lively when he first became a street racer, something that could be seen in his driving style. After meeting Jintei, he became far more focused on improving himself to beat him, constantly feeling as if he was burning up from the inside. After Jintei's defeat in Zero, however, he became a shell of who he used to be, and only cautiously returned to the Metropolitan Expressway because he heard of the other Thirteen Devils — amongst whom his Friendly Rival Shadow Eyes — doing the same. This Character Development is also reflected in his approach: gone are the days of spirited driving, replaced by cold, calculated maneuvers and obsessive tinkering and tuning.
Shadow Eyes
"Shadow Eyes" Akiko Ogata
Cars: Honda CRX EF8 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Toyota Supra JZA70 GT (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2), Honda S2000 AP1 C-West Prototype Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix)
- Speed of lightning.
- Challenge Seeker: The reason why she retained her Supra JZA70 in Drift 2, whereas most of her fellow Devils switched to different cars better suited to the tight, twisting mountain roads? She wanted to see if she could do just as well as she did on the Tokyo Expressway using the same car. And she succeeded.
- Elite Four: Is considered one of the four best drivers of the Thirteen Devils; in the Japanese version, she's described as "a member of the Four Devas, part of the Thirteen Devils".
- Friendly Rival: With Pursuit Tail Gunner. The two are constantly dueling and one-upping one another, but they are very close friends.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Like her good friend Kenji, Akiko immediately thought Jintei's appearance on the Tokyo Expressway was destiny, and that she was meant to be the one to defeat him. When she was defeated alongside her fellow Devils and, most importantly, Jintei, she lost all interest in racing in Japan and left for the United States. She promptly returned immediately upon hearing Jintei had shown up again.
- Shrouded in Myth: Very little is known about Shadow Eyes. The game indirectly implies her to be well-off and somewhat fluent in English, due to her move to the United States between Zero and 3, but there is nothing the game directly conforms. Moreso, her profile in 3 lists her job as "Unknown".
- Unskilled, but Strong: Akiko tends to zigzag this: she does have the talent of a leading street racer, else she wouldn't be part of the Thirteen Devils, but more often than not she defaults to using her car's raw power as a crutch. Granted, notable skill is necessary to be able to not only control a car that powerful to begin with, but successfully utilize its entire power.
- What a Piece of Junk: Her JZA70 Supra is the oldest car in the entire line-up of the Thirteen Devils, and would look downright plain if not for its paint job. It's also the second most powerful car of those belonging to a member of the group, at 920 HP. Shadow Eyes' bio recognizes this, explaining that underneath the old body lie cutting edge parts.
Jintei
"Jintei" Motoya Iwasaki
Cars: Nissan Skyline R-34 GT-R (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Street Supremacy), Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Custom "Jintei" (Racing Battle: C1 GP), Subaru Impreza GDB (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift, Import Tuner Challenge)
Jintei's signature logo
Click here for SPOILERS
Jintei's silhoutte in Import Tuner Challenge- Take off at once.
That man is Jintei. Real name Motoya Iwasaki, Jintei started off as a street racer out of nowhere on the mountain passes, he quickly rose to be Nikko's fastest before moving to Tokyo, where he did the same on the Metropolitan Highway. Once at the top, he personally handpicked thirteen drivers across the region to form a team, the Thirteen Devils. Ever since, he's become a legend in his own right.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: His first silhouette in Import Tuner Challenge shows him wearing a nice, if old-fashioned suit. It doesn't hinder him one bit in being a very competitive street racer.
- Cool Old Guy:
- Localization-dependant, as Jintei is very young for his skill level and accomplishments in Japan. The international releases, meanwhile, have his rumored age swing between late teens and forties. Regardless, he is Tokyo's fastest street racer by a wide margin, matched only by White Charisma.
- By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, he's unequivocably in his forties, which is considered old for street racers. He's still Tokyo's fastest after all that time.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Serves this role in Zero, where defeating him will unlock the final leg of the game and allow the player to face against the Zodiac, the last set of bosses before the True Final Boss.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's localization changed his name to "Ripp Griffon" in Zero. His street name, meanwhile, oscillates back and forth between "Speed Emperor", its' variant "Speed King", and "Jintei", as the former two are the English translations of the latter.
- Final Boss:
- Serves as this for Tokyo in 3.
- [spoiler:Likewise, he and Hamagaki share the role in Touge Wars, as defeating them is a requirement to draw out the True Final Boss.]]
- Heroic Blue Screen of Death: The sudden worsening of his girlfriend's conditions and subsequent death years before the events of Import Tuner Challenge broke something within Jintei, to the point he started believing all he achieved as a street racer to be completely and utterly meaningless. As a result of his downward spiral into despair, he disappeared from the street racing scene entirely, leaving the PHANTOM NINE unopposed in their scorched land campaign across the Metropolitan Expressway.
- Living Legend: One of the fastest street racers in Tokyo and all of Japan, Jintei impressively became something of one by the time he turned twenty. By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, not only he became an inspiration to many, but the mere idea of him can incite awe, fear, and anger in a whole new generation of street racers who never had the chance to see him race.
- Worthy Opponent: Jintei always recognizes those capable of besting him, as evidenced by the e-mails he sends out in the Drift games upon defeat and his dialogue with the player in Import Tuner Challenge.
The Zodiac
In General
Once Jintei cemented himself as the fastest driver of Tokyo, it wasn't long before dissention rose towards him and the Thirteen Devils, especially amongst veteran racers.
Thus, "The Zodiac", known as the "Twelve Holy Lords" note in Japanese, was born, a group of twelve of the fastest drivers in Tokyo, including two former members of the Four Devils, whose sole objective was to oppose the Thirteen Devils' domination of the Expressway.
Thus, "The Zodiac", known as the "Twelve Holy Lords" note in Japanese, was born, a group of twelve of the fastest drivers in Tokyo, including two former members of the Four Devils, whose sole objective was to oppose the Thirteen Devils' domination of the Expressway.
- Dub Name Change: Unlike the Thirteen Devils, whose name is a near transliteration from Japanese to English, the Zodiac has a completely different name across languages.
- The Fellowship Has Ended: The Zodiac break up immediately after the events of Zero. Due to the fact that they were brought together solely to oppose the Thirteen Devils, their rivals' first break-up might have been enough to make them go their separate ways. Bloodhound claims that the Zodiac returned to the Expressway after the Devils dissolved for the first time in Import Tune Challenge, but they're nowhere to be found by that point. Most of the remaining members form the core of Be Legend instead.
- Light/Darkness Juxtaposition: The Twelve Holy Lords exist to oppose the Thirteen Demon Generals in the original Japanese. The trope isn't completely Lost in Translation, but a lot more understated in English, where the conflict is between the Zodiac, representing the stars and the heavens, and the Thirteen Devils, representing... well, hell.
- Quirky Mini Boss Squad: Like the Thirteen Devils; the Zodiac has twelve members, each very distinct from one another.
- The Rival: They are this to the Thirteen Devils, being created solely to oppose them and drive them off of the Tokyo Expressway. Every member of the Zodiac was defeated in the past by Jintei, the Devils' leader, making the rivalry more personal than what it might appear at first.
- We ARE Struggling Together: Unlike the Thirteen Devils, who have a far healtier way to deal with internal rivalries thanks to Jintei's sheer charisma, the Zodiac make it no mystery that they can barely stand each other and only see the team as a means to an end, after which it's back to a free-for-all. Some don't even wait that long and openly claim they will defeat both Jintei and White Charisma to become Tokyo's fastest.
Midnight Rose
"Midnight Rose" Kiyomi Kawagoe
Cars: Mitsubishi GTO Z16A (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Mitsubishi GTO Z16AK (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mitsubishi GTO Z15A Custom "Midnight Rose" (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, Street Supremacy), Mazda RX-7 FC3S Infini III (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix, as leader of the Cupid Arrows), Mitsubishi GTO Z15A (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
An extremely admired and respect racer, next to no one knows much of anything about '''"Midnight Rose" Kiyomin Kawagoe". What little people are aware of are what she openly shows, such as her regal air, her firm but kind personality, and above all her gorgeous driving style.- Beauty Is Never Tarnished:
- Her "rough", unusual driving is because of how she grabs on to the steering wheel, gear shifter and hand brake to not break her nails. In a more straightforwards example, she never comes out of a battle looking any worse for wear.
- She tries to invoke the trope with her car, which appears to always be in pristine condition. In reality, she's constantly swapping out damaged body parts to keep the illusion alive.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: In Drift 2, her previous beloved reputation takes a big hit due to her newfound affilation with the Thirteen Devils, who are feared across Japan. That's in spite of the fact that she's opposing Hamagaki, the true Big Bad, alongside her new team.
- Lady of Adventure: A lady of her class, who's described as "royalty-like" at times, really clashes with the high-risk, high-adrenaline world of street racing. As for the "traveling" part of the trope, she's also one of the very few highway racers to make the jump to mountain passes with no hesitation.
- Nice Girl: Friendly and good-natured, everyone who interacts with her does not have a single bad thing to say about her, from how she carries herself, to how she behaves, down to how she interacts with the others. She openly compliments the player upon being defeated by them.
- Pimped-Out Car: She puts incredible care and attention in modifying her GTOs' appearances, immediately replacing any chipped body panel to make sure the car appears spotless. As for their appearances, they're all clad in wide body kits with spoilers and bright paint: in particular, her Z16A in Zero is clad in a body-kit that makes it resemble a Ferrari, with custom headlights and rear lights.
- Proper Lady: She's always described as carrying herself with elegance and firmness. Beyond that, she's kind to anyone who approaches her, isn't beyond giving out advice or taking a leadership role, and can more than hold her own against any opponent.
- Red Baron: On top of her normal street name, Kiyomi is also referred to as the "Queen of Roses".
- Shrouded in Myth: Outside of her name and appearance, nothing is known about Midnight Rose. Not her origins, not how she got involved with street racing, not her job — listed as "Unknown" in 3 and Street Supremacy — nor anything else.
Golden Gale
"Golden Gale" Shunsuke Kitami
Cars: Honda NSX NA1 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Subaru Impreza GDB Jun Super Lemon Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Subaru Impreza GDB WRX STi Spec C (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Shiodome Genghis Khan")
"Golden Gale" Shunsuke Kitami was the one, the guy, the next to follow in Death Wraith and Z.E.R.O.'s footsteps and become Tokyo's fastest racer. Gifted with natural talent, and behind the wheel of one of the greatest cars ever sold to the public, everyone was sure he was meant for great things.Until he wasn't. Defeated by Jintei, Golden Gale gave up on his dreams, only for them to return with a vengeance upon the formation of the Thirteen Devils. Thus, he joined the Zodiac with the sole goal of defeating Jintei for good before trying once again to become Tokyo's fastest.
- 10-Minute Retirement:
- Shunsuke briefly gave up on becoming Tokyo's fastest after being defeated by Jintei and seeing his meteoric rise to that spot. He quickly got over it when he joined the Zodiac, however.
- He quit racing entirely between Zero and Import Tuner Challenge to move to Hokkaido on his parents-in-law's ranch. When he had to move back to Tokyo for work reasons, however, he bought a brand new car and got back into street racing, joining some former Zodiac members in Be Legend.
- Ace Custom: Unlike most other bosses, his bio openly mentions how thoroughly modified his NSX is, to the point that very few parts on it are still stock.
- Awesome, but Impractical: Golden Gale's NSX is tuned with extracting the highest amount of power out of it in mind and nothing else. As a result, balance promptly went out of the window, making the car completely undrivable to anyone but Golden Gale himself.
- Call to Agriculture: He left his office job in Tokyo to move to his in-laws' ranch with his wife sometime after the events of Zero. He wanted to run away at first, but after a while, he found himself completely at home in Hokkaido.
- Mysterious Past: According to some rumors, he might've been a member of RINGS at one point before going solo, but no one is sure. Beyond that, nothing is really known about Shunsuke before picking up the "Golden Gale" mantle. He even throws a Lampshade Hanging on it in Import Tuner Challenge, telling the player to not focus too much on the past.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: Golden Gale used to aim for the top years ago, and according to many, he had every necessary tool at his disposal to make it. Yet, in spite of that, he never made it up there, and gave up in the name of love. Years later, he's returned to racing on the Expressway as part of Be Legend, with the completely different street name of Shiodome Genghis Khan, no longer having any of his former ambition and merely being happy at getting to race again.
- Refreshingly Normal Life-Choice: Whilst he struggled at first when he moved to his in-laws' ranch in Hokkaido, to the point of wanting to run away at one point, he quickly got accustomed with his new life. In hindsight, he does not regret his choice one bit, and frequently returns to the ranch whenever he can.
- To Be a Master: His ultimate goal is to make it to the top of the street racing world and become Tokyo's fastest street racer.
Shadow Rebel
"Shadow Rebel" Yasuhisa Etajima
Cars: Nissan 180SX Type-X (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Honda NSX NA2 Aqua Special Version 2 (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Toyota Celsior UCF31 (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Rampant Newton")
One thing that can't be said about "Shadow Rebel" Yasuhisa Etajima is that he's unwilling to sacrifice things to get his way. A former leader, he disbanded his team and radically altered his car from the ground up to pursuit the title of Tokyo's fastest. In spite of his personal philosophy, he joined the Zodiac to contrast the Thirteen Devils, reasoning that as long as they were around, his aim was unachievable.- Awesome, but Impractical: His car has a very "peaky" set-up, causing it to easily lose grip. Although more manageable in turns, where it tends to wiggle, it's on the straightways where it becomes clear just how unstable it is. Yasuhisa can handle such a demanding car, but it's so mentally taxing there are nights where he can only race once before being too worn down to continue.
- Glass Cannon: His Celsior in Import Tuner Challenge has all the necessary tuning to be fast, but between its' age and Yasuhisa having to cut back on maintenance to make meets end, it has become rather fragile. As such, he avoids pushing his car too hard.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: For all of Shadow Rebel's sacrifices and efforts, he never made it to the top he yearned so much for: by the time of Import Tuner Challenge, he's been reduced to a member of Be Legend, far from his previous heyday. To add insult to injury, he had to work multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet until recently. Needless to say, he's none too happy about this situation.
- I'm Not Here to Make Friends: His personal philosophy can be summed up as "only one can be at the top". As such, he dissolved the team he used to lead and went solo in order to pursue his objective of becoming Tokyo's fastest. That said...
- Informed Loner: In spite of his ego, Yasuhisa joined up with others to form The Zodiac and contrast the Thirteen Devils. Even years afterwards, in Import Tuner Challenge, he ended up joining Be Legend. Can double as Loner-Turned-Friend.
- Mysterious Past:
- It's not mentioned what team he was the leader of, nor who its former members besides him were.
- It's also unclear what happened to him between Zero and Import Tuner Challenge. All that's known is that he had to have multiple part-time jobs to make it to the end of the month, and that he only started making money through theatre acting recently.
- Villainous Red Ring Of Death: "Villainous" for being in opposition to the player, but Shadow Rebel can only race once per night if truly pushed due to how demanding driving his car without crashing is.
Hard Riff
"Hard Riff" Yūta Moriguchi
Cars: Nissan Silvia S15 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mazda RX-8 SAB Super Street Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Nissan Fairlady Z32 R Twin Turbo 2-by-2 T-Bar (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Transient Komei")
"Hard Riff" Yuta Moriguchi sees the world as one big instrument playing day after day, one that everybody plays together. So, when the Thirteen Devils formed, Hard Riff quit highway racing in protest, feeling that their behaviour was usurping the spotlight from everybody else. When the Zodiac were formed to contrast them, he didn't think twice, and promptly joined the team.- Backstory: Import Tuner Challenge finally reveals his: he worked for many different productions over time, until he stumbled upon an animated series featuring a race car driver. Befriending the creator, he bought his S15 and set out to race.
- Beware the Nice Ones:
- As nice as Yuta might be, he's also an incredibly skilled race car driver whose aim is to become Tokyo's fastest, which means driving like his life depended on it. Some have described him as "beyond human" due to his unique skill set.
- Dialogue in Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix hints that he has limits to his niceness: when first met, he'll complain about the overwhelming amount of drivers he deems "lame".
- Don't Think, Feel: His driving style relies on utilizing the vibrations he feels from the road through his car to find a rhythm and follow it to victory.
- Everything Is an Instrument: Yuta sees every sound as music, including those made by his car or during races. He's capable of creating a rhythm using them, and, believe it or not, it's a key part of his driving style.
- Mellow Fellow: Very relaxed, very approachable. He takes defeats as if they didn't even happen, and will even mock himself for failing to live up to expectations.
- Nice Guy: People cannot believe he's a member of the Zodiac just because of how jovial and friendly he is. By Import Tuner Challenge, he's more than happy to run into fans of his work as a voice actor.
- The Rock Star: He plays guitar for a famous Tokyo-area band, and he tends to carry himself as one, even as a voice actor.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: His first reaction to Jintei forming the Thirteen Devils once he became Tokyo's fastest was to quit street racing all together, in open disagreement with the event. He only returned because of the formation of the Zodiac.
- Willfully Weak: He enjoys his driving so much he tends to ease off of the throttle at times, if he's not downright clowning around during races. Needless to say, this is the main reason why Yuta ends up losing, even against weaker opponents. He doesn't mind, however.
Blue Pressure
"Blue Pressure" Yūsuke Tachiki
Cars: Nissan Cedric Y34 300LX (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec II (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Blooming Disarray Columbus")
An incredibly unpopular driver, "Blue Pressure" Yusuke Tachiki was formerly better known for being the leader of a memberless team: everyone refused to join him due to his selfish nature and arrogance. Yet, he soldiered on, and quickly became a noteworthy name in Tokyo. After a run-in with Jintei, he joined the Zodiac to take him and the Thirteen Devils, but don't be fooled: as soon as they're dealt with, Blue Pressure will be back to caring only about himself.- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Yusuke's personality is such that people tend to find him annoying at best. His selfishness is so apparent that people flat-out refused to join the team he created, he's an incredibly Sore Loser, and he thinks of himself as one of the greatest racers of all time. In spite of that, he is a genuinely talented, very good racer. He just can't help himself from rubbing it into others' faces.
- Conspicuous Consumption: If the golden-plated grill on his Cedric wasn't enough of a hint, his bio flat-out confirms he has an enormous wealth to throw away into parts and pieces for his cars. Shopkeepers adore him specifically because of how willing he is to throw away money for the latest hot deal.
- Friendless Background: He created a team with the intent of gunning for the top spot of the street racing scene, but because of his personality, no one joined him. He attempted the task alone, which earned him enough attention to be invited in the Zodiac, but he has no relationship to speak of with them.
- Sore Loser: Yusuke struggles with losing. He'll admit it as a spur-of-the-moment thing, but afterwards, he'll make any and all excuses to justify his defeat. Generally, he doesn't tend to give those who defeat him any props.
- Super-Persistent Predator: Much like Bloodhound, his driving style focuses on pressuring drivers in front of him until they make a mistake they can't recover from. His calm, even driving style helps massively in this regard, as it allows him to keep his car steady and unmoving whilst chipping away at his opponent's psyche. However, if he gets in front, he tends to be on the receiving end of the trope.
- You Remind Me of X: He will claim the player reminds him of a former apprentice of is: upon being defeated, he'll repeat the claim, only to go beyond and declare the player to be superior to his apprentice.
Uncrowned Emperor
"Uncrowned Emperor" Tetsu Nakayama
Cars: Eunos Cosmo JC (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Honda NSX NA2 Alpine Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix)
No-Crown King's logo.
There was a time when Tetsu Nakayama was Japan's big racing hope. An up-and-coming circuit racer with unrefutable skill, Tetsu had ended up on the radar of a Formula 1 team, and was seriously being considered for a seat, an immense honor that the vast majority of racers can only dream off.Tetsu's dream shattered into thousands of pieces after a freak accident, which left him injured and inelegible to continue his motorsports adventure. After a long period spent pondering what happened, however, Nakayama finally decided to pick up the pieces of his dream: putting on the mantle of Uncrowned Emperor, he set out for the Tokyo Expressway, wanting to finally be recognized as one of racing's greatest.
- Career-Ending Injury: He was an up-and-coming circuit racer in his youth who was being considered for a seat in Formula 1. A freak accident cut those dreams short, and brought his racing days to an end... that is, until he decided to take a second swing at it through street racing.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Howie Lewis" in 2 and "David Bigley" in Zero.
- Meaningful Name: In spite of his incredible skill, enough to put him on an F1 team's radar, Tetsu never managed to make it to the pros as he feels he should have. He, thus, thinks of himself quite literally as an emperor who was never crowned, thus never recognized by the world at large.
- My Greatest Second Chance: After the freak accident that ended his F1 dreams, Tetsu considers his shot at highway racing this. Having failed to become a professional race car driver and become one of the world's best, he aims to become Tokyo's fastest and reclaim the crown that was metaphorically ripped off of his head.
- To Be a Master: Tetsu's ultimate goal was always to be recognized as one of, if not the best racer around: he aimed to do so through professional racing at first, and years after that dream was shattered, he tries again through street racing.
Grief Pluto
"Grief Pluto" Takashi Uchida
Cars: Toyota Soarer JZZ30 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Toyota Soarer UZZ30 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Lexus LS XF30 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3), Nissan Silvia S15 Sequential Fire SF 15 (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix) Subaru Impreza GDB (Street Supremacy), Toyota Verossa VR25 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2)
Grief Pluto's logo
- Fighting spirit.
- Artistic License – Space: His street name is "Grief Pluto"... but his unique sticker clearly features a ringed planet more closely resembling Saturn than the dwarf planet.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Jack Hwang" in 2 and "Joe Williams" in Zero.
- Hypocrite: His bio in Street Supremacy mentions that Takashi loathes the use of nitrous oxide in racing, and holds very low opinions of anyone who actively does employ it, to the point that the player needs to beat him without using it to recruit him for their team. In spite of all of that, his car is equipped with an N 2 O booster.
- Itasha:
- Nice Guy: As long you're on his good side, Takashi's a stoic, but big-hearted individual.
Queen's Knight
"Queen's Knight" Katsuya Ogi
Cars: Nissan Fairlady Z32 Version S (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mitsubish Lancer Evolution VII CT9A HKS Special (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Nissan Fairlady Z32 R Twin Turbo 2-by-2 T-Bar (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Light Speed Goemon")
28-year old "Queen's Knight" Katsuya Ogi is not just a name known to the street racing crowd. He made an enormous impression in the world of circuit racing, to the point of being invited several times to turn pro. In spite of that, Katsuya turned the offers down every time: his love for racing on the Tokyo Expressway is too great for him to step away.- Awesomeness by Analysis: He apparently studied and memorized data about every driver on the Metropolitan Expressway, on top of their personal philosophies and strategies. Thus, he often challenges just about anyone to test out his theories and modify them accordingly.
- Challenge Seeker: Always willing to face just about anyone, no matter how weak they might seem on paper. When he faces off against opponents who actively give him trouble, however, he becomes even more motivated to come out on top.
- Graceful Loser: Isn't afraid to lose to anyone, even weaker opponents, as he considers it a learning experience. He'll give the player props upon being defeated, claiming that they will go on to do great things.
- The Last DJ: Most other drivers would probably kill to have the same offers and opportunities Katsuya receives on a regular basis from professional racing teams. And yet, he constantly turns them down out of principle, knowing that he'd detest the atmosphere within the pros. Racing Battle: C1GP gives us a glimpse on what'd happen if he joined a racing championship that catered to his tastes, and in spite of that, he's not entirely happy with his situation.
Purple Meteor
"Purple Meteor" Naoki Fujimaki
Cars: Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, Street Supremacy), Nissan 180SX Type-X (Import Tuner Challenge, as "Weekend Marco Polo")
The man who appeared out of nowhere and singlehandedly defeated the Four Devas and the Four Devils to become Tokyo's fastest, "Purple Meteor" Naoki Fujimaki is a veteran racer from a by-gone era. Those who raced against him claim to have been able to feel his overwhelming aura from within their cars. He briefly stepped away after being defeated by Jintei, only to return to Tokyo when the Zodiac were born.- The Mentor: Was the one who taught Jintei everything about street racing.
White Charisma
"White Charisma" Wataru Shiro
Cars: Mazda RX-7 FD3S Type RZ (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2), Mazda RX-7 FD3S Type R Custom (Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero), Mazda RX-7 FD 3 S RE Amemiya Super-G (Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix), Mazda RX-7 FD3S Custom "White Charisma" (Street Supremacy, Import Tuner Challenge)
White Charisma' signature logo by the time of Zero
- I hate to lose.
After a long hiatus, Wataru finally returned in Import Tuner Challenge as one of the game's last bosses after hearing of Snake Eyes' defeat to test the player's will. In spite of the passing years, he's still one of Tokyo's fastest racers.
- Cool Old Guy: By the time of Import Tuner Challenge, he's somewhere in his fifties, slightly older than Jintei. He's still just as fast as he was decades prior.
- Dub Name Change: Crave's translation changed his real name to "Otto Horne" in 2 and "Mark Arkin" in Zero. A smaller change happens in Street Supremacy, where he's called "Watari Kan", and Import Tuner Challenge, where it's "Wataru Tate"
- Final Boss: He's the very last mandatory opponent the player has to face in Zero: after defeating him, the credits will roll. Unless he's also the last opponent left for the player to beat overall: in that case, UNKNOWN will appear immediately afterwards.
- The Rival: To Jintei. He was defeated by him when Wataru thought he had become Tokyo's fastest, and has held a grudge ever since, even forming a team of highly-skilled racers who were defeated by Jintei to take on the Thirteen Devils.
