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Jun Kazama “died” in Tekken 2. Or so they say. Maybe she didn’t die…maybe that’s just what her son, Jin Kazama, thinks. Fan opinion on the matter is divided, but regardless of who thinks what, people want Jun back in the Tekken games. She hasn’t been in a canonical title since 2.
Now, with Tekken X Street Fighter in the midst of development, series producer, Katsuhiro Harada, feels it’s time to clear the Jun situation up with his fans. Harada writes on the Tekken Nation message boards:
“About JUN, there seem to be a lot of fans that think that Jun has died in the official storyline. That isn’t exactly true. From Jin’s perspective in the story, he believes his mother, Jun, has died. This is the correct interpretation. After the release of TEKKEN 3, I have officially stated to the press that objectively, and officially, Jun’s whereabouts are unknown.
“So this is the official stance that has been stated repeatedly. Even so, the belief that she has died is spread and some “official storylines” have also mistakenly incorporated this myth so I guess it can’t be helped. Anyways, to get back to the story, Jun’s data was included in TEKKEN 3 because there was still a possibility she might appear at that time.
“Just to clear this up, the only characters that have officially been declared dead are the first King and first Armor King.
In real-life, wrestling is heavier on entertainment but in the Tekken world, they can really die in their profession. In the Tekken world, pro-wrestlers are some of the only fighters that are always on edge during a fight, as they are in constant danger of losing their life. As such, they are tragic and alone but their existence shines bright.”
So, Jun’s not dead. Far from it. But will Harada-san include her in the next game? The answer to that is a little more complicated. Harada elaborates:
“About 13~14 years ago (After releasing Tekken3). I heard “Bring back Kunimitsu” from several people and I revived her with Tekken Tag Tournament (A lot of opinions “I need more new character” were not adopted). But… Her (Kunimitsu) usage rate and popularity were the lowest (Investigated in world wide).”
This incident made Harada-san unsure as to just how strong demand for Jun really is. He’s not sure that the vocal minority translates to actual demand.
How can you help? By following him on Twitter and letting him know your opinion. While development time and budget are limited, Harada promises to share fans’s comments with his development team. Beware though…he has a sense of humour.
