Jet Set Radio Future - Part 1: The Concept of Love 

I came to learn about the metaphysical truths of human relationships and I ended up joining a roller-skating street gang.

54:48 "It technically counts for completionist if you really care that much" Said as Jirard's face slowly comes into view in the distance

Jon going into extreme detail about copyright for this game was so him, in a good way. The amount of detail he brings to LPs is incredible.

This game was one of those rare games where I just wanted to surf the cityscape more than actually play the game. I didn't even dislike the story or anything (especially since yo-yo was actually my favorite character) but the sheer gamefeel of grinding on everything literally felt like flying or surfing on everything.

Jon, there MAY have been a voice director for the DreamCast version of JSR, but it would have been a Japanese one. Many voice directors, especially way back when, were Japanese people with little grasp of the nuance possible with English, and they were primarily concerned with the FEEL of the performance to a Japanese ear. So while it feels clunky and shouty sometimes to us, it might feel bombastic and energized to them. However, especially in recent years, it's been easier for Japanese developers to recognize that they can't do everything perfectly (see the shake-up in fighting games over rollback netcode), so we're getting games where they employed actual English speakers, if not vocal experts.

Amazing timing, posting this only one day after the spiritual successor that is Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has been confirmed to be coming to the Nintendo Switch next year.

As an Egg PAC member who's been keeping the grafitti bit secret for months [and JUST submitted their grafitti hours before this LP premiered], I've been very eager to see how all the grafitti will turn out in-game! Can't wait to see what others come up with too. Have fun, artists!

JSRF doesn't get anywhere near the love it deserves. This is going to be an interesting playthrough.

Honestly, while I think Future has HANDS DOWN the better gameplay and it looks beautiful, I kinda prefer the old game's presentation... The designs in the original feel more grounded, more urban rather than the more tecno style Future goes. Weirdly, it's the opposite on Professor K, with JSR being a bombastic DJ who acts all 90's cool and Furute being a more smooth, suave dude who brings chills even on the more dire situations. I can see someone preferring the latter, but I enjoy both equally.

Music recommendations? If anyone hasn't heard of him yet, 2Mello actually has an album dedicated to JSR called Memories of Tokyo-To with a similar feel, and is going to be dropping another album named after Future too really soon!

one thing I always love in games like this is when the music is being played in universe. Having all the music being played via an in-universe underground radio station was GENIUS.

I still associate this game's OST with your old SMW romhack playthroughs. Still feels so fresh in my memory too...

I really hate that this game has never been re-released. I always thought Jet Set Radio was one of the coolest games since it was new. Even though I only played the original 4 years ago and no matter its flaws, it is still really cool. But I literally want to give Sega money to buy the sequel and I can't. Sega does what Nintendoes after all lol.

Holy shit, we're actually having this happen! I remember Jon talking about doing this all the way back in 2016 streams and I thought it was just forever going to be a pipedream! It's good to see you finally tackeling projects again!

I am so conditioned from the DKC LP everytime the static sound happens during the load screen I was expecting a cut to a random other version of the game heh.

The fact you can paint Jirard's face onto people is amazing

Ngl, it took a good 7 listens for me to start liking Birthday Cake, but it grew on me. I even found the album it came from. That whole album is wild, lol.

Half-pipe tricks *are* comboable just like rail tricks are comboable. You don't need to press X or Y to start the combo, but you do need to time your X/Y press correctly after jumping. Also, as long as you keep doing air tricks you won't take fall damage.

Holy shit. I never thought I'd see the day that this LP finally dropped. Also the Caravan Palace recommendation, good taste. I absolutely adore their work

With the exception of the clutch glitch this game holds up amazingly well and is still so much fun to go back to and play more so than the first one

The style of this lets play is off the charts. You've always, in your past letsplays, did things in style to the game you're playing. Sounds effects from the game to show stuff on screen, even the same font. Its all one big art piece, basically. And JSR Future's SFX is so ingrained in my soul, it brings a smile to hear em.

Project Sweet Bike!! Finally!! I remember watching stream once and Jon is just spraying Jirard's face EVERYWHERE! So glad to finally watch JSRF

As someone who REALLY loves The World Ends With You, seeing a different game’s take on some of the same locations, seeing the differences in culture they both highlight, is incredibly fascinating. If you enjoy the JSRF OST, I’d suggest checking out TWEWY’s as well! EDIT: returning to add some somewhat more specific recommendations (gonna love getting more music from this LP!) If you decide to check out the TWEWY OST, it skews a bit more rock than JSR’s hip-hop, but some specific tracks I think might appeal include Twister, Three Minutes Clapping, and Junk Garage. WRT the Caravan Palace song, I’m not terribly versed in electro swing, but I quite enjoy PIERRE JANET’S CRIMINAL DEFENSE by GHOST. (Yeah, it’s all in caps.) It’s a bit into the glitch/noise music genre, but still definitely got those electro swing ~vibes~.

The personal touches and edits in this first episode are awesome, and really show a love and appreciation of JSR. Your romhacking days had a major part in shaping my musical tastes, so in a sense, you've already payed it forward!

Considering the announcement of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, this is a great time for this to start. And thank you for including the art community into the LP! I gotta try for a Graffiti sometime. Assuming my ADHD lets me.

This was one of the first games I ever played all the way through. It had awesome graphics, awesome music, and was fun as heck. I miss this game so much.

So that Cookie bit in the DKC finale was foreshdowing! Clever!

My favorite game in history! I need a sequel and remaster!!! Phenomenal graphics and gameplay and music

0:41 - Oh boy this takes me back. I remember when Jon sung the same song while listening to it midst of playing and raging at shitty Mario rom hacks. Good sweet young youtube times lol

I've thought for years I played the original jet set but now I'm thinking it actually was this one, huh.

I never thought this LP was going to happen, I thought this was quietly buried years ago. I’m so glad it’s finally happening.

I had to re-watch the first two minutes of this video to actually pay attention to what Jon was saying. The title screen cutscene & music were just kinda mesmerizing to me.

I discovered Jet Set Radio from your older videos where you'd put the ost on in the background, so seeing you play it for the channel all these years later is really exciting!

I am so happy to see project sweet bike finally come to fruition, this is gonna be awesome!

5:43 22 years later and I had no idea they kept their idle dance going while tagging!

After spending multiple hours and rage quits on the terminal graffiti soul you mentioned, I'm very exited to see it in the next episode. Great first episode, can't wait to watch this series as it continues.

JET SET RADIOOOOOO! man the music in this game is so good! Love the music, the style, the characters. Everything! Don't know if I prefer jsr or jstf more. But I know I'm exited for bomb rush cyberpunk.

I’m so glad you’re playing this! And it’s great to hear funky dealer in game again it’s my favorite song from the game and I even have it on some of my everyday playlists

What good timing with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk being officially announced for Switch! JET SET RADIOOOOOOO! 0:40 And already opening up with a bop. Really, the whole of Future’s OST (and even most of JSR’s) is a bop. Naganuma really knows how to keep his beats funky and fresh…shame that really doesn’t translate over into his shitposting on Twitter, especially when it stops being shitposting and devolves into something more unsettling… 1:10 If you were, then so are a whole lot of other people, including the whole of Team Reptile. Either way, you’re not alone. JSR and Future are cult classics for a reason. 3:00 Wait, Yoyo’s the protagonist? I can see why you really didn’t like him in JSR. 4:45 He’s the group mascot. Very important. 5:33 And if you messed up, there goes one of your spray cans (which can be really bad if the cops or whoever is chasing you down are everywhere and putting on the pressure), and you have to try again from where you left off. Also some characters take annoyingly long to do their art (like Gum), which is really bad when you’re getting shot at as you can be interrupted mid-spray. Like it’s one thing to take your time with your art and not rush through it, but when you’re getting shot at by multiple paratroopers or even tanks not to mention a time limit, you don’t exactly have time on your side to take things nice and easy. Efficiency is more appreciated in those situations I feel. 9:03 Voiced by Charles Martinet, and boy does he ham it up when it comes time for him to speak. 12:00 I wouldn’t say one’s better than the other, they’re just different. The plot stuff didn’t really start coming into JSR until the second act. Up until then you hear Rokaku dropped occasionally (specifically when you beat one of the rival groups and force them out of their territory), but their overall presence isn’t felt until later. JSR’s K is more boisterous and loud which works for the more light-hearted and goofy stuff like when your gang’s garage gets filled with frogs by one of the rival gangs as a prank (and it takes a bit to get to the second act anyways). Future’s is a lot more smooth which is more fitting for how serious things are off the bat as the Rokaku Gang’s already here taken a deep root into Tokyo-to (in JSR, the police were their own entity and at one point tried to fight back against the Rokaku Gang and failed. I know, even with all their tanks they still got bested. No match for those B-copters I guess). They both work for their respective games is what I’d say, and I don’t think I’d want Future’s version in JSR and vice versa. 13:36 I mean that icon looks like a pompadour which is like the closest thing to corn in terms of hairstyles. 16:03 Well, the ones that weren’t done by other artists such as Dragula by Rob Zombie. 17:50 Also why you won’t find their tracks on iTunes/Apple Music on the JSRF OST. 19:05 Right, you’ve said on stream how you’ve wanted to LP JSRF for so long. 21:00 So Powerpuff Girls and not The Powerpuff Girls or whatever that gritty live action reboot is if that should somehow have aired by the time you see this. 22:00 This is one of the reasons why I’m so sad that JSRF hasn’t gotten a Steam port other than not having played it at all but wanting to. Being able to use fanart for your graffiti during the Game Clearing Streams was one of the best things about that run, just seeing all the Bagels and Kermits and Robertcops…plot…all in the cutscenes too. 23:55 Sounded more like a Smight impression to me. 25:33 A little less kosher than the Steam port of JSR, but hey, at least we get to see more Bagel! 26:06 I was about to say, Neodos looks a lot like Jirard there. 29:25 Already off to a grand start IMO! Opening with my all-time favorite track in the game! Love me some Funky Dealer! 36:10 Almost like an emergency escape if things start looking dicey! It’s like his role and Yoyo’s got swapped. Really weird choice since yeah, Beat and Gum are the poster children for JSR in all of the crossover content too like Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing. Also I thought Beat was the new blood of the gang in JSR while Tab was the leader. 39:55 Seems Yoyo was nice enough to hand over his spray cans to Corn. Wonder if he’d come in with full health were Yoyo hurt when they swapped. 48:00 At least there’s a way to fight back now. 51:40 In fact this takes away your points. Your health points to be exact.

I honestly love birthday cake, there's such a hard punk spirit to it I vibe with

Jon im very happy you're back doing actual playthroughs on RU-vid again. I usually dont have the time to catch the streams but i always like seeing your uploads But you know someone's going to do a rosajon one for the XL

I've never actually played this game, but just watching the trailer for it as a kid (32 now) permanently changed my music taste for life. ive really been scared to try it, worried it might not hold up to the impact it had on me.

Super glad to see you starting this up dude, been looking forward to this for a long time so very happy to finally see it here!

After following the streams for so long, hearing about this project now and then. It's so awesome finally seeing it come to fruition! Can't wait to see all the art people come up with! ♥

My introduction to this game was random youtube videos I will never be able to find again, and I never actually got a chance to play it until Jet Set Radio Future Multiplayer, a fan game that tries its best to repicate the gameplay of the original, was brought to my attention. Given how much fun I've had just skating around in that game, I hope the original holds up.

This was a treat to watch and I am looking forward to the rest of this passion project of yours. Always appreciate your work!

Oh I’m enjoying this. You have earned a subscription, Jon. Can’t wait for this ride to continue!

Man I am SO behind on Jon’s channel, cause I had no idea that this existed. I was coming to rewatch Aria of Sorrow and stumbled upon this. I had just finished my first ever play through with my gf who also grew up with this game in January, so I’m excited to see what Jon’s thoughts are

Yooooo lets go! I’ve been hyped for this LP since you teased it years back in a stream

Way back during rom hacks of super mario, you had jet set radio future soundtrack in the background. I learned about this game then, and it's amazing soundtrack. I never could find a way to play it. I greatly look forward to this playthrough. Thank you.

Ah, not what I was expecting, but I’m interested to see how this game actually works. I’ve heard you give the Jet Set games a lot of praise.

Dirty Side of the Street is really great! Thanks for the rec! I'll def check out more of the artist's work!

Ahhh, finally doing Jet Set Radio Future. I've heard you've been planning this one forever. As a player of only the Dreamcast game, I'm really looking forward to this. :3

I have only two words to say to you for getting me into this game's OST. THANK YOU! This game has my favourite OST of all time. I'm watching this for the commentary, and the jamz.

Kinda interesting that this goes up a few short days after the Nintendo Indie Showcase starts with a very similar game in the form of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. Coincidence? Probably. But it's a fun coincidence, none the less.

Haven't watched the video yet, but SUPER pumped to see the first youtuber I ever followed, and still one of my favorites, is playing one of my favorite games. Hell yes

I've been waiting to see this LP since 2016, it's so cool to see it actually happening after so long. The custom graffiti is such a good idea.

Jon I am so happy with this Let's Play, JSRF is one of my favorite games of all time and has shaped my taste for a number of things including music of course, and your music recommendation at the end is really good too, I'm very excited to watch the rest!

Rock on, dude, this game rules I love your playthrough style and I'm excited to get such a fun, complete look at the game! :D

Im so excited to finally see this project coming to fruition, JSRF has been one of my favorites for a LONG time

This is one of those IPs I've always kind of known existed, but never looked into much. This'll be a cool way to get deeper in, lookin forward to it

YES! Your stream of JSR1 is what encouraged me to find and play future myself! This is gonna be exciting to watch because it was you who got me curious about to play future because the original streams were fun and just made the game appeal to me. I’ve yet to play the first so it’ll be great seeing the one I’m familiar with here

Heck yeah Jon has been hinted at this game for years.

I gotta say... the first time I _ever_ heard JSR music was actually during your playthrough of the "Mario's Wacky World" ROMhack! You played your own music during that whole game (after the first episode) and it had a bunch of JSR and JSRF music that, _to this day,_ I still associate with that playthrough and some of the sections of that game.

Mah Man!! This game was my childhood! I remember playing jet Grind in the basement till the sunrise came up. This was the first reason I Got an xbox back then, remember seeing adds for this game on a box of mnt dew Another game like it you'll love would be "Mad Rat Dead" same kinda soundtrack And the custom art you are uploading? Man, you are DY-NO-MIGHT!

Yess I've been looking forward to this. can't wait to see everyone's art too!

OH MY GOD THIS GAME IS MY CHILDHOOD!! I WOULD PLAY THIS WITH MY BABYSITTER ALL THE TIME!!! I am so happy you are playing this game, because I was never good enough as a kid to beat it. I can't wait to ACTUALLY see what happens in this game.

Man, it's a real bummer to hear that Aisle 10 causes copyright issues. That's one of my favorites from the Future soundtrack. Farewell, Allison.

OMFG! Jon! This was my stomping grounds into the video game world. The music is so befitting and nostalgic. The concept of the game was perfectly suited for a pre-teen on the rise. I still got this in a combo-pack with a racing game for the original Xbox. Man… this has always been my little hiding spot from other mainstream games. My feelings are jaded. I love this game SOOOOO much that I hope it never gets popular. But at the same time, I want it to get the flowers it deserves. Thanks for then trip down memory lane, dude. Hope you enjoy your play through. I’ll definitely be restarting my own play though now that I’ve been inspired!

I have a soft spot for Future, and I'm really excited to see you play through it. While JSR1's controls, presentation, and fundamental design aspects are rough, Future evolves all of it in a way that doesn't feel "too much." I especially love that a lot of the music is just licensed from underground artists and that the overall style of the game has a more muted/faded color theory to it. Glad to see this in my sub box and can't wait to see more of this. Really well timed with the new Bomb Rush Cyberfunk trailer too, lol

I love you for playing this John. Thank you so much, my favorite game

Awesome choice for next LP! I only just played this for the first time this year and I found it held up quite well honestly, so I'm curious to see what you think yourself in the end. :o Super looking forward to this LP and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk next year for more amazing games like this C:

As someone who played Jet "Grind" Radio during my childhood but never got to play Future, I'm really looking forward to the rest of this one. Maybe one day I'll finally get to play it myself, through one method or another, but for now seeing it through you sounds like a pretty good time. Loving the custom graffiti, and the idea of having a new song suggested at the end of every episode.

The Caravan Palace recommendation at the end of the video brought to mind a couple other songs that those looking for electro swing may enjoy: Chambermaid Swing by Parov Stellar, and King of Swing by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. These are two of my favorite songs from the genre. After hearing so much praise about this game from you, Jon, I'm happy to experience it by boarding this ship captained by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide such as yourself! This is why this is my favorite LP channel!

Ah yes, Project Sweet Bike is finally out, glad to see Jon finally cover this

Dayumn, i remember back in the old romhack days you used this titular song for one of the kaizo-esque romhack episodes, now THAT's a trip down memory lane.

Hey a JSRF playthrough! I played this when the xbox first came out and loved it and the music. Thanks for doing this, it'll be real nostalgic and I didn't know you got the other characters in the post game.

You have NOOOO idea how excited I've been about this!!

Oh man, this is going to be a fun one. JSRF speedruns have been my I can't sleep watch for years. I wonder if I can watch this without falling asleep. Sure also hope Jon will be his diligent self and do the tedious post game.

I'm kinda surprised that the open cleavage version of Gum's design isn't Jon's preference, though I gotta agree that striped sleeves and long gloves are surprisingly aesthetic. As is any spray system that warps the image based on geography as though it's put down like a sticker.

Dude… that intro music shot me right back to when I was a child watching his play through of Mario’s Wacky Worlds. What a trip

In one of his romhack videos, maybe 13 years ago, he mentioned he wanted to LP this game. And that day has come and I'm super stoked for it. Nice 🙂

Yes. This is the lets play ive been hoping for. The fact that this game will probably never get a re release saddens me

So friggin excited for this playthrough!!! u

not a day goes by where i don't wish i could play this game again for the first time

I cheered when you said Aisle 10 was your favorite song from the soundtrack. I heard it when you played this on stream for Fortune Cookie years ago and downloaded it immediately. One of my all time favorites now!

I like how you used the six-finger image of Beat when you met him lmao Also fun fact: You won't take fall damage if you keep those air tricks going.

This is one of the best and coolest games I ever seen. Also great walkthrough, you explain well many things that the game doesn’t really teach. Shame the let’s play isn’t finished for now

Seeing that Jirard pic brings back memories of when you showed how you wanted to use the graffiti on stream years ago. Ever since, I've been waiting for this LP to happen, glad to see it's finally here!

I'm super pumped for this lets play, I've never been about to play JSRF and so this is the first time I'm ever even hearing this soundtrack. I love JSR, it's one of my favorite Sega series alongside the Yakuza Series. So anyways can't wait for next Thursday

I'm not even an artist and you got me tempted to do some sort of simple graffiti because I like this game's style.

Buckle up folks, it's gonna be a good one :3

There's this producer I've been really interested in lately named Dyes Iwasaki. If your really into electro swing type music, a lot of his stuff is like that. I definitely recommend checking his stuff with the group Fake Type, as well as his latest solo album Neo Tokyo Swing, which features some remixes from other electro swing artists. Edit: I should say I didn't really recommend him based on whether or not his music had "Jet Set Radio" vibes. I'm not sure what from his discography would fit that vibe, maybe Nightmare March or his work on Mad Rat Dead. I personally don't get many chances to share my music tastes, so I kinda just shared him without really thinking about if it fit or not, and honestly, if I recommend more in future episodes (no pun intended) I probably won't be thinking of that.

Now *this* is a let's play that's going to knock loose some forgotten memories.

Man I loved this game so much as a kid. I agree so much with you though, starting with Future then going to the first game feels so jarring. Really looking forward to the rest of the playthrough on this though! Such a good game to re-experience.

I thought the reference in the DK Let's Play was a joke. I had no idea that you gave us a preview of the next game. This is awesome!

I remember Jet Set Radio's OST but I dont ever recall watching anythint JSR related. Then Jon said something about him using it for his old videos and my mind flashed back to mario's wacky worlds.

I see I'm not the only one here who was introduced to the JSRF soundtrack because of your old ROM hack videos. Love that you highlighted the contributing artists and rights holdings info for some of those tracks. It's highly amusing to me that that one Cibo Matto song is known to cause more than just aural grief. (I unironically like "Birthday Cake", but I get it...)

Oh yeah JSRF! The worlds were so impressive back in the day.

I have never really gotten into Jet Set Radio. I have heard of it, of course, but this LP will probably be my introduction to the franchise, in general. I'm excited for what's to come! That custom graffiti idea is so cool! Seeing Jirard graffiti is so surreal.