“ | "Shion... it's up to you now whether you choose to withdraw from this painful world, or learn to accept it. But I can say this much: no matter what you choose, you will not be alone." | ” |
Jin Uzuki (ジン・ウヅキ) is the older brother of Shion Uzuki. Jin is the son of Aoi Uzuki and Suou Uzuki, and grandson of Ouga Uzuki. He is a major character and main playable character in Episode II and Episode III.
Personality[]
His personality is mainly calm and composed. He is very reflective and contemplative.
Jin runs an antique bookstore on the outskirts of Second Miltia's capital, where he relaxes and reads books because he loves the feel of them, despite living in a futuristic era where most print has been discarded for digital distribution via the U.M.N. He also has an interest in ancient religions, rituals, traditions, customs, etc.
Jin's interests and hobbies puts him at ends with Shion's interests of futurology, who claims Jin is obsessed with reading "weird old books" and claims his hobby is "stupid and old". He wishes to share this interest with her, but it backfires as she does not share his interest and enthusiasm.
Jin is unsure how to relate to his younger sister, so their relationship is tense. At times, Jin has pressured Shion into visiting their parent's memorial, despite that Shion doesn't want to. Jin views it as her lacking a sense of "filial duty", while Shion views it as an unnecessary useless ancient ritual which won't bring her parents back to life. Jin cares about Shion, but his way of showing it is flawed.
He has been insulted by Shion and Pellegri, his former lover. Shion calls Jin an "idiot" and claims he doesn't "understand other people's feelings". Pellegri claims Jin "never changes", is "incapable of acknowledging others", "never thought about her needs" and that he "manipulates people to suit his own". Jin apparently can't or won't connect with other people, which may be why he keeps changing jobs.
Jin is somewhat self-loathing, and doesn't think highly of himself, calling himself a "lowly used bookseller".
Combat abilities[]
He formerly served as a captain in the Galaxy Federation's Special Forces Intelligence Division, but left the military during the Miltian Conflict.
Jin is an expert swordsman, having trained under the same sensei as his arch rival, Margulis, who uses a vastly different weapon and fighting style.
Jin prefers to be strategic in his movements with the katana, preferring a calm, controlled approach, in comparison to Margulis's more aggressive, forceful style.
In addition to being a master swordsman, Jin is an ice Ether specialist.
Background[]
Miltian Conflict[]
During the Miltian Conflict on Miltia, Jin's father Suou leaked information to Jin about the U-TIC Organization for the Federation, and Jin acted as a courier. Despite this, Jin never learned the name of the real organization behind the Conflict: Ormus.
During the Third Descent Operation, under the orders of Helmer, Jin managed to steal information from Margulis, concerning the true nature of the Conflict: Joachim Mizrahi's Y-Data. Jin's mission during the conflict was to obtain the Y-Data, but he expected to take it from Mizrahi, not Margulis.
After joining chaos and Canaan in their search for the U.R.T.V.s, the group was confronted by Margulis, who challenged Jin to a duel. In this, Margulis displayed superior skill with his sword, even to the extent of managing to wound Jin. When it came to Ether skills, however, Jin proved to be the better. Both duelists hurled a ball of potent energy at each other; Margulis's sphere of energy crashed into Jin, knocking the breath out of him and severely weakening him. Jin's, however, hit Margulis in the face, leaving him with a long gash across his expression that would forever remain as a scar.
In the aforementioned battle, Margulis states: "I have always been your better in every way," which, along with their interaction to one another, states they have known each other for some time. Later in a duel on Miltia, Jin states to Margulis that he "will not let a monster inherit [his] grandfather's technique." This, when combined with the fact Margulis makes references to "that old fool," would seem to suggest that Margulis and Jin learned their swordfighting and ether talents from the same master. Apparently, this master is Jin's grandfather.
Unfortunately, Jin was too late to protect his parents from the berserk 27-Series Asura Realians. However, he was able to rescue his little sister. Hiding his sadness but satisfied his sister survived, he took Shion away from Miltia before it was sealed into the Abyss. It is unknown how Shion and Jin escaped Miltia, but considering Jin's parents were U-TIC workers, it is possible he and Shion were allowed onto the Song of Nephilim which was used as a lifeboat.
Second Miltia[]
After the Miltian Conflict, Jin lived on Second Miltia in the 8th District, taking care of Shion. Second Miltia began as a refuge planet for the survivors of the Miltian Confict. He has a young man named Jun Uzaki as his assistant, who idolizes Jin.
The Miltian Conflict built a wall between Jin and Shion. Shion grew distant from Jin with time and was reluctant to speak to him. Shion didn't speak to him for years, considering him responsible for her parents' deaths and being irresponsible in general, and cut him out of her life as much as she could. Despite this, Jin tried repeatedly to get closer to Shion. Jin also kept Suou's involvement with U-TIC a secret from Shion, as well as the real reason behind her mother's treatment at the Acute Neurosis Treatment Facility, probably because he felt that Shion was unable to bear these truths and for the past to be left in the past.
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht[]
In this episode, Jin's role is extremely negligible. He appears briefly on Shion's communication screen aboard the Woglinde in the beginning, asking Shion to visit him and their parents' memorial. Shion questions the point of Jin "trying to resurrect obscure ancient rituals", and accuses him of being obsessed with his "precious weird old books" and calls it a "stupid old hobby". She then shuts off their conversation before he can say anything else.
During the ending credits, Jin can be seen visiting his and Shion's parents' memorial.
Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse[]
Shion is reunited with Jin, who is now running a bookstore, after he encounters her in Moby Dick's Café. He invites her to stay the night at his house and asks Shion to visit their parent's memorial, but Shion refuses and leaves the next morning without saying goodbye. Jin still has to bear all the criticism of Shion.
Jin becomes a playable character when he joins the team on to fulfill a mission given by Helmer; this mission being to analyze the data he stole on Old Miltia fourteen years ago. With the Elsa trying to reach Old Miltia, Jin joins the party on the ship. When they arrive deep inside of Labyrinthos, Margulis awaits the team and confront Jin one more time. The duel ends in a draw, and Margulis retreats to his E.S.
Shion becomes emotionally distraught by Cecily and Cathe's deaths. Jin finds her on the Elsa, crying alone. When he talks to her about transferring spaceships, Shion screams at him to get out and leave her alone. Shion has a breakdown full of anger and sadness, and becomes angry at the world for being thrown into another situation where she's forced to watch someone die. Jin attempts to comfort her by telling her Febronia probably loved Shion just as much as she did her real sisters, Cecily and Cathe. He describes her as, "Another sister bound by the chains of her past." At first, Shion misses what he meant and asks, "Another... sister... who?" Jin tells Shion that "sister" is her, and Febronia gave her such a painful role because Febronia believed in her. Jin also tells Shion that the world is full of pain, and she can either learn to accept it, or withdraw from it and become a recluse. However, he also tells Shion that regardless of the choice she makes, she won't be alone. With a faint sense of resolve, Shion leaves the room for him.
At the end, he leaves with the Elsa to discover the secret of Ormus.
Xenosaga: A Missing Year[]
Having received a request from Juli Mizrahi of the S.O.C.E., Jin was assigned to the investigation of Gnosis Terrorism.
More Gnosis attacks occur and Gnosis raid the S.O.C.E. lab. Scientia agent Doctus kidnaps Almadel, a mysterious Realian girl.
Jin and Shion pursue Doctus. They infiltrate a Scientia vessel, but are caught.
In order to rescue Shion, Jin goes to the Scientia base and contacts Doctus. Jin confronts Grimoire Verum at Ars Nova, one area of S-Division within the U.M.N. sealed by Vector. Jin succeeds in rescuing Shion from Grimoire at the core of Ars Nova.
Due to the completion of Lemegeton, Nephilim Verum's consciousness awakens within Almadel. Grimoire is annihilated. Almadel vanishes in order to stop the song of Nephilim. Ars Nova collapses.
Shion has an emotional breakdown from Almadel's death and gives up. Jin slaps Shion on the face for considering suicide, telling her not to waste Almadel's sacrifice for her, and comforts her.
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra[]
Jin first appears in Gedalya space to fight Margulis near Rennes-le-Château.
Later, chaos comments that Jin is assisting with the Gnosis Terrorism. Juli Mizrahi mentions that Jin has been doing jobs for her.
Later, Jin is a playable support character who occasionally pilots E.S. Reuben. Throughout the game, Jin and Shion grow closer, in spite of their differences. He meets Shion and the group on Fifth Jerusalem and helps rescue KOS-MOS.
On "Miltia", Jin acts as guidance for Shion, and is concerned when she is held hostage by Margulis. Jin also has a battle with Pellegri. When Kevin Winnicot returns to Shion, Jin is wary of him, claiming that Kevin is no longer human and that there is a shadow in Kevin's heart.
On Michtam, Jin encounters Pellegri and fights her. He is saddened by her death.
Jin has a final showdown with Margulis. This final battle, however, is an E.S. battle rather than the classic swordfighting the two had previously engaged in. Margulis, who had learned the truth about Ormus, saw his fight with Jin as the only thing left in his life that, in his words, would not betray him. His E.S. Levi was disabled, and rather than accept an ignoble defeat, Margulis proceeds to take his sword and stab himself as his E.S. explodes.
When Shion returns to Kevin, Jin opposes this and is willing to fight his sister, claiming he must do what is necessary to save the universe. It is unknown if Jin was willing to fight Shion to the death, or if he merely intended for her to exhaust herself. Either way, Allen attempts to defuse the situation, something which Jin was apparently incapable of.
After the defeat of Zarathustra, with Asher as the only functional E.S., Jin ferries the others back to safety while KOS-MOS remains to protect chaos and Nephilim as they draw in the Gnosis for transport to Lost Jerusalem. Fearing that not even KOS-MOS can fight the sheer number of Gnosis alone, he lets the rest of the party off of Asher, but then pulls away. He gives a very humbled good-bye to a tearful Shion, in which he affirms his brotherly love and states that he regrets not being a better brother. A crying Shion answers that she did not deserve him as a brother, and states that she was honored to be his sister.
Jin then flies Asher back to the chamber of Zarathustra and joins KOS-MOS in the battle against the Gnosis. He is forced to self-destruct Asher to destroy a Gnosis that managed to maim KOS-MOS, and then proceeds to fight on foot until he is impaled from above by a sword dropped by an enemy. Obviously mortally wounded, he assures chaos that he is fine, and urges them to continue. In an act of defiance, he pulls the sword out of his body and uses it to attack the same Gnosis that impaled him. Though he manages to kill the Gnosis, he is stabbed in the same action.
Losing his strength, Jin sits down, and ponders briefly on his coming death. He reflects that he has finally found the peace he had been looking for, but now misses the chaotic days that he is leaving behind. He concludes that the oncoming peace is "not so bad" and dies peacefully. chaos is saddened and thanks Jin. Back onboard the Elsa, Shion senses his death from miles away, suggesting that, despite the friction between the two of them, she ultimately cared for him deeply.
After his death, Jin's spirit and consciousness travels with Nephilim to Lost Jerusalem. His consciousness goes with all those transported by chaos and Nephilim to Lost Jerusalem. Perhaps his consciousness, like those of countless others, lies in sleep eternal, awaiting the appointed day. Until a time when all had gathered.
Relationships[]
Shion Uzuki[]
Jin had a poor relationship with his sister. Shion did not get along with her older brother Jin after the Miltian Conflict and their parents' deaths, which she blamed him for as he was unable to save them from Gnosis. Shion always held him responsible for their parent's death, and since then, has never tried to get close to him. In fact, it is not that Jin left his parents to die, but that he was delayed by Margulis. He still succeeded in saving Shion, however. Jin harbors some guilt for not being able to save his parents in time. Shion resented Jin for his lax attitude and was frustrated by his inability to hold a steady job for more than six months, constantly changing professions. Shion has a tendency to add the phrase "no-good" when referring to Jin. In the anime, Shion calls him an "idiot" to Tony.
Despite her attempts to avoid him, Jin reached out to his sister often and tried to get closer to her, inviting her to honor their parents or come visit their family home, which he had turned into a medical practice and later a bookstore due to his annoyance at his patients, but it was to no avail. Jin was scared that if he tried to get too close to Shion, she would reject him completely. Shion's avoidance of her brother reached the point of desperation when in close proximity to him. Although they don't always agree, Jin looks out for his little sister like when Kevin Winnicot tried to get her to go on his side. They apologize mutually for their behavior after Zarathustra was destroyed and are able to forgive each other, moments before his death.
Margulis[]
Margulis is Jin's arch-rival. They were both students in the way of the sword under Jin's grandfather. Margulis was ultimately defeated in the end in an E.S. fight with Jin and his friends.
Pellegri[]
Pellegri is Jin's former lover in the Federation military. Jin had a romantic relationship in their younger years. In Episode III, Pellegri states that "their paths will never cross" after being defeated in an E.S. battle. After the fight, she refuses to escape from her exploding E.S., thus resulting in her death.
KOS-MOS[]
Jin is the only person to have had a full conversation with KOS-MOS while she was technically without emotion, outside of her creators, Shion and Allen. Jin also looked furious when he saw KOS-MOS lost her arm in the final battle against the Gnosis and he is one of the few to never having considered her as an emotionless android.
Quotes[]
- ''History shows that those who speak of the word of God have never represented what is right. All they've displayed was deception, falsehood, and aggression.''
- "The human race began its existence as a simple flock of hunters and gatherers. Eventually, we learned to control fire, and from fire, we obtained the power of the blade. Our consciousness constantly changes form in its unending search for the future. When a man finds a guiding light, he runs to it, sometimes forgetting its true nature in the process. Perhaps we humans are like moths. Aimlessly flitting around the inviting candlelight, unaware of the outcome that awaits us."
- "But just because most people believe something, doesn't necessarily mean that it's true." (about the public's perception that Joachim Mizrahi is a madman)
- "Shion... Did you not understand what Febronia wanted? I think there was another whom she loved just as much as her sisters. Another sister bound by the chains of her past. I think she probably wanted to save that sister just as much as her real sisters. Don't you see? That's why she chose you and gave you that painful role."
- "I... really am hopeless. Febronia, I am truly envious of you. You... were able to do for Shion what I, her own brother, should have done. Now the question is, what can I possibly do for Shion? Or... even still... what can I do about my own past?"
- "I'm pathetic for being unable to help Shion when she needs me the most. I might as well be a stranger! I'm unable to do anything for her as her brother."
- "No matter what happens, I intend to do what I must to save our world. Make sure your decision reflects that."
- "Listen to what you're saying. You're not alone. You have all these wonderful friends. Shion, I know that I was never a very good brother. I did nothing but cause you pain most of the time. I always regretted not spending more time with you. So please, let me be... your brother one last time."
- "Of course, I'm actually terrified. But I know in my heart this is what I must do. Well, Asher, we've got one final job to do. Let's go!"
- "It's quiet now. I don't think it's ever been this quiet before in my whole life. This is what I sought. And yet, now that the time has finally come... I long for the noise of the past. I long for those hectic and chaotic days that once were. But this, too, is pleasant, in an odd sort of way. Yes. The time has come for me... to move on, Shion."
Trivia[]
- According to Xenosaga: Official Design Materials, Jin is classified as an Enneagram type 6, along with Allen Ridgeley, Lapis Roman, Mary Godwin, Pellegri, and Shelley Godwin.
- Jin Uzuki was inspired by Citan Uzuki of Xenogears. Their long black hair and face are nearly identical. Both Citan and Jin are masters of Japanese style swordplay taught to them by their grandfathers, both use similar mecha, and both have somewhat similar pasts being renowned former members of some kind of military service. In Episode III, one of the outfits Jin is seen wearing is a bright green robe similar to what Citan wore in Xenogears, and an E.S. unit named Reuben with dark green plating and twin katanas has Jin as its pilot (on a related note, the flat, blade-like dual horns are similar to Grahf, another Xenogears character). Jin was once a doctor. Jin originally wore glasses, as seen in earlier trailers for Episode I, but they were removed in the final game.
- Jin is the author of the Federal Reports found in Episode III.