Julia Chang

As a child, Julia was abandoned in Native American lands and was adopted by Michelle Chang, who raised her with love and taught her martial arts so she could protect her homeland. Julia studied archaeology in Michelle's tribal lands. When she was 18 years old, stories of sudden disappearances of martial artists around the world reached the tribe. The tribe knew that they were caused by the God of Fighting, Ogre, and feared that Michelle's jewelry was the reason. Michelle went to Japan to ask Heihachi Mishima about her jewelry, but she did not return. Julia doubted Heihachi and entered the third King of Iron Fist Tournament to know the truth.[14]

Fearing that the rapidly growing global ecosystem would threaten her homeland, Julia started researching ecosystem restoration techniques. She worked alongside G Corporation, whose high-tech computers were being used to store the research data. However, the research came to an unexpected interruption when Mishima Zaibatsu broke into G Corporation and stole all of their data. Knowing that she needed the data to save her homeland, Julia entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4 when she saw a web page about it.[9] She failed to obtain the data and continued her research. One day, Julia received a letter about the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5. She participated, hoping to once again find the data.[15]

After finally finding her stolen data, Julia completed her research and went back to Arizona to meet the group that would help her in her reforestation plans. She also met with an old woman who claimed that she could hear the spirits. She helped Julia with the rejuvenation program, but just before the latter left, she gave a warning that Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima were not allowed to fight, since doing so would resurrect a great evil, Azazel. To prevent this from happening, Julia decided to enter the sixth King of Iron Fist Tournament.[16] In Tekken 7, after retiring as a masked fighter, Jaycee. Julia focused on spreading reforestation around the world. However, she was in need of money, forcing her to return to fighting. She aimed to defeat Kazuya Mishima, believing it would gain global attention and funding for her project.[17]

Julia appears as a playable character in the non-canonical games Tekken Tag Tournament and in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, under the title Jaycee or J.C., though she can be customized to resemble her real identity.[18] She also appears in Tekken Card Challenge,[19] Tekken 3D: Prime Edition,[20] Tekken Revolution,[21] and Death by Degrees.[22] Julia also appears as a playable character in the crossover game Street Fighter X Tekken, where her official partner is Bob,[23] and where Chun-Li gave Julia her classic outfit after they became friends through studying Chinese kempo together.[24]

Julia's images are briefly seen in a cameo in the CGI film Tekken: Blood Vengeance when Anna Williams opens a file containing images of various people.[25] Julia also appears in the 2022 six-episode anime Tekken: Bloodline, where she is voiced in Japanese by Seiko Yoshida,[2] while in English she is voiced by Jeannie Tirado.[2] Tekken: Bloodline is based on the events of Tekken 3. Julia appears to be among the participants who received invitations to the King of Iron Fist tournament. She enters the tournament to find the stolen Chang family pendant from the tournament's host, Heihachi Mishima. She competes against multiple participants, including Marshall Law, whom she beats but ends up losing to Paul Phoenix. After losing, she confronts Heihachi for the pendant. Another participant, Jin Kazama, intervenes to protect Julia from Heihachi. Jin gave Julia the pendant back after defeating Heihachi.[26]

Action figure company Kazya released a 1/7-dimensional garage kit action figure made of resin material, which was based on Julia's Tekken 3 appearance. This figure was released on August 20, 2000.[27] A resin garage kit figure of Julia from her Tekken 4 iteration was manufactured by BROVO COMPANY, circled by Heihachi Zazen, and sculpted by Honda Heihachi. It was released during Wonder Festival 2003 in the winter season.[28] Diamond Select Toys produced a 1.95-inch Julia PVC action figure based on her Street Fighter X Tekken design. It was released on December 30, 2012.[29] A prepainted 1/7 scale PVC figure of Julia as Jaycee from Tekken Tag Tournament 2, designed by the graphic artist Yamashita Shunya, was released by Kotobukiya in 2013.[30]

Julia has been one of the most popular characters among the professional players of Tekken 4.[31] In 2013, Kevin Wong of Complex commented on Julia's sex appeal, stating, "Julia is the thinking man's video game crush – an intellectual with a naughty librarian look. Like her mother before her, Julia is that crunchy hippie girl on campus – you'd go to a protest rally just to get her number. Julia is the classic 'pitbull' character, who overwhelms her opponent with relentless punches and elbows. Armed with one of the most punishing command throws on the roster, she'll be breaking nerds' hearts for years to come."[32] Before later being added as DLC, Julia's absence from Tekken 7 was met with widespread disappointment.[33] Dom Peppiatt from VG247 praised Julia as "[getting] some development beyond just "environmental activist that's also Native American"".[34]

There has been some negative criticism. Upon Julia Chang's debut in Tekken 3, Next Generation commented that she and fellow Tekken 3 character Ling Xiaoyu "conform to different and equally depressing 'cute schoolgirl' stereotypes".[35] Julia has also been discussed as a representative of Native Americans.[36][37] In the study Representation of Native Americans: From Literature to Video Games, author Samuel Martínez Linares, when examining Julia and Michelle, states, "There is no faithful depiction of tribal characteristics that would help players understand the choice of a Native American cultural background." Linares also opines that the Native American representation in the games "lacks depth and consistency."[38]