Gum

### Allies

Beat, Professor K, Pirhana, Combo, Tab, Cube, Mew Poison Jam, Yoyo, Garam, Love Shockers, Noize Tanks, Pots, Soda

## Gallery/Quotes

**Gum** is a protagonist from Sega's *Jet Set Radio* series. She is one of the three original founders of the GGs, a group of graffiti gangsters who skate through the streets of Tokyo-To and vandalize its city. She is a sarcastic, practical, and cocky punk who likes to stir up trouble and skate through the streets of Japan, while also evading the chief of police, Captain Onishima, who desires to take down the graffiti gangs across the city, including the GGs.

Gum has appeared in three *Sega All-Stars* titles and four games overall, and is the only *Jet Set Radio* character to appear in the mobile version of *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed*. Thus far, Gum has made the most appearances in the *Sega All-Stars* video games of any *Jet Set Radio* character.

## Background

### Brief history

Gum made her first debut in the 2000 video game *Jet Set Radio* (titled *Jet Grind Radio* in America) for the Dreamcast. Since her first appearance, Gum has made several appearances in video games, both in and out of Sega media, making her one of the most popular Sega characters of all-time.

Gum was born sometime in the year 2007, and eventually developed a likeness for art and graffiti. At the age of 17, Gum ran away from home and was the first to be recruited by Beat into his newly formed gang, known as the GGs. Since joining the Graffiti Gang, Gum has been known for her speedy skills and movement and skills in the arts of graffiti, making her one of the more iconic members of the gang.

### Personality

Gum is a sarcastic, cocky, sometimes arrogant, and practical punk from Tokyo-To who likes to stir up trouble and vandalize other people’s property. Although she likes competing in challenges, Gum can be a bit of a handful when losing, and other times just doesn’t mind. One of her favorite stress-relieving activities is chewing gum - which is how she picked up the nickname “Gum.”

### Appearance

Gum is a light-skinned teenaged girl with tan lips (red in *Sega Superstars Tennis*) and brown eyes. She is also 5'5" and has yellow-blonde hair. On her upper thigh, Gum has a tattoo that reads her name in Japanese (the design is also seen on her shirt). However, the tattoo is absent in *Sega Superstars Tennis*.

Gum dresses in a cream-colored above-knee and sleeveless dress (that reads her name “Gum” in Japanese), which she wears a green and dark green striped long-sleeved shirt underneath. She also wears cream colored gloves to go with her attire, which also have the same star-like shapes on her helmet. As for her helmet, it is a dark greenish-grey with a light grey stripe and yellow stars on the side. Gum also wears a pair of powered rollover skates which she uses for inline skating.

## Game appearances

### *Sega Superstars Tennis*

Gum makes her first appearance in the *Sega All-Stars* series in *Sega Superstars Tennis*. She is one of the two *Jet Set Radio* characters to be playable, and one of the many to appear. Her and Beat's signature court is Shibuya Downtown, the tennis court representing them and *Jet Set Radio* as a whole.

Once the Singles Championship is won in the Jet Set Radio Planet in Planet Superstars, Gum is unlocked, and, if played on the Xbox 360, will earn the player an achievement. Her ability type is Speed, the three other Speed Types being Sonic, Beat, and Shadow.

Her Superstar State is "Police!!!," where she calls upon some members of the Tokyo-To Police Force (or S.W.A.T Team) to attack her opponents on the other side of the court. During the cutscene, Gum is surrounded by music boxes and stereos while the song "Let Mom Sleep" plays in the background. When she hits the ball during the Superstar State, it will swerve and attempt to confuse the other opponents until it wares off.

### *Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing*

Gum was one of the many characters pitched for *Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing* and was almost included in the final cut, but was deleted after the directors wanted it to be one character from each franchise representing their games, with the *Sonic the Hedgehog* series being the only exception.

Gum makes no physical appearance in the games, but is mentioned in Beat's in-game biography after he is purchased from the Sega Shop. It also mentions Gum helped to build and customize the De La Custom GGs, alongside Tab.

### *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed*

Gum was first announced for the game in 2012 exclusively in a Nintendo Power magazine, and other Sega All-Stars Vyse, Beat, and Amigo were re-announced as well. "*Those aforementioned Sega fans (yours truly among them) got a big kick out of the previous game's roster of playable characters, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed delves even deeper into the publisher's storied history. The final lineup will include more than 25 racers, including newcomers Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe, Vyse from Skies of Arcadia, and Joe Musashi from Shinobi. Nintendo Power can exclusively reveal that Jet Set Radio's Gum will also join the festivities this time around.*" Most fans of the previous installment were excited for the news, and critics alike. However, many cited that characters like Ristar, VectorMan, and ToeJam & Earl should have gotten a spot in the roster. Gum was also the last announced character before the game was released to the public.

In *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed*, Gum is available for purchase after successfully completing the World Tour event, Jet Set Jaunt, located in Moonlight Park. Gum can be purchased for 105 stars, making her the fourth most-expensive character in the game. Once unlocked, her vehicle's standard stats will be 4 speed, 3 acceleration, 2 handling, and 3 boost. Playing as Gum will cause her to earn XP and level up faster, and the player will earn more mods for her.

Gum's All-Star is ranked 4 of 5 stars, making it one of the most effective and best All-Stars in the game. Once the All-Star Item is obtained, the player will be able to activate it. Once activated, Gum's vehicle will transform into plane mode (unless it's in plane mode already) and will start to play her theme song "Let Mom Sleep [Remix]." A mint-green heart rate monitor will appear on both left and right sides of her behind vehicle and will drop three broken hear behind her when the player activates the special ability. Gum's All-Star is unique, as it is the only one that will drop items behind her. The All-Star is a reference to her in-game bio in *Jet Set Radio Future*, as quoted by DJ Professor K.

A sticker obtaining a picture of Gum titled "Humming the Bassline" can be unlocked once the player finishes an event in 1st place or wins a race as Gum on the Shibuya Downtown racetrack.

### *Sonic Transformed* (mobile)

Gum is the only *Jet Set Radio* character to make an appearance in the mobile version of *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed* (titled *Sonic Transformed*). Her stats are nearly the same as in *Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed* and has the same exact All-Star Move. Gum can be purchased at any point in the game once the player has received 3,000 rings.

## Quotes

 You’re playing with the Jet Set!
 — Gum

 I’m still just warming up!
 — Gum when she wins

 Try again, Gum!
 — Gum when she loses

 What a downer.
 — Gum when she loses

 I’m still better than you...
 — Gum

 Yoohoo! Aren’t you tired of losing yet?
 — Gum

 Going down!
 — Gum

 Am I good, or what?
 — Gum

 Move it!
 — Gum

 Got it!
 — Gum

 Hip hop, don’t stop!
 — Gum when she wins

 Rock on!
 — Gum

 That was just a test, next time, I win!
 — Gum when she loses

## References

1. ↑ https://www.sonicstadium.org/2012/08/gum-joins-the-all-stars-racing-transformed-lineup/