Jade (Beyond Good & Evil) - Concept and Creation

Concept and Creation

Jade was created by Beyond Good & Evil developer Michel Ancel, whose wife, Alexandra, a character artist for the game, played an important role in her creation. Beyond Good & Evil public relations manager Tyrone Miller stated that a rumor existed that she was the inspiration for Jade. Ancel set about creating a character that resembled a real person rather than a "sexy action woman," and Miller points out that the focus on Jade is on her role, situation, and the meaning of her actions in the game. Miller also describes her as a "girl next door" that people can identify with.

The design of Jade evolved throughout the game's development, both in terms of her appearance and psychology. IGN editor Kaiser Hwang describes the change as going from a innocent girl with a tomboyish charm to a tougher, more weathered girl with multiple green-colored articles of clothing. While Jade has been cited as a black character, Miller states that she has no established ethnicity, since the game takes place on another planet.

She is voiced by Jodie Forrest in English and Emma De Caunes in French. When asked who he felt should portray Jade in a hypothetical Beyond Good & Evil film, Miller chose Shannyn Sossamon, stating that she looks and walks similarly to Jade. In an interview with Nintendo Power, Ancel stated that he hopes Jade maintains her values and personality in Beyond Good & Evil 2. She is portrayed by Jodie Forrest in the English version and Emma De Caunes in the French version. In an interview with Play, Ancel described Jade as having "a soul like a real person" rather than simply a puppet for the players to control. He noted the character's design was adapted during production, and attributed her personality to the game's dialogue, voice acting, and visuals "coming together."