Rachel

Lore & Background

Rachel is introduced as Joe's girlfriend, a cheerful and supportive partner who shares his love for movies. When the villainous Jadow kidnaps her to lure Joe into Movie Land, she becomes the central motivation for his adventure. Unlike a typical damsel, Rachel shows resilience and wit, occasionally aiding Joe from captivity—like feeding him tips through a vent or sabotaging a trap from her cell. In Viewtiful Joe 2, she breaks free of the passive role entirely, becoming a playable character with her own storyline and combat style. Her transformation reflects the game's theme of empowerment through cinematic fantasy, as she adopts a persona inspired by horror film heroines—complete with a signature chainsaw weapon that she revs with a grin, turning her captors into special effects.

Reader's Guide

Rachel is a playable character in Viewtiful Joe 2, unlocked after completing the main story. She offers a distinct playstyle from Joe, emphasizing raw power and slower, heavier attacks. Her primary weapon is a chainsaw, which can be revved up for devastating combos but leaves her vulnerable during startup. She retains access to the VFX powers—Slow, Mach Speed, and Zoom—but her execution differs; for example, her Mach Speed dash is a short, powerful charge rather than a rapid series of strikes. Rachel's health is lower than Joe's, rewarding aggressive but careful play. Her special moves include a spinning chainsaw attack that clears enemies in a radius and a ground-pound that stuns foes. In co-op mode, she can pair with Joe for team-based VFX combos, such as combining Slow to freeze enemies while she revs up. Her story mode features unique levels themed around horror films, with puzzles that require her chainsaw to cut through obstacles. Mastering Rachel requires timing and risk management, as her animations have longer recovery frames than Joe's, but her damage output is among the highest in the game.

Did You Know?

• Rachel's chainsaw is a direct homage to the horror film 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'.
• In Viewtiful Joe 2, Rachel's playable storyline is titled 'Rachel's Scenario' and features its own boss fights.
• Her pink dress and weapon contrast sharply, parodying the 'final girl' trope in horror movies.
• Rachel's voice actress in the English version of the games is Lani Minella.
• Rachel's idle animation includes her adjusting her hair and twirling the chainsaw like a prop, never breaking character even between fights.