Jax Matsuo

Jax Matsuo, a character in the Bloodbound series, is one of the Clanless vampires and the leader of the Clanless. He is also one of your love interests. In Book 1, Chapter 16, he is selected as the new member of the Council taking Adam Vega's place. He is first seen in Book 1, Chapter 3.

Appearance
Jax has short black hair, brown eyes and light beige skin. His eyes turn red and have sharp canines when he is in vampire state. He is wearing a maroon leather jacket over a black tank top. His Katana is seen hanging behind his back.

Personality
Jax is a bit of a cynic due to being Clanless and, hence, having to live in hiding from the Clans whose policy for the Clanless is "kill on sight". However, he has a soft spot for children as shown by his interaction with Lula in Chapter 4.

In a premium scene during Chapter 6, Your Character learns he was turned by a vampire who wanted to usurp the Clan Leaders and needed an army. When the Clans killed him and most of the Clanless he'd created, he ran before they could get him. For a while he was wild and acted on his urges. He tells Your Character that he did unspeakable things, but has tried to do better since then.

He confesses to Your character in Chapter 10, that he's never been one to simply walk away if he sees someone being treated unfairly. His sense of justice seems to have been inherited from his grandfather. Jax was mostly raised by his grandparents as his parents were very politically active and often imprisoned for it. He founded the Shadow Den around 10 years ago and hopes to be able to get all the Clanless branded and safe.

Background
Jax was a human born to unnamed parents who were activists and former prisoners at a California concentration camp. He mentions in a premium scene of Book 2, Chapter 10, that at age 15, he was forced by his father to be part of the student council and shared his first kiss with a girl named Emma Nielsen who was also in the student council. At some time in his life, his parents were arrested and presumably died of natural causes. As a result, he was raised by his grandmother, who taught him how to cook and his grandfather, who taught him how to be just and keep hope alive no matter what.

In the 70s, Jax moved to New York to attend college, as per his father’s wishes and met Margot, a mysterious woman, who flirted with him in a nightclub he went to frequently. When Margot invited Jax back to her place, they passed a Homeless Man later revealed as Takeshi Watanabe, begging for money. Margot treated the man with scorn while Jax gave him cash. It was later revealed that Margot is a vampire who had no control and drank all of his blood and left him for dead. The Homeless Man whom Jax gave money to later saved him and turned him into a vampire.

When Jax was transformed into a vampire, he was recruited by a Clanless leader who wanted to usurp the Council members. When the battle was about to begin, Jax ran away and later wandered for a certain time as a nomad. After years passed, he saved Liv Denara and later made a purpose of helping Clanless vampires find a purpose in life. In Book 2, Chapter 15, it is revealed that after he was turned into a vampire, he didn't mention to any of his human family members or friends that he was turned into a vampire out of safety reasons and because he felt when he was a human, he was young and reckless in making wrong decisions. Being turned into a vampire made him become a better person if for the worse reasons. In the premium choice in Book 2, Chapter 15, like Kamilah Sayeed and Adrian Raines, he kept an item of a past as a human before turned. In his case, it is a photo album that had photos white and black and even sepia of his ancestors in traditional Japanese clothing and a picture of him younger with his mother and father.

Book 1

 * Chapter 3: The Library
 * Chapter 4: The Rebel
 * Chapter 6: The Senator
 * Chapter 10: The Massacre
 * Chapter 11: The Den
 * Chapter 12: The Tribunal
 * Chapter 13: The Dungeon
 * Chapter 14: The Cabin
 * Chapter 15: The Showdown
 * Chapter 16: The Dawn

Bloodbound: Dark Solstice

 * Chapter 1: 'Twas The Night Before Solstice
 * Chapter 2: He Knows When You're Awake
 * Chapter 3: Silent Night, Unholy Night
 * Chapter 4: And To All An Endless Night

Book 2

 * Chapter 1: The Calm
 * Chapter 2: The Bloodkeeper
 * Chapter 3: The Collector
 * Chapter 4: The Collected
 * Chapter 5: The Summons
 * Chapter 6: The Ambush
 * Chapter 7: The Psychic
 * Chapter 8: The Crypts
 * Chapter 9: The Slaughter
 * Chapter 10: The Plan
 * Chapter 11: The Legend
 * Chapter 12: The Island
 * Chapter 13: The Compound
 * Chapter 14: The First
 * Chapter 15: The Devastation
 * Chapter 16: The End

Book 3

 * Chapter 1: The Hunger
 * Chapter 2: The Unchained
 * Chapter 3: The Mission
 * Chapter 4: The Return
 * Chapter 5: The First
 * Chapter 6: The Legend
 * Chapter 7: The Bacchanalia
 * Chapter 8: The Truth
 * Chapter 9: The Five
 * Chapter 10: The Test
 * Chapter 11: The Mentor
 * Chapter 12: The Nemesis
 * Chapter 13: The Ally

Your Character
Jax was first seen at the end of Book 1, Chapter 3, watching you and Lily from your apartment or at the club. He rescued you from The Baron's men during Book 1, Chapter 4. During said chapter, you can allow him to feed on you to heal the wound he got by saving you. Jax also gives you his contact information just in case and will openly flirt. He also offers to listen to your woes during Book 1, Chapter 6. In Book 1, Chapter 10, he will offer to cook in his room and if the offer is accepted later there is the option to initiate sex with him. Jax admits during said scene that he has wanted Your Character ever since he first saw her. There is the possibility for a threesome with him and Lily Spencer in Book 1, Chapter 11. In Book 3, if he is your love interest who Turned you, he says that he will promise to help you in anyway with your new transition. In Book 3, Chapter 3, he trains you how to move your body and fight. He stated after you were stabbed by Gaius with his sword, he hesitates to use it again to fight as it was the weapon that killed you. Your Character stated that he had it in the past that meant so much to him before he treasured it and does not blame him or the sword for what it did to you. She later encourages him to use the sword to fight for the Clan, the Council, and for his friends and the future. In the premium scene, you have a choice to continue training with him where he gifts you the sword that was used to kill you as your new weapon now. In Book 3, Chapter 13, if he is your love interest, Your Character comforts him after Takeshi's death in The wake (premium scene). Jax also stated that after Gaius killed Your Character in front of him, he lost a part of himself from her. This shows that Your Character is like the glue to the group.

Lily Spencer
Jax and Lily like the same obscure Dracula movie and are shown to bond immediately over said movie. Your Character can have a threesome with both of them in Book 1, Chapter 11, or, in alternative, one of them can watch Your Character having sex with the other.

Adrian Raines
Despite their initial wariness towards one another due to Adrian being a Clan vampire and Jax a Clanless and possible competitiveness over the romantic affections of Your Character, they are courteous when they meet in Book 1, Chapter 13, and shake hands to a "long and fruitful relationship". Later, they are shown bonding over Adrian's car. If Your Character romances Jax, he is shown to feel jealous of her relationship to Adrian during this same chapter. In Book 1, Chapter 15, he saves Adrian, Kamilah, and the MC from Vega and the ferals. In Book 1, Chapter 16, he later welcomes Jax to the Council.

Kamilah Sayeed
Jax and Kamilah are somewhat antagonistic at first as she is a Clan vampire and him the leader of the Clanless. However, by Book 1, Chapter 13, they come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Later in Book 1, Chapter 15, she and him fights alongside each other against the ferals. In Book 1, Chapter 16, Jax later becomes a member to the Council and they are seen as colleagues. In Book 2, Chapter 15, Kamilah comforts Jax after a third portion of his clan perished under Gaius Augustine and the loss of the Shadow Den caused by Gaius and his lackeys. Jax later regains his confidence and promises to finish Gaius off even though he will die.

The Baron
The Baron and Jax have an agreement. The Clanless don't steal from the Baron and the Baron looks the other way when they sell the items they stole from the other Clans. In Chapter 10 to 16 of Book 1, he finds out that it was Jax who rescued Your Character and Adrian from his dungeons, he gets mad as he lost a couple of his good men. His hatred is intensified when Jax is taking Vega's place in the Council as he believes it would be the end of the world. Six months after the battle, both of them are not in good relation and always looking at each other in anger.

Lester Castellanos
Once Jax was made Clan leader, he states that he might be better than Vega. Lester always tells stories for Jax to "brighten his cynical mood", much to the latter's dismay.

Priya Lacroix
Priya is another Council member. Not much is known about his relationship with her but in Bloodbound: Dark Solstice, they despise each other, with Priya saying that Jax is still a baby. Both of them are insulting each other and itching to fight each other but Jax is able to remain calm. Deep inside, he is still bothered by Priya because of her irresponsibility with other people.

Liv Denara
Jax rescued Liv from becoming a Feral. She is very grateful for his help/rescue and is shown to care about him. Liv calls him Jaxxie. In Book 1, Chapter 15, she appears with Jax and the rest of the Clanless members to drive off the ferals by angrily telling them "no one hurts her Jaxxie". In the premium of Book 1, Chapter 16, she cheers along with Arnold Northman and Lula Jacobs after they heard the news. After Rheya killed Liv, he vowed vengeance against her.

Lula Jacobs
Jax is shown to be paternal towards Lula in Book 1, Chapter 4. In the premium scene of Book 1, Chapter 16, she cheers along with Arnold Northman and the Clanless after they heard the news.

Arnold Northmun
There seems to be a respectful relationship between Jax and Arnold. In Book 1, Chapter 16, he congratulates Jax on being made a Clan leader.

Griff Sanderson
Griff is one of the most outspoken Clanless and is shown as questioning Jax's authority a few times, markedly about having non-Clanless vampires in the Shadow Den during Book 1, Chapter 11, and then attempting to kill Kamilah despite Jax's orders to stand down. If you choose to save Liv instead of Griff, he dies when the Ferals tear him apart. Jax is immediately devastated by the death of a good friend.

Powers and Abilities

 * Immortality: In Book 1, Chapter 2, Adrian confirms that he does not age. Thus we can assume the same can be said for Jax.
 * Super-Strength: In Book 1, Chapter 2, Adrian confirms that he is strong enough to lift a car. Thus we can assume the same can be said for Jax.
 * Healing Factor: Accelerated healing is an ability that vampires possess that allows them to heal from physical injuries at supernatural speeds. If a vampire uses their blood such as when Adrian was done feeding on Nicole, they can heal the bite mark as well. Thus we can assume the same can be said for Jax.
 * Heightened Senses: In Book 1, Chapter 6, Lily mentions how she can feel the slightest air currents, how she can even see the tiniest pores in Your Character's skin and can hear the water running through the pipes three stories up. Thus we can assume the same came be said for Jax.
 * Swordsmanship: Jax has been shown to be incredibly skilled with his Katana, he was able to swiftly kill a vampire by decapitating it.

Weaknesses

 * Sunlight: Sunlight is one of vampires' weaknesses. As Adrian stated, sunlight does hurt him and can prove fatal after more than thirty minutes of exposure. It's akin to hypersensitivity; overexposure causes, as Adrian describes it, an accelerated heat stroke. This same weakness can be assumed for Jax.
 * Decapitation: Dismembering or manually removing the head of a vampire will result in instant and permanent death.
 * Heart Extraction: Removing and subsequently destroying the heart of a vampire will also result in permanent death.
 * Unquenched Bloodlust: When Adrian first became a vampire, he felt the powerful thirst for blood which no amount of water can relieve. In the brief period where he resisted the urge, Adrian experienced severe discomfort whereby he eventually gave in to his instincts. It is unknown yet how long a vampire can remain thirsty or what the extent of pain is when this need is unmet. When vampires don't consume blood for extended periods of time, they tend to give in to their instincts and attack the nearest human nearby in order to suppress their thirst. Newly turned Vampires like Lily are the ones mostly affected by this problem.
 * A Feral's Bite: A bite from a feral vampire is infectious to regular vampires because it can turn them feral too. When he was a clanless vampire, Jax ran a higher risk of turning feral at any moment. But since becoming the leader of Clan Matsuo, this no longer a problem.

Trivia

 * The name Jax is of Greek origin and means "healer". It's a short variant of the name Jason.
 * The surname Matsuo is of Japanese origin and means "pine tree" or "man of harbor, port".
 * In Book 1, Chapter 2, Adrian mentions that garlic gives him a minor distaste, rather than kill him. This in turn means that it is not a real weakness for vampires as a whole and we can assume Jax has a similar distaste for it.
 * In Book 1, Chapter 4, he shows the player "how the other half lives" and explains how the Clanless keep themselves from becoming Feral by drinking the blood of someone they were emotionally close to before they turned.
 * In Book 1, Chapter 10's premium scene, he mentions he was raised by his grandparents as his parents were often in prison due to their activism. His parents met in the student protests of the 60s and were sent to prison the first time for setting a white supremacist's bar on fire.
 * During World War II, his grandparents were taken to a Japanese internment camp in California. His grandfather rallied the people to get better conditions and helped the community as much as he could. Jax attributes his sense of justice to him.
 * His grandmother ran a clandestine restaurant from her kitchen and he helped her. This is how he learned to cook.
 * In Book 2, Chapter 7's premium scene, there appears to be inconsistencies with Book 1's background information. Jax does not speak about his grandparents raising him, instead speaking about his mom and his stepdad. He did not know his biological father, and his mom did her best raising him but he was a troubled kid. When his mom met the man he considers to be his father, that man was the one who taught him decency, honor, and justice. He could not bear to tell them that he had been Turned. To them, he just "vanished" one night in 1974, never to be seen again.
 * In Book 1, Chapter 11, it is mentioned that he has a special deal with The Baron. The deal is that The Baron looks the other way when Jax to steals from the clans as long as it excludes his.
 * On April 26, 2019, in the IG livestream, Andrew said that Jax is from the 70s.
 * It was confirmed in a flashback scene of Book 2, Chapter 5, that he was Turned in New York in the 1970s.
 * This appears to contradict his background story in Book 1, as the flashback shows a "homeless man" Turning him rather than a "vampire that wanted to usurp the Clan Leaders".
 * He is shown on the cover of Bloodbound, Book 2.
 * In Book 2, Chapter 4, to test the question of who is stronger (vampires or werewolves), Cal and Jax arm-wrestle. They appear evenly matched, and it is only when Lily blurts out Squirrel! and distracts Cal, Jax wins.
 * In a premium scene of Book 2, Chapter 6, it is revealed that he went to Columbia, used to be obsessed with Star Trek, and never left the United States before this chapter.
 * In Book 2, Chapter 8's premium scene, the player has the option to have Adrian and Jax focus on each other if you picked the threesome option. If chosen, he will make out with Adrian.
 * In Book 3, Chapter 1's premium choice, it's confirmed that his Clan symbol is the Branched tree.
 * In Book 3, if he is your Love Interest, he states that Your Character (Bloodbound) is the first person he had ever Turned and that turning someone was a burden.
 * In Book 3, Chapter 13 premium choice, when the group plays "Never had I ever", it is stated that he once went to a UN gala and had sex with a government leader.
 * Also, it is stated that he likes UN gala cocktails.