Irene Chang

Appears in: Born to Kill

Biography

Irene Chang was born into a rich family that was part of a Chinese crime syndicate called Hou Bang, which translates to 'Tiger Corps.' When she was five years old, her parents were killed in a car accident that was caused by Gulf and Bradley, a corporate rival of the Kyuusei Industries, the corporation that her family owned and ran. Irene and her older sister, Reika, were one another's only comfort from then on. They were raised by their grandfather until Irene left home at the age of seventeen and arrived in MegaTokyo, far away from where Hou Bang and Kyuusei Industries were located. She changed her last name to Can in order to avoid being connected to Hou Bang, which she wanted to have nothing to do with.

In MegaTokyo Irene met her future fiancee, a young scientist with GENOM Corporations. The two became engaged soon after they met. Irene sent word to her sister, Reika, who was then touring with her band called the Revengers. Irene was proud of the ring her fiancee had bought for her and displayed it to her friends frequently. After she joined an aerobics classed led by Linna Yamazaki, the two became acquainted enough that Irene, a shy girl by nature, invited Linna to her bachlorette party.

Toward the end of 2032 Irene's world fell apart. Her fiancee became nervous about GENOM and told Irene that he was working on a secret project and that his knowledge of the project could get him killed. He refused to inform the police, stating that he would be murdered the instant he contacted them. He did not tell Irene the details, but she knew that GENOM was behind his death when it occurred the morning at the Aqua City explosion. The fiancee, who had been working on the SuperBoomer, was killed in an explosion when Brian J. Mason stole the SuperBoomer from the laboratories. Irene had an idea of what was happening and accused Mason of murder in front of a large crowd. One of Mason's bodyguards retalliated by slapping Irene across the face. When Linna asked Irene about the incident later on, Irene told Linna the story of her fiancee. Trying to cheer her up, Linna took Irene out to Chinatown. They were followed by one of Mason's bodyguards, though, and Irene was chased up to a bridge where she was stabbed through the heart by the bodyguard. That same night Linna fought the Boomer who had killed Irene and won.

Personality

Irene was not given much history until episode seven when all the facts about her past came about. She appeared very shortly in episode seven during a video card that Reika was looking at. At that point, images from her bachelorette party were shown. They indicated that she and Linna were closer friends that they had seemed during Born to Kill.

Irene was not an idiot, but she was also not stupendously bright. She ran straight into a trap and challenged Mason in front of a gathering crowd. Neither one is a good idea. Irene was left fairly one dimensional for episode two, but she was improved when episode seven was created about two years later. Irene's presence was frightened but determined throughout the entire episode.