Tekken's Handling Of Next-Generation Characters

 

Tekken is a video game franchise that launched itself into popularity. The first game Tekken enjoyed success only to have been directly overshadowed by its successor Tekken 2. For some reason, Namco (before we had Bandai-Namco) decided to do a 20-year time jump. The Mortal Kombat X comic book series REALLY made me wish Tekken did the same. I guess it was an oversight by Namco back then. So, we had next-generation characters which happened - for better or for worse. Several characters from the first two games were written off either due to unpopularity or to make room for better characters. Now, it's time to think of the characters...

Jin Kazama automatically becomes the ongoing protagonist for most of the game series' run

What do you get when Tekken characters actually get banging? IMHO, I'm still inclined to think that Kazuya Mishima RAPED Jun Kazama. Watching Tekken Bloodline on Netflix made me think about it that Jun NEVER wanted to mention Kazuya to her son Jin. Was Jun actually raped or what? Though, some feel that both Kazuya and Jun fell for each other (like the non-canon Tekken OVA film). Kazuya was thrown into a volcano in Tekken 2 by his own father Heihachi Mishima. 

The events of Tekken 3 should've been given more expansion. Sadly, the Tekken Bloodline series failed to do so unlike the MKX comic book series. Okay, we never saw what happened to Goro after trying to regrow his arms. Mortal Kombat 11 did tell us Goro ended up dead as a result. Now, what happened was that Jun tried to fend off Ogre. My assumption is that Jun is TRULY DEAD. Kazuya was told to find his paternal grandfather Heihachi Mishima - a guy who's grown paranoid against his own family. What do you expect from a guy who overthrew his OWN FATHER? The Greek gods are a dysfunctional family as well. Zeus killed his father Cronos and Cronos killed his old man. As Ares in Hercules the Legendary Journeys said - it's a family trait.

Jin started off as a Kazuya clone. Almost all his moves are identical to KAZUYA. I always wonder what happened to Kazuya (at first) until I searched the Internet. Jin has a very strong resemblance to Kazuya. Both Kazuya and Jin have the Devil Gene. Jin did eventually defeat Ogre. However, his own paternal grandfather Heihachi shot him AFTER he showed signs of the Devil Gene. Turns out that he got it from his paternal grandmother Kazumi according to that inconvenient plot twist in Tekken 7. Though, Kazuya was so popular that the character was brought back. Now, Jin uses traditional karate to differentiate him from his overly popular father, Kazuya. Kazuya and Jin have had a father vs. son conflict going on.

What became interesting is that Tekken 4 and onwards started to make Jin his own character. Jin unlearned the Mishima fighting style out of disgust. Instead, Jin ends up no longer as a Kazuya clone but as HIS OWN CHARACTER. It's interesting to see how he plans to end the Mishima Bloodline to save the world. In Tekken 6, it was amazing how he had his turn in running the Mishima Zaibatsu by starting the Third World War, nearly causing Armageddon, and reviving the ancient evil known as Azazel. It's so bad that he even had to face off against this half-uncle Lars Alexanderson, Heihachi's illegitimate son. 

King II succeeded the deceased King I in Tekken 3 and onwards

I found myself (at first) surprised that King I in the first two games isn't around anymore. Instead, a young child who was a beneficiary of the orphanage took his mentor's mantle. The first King died at the hands of Ogre. This orphan took on the mantle to become King II to avenge his mentor. I guess King II was pretty much like a son to the first King, right? The first Armor King even appeared in his Tekken 3 ending.

The plotline with King II got better than the first. King I was pretty much generic Tekken 4 had established his rivalry with Craig Marduk. Marduk ACCIDENTALLY killed the first Armor King. The brother of Armor King I. Armor King II appeared in Tekken 6. King II did try to kill Marduk in the hospital but chose not to. The storyline was expanded in Tekken 5 and Tekken 6. Somehow, the two ended up putting their differences aside... for a reason.

Kuma II as the successor of the first Kuma

Bears have a lifespan of usually up to 25 years, right? The first Kuma died of old age sometime in between Tekken 2 and Tekken 3. The first Kuma's son, also called Kuma, has become old man Heihachi's bodyguard. Somehow, even if this character was a blatant copy of its deceased parent, the character still managed to survive itself into future titles. However, such is not the case of...

Forest Law as Marshall Law's son

I guess some people will never get out of their great father's shadow, right? Forest didn't have much to stand out. Marshall was probably more popular than his son Forest in many ways. Marshall was absent and Forest took his place... TEMPORARILY. However, we ended up having a dumb plot in Tekken 5 that Forest took Paul's motorcycle for a joy ride and got hospitalized.

When was this guy last seen? Only in the Tekken Tag Tournament games. Honestly, I didn't find a bit interesting. He's too much of a Marshall Law clone. I guess that's why he NEVER STOOD OUT. The differences are superficial. I just can't see him as how own character. I feel like he was just plain lazy writing. 

I felt that Mortal Kombat X for all its mistakes in the story mode - I think Takeda Takahashi has had more character. I guess it's because Takeda wasn't meant to be like Kenshi Takahashi. Instead, Takeda was left in the care of Scorpion or rather Hanzo Hasashi. Hanzo taught Kenshi moves which made Takeda more or less his own character. Takeda's use of whips (and blades in another variation) made him stand out. That's why I feel like Takeda's non-appearance is a bummer. For Forest, I could care less if he ever returns. If he does, I hope Namco does something to make him stand out rather than make him a clone in his father's shadow. 

Julia Chang as Michelle Chang's adopted daughter

Julia was an abandoned baby who was raised by Michelle Chang - a half-Chinese and half-Native American woman. It's somehow implied in Tekken 3 that she's still alive based on Julia's ending. Yet, Michelle NEVER returned for some reason. Instead, Julia overshadowed her adoptive mother with her plot where she plans to restore the forest. Tekken 5 has her quest to find data to restore the forest of Native America. Also, I find it crazy how Ganryu had a crush on her after having a crush on her adoptive mother. Even that ending of Ganryu peeping at Julia bathing was just stupid.

I think Julia got more interesting than her adoptive mother. I guess the tweaks and turns made it easy for her to return canon-wise. Sadly, Michelle's post-Tekken 2 appearances have been only in the obviously NON-CANON Tekken Tag Tournament games.

Hwoarang as Baek Do San's student

Another character worth taking note of is Do San's student, Hwoaraing. Hwoarang is introduced as Jin's rival and a delinquent. Do San is now introduced as an old man like many of the older generation characters. Unlike Forest, Hwoarang is fortunate enough to have made it past Tekken 3 with his rivalry with Jin as ongoing motivation. It's amazing to see how he has NEVER LEARNED to be better even after Do San's strict regimen. 

I think Hwoarang happens to be a fan favorite due to his gameplay. However, it seems that the character has become rather single-minded about his rivalry with Jin. His non-canon Tekken 6 ending even has him getting the orb from Azazel's body. I think he really didn't get too fleshed out either. 

Steve Fox is Nina Williams' artificially inseminated son

Nobody knows who Steve's father is. Probably, Steve's father decided to take him while Nina underwent cryostasis with her younger sister Anna Williams. Steve was introduced in Tekken 4. What makes him unique is that he freaking doesn't have a kick and only uses punches. After all, he's a BOXER, right? The plotline always has him trying to make sure no new monster like him will be created. 

I wish the people at Namco further developed him. Until now, the interactions between Nina and the son she never knew existed aren't there. I'd always wonder how the two would react to each other. Nina hasn't aged much due to cryostasis. I feel this is one plotline that Tekken may keep forgetting that it existed for this next-generation character. 

Asuka Kazama as Jun Kazama's niece

I can't get why Jun was written off in Tekken 3. I felt that it's sad how Jun only appeared in the non-canon Tekken Tag Tournament games. Tekken 5 decided to introduce another Kazama - Asuka. Fortunately, she hasn't been in Jun's shadow EVEN IF she has some similar moves and combos. The character somehow proved popular that she's made canonical appearances even after Tekken 5. What also later established her is her Karin Kanzuki vs. Sakura Kusagano rivalry with Lili De Rochefort. The parallelism with Street Fighter really is there. 

What makes Asuka stand out IMHO is that she's not just a Sakura knockoff. Instead, she's given the Kazama fighting style while making her a school girl. Her rivalry with Feng Wei also defines her. I think one reason she stands out against Jun is that she's also the opposite. Jun is rather calm. Asuka is rather impulsive. Asuka though plays defensively in contrast to her paternal aunt who's probably too dead.

Fortunately, she doesn't have the Rodimus Prime effect. Transformers the Movie wrote off Optimus Prime to introduce Rodimus Prime. The death did a lot of backlashes that Optimus Prime was later revived at the end of season three. It seems Asuka has become her own character nonetheless unlike Rodimus Prime. 

I could also dare say she probably has more personality than the Kombat kids' female characters. Cassie just seems to be a mix of Johnny and Sonya. Sure, Cassie made it into Mortal Kombat 11 but I felt that she's not good.. Jacqueline Briggs is fun to use but seems to be viewed only as a female Jax in terms of fighting style. 

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What are your thoughts on these next-generation characters? Which one did you like and which one you didn't?