The countdown toTekken 8has begun. Revealed midway through the 2022 at EVO, this will be Bandai Namco’s next hotly anticipated fighting game. WhileTekken 7has been holding down the fort through multiple surges of popularity, the community is ready to move on.Tekken 8promises a new suite of balance changes, mechanical revamps, quality-of-life additions, and a new chapter inTekken’s ongoing story. It will feel strange to play something new after spending so long withTekken 7, but sinceStreet Fighter 6is doing the same, Bandai Namco can’t rest on its laurels.
One of the bigger questions going intoTekken 8is its roster. Almost every character in the franchise could potentially return, and the only two confirmed fighters so far areJin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima. Fans have no way of knowing what could return inTekken 8, even withTekken’s tendency to keep its core identity and cast intact. Some hints emerged recently thanks to footage ofTekken 8’s motion capture, which included video of a sword-wielding character thrown against a wall and an actor snarling while a tail prosthetic is held behind them. The latter sounds like the surprise return of dinosaur boxer Alex, but the former sounds an awful lot likeTekkenregular Yoshimitsu.
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Behind Tekken’s Most Iconic Swordfighter
FewTekkencharacters bring weapons into their movesets. The two generations of Kunimitsu andTekken 7’s Master Raven use swords, the android Alisa can deploy chainsaws, andguest fighters Noctis and Neganbring various other weapons to the franchise. However, if there’s one fighter who is known for bringing a sword to a fistfight, it’s Yoshimitsu. This cyborg ninja is the leader of the Manji clan, an ancient group dedicated to helping those in need. In modern times, this manifests as robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. Many of Yoshimitsu’s endings are based around doing this, or helping Dr. Bosconovitch - who saved his life with a cybernetic conversion.
Apart from almost always holding a sword anddrastically changing in appearance between everyTekken, Yoshimitsu fights in especially strange ways. In a series known for having very consistent mechanics, Yoshimitsu adds stance changes and even teleportation to the mix. He can fly, heal himself, damage himself, stand on his sword, and even sheath his sword to fight barehanded in recent entries. There have even been games where Yoshimitsu could copy his opponent’s signature move. Players don’t know what they’re getting into with each version of Yoshimitsu, and that has made him very popular among casual fans.
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Why It’s Time for Yoshimitsu to Take a Break
However, the same can be said for a number of mainstayTekkencharacters. Just because someone is popular doesn’t mean they’re necessary, and it’s still unclear whether Yoshimitsu will make the cut forTekken 8. The cyber ninja is synonymous withbothTekkenandSoulcalibur, having appeared in most entries from each franchise. Keeping out a character that’s aTekkenregular, almost a mascot for Bandai Namco, would send the message thatTekken 8is trying something new after a long time not reinventing itself.
That’s not to say that Yoshimitsu needs to disappear forever, rather he needs some time off. In fact, replacing him might be the best direction for his character. While comedy characters are always welcome inTekken, Yoshimitsu has lost sight of his original role. What was originally a cheesy Robin Hood story turned into an unfocused revenge plot involvingBryan Fury attacking Dr. Bosconovitchand the Manji clan. It feels like Yoshimitsu’s place inTekkenisn’t as concrete as it used to be, and his story inTekken 7is essentially non-existent.Tekken 8may want to evaluate how relevant its characters are when choosing its base roster.
Why Yoshimitsu Should Stay in Tekken 8
Seeing a core part ofTekkenleft behind likely won’t be popular with fans, but there is room for a clever compromise with Yoshimitsu. AsSoulcalibur 5established, Yoshimitsu is a title passed down to members of the Manji clan who kill the previous Yoshimitsu. This is primarily to ensure that the cursed blade they wield stays in worthy hands. Much like how that game used its time skip to introduce a new Yoshimitsu,Tekken 8’s new timeframe could justifythe same.
In fact,Tekken 8could go even farther and have one of the two Kunimitsu’s become the first female Yoshimitsu, especially as a trailer suggested that they may have stolen his ancestral sword. This would keep Yoshimitsu’s moveset alive, as he and Kunimitsu sprang from the same template inTekken 1, and would produce the expected new Yoshimitsu design.
With all that being said, Yoshimitsu is a core part ofTekken’s identity. It would be understandable to keep him around in any other franchise, andTekkentends to hold closer to its core than most. With the ninja’s return already probable, there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken. Yoshimitsu’s story could use a tune-up, but his wacky fighting style and visual variety is too popular to arbitrarily remove. Hopefully,Tekken 8can strike a good balancebetween making its older elements feel new, and preserving what has made the franchise and its characters so beloved.
Tekken 8is expected to release in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
