Heihachi Mishima

Heihachi Mishima rightly earned his moniker the “King of the Iron Fist” after founding the Mishima Zaibatsu with its formidable private army and being feared worldwide for his countless acts of tyranny.

Heihachi waged a brutal war that divided the world in two with G Corp?led by his son who bore the devil gene, Kazuya Mishima.
At its culmination, Heihachi was defeated by Kazuya and thrown into a river of lava, leading the world to believe that he was truly dead…

 

With a renewed set of moves and visuals, ‘The King of Iron Fist’ is making a long-awaited return.

Using the keyword “Resurrection of the King of Iron Fist,” the performance of techniques has been comprehensively reviewed to craft a style befitting the title of the King of Iron Fist, one that overwhelms the opponent.
The signature moves ‘Musou Tekken’ and ‘Rashomon’ can now be charged, making it easier to chip away at the opponent’s health while pushing them towards the edge of the stage with powerful attacks.
We’ve also paid special attention to the action and effects, adding blue lightning and sound effects to iconic moves like ‘Thunder God Fist,’ further emphasizing the image of ‘Heihachi = Lightning,’ and highlighting his resurrection from the underworld with enhanced power.
For the animations, we incorporated motion capture data from karate master Takuma Koketsu, revamping the style into a new Mishima-Style Fighting Karate that combines both weight and speed.

 

With the introduction of two new stances and the enhancements brought by “Warrior’s Instinct,” a fierce and overwhelming offense can now be unleashed.

In TEKKEN 8, Heihachi gains two new stances: ‘Wind God’s Kamae’ and ‘Thunder God’s Kamae.’
The ‘Wind God’s Kamae’ can be considered a versatile stance, featuring safe mid attacks and easy-to-use moves like homing power crushes.
On the other hand, the ‘Thunder God’s Kamae’ is a more proactive stance equipped with powerful mid attacks and high attacks with guard break properties.
By utilizing both stances, you can launch an aggressive offense without relying on the ‘Wind God Step.’

 

Additionally, a new ability, ‘Mishima-Style Ultimate Technique: Warrior Instinct,’ is now available.
While ‘Warrior Instinct’ is active, certain moves receive significant enhancements, and successfully landing an aerial combo reduces the opponent’s recoverable health gauge, among other added effects.
However, the condition for activation is ‘activate Heat three times in one match,’ meaning it can only be used from the later stages of a match. Whether you use it to press your advantage or as a trump card for a comeback is up to the player’s judgment.

 

During Heat, powerful counterattack moves like the Earthquake Attack, as well as offensive starter moves, are enhanced, boosting both offense and defense. Additionally, the Heat Smash has a unique feature, allowing you to choose between slamming the opponent to the ground or sending them flying. By using these options strategically, you can choose whether to break the floor or the wall, enabling you to adapt your gameplay to the stage’s gimmicks, which is especially useful in competitive scenes where the stage is randomly selected.

These revamped elements will be available for everyone to experience in the additional story mode episode ‘Unforgotten Echoes,’ which will be released for free alongside Heihachi’s release. Be sure to play and enjoy Heihachi’s powerful array of attacks.

 

A design that incorporates elements of monks while balancing both freshness and nostalgia.

Heihachi’s design in this installment was created with the collaboration of illustrator Hiroaki (@SUPER_HIROAKI). He was responsible for the design of the mysterious monk group ‘Tekken Monks,’ which newly appear in the game, as well as the original concept for the emblem of their training ground, Genmaji Temple. Along with the above elements, he helped with the overall design of the world setting, and also the design of Heihachi’s new karate gi.

The overall impression is based on Heihachi in his iconic black karate gi, a symbolic figure in the Tekken series. Added to this are elements that evoke a monk-like atmosphere, such as prayer beads and waist decorations, and the embroidered tiger on the back incorporates a vajra (three-pronged ritual tool). We aimed for a design that feels fresh whether viewed from the front or the back, yet still brings a sense of nostalgia and comfort. During our discussions with Hiroaki, we noticed his attention to detail regarding the silhouette of the karate gi. To faithfully reproduce the look of the original illustration, we paid close attention to the overall modeling and how the fabric moves during action scenes, so be sure to take note of these details.

 

The drama of Heihachi’s resurrection, depicted after much trial and error.

We had decided to bring Heihachi back in TEKKEN 8 quite some time ago. However, the decision wasn’t easy. After much consideration, we concluded that for the 30th anniversary of the TEKKEN series, it was essential to have the trio of Jin, Kazuya, and Heihachi. It was a decision made with great determination.

In TEKKEN 7, we focused on the father-son conflict between Heihachi and Kazuya, with great emphasis on depicting their final showdown. The game culminates with Kazuya throwing Heihachi into a fiery lava pit, marking the end of their intense battle. However, with the release of this new installment, we anticipated that fans and the community would voice a strong desire for Heihachi’s return. I believe many felt a sense of loneliness and longing with the absence of such an iconic character from the Tekken series. With that in mind, we carefully discussed how we could meet fans’ expectations while bringing him back in a surprising and impactful way, exploring various ideas in the process.

We laid the groundwork for Heihachi’s return through various foreshadowing elements, such as the introduction of Reina, a new character who uses Heihachi’s techniques, Raven’s line to Victor, ‘Heihachi Mishima is dead…’ (the second time this line has been spoken since Tekken 5), and the Tekken 30th Anniversary logo design, which was inspired by Heihachi. We carefully crafted the path to his return, paying close attention to how he would make his comeback and what kind of power-up he would undergo, ensuring that ‘the resurrection of Heihachi Mishima’ feels convincing. Additionally, for the first time in the series, we are added episodes to the main story, an unprecedented move, to ensure fans can enjoy this as a compelling form of entertainment.

 

The new stage ‘GENMAJI TEMPLE,’ deeply connected to Heihachi.

The new stage ‘GENMAJI TEMPLE’ was created based on the concept of being the final trial grounds where Heihachi challenges himself to master the Mishima-style Ultimate technique passed down by the Tekken monks. In reference to the Wind God Fist and Thunder God Fist techniques, we placed giant statues modeled after the Wind God and Thunder God. To emphasize that this is the Tekken monks’ training ground, we also included monks in the background, dedicated to their pursuit of martial arts mastery. The overall visuals are influenced by Japan’s ancient ascetic mountain-worshipping monk culture and remote sanctuaries, aiming to evoke both a sense of awe towards nature and an appreciation for its grandeur and beauty. The transition from autumn to winter is depicted through falling leaves and snow, creating a landscape that reflects the monks’ lifestyle of continuing their training in harmony with nature.

We put great care into the BGM as well, incorporating the distinctive tones and rhythms of traditional Japanese instruments such as taiko drums and shamisen. You can also hear the sounds of shakuj? (monk’s staff) and chants, representing the presence of the Tekken monks, along with phrases from Heihachi’s stage in ‘Tekken 2.’ The music not only enhances the intensity of the battles but is also filled with narrative elements that evoke Heihachi’s revival and the history of the Tekken series. There are also plenty of Easter eggs for Tekken fans to enjoy, such as training sequences for Mishima Style techniques like the Wind God Fist and Thunder God Fist, and even fire-walking during the Wind God Step. We encourage you to observe the details of the stage closely.

 

●TEKKEN 8 Offcial Site
https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/tekken/tekken-8