Tekken is a massively common sequence: the most recent recreation within the sequence bypassing 9 million gross sales in its lifetime is proof sufficient of that. However as common because the sequence is at the moment, there’s one thing concerning the early video games within the combating recreation franchise – Tekken 2 and Tekken 3, particularly – that left their mark within the cultural consciousness in an altogether totally different means.
For many individuals, their first publicity to Bandai Namco’s 3D fighter was in Tekken 2 – however because of Demo One discs and the proliferation of Platinum video games on the unique PlayStation, I’d wager extra individuals finally acquired their arms on (and spent extra time with) Tekken 3. And rightly so; it was argueably higher than Tekken 2 in each means – and there’s one thing concerning the type, the music, the story, and the entire aesthetic that simply belongs so wholly within the 90s. It’s turn out to be greater than a recreation; it’s turn out to be a vessel for nostalgia.
It’s becoming, then, that Netflix’s newest online game adaptation revolves largely round Tekken 3. Tekken: Bloodline’s story takes us again to only earlier than the third King of Iron Fist Match; we see a younger Jin Kazama being taught by his mom, Jun, to channel his rage and energy – and solely use his martial arts prowess for good. Tragedy befalls the household, and Jin is instructed to hunt out his paternal grandfather: Heihachi Mishima. One of many richest, and most evil, males in Japan.
From right here, there’s a few anime tropes at play; rebellious teenager with anger points trains below his strict and abusive tutor, earlier than outgrowing him, and getting used as a pawn in a a lot bigger recreation of four-dimensional chess. You may most likely write it your self. However the pleasure within the Tekken anime doesn’t come from predicting the highly-telegraphed plot twists, no – it comes from pointing on the display screen when your principal character exhibits up and going ‘oh, I’m wondering in the event that they’ll use that transfer I like!’
The Tekken anime bases itself on Tekken 3 – the entire thing revolves round establishing a match to lure Ogre out of hiding – and in doing so, it finally ends up being a well-produced, well-written love-letter to one in every of gaming’s largest combating video games. Whether or not you wish to see Jin and Xiayou have a pleasant little slice of life second of their pseudo-iconic college uniforms, otherwise you wish to see Paul Phoenix discuss how unlikely he’s that he’d be combating a bloody full-size grizzly bear, there are many moments within the present that completely mimic and signify the thought processes we went by means of, some 23 years in the past.
Then there’s simply how engrossing and enjoyable the entire thing is, anyway. The manufacturing values are sky excessive, and if you may get over the bizarre shading triangle that darkens the pinnacle of each character, the visuals are actually spectacular, too. If you happen to balk at anime due to its notorious voice performing, you’ll be happy to know Tekken: Bloodline bucks this pattern: the English voicework is respectable, and by no means breaks the immersion, and the Japanese VO is pretty much as good as the rest on the market for the time being (besides maybe Demon Slayer – however that’s a once-in-a-generation factor, so).
The steadiness between ludicrous, over-the-top combat scenes and plot growth is agreeable and rhythmic – for each tense stand-off between Chinese language schoolgirl and British murderer, say, there’s a pleasant little bit of character growth as Heihachi, Ganryu and the Mishima Zaibatsu lot do one thing unspeakable within the title of getting the patriarch of the household much more of a chokehold on society.
One among my favorite bits of the present was the way it will get below the pores and skin of the sequence’ lore: as a nerd that completed all of the endings in Tekken 3 and noticed the likes of Julia Chang using a JACK unit and questioning why a random scientist in house would wish to nuke her with a laser, this present goes some strategy to answering the questions. We see the mysterious secret character, Physician Bosconovitch, working with Ogre blood and see how he’s higher wrangled into the story of all of it, apart from being “the physician that does bizarre shit and makes daughters out of robots”. We see Julia Chang truly get some growth past simply “environmental activist that’s additionally Native American”.
Complementing all this, in fact, are the combat scenes. If you happen to’ve acquired even a passing information of Tekken, you’ll know the strikes: you’ll know Heihachi’s dual-palm smack, you’ll know Xiayou’s ducking stance, you’ll know King’s Large Swing (and this one actually makes him appear like a beast). There are some undeniably hype moments on this present, and as I used to be watching the ultimate episode, I discovered myself virtually hypnotised into putting in Tekken 7 again on my PC. Oops.
Given Netflix will get a whole lot of stick for its interpretations and executions of basic gaming franchises – right here’s you, Resi – it’s good to see Tekken handled so properly. I actually hope we get a number of extra seasons of this; I wish to see how the present offers with Kazuya’s return, the way it all works with the Satan Gene going ahead, how Netflix would animate that completely lush Tekken 5 intro (if we ever get that far).
Given we’ve acquired Tekken 8 (or one thing) on the best way – which lots of people are hoping does the Mortal Kombat factor, and provides a correct story – I believe the stage is about for a pleasant, lengthy life for the Tekken anime. The timing is ideal for it, and it’d be a pleasant means of retaining individuals within the loop because the video games get an increasing number of nonsensical. Let’s simply hope Netflix would not do a ‘basic Netflix’ and cancel it, one season in.