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Tekken debuted 28 years ago and has become one of PlayStation’s signature titles and one of the most beloved properties in the entire fighting game genre. I still remember the wonder of loading Tekken Tag Tournament as a launch game for the PS2, but the series probably peaked early on PS1, in 1998’s Tekken 3.
Namco really pulled out all the stops for this third entry, with excellent production values throughout and some great minigames too. The quality of the presentation was evident in Tekken 3’s amazing endgame FMV sequences for each character once you completed the Arcade mode. It was like watching a mini movie, and the graphics looked exceptional for the time. I can remember to this day that Lei Wulong sat in the hands of a golden Buddha. This was a series known for its deep knowledge and rich characterization, but also wasn’t afraid to go crazy when it mattered.
So I decided to watch Netflix’s Tekken Bloodline, a new anime series that aims to revisit one of my favorite entries in the entire franchise. I had high hopes after watching the trailers and realized that the writers had chosen to adjust Tekken 3’s time period. Because this was the pinnacle, before things got pretty complicated.
Here’s the gist: Heihachi Mishima is the evil head of a shady business empire, one that Japan, with its Yakuza traditions, isn’t afraid to dramatize. But he is usurped by his even more evil son, Kazuya, who also possesses supernatural powers. Under mysterious circumstances, Kazuya goes missing. But Heihachi’s grandson, Jin Kazama, appears on the scene, with his good looks and sweet disposition, but who, like his father, seems to possess the devil gene. And by the way, they are all skilled martial artists, of course, and Heihachi hosts the King of Iron Fist Tournament, which attracts the best fighters from around the world.
Bloodline paints in Jin’s upbringing, as he leads a secluded life with his mother Jun Kazama, who trains him in her martial arts style and teaches him her philosophy. Jun is a powerful presence and it’s a shame she has to die to move the plot forward. Bloodline draws the story close to Jin as he goes to find his grandfather, and he and Heihachi come to dominate the dialogue. While this may have been done to ensure newcomers aren’t too confused from having to follow too many characters, it’s a missed opportunity because Tekken’s wealth comes from the many layered feuds, resentments, rivalries, and subplots that are always that small. added a little. something extra for the FMVs and matchups in the games.
It was clear that the producers of Tekken the games were fans of Hong Kong police and martial arts movies, science fiction, meaty Hollywood action movies, and British spy movies. You could see this in characters like the Bruce Lee-inspired Marshall Law, the Jackie Chan-inspired Lei Wulong; Irish agent Nina Williams and mighty American fighter Paul Phoenix. But Bloodline has far too little time for the selection outside the main character and antagonist.
I would have preferred a Lost-style episode structure, with more backstory and plot for each character, reflecting on their individual lives and settings. However, there are some nice touches for Tekken veterans. It was satisfying to see Paul Phoenix, Ling Xiaoyu, Hwoarang, King, etc using recognizable movesets from the games, but I wanted to learn more about King’s amazing backstory in Mexico, which involves heroism, rivalry and substitution. I wanted to see more of Yoshimitsu who barely makes a cameo.
While Tekken 3 took movie styles to the next level with the CGI, the main boss was always a bit boring. Ogre was just a characterless supernatural monster, and True Ogre was always surprisingly easy to defeat. So Bloodline also suffers from this Ogre element, as Heihachi and his feud with Kazuya is much more poignant. We see Hwoarang’s rivalry with Jin, a nice nod to longtime fans, but Bloodline could have done more with the intricate relationships between characters and how the mighty Mishima Zaibatsu has thwarted so many participants in the King of Iron Fist tournament.
Overall, Tekken: Bloodline was a lighthearted and fun watch, with a clear and accessible anime art style, but by focusing so tightly on Jin, it also lost some of that colorful immersive chaos for which the game series is famous. Watching the fights in the tournament was exciting, but it took more of them: being more indulgent and less nervous to scare off newcomers. More ambition could have made this anime better, and had the added benefit of reminding Namco Bandai how great it once was.
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