One of the main faces of the franchise, Heihachi Mishima, is about to make hisTekken 8debut as a DLC fighter. Presumed dead after the events ofTekken 7, where his son Kazuya Mishima threw him into a lava-filled volcano, Heihachi has, like so many times before, somehow survived. Among his many enemies withinTekken 8’s roster, he also has a few allies, none more so than the bear Kuma, whose relationship with Heihachi is extremely strong.
The Kuma who is nowactive onTekken 8’s rosteris actually Kuma 2. His father, the original Kuma, died somewhere between the events ofTekken 2andTekken 3. Despite this, Kuma 2’s relationship with Heihachi is just as strong as his father’s was before his death. Fans of the series are likely to be split into two main camps: those wondering how and why Heihachi has been brought back again, and those who are just happy to see such an important part ofTekken’s lore return.
Heihachi’s Relationship With Kuma Explained
Heihachi first found Kuma as a young cub abandoned in the forests surrounding the Mishima Estate. Taking him in as a pet, Heihachi quickly realized that this was no average bear, with Kuma displaying signs of superior intellect and strength. Ever the opportunist, Heihachi decided to train the bear, teaching him sign language and fighting skills. Kuma excelled in both, to the point where Heihachi actually decided to make him his personal bodyguard. At his master’s behest, Kuma entered the inauguralKing of Iron Fist Tournamentbut was defeated by Paul Phoenix, marking the beginning of a long rivalry.
Following this defeat, Kuma retreated to a mountain dojo with his master, where the two trained even harder together, strengthening their bond. Despite his renewed efforts though, Kuma would ultimately be defeated again byPaul duringTekken 2, and he died of old age prior toTekken 3. Somewhere between these two games' events, Kuma had a son, Kuma 2, and the younger bear proved to be even more capable and intelligent than his father, quickly replacing him as Heihachi’s bodyguard.
Kuma 2’s Bond With Heihachi is as Strong as His Father’s Was
All of Kuma 2’s time spent training with Heihachi proved fruitless, as, just like his father, he was defeated by Paul Phoenix in the third King of Iron Fist Tournament. Kuma 2 decided to abandon his luxury life as a pet, and train in complete isolation in the wilderness, hoping to further his skills. His love for Heihachi never waned during this time though, and his efforts paid off when he finally defeated Paul duringTekken 4. After this, a large part of Kuma 2’s time was spent mourningthe apparent death of Heihachi.
Kuma 2’s more recent years have been spent fighting for Heihachi’s cause. During the time he was presumed dead, Kuma 2 fought to gain leadership of his master’s company, the Mishima Zaibatsu, but failed. After reuniting with his master, he was quickly installed in Heihachi’s Tekken Force squad, tasked with keeping the peace in restless parts of the world. Even afterTekken 7’s climax saw Kazuya apparently kill Heihachi, Kuma 2 never believed it, and has fought against Kazuya’s forces ever since, patiently waiting for his master’s return.
Tekken 8
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Tekken 8 brings the fight to the latest generation of consoles, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco. Utilising the power and realism of Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 pushes the envelope for fighting games by taking full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles. Ground-breaking new features, breathtakingly detailed character models and dramatic environments make this one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet. Tekken 8 picks up after the gruesome battle that ended in Heihachi Mishima’s defeat in Tekken 7, focusing on a new rivalry, pitting father against son as Jin Kazama stands in defiance against Kazuya Mishima in a city-shattering face-to-face showdown.
