Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1 reimagines character dynamics and upcoming DLC character Takeda Takahashi might have a new origin as hinted by leaked pre-fight dialogue exchanges.
- Takeda Takahashi, who previously had a minor role in Mortal Kombat 11, will be part of Kombat Pack 1, possibly with major changes to his backstory, including a cousin who could be Kenshi.
- If the rumors are true, Takeda and Kenshi being cousins would be a drastic departure from their previous father-and-son relationship in the pre-reboot Mortal Kombat timeline. The new relationship aligns with Kenshi's efforts to free his family from Yakuza control.
Mortal Kombat 1 has reimagined several classic character dynamics, and a new leak suggests that one of the game’s upcoming DLC fighters is getting a new origin. The latest Mortal Kombat entry serves as a reboot for the long-running fighting game series, with Fire God Liu Kang resetting the timeline and creating a more hopeful world for the people of Earthrealm and Outworld. Old rivals like Scorpion and Sub-Zero are now allies, former villains now lead more heroic lives, and various members of the iconic Mortal Kombat roster find themselves in similar yet drastically different roles.
Mortal Kombat 1 is already jam-packed with fan-favorite combatants in both its main roster and supplementary Kameo fighter line-up, and NetherRealm has already revealed some of the warriors who will be joining the game in upcoming DLC character packs. While some of the most headline-grabbing of these new editions are guest fighters like Invincible’s brutal Omni-Man, there will be plenty of classic Mortal Kombat characters within MK 1’s DLC packs, including Mortal Kombat 10’s sword-wielding ninja Takeda Takahashi.
Mortal Kombat 1 Confirms DLC Character Release Schedule
NetherRealm confirms the Mortal Kombat 1 DLC release schedule, revealing when fans can expect new characters to be added to the game.
After being reduced to a mere cameo in Mortal Kombat 11 and not appearing in Mortal Kombat 1’s main storyline at all, Takeda Takahashi will finally return to the field of battle as part of the upcoming Kombat Pack 1, though there might be some major changes to his backstory. Reddit user TyrionGoldenLion recently shared some supposed pre-fight dialogue exchanges between Takeda and several other characters, all of which mention him having a cousin who appears to be a fellow combatant. TyrionGoldenLion and many other users are guessing that this cousin is Kenshi, who certainly fits the criteria of these conversations.
If this is indeed the case, then it is a drastic departure from Kenshi and Takeda’s relationship in the pre-reboot Mortal Kombat timeline, in which they were father and son. This won’t be the only likely change to Takeda’s character either, as he was introduced as a member of the reformed Shirai Ryu clan under the leadership of Hanzo Hasashi in Mortal Kombat 10. Hanzo himself was radically altered in Mortal Kombat 1, going from being the iconic series mascot Scorpion to a young boy being mentored by Kuai Liang - who now wears the mantle of Scorpion instead of being the second Sub-Zero.
Takeda Takahashi will likely serve under Kuai Liang’s tutelage in Mortal Kombat 1, but his family dynamics will be quite different according to the newest rumors. While nothing official has been confirmed and the mentions of Takeda's cousin are rather vague, the references to this cousin having a "cause" do line up with Kenshi's efforts to free his family from Yakuza control. It will likely be a long time before fans get an official confirmation about Takeda and Kenshi's new relationship, as the former isn’t expected to arrive in Mortal Kombat 1 until next summer.
Mortal Kombat 1 is available now on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
