Highlights

  • Tekken's storyline revolves around the complex feud between the Mishima family, centered on Heihachi and his son Kazuya, with the mysterious devil gene playing a significant role.
  • Kazuya's childhood trauma of being thrown off a cliff by his father sets off a chain of events that leads to his revenge and clashes with Heihachi, including battles with Jin and the birth of his son.
  • Jin's quest for revenge and his possession of the devil gene leads to a war between him and Kazuya, culminating in a battle against a powerful god and his eventual disappearance, setting the stage for Tekken 8's final confrontation between Jin and Kazuya.

The latest entry in Bandai Namco's hard-hitting fighting franchise, Tekken 8, goes on sale later this month, and it's set to continue a complex, engaging narrative that has spanned three decades. For new and old fans alike, getting up to speed on previous events may feel a little overwhelming. Thankfully, though, Tekken's lore can be broken down into several key events, all of which revolve around the Mishima family's feud. A timely recap of past events should help players prepare for what's to come.

It was established right from the start of Tekken's story that the central conflict would revolve around Heihachi Mishima, and his son Kazuya. Heihachi, a fearsome warrior and megalomaniac, consistently found himself at odds with Kazuya since learning of the mysterious devil gene that runs in the blood of both Kazuya and his son, Jin Kazama. Jealous of the power this gene grants its host, Heihachi was constantly looking for ways to take it for himself, right up until his death at the end of Tekken 7.

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Tekken's Story So Far Heavily Revolves Around the Mishima Family

The origins of Tekken's family feud can be traced back to Kazuya's childhood. Fearing Kazuya possessed the devil gene, passed down from his wife Kazumi, Heihachi decided throwing the five-year-old off a cliff would be the quickest way to determine this. Kazuya survived the fall, and swore vengeance, defeating his father in the very first King of Iron Fist Tournament. In a little bit of poetic justice, Kazuya celebrated this victory by throwing his father off the same cliff.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Heihachi survived the fall and returned to challenge Kazuya in Tekken 2. During this tournament, Kazuya becomes drawn to a participant known as Jun Kazama, an animal rights activist who possesses a strong spiritual aura as well as impressive martial arts skills. Kazuya is eventually defeated by Heihachi and dropped into a volcano. Unbeknownst to Heihachi though, Kazuya, again thanks to his devil gene, survives this. To complicate matters further, after the tournament, Jun gives birth to Kazuya's son, Jin.

Jin's introduction into Tekken's Story Was a Significant Moment

Tekken 3 introduces a now-adult Jin Kazama seeking revenge for the apparent death of his mother at the hands of the powerful god, Ogre. After learning his grandfather betrayed him, Jin's devil gene is activated, unlocking his inner strength. Years later, Heihachi's obsession with obtaining the devil gene would see Jin finally come face to face with his father, and the youngster promptly defeated both older men in combat before once again flying away during Tekken 4's climax. After several more years of conflict between the three men, Jin eventually seizes control of Heihachi's company, the Mishima Zaibatsu, forcing the old man into hiding.

Jin and Kazuya wage a huge war that leads to many innocent casualties. It is later revealed that Jin instigated this in the hopes of drawing out the powerful god Azazel, as he believes that defeating this demon is the key to destroying the devil gene. Jin's fight with Azazel ultimately ends in a victory, but he disappears shortly afterward, partly due to the shame he has for his actions. Tekken 7 saw Heihachi re-emerge to take back the Mishima Zaibatsu, which ultimately led to another showdown with his son Kazuya. Kazuya is finally able to defeat Heihachi, killing him by dropping his body into a pool of lava atop a huge volcano. With Heihachi finally gone, Tekken 8 sees Jin challenge his father Kazuya one final time, hoping to eradicate the evil demon for good.