Tekken 8 confirms the return of two fan-favorite characters in the franchise, with both characters debuting brand-new fashionable looks. These characters were revealed after Bandai Namco's showcase of every fighter that was previously introduced in Tekken 8's story and gameplay trailer from The Game Awards 2022. These new character gameplay trailers have been revealing more of the launch roster, returning or brand-new otherwise.
The returning characters for Tekken 8 don't stop at familiar faces like Paul Phoenix, Jack-8, or even the wrestling luchador King, with the first of these new trailers focused on Ling Xiaoyu. This character was first introduced in Tekken 3, where she became one of the franchise's regular veterans alongside her close friend and potential love interest, Jin Kazama. Bandai Namco revealed two more of these returning characters, one of them being another regular, while the other was a relatively new addition hailing from Tekken 7.
The first of these returning characters is the stylish African American master of Wing Chun, Leroy Smith. He was such a fan favorite that even rapper T-Pain cosplayed as Leroy Smith before his inclusion as a DLC fighter in Tekken 7. The "Grandmaster of Drip," as Tekken 8 calls him, is spared no expense in his flashy moveset, with some even saying that his appearance in this game surpasses his presentation in the last. Special praise was not only given to his incredible outfit but to his Rage Art as well, where he incorporates the famous "One-Inch Punch" technique into it.
The other returning character is Asuka Kazama, a character who was first introduced in Tekken 5 as the cousin of Jin Kazama. While she debuted as an important character who might have the solution to Jin's issues with the Devil Gene and Mishima bloodline, she fell out of prominence as the games went on. Much like her predecessor, Jun Kazama, she uses the same martial arts style practiced by her family. This is evident with the number of shared moves between the three Kazamas. With Jun Kazama returning after ten years to the playable roster, this marks the first time that all three well-known members of the Kazama bloodline have been present in the roster of a mainline Tekken game.
With all three Kazama family members present, some are hoping that Jun and Asuka aren't just included for fanservice and are relevant to the game's story mode. Considering the dysfunctional Tekken family relationship, along with this game touting the fated confrontation between father and son, having Asuka and Jun present is the prime opportunity to explore their relationships with Jin and Kazuya before their final fight.
Tekken 8 is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
