Confirmed Tekken 8 Characters and Their Story
09
Jan 24
So, who’ll be making their appearance in the latest Tekken instalment?
![Confirmed Tekken 8 Characters and Their Story](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/f0df017d-5c75-4ee9-8106-6beee70a9499_TEKKEN+8+Screenshot+004.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
![TEKKEN 8](https://fanatical.imgix.net/product/original/88558d66-dd08-4126-b6b0-cc17d1b1f6be.jpeg?auto=compress,format&w=360&fit=crop&h=203)
TEKKEN 8
With the latest instalment in the TEKKEN franchise fast approaching, you’re probably wondering who’ll be returning and what brand-new characters you’ll meet. Thankfully, we here at Fanatical have made a comprehensive list of all the characters confirmed for TEKKEN 8.
Due to the length of this article, feel free to check out each character as they interest you!
Returning Characters
TEKKEN has been a long-running franchise, so you can expect to find many returning characters from previous games in the franchise. So far, we’ve counted 29 familiar faces that Bandai Namco has confirmed will return. But if you’re new to the franchise, here’s a brief introduction to each character.
![TEKKEN 8 - Deluxe Edition](https://fanatical.imgix.net/product/original/04c84ce1-1282-4608-96ab-c7c12836749a.jpeg?auto=compress,format&w=360&fit=crop&h=203)
TEKKEN 8 - Deluxe Edition
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/dd3bd350-0283-4c9f-a7dc-5b894b832eaa_Tekken8-nina-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Nina Williams
Nina is a professional killer from Ireland, known to many as the Silent Assassin, specialising in the Assassination Arts. Returning players will recognise Nina Williams, who has been a playable character since the original game was released in 1994.
Her father trained her and her younger sister Anna from a young age, eventually leading to a deadly rivalry between them. Over the years, Nina has tried to kill Heihachi Mishima, Kazuya Mishima, Jin Kazama, and Steve Fox.
Over the years, she’s been experimented on after being placed in cryosleep (which also led to the birth of Steve Fox, who is genetically her son), and went on a mission to regain her lost memories. Of course, Nina would recover these by seeing her sister for the first time and immediately fighting with her. She’s acted as the bodyguard of Jin Kazama and even as commander of Mishima Zaibatsu’s special forces unit, Tekken Force.
Since returning to her life as a private assassin, she was hired by Kazuya Mishima as a commander of the G Corporation, who has been steadily working towards world domination.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/4ed8d5db-ae22-4ad7-bfff-48047987b0dc_tekken8-character-kazuyamishima.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Kazuya Mishima
Kazuya Mishima, otherwise known as the Cold-Blooded Oppressor, is one of the main antagonists of the TEKKEN franchise and one of the protagonists of the original game. He’s appeared in almost all games but only made a cameo appearance in TEKKEN 3. As a member of the Mishima family, he is an expert in Mishima-Style Fighting Karate.
After being thrown off a cliff at the age of five by his father, Heihachi Mishima, Kazuya awakened the Devil Gene, passed down through his maternal family, and could climb back up the cliff and continue to be raised by his father.
After believing he had successfully killed Heihachi, Kazuya would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps as he took over the Mishima Zaibatsu. With the Devil Gene taking over his body, he would eventually be killed by the father he thought he had killed, only to be revived by the G Corporation.
Eventually, Kazuya would take control of G Corp and fight to take down Mishima Zaibatsu. With the Mishima Zaibatsu defeated, G Corp could now reign supreme with the power of Kazuya’s Devil Gene.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/1ff2b5a9-c8cd-41d6-a07b-2e9ddeed22da_tekken8-character-jinkazama.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Jin Kazama
Jin Kazama is the main protagonist of TEKKEN 8 and has been one of the main protagonists since he first appeared in TEKKEN 3. Despite a brief foray into being the antagonist in TEKKEN 6, Jin, otherwise known as Lightning of Fate, is the son of Kazuya Mishima and Jun Kazama, as well as the grandson of Heihachi.
He specialises in karate, having been trained by his mother in the Kazama style of traditional martial arts. He inherited his father’s Devil Gene and, upon the belief that his mother had been killed, was told to seek out his grandfather for answers and was also trained in Mishima-style Karate.
Heihachi would eventually betray his grandson, and after this, Jin distanced himself from Mishima-style Karate. Upon being shot by his grandfather, he activated the Devil Gene, and Jin would eventually take over the Mishima Zaibatsu and go to war against his father’s G Corporation.
Since his first appearance, Jin’s goal has been to stop his father, eliminate the Mishima bloodline, and, thus, remove the Devil Gene once and for all.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/db133f96-06d7-40f4-b11e-b9860ecadd16_tekken8-character-paulphoenix.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Paul Phoenix
Paul Phoenix has been dragged from the United States and into the TEKKEN drama since the original game. Known as the Hot-Blooded Destroyer, he fights using Integrated Martial Arts Based on Judo and aims to be known as the greatest fighter in the universe.
Originally, he was set to be a rival of Kazuya Mishima but has never managed to get a rematch, as the bears have consistently bested him. This is made more ironic by the fact that his inspiration to become a fighter was Bear Killer Willy Williams.
Over the years, he has been a good friend to Marshall Law and his family, having trained with Marshall and Lee Chaolan. To become the best, Paul entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to get the prize money, but after the last tournament was cancelled, he went broke.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/67d158ef-203b-4145-b930-d7d2a948b75c_tekken8-character-marshalllaw.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Marshall Law
Marshall Law, otherwise known as The Legendary Dragon, is a Chinese American martial artist who has regularly appeared in most entries of the franchise, except for TEKKEN 3 and Tekken: Tag Team Tournament, where instead, his son Forrest would make his appearance.
He lives with his wife and son and is a close friend of Paul Phoenix's. When he isn’t competing in the Iron Fist Tournament, he runs his dojo, where he trains students in martial arts. However, after Forrest is in a motorcycle accident, he and his family go further into debt, and eventually, his dojo is possessed as collateral.
Since falling into poverty, he and Paul Phoenix have agreed to split the winnings should either win the next Iron Fist Tournament. The two of them agree to train in the mountains together, and Marshall Law hopes to secure some comfort for his wife and son.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/c31b192d-99c5-492c-b3ed-46b2d29cd818_tekken8-character-king.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
King
Known as the Anger of the Beast, King is the second of his name. He has made his rounds on the circuit as a professional wrestler, but he’s more than just a wrestler. At his home in Mexico, he manages an orphanage on the side, and now he needs money to ensure these orphans have the funds needed to live comfortably.
The second iteration of King is one of the most famous sights in the series, having appeared in every game since his first appearance in TEKKEN 3. Meanwhile, his predecessor appeared in the first two entries. After the death of the first King, who was also his caretaker, King II took over caring for the orphanage.
Since the war between G Corp and the Mishima Zaibatsu has caused untold chaos throughout the world, more children than ever need King’s help. However, he doesn’t have to work alone, as he hopes to find allies who share his goals and sets out to prepare for the King of the Iron Fist Tournament.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/5d5e245e-a9ac-4d3e-84b9-b5ad326d9d0a_tekken8-character-larsalexandersson.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Lars Alexandersson
Lars is the illegitimate son of Heihachi Mishima. As the rebel group's leader, it’s no surprise he’s known as The Lion of the Rebellion in TEKKEN 8. Previously, Mishima Zaibatsu’s special military unit leader, Tekken Force, staged a coup, and Lars took most of the unit with him.
Due to his leadership of Tekken Force, it’s no surprise that his fighting style is Tekken Force Martial Arts, but he was previously an expert in Karate. He made his first appearance in TEKKEN 6 and was one of the main protagonists in TEKKEN 7. I was surprised to find that Lars even makes an appearance in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 in a confusing, yet pleasant, turn of events.
With his adoptive brother, Lee Chaolan, and an alliance with his half-nephew, Jin Kazama, Lars has founded a rebel army known as Yggdrasil. His goals with Jin fully align as they work to defeat his half-brother, Kazuya Mishima, and G Corp.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/5e059934-7cfa-420e-bd07-9639554fed3f_tekken8-character-jack8.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Jack
Officially known as Jack-8 in TEKKEN 8, his title as High Tech Annihilator is an apt description of his character. Using the Jack model’s Brute Force fighting style, the Jack model has been in every TEKKEN game to date. Unsurprisingly, the number after each Jack’s name represents how he’s been upgraded over time.
Initially, the Jack model was developed by Doctor Bosconovitch and was made to be a ruthless killing machine for the former Soviet Union. Jack has been assigned different missions as a tool used by the Russian military, but Jack-2 deserted his role when he saved a young girl named Jane.
Jane witnessed the destruction of Jack-2, and it haunted her. For years, she studied and eventually was hired by G Corp to create her ideal Jack, and since TEKKEN 3, she has been steadily improving his capabilities. This version of the Jack prototype has improved AI over the Jack-7 model and increased firepower.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/99cfc30e-3ac3-4811-81d4-5d0ee7ec14c3_tekken8-character-junkazama.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Jun Kazama
As the mother of Jin Kazama and former lover of Kazuya Mishima, Jun has always had a significant role in the TEKKEN storyline. She made her first appearance in TEKKEN 2 when she worked as a wildlife protection organisation officer. Recognising a mysterious power around Kazuya, she tried to save him from his Devil Gene during the second King of the Iron Fist Tournament.
However, this was ultimately a failure, and she was believed to have been killed by Ogre in TEKKEN 3 when Jin was fifteen. Her death led Jin to seek out his grandfather, Heihachi, and seek revenge against Ogre. As the Light of Hope, Jun is believed to play a significant role in the events of TEKKEN 8.
After all, Jun has not been a playable character since TEKKEN 2, and it will be great to see the Kazama Style of Traditional Martial Arts in action again.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/761c5abf-082c-4f42-b2e0-fb2d04bd9e44_tekken8-character-lingxiaoyu.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Ling Xiaoyu
Appearing in TEKKEN 3 as a high-school student wanting to build a theme park in China, Ling Xiaoyu snuck onto a ship owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu. Since beating up the guards on the ship and impressing Heihachi, she was invited to join the third King of the Iron Fist Tournament and was enrolled in the Mishima Technical Dojo.
While training for the King of the Iron Fist Tournament, she befriended Jin Kazama, whom she would eventually grow feelings toward. She has appeared in every game since then and would travel the world searching for Jin after he disappeared.
Joined by her good friend and bodyguard, Panda, she has been searching for Jin since the events of TEKKEN 4 but has been repeatedly unable to reach him. Since her first appearance, she has infiltrated the Mishima Zaibatsu and even teamed up with Claudio Serafino and Zafina to reach her goals.
To finally meet Jin again, Xiaoyu will use Baguazhang and Piguazhang-based Chinese Martial Arts to defeat her opponents and find Jin at last.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/8276b955-89e2-46a3-949b-37e435bd7cf7_tekken8-character-leroy.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Leroy Smith
Leroy made his first appearance in TEKKEN 7 as a Wing Chun master who lost his family to gang violence as a young boy. During the gang war which killed his family, Leroy was also injured, and it’s also at this point that he likely injured his right eye.
Amid the violence, Leroy fell into a river and was swept out to sea, where he was picked up by a passing trade ship, where he would spend a good deal of his time as a trader. Roughly fifty years later, Leroy realised that the gangs who killed his family still held an iron grip over New York and that the Mishima Zaibatsu initiated the violence.
After finding this out, Leroy entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to get revenge and stop them. Now that he has defeated the gangs that ruled New York, Leroy is hailed as a hero, the Grandmaster of Drip. Joined by his dog, Sugar, Leroy now searches for Kazuya Mishima to restore peace to the world.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/43d9b745-9d98-409f-9e99-3b1aa850dd65_tekken8-character-asuka.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Asuka Kazama
First introduced in TEKKEN 5, is the cousin of Jin Kazama and, thus, Jun’s niece; however, their relationship may be more complicated than that. Her father taught her Kazama-style Traditional Martial Arts from when she was young in his dojo.
In TEKKEN 5, she returned home one day to find her father beaten up by Feng Lui, and so she goes out of her way to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament to get revenge on him. At this tournament, she meets and defeats Lili, which leads to a significant rivalry between them.
After her first appearance, Asuka has been a regular sight in the TEKKEN series and has had multiple battles with Lili. In her home town, she’s known as a mediator who breaks up street fights, leading her to be known as the Spirited Peacemaker.
However, with G Corp’s power growing, she learns that she has more to worry about than the sense of being followed and Lili buying her family’s dojo.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/f157591f-44aa-40c4-8545-542cf23b8ed9_tekken8-character-lili.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Lili
Llii was introduced in Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. Lili is known as the Fighting Heiress and a member of the De Rochefort Family. Her father is an oil magnate who has earned a fortune in the industry. As the only child of the De Rochefort Family, Lili lives a life of luxury in her suburban mansion.
When she was younger, she was kidnapped, and after defeating one of her abductors, she discovered a love of street fighting. Despite her love of fighting, she must do so secretly, as her father despises conflict. So, she takes her private family jet around the world to enter street fighting tournaments.
One such tournament was the King of Iron Fist Tournament, where she met Asuka and was defeated by her. However, she has more than one reason to enter her next tournament: Mishima Zaibatsu had taken over her father’s oil fields and wanted to win them back.
Due to her rivalry with Asuka, she has regularly sought out revenge. After two defeats in the King of Iron Fist Tournament, she buys the Kazama family dojo and decorates it with roses. Unlike other characters, she has a Self-Taught style of fighting, and outside of battle, she can usually be seen with her pet cat, Salt.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/fdcd32b9-06e1-40b2-92b2-5e87ce660fc7_tekken8-character-hwoarang.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Hwoarang
Hwoarang has been a regular sight in the TEKKEN series since the third instalment, where he debuted as Jin Kazama’s rival. Known as the Bloody Talon, Hwoarang is a master in Taekwondo, having been a student of Baek Doo San, who was in the King of Iron Fist Tournament in the second game.
He used to be a leader of a street fraud gang, but after tying with Jin Kazama and the disappearance of his teacher, he entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament. After the tournament, he was drafted into the South Korean army, but upon learning of the fourth iteration of the King of Iron Fist, he chose to enter it and win.
Upon entering the fifth tournament, he fought Devil Jin and was nearly killed, and he also led The Resistance with his teacher to go against the Mishima Zaibatsu. After Jin’s disappearance, he went to search for him, running into Devil Jin again, but this time, defeating him. Despite this, he left feeling dissatisfied and hoped to discover what he wanted to achieve.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/97bca473-a234-4037-bd10-516d8636373e_tekken8-bryan-announcement.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Bryan Fury
Since TEKKEN 3, it’s been easy to understand why Bryan Fury is known as the Harbinger of Chaos. Before the events of the game, he was a cop with links to Interpol (and the drug trade) but was killed in a shoot-out while in Hong Kong.
However, instead of staying dead, his corpse was used by Dr. Abel to create the perfect cyborg. Under the orders of Dr. Abel, he entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to target Yoshimitsu, who had links to Bosconovitch.
Realising after the tournament that his life was ending, he tried to get help from Dr. Abel, but he abandoned him to work for the Mishima Zaibatsu. Enraged, Fury tried to take control of the organisation to get Dr. Abel to help him, but he was unsuccessful. Instead, he was saved by Yoshimitsu, who brought him to Bosconovitch.
Unfortunately, Bosconovitch needed time to figure out how to help Fury and could only install a perpetual power generator to keep him going. Instead of being grateful, he attacked Bosconovitch and killed the Manji Party members who were helping him. He has since been wreaking havoc around the globe using the generator's power.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/9831e946-d78b-44bb-84a1-aaf38e1dc323_tekken8-claudio-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Claudio Serafino
Known as the Banisher of Demons, Claudio Serafino was introduced in TEKKEN 7 as the leader of the exorcist organisation, the Archers of Sirius. As a member of this collection of ancient exorcists, he learned to fight using Sirius Exorcist Arts.
In the previous game, Claudio was approached by Heihachi Mishima to become a part of the Mishima Zaibatsu, and he tried to refuse but was defeated by the older man. Part of Heihachi’s goal had been to subdue Kazuya Mishima’s devil form. While working with Heihachi, he was approached by Xiaoyu, who demanded to know where Jin was, and he originally planned to use her as bait.
Instead, after his organisation crumbled, he revealed his motives to her and agreed to help her find Jin. While working with Xiaoyu and Panda, they would find Zafina, and together, they would team up to stop the devil.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/40f5ea01-da45-41e6-a330-673430b288ed_tekken8-raven-announcement.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Raven
Introduced in TEKKEN 5. Raven is a Ninjutsu master and has appeared in most other instalments since (except for TEKKEN 7). He is a secret agent who works for the United Nations; thus, he is known as the Shadow Agent in TEKKEN 8.
Little is known about Raven due to his enigmatic nature, and he entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to discover who was behind it. After finding Heihachi, he was brought back to his headquarters, and he has since entered the next tournament to prevent any further carnage.
As of TEKKEN 8, he has been honing his skills and learned the art of shadow cloning, ready to begin battle once more. He knows there will only be more chaos on the horizon as he sees the power struggle between Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corp.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/fd9781bd-cba8-43db-9dbc-2e9be8e3fcca_tekken8-feng-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Feng Wei
Along with Raven and Asuka, Feng Wei was introduced in TEKKEN 5 and has since appeared in all instalments succeeding it. Known as God Fist, his goal is simply to be the strongest. He is linked to Asuka, having attacked her father, and it’s why she entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to stop him.
He has an intense lust for fighting, and his master previously forbade him from fighting martial artists who use styles that aren’t Taijiquan. Disobeying these rules, Feng Wei eventually killed his master and chose to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament to recover the secret scroll of the art of the God Fist.
After getting the scrolls, he returned to Japan for more answers regarding the God Fist and entered the next tournament. Realising he has to defeat masters of all other martial arts styles, he travels the world and challenges other fighters to become the strongest indeed.
After Leroy Smith defeats him, he is powered by rage and focuses on his training until Nina Williams approaches him to support G Corp in their goals.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/b37cc85d-964a-4321-96ae-b8cff29b9f92_tekken8-yoshimitsu-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Yoshimitsu
Curiously, Yoshimitsu is a playable character in two major fighter franchises. Not only has he appeared in TEKKEN from the first game, but he’s also appeared in all of the SoulCalibur games. Known as the Mechanized Space Ninja, Yoshimitsu is the head of the Manji Clan, and he fights using Advanced Manji Ninjutsu.
The Manji Clan are a group of chivalrous thieves who have been around since the Sengoku period, and Yoshimitsu is also known for his benevolence. In the first tournament, he competed as a decoy for the rest of his group as they stole funds from the tournament. In fact, upon ending the tournament, he took another competitor’s — Ganryu’s — gambling funds and distributed them to the residents of Marshall Law’s neighbourhood.
The scientist Bosconovitch once saved his life, and when he is kidnapped, he enters the King of Iron Fist Tournament to rescue him. After saving Brian Fury, the cyborg murdered several members of the Manji Clan, and so he swore revenge against him.
After the events of TEKKEN 7, Yoshimitsu’s Cursed Blade was corrupted with a bloodlust that can eventually drive the wielder insane, and to help solve this problem, he heads to an ancient underground cave that the Mishimas once used for exorcisms.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/38993b02-ac0c-4f1e-9ef2-3120213bd2f7_tekken8-steve-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Steve Fox
A renowned British boxer, Steve Fox, was adopted at a young age and dreamt of finding out who his biological parents were. However, the Counter-Punching Paragon would discover that his mother is none other than Nina Williams, and she held little affection for the young man, even going so far as to attempt to assassinate him at one point.
Steve was the product of Mishima Zaibatsu’s research into the Devil Gene and an attempt to replicate the superhuman strength that came with it. By utilising Nina’s eggs, Steve was one of the few survivors of these experiments. At the age of six, Steve escaped the labs with the help of Emma Kliesen, who grew fond of the young boy, and he held no memories of his early childhood after this.
After getting into trouble with The Syndicate, Steve would make his first appearance in TEKKEN 4, when he would compete in the King of Iron First Tournament to discover who his parents are. As he discovered his origins, he began to regain his memories, notably Emma, and he started to lose his driving force in life.
Now a husk of his former self, both Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law return to training with Steve to help him find more meaning in his life.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/9725af4c-bc56-41a1-8295-1a519cf9b3e3_tekken8-leo-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=17,0,2126,1196&w=1280&h=720)
Leo Kliesen
Leo Kliesen is the Seeker of Truth, and they are originally from Germany. The offspring of Emma Kliesen and her husband, Niklas Kliesen, Leo inherited a passion for spelunking and fighting from their father. Overall, Leo’s childhood was reasonably pleasant, despite their father’s disappearance when they were a child.
Instead, they grew to learn the fighting style of Baji Quan and became a spelunker like their father. However, not all would be peaceful, as their mother, Emma Kliesen, who was a geneticist who worked for G Corp, was murdered. Unknowing their mother’s history, Leo began researching and discovering their mother’s past.
Introduced in TEKKEN 7, Leo entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to get closer to Kazuya Mishima and the Mishima Zaibatsu, where she had helped Steve Fox escape as a child. Learning of their mother’s research into the Devil Gene, they learned that Kazuya sent orders to “take care of” the key researchers they no longer needed.
When they discover that Kazuya Mishima is a devil, Leo begins to understand what happened a year earlier.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/cc9bd0ed-986e-43d9-8501-1c9a46548dfe_tekken8-dragunov-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Sergei Dragunov
Making his first appearance in Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Sergei is a member of the Russian Special Operatives, who call him the White Reaper. Naturally, his role as the White Reaper has put him at odds with Raven and his Master.
Stoic and silent, Dragunov rarely speaks to any of his opponents. In the sixth game, he was sent to capture Devil Jin and even entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to find him and defeat the Mishima Zaibatsu.
With his signature fighting style, the Commando Sambo, Dragunov joined the tournament, but after Heihachi Mishima went missing, he returned to Russia. For the first time, he is given extended leave, and he consults an ancient notebook, which those around him assume is “The Angel of Death’s List”, but in reality, it is a simple bucket list of things Dragunov plans to do when he has extended free time.
Choosing a task from his bucket list with a challenge, Dragunov uses his leave to accomplish his enigmatic goal.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/08bb1bff-dfc7-4cc1-9699-7053c9023023_tekken8-kuma-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Kuma
Kuma is a bear known as the Master of Salmon. Not only is he Heihachi Mishima’s pet, but he is also a bodyguard. This is the second iteration of Kuma, the son of the original who died of old age sometime after the second King of Iron Fist Tournament. This version of Kuma made his first appearance in TEKKEN 3.
One day, while watching TV, Kuma went wild at the sight of Paul Phoenix on TV and has since trained to defeat the man in battle, often successfully. After seeing Paul Phoenix’s fight, he trains in Heihachi-Style Advanced Kuma Shin Ken. Unlike the previous Kuma, he is light-hearted and enjoys volunteering in disaster relief efforts around Southeast Asia.
He will refuse to battle children and Panda, for whom he has feelings. Now, he is the town’s favourite, but one day, Heihachi never returns from his battle with Kazuya. With the belief that Heihachi is still alive, he waits for his master’s return while the battle between G Corp and the Mishima Zaibatsu continues.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/12428890-72a7-4205-9ce6-5f9d964830d9_tekken8-shaheen-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Shaheen
Shaheen is one of the newer members of those returning, having been introduced in TEKKEN 7. He is a Saudi Arabian fighter who specialises in Close Quarters Combat and has been working for a private military firm since the death of his best friend, Salim.
Once Salim’s bodyguard, they went their separate ways when Shaheen joined the army, and Salim took over the family business. Using his time in the army, Shaheen joined a private military firm and, upon learning that Salim’s death was under mysterious circumstances, left to investigate.
After learning of G Corp’s acquisition of Salim’s family business and the resignation of all family members in management, Shaheen suspected G Corp’s involvement and swore to defeat Kazuya upon realising how demonic the man was.
When Shaheen is about to depart after revealing the truth of Salim’s death to his family, Zarif, Salim’s younger brother, gives his older brother’s sword to him as a promise to finish what Salim couldn’t.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/9d13f7cb-2f87-4a9d-a312-c795e9f85c29_tekken8-character-panda.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
Panda
Like Kuma, Panda is an expert in Heihachi-Style Advanced Kuma Shin Ken and doubles as Ling Xiaioyu’s bodyguard and pet. Wherever Xiaoyu goes, Panda follows and tracks her friend to the Mishima Zaibatsu building.
However, unlike Kuma, she doesn’t appear to share his romantic feelings. Instead, she chooses to ignore his intent to woo her. Instead, she focuses on Xiaoyu and ensures that she always does her best.
As part of this, Panda is known to coordinate Xiaoyu’s outfits to ensure that she won’t be embarrassed when she meets Jin again.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/f5d04ad8-c9bc-4069-8ed9-696228118963_tekken8-character-zafina.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
Zafina
Born into a family of exorcists, Zafina is a mysterious warrior who fights using Ancient Assassination Arts. Hailing from a village that is tasked with protecting the tomb of the devil Azazel, she made her first appearance in TEKKEN 6 and was a DLC character in Tekken 8.
In her daily life, she uses her spiritual powers as an astrologist. Still, when she starts to see more evil omens and darker premonitions, she goes on a quest to identify where the darkness is gathering. Due to Jin and Kazuya’s battle, Azazel was resurrected until Lars and Jin managed to defeat him. However, before Azazel’s spirit was able to escape, she sealed him away in her left arm.
As Zafina struggles to keep Azazel under wrap, she goes to the Sirius Sanctuary and is helped by Claudio Serafino and Ling Xiaoyu. With their help, the three of them (and Panda) go on a journey to find Jin Kazama and prevent a terrible future from occurring.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/0e1f327a-8d32-496a-a659-d86e699beab6_tekken8-character-lee.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
Lee Chaolan
The Silver-Haired Demon is the adopted son of Heihachi Mishima and, due to that, the brother of Kazuya and a rival. He made his first appearance in the first game in the series and has appeared in all titles except for TEKKEN 3. He has occasionally appeared under the alias Violet and even founded a robotics corporation, Violet Systems.
Lee studied Mishima Style Fighting Karate and combined it with Martial Arts, but since TEKKEN 4, he has shifted to a primary focus on Martial Arts. No love has been lost between Lee and his adoptive brother and father, but he sympathises with Lars Alexandersson, whom he initially planned to use as a pawn to get his own revenge.
Instead, he and Lars formed the rebel army known as Yggdrasil, and he took on the role of staff officer. Due to his knowledge of Kazuya, he is able to use it to create weapons and resources to defeat him with the help of Dr. Bosconovitch. Now, the Rebel Army has been pushing back with different mobile warfare units.
To help him in combat, Lee even has technologically advanced armour in the form of the Violet Suit, which represents Lee aesthetically. With his new armour, Lee is able to take on G Corp to help bring the Rebel Army to victory.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/bf228fbf-c20f-4e47-96b5-be7afea17278_tekken8-character-alisa.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
Alisa Bosconovitch
Alisa was introduced in Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion and was created by Dr Bosconovitch in an effort to revive his late daughter. Unlike many of the other characters, Alisa is a robot who was born in the Mishima Zaibatsu and was designed to answer to Jin directly. However, this design was eventually overridden by Lee Chaolan, but few characters are aware that Alisa isn’t human.
The reason for this is simple: Alisa tends to act more humanly than a robot. She eventually grew to have feelings for Lars Alexandersson and was once forced to engage in a battle to the death with him. However, she was successfully revived and rebooted and has since joined the Rebel Army to fight at Lars’s side of her own free will.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/caef31f7-2c5a-4e5d-a0f3-0227b6c20b64_tekken8-character-deviljin.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,1920,1080&w=1280&h=720)
Devil Jin
Our last returning character is Devil Jin, and I don’t need to go into too much detail about his character background. Instead, he’s best described as another form of Jin who has no reasoning due to the Devil Gene coursing through his veins and taking over. With a demonic form, he truly has the form of a devil; it’s no wonder that he is known as the Black Wings of Ruin.
Despite making cameo appearances in TEKKEN 3 and 4, he wasn’t a playable character until Tekken 5. Unlike Jin normally, Devil Jin is best described as the Devil Gene taking over, and because of that, he looks down on Jin and refers to his opponents as prey.
New Faces
Now that we’ve explored the returning characters, let’s look at the three new confirmed characters joining the fray. Admittedly, there’s not a lot of information to go on here, so let’s take a look at their character profiles.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/b0c4cbea-493d-42e2-a648-b78490de3bd2_tekken8-azucena-announcement.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Azucena Ortiz
Known as the Perfect Blend, Azucena Ortiz is the Coffee Queen of Peru. She is a renowned Striker and a Mixed Martial Arts champion. Her family runs the Ortiz Farm, of which Azucena hopes to one day become the best coffee farmer in the world.
She has worked on many different strains of coffee beans over the years and has also earned success as a model and dancer. Of course, she has also studied at the most prestigious university in the country. She has aimed to be the best academically and in her adventures.
To help promote her Azucena Blend of coffee, she broke into the American MMA scene, and she’s since risen to be one of the top-ranking champions. With her goals in mind, Azucena has set her eyes on the King of Iron Fist Tournament, which has become the most popular fighting tournament in the world.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/63e2c942-abe5-40d5-91c9-f11898e6c687_tekken8-character-victor-chevalier.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Victor Chevalier
Victor Chevalier is the founder and leader of the United Nations’ independent forces and the one who trained the Raven Unit, making him Raven’s boss. His fighting style is Super Spy CQB, and he is known as Refined Violence and Phantom Raven.
As a descendant of an aristocratic lineage of distinguished knights, he followed his father’s footsteps and joined the French Navy before becoming a member of the UN. While others have been jealous of his success, which is believed to be due to nepotism, Victor has proven himself to be a diligent fighter who has trained with his father’s mercenary friend from the East.
He earned the name Phantom Raven while he was in the Navy, and upon seeing the risk of G Corp and the Mashima Zaibatsu, he trained and directed the Raven Unit.
With the war raging on, Victor takes to the battlefield in style.
![](https://blog-images.fanatical.com/fanatical/dd381f83-132c-4786-87fd-685df87aba3d_Tekken8-reina-thumbnail.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,2160,1215&w=1280&h=720)
Reina
Unlike the other new characters, Reina is more of a mystery. She is known as the Purple Lightning and appears to use a mixture of Taido and Mishima-style karate.
Reina is an incredibly fast fighter with lightning-like moves, but not much is known about her other than her being a student of the Mishima Polytechnical School. So far, her motivations are mostly unknown, but she seems interested in fighting Jin Kazama.
![TEKKEN 8 - Ultimate Edition](https://fanatical.imgix.net/product/original/105f16e8-fd74-4ee1-a7bd-0b1c337b3b5e.jpeg?auto=compress,format&w=360&fit=crop&h=203)
TEKKEN 8 - Ultimate Edition
These are all the characters who have been confirmed as playable characters in TEKKEN 8. So far, we know that there will be four more characters who have yet to be confirmed via the Year 1 Pass. If you’re interested in learning more about TEKKEN 8, consider pre-ordering it here at Fanatical!