Fans of the Japanese fighting game franchise,Tekkenwill be pleased to hear that the release date for the series' upcoming anime project, titled “Tekken: Bloodline"has been revealed, with a full trailer issuing the news.
The new trailer, which can be seen below, gives a bit more information about the upcoming series thanthe teaser trailer released back in March, with a sneak-peak at some of the characters who’ll be making up the series' roster. The official release date forTekken: Bloodlineis slated for June 05, 2025.
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The trailer shows the main character, Jin Kazama, and the purpose of his journey to find his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima, and assume tutelage under him. From what can be gleaned from the trailers that have been released thus far,Tekken: Bloodlinewill be a loose adaptation of the events of The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3, which places the chronology of the series at the beginning ofTekken 3.
Characters who made an appearance in the trailer includeTekkenveterans, King, Nina Williams, and Paul Phoenix, Jin’s mother, Jun Kazama, his rival Hwoarang, a glimpse of the secondary antagonist, Ancient Ogre, as well as the primary antagonist of the anime series,Jin’s father, Kazuya Mishima.
HardcoreTekkenfans will have raised eyebrows at the alternate direction taken for this part of theTekkenstory, with this new trailer making apparent some of the in-universe anachronisms, retcons, and changes that will be presented by the anime, such as the appearance ofTekken 7character Leroy Smith, andTekken 5’s Feng Wei at this point in the timeline; and an apparent collaboration of Nina, Paul, and Julia Chang. There is also the solidification of certain important aspects ofTekkenlore made apparent in the trailer, such as the death of Jun Kazama at the hands of Ancient Ogre (which is neither confirmed nor denied in the original story). There is also a stunning lack of the brand left on his shoulder by Devil after Jun’s defeat by Ogre, a central aspect to Jin’s journey at this point in the original chronology.
Fans will; however, be intrigued and perhapsexcited by the series' appearance, which is a combination of CGI and effects that call back to its video game origins. Familiar “Tekkenisms” such as the games' impact physics and visual effects, as well as the manifestation of each character’s chi being visible upon the connection of critical hits, will make for an interesting watching experience and are a big step away from other animated adaptations ofTekkenmedia.
Other interesting deviations from traditionalTekkenlore will also be the interactions and relationships between characters, particularly the apparent re-designation of various characters' roles in the story, such as the seemingly calm and even wise demeanor of the usually-abrasive and macho Paul; as well as the opaque alignment of Nina with the forces of good, rather than her in-videogame amorphous moral sensibilities. With August just around the corner, it’s time for anime fans to prepare for The King of Iron Fist Tournament.
