Let’s not beat around the bush: Tekken 7 has had some pretty out there choices for their guest characters thus far. Ranging from Noctis of Final Fantasy XV fame to AMC’s The Walking Dead’s Negan, no property seems to be off limits when it comes to sourcing them for a special appearance via the game’s DLC installments. With that said, it does open up the doors for a slew of other characters from different properties and mediums to make an appearance, and these seven in particular are at the top of our lists for dream contenders.
John Wick (John Wick)
Tekken Guest Fighters
The dreary and dapper “Baba Yaga” of the assassination underworld, John Wick would be right at home in the roster of the Iron Fist tournament. Armed with a natural affinity for hand-to-hand combat, thinking on his feet and delivering savage finishing blows, his fighting style would blend perfectly into the cavalcade of other contenders’ martial arts styles. For a finisher, he could use everything from a blur of “Gun-Fu” shots and blows to his legendary pencil-based kill, further contributing to his kill anything, anywhere persona.
As for why he’s there, is it really that unbelievable that one of the Tekken characters would kill his dog, even by accident? Hell, maybe Kuma accidentally ate it while he was out looking for food one day. Either way, let this man into the fray and beautiful carnage will ensue!
B.J. Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein)
Tekken Guest Fighters
The tireless Nazi killing machine that he is, B.J. Blazkowicz has accrued quite the resume of feats and accomplishments. Not only has he fought his way through hundreds if not thousands of SS soldiers in his time, but he’s also cheated death itself both in surviving a grenade blast and having his own head chopped off. Not only that, but he is experienced in the ways of war to an almost absurd degree, having fought, smashed and shot his way through everything from technologically modified Nazi soldiers to supernatural colossi the size of a skyscraper. With such feats under his belt, taking on the contestants of the storied tournament would be an easy task even if he weren’t armed with his trademark arsenal of assault rifles and shotguns.
With only a knife or tomahawk, he could pose a worthy threat to even the most demonic of combatants and come out the other side with a new, insightful monologue about the trials and tribulations of war.
Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
Tekken Guest Fighters
Once a quiet, book-loving college student, Ken Kaneki’s life took a turn for the horrific when he had the organs of a ghoul implanted into his body. As a result, he gains the ability to control supernatural appendages known as Kagune at the cost of a constant hunger for human flesh. To this end, he fights to stay alive, sate his hunger and retain his humanity, all the while fighting back against those who would seek to kill or control him.
Far from the most outlandish anime cameo Tekken could attempt – see Gon the Dinosaur from Tekken 3 – Kaneki would be right at home alongside the likes of Devil Jin, Yoshimitsu and the other more supernatural combatants in the game’s roster. While he has a fine array of close quarters combat moves already, his Kagune could serve to bolster his moves with heavy blows, a strong guard or even a flashy finishing blow.
The White Walkers (Game of Thrones)
Tekken Guest Fighters
While the many factions of Westeros have warred with, plotted against and schemed the downfalls of one another, the White Walkers have continued to grow in power, amassing their forces and proven themselves the greatest threat in the Game of Thrones world. Wielding powerful frost magic and capable of turning the dead into new foot soldiers for their army, they have the power to sweep across nations and bring about the downfall of humanity in an instant, and already did thousands of years in the past.
Though more on the fantasy side of the lore spectrum than other entries on Tekken’s list of characters, the White Walkers would be right at home in a brawl for it all with martial artists, master ninjas and sentient grizzly and panda bears. Their frosty appearance could help distinguish them from other entries in the game’s roster, and their frost magic abilities could lend some style and flair to any combos they dish out.
Kenshiro Kasumi (Fist of the North Star)
Tekken Guest Fighters
Easily one of the most iconic manga and anime characters of the 1980s, Kenshiro Kasumi embodies the spirit of over the top, hyper muscular anime protagonists. Armed with lightning fast reflexes, a body of pure muscle and the fabled martial art of Hokuto Shinken, he wanders the wastes of a post-apocalyptic world in an effort to rid it of evil and bring peace to its struggling inhabitants. How he does so, however, is anything but peaceful; whether it’s a heavily armored tank or a similarly muscular raider, he uses his martial prowess to strike their weak points and trigger their pressure points to cause them a grizzly demise, usually in an explosive manner.
Kenshiro’s inclusion would serve as not only a throwback to some of Tekken’s earliest character designs, but an excellent crossover between the fighting game and Fist of the North Star’s upcoming video game release in North America. Besides, who wouldn’t want to see him decimate an opponent with rapid-fire combos, finishing the match with his iconic line of “You’re already dead”?
The Man in Black (Westworld)
Tekken Guest Fighters
Westworld quickly proved itself a thrilling and dramatic addition to televised entertainment when it first aired in 2016, and a big part of its appeal was the enigmatic journey of the Man in Black. Cold, ruthless and driven by his personal goals of discovering the secrets hidden within the world around him, he roams the western prairies with a violent vigor in search of an answer. No person, mechanical host, flesh and blood human or otherwise, can stand between him and this mission.
Much like Negan, the Man in Black’s inclusion in Tekken would be a bit out there but welcome none the less. His straight forward, brutal nature could lend a visceral element to the fighting game’s flow, and the added layer of the tournament tying into Westworld’s mythology could make for some fun and exciting fan fiction theories.
Kiryu or Majima (Yakuza)
Tekken Guest Fighters
Katsuhiro Harada, we get it. You want to use characters that can bring in players who might not otherwise try Tekken and other fighting games by including fan characters from out-of-leftfield properties. That said, there has never been a time when the Yakuza series is more in line with that mentality. Following the success of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami, fan recognition of the stoic Kiryu Kazuma and the maniacal wildcard Majima Goro has never been higher, and either would be a perfect fit for the Iron Fist Tournament. Kiryu could smash and crash his way through opponents with his Dragon Style, while Majima could zoom to and fro between enemy attacks before slicing his way through their defenses with his Mad Dog style. This isn’t just a fun crossover idea. This is THE crossover idea. Please make it happen.
Know of any other great guest characters that should be considered for Tekken 7? mention them in the comments below, and keep up with all the latest on the game’s new characters and other announcements here.
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