Tekken 8 brings back plenty of the franchise’s classic roster alongside a few fresh faces. Among the new characters, Reina stands out for her mysterious past, her clearly Mishima-style fighting technique, and her unresolved connection with the Mishima family itself.
With Heihachi’s death in Tekken 7, the game is missing one of its central figures for its lore and one of the most, if not the most, iconic characters of the entire franchise. Reina is here to bring back some good old Heihachi-style Headbutts and Demon Uppercuts to Tekken 8.
Is Reina related to Kazuya, Heihachi, and Jin in Tekken 8?
Reina’s background is wrapped up in mystery and secrecy. On Tekken 8’s official website, her character profile just reads, “Other than the fact she’s a student of the Mishima Polytechnical School, everything else about her is shrouded in mystery.” Bandai Namco has purposefully kept her identity and background a secret to keep fans intrigued, a typical approach to storytelling routinely used in Japanese mangas and previous Tekken games.
Fans have already spun all sorts of theories. Reina integrates the Mishima-style combat with Taido, an evolved form of Karate originally from Okinawa, in her fighting repertoire. While she stands out with her unique technique, her arsenal includes several of Heihachi’s famed moves, such as Electric Wind God Fist, Demon Uppercut, Headbutt, and Hell Sweep. This has brought forward the fan theory that Reina might be related to Kazuya, Jin, and Heihachi in some way.
If you don’t wish to be somewhat spoiled on a side element of Tekken 8’s main story, don’t read beyond this point!
Following a scene at the end of Tekken 8’s story that uses Reina to set up the next era of Tekken after Jin defeats Kazuya, you unlock a special Character Episode for Reina that was previously unavailable and details some facts about her history.
As soon as you begin the Character Episode, it is revealed that Reina is the secret daughter of Heihachi Mishima somehow. The founder of the King of Iron Fist Tournament is known to have fathered several illegitimate children over the years. It was a bit obvious with Heihachi’s absence, her attitude, and things like her electric attacks and Rage Art being clear tributes to Heihachi. The latter even has a large shadow resembling his distinctive hairstyle, enveloping Reina as she delivers a finishing blow.
What is Reina’s Fighting Style in Tekken 8?
Reina specializes in Taido, a form of Karate that emphasizes varying movement techniques. Her reveal and gameplay trailer showcase her executing evasive actions and complex attacking movements. She employs a variety of ducks and rolls rather than relying on blocks, enabling her to dodge beneath adversaries’ punches and effectively counter their aggression. Reina perfectly fuses defensive actions such as evasion with brutal, lightning-fast attacks.
In the trailer, she is also seen punching Lars on the floor, headbutting Jin, and stomping down on Kazuya. Her ruthlessness and viciousness contrast her otherwise controlled moves from the Taido school of Karate and Mishima style. This is perfectly in line with her character, which also seems to have a dark side disguised beneath her cute and innocent charade.
