A new era is set in Mortal Kombat 1 has seen many classic characters in the series evolve in new and exciting ways. Resetting the Mortal Kombat Universe allows us to experiment with their stories to sharpen relationships, deepen connections, and heighten conflict. We’re taking characters in bold new directions while honoring their past.
Before we dive into the story behind Takeda’s entry into Mortal Kombat 1, let’s take a look at his Brutality finisher.
When the team decided that Takeda Takahashi should join the Mortal Kombat 1 roster, we were faced with an intriguing narrative challenge: How do we make a character, who was previously a second-generation fighter, on par with his direct ancestor? We decided to change Takeda’s history so that he was firmly rooted in the present day of the New Era.
Mortal Kombat 1 introduced reimaginings of iconic characters in ways they had never been seen before, and in this new era created by Fire God Liu Kang, Takeda is Kenshi Takahashi’s cousin, not his son. As a friend of Takahashi’s, he also served the Yakuza. As a hero, he ultimately chose to disown them. But that doesn’t mean he and Kenshi are as close as thieves. As was the case in the previous Mortal Kombat era, the two men have different agendas that cause them to clash. While Kenshi is solely focused on freeing his family from the clutches of the Yakuza, Takeda seeks to destroy his family as well as the entire underworld of Earthrealm. Kenshi doesn’t like Takeda’s larger, more deadly agenda.
Even with these changes, Takeda’s storyline retains the main plot elements from the previous iteration. As before, Takeda spends much of his time living among the Shirai Ryu. He trains with Scorpion, combining Scorpion’s Shirai Ryu techniques with his own kombat style.
As we began writing Takeda’s story, we realized that his world needed to be more deeply integrated with the world of his fellow warriors. To do this, we brought in the Red Dragon crime syndicate. They first appeared in New Era as the shadowy bosses responsible for all of Earthrealm and Outworld’s organized crime.
Takeda Takahashi will be available on July 23 as part of the early access period for Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack owners on PlayStation 5, followed by general availability on July 30. Additionally, Takeda will be playable for the first time before his release at the Evolution Championship Series (Evo) fighting game tournament in Las Vegas from July 19-21. This opportunity will be exclusive to event attendees and is located in the Mortal Kombat 1 booth in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
