Yakuza Fans Are Unhappy About Kiryu Not Coming to Tekken 7

Bandai Namco announced a new Tekken 7 character on Sunday that came as a huge surprise, but even though the unexpected reveal got plenty of reactions, there were many Yakuza fans who were disappointed that their protagonist Kazuma Kiryu was left out.

Negan is the character that’s joining Tekken 7, the bat-wielding antagonist from the most recent seasons of The Walking Dead. He was a reveal during Evo 2018 that mostly nobody expected given current the martial arts-filled roster that Tekken 7 boasts, not to mention the lineup of characters waiting to join the fight. One of these characters was Kiryu from the Yakuza series, the protagonist throughout the games who’s as charismatic as he is practiced in combat.

With Kiryu not in Tekken 7, his biggest supporters are feeling let down, sometimes even slighted with Negan taking the spotlight instead. They’ve been vocal about their opinions, even going as far as to redo the reveal trailer to show what they think it should’ve looked like.

How the Trailer Should’ve Gone

The fan-made trailer above isn’t what was shown during last night’s Evo 2018 presentation, much to the dismay of Yakuza fans everywhere, but it would’ve made an excellent reveal had it been the real thing. It starts out the same way as the original Negan trailer seen above before cutting away to a Yakuza scene that’s used fairly often in memes and responses pertaining to the series. Kiryu burst through a door and says he’s ready to sign up, but he won’t be signing up for the roster of Tekken 7 this time.

Negan Instead of Kiryu?

With Negan in Tekken 7 instead of Kiryu, many Tekken and Yakuza players couldn’t believe that one of The Walking Dead’s stars made it into the game instead of an actual martial artist that’s known for his power and fighting style. Some even took the opportunity to toss some shade towards The Walking Dead by referring to it as a “dying show,” a go-to insult for any show that someone’s not fond of.

Yakuza Fans Would’ve Settled for Majima

Even if Kiryu wasn’t ever a possibility, Yakuza fans would’ve been happy to see at least someone from the series added to Tekken 7. Goro Majima was another option that many suggested, an interesting character who serves several different roles throughout the game.

In terms of how he’d mesh with the rest of the Tekken roster, it was pointed out that he’s already got the martial arts abilities to warrant him a spot. With four different fighting and his wielding of a Tanto, Majima would’ve been a sound fit, but the outcome is sadly not to become a reality.

Optimistic for Other Fighting Games

Kiryu might not be coming to Tekken 7 – at least not right now – but that didn’t stop people from (jokingly) suggesting that he should be in other fighting games instead.

Tekken seemed like the best bet for Kiryu, but some people have already joked that maybe he’s not coming to that game because he’s instead being added to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo is holding a special Direct this week that’s focused on the game, but seeing any mention of Kiryu would be many times the surprise that Negan’s reveal was.