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Jinpachi Mishima TTT2 art

Jinpachi Mishima, a legendary practitioner of the style

Mishima Style Fighting Karate (三島流喧嘩空手 Mishima-ryū Kenka Karate?) is a fighting style that is used by members of the Mishima Clan, as well as many other characters in the Tekken series.

Story[]

The Mishima Style karate was an ancient martial art used to exterminate demons. Its origins are unknown, but it is known that many, many centuries ago, two clans were warring over who was to be considered the legitimate successor to the martial art. The clan that lost this battle retreated into solitude and became known as the Tekken Monks, the victorious clan are presumeably the Mishima Clan. In the ancient times, there was apparently an 'ultimate technique' known as the Star Crusher, that has since been lost. The Tekken Monks have been dedicated to refinding the purity of the orignal lost Mishima Style.[1]

The Mishima Clan are presumed to have continued practicing their martial art, though it wasn't until Jinpachi Mishima that a dojo had been specifically dedicated to the martial art, with sensei who taught the art to new students. The style Jinpachi taught in this dojo was later refined and completed by his son, Heihachi Mishima.[2] After World War Two, Jinpachi focused on building the karate style, having decided to take a step away from the warmongering direction he'd previously taken the family corporation in. His intentions became more peaceful and he focused on growing his dojo. His two known students at this time were his son, Heihachi, and Kazumi Hachijo.[3] After Heihachi and Kazumi married and had a child, Jinpachi also taught their son, Kazuya Mishima in his early childhood.[4]

After Kazumi's death and Jinpachi's imprisonment, Heihachi became the head of the style. He taught his son, Kazuya, and his adopted son, Lee Chaolan, the style.[5] He later sent Lee away on business to the USA, but kept Kazuya at home, and taught him advanced Mishima Style moves.[citation needed]

The Mishima Style Fighting Karate did not have another student until a fifteen-year-old Jin Kazama turned up at the Mishima Estate, begging Heihachi to take him in and teach him karate in order to become stronger and take revenge. Jin mastered the style within four years, although abandoned it and deliberately unlearned it after Heihachi betrayed and shot him at the third King of Iron Fist Tournament. While fighting his father, Kazuya, during the events of Tekken 8, Jin began using the Mishima Style once again.

Description[]

See also: Mishima Style Karate Moves

Signature moves of this fighting style include the following:

  1. Wind God Fist/Electric Wind God Fist
  2. Dragon Uppercut
  3. Flash Punch Combo
  4. Demon Slayer/Back Fist Combo
  5. Demon Backhand Spin
  6. Right Splits Kick
  7. Left Splits Kick
  8. Tsunami Kick
  9. Spinning Demon
  10. Demon Scissors
  11. Stonehead
  12. Rising Sun

They also all share a 10 Hit Combo (f,f,N,2,1,2,2,3,4,4,1,2,1), although Jinpachi Mishima himself cannot use it. Additionally the Crouch Dash (officially named "Wind God Step" as of Tekken 8) is a core component of the form, although other characters are able to perform the Mishima crouch dash who do not use the style (with Jinpachi also being unable to use the motion).

While the style itself does not migrate outside the Mishima family, there have been instances in the older games, most notably the first Tekken game, where other characters would have the same moves, such as Armor King who was able to use moves similar in animation, properties, and damage as the Dragon Uppercut and Rising Uppercut.

As the series progressed, the moves became more and more dissimilar among the practitioners, e.g. Heihachi performing the Flash Punch Combo in one way, but Kazuya executing it in another, when initially, the two characters had executed the moves exactly the same. Also, the fighting style branched out more with each character gaining even more moves that were uniquely their own, effectively creating different iterations of the same fighting style.

During Tekken Tag Tournament 2, all practitioners shared a special tag throw where the leader sends the opponent to the partner with "Stonehead" and the partner then knocks the opponent down with the same move. This is also shared with both Kuma and Panda (who were also both taught by Heihachi). Both Kazuya and Heihachi are an exception, with them having a unique tag throw for themselves instead.

Real-Life inspirations[]

Despite Mishima Style Fighting Karate being a fictional martial art, its influences do originate from real martial arts. Furthermore, it is curious to note that all Mishima clan members reflect the different styles of Karate.

  • Heihachi's style is heavily influenced by Goju-Ryu Karate, using a lot of low horse stance, open hand, and front stances, chops, and hammer fist attacks.
  • Kazuya (and by extension Devil) uses lots of hip turning, closed fist attacks and countering. He embodies Shotokan Karate.
  • Jin (in Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament only), and later his Devil form, demonstrate the art of Shito-Ryu. After Tekken 3 Jin rejects Mishima Karate, learning a new style based on Kyokushin Karate (though it says Traditional Karate in the game).

Practitioners[]

Playable[]

  • Kazuya Mishima - Officially stated in all official profiles from Tekken to Tekken 7[6].
  • Heihachi Mishima - Officially stated in all official profiles from Tekken to Tekken 7[7].
  • Devil - Stated as "unknown" in Tekken 2 and Tekken Tag Tournament[8], he fights using Kazuya's moveset combined with supernatural powers.
  • Angel - Stated as "unknown" in Tekken 2, Tekken Tag Tournament[8] and Tekken Tag Tournament 2[9], she fights using a variation of Kazuya's moveset combined with supernatural powers.
  • Jin Kazama - Officially stated in his profile in Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament[10]Jin fought using a mixed style composed of mainly Mishima Style Karate, taught by his grandfather Heihachi, combined with the Kazama Style Self Defense, taught by his mother Jun Kazama and some by self-teaching. Jin's style resembled much of Kazuya's moveset but with some moves from Jun, as well as new attacks of his own, mostly introduced in Tekken Tag Tournament.
    He discarded this fighting style in Tekken 4, replacing it with "Traditional Karate". His former style is still used by his Devil form.
    Through a secret move, he can temporarily revert to Mishima Style Karate in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 if he is paired with another Mishima Karate practitioner.
    In Tekken 8, during his final battle with Kazuya, Jin once again utilizes both Mishima Style Fighting Karate and Kazama Style Traditional Martial Arts.
  • Devil Jin - Stated as "unknown" in Tekken 5Tekken 6, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and Tekken 7, Devil Jin fights using an updated version of the mixed Mishima Karate-Kazama Martial Arts practiced by Jin Kazama in Tekken 3.
    Although he retains almost all of his old moves, some are rough and crude in execution, with a few extra moves based on his demonic powers.
  • Jinpachi Mishima - Even though his fighting style is officially stated as "unknown" [11], Jinpachi fights using moves of the Mishima Style Karate as its progenitor (in Tekken 5, it is mixed with demonic powers).
    He was the one that first taught the style to Heihachi and later also trained his grandson Kazuya.
  • Mokujin - Through mimicry of one of the Mishima practitioners (Jin, Devil Jin, Heihachi, Kazuya).
  • Tetsujin - Through mimicry of one of the Mishima practitioners.
  • Combot - Tekken 4 only; Through mimicry of one of the Mishima practitioners.
  • Unknown - Tekken Tag Tournament only; through mimicry.
  • Kuma II - Part of his Kuma Shinken since Tekken 8. Following the end of Tekken 7, Kuma II inherits some of Heihachi's exclusive signature moves, such as Demon Breath.
  • Reina - Introduced in Tekken 8, uses a mix of Taido and Mishima-style karate.

Partial users[]

  • Lee Chaolan - Officially stated by Namco in Tekken 2 and Tekken Tag Tournament[12], though he only uses a few attacks of the style.
  • Kazumi Mishima - Primarily uses Hachijo Martial Arts but has only certain attacks from the style (such as Flash Punch Combo and Demon Slayer).
  • Kuma/Panda - Utilizes some moves from Heihachi's style, called Kuma Shinken that was taught to them by Heihachi.
  • Roger/Alex - While they are not officially listed as using the style, they have some moves similar in execution to the Mishima Karate, such as their own version of the Dragon Uppercut, called Animal Uppercut. Their default throws (TK2 and TTT only) and back throw are also all Mishima Karate throws, such as their Headbutt default throw, which uses the same animation as Stonehead.

Non-playable[]

Trivia[]

  • According to Harada, under Jinpachi, Mishima Ryu Karate used the Dan ranking system like most other forms of karate, but this was abolished by Heihachi, who said that "There's no need to make our strength visually apparent to the enemy". This is the reason why Kazuya and Heihachi wear belts of any color they please, rather than a black belt. [13]
  • Harada originally stated that the Mishima Style Fighting Karate was founded by Jinpachi Mishima and brought to completion by Heihachi Mishima.[14] It is revealed however in Tekken 8 *Unforgotten Echoes* DLC, however, that the style is much older than this.

See Also[]

References[]

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