Favorites - 10 Favorite Tekken Characters

When the 2010’s rolled around, I don’t know what happened between me and fighting games. For years, I was more or less an avid fan of fighting games. There was the Street Fighter series, Mortal Kombat, Virtua Fighter, and of course, Tekken. I guess I got burnt out on the franchise since I barely played any of Tekken 6. I barely touched the modern MK games. I think the only fighting franchise I gave any attention to was Netherrealm’s Injustice series.

Let me get back to Tekken, though. I had gotten the latest game, Tekken 7, some time ago. I hadn’t cracked open the case for months until we got to the holiday season. I had more time off for work than I realized, so I popped that baby in. I guess I needed to get some things off my chest, and honestly, it had been too long since I’ve kicked butt as Eddy Gordo. I don’t know what happened, but it felt like going home for the first time. Anyway, I thought I’d just off my favorite characters from the franchise.  This is just me gushing on my  faves. These are the ones who got the coolest moves, got good backstories, and just look pretty cool. It’s also not in order, but the best are up top.

Trade Tales! - Tekken: Blood Feud

Next up for the month is a return to the comic book world. This time, it’s a look at another Tekken comic book. Tekken has always had trouble with being adapted to other media and comics are no exception. There were comics released in the 90’s and judging by this article, they weren’t good. I didn’t even have a good time with Tekken Forever. Heck, that issue was so bad it pretty much killed the mini-series it was setting up. Anyway, it looks like Namco wanted to try this again, so they gave their license to Titans Comics.

Tekken: Blood Feud was released last year over four issues. I actually found out about the series during Free Comic Book Day.  The first issue of the series was on the stands at that time. I tried to keep up with it but ultimately just got the trade which was recently released. It’s supposed to take place between Tekken 6 and the recently released Tekken 7. It was written by Cavan Scott. The artwork was handled by Andie Tong and the colors were done by Mauricio Wallace. So, what did happen to Jin between games?

Tekken: Blood Feud

Writer: Cavan Scott

Art: Andie Tong

Colors: Mauricio Wallace

Letters: Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt

Design: Russ Seal

Editor: Tom Williams

Favorites - Favorite Soundtracks from Video Games

You know, there is one thing I haven’t talked about here in a while: music. I guess it got lost in the shuffle of comics, books, movies, and TV. Heck, I’m still not letting go of a couple of those things in the next couple of posts. I started to wonder about my favorite movie scores and started to run into blanks. I got them, but I really couldn’t call up many except for a few. Then, a lot of the ones I could think of are from the same dudes.

Then, I began to wonder about my favorite musical scores from video games. I shockingly had more luck there. Music is one thing that helps enhance gameplaying. It can help you get hyped up at the big moments and it can make you pretty annoyed at the low moments. I can’t count how many times I heard Saren’s theme when I died in the first Mass Effect. So, here are my ten favorite musical scores from video games. It’s not completely in order, but I do have the best up front.

Favorites - Ten Bruce Lee References in Pop Culture

Well, it’s a new year once more. 2016 brought its mix of good and bad like any year does. Let’s not forget that. Here’s hoping 2017 can be a little better than the previous year. As usual for January, welcome to Martial Arts Month. Yeah, it’s such an original title, I sarcastically say. Every year around this time, I look at the various things in movies, games, or TV that involve the martial arts. I barely know any styles myself but I’ve always had a love for this stuff.

 I thought I’d start the month with the one who started it all for me: Bruce Lee. Yeah, it always comes back to him in one way or another. He was one of the most influential martial artists in that he introduced the wider world to martial arts and Asian culture in general. Even though he left this world too soon, his influence can still be felt today especially in pop culture. He’s been referenced in a lot of places. Heck, he’s even an unlockable character in a UFC video game. So, here are my favorite references or homages to the man himself. They come from everywhere including movies, video games, TV, and more.

Random Videos of the Week - Worst Fight Scene and Best Fight Scene

Well, it's a cold day in Tennessee. It's in the 20's right now, but I know it'll get lower tonight. When I left work this morning, it was about 7 or 8 degrees. So, I might as well leave ya'll with one of the worst fight scenes ever and one of the best fight scenes ever.

Worst:
This is from a 80's movie called Undefeatable. While it looks quite bad, it's also pretty hilarious.


Highlights:
Yelling and grunting
A useless slo-motion scene
Yelling and Grunting
Horrible dialogue
Yelling and Grunting


Best:
This is from The Protector staring Tony Jaa. While that movie has its fair share of good fight scenes, this one is my favorite from that movie. Here's a little trivia. The Capeoria fighter and sword fighter were both in the live action Tekken movie.


Highlights:
Great choreography
The hero gets his butt kicked at the end
Nice variety of fighting styles
Eddy Gordo!


Well, that's all I got for today. I'll be back with something that involves those green ninjas everyone loves.

Tales From the 50 Cent Bin! - Tekken Forever #1

Well, I’ve gotten to Martial Arts Month, the month dedicated to almost everything related to martial arts. I’ve decided to start it off with a look at a comic book that’s spun off  from one of my favorite video game franchises: Tekken. When I did my look at the live-action Tekken movie, I said that Tekken itself has issues with being adapted. Even animated adaptions are not that good. Then, I find out about this comic and… you’ll find out below.

Tekken Forever #1 was released by Image Comics in 2001. It was supposed to start off a mini-series that delved into most of its characters from the franchise. It centered on the Mishima family and a weird character named Unknown. It looks like it was supposed to be a bridge between Tekken Tag Tournament (TTT) and Tekken 4. That fact is weird because TTT was made non-canon by Namco from the beginning. The game itself was an excuse to bring every fighter back for one romping fight and had no bearing on Tekken’s continuity. The book also lasted this one issue and I can’t find out why it didn’t go further.  It was written by David Chi with art by Paco Diaz. It’s colored by Hermes T., lettered by Roberto Miranda, and has graphics by Darren G. Davis.

Tekken Forever #1

Writer: David Chi

Artist: Paco Diaz

Colors: Hermes T.

Letters: Roberto Miranda

Graphics: Darren G. Davis

Movie Talk - Tekken

Welcome back to Martial Art Month. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve talked about the live-action movies based on fighting game franchises. The last one I’ll be talking about is the movie from my favorite fighting game franchise: Tekken. Yes, there was a live action Tekken movie released back in 2011. It was direct to video, so you’ve probably haven’t heard about it. It also has a chance of not being too good.

I was introduced to Tekken through my cousin. He had a Playstation and he had the first two Tekken games. I think I was in sixth or seventh grade when I got my Playstation. Tekken was the first game I had and I played the crap out of it. I then ended up getting Tekken 3 (my favorite out of the franchise) and played it to death as well. I did own Tekken 4 and on the Playstation 2, but it was one of the games that was stolen by that nameless thug in college. I actually got rid of Tekken Tag Tournament because my PS2 wouldn’t play it. I still own Tekken 5. I haven’t played Tekken 6 yet mostly because I just haven’t gotten around to playing it yet.

When I heard about the Tekken movie, I was a  little psyched. I don’t know how many times I checked out IMDB for news on it. I was pretty excited that actual martial artists would be playing the characters. I actually ended up seeing it through unconventional means back in 2011. Since I’ve only seen it once, I looked for it online and was able to see it once more. So, what did I think of it?