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Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)

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Kenshi
Mortal Kombat character
Kenshi in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)
First appearanceMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002)
Created byEd Boon
Allen Ditzig
Designed byAllen Ditzig (MK:DA)
Solomon Gaitan (MKX)
Portrayed byDan Southworth (web series)
Voiced by
Various
  • Robert Keting (MK:DA)
  • Brendan Scannell (MK:D)
  • Jin Hyong (MK9)
  • Vic Chao (2015–present)
  • Manny Jacinto (animated film)
Motion capture
  • Noah Fleder (MK1)[1]
In-universe information
WeaponSento (katana)
FamilyTakeda (son)
NationalityJapanese[2]

Kenshi Takahashi is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He makes his series debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002) as a blind swordsman and Special Forces operative. In addition to his sword skills, he possesses telekinetic abilities.

Outside of the games, Kenshi has appeared in various related media, including comic books and the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat Legacy, and is featured in the 2022 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind. While Kenshi is regarded as the best fighter from the series' three-dimensional era and one of the few characters to successfully transition to the return of the two-dimensional series of games, he has received some criticism as a perceived representation of disability and cultural tropes in video gaming.

Design and gameplay

In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance character designer Allen Ditzig's early concept sketches, the character was called "the Kenshi" ("swordsman")[3] and described as a "spirit hunter".[4] During production, Kenshi was originally named "Blind Gi",[5] which was changed to "Blind Kenshi" before his final name was determined.[4] Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon said that he had included Kenshi in the 2011 reboot game because he and many of the series developers were fans of the character.[6] For Mortal Kombat X, designer Solomon Gaitan took inspiration from samurai and ninja in designing Kenshi's armor, and "tried to keep it more ninja-esque" with a slimmer shape "because too much samurai would be clunky and odd looking." The character's final digital sculpt was completed in a week with some changes made by NetherRealm Studios' art department, as "what works in concept art doesn't always hold up well in 3D."[7]

Kenshi was intended to replace Ermac as the Mortal Kombat series' character that utilized psychokinetic abilities.[5] A physical weapon was added for him to channel his powers into, which Boon explained was done to compensate for his blindness and make him one of the "strongest" characters in Deadly Alliance.[8] Mark Ryan Sallee of GameSpy described Kenshi's special moves in Mortal Kombat: Deception as similar to Ermac's but "not as comboable" while citing his sword attacks as his most potent in the game.[9] According to the site's Armageddon walkthrough, Kenshi is a midrange attacker whose special moves are best utilized at that distance, as anything closer makes him "vulnerable to counterattacks."[10] Kenshi's offense includes creating a temporary psychic image that attacks opponents, first a clone of himself in the 2011 reboot,[5] a demon in Mortal Kombat X,[11] and an "ancestral" spirit in Mortal Kombat 1.[5][12]

Kenshi has been cited as a difficult character to play in the series' recent installments. In MKX, his playstyle is split into three variations like the other characters, and Bryan Dawson of Prima Games described him as "requir[ing] some patience to play" and who "relies heavily on keeping his opponents at a distance and only closing in when necessary."[11] Kai Adler of GameRant commented that while Kenshi could "dish out incredible damage," he was among MK1's most difficult characters to play "as his moves are very unfamiliar to the rest of the roster", and it was "up to the player to decide whether they want to follow a path that will require much time and practice dedicated to a single character."[13]

Appearances

Mortal Kombat games

As a born fighter, Kenshi Takahashi wandered Earth in search of worthy competition, defeating opponents simply to boost his pride. He encounters a man named Song who leads him to the supposed location of Sento, a powerful ancient sword. When Kenshi opens a well inside a tomb to locate it, the concentration of imprisoned souls instantly blinds him, and "Song" reveals himself as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung, who absorbs the souls and leaves Kenshi for dead. The sword telepathically guides Kenshi from the tomb, and Kenshi focuses thereafter on retraining his senses and searching for Shang Tsung.[14]

In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), Kenshi is recruited into the Special Forces to help find missing member Cyrax in the otherworldly dimension of Outworld. During his search, Kenshi encounters Ermac, an enforcer of evil Outworld emperor Shao Kahn who was still under his control despite Kahn's supposed murder by the titular Deadly Alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.[15] In a moment of pity, Kenshi frees Ermac from Kahn's control, and Ermac hones Kenshi's telekinetic power in return.[14] Kenshi's hunt for Shang Tsung is thwarted by the Red Dragon clan, who destroy the Special Forces headquarters and send Mavado to kill Kenshi, and Mavado defeats Kenshi in battle but leaves him to die.[16]

Kenshi allies himself with Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004) after the ninja nurses him back to health, but as they attempt to return to Earth, they clash with Hotaru, a neutral but strict guardsman from the realm of Seido who has pledged loyalty to the Dragon King Onaga and is pursuing Sub-Zero.[17][18]

He joining the Earth heroes in the opening cinematic sequence of the compilation title Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), in a battle amongst the series' then-entire roster of combatants for the elemental Blaze's power.[19] With Shang Tsung believed killed by Onaga, Kenshi ends his revenge quest and returns to Earth, where he eliminates several criminal organizations. He then joins Johnny Cage's faction of heroes for their battle against the evil former Elder God Shinnok.[20]

In the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot that retells the continuity of the first three series titles, Kenshi is not included in the game's storyline as he was made available to players as a downloadable character (DLC) after the game's release, with his in-game biography copied from Deadly Alliance.[14]

Kenshi is a consultant to a Special Forces unit heading the defense of Earth against Shinnok and Quan Chi's forces in Mortal Kombat X (2015),[21] and prior to the game's events, he engages in a relationship with a Thai-American woman named Suchin, and they have a son named Takeda.[22] However, she is killed by the Red Dragon clan in their pursuit of Kenshi, which leads him to leave Takeda in the care of Hanzo Hasashi for both training and the youth's own protection.[23][24] Kenshi reunites with the adult Takeda who is also part of the Special Forces unit, and their relationship is initially strained due to Kenshi's absence from his life, but they reconcile with Kenshi training Takeda in utilizing his telepathic abilities.[25] Though the Earth heroes are successful in defeating Shinnok in the story mode's climax, Kenshi is defeated during the battle with his fate afterwards unknown.[21]

In the rebooted storyline of Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), Kenshi is a reformed yakuza member and descendant of the Taira (later Takahashi) clan that had joined the Bakuto for their protection, and he believes obtaining the sword Sento will free his clan from the yakuza's grasp. However, Takeda, who is now Kenshi's cousin, instead as his son, enjoyed his yakuza life in this timeline.[26][27] However, the weapon is owned as a memento by floundering actor Johnny Cage, and Kenshi breaks into his mansion to take it but is defeated in a fight. They are recruited by Earth's protector Liu Kang to defend their realm in the Mortal Kombat tournament,[27] but after Raiden is chosen as Liu Kang's champion, Kenshi and Cage are sent to Outworld to capture Shang Tsung for interrogation, and they infiltrate his laboratory where they believe he is infecting Mileena with a mutating disease.[28] During their attempt to rescue her while not knowing she is already infected, Kenshi is blinded after Mileena stabs him in both eyes as he saves Cage from her attack,[29] and after Baraka aids their escape back to Earth, Cage gifts Sento to Kenshi as payment for saving his life.[30][31] In the climax, Kenshi assists Liu Kang in saving both Earth and Outworld from Shang Tsung and Quan Chi's forces, after which he focuses on reviving his clan.[32]

Other media

Kenshi appears in two episodes of the 2013 second season of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series, in which his origins differ from the games. In a flashback sequence, he is initially a rōnin in feudal Japan who rescues an old traveler from bandits, and the traveler informs Kenshi of the "sword of Sento" crafted by Shao Kahn and guarded by the demonic Ermac; Kenshi succeeds in obtaining the weapon but is blinded by Ermac in the process. They then fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament for possession of the sword before Kenshi kills Ermac with it.[33] Kenshi was played by martial artist Dan Southworth, who wore an actual blindfold for shooting and said that there were "moments where I was just swinging my arms out and was hoping that it connected in the right place, or not."[34]

In the first issue of DC Comics' 2015 comic miniseries Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties, Kenshi and the young Takeda are attacked by the Red Dragon until being rescued by Hanzo Hasashi, who takes in Takeda for protection and to train as an apprentice of Hanzo's Shirai Ryu clan.[23][35]

Kenshi is the featured character of the 2022 direct-to-video animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, and was voiced by Manny Jacinto.[36] In the film's original story, he is depicted as a young warrior trained by an aged Sub-Zero to defeat King Kano's Black Dragon clan in a post-apocalyptic Earthrealm, with his blinding by Shang Tsung from Deadly Alliance included.[37]

Reception

Kenshi is regarded as one of the Mortal Kombat series' top characters by several gaming media outlets.[38][39][40] Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek lauded Kenshi as "the best design to come out past the original [series] trilogy" with "a look that feels like Solid Snake mixed with Daredevil," and, despite his friendships with Sub-Zero and Scorpion in past games, "far from a Mary Sue character. [He] canonically gets his ass handed to him by Mavado [in Deadly Alliance] and spends the next game healing from his injuries."[41] Game Informer's Marcus Stewart wrote in 2021 that Kenshi's design and gameplay made him "one of the few post-MK4 characters that feels like he belongs with the classic roster,"[42] and Jason Wojnar of Screen Rant said the same year, "The series had a hard time introducing new characters that stuck once it transitioned into three dimensions. Kenshi, however, wooed fans from the start with his look and interesting backstory [and] has quickly become a series mainstay as if he was there from the beginning."[43] Kevin Wong of Complex rated Deadly Alliance as one of the best Mortal Kombat fighting titles in 2021 due to its combination of "classic fighters and the new ones — like Kenshi the blind swordsman — which made us excited for the franchise's future,"[44] a point of view that was shared by Ravi Sinha of GamingBolt the following year.[45] However, The Daily Eastern News compared the MK 2011 version of Kenshi to that of Kitana in a 2019 article on sexism and video games in regards to costume design playing a role in the objectification of female characters in the MK series. "The male characters seemed more ready to get into a fight, while the females looked like they were about to go to the beach somewhere".[46]

The character inspired blind Evolution Championship Series player Carlos Vasquez to create "The Sento Showdown", a Mortal Kombat tournament held yearly since 2019 catering exclusively to vision-impaired players.[47] He had previously shared accessibility concerns with NetherRealm Studios developer Herman Sanchez several years earlier that resulted in the company adding audio cues to their games beginning with Injustice: Gods Among Us.[48] Vasquez was later hired by NetherRealm Studios as an accessibility consultant.[49]

Jesse Schedeen of IGN criticized the storytelling of the 2013 second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy for "newcomers like Kenshi requir[ing] a certain amount of back-story to justify their presence", which he felt caused many episodes to rely heavily on flashbacks that disrupted the flow of the plot.[50] Sam Stone of Comic Book Resources praised Manny Jacinto's voicework in Snow Blind as "balancing braggadocio with charisma in effective measure; Kenshi is definitely a headstrong protagonist but is kept in check enough for the audience to become invested in his story."[51] In her 2022 review, Brittany Vincent of IGN praised the film for "weaving a story around one of Mortal Kombat's lesser-known personalities", but opined that the storyline frequently diverted from Kenshi's exploits "when we've already been drawn in and want to learn more about him".[37]

A 2021 publication titled Fragile Avatars? Representations of Disability in Video Games described Kenshi, along with Daredevil and Killer7 character Con Smith, as representing the "blind avenger" who sought revenge against those responsible for their blindness while possessing elevated senses.[52] In his 2022 book Mortal Kombat: Games of Death, David Church noted the series' increase in Japanese cultural influence following the 1999 departure of Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias, "such as the blind swordsman Kenshi as a Zatoichi trope."[53] Matthew Essary of Polygon, in a 2023 feature on blind action heroes in popular culture, categorized Kenshi with The Matrix character Neo in the trope of their blindness "actually improving their ability to fight back" due to their supernatural abilities.[54] This trait was criticized by author Jennifer Dalsen in the 2023 book Gaming Disability: Disability Perspectives on Contemporary Video Games as "problematic because video games continue to use otherworldly powers as a way to accommodate or otherwise mitigate a disability," with her citing Kenshi and Perception protagonist Cassie Thornton as examples.[55] Jef Rouner of the Houston Press expressed a similar opinion by unfavorably comparing the "Daredevil-blind" Kenshi to Sly Cooper character Bentley, who "as a wheelchair user isn’t erasing his inability to walk the way someone like Kenshi being psychic effectively erases his inability to see."[56]

References

  1. ^ @JeamWSR (June 9, 2023). "Mortal Kombat 1 🐉This is the actor who will play Kenshi in MK 1, Noah Fleder" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2015). Mortal Kombat X. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Story mode.
  3. ^ "Kenshi". Nihongo Master. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Ditzig, Allen. "Kenshi concept art". ditzig.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d Rousseau, Michael (July 6, 2011). "Mortal Kombat DLC Breakdown: Kenshi". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  6. ^ Shulman, Sid (July 22, 2011). "Ed Boon Talks Freddy Krueger in Mortal Kombat, Secret Origins of DLC Characters". PlayStation.Blog. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  7. ^ Gaitan, Solomon (2015). "Mortal Kombat X – Kenshi". ArtStation.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  8. ^ Midway Games. "Mortal Kombat Deception: Kenshi Trading Card". Retrieved April 27, 2024 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Sallee, Mark Ryan (January 8, 2004). "Mortal Kombat: Deception Walkthrough and Strategy Guide". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  10. ^ Vo, Alex (January 7, 2006). "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Walkthrough & Strategy Guide". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Dawson, Bryan (May 6, 2015). "Mortal Kombat X – How To Play Kenshi: Combos And Strategies". Prima Games. Gamurs. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Parmer, Seth (September 27, 2023). "Mortal Kombat 1: Kenshi Guide". TheGamer. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Adler, Kai (October 3, 2023). "Mortal Kombat 1: 7 Most Difficult Fighters To Play As". GameRant. Valnet Inc. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Rousseau, Michael (July 6, 2011). "Mortal Kombat DLC Breakdown: Kenshi". VentureBeat. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  15. ^ Midway Games (2002). Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Level/area: Opening cinematic sequence.
  16. ^ Midway Games (2002). Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Midway Games. Level/area: Mavado biography.
  17. ^ Midway Games (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway Games. Level/area: Kenshi biography.
  18. ^ Midway Games (2004). Mortal Kombat: Deception. Midway Games. Level/area: Hotaru biography.
  19. ^ Midway Games (2006). Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Midway Games. Level/area: Opening cinematic sequence.
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  22. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2015). Mortal Kombat X. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Kenshi biography.
  23. ^ a b Shawn Kittelsen (w). Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties, vol. 1, no. 1 (April 14, 2015). DC Comics, ISBN 1401257089.
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  25. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2011). Mortal Kombat X. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 7: Takeda.
  26. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2023–2024). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Takeda Takahashi Biography.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  27. ^ a b NetherRealm Studios (2023). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 2: Mr. A-List (Johnny Cage).
  28. ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (September 1, 2023). "Mortal Kombat 1 Proves Kung Lao Doesn't Need to Be Earthrealm's Champion to Succeed". CBR. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  29. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2023). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 5: Secrets and Lies (Kenshi Takahashi).
  30. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2023). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 5: Weird Science (Baraka).
  31. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2023). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 6: Upward Climb (Ashrah).
  32. ^ NetherRealm Studios (2023). Mortal Kombat 1. Warner Bros. Games. Level/area: Chapter 15: Armageddon.
  33. ^ Kevin Tancharoen (director) (2013). Mortal Kombat Legacy II (Web series). Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. (Episodes 4 & 5: "Kenshi's Origin" and "Kenshi Encounters Ermac")
  34. ^ Nguyen, John (June 21, 2013). "Interview with Dan Southworth from Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2". Nerd Reactor. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  35. ^ Yehl, Joshua (January 6, 2015). "Mortal Kombat X Comic Will Reveal Origins of Kotal Kahn, D'Vorah and Other New Characters". IGN.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  36. ^ "Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Voice Cast and Plot Details Revealed". IGN. 3 August 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  37. ^ a b Vincent, Brittany (October 5, 2022). "Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  38. ^ Workman, Robert (August 9, 2010). "The Best Mortal Kombat Characters of All Time". GamePlayBook. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  39. ^ Lyon, Carl (July 14, 2011). "DLC Review: Kenshi for 'Mortal Kombat'". Fearnet. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  40. ^ Wiggs, Zachary (September 19, 2023). "The 10 Best Fighters In Mortal Kombat 1, Ranked". TheGamer. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  41. ^ Jasper, Gavin (January 30, 2015). "Mortal Kombat: Ranking All the Characters". Den of Geek. DoG Tech LLC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  42. ^ Stewart, Marcus (April 23, 2021). "The Ultimate Scientific Ranking Of Every Playable Mortal Kombat Character". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022.
  43. ^ Wojnar, Jason (December 22, 2021). "Mortal Kombat: The 28 Most Powerful Characters, Officially Ranked". Screen Rant. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  44. ^ Wong, Kevin (April 22, 2021). "'Mortal Kombat' Games, Ranked". Complex. Complex Networks. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021.
  45. ^ Sinha, Ravi (March 4, 2019). "Mortal Kombat – Ranking The Series From Worst to Best". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  46. ^ O'Connor, Tom (April 24, 2019). "Students talk sexism in the video gaming community". The Daily Eastern News. Eastern Illinois University. p. 5. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  47. ^ Stoner, Grant (July 29, 2022). "The Sento Showdown: How a Mortal Kombat Tournament Seeks to Raise Accessibility Awareness". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  48. ^ O'Keefe, David (June 25, 2018). "The Blind Masters of Fighting Games". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  49. ^ McCurdy, Will (December 10, 2023). "The pro gamer who has to rely upon sound alone". BBC. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  50. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (September 28, 2013). "Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Season 2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  51. ^ Stone, Sam (October 11, 2022). "REVIEW: Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Delivers a More Intimate Martial Arts Adventure". Comic Book Resources. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  52. ^ Jan Stasieńko; et al. (2021). Fragile Avatars? Representations of Disability in Video Games (PDF). Polish Scientific Publishers PWN. p. 49. ISBN 978-83-65408-56-3. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  53. ^ Church, David (2022). Mortal Kombat: Games of Death. University of Michigan Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780472902620.
  54. ^ Essary, Matthew (March 26, 2023). "The history of the blind action hero, from Zatoichi to John Wick 4". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  55. ^ Katie Ellis; et al., eds. (2022). Gaming Disability: Disability Perspectives on Contemporary Video Games (Kindle ed.). Routledge. pp. 235–250. ISBN 978-1032372853. (Segment by Jennifer Dalsen: "A History of Disability in Video Game Character Design")
  56. ^ Rouner, Jef (April 14, 2016). "Video Games Need More Playable Disabled Heroes". Houston Press. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
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