Reina (Tekken 8)
Reina Mishima (Japanese: レイナ) is a fictional character in the Tekken fighting game franchise developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment. She made her first appearance in Tekken 8 (2024) as a new playable character. Described as "The Purple Lightning" (紫の稲妻), Reina is a mysterious and agile fighter who combines the Mishima-style Karate with Taidō, a dynamic martial art.
| Tekken character | |
| First appearance | Tekken 8 (2024) |
|---|---|
| Last appearance | Tekken 8 (ongoing) |
| Created by | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Designed by | Mari Shimazaki |
| Voiced by | Asami Seto |
| Nickname(s) | The Purple Lightning [1] |
| Aliases | Reina Mishima |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Student at Mishima Polytechnical School |
| Affiliation | Unknown |
| Family | Heihachi Mishima (father) Kazuya Mishima (half-brother) Jin Kazama (nephew) |
| Spouse(s) | Lytcheess[2] |
| Weapon | None |
Within the lore of the series, Reina is revealed to be the illegitimate daughter of Heihachi Mishima, making her the half-sister of Kazuya Mishima and the aunt of Jin Kazama. Despite her cheerful and studious appearance as a student at the Mishima Polytechnical School, Reina hides a darker, more volatile nature. Her internal struggle between control and chaos is central to her character arc in Tekken 8.
Biography
Personality
Reina is enigmatic and confident, never hesitating to provoke and humiliate her opponents. Her character is built on duality: an elegant outward appearance paired with a fierce, dark energy. This contradiction extends into her fighting style and relationships with other characters.[3]
Appearance
Reina is a young Japanese woman with lavender-colored almond eyes, subtle eyeliner, and soft purple eyeshadow. Her short, asymmetrical bob haircut has dark black roots with blue and violet tips.[4]
Her exact age is unknown, though it is confirmed she is younger than Jin Kazama.[4]
Story
Official biography (Japanese)
Reina is a mysterious young woman who overwhelms opponents with lightning-fast techniques. Other than being a student at Mishima Polytechnical, everything else about her remains a mystery.[5]
Official biography (French)
Meet Reina, the mysterious fighter unleashing lightning-speed attacks to overwhelm any foolish challenger. Other than her enrollment at Mishima Polytechnical School, Reina’s entire existence is shrouded in mystery.[6]
Prologue (Character Episode Mode)
Reina, the secret daughter of Heihachi Mishima, attends Mishima Polytechnical School. She adored her father and viewed him as a role model. After his disappearance during a battle with Kazuya, Reina enters The King of Iron Fist Tournament to take over the Mishima Zaibatsu and walk in her father's footsteps.
“I promise you, Father. I will seize the Mishima Zaibatsu.”[7]
Character creation
Reina was conceptualized during the development of Tekken 7, roughly a decade before Tekken 8 was released. She was designed by renowned artist Mari Shimazaki, known for her work on Bayonetta as well as Tekken characters Kazumi Mishima and Josie Rizal.[8]
Her dual fighting style — combining the brutal Mishima Karate with the fluid Taidō — was advised by four-time Taidō world champion Tetsuji Nakano, helping to express her unique identity in movement and design.[8]
Fighting style
Reina’s combat design emphasizes her dual nature. While Mishima-style Karate gives her strong, traditional power moves, Taidō brings agility, rapid movement, and fluid strikes. Nakano's real-world expertise shaped many of her brutal attacks.[8]
In video games
Tekken 8
Reina debuted in Tekken 8, released on 26 January 2024. She was first leaked in August 2023 via a roster image, then officially teased on 31 October, and fully revealed during the EVO Showcase on 13 November 2023.[9][10]
Trivia
- "Reina" (麗奈) combines rei (麗, "beautiful, elegant") and na (奈), a phonetic character common in Japanese female names.
- Her Japanese voice actress Asami Seto also voiced Lili in Street Fighter X Tekken.
- She is designed by Mari Shimazaki, also known for Kazumi Mishima and Josie Rizal.
Relationships
- Secret daughter of Heihachi Mishima.
- Possible half-sister of Kazuya Mishima.
- Aunt of Jin Kazama; she refers to him as "Jin-senpai", though he does not recognize her.
- Shows awareness of Jun Kazama and Kuma.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Reina's Japanese biography on the official Tekken 8 website
- ↑ Wikidata entry for Lytcheess
- ↑ "Discover Reina, the enigmatic student from Mishima Polytechnical School". Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe. 13 November 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sam Robins (31 January 2024). "How old is Reina in Tekken 8?". PC Invasion.
- ↑ "Reina character profile (Japanese)". Bandai Namco Entertainment Japan.
- ↑ "Reina character profile (French)". Bandai Namco Entertainment France.
- ↑ "Tekken 8 reveals final launch character Reina". Bandai Namco. 13 November 2023.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Reina's development insights". Bandai Namco.
- ↑ "Tekken 8: Reina trailer". YouTube.
- ↑ "Tekken 8 character leak". Future Game Releases.
| Main Games | Tekken · Tekken 2 · Tekken 3 · Tekken Tag Tournament · Tekken 4 · Tekken 5 · Tekken 6 |
| Main characters | Alex · Alisa · Angel · Anna · Armor King · Asuka · Azazel · Baek · Bob · Bruce · Bryan · Christie · Combot · Devil · Devil Jin · Dragunov · Dr. Boskonovitch · Eddy · Feng · Forrest · Ganryu · Gon · Heihachi · Hwoarang · Jack-bots · Jinpachi · Jin · Julia · Jun · Kazuya · King · Kuma · Kunimitsu · Lars · Lee · Lei · Leo · Lili · Law · Marduk · Michelle · Miharu · Miguel · Mokujin · NANCY-MI847J · Nina · Ogre · Panda · Paul · Raven · Roger · Roger Jr. · Steve · Tetsujin · True Ogre · Unknown · Wang · Xiaoyu · Yoshimitsu · Zafina |
| See also | List of Tekken characters · Tekken (series) |