Gab Hernandez 
Reina is debuting as yet another new addition to the Tekken 8’s ever-growing roster of characters.
Tekken 8’s release is inching closer, and Reina is one of the most interesting characters revealed thus far for the new game. This is especially in terms of the game’s narrative.
It appears that Reina will be the final character announced for the base roster. After her, weekly trailers for the rest of the cast will be released until Tekken 8 finally comes out.
Reina’s announcement also marks the last of the game’s new non-DLC fighters to be getting a trailer. The focus on a new era of the Mishima family feud makes Reina one of the potentially more important characters in the Tekken 8: The Dark Awakens story mode. Her moveset and character are very reminiscent of Mishima patriarch Heihachi.
Who is Reina in Tekken 8?
Reina is an acrobatic fighter who utilizes elements of Mishima-style karate.
Reina’s acrobatic fighting style has its roots in Taido, which utilizes swift but brutal techniques in a blend of capoeira and Okinawan karate. Knife strikes, eye pokes, and scratching are also a part of her vicious attacks.
These cruel moves certainly fit the character, who Tekken 8 game director Katsuhiro Harada describes as exuding a charismatic sense of evil. She has two special movements, called Sentai and Unsoku, which further utilize her agility and showcase her heavy-hitting style.
Fascinatingly, Reina also uses aspects of Mishima-style karate in her arsenal. She even has Heihachi’s classic “Heaven’s Wrath” stance, which makes her an offensive nightmare when she has an enemy pinned against the wall. Her brutal and domineering nature, as well as her Mishima-style karate, hints at a potential relation to Heihachi Mishima.
Is Reina the daughter of Heihachi in Tekken 8?
While it is not yet confirmed, there are several signs that point to Reina being Heihachi’s illegitimate daughter. Reina’s major role in the Tekken 8 story mode, as well as her distinctively Heihachi-inspired moveset, point to her being a daughter of Heihachi.
This is not without precedent, as Lars Alexandersson, who made his debut in Tekken 6, was also an illegitimate child of Heihachi Mishima. Reina and Lars even share the same lightning effects on their attacks. In fact, Katsuhiro Harada once confirmed that there are at least nine illegitimate children of Heihachi around the world.
It’s possible that Reina was adopted as a protege of Heihachi, in the same fashion that Lee Chaolan was. Reina’s character bio stated that she was a student of Mishima National College of Technology. Whoever she might be, her character is an intriguing addition to the Mishima family drama.
