Heihachi Mishima is one of the Tekken series' most central figures—he's appeared in every game alongside only three others (Paul Phoenix, Nina Williams, and Yoshimitsu). The official plot of nearly every installment revolves around him or his direct actions, and he's served as the main antagonist twice, in the first and fourth games.
Family and Legacy
As the son of martial arts master Jinpachi Mishima and owner of the powerful Mishima Zaibatsu, Heihachi was born into wealth and power. He married and fathered Kazuya, whom he raised with an iron fist—convinced that harsh training was necessary to forge a worthy successor. He also adopted Lee Chaolan as a rival to keep Kazuya sharp. Later, he fathered Lars Alexandersson, though he never knew about it. Through it all, his grandson Jin Kazama would eventually become entangled in the family legacy. Heihachi practices Mishima Style Karate and founded and commands the Tekken Force Unit.
Rise to Power
Heihachi betrayed his own father, seized control of the Zaibatsu, and steered it toward the military industry. When Jinpachi tried to reclaim what was his, Heihachi imprisoned him beneath Hon-Maru for roughly 50 years. He's hosted every King of Iron Fist Tournament except the second and fifth—those went to Kazuya and Jinpachi respectively.
Testing Kazuya
Frustrated by his son's "weakness" and kindness, Heihachi threw Kazuya down a ravine as a trial. Kazuya survived—though only by making a deal with the Devil. Later, to push him further, Heihachi announced the first King of Iron Fist Tournament. To his shock, Kazuya won and threw him off a cliff in return. Heihachi survived and came back two years later for Kazuya's tournament, where he reclaimed victory and threw his son into a volcano.
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