When Mortal Kombat X, the tenth main installment of the Mortal Kombat video game series, came out in Spring 2015, it actually shook up a lot of conventions. The story felt a little more fleshed out, the characters were now able to move forward, and a new generation of Mortal Kombatants would rise up.
Among the likes of Erron Black, Cassie Cage, and Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi made his debut in Mortal Kombat X as a new, younger fighter. Even though he may not look like much at first glance, there is actually a lot more to him than most would actually think.
He Is Kenshi's Son
Kenshi Takahashi, the blindfolded swordsmen, has been a mainstay of the Mortal Kombat universe ever since he made his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. In Mortal Kombat X, Kenshi is working alongside Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade as part of their Earthrealm task force.
Many of the classic characters have offspring in Mortal Kombat X that are now fighters and Kenshi is no exception. It is also revealed that Takeda is Kenshi's son, whom he had with his lover Suchin, who is sadly dead at the time the game takes place.
He Is Now An Orphan
This is possibly the most easily missed factoid of the list, but if you put in the time to search for it, you'll find a sad end to Takeda's relationship with his father. Takeda's relationship with his father was mended by the end of Mortal Kombat X, as it had been frayed due to Takeda being abandoned by Kenshi.
Sadly, if Mortal Kombat 11's Krypt is any indication, they seemingly didn't get much time to bond. If you search through The Krypt in Mortal Kombat 11, you'll eventually come across the corpse of Kenshi.
He Trained With Scorpion
Scorpion is the most famous member of the Mortal Kombat cast of characters, so having been under his tutelage is a pretty nice feather for Takeda's cap. When Takeda was younger, Kenshi dropped him off with The Shirai Ryu Clan and he was trained by a redeemed Hanzo Hasashi.
Though Takeda didn't particularly take the art of fighting seriously at first, Scorpion continued to train him and even served as a paternal figure for him. Seeing how Hanzo Hasashi was killed in Mortal Kombat 11, time will tell whether or not Takeda will take up the mantle of Scorpion.
He's The Second Playable Shirai Ryu Member
The Shirai Ryu Clan has a very important part to play in the surprisingly expansive lore of Mortal Kombat. After all, if the early incarnation of the clan hadn't been slaughtered by Bi Han, the original Sub Zero, Hanzo Hasashi would have never become Scorpion.
With that in mind, it seems odd that for several years, Scorpion was the only member of The Shirai Ryu that was a playable character in the games. With Takeda being a member, it officially makes him the second playable member in Mortal Kombat history.
He Wasn't The First Takeda
Though the Takeda we all know from Mortal Kombat X is the only playable character by that name, he wasn't the first Mortal Kombat character who went by the name, nor was he the only one who was associated with Scorpion. Mortal Kombat: Conquest is a frankly dreadful TV series, but it did feature a character called Takeda.
In Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Takeda is a character who becomes possessed by Scorpion in order to attack Kung Lao. There is also another canon Takeda, who was an assassin for The Lin Kuei, Sub Zero's clan, who would go on to found The Shirai Ryu.
He Was Going To Be Called Spider
In an early, official piece of concept art for Mortal Kombat X, there is a design for the character who would become Takeda. The character was planned to use blades instead of Takeda's trademark whips and the name Spider was apparently considered.
Ultimately, NetherRealm Studios tossed this concept art out and went with the character we all know as Takeda. If this design had been chosen, however, would the character have stood out or would he have been seen as just another ninja trying to copy Scorpion and Sub Zero?
He Mentions A Famous Rumor
The Ermac debacle is as legendary as it is well-trodden. When fans saw a counter for "Ermac" on the audit screen of the original Mortal Kombat, they naturally assumed that Ermac was a hidden character, even though it only meant "Error Macro." Amused by this, the developers included Ermac as a playable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
Several years later, the developers of Mortal Kombat X would pay tribute to this famous debacle using Takeda as their instrument. If Takeda faces off against Ermac in Mortal Kombat X, Takeda will refer to Ermac as "Error Macro," as a reference to the whole ordeal that is the history of Ermac.
His Special Move Is Also An Easter Egg
There are a lot of unusual Easter eggs in Mortal Kombat X that are related to Takeda, but some of them may not be as obvious as others are. This one may not be the funniest one per se, but it is possibly one of the more interesting ones of the lot.
One of Takeda's special move is referred to as "White Wall." Even though that may not sound like it means anything, it is actually a clever Easter egg. White Wall is apparently one of the English translations for Shirai Ryu.
He Mocks Kano's Australian Accent
After the Mortal Kombat movie from 1995 gave Kano an Australian accent, the developers of the Mortal Kombat series made the character's Aussie roots official. Should Takeda go up against the infamous heart-extractor in Mortal Kombat X, he will reference another Australian mainstay.
If Takeda goes up against Kano, Takeda comments on how he is going to kill Kano with his kunai. Kano's response is "that's not a knife," to which Takeda responds with "I got you to say it!" This is a reference to a scene in Crocodile Dundee, where Dundee shows up some muggers with his epic knife.
He's In A Relationship With Jacqui
Much like Takeda, Jacqui Briggs, the daughter of Jax Briggs, joined a new era of fighters in Mortal Kombat X. In the story mode, it is revealed that Takeda is in a romantic relationship with Jacqui, which is expanded upon when the two interact with their respective fathers.
Though Takeda doesn't make an appearance in Mortal Kombat 11, his relationship with Jacqui has taken the next step. In dialogue between Jacqui and Takeda's master Scorpion, Jacqui says that Takeda got smart and decided to put a ring on it. Scorpion will also congratulate her by reminding her that she's also marrying The Shirai Ryu.