Netflix’s Tekken: Bloodline Is Worth The Watch
Tekken: Bloodline is one of those rare occasions that bring together newcomers and long-time fans of the series. Despite being based around the game Tekken 3, the plot is fairly easy to comprehend and allows first-time viewers to get acquainted with the characters. The story is thrilling with short but compelling character arcs that make watching the series very exciting regardless of how well-versed you are with the characters.
Adapting video games into other mediums like television and movies has always been a hit or miss – in most cases, the latter. The year 2022 has seen several big video game names being adapted from the Paramount+ Halo series to the latest adaptation of Resident Evil on Netflix.
Tekken: Bloodline follows the story of Jin Kazama from childhood to maturity as he experiences the seeming death of his mother at the hands of a demon called Ogre. This sets him on the course to find his grandfather Heihachi Mishima to train to avenge her death.
Instead of launching right into the action, the creators of Tekken: Bloodline make a genuine effort to flesh out the setting of the game. With a strong plot, great narrative, and distinct character arcs, Tekken: Bloodline is a commendable adaptation to the franchise that might serve as the cornerstone of future instalments.
The King of the Iron Fist Tournament could have benefited from a little more downtime between fights to heighten the excitement. Some fights felt cut short with abrupt endings along with several significant time jumps between fights. Although it’s a lot of fun to watch, the series could have truly excelled in terms of plot and pacing with an additional 2 or 3 episodes to build up these fights and make them more significant.
The series does a pretty decent job of fusing 3D and 2D to create vivid images showcasing some popular moves from the series.
When the next generation of home consoles debuted in 1994, Tekken on the PlayStation quickly rose to the top of the genre. In terms of popularity Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat may be more well-known IPs, but Tekken holds his own as a popular fighting series.
The Tekken video game series has seen ten main instalments in the franchise starting from Tekken (1994) to Tekken 7 (2015) along with several spinoffs. Based on the massive fan following, it’s safe to say that the Tekken series is a big name in the industry, If Tekken: Bloodline is any indication, Netflix appears to know exactly how to adapt a gaming franchise professionally and respectably.
Tekken: Bloodline has not been renewed for Season 2 yet, but considering Netflix’s history of renewing well-received series, we predict one will eventually appear.
Final Verdict: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
