Viewing Single Trivia
subdirectory_arrow_right Tekken (Franchise)
▲
5
▼
In an interview with Polygon, the series lead Director, Katsuhiro Harada, confirmed that King's motion capture was performed by Japanese pro-wrestling star and MMA pioneer, Minoru Suzuki. The wrestling star made King's fighting style with a mix of Mexican lucha libre and Japanese puroresu. Harada also said that Suzuki also invented original moves for King and Michelle (as well as Julia in future games). Harada also says that Suzuki also offered to choke him out, to which he said "Yeah, of course dude, I want you to choke me out" and that "it felt like taking a refreshing nap."
King's backstory was inspired by Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a catholic priest who moonlit as the masked wrestler Fray Tormenta to raise funds for his orphanage, while the character's jaguar mask design was inspired by Tiger Mask, a recurring masked persona first portrayed in real-life by mixed martial artist Satoru Sayama, and a character licensed out to Japanese professional wrestling companies from the 1968 manga of the same name by Ikki Kajiwara.
King's backstory was inspired by Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a catholic priest who moonlit as the masked wrestler Fray Tormenta to raise funds for his orphanage, while the character's jaguar mask design was inspired by Tiger Mask, a recurring masked persona first portrayed in real-life by mixed martial artist Satoru Sayama, and a character licensed out to Japanese professional wrestling companies from the 1968 manga of the same name by Ikki Kajiwara.
Polygon video about Katsuhiro Harada interview snippet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibweoMXd5RI
Kotaku article featuring Tiger Mask:
https://kotaku.com/in-japan-wrestling-masks-arent-just-for-half-naked-dud-5845062
"Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story" by Eddie Guerrero (page 91):
https://archive.org/details/cheatingdeathste00guer/page/91
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibweoMXd5RI
Kotaku article featuring Tiger Mask:
https://kotaku.com/in-japan-wrestling-masks-arent-just-for-half-naked-dud-5845062
"Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story" by Eddie Guerrero (page 91):
https://archive.org/details/cheatingdeathste00guer/page/91
Comments (2)

Reply to comment by ProtoSnake posted Jan 20, 2024, 3:44 PM
It is, I updated the submission with additional sources addressing this.

I thought Tiger Mask was an inspiration for King's design?
You must be logged in to post comments.
Related Games
Tekken 7
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Tekken 3
Tekken 5
Tekken 6
Tekken 4
Tekken 2
Tekken Tag Tournament
Street Fighter X Tekken
Pokkén Tournament
Tekken 3D: Prime Edition
Tekken 8
Tekken Tag Tournament
Project X Zone 2
Namco X Capcom
SoulCalibur II
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
The Tower of Druaga
I-Ninja
Pac-Man World
Pac-Land
Time Crisis II
Donkey Konga 2: Hit Song Parade!
Pac-In-Time
Tales of Symphonia
Star Luster
Soul Edge
Pac & Pal
Wonder Momo
Tales of Symphonia
Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
King & Balloon
Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere
Mario Superstar Baseball
Star Fox: Assault
Mario Kart Arcade GP
Donkey Konga 2
Um Jammer Lammy Now
Time Crisis
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
Pac-In-Time
Donkey Konga
Dig Dug
SoulCalibur
New Rally-X
Pac-In-Time
Gran Trak 10
Air Combat 22