The Tekken franchise is known for featuring absurd elements like fighting kangaroos and bears, but closer inspection reveals a layered story of betrayal and revenge beneath the comedic flash told through the eyes of visually distinct characters. One of the game's most recent additions, Leroy Smith, fits this bill completely -- and he also manages to put the martial arts prowess of Ip Man into the player's hands.
Smith is one of the older characters in the roster and, like Heihachi Mishima, he is incredibly muscular for his age. He is visually distinct thanks to his keen fashion sense influenced by his second home in Hong Kong. Smith is also blind in one eye and wears glasses to cover it up. His pet pit bull, Sugar, occasionally joins him in the fight, though depending on her mood, she may or may not help a player beat an opponent.
Leroy Smith grew up in New York City with his family, and as the years progressed, the looming threat of gang wars began to bubble to the surface. This inevitably exploded like a volcano, and all-out war broke out between the factions. Leroy and his family were caught in the crossfire, and in the end, he lost his home and the people he held dear.
The conflict tossed Leroy into the river and out to sea, where a merchant ship picked him up. From there, he spent his life traveling the world until fate led him to Hong Kong. While in the city, he discovered the art of Wing Chun, a style made famous by one of its masters, Ip Man. Wing Chun is a defensive martial art that focuses on counters and rapid strikes. The goal of the style is to get into an opponent's space and meet every counter with a corresponding strike.
The style fascinated Leroy, who spent decades learning the art. Eventually, he became a master and returned home. Upon his return, it was revealed that the Mishima Zaibatsu was behind the battle that took Leroy's family and home from him. Now, with a target for his anger, he entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to dismantle the Zaibatsu and close the chapter on Heihachi Mishima once and for all.
While Leroy also wanted to end Heihachi, Kazuya Mishima would ultimately be the one to do so at the end of Tekken 7. On the other hand, the Mishima Zaibatsu is still active, and when Leroy isn't cleaning up his streets, he can be seen plotting the organization's defeat. Leroy Smith is one of Tekken's most creative characters yet, and he has proven that the developers haven't lost their creativity and can create new and diverse characters.
0 Comments