Tekken: The Motion Picture |
 | Summary:Impulsive, highfalutin anime centers around a crime-fighting syndicate's repression of a ruthless madman; and a hosted martial arts tournament. This brusque, often flat action film holds little appeal to demanding game fans seeking more vibrantly designed incarnations. |
| Title Aka: | N/A |
| Company/Distributors: | Sony Music Entertainment;A.D.V. Films |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Length: | 60 Minutes |
| Rating: |  |
| Genres: | Action, Martial Arts |
| Format: | Feature Film |
| Content Level: |
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| Comments: | N/A |
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Synopsis:
The world as we know it has become a corrupt and hostile place, one with the presence of several powerful corporations and their opposing countries. Those who will stop at nothing to manipulate what is left of the several international governments, yet they are merely madmans trying to rule the world as they see fit. Their motives of course, include the power to control advanced technology dealing with powerful war machinery and advanced weapons. Heihachi Mishima is head of the Mishima Corporation. One of the most powerful in the world. Mishima's many legions of henchmen and officals are in the process of 'buying-up' as many weapons and advanced machinery they can get their hands on. It's only a matter of time before Hishima himself has the world's governments at his fingertips. Yet, the world is not entirely unaware of his comporations' intentions. A special opperative force has been secretly following Heihachi's every move. They have sent out their expert agent "Jun Kazama" to hunt down the source of Hishima's operation. For it has been common knowledge within Jun's operation that Heihachi has been secretly working parts of his organization on a remote island. The island has been thought to be hiding special massive weapons which they believe Heihachi will use to carry out his evil plan. But getting beneath his criminal organization will not be an easy task. Jun is joined by special Hong Kong International agent "Lei Wulong". Like Jun, Lei is a martial arts expert. But that skill will only better help their case. While being an evil madman in his own way, Heihachi is also the world-renowned sponsor of a special martial arts tournament which is held each year. Though the main attraction in the eye of the public, is indeed the "1 billion dollar" prize which is awarded to the greatest fighter; whom must face Heihachi to claim the prize money. But in fact, nobody has ever defeated Heihachi in a fight; since he is a master martial arts expert himself. Jun and Lei enter the tournament, for it is their only way into the organization. Many skilled fighters will be entering the tournament, one of these warriors is Heihachi's own son. Kazuya Mishima. Heihachi has always trained Kazuya to be the toughed-out strong warrior he always wanted him to be. Heihachi only wished for his son to carry on with the family business. Though Kazuya's intentions were indeed different from that of his father's. One day when he was a young boy, Kazuya was thrown down a ravine by his own father. With that act, Kazuya was left enraged and full of hatred for Heihachi. As memory for his father's violent act, Kazuya bears a scar over his chest; only to remind himself of the hatred he felt. Now as a young man, Kazuya seeks revenge against his father; and he himself learns of the tournament and enters it. But will his strong hatred and martial arts skill be enough to rid Heihachi of his evil ways and destroy his organization once and for all?... Yet, the burning memory of his father still lives inside Kazuya's mind. He shares this pain with Jun Kazama, who was with him as a young boy when he was thrown down the ravine. When Jun arrives at the tournament, the memory returns to her. But will her sympathy be enough to calm the hatred of Kazuya? As the tournament draws closer, many paths are crossed; each one seeking a remedy for their own revenge against Heihachi. Some of which are Michelle Chang, and a massive robot named "Jack" along with his young companion. Son against father, human against machine; good against evil. All are gathered to one place to prove their own destiny. Who will claim the prize money, fate and the honor of victory. The most powerful of these warriors will be the true hero. Many paths have crossed to gather to one place. The place to prove their strength, their own will. To find the inner power of the true warrior. "To find their TEKKEN!"
Review:
Tekken, is yet another fighting game based anime film, based on the popular arcade fighting game "Tekken" of course. And I'm afraid to say it's the sort of anime we could all do without. First off there are several potentially good and bad aspects about Tekken, and most of them are bad. This film starts out rather promising, like most titles of this sort. It introduces the viewer to some pretty decent and appealing characters. We learn of Kazuya's past, and the viewers are introduced to a new character; Jun Kazama. Jun is in fact a somewhat appealing character, her inner relationship with Kazuya's painful experience shines a new light onto the story; but unfortunatly gets worse from there. Tekken is an anime film like many others, which suffers from a common problem. The typical RPG to anime syndrome which many titles have obtained through this sort of storyline. It is indeed, a story we are all tired of; one we have all seen again and again. Fatal Fury, Art Of Fighting, Samurai Showdown, Street Fighter, Battle Arena Toshinden and alas Tekken: The Motion Picture... It's really a sad thing to think that so many interesting and unique characters can go to waste this way. Obviously the animators believe that one can recycle a familiar storyline again and again, throwing some new characters into the mix; hoping that it will work in this mannor. I say again and again as a reviewer, it doesn't; and when it doesn't, it really shows, and tends to fall right on it's face. But what makes Tekken different from all the rest is a highly noticable aspect the film has from beginning to end. Tekken the motion picture is like most animes, in that it emphazises the interactions of several interesting characters; whos personalities never seem to suface onto new heights other than the game itself. Ryu & Ken of Street Fighter, Terry Bogard of Fatal Fury, Eji of Battle Arena Toshinden; and now Kazuya of Tekken. Did I miss something here?... Or did the Japanese animation industry decide on the fact that fighting-game based anime films and series don't deserve enriching storylines, in-depth characters or intriguing plots? The film's plot tends to loose all structure from beginning to end, and drifts off into a kind of boring, dazed sleep. It starts off as a potentially good flick, one with promising animation and storyline. Then it becomes the ultra-cliche, plot-worn, uninteresting, second-rate flick it's made out to be. And if there's one problem which distinguishes Tekken from the others is it's poor attention to it's technical aspects; which are in fact terrible for the most part. Tekken: The Motion Picture utilizes many unique animation techniques not usually seen in most animes. The fact that the animation is completely CG (Which can be effective if done correctly), cannot save the film's many faults; the animation is in fact, choppy, poorly executed and constructed. The film becomes a blur of sequences, explosions and pointless plot twists which in turn hold poor foundation to it's lacking decent storyline. If you want a video game based anime that contains some decent aspects dealing in, action and animation; get Street Fighter or Fatal Fury. If you want a decent anime get anything other than one based on an arcade fighting game. But if you want good quality anime all together, stay away from Tekken: The Motion Picture. |
