Heihachi Mishima

Introduction

Heihachi Mishima is one of only four characters to appear in every single Tekken game thus far (the other characters being Yoshimitsu, Nina Williams and Paul Phoenix)). He is the owner of The Mishima Zaibatsu in the original Tekken, Tekken 3 and Tekken 4 and can be considered the main antagonist in the series, with many key story developments in the series revolving around Heihachi or an action related to Heihachi. He is the son of Jinpachi Mishima, the father of Kazuya Mishima and the grandfather of Jin Kazama, but despite this, the members of the Mishima Family despise each other, with Heihachi's Tekken 5 ending suggesting he would like to kill all three of his closest relatives (father, son, grandson).

Tekken

Many years prior to the first Tekken game, Heihachi Mishima tossed his son, Kazuya Mishima (who was just a child at the time) down a cliff, thinking that if he was to be the heir to the Mishima Zaibatsu he would have to be strong and fear nothing. Thanks to a pact made with the devil, Kazuya survived the fall and managed to climb back up the mountain and would go on to become an undefeated martial arts champion. Heihachi, wanting to bait Kazuya out in order to defeat him, announced The King of Iron Fist Tournament.

However, Kazuya would eventually defeat Heihachi and win the tournament, taking control of the Mishima Zaibatsu in the process. After defeating Heihachi, Kazuya threw an unconscious Heihachi into the same deep ravine that he was thrown down all those years ago.

Tekken 2

After losing to his son Kazuya Mishima at the conclusion of the previous tournament, Heihachi was thrown down the same cliff that he threw his son down over 20 years ago. However, like his son, Heihachi was able to survive the fall and climb back up the mountain. Heihachi immediately begins training harder then he ever had before, and vowed to get back everything that he had lost. Two years later, The King of Iron Fist Tournament 2 was announced.

Heihachi's Tekken 2 artwork

In Heihachi's canonical Tekken 2 ending, we see Heihachi holding an unconscious Kazuya in his arms (who he defeated, making him the victor of the tournament). He then drops his son into a volcano, insuring his demise. He is then shown exiting the scene via helicopter, and as the camera zooms in, we see a smile on Heihachi's face.

Tekken 3

After reassuming control of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Heihachi Mishima developed the "Tekken Force", the Mishima Zaibatsu's own military force. Fifteen years after the second tournament, while excavating ruins in , the Tekken Force discovers something strange. They are then decimated by a supernatural force. Heihachi quickly realized that this could be the legendary God of Fighting, Ogre. Upon learning this, he hoped to lure Ogre out to capture him. One day not long after that, a fifteen year old boy named Jin Kazama informs Heihachi that he is his grandson, and that his mother, Jun Kazama was attacked and presumably killed by Ogre.

Heihachi figured that Ogre had a thirst for powerful fighters, and trained his grandson in the art of Advanced Mishima-style Karate. Under the supervision of his grandfather, Jin became an exceptional fighter--perfect bait for Ogre. After four years of training, the Mishima Zaibatsu announced the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. Heihachi planned to lure Ogre out by using Jin, then disposing of Jin afterward due to Jin showing signs of the Devil Gene that he inherited from his father, Kazuya (which Kazuya got from the pact he had made with the devil).

In Heihachi's non-canonical Tekken 3 ending, we see Heihachi in a helicopter, with Jin unconscious lying on a stretcher in front of Heihachi. All of a sudden, a mysterious tattoo suddenly forms on Jin's forehead (a sign that he is about to transform into Devil Jin). Although Heihachi does not seem to notice it, he proceeds to pick Jin up and toss him out of the helicopter, as we see Jin falling at a tremendous speed before the cinematic ends.

Tekken 4

Heihachi failed to capture Ogre during the previous tournament. Although he made his researchers collect blood and tissue left behind by Ogre, his attempts to create a new life form by combining Ogre's genetic material with his own constantly failed, and Heihachi learned that he lacked the Devil Gene, which was necessary to integrate Ogre's genome into his own. Knowing that his grandson Jin Kazama, who had won the previous tournament, possessed the Devil Gene, Heihachi searched for him. Heihachi's searches also failed, however he did learn that the body of his son, Kazuya Mishima(who also possessed the Devil Gene), who Heihachi threw into a volcano 21 years ago, was being stored at a cutting-edge biotech firm called G-Corporation.

Heihachi promptly ordered his Tekken Force to raid G Corporation in an attempt to steal the body. The Tekken Force destroyed G Corporation's laboratory, but mission failed when a mysteriously resurrected Kazuya obliterated the Tekken Force. After learning of Kazuya's revival, Heihachi devised a plan to get the Devil Gene he needed, whether it be from his son or his grandson. 

The next day, the Mishima Zaibatsu announced The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4.

In Heihachi's Tekken 4 ending, after defeating Kazuya at the end of the tournament, Heihachi told Kazuya to "Come with me, if you want to see your son". After leading Kazuya to the Hon-Maru, Kazuya immediately noticed his son, Jin Kazama chained up. Kazuya is shocked, when all of a sudden two chains appear and wrap around his arms, then suspend him in mid-air, like they did Jin. Two more chains wrap around his legs, and Kazuya attempts to break free, saying "You think this will stop me?", only for Heihachi to inform him that the chain has the ability to neutralize his powers, going on to say that "an individual saturated with the Devil Gene, such as yourself--will lose consciousness in a matter of minutes!". Heihachi laughs and exits the building, and the screen goes white with black text appearing that states "Thereafter, the world came to know an age of darkness...".

Tekken 5

After being defeated by Jin Kazama at the Hon-Maru after the previous tournament, Heihachi and Kazuya were ambushed by a group of Jack robots. Heihachi and Kazuya began to fight off the Jack robots as a team, but Kazuya would soon betray Heihachi, shoving him into the Jacks, giving him a chance to escape. As a group of Jacks held him down, the Jacks began to self destruct, causing a massive explosion.

Such an explosion would have killed a normal man, but not Heihachi. A month later, Heihachi learned that someone had taken control of the Mishima Zaibatsu and planned to hold the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5. Heihachi, having fully recovered, was determined to win the tournament to reclaim his empire.

In Heihachi's non-canonical Tekken 5 ending, we see Jinpachi Mishima, Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama all tied to a rocket, with a female voice counting down from thirty in the background. They all struggle to get free, but fail to do so, and are subsequently launched into space. We then see Heihachi watching from a distance looking through binoculars, laughing as the rocket launches his family into space.

Tekken 6

After being assaulted by the Jacks after The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4, Heihachi wakes up only to find out that The King of Iron Fist Tournament 5 has already passed (meaning his appearance in Tekken 5 was non-canonical). However, its not long before the next King of Iron Fist Tournamen t is announced, and Heihachi discovers that Jin Kazama is the new head of the Mishima Zaibatsu. He is infuriated and once again vows to get everything back.