Yoshimitsu

Story

The Manji Clan was a group of Japanese ninjas known for their unusual techniques and even more unusual neutrality in the era marred with conflict. Fearing their power and defiance, the nation's chief warlord ordered the entire clan to be wiped out. Warlord's army acted without mercy, killing all men, women, and children. Yoshimitsu was the sole survivor of this massacre. For as long as he could, Yoshimitsu fought off the soldiers by his lonesome but was eventually overwhelmed. Even though his right hand was cut off, he managed to make his escape without leaving a trace.

Sometime later, an agent working for the warlord hears a word of Yoshimitsu being spotted. He travels to investigate, but it turns out to be a trap. Since the tragedy, Yoshimitsu's right hand was replaced by a mechanical prosthetic, and his appearance shifted to that of a demon. He then interrogates the terrified agent about the Soul Edge. Hearing of this mighty cursed sword, Yoshimitsu decided to acquire it and enact revenge for his fallen brethren. Following the trail of rumors and information, he travels across several countries. Despite his malicious motive, he ends up straying from his path to aid a Buddhist monk in Ming Empire and save a small community in the Middle East from a dangerous cult. Doing the latter ends with him learning that the sword is currently in Nightmare's possession, who can be found in the Ostrheinsburg Castle.

On his way there, Yoshimitsu is disgusted by the evil nature and stench of blood left in the wake of the man he pursues. It forces Yoshimitsu to reflect on himself. Wouldn't following this path of violence and vengeance make him and Nightmare the same? He casts these doubts aside from the moment and continues on his way. By the time he arrives, Nightmare is already defeated. Instead, Yoshimitsu is met by Sophitia, a young female warrior. She refuses to aid him in finding Soul Edge, which results in a fight. Yoshimitsu emerges victorious, but Sophitia does not relent and tells him that revenge is not what he truly wants. Seeing it through his eyes and voice, she senses not anger but confusion and sadness.

Her understanding words reignite the uncertainty in Yoshimitsu's heart. Before he can respond, he's overwhelmed by the evil energy that has been absorbed by his sword and passes out. Inside his mind, Yoshimitsu fights the sword's malevolent spirit and, after conquering it, gives it his own name. Upon reawakening, he apologizes to Sophitia, admitting he strayed from the righteous path. From there onwards, Yoshimitsu swore to protect the weak and destroy the evil, walking the path of benevolence and justice for the sake of others and the sake of his deceased comrades.

Personality

Despite his intimidating appearance, Yoshimitsu is an incredibly kind soul with a strong sense of justice. Even when his heart was besieged by hatred, Yoshimitsu's noble intentions and good morals came through. Fittingly for a master swordsman and a ninja who was fated to be a chief of his clan, Yoshimitsu also has a deep respect for the warrior code of honor and old traditions. Selfless to a fault, Yoshimitsu is more concerned with the well-being of others and the approval of his deceased clan members.

Playstyle

Immensely tricky and versatile character, Yoshimitsu can boast one of the most expansive movesets in the entire game. With this vast arsenal, Yoshimitsu players are only limited by their creativity. However, this depth and complexity also make him hard to master. It will take a significant amount of training and battle experience to understand the proper use of his attacks and stances. Yoshimitsu's true strength shines in close quarters where he can unleash a variety of powerful counter-attack moves or make the opponents guess with his array of mixups.

These strengths are balanced out by Yoshimitsu's lack of good approach tools. He struggles particularly hard against characters that excel in zoning and controlling the space, making it a significant challenge to get in the optimal range. Even once he's in, Yoshimitsu is forced to take risks to apply mixups since many of them are either unsafe or very committal.

Appearance

Yoshimitsu wears a very eccentric set of samurai armor. His pouldrons resemble dragon heads, chest armor features a prominent image of eyes, and his graves end in demonic-looking claws. Yoshimitsu wears a mask similar to a traditional Hannya mask on his head, and it conceals the entirety of his face with only green light seen underneath. Long red hair can be seen flowing down from behind the mask, though unclear if it belongs to Yoshimitsu. On his back, he always carries Sashimito, a Japanese war banner.