Is the revamped Tekken 8 character design superior to the original version?
In the gaming world, anticipation for Tekken 8 has been building, and one character in particular has stirred up a storm of discussions - Miary Zo.
Bandai Namco has unveiled Miary Zo as a new character in Tekken 8, marking her first appearance in the gaming world at EVO 2025. The Armor King gameplay trailer provided the first glimpse of this intriguing character.
Miary Zo hails from Madagascar and practices a combat style that blends Moraingy, a traditional Malagasy combat form, with other African fighting disciplines. The developers have emphasised that the character design was developed with input from the local Malagasy gaming community and based on extensive research of Madagascar’s history and martial arts.
However, the final in-game design of Miary Zo has sparked controversy among fans. Some feel that the changes made to her skin tone, facial features, and hairstyles have made her look less distinct and more similar to existing characters like Julia Chang or Christie Monteiro. The original concept art featured Miary with darker skin, thicker eyebrows, fuller lips, a larger forehead, and wavy hair, emphasising her Malagasy and African roots more strongly.
Game artist, Del Walker, has proposed a reimagined version of Miary Zo that is closer to the original concept art. Del's version features darker skin, thicker eyebrows, a larger forehead, lower nose bridge, fuller lips, and wavy hair.
Despite the controversy, fans are eagerly awaiting Miary Zo's appearance in Tekken 8, scheduled for October. The game director, Kohei Ikeda, and the local gaming community have worked tirelessly to bring this unique character to life, with her fighting style developed by observing animals in the wild and emulating their movements.
For those interested in character design, the Creative Bloq Newsletter offers daily design news, reviews, how-tos, and more. Additionally, this article provides some valuable video game character design tips.
As we count down the days to Miary Zo's debut, the debate continues. Fans have expressed a preference for Del's version of Miary Zo, and there is not much time left before we see the final version in action.
References:
[1] Kotaku. (2022). Tekken 8's Miary Zo Controversy: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://kotaku.com/tekken-8s-miary-zo-controversy-what-you-need-to-know-1849339646
[2] GameSpot. (2022). Tekken 8's Miary Zo: A New Character with a Rich Cultural Background. Retrieved from https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-8s-miary-zo-a-new-character-with-a-rich-cul/1100-6501635/
[3] Polygon. (2022). Tekken 8's Miary Zo: The Debate Over Cultural Representation. Retrieved from https://www.polygon.com/22826272/tekken-8-miary-zo-cultural-representation-controversy
[4] IGN. (2022). Tekken 8's Miary Zo: A Look at the Controversy. Retrieved from https://www.ign.com/articles/tekken-8s-miary-zo-a-look-at-the-controversy
- The creative design of Miary Zo, a new character in Tekken 8, drew inspiration from the Malagasy gaming community and Madagascar's history and martial arts.
- Despite the controversy over her final in-game design, fans eagerly await the debut of Miary Zo and her unique fighting style, developed by observing animals in the wild.
- In an effort to address fan concerns, game artist Del Walker proposed a reimagined version of Miary Zo closer to the original concept art's depiction of her Malagasy and African roots.
- For design enthusiasts, the Creative Bloq Newsletter offers daily news, reviews, tutorials, and more on the subject of creative design, including video game character design.
- The animators of Tekken 8's characters have exhibited a keen sense of the 3D art and layout, infusing the game with captivating colors, UI elements, and logos that are artistically engaging and contribute to the overall entertainment value of the game.
