Chapter Text
May 24th, 1912
At the end of Japan's Meiji Era, the last of a dying breed was born. Jinpachi Mishima was heir to a powerful clan whose ancestors long served the lineage of Emperors as demon hunters. Growing up, the boy was fascinated by the rapid industrialization of the nation around him as well as the crescendoing drumbeat on the road to war.
In 1934, Jinpachi used his family's wealth to create a company that would be known as the Mishima Zaibatsu. The days of fighting evil spirits and teaching karate were exchanged for mass producing tanks and airplanes. His factories saw their profits and influence expand in the lead up to World War II. It was at this time that he met a young man his age, a Chinese immigrant named Wang Jinrei. The two became as close friends as could be, despite their differences in language, country, and fighting styles.
As the war turned against Japan in its later years, Jinpachi felt the burden of suffering upon his soul. After his son Heihachi was born (June 10th 1942), his wife and unborn child were killed in an enemy bombing raid. His brothers were killed in battle, one at sea and one in the air. By the time the final peace treaty was signed, Jinpachi and Heihachi were the only living members left of the Mishima Clan.
The influence of the family business continued to grow as its warmongering facilities were converted to help rebuild Japan's ravaged infrastructure throughout the late 40s and 50s. To supplement his income, Jinpachi returned to teach Mishima style karate with the aid of Wang Jinrei. The Dojo welcomed all newcomers to Tokyo, including a mysterious girl from Kyoto named Kazumi Hachijo (February 28th 1943).
Heihachi and Kazumi grew up as childhood friends, both competitive in karate and interested in animals. Neither exhibited fear towards even the most dangerous of beasts in the wild. The Mishima heir was a brutish brawler, but was attracted to women who could stand their own against him. She too was interested in him, as maybe this headstrong warrior could be the one to handle the darkness in her heart. The girl with the bangs and the boy with the brows. By the early 1960s, romance had bloomed between them as adults: their names forever carved into the floor of the Dojo. They were married in 1965. A big bear of a man and his tiger bride. And on November 2nd 1968: their son Kazuya Mishima was born. And they lived happily.
It was in his late 20s that Heihachi Mishima's ambition grew to an untenable intensity. Plagued by the constant threat of another world war, the new father sought to protect his family by invoking the same strength that had made their fortune. Meanwhile, Jinpachi increasingly directed his company's efforts towards world peace. By the 1970s, father and son could no longer agreed on the path forward.
Mounting tensions came to a head in 1973. At 30 years of age, Heihachi enacted a hostile takeover of his father's company. The rechristened Mishima Zaibatsu was reforged as a titan of industry, profiting from international warfare and involved even in the criminal underworld. Jinpachi objected to the coup, but failed in his uprising. The mighty patriarch, standing over 2 meters tall and weighing over 100 kg, was never seen from again. Wang Jinrei, unclear on his friend's fate, decided to serve at Heihachi's side so that he might watch over him and perhaps learn of Jinpachi's whereabouts. Kazumi, on the other hand, knew clear as day what she had to do.
The Hachijo Clan was as old as the Mishima Clan, but their goals were in opposition. Whereas the Mishimas were demon hunters, the Hachijos carried the Devil Gene. The exterminators made sure to keep the numbers of their prey in check. The hunted, in turn, made sure to keep the power of their enemies in check. Kazumi was sent to their Dojo as a spy. Should the strongest man in Japan be on his way to becoming the strongest man in the world, her mission would be to eliminate him. What wasn't part of the plan was for the elegant Kyoto lady to fall in love with the big city brute. But he fell harder.
By the end of 1973, Kazumi could no longer fight her programming. The Devil Gene manifested itself as a separate personality taking over her body. Devil Kazumi attacked Heihachi Mishima, intent on killing him. Husband and wife fought for hours all through the night. Faced with her betrayal and her humanity, Heihachi snapped Kazumi's neck and shed a tear. The sun had finally set on these star crossed lovers.
Demonic power was like nothing Heihachi had even confronted. If it was powerful enough to turn the love of his life against him, then he needed to train even harder than he imagined. He failed to protect his wife. And what of his son? The boy was only 5, but what if he too carried the Devil Gene? Kazuya might one day turn around and make an attempt on his life as well. He had to be sure.
On a cloudy morning, Heihachi fought his young son and bested the boy. He brought his unconscious body to the edge of a cliff on the family estate and tossed him down. If Kazuya could fly back up on demon wings, then he had his answer. If not, Heihachi would have to rebuild his family anew. Kazuya remained at the bottom of the ravine and would not see his father again for 21 years.
The Mishima Zaibatsu dominated both the public and private worlds through the currency of violence. Heihachi traveled the world in search of power, women, and anyone who might possibly rival himself. In his older age, he preferred to stay on his massive estate. He preferred to be near his Dojo, the Hon Maru Temple, and the cliff where he would wait for his son's return.
For the 60th Anniversary since the company's founding, Heihachi decided to throw a celebration for himself. He would invite the best fighters in the world to come to him for a tournament. They would fight amongst themselves to not only determine who could face Heihachi, but also take control over the Mishima Zaibatsu. Only then could it be determined who had the right to rule over the world with an iron fist.