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| “ | With Sento in my hands, I'll lead us out of the shadows. | „ |
| ~ Kenshi to Johnny Cage. |
Kenshi Takahashi is one of the three deuteragonists (alongside Johnny Cage and Kung Lao) of Mortal Kombat 1.
He is voiced by Vic Chao, who reprised the role from Mortal Kombat X.
Biography[]
Kenshi Takahashi, hailing from the prestigious Taira clan in ancient Japanese times, faced adversity during the Siege of Aomori. Although believed wiped out with the loss of their cherished sword Sento, the surviving clan members concealed their identity as they joined the Yakuza Bakuto. Kenshi, a descendant, sought to restore the Taira clan's former glory and embarked on a quest to reclaim Sento, a symbol of leadership.
Mortal Kombat 1[]
His pursuit led Kenshi to Johnny Cage's mansion, where he discovered Sento displayed. Seizing an opportunity during Johnny's marital dispute, Kenshi confronted him, demanding the return of Sento as a family right. Johnny dismissed Kenshi's claims, leading to a clash that ended with Johnny's victory.
Bound and interrogated, Kenshi explained the Taira clan's history and his mission. A doorbell interrupted, revealing Liu Kang, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero, whom Johnny initially thought was part of a prank. Liu Kang extended an offer for Kenshi and Johnny to join his champions, promising life-altering changes. Both accepted, setting the stage for their training at the Wu Shi Academy alongside Raiden and Kung Lao.
Months passed as Kenshi acclimatised to the unknown world. A rivalry developed with Johnny, fueled by Kenshi's desire to reclaim Sento. When a tournament against Outworld approached, a mini-tournament determined Earthrealm's champion. Kenshi, Johnny, Raiden, and Kung Lao competed for the right to represent Earthrealm in the tournament, with Raiden emerging victorious.
Travelling to Outworld, Kenshi observed Raiden's battles against Outworld's forces, including the defeat of General Shao. Liu Kang tasked Kenshi, Johnny, and Kung Lao with infiltrating Outworld to capture the rebellious Shang Tsung.
In Outworld, tensions rose between Kenshi and Johnny. Encountering a Tarkatan Colony, they allied with Baraka, aiming to uncover Shang Tsung's motives. The group stumbled upon Shang Tsung's laboratory, where events unfolded, revealing Shang Tsung's attempts to cure a Tarkatan-afflicted Mileena. Kenshi's eyes were injured while saving Johnny from Mileena.
Captured by General Shao's forces, Kenshi, Johnny, and others were taken to Shang Tsung's secret laboratory. After enduring fights against Tarkatan experiments and Shang Tsung's slave Syzoth, they escape with Baraka's assistance with Syzoth defecting to their side, the group faced new challenges, encountering allies like Ashrah and confronting Quan Chi. Due to his blindness, Kenshi was forced to stay on the sidelines, but Johnny swapped his sword with Sento as a show of gratitude.
During a confrontation with Ermac, Kenshi's ancestral connection to Sento manifested, granting him mystical sight. Empowered, he aided Ashrah in defeating Ermac and resumed the journey to Earthrealm, facing challenges like the Soul Stealer and Quan Chi.
Returning to Earthrealm with disguises, the group confronted general Shao and Li Mei during the Sun Do Festival. A plan involving Syzoth as a diversion allowed them to escape to Earthrealm, reuniting with Liu Kang.
In the battle against Titan Shang Tsung, Kenshi joined the Union of Light, alongside over versions of him, both heroic and villainous. He was selectable as the playable Final Warrior, who aids Liu Kang in defeating the Titan Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. After the Battle, he along with the others went to Madame Bo's Teahouse for a celebratory meal, where he found that Johnny was going to create a film series based on their adventures. Kenshi had to decline Johnny's offer to join the cast, as he would be busy reviving the Taira. After Liu Kang departed, they began good naturedly bickering over who would foot the bill, with Kenshi cheekily suggesting that as their hosts, Raiden and Kung Lao ought to pay up.
Battling the Yakuza[]
Afterwards, Kenshi continued his battles against the Yakuza, and Takeda was sent after him, but Kenshi defeated him and brought him to the Shirai Ryu to give him a second chance. He gained an unexpected ally in the form of FBI Agent Jackson Briggs, who saved him from an assassination attempt. Afterwards, while Kenshi and Jax intended to part ways afterwards, they were surprised when Shang Tsung came after Sento, hoping to steal it and the souls it contained. After fighting him off, Kenshi revealed to Jax that the stories in Johnny's movies were based in reality, and he ended up founding the Outworld Investigation Agency. Kenshi was shocked when Jax asked him to sign on as a government agent, but proudly joined Jax.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Magic: After Johnny Cage gave Kenshi his family's sword, Sento, he was gifted with magical abilities by bonding with his family's sword and siphoning some of Ermac's souls.
- Psychokinesis: Thanks to Sento Kenshi possess the psychic ability to move, manipulate or otherwise interact with energy and matter with mental effort alone.
- Telekinesis: Kenshi can telekinetically control Sento to fight opponents and can also use it to defend against blasts from Ermac. He can also use it to lift up countless boulders and throw them.
- Ancestral Evocation: Kenshi is also gifted with the ability to summon his ancestors to help him fight any of his opponents.
- Telepathy: Kenshi is gifted with ability to read opponents minds when bonding with Sento.
- Levitation:
- Psychokinesis: Thanks to Sento Kenshi possess the psychic ability to move, manipulate or otherwise interact with energy and matter with mental effort alone.
- Superhuman Strength: Although he prefers to use his sword in action, he has shown that he is super strong to decapitate anyone's head with a single uppercut and can use his legs to kick away his opponents who have strong durability.
- Superhuman Durability: Kenshi also possesses impressive durability to avoid getting injured by powerful opponents and has also survived getting stabbed in the eyes by a Tarkat crazed Mileena.
- Pain Suppression:
- Superhuman Agility: Kenshi also has impressive agility that he uses to take on beings who appear faster than him.
- Superhuman Reflexes: Kenshi also has great reflexes being able to easily avoid attacks from Ermac and Shao's soldiers.
- Superhuman Stamina: Kenshi can fight for a very large amount of time without showing any signs of exhaustion.
- Superhuman Senses: Kenshi had possessed great senses being able to sense anyone who is using stealth. After losing his sight, his senses are further improved after bonding with Sento.
Abilities[]
- Master Martial Artist: Kenshi prefers to use a sword in combat but being trained by the Yakuza for most of his life, he is also very competent in martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. Liu Kang chose him to be one of Earthrealm's champions and has further mastered his combat skills by the Shaolin monks. He has been able to defeat some of Outworld's best fighters such as Baraka, Rain, Tanya, and Mileena. His fighting style is a combination of Kenjutsu, Tai Chi, San Shou, and Iaido.
- Master Swordsman: Kenshi's sword fighting skills are not to be trifled with. He has learned to wield a sword and use it to fight by the Yakuza. With his superior sword fighting skills, he has been victorious over a crowd of Shao's soldiers and can fight off Ermac in order to wait for the moment to stab him.
- Expert Acrobat: Kenshi has shown that he is skilled in acrobatics.
- Stealth Mastery:
- Gifted Intelligence:
- Expert Tactician:
- Disguise Expertise:
- Expert Leader:
- Indomitable Will: Although Kenshi was raised to be a Yakuza gangster, he had one day swore that he will restore the Taira clan's honor and lead them back to the right path. His first objective is to reclaim their family's blade, Sento, who is currently held by Johnny Cage. Since his loss against him, he has shown a great force of will and tells Johnny that will never give up until he reclaims Sento. After being annoyed by Johnny Cage when he talks about working with the Yakuza to get the money in order to pay him back for Sento, he angrily approaches him and talks about the Yakuza's true nature and his vow for his clan to not be a part of their crimes any longer. After losing his sight because of Mileena, he felt on giving up and believed he is useless, but Johnny refuses to allow him to say that and gives Sento to him for sacrificing his sight for Johnny's life.
Equipment[]
- Sento: Kenshi's family sword possesses the souls of ancestors who grants him his psychic powers and magical gifts.
Quotes[]
| “ | Peace is preferable to war, General. | „ |
| ~ Kenshi to General Shao. |
| “ | I wasn't looking for allies against the Yakuza, but I found one in Special Agent Jackson Briggs. He'd heard gangsters plotting to kill me on a wiretap and came calling, hoping I'd be his informant. We planned to part ways when we got the job done. but then Shang Tsung showed up to steal Sento. Needless to say, Jackson had questions. It blew his mind to hear the stories in Johnny's movies were real. Once the shock wore off, Jackson quickly sized up the threats Earthrealm faced. To deal with them, he got his bosses at the FBI to form the Outworld Investigation Agency. When he asked me to sign on, I hesitated. After all, me? A government agent? But it's an important job. And, more importantly to me, an honest living. | „ |
| ~ Kenshi's Mortal Kombat 1 ending. |
Gallery[]
Images[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- This version of Kenshi is blinded under different circumstances than the classic origin, being stabbed in the eyes by Mileena rather than being tricked by Shang Tsung.
- Liu Kang intended for Kenshi to get sento without getting blinded.
- Kenshi's Mortal Kombat 1 facial model, Noah Fleder, would later play him in unofficial short films, Kenshi's Revenge and Kenshi Vs Kitana.
- It is mentioned in the arcade interactions that during his battles with the Yakuza, Kenshi briefly allied with the Black Dragon, but both Kuai Liang and Liu Kang dissuade him from doing so.
- In his MK1 ending, which depicts Kenshi and Jax as members of the OIA, the image of them in sunglasses and black suits is reminiscent of Men in Black.
