Takeda Takahashi

"The Shirai Ryu don't run from a fight. Right, Grandmaster?"

- Takeda in Mortal Kombat X (Comic Series)

Takeda Takahashi (高橋武田氏) is a student of Shirai Ryu leader Hanzo Hasashi and son to Kenshi. He made his first appearance in the comics series and will make his game debut in Mortal Kombat X.

Biography
Takeda lived a normal life in Thailand with his mother, Suchin, despite his father not knowing of his existence until he was a child. After his mother was killed by the Red Dragon, he was entrusted to Hanzo when his father left to avenge her death. Although he is taught the ways of a warrior, Takeda originally had a timid nature and didn't take fighting seriously. However, after the newest iteration of the Shirai Ryu are eradicated, he becomes more serious and follows his sensei on their quest to avenge their fallen kin.

Takeda is shown to take his battles seriously, but does make wise cracks during so. He expresses great loyality to the Shirai Ryu, as he continues to wear a yellow headband to show his connection to the clan and will fight anyone who are enemies of it. Despite not trusting Hanzo at first because he was a wraith, Takeda becomes immensely loyal to his sensei over the years and sees Hanzo as a father-figure. While Kenshi is his father, Takeda doesn't trust Kenshi and prefers not to speak about his father.

Appearance
Takeda originates from Thailand and is of Asian descent, having black hair and blue eyes. In his youth as depicted in the comic, Takeda wore typical clothing as a child. At the time of apprenticeship, Takeda has shaggy hair and wears ninja garb with a yellow headband. However, his uniform is different from the Shirai Ryu, as he wears a blue shirt instead, and has bandages wrapped around his forearms.

In the game, Takeda wears an armored body suit, primarily a metallic blue in color with streaks of yellow along the legs. He still keeps his headband to represent his connection to the Shirai Ryu, along with a neck warmer. On his arms, he bears modified gauntlets designed to fire his spear tipped whips in battle. Takeda's alternate costume depicts him in a Shirai Ryu style uniform, similar to Scorpion's own costume, and bearing the clan's yellow color.

Mortal Kombat X Comic
As a child, Takeda lived in Lampang, Thailand with his mother Suchin. One day, Takeda's mother received a message from the Red Dragon claiming they knew Takeda was the traitor Kenshi's son. Knowing they would come for him, Suchin sent Takeda away to the next town. When Kenshi found him, he revealed his mother was gone and that he was his father. They soon went on their way as the Red Dragon would be after them.

One week later, Kenshi and Takeda made their way through the Himalayas, eagerly trying to escape the Red Dragon who were still following them. Suddenly, Kenshi was hit in the leg with an arrow, allowing Hsu Hao and his crew to catch them. Attempting to distract them, Kenshi told Takeda to run, though he would still be caught. As the Red Dragon grunt attempted to grab Takeda, a Kunai went through his throat, thrown by the the wraith Scorpion. After killing Hsu Hao and chasing off the rest of the Red Dragon, Hanzo Hasashi took the two to the Shirai Ryu Temple. Takeda is skeptical of trusting Hanzo after witnessing him kill the Red Dragon members, but Kenshi assures he can be trusted as he conquered "Scorpion" many years ago, then goes away to take down Daegon, the leader of the Red Dragon. However, Takeda still attempts to run away though is caught by Hanzo, telling him "The Shirai Ryu do NOT run. They FIGHT."

Some time later, Takeda met fellow Shirai Ryu member Fox and per Hanzo's orders, began sparring with him. He was no match for Fox at first, but after years of training, Takeda surpasses him in speed and develops a friendship with Fox. In-between the unseen years, Takeda told Hanzo never to talk about his father, Kenshi. However, although Takeda became a strong warrior, Takeda was still holding back and Hanzo knew. When Fox tried defending him, Hanzo told him that he will be in charge of protecting Takeda as Raiden had paid him a visit and warned of a "demon" that would try to kill them. Though Takeda believes that their sensei is trying to scare them, Fox believes he was serious. That night, Takeda was woken up by Fox, who had previously carved his own face off. With the Kamidogu blade to his neck, Takeda witnessed that all his fellow clan members had been murdered by the possessed Fox.

Fox takes Takeda to a tied up Hanzo, who Takeda assumed was dying, though Hanzo was only under the influence of a poison Fox had given him to relive his past. When Fox offers Takeda to kill their sensei, Takeda refuses before he pulls out a whip and attacks the occupied Fox, landing a kick to his head, but to no avail, as Fox is too strong for him. Feeding off his anger, Hanzo awakens as Scorpion and proceeds to attack Fox with hell fire while also stabbing him in the chest, but even that has no effect on the demonized Fox, who grows stronger when more blood is spilled. As Fox mocks Scorpion, Takeda takes a Katana before stabbing Fox in the throat and pulls up, effectively splitting Fox's head in half and killing him.

Having to kill his former friend, Takeda falls to his knees in shock, but Hanzo comforts him. Knowing nothing else can be done, the two burn their fallen comrades, take the Kamidogu dagger, and proceed to search for the thunder god Raiden.

During the student and master's travels through the Himalaya's, Takeda admits his fears of becoming possessed to Hanzo before expressing interest and impression in his master's hellfire. He asks to be taught how to use hellfire, but Hanzo makes it clear that hellfire is not a fighting style, but a curse, before telling Takeda of his origins up until his restoration to human form. Hanzo admits to Takeda that he felt he didn't deserve a second chance and contemplated suicide until he met a 'wise man' who saw his hellfire for what it was.

Takeda guesses 'rage' but Hanzo clarifies that it is the embodiment of the moment he failed his family, his pain and loss that he can never lose. Hanzo then admits that if he uses hellfire too long, he risks dying again, everytime to Takeda's astonishment. Takeda apologizes to his master for bringing up such personal memories, but can't resist asking about the wise man Hanzo mentioned. Hanzo reveals that Takeda has already forbidden him from speaking of him again, revealing the wise man was his father, the ronin Kenshi.

Weeks later, Takeda is seen again at the end of chapter nine. Alongside his master Scorpion, the two have camped out just outside Raiden's Sky Temple. Takeda is eager to continue on, but Scorpion is against it, noting the ferocity of the storm around the temple. Just then, a bolt of lightning strikes their campfire, and Takeda is knocked back as an enraged Raiden grabs Scorpion by the neck.

Takeda can do nothing but watch as the possessed Raiden brutally fights Hanzo in a one-sided fight, easily gaining the upper hand over Hanzo. As Raiden rants about the power of the Blood Code, Takeda sneaks up behind the thunder god and, to his master's horror, impales him from behind with a sword. Raiden is hardly fazed and grabs the blade, calling down lightning to electrocute Takeda.

The young Shirai Ryu is saved from death by Raiden's lightning when Hanzo teleports to grab him and warps the youth away from the battle. Believing Takeda to have died, Scorpion overpowers Raiden and prepares to kill the thunder god, but stops when he see Takeda is still alive despite his severe injuries. After Raiden overcomes his possession, he takes Takeda and Scorpion to the Sky Temple to save Takeda's live by healing him using the Jinsei, the very lifeforce of Earthrealm. Takeda soon awakens, feeling better than ever thanks to the effects of the Jinsei, before Scorpion confronts Raiden about the truth of the Kamidogu daggers.

Raiden explains to the two Shirai Ryu that the Kamidogu daggers were the weapons used to defeat the One Being and that they are now used as keys to seal away Shinnok's amulet. Each were entrusted to deadly warriors (like Hanzo) for protection and Raiden states that he thought Hanzo didn't need to know everything about the daggers, but sorrowfully admits he lacked knowledge that someone could use them for possession. After informing them that Sub-Zero had stolen one of the daggers years ago, Takeda urges his master to pursue the Cryomancer, and Scorpion agrees.

Mortal Kombat X (2015 video game)
Takeda has been confirmed to appear in Mortal Kombat X, and has a role in it's story mode. Not much info about his story is known, apart from the fact that he is apart of a small team; including Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, and Kung Jin.

Combat Characteristics
Takeda is a trained warrior, the apprentice of Scorpion himself, and has shown great skill with using bladed whips and plasma empowered swords in combat, referencing both his teacher Scorpion and his father Kenshi. His serrated edged whips are concealed in his gauntlets, and are launched at high powered speed for maximum striking power, and can be electrified for increased damage. He has also shown the power to teleport in a similar manner to his master, Scorpion. Like his father, Kenshi, Takeda has shown some telekinetic abilities by being able to move his plasma swords with his mind.

Signature Moves

 * X-Ray Move - Descending down from the air and stunning his enemy with a whip strike, Takeda launches one of his whips through his opponent's mouth, the tip breaking through the back of their skull, then reels himself over by retracting his whip, dashes behind them while wrapping his whip around their neck before kneeing their spine, shattering it and their rib cage, dropping them onto their back. He then delivers an axe kick to their face, caving in the majority of their skull. (MKX)

Other Moves

 * Throw: Takeda knees his opponent in their stomach twice, flips himself over and behind them while grabbing their left arm and breaking it, then kicks them away.

Fatalities

 * Whip It Good - Takeda draws his whips, cracks them twice at his opponent, cutting off their arms, then impales them through the mouth with his whip. With a grin, he activates the serrated edges of his whips, hooking his opponent's spine and then drags it out through his opponent's mouth. The opponent's body then collapses on the ground, blood foaming from their mouth. (MKX)

Mortal Kombat X Comic

 * Son of Suchin and Kenshi.
 * Raised by Suchin and his grandmother in Lampang, Thailand during his childhood, without Kenshi knowing of his existence.
 * Avoided being found by the Red Dragon by hiding in another city while his mother was killed.
 * Was found by his father, who takes him to Himalayan Mountains to protect him from the Red Dragon.
 * Was rescued by Hanzo Hasashi from the Red Dragon when he and his father were attacked by Hsu Hao.
 * Was entrusted to Hanzo by Kenshi when the latter left to avenge Suchin.
 * Became Hanzo's apprentice and was indoctrined into the Shirai Ryu.
 * Due to his distrust for Kenshi, asked Hanzo to never speak about his father to him.
 * Became Fox's sparring partner and developed a freindship with Fox.
 * Years later, was told by Hanzo of Raiden visiting the Shirai Ryu temple to warn them of a demon.
 * Taken hostage by Fox, who was possessed by the demon through the Kamidogu dagger, after the Shirai Ryu are slaughtered in his sleep.
 * Taken to a poisoned Hanzo by Fox and was told to kill their sensei, but refused to do so.
 * Fought against Fox long enough before Hanzo reawakened as Scorpion, who attacked Fox.
 * Killed Fox in order to save his sensei when Hanzo was overpowered.
 * After being comforted by his sensei, burned the bodies of the Shirai Ryu and set off with Hanzo to find Raiden, believing the thunder god responsible for his clan's destruction due to entrusting the Kamidogu dagger to the clan.
 * Told by Hanzo of his sensei's past and learned that it was Kenshi that helped Hanzo.
 * Was attacked along with Hanzo by Raiden, possessed by the demon through another Kamidogu, when arriving at the Sky Temple.
 * Attacked Raiden as his sensei tried to reason with the thunder god, but was struck by Raiden's lightning.
 * Saved by Hanzo before being killed by the possessed Raiden.
 * Was healed of his severe injuries and empowered with the Jinsei by Raiden after the thunder god overcame his possession.
 * Along with Hanzo, was told by Raiden the origin of the Kamidogu and agreed with his sensei to pursue Sub-Zero for stealing one of the Kamidogu daggers years ago.

Trivia

 * Interestingly enough, he shares his name with the first Shirai Ryu Clan founder, with Hanzo being the founder of the newest iteration of the clan.
 * Takeda is currently the youngest Earthrealm character to kill another individual, being a teenager when he killed Fox.
 * Takeda is the second Shirai Ryu character to be playable character in the franchise, with Scorpion being the first appearing twenty-three years prior.