Bandai Namco has released a brand-new trailer for Tekken 8’s newest roster addition, Bob. The trailer gives us our first real look at how the character will play in the fighting game, showcasing how well he is able to make use of his speed and agility despite his size to lock opponents in long combos that will keep them guessing about whether he will be attacking them with highs or lows. Check it out below.
Described as the “Onigiri Saviour”, Bob was unveiled as the second character part of Tekken 8’s Season 3 during EVO 2026 in Las Vegas. The character makes use of three of his aspects: speed, power, and a unique martial arts style that also takes his weight into account. In story terms, Bob is coming back after last being defeated by Bryan during the events of Tekken 7. Frustrated with bland meals during his hospitalization, Bob decided to create his own fast-food chain that has gone on to become “wildly successful”, which then sparked the introduction of “Bob’s Onigiri”.
His personal antagonist for the story in Tekken 8 seems to be Kazuya Mishima. To counter his aspirations for world domination, Bob has been using his fast-food chain to help feed the hungry in crisis-afflicted areas, thus earning the “Onigiri Saviour” nickname. However, to accomplish his long-term goals, Bob will have to defeat Kazuya during the King of Iron Fist Tournament.
Bob is coming to Tekken 8 on August 20th for those who own Season Pass 3. Everyone else will be able to get their hands on the character on August 25th.
He is the second playable character that has been released for Season 3 so far, following the release of Kunimitsu earlier this month. The kunoichi brought in her own mix of ninjutsu, martial arts, and high levels of agility to shake up the dynamics of the fighting game. Interestingly, her story implications indicate that she knows Reina and is familiar with Raven, the latter of whom trained under her father.
A third character for Season 3 has already been unveiled – Yujiro Hanma from Baki the Grappler – and is slated for release in early 2027. The character is the father of Baki Hanma and serves as one of the primary antagonists of the manga. Yujiro’s addition will also bring in further wrinkles in the overarching Tekken storyline, since the franchise is known for largely revolving around father-son drama, sparked by Heihachi first throwing Kazuya into a volcano in the original Tekken.
Yujiro also marks the second major crossover character coming to Tekken 8, following season 1’s addition of Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive Rosfield.
Season 3’s next character will be Roger Jr., who is slated for release between October and December this year. In total, the season pass will include 4 characters, along with something called Subsea Lockdown, which is set for release around the same time as Yujiro Hanma.
Tekken 8 is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The title recently lost its chief producer and director, Kohei Ikeda, just half a year after the previous director, Katsuhiro Harada, left the company.
