The iconic *Tekken 8* fighter Anna Williams is back with a fresh redesign, and while the majority of fans are embracing her updated look, there's been some vocal criticism—some even likening her new outfit to Santa Claus.
When one fan reached out to *Tekken* game director and producer Katsuhiro Harada asking if the development team could bring back the "classic Anna design," Harada responded firmly, shutting down the request with a clear message.
"If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you,"
Harada stated, emphasizing that past versions of the character still exist for fans to enjoy. He continued by addressing how some individuals present their opinions as if they speak for all Anna fans, which he noted is both inaccurate and unfair to others who genuinely appreciate the new direction.
He further criticized the contradictory nature of such demands: “You threaten to quit if she isn’t brought back. You complain the moment she is brought back. You demand that she be reverted after she has been completely redesigned from scratch, including her model and framework. And if she actually were reverted, you’d just say, ‘That’s recycling!’”
Harada concluded by calling out what he sees as unconstructive feedback: “Either way, your method of expressing your opinion and the content of your argument are entirely unconstructive, utterly pointless, and, above all, disrespectful to the other Anna fans who are genuinely looking forward to her.”
Another user attempted to critique Tekken’s lack of re-released older titles on modern platforms with improved netcode, summarizing Harada’s previous response as “a joke.” Harada fired back, saying: “Thank you for POINTLESS reply. You yourself are the joke. MUTED.”
Despite these tensions, the general reception to Anna’s new design in *Tekken 8* remains largely positive. Many fans have praised the updated aesthetic while acknowledging an adjustment period for certain elements.
“Before she was announced I was hoping for an edgier, angry, violent Anna out for revenge for her fiancé's death and so I'm quite happy with this design!” shared redditor AngryBreadRevolution. “The hair is growing on me. It really suits the outfit and personality well. It won't look good on all her outfits naturally, but her original bob will still be available."
Others had more specific critiques. “Love everything but the white feathers,” said troonpins. “It’s giving Santa Clause.”
Cheap_Ad4756 added: “Aside from looking like Santa Claus, she looks a lot younger than she did in Tekken 7 and before. She looks like less of a ‘woman’ now and more like a girl. I don't get the dominatrix vibe from her at all anymore.”
Meanwhile, spiralqq voiced frustration over the overall costume design: “Horrible. It’s another overdesigned T8 look, feels like almost every costume in this game lacks a real focal point and everyone is just decked out in 100 bulky accessories from head to toe. I’d like it a lot more without the coat, or at the very least if the whole outfit didn’t look like Santa cosplay. You can’t have a bright red coat with white fur trims and a black belt and read as anything other than Santa.”
What do you think of Anna's new outfit coming from Tekken 7?
byu/PrimaSoul inTekken
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }
Since its launch, *Tekken 8* has sold 3 million copies within its first year—an impressive pace compared to *Tekken 7*, which took a decade to reach 12 million sales globally.
“Tekken 8 is an amazing new entry in the long-running series,” wrote IGN in their Tekken 8 review, awarding it a strong 9/10. “Interesting tweaks to its classic fighting systems, a full suite of fun offline modes, great new characters, incredible training tools, and a vastly improved online experience all add up to a fighting game I will be playing for many years to come. By honoring its legacy, but continuing to move forward, Tekken 8 manages to stand out as something special.”
