Kenny Omega channels video games "to be true to myself"

Kenny Omega has always intertwined his wrestling persona with video games, and his guest spot in Like a Dragon: Ishin is just the latest step

Like a Dragon: Ishin will see you slice and dice in samurai action as Sakamoto Ryoma takes on the world. This takes the series formally known as Yakuza in a new direction, giving us high-octane sword-based action.

To help you along your journey are Trooper Cards, which give you access to a range of unique abilities, and six of these cards will feature special guests.

Two names have been announced so far. The first is iZombie and Midnight Mass star, Rahul Kohli with the Essence of Firestorm power, which does exactly what you’d expect a firestorm to do. The other is AEW and NJPW wrestler, Kenny Omega, who uses the Essence of the One Winged Angel to unleash a powerful slice on all foes in a circle around Ryoma.

Like A Dragon: Ishin will have six special guests on their Trooper Cards

Omega has never shied away from his love of video games. As recently as this January, he made his entrance at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 17 to Sephiroth’s theme and dressed in the villain’s iconic trench coat. The Final Fantasy 7 villain has always been a big influence on Omega’s wrestling persona, with his finishing move the “One Winged Angel” being yet another reference to the character.

“His entire image was a big inspiration to The Cleaner character in New Japan,” Omega explains. “So to take nods from that costume and the way that he carries himself was always a big inspiration early on. But then to go full-out Sephiroth… there wasn’t much more I could do as an homage to my video game heroes and inspirations – well, I can’t say hero because he did some pretty dastardly things, but you know what I mean – just a very cool character.”

It’s not just Final Fantasy that Omega has referenced over the years though. At Wrestle Kingdom 12, he walked to the ring carrying a replica of the Vigilance Wing pulse rifle from Destiny 2. He’s also had a few entrances inspired by Undertale, entering to Megalovania in Sans cosplay on a 2019 episode of AEW Dynamite, and working with Toby Fox to create an animated short called “Kenny’s Quest” in Undertale’s style to hype his match at Wrestle Kingdom 13.

Omega loves to throw out all sorts of gaming references

“Earlier on, I wanted to keep it bare bones and just show that video games were a love of mine so I tried to target characters that people definitely understood,” he says. “So I used the Hadouken from [Street Fighter’s] Ryu and Ken, everyone knows what that is. I got a little more underground as I went by.

“It’s more about, what’s an extension of Kenny Omega? What do I really enjoy as a person? So, whether the fans got with it or not, I just wanted to be true to myself. I would do things with the Undertale franchise, I wasn’t sure if people would get it or care, but the response was incredible, it was super positive all the way round. When you take something that’s so outside of wrestling but it makes a nice home for you and the fans, and it actually somehow increases their enjoyment factor of a match or your presentation, it makes everything that I do more fun and rewarding.”

Wrestling fans have never hidden their love of video games either. Ever since fans were allowed to return to arenas following the Covid-19 pandemic, a trend has arisen where they bring signs to shows stating their hot takes on video games.

Things like “Final Fantasy 8 is filth!” would be shown on TV, only for a sign the next week to claim “Final Fantasy 8 is underrated!”, followed by another sign on a different company’s show reading, “While they argue about Final Fantasy 8, we stan Final Fantasy Tactics!”. All this culminated in one fan writing a defiant sign demanding, “Play Disco Elysium, you weebs!”. It’s amazing how much you can fit on a big sheet of card.

One fan was tired of all the discussion surrounding JRPGs

“I don’t even know how that became a thing, but sometimes I’ll look and I’ll go, ‘Yeah… that’s true’, but then a lot of times I’ll look and go, ‘Ok, you guys are just trolling now, don’t even start with me,’” Omega laughs. “It’s taken a life of its own and it’s drifting into the realm of ridiculousness, but there were a couple of good points for a little bit.

“It’s cool to see that’s crept into our pro-wrestling subculture because that could’ve been anything – it could’ve been a football discussion, could’ve been basketball, the topic could’ve been anything, but somehow video game banter has taken over and become a weekly thing via signs in the arena. It’s really cool.”

One of Omega’s favorite genres is fighting games, having attended many events and tournaments over the years. With Like A Dragon’s Kazuma Kiryu being a perfect character for the genre, we ask Omega which fighting game he’d like to see Kiryu in.

Like A Dragon has a variety of different fighting styles

“Tekken has done so well with its guest characters, so that would be really cool,” he replies. “But then, there’s that part of me that would love to see a Kiryu Fatality. I think everyone wants to see someone do a Fatality, as grotesque as that sounds. It’s less for the fact that they’re killing people, it’s like how ridiculous can you make it? How over the top and weird, and what easter eggs to your franchise can you add in? So I think it could be really funny, using the cell phone and call in some hermit crabs or something like that.

“He just fits so well in every fighting game, there’s no wrong answer. He’s got a little bit of that Urien style from Street Fighter, would be an aggressive fighter. Smash fits everybody, Virtual Fighter fits, Dead or Alive – it all works. So I guess maybe, now that you’re asking the tough questions, I’d actually like to see him rendered in 2D to see how that would play out.”

So it seems Omega’s ultimate answer is: all of them.

Omega’s passion for the medium has always been obvious in his work, but getting to hear him talk about it in a way that only he can, shows how perfect a fit he is for Like A Dragon, and we’ll hopefully see him take bigger roles in gaming soon.