Earlier today, Kiriko was announced as Overwatch 2’s newest hero. Though fans have mixed feelings about the change to free-to-play structure for the game, which implements unlocking new characters via a battle pass, most players are excited to finally be receiving a new support hero after so long.
The game has already seen two additional heroes make their way into the roster, Sojourn and Junker Queen, who both have ties to already existing characters from the original Overwatch. With a healthy dose of lore for almost every hero, Overwatch excels at developing its characters.
So where does Kiriko fit in to the lore already in the game?
Kiriko, like fan-favorite characters Hanzo and Genji, is from Japan, and it’s clear that her story has been in the works for a long time. As another Japanese character joining the lineup alongside the Shimada brothers, it is safe to assume Kiriko has a connection to them.
Is Kiriko related to Hanzo and Genji?
Though Kiriko does have a connection to the Shimada brothers, she is not biologically related to them as far as we know.
Kiriko’s full name is Kiriko Yamagami, and her family knew the Shimadas closely, though they aren’t related. Kiriko’s family owns a business called Yamagami Blades, while the Shimada family formed the Shimada Clan, a criminal gang of ninjas. Yamagami Blades is a shop based in Kanezaka, the setting of one of Overwatch 2’s deathmatch maps. Kiriko’s parents were both excellent at both wielding and making swords, and her mother, Asa, is the one who taught Hanzo and Genji everything they know.
In her youth, Kiriko joined in on the lessons her mother gave to the two young Shimada brothers, and Kiriko herself also learned how to use the weapons. While Kiriko’s age is not officially confirmed, her appearance suggests she is quite a bit younger than both Hanzo and Genji. This would indicate the relationship cultivated between Kiriko and the Shimada brothers was not so much a sibling-type relationship due to their age difference.
While Genji’s learned skills can be seen through his Dragonblade ability, one of the most powerful damage ultimates in the game, Hanzo swore off using any blade as a weapon once he left the Shimada clan. This is why he uses a bow and arrow despite his extensive training inthe use of swords and blades.
Even though she is a support hero, Kiriko’s main weapons are her blades, demonstrating her mastery of the discipline that she learned from her mother.
The Shimada brothers and Kiriko do all share one skill between them, however — their passive ability to run up vertical walls.
After the Shimada Clan moved out of Kanezaka, a new clan took over and abducted Kiriko’s father, forcing their shop to close down. At this point, Hanzo had left the clan and Genji was likely presumed dead.
During this time, Kiriko’s mother wrote a letter to her husband describing the changes in Kanezaka and also reflecting on the past, where Kiriko’s grandmother had guarded the fox shrine. This fox shrine plays an important role in Kiriko’s lore, as her ultimate ability relies on the use of her fox spirit. So, while her foundational abilities resemble the same ones that Genji has, Kiriko also has her unique story that comes from her own family’s legacy.
Therefore, though Hanzo, Genji, and Kiriko are all connected, they are all very different characters.
Personality-wise, Kiriko seems quite different from both Hanzo and Genji based on her trailer. While both of the Shimada brothers come across as serious and determined, Kiriko is bright, humorous, and full of life.
Can you play Kiriko with Hanzo and Genji?
Even though Overwatch 2 has shifted to a 5-v-5 structure, you can still have a team that includes Hanzo, Genji, and Kiriko all at the same time.
Though very few people have had the opportunity to actually play Kiriko, everything about her kit suggests she would be a good match to support both Hanzo and Genji. Her ability to support both characters is another subtle way developers have worked Kiriko’s lore into the game.
Since Kiriko is fast, she has both her own unique movement ability as well as an ability that buffs the movement of her teammates, she seems great to pair with similarly fast-paced heroes. Her movement ability also allows her to easily reach her teammates, making her seem like a great pick to help flanking teammates as well.
Kiriko should be a good support option if you want to have all three Japanese Overwatch 2 characters on a team together, and there will probably be some great voice lines and interactions between them too.
