"It really is all about doing what you like" - TEKKEN pro Anakin on newcomer advice, EVO 2022, the future, and more (Exclusive)

When it comes to North American Tekken players, very few can match up to Hoa “Anakin.” Being an incredibly skilled player who's known for being able to play a wide variety of the cast at a high level, he’s competing this weekend at the Tekken World Tour Global Finals. He will face off against some of the greatest players in the world such as Knee, Joey Fury, and Nobi.

I recently had a chance to sit down with Anakin for an exclusive interview, concerning his career, the future of Tekken, and so much more. Furthermore, we discussed where newcomers are going wrong and how they can approach the game to have more success. Tekken’s an incredibly challenging game to learn, after all.

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Anakin speaks about his career as a pro Tekken player

Q. Hello! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. For those who aren't familiar with your work, would you like to introduce yourself to our audience?

Anakin: My name is Hoa Luu, aka Anakin, and I’m a professional TEKKEN player from Atlanta, Georgia, US.

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Q. As one of the most recognized and skilled Tekken players in the North American scene, how does the competitive scene feel to you right now?

Anakin: The competitive scene is bigger and stronger than ever. TEKKEN’s popularity has risen quickly since 7’s release in 2017. With it came the Tekken World Tour, which further grew the scene. It’s more competitive than it’s ever been, by a lot.

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Q. You've had several intense matches across your career, without a doubt. For example, at CEO 2022, you played against many of the best players in the world, such as Rangchu, Book, and more. Who would you say was your most intense opponent? What made them such a tough opponent for you?

Anakin: I’d say that fighting against Arslan is pretty intense. He brings a fast and aggressive pace whenever he plays, and is also very animated as a person whenever he wins or loses. It’s more fun to go against players who display their emotions openly throughout the set. It definitely adds to the overall experience.

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Q. Although you've competed in so many tournaments, perhaps the most significant stage was EVO 2022. Even though you made it to 9th-12th, you were taken out of the tournament against JeonDDing. Was there anything you learned from that battle against his Julia?

Anakin: Up until recently, JeonDDing had always been known for his Eddy and Lucky Chloe gameplay. Julia definitely brought new challenges that proved to be more difficult to overcome than expected. I was caught off guard for sure, but was able to take that experience and get revenge later that year for a tournament win in Europe.

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Q. Were there any other memorable battles at EVO 2022? Any opponents you were looking forward to mixing it up with?

Anakin: Fighting Khan from Pakistan was memorable as well. I think there was a lot of mutual respect for one another and we both just looked forward to facing off for the first time. I missed out on Top 8 by just one match, so I was really bummed that I didn’t get a chance to compete on Sunday rather than miss out on any particular opponent.

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Q. On that note, you overcame JeonDDing later in 2022, when you took first place in Malta Cyber Series VI's Main Event. How did it feel to defeat your rival in the same year?

Anakin: It’s always nice to avenge a loss, especially a recent one that really meant a lot to me. But at the same time, JeonDDing is a good friend, so it’s really more of a friendly competitive feeling instead of anything personal.

You never know who you’re going to run into in the next tournament, or how long you’ll have to wait before getting a chance at revenge in a tournament. Sometimes, it takes years before you can avenge a loss. So, I’ll enjoy this one until it’s time to play again.

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Q. Back in 2016, you also chose to not use your automatic qualification for the King of Iron Fist 2016 American Finals after winning at Combo Breaker. What specifically do you think you needed to know and do you think that decision paid off in the long run?

Anakin: TEKKEN 7 was only released in arcades in JP/KR at that time. Players in America were only getting to sample the game when it was demoed at various tournaments. My playtime was really limited and I knew that, in such times, it’s a big race to see who can learn some stronger early-game strategies and gain the upper hand with muscle memory when it came to specific mechanics.

I just wanted to take advantage of my newly acquired sponsorship and travel as much as possible in order to gain that experience.

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Q. You're also a player who makes it a habit to train and practice with the entire Tekken cast. Do you have any particular favorites you'd like to see make a return in Tekken 8?

Anakin: I really missed Baek Doo San, Hwoarang’s teacher, and the kangaroo Roger Jr in TEKKEN 7. They were two characters that I played with quite often in previous TEKKEN games.

Whenever characters skip out on a TEKKEN installment only to return to the cast many years later, it really makes the comeback even more epic. Seeing either one of those characters come back after almost ten years away would truly put a smile on my face.

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Q. Speaking of Tekken 8, not much is known about the game. However, one thing that has been revealed was the Heat System. Based on what we know now, does it sound like it's going to be a positive change for Tekken 8?

Anakin: It’s really too early to tell, but I’m optimistic. New mechanics and features in a fighting game are always interesting because they have to fit in well or else a lot of people will complain.

In a legacy game like TEKKEN, new features may be harder to incorporate because players have simply been used to certain things for so long. However, lots of new things were experimented with in TEKKEN 7 and it definitely paid off. I think the developers are on the right track with everything.

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Q. Tekken, as a series, continues to evolve and grow with each new iteration. But what about you, as a player? What sort of mechanical or technical features do you think Tekken 8 could really use, to improve the casual and competitive scenes?

Anakin: During the early reveal days of TEKKEN 7, I remember a lot of long-time fans complaining about the various features that were added/changed to make the game easier and more accessible for new players.

Those changes ended up working out great while still keeping the game the same at its core. I’d be down with more easy-to-perform/casual targeted changes to continue to grow the casual player base, which would eventually lead to more players in the competitive pool.

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Q. As one of the best Tekken players in North America, do you have any advice for players getting into Tekken for the first time with Tekken 7? With such a vast roster, it can be hard to find your main character. Any thoughts on that for newcomers?

Anakin: The biggest mistake that newcomers make when starting out with TEKKEN is that they’re trying to be a pro too soon. Trying to main top-tier characters, immediately practicing advanced tactics, worrying about their online ranks, and other things like that. It really is all about playing/doing what you like and having fun. That’ll help maintain interest when learning a difficult game like TEKKEN.

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Q. What about Tekken Tag Tournament? Do you think we're long overdue for a new version of one of the best fighting games of all time?

Anakin: Maybe not yet. As much as I liked Tekken Tag 2, it almost killed the franchise. Also, it’s too soon. The roster won’t have many additions since only one TEKKEN has been released since the last tag.

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To see more, Anakin can be found on both Twitter and Twitch. Furthermore, you can see him competing in the Tekken World Tour Global Finals amongst some of the world's best players this weekend.