Kenshi's story is like a great Greek tragedy. He was a swordsman with an ego the size of China, then he let the temptation of a great sword become his undoing. The evil sorcerer Shang Tsung tricked him into unearthing a legendary sword so Tsung could absorb all the souls that were trapped within the ancient weapon. This blinded Kenshi; a substantial payment for his stupidity and ego. However, the ancient sword helped Kenshi to hone his other senses and training with Ermac taught him to use his latent telekinetic skills. Now, like so many great Greek tragedies, Kenshi is on a quest for revenge.

Kenshi comes to Mortal Kombat as a powerful fighter that blends telekinesis with good, old-fashioned bloodletting via the business end of a sword. This makes for what seems like a blend of Ermac, Noob Saibot, and several moves that are all his own. Up close, Kenshi is a vicious fighter with his sword and employs some very brutal telekinetic attacks that are very good for sending an opponent flying away from you. At range, Kenshi has a limited move set, but his Telekinetic Flurry is a ranged combo (a telekinetic projection of Kenshi gets in a few good licks) that nobody else has. It makes for a rather odd combination; a fighter who's adept at close quarters combat, yet has so many moves that send your opponents away from you. Nevertheless, he's one of the most fun characters in the game.

Thankfully, Kenshi also has a look all of his own. He's not a ninja or a cyborg or a clone of any other character in the game. He wears a red blindfold, an ancient sword on his back, and rather modern armor from his time with the Special Forces. It's really a great character design, blending old-world samurai with modern (or even futuristic) elements. His story is timeless and he's a long-time fan-favorite character since his introduction in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.

Kenshi has all the things that make a great fighting game character: unique moves, a unique style, a rich back story, and a look that people love. Unlike Skarlet, who really just feels like a cloning/blending of existing characters, Kenshi adds a spirit all his own to Mortal Kombat.