How Mortal Kombat Retconned Kano’s Nationality

Fans of the Mortal Kombat series will likely recognize Kano, one of the many iconic characters the series has to offer, with ease. Brutal, crude, and sporting a cybernetic eye, Kano has appeared in a number of Mortal Kombat games, including the first. However, longtime fans may recall that one of Kano’s most recognizable features, his Australian accent, was the result of a retcon to his nationality.

Kano is not the only Mortal Kombat character to have been retroactively changed at some point. For instance, the character Sindel had her backstory retconned in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, changing her personality and motivations. Still, Kano’s changes are pronounced, as they can be observed simply by listening to him speak. Here’s how Kano became the character fans know today.

In the original Mortal Kombat, Kano was not Australian but instead of Japanese-American descent. He led a criminal organization known as the Black Dragon and wore a white gi, emphasizing his Japanese background. Perhaps this original iteration of the character was seen as uninteresting to fans; for instance, Kano was not included in Mortal Kombat 2 due to what the series’ creators cite as a low rate of player usage in-game. The character did return in the 1995 game Mortal Kombat 3, but it was Kano’s portrayal that same year in the Mortal Kombat movie that would mark a dramatic change to his nationality.

Mortal Kombat’s 1995 Movie Retconned Kano’s Nationality

The version of Kano in the fan-acclaimed 1995 movie Mortal Kombat inspired the character’s change in nationality. The largest contributor to this change was the man who portrayed Kano, British actor Trevor Goddard. Despite his previous establishment as an American of Japanese descent, the Australian accent Goddard used for Kano was very well-received. Interestingly, some fans debate that Goddard’s delivery was closer to a Cockney British accent than an Australian one. Regardless, Kano’s new Australian identity stuck and became a key facet of his character in future games.

Kano was subsequently retconned to be Australian in Mortal Kombat games going forward, gaining the accent with which fans today associate him. Even when a younger version of Kano is introduced in Mortal Kombat 11, he still shares a voice with his modern incarnation. In addition, Australian actor Josh Lawson plays Kano in Mortal Kombat, the most recent movie (which was just released earlier this year) to continue the tradition. Even if the story within the Mortal Kombat games changes, it seems likely that this aspect of Kano’s character will remain constant, since it’s something fans have gotten used to.

About The Author

Justin Loveland
(90 Articles Published)

Justin is a Gaming Features Writer for Screen Rant, and a graduate of Quinnipiac University. Based in Connecticut, he is also currently a staff writer for Parish Property Management in Pelham, NY, as well as an avid fan of fantasy fiction. Justin has enjoyed a variety of games since his beginnings with the Nintendo 64 and original PlayStation.

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