Katsuhiro Harada, the former director of the Tekken series, has shared a humorous anecdote about his initial confusion regarding fan reactions to Leroy Smith's introduction in Tekken 7. Smith, a Wing Chun practitioner, quickly became a fan favorite upon his reveal, even inspiring celebrity cosplays and widespread praise.
Following the character's announcement in 2019, Harada received messages from American fans that included phrases like, "Can we invite you to the cookout for making an awesome character like this?" Harada, despite his proficiency in English and extensive experience interacting with international fans, admitted he had no idea what the phrase meant. His first reaction was one of apprehension, fearing the worst.
Harada explained that he had recently encountered the term "cooked" online, often in contexts discussing negative sentiment towards video games. This led him to interpret "inviting him to the cookout" as an invitation to a hostile event where he would be "beaten up and roasted." He recounted a moment of genuine fear, wondering if he had inadvertently crossed a cultural line. "For one terrifying moment, I read it as: ‘Hey… we… we… can invite you to a party where we’re going to beat you up and roast you?’" Harada stated. "Even though I thought I knew America pretty well, I genuinely wondered if I’d somehow pressed some invisible cultural button that I wasn’t supposed to touch."
He eventually learned that "getting invited to the cookout" was a significant compliment, signifying acceptance and trust within a close-knit group, akin to being welcomed by friends and loved ones at a family barbecue. This explanation brought immense relief. Harada also humorously recalled being surprised by the sheer scale of American barbecue equipment and food, noting that even common utensils appeared enormous compared to those in Japan.
Looking back, Harada expressed regret for not having accepted any of these community invitations at the time, viewing it as a missed opportunity to engage more deeply with his fans. He acknowledged the influence of several prominent Black figures on his work, including Michael Jackson, Wesley Snipes as Blade, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game of Death, and Jim Kelly in Enter the Dragon. "Of course I can’t claim that I fully understand what you call Black culture. But if we’re talking about the parts that have genuinely influenced me, the cookout story is certainly one of them," he said.
Harada recently departed from Bandai Namco, where he spent 31 years, to establish his own development studio, VS Studio. He intends to focus on creating a new fighting game and returning to his foundational work in game development.