Taki (Japanese: タキ) is a character in the Soulcalibur series of video games. Created by designers Aya Takemura and Takuji Kawano of Namco's Project Soul division, she was introduced in Soul Edge, and later appeared in almost every subsequent sequel. Taki is a Japanese demon-hunting kunoichi and the greatest warrior of the Fu-Ma ninja clan. She is traveling the world on a quest to destroy the cursed sword Soul Edge. Taki has been featured as a player character in every main entry in the series up until 2012's Soulcalibur V, when her place was taken by her own young disciple named Natsu, but she returned in 2018's Soulcalibur VI. She has further appeared in all of Soulcalibur spin-off games, as well as in some other titles such as Namco × Capcom, The King of Fighters All Star, and Queen's Gate. She has been voiced in Japanese by Fujiko Takimoto until Soulcalibur III, and then by Sachiko Kojima and Nanako Mori in later games, while her English voice actors include Desirée Goyette and Cynthia Holloway.
Taki has achieved significant popularity among fans of the series, especially in the West. She has received mostly positive feedback, often described as having iconic status in the series. She has been regarded as both one of the best female ninja characters in video games as well as a sex symbol of the fighting game genre. The emphasis on the character's sexuality in official media has led to mixed responses from critics, however, with some praising it while others feel it became excessive as the series progressed, namely due to the perception of her breast size increasing with each iteration of the franchise.
