Genji is 35 Years Old and Kiriko is in Her Early 20‘s
As an avid Overwatch player and gaming blogger, I often get asked about the backstories and ages of popular heroes. Two rising fan favorites are cybernetic ninja Genji and mystical support hero Kiriko. Read on fellow gamers, and I‘ll tell you everything we know!
Delving Into the Lore of the Shimada Clan
Overwatch has some great lore if you dig deeper, especially around the Japanese Shimada crime family. Genji and Kiriko have close ties here. As a quick refresher:
- Genji is the younger Shimada brother
- He was raised to lead the family alongside his older brother Hanzo
- The Shimadas teach secret ninja techniques passed down generations
When Genji was young, he befriended the daughter of their swordmaster Asa – Kiriko. The two trained together under Asa‘s guidance, forming a strong bond.
How Old is Genji in Overwatch 2?
- Genji‘s current age is 35
- His lore confirms he‘s the younger Shimada brother
- His older brother Hanzo is 38 years old
- So roughly a 3 year age gap between them
This matches the narrative of them leading the Shimada empire together in their youth. While 35 now, Genji would‘ve been a bit younger when first taking on leadership duties and training with Kiriko.
Estimating Kiriko‘s Age Based on Context
Kiriko‘s age isn‘t definitively stated, but there are clues to piece together an estimate:
- She‘s shown training with the Shimada brothers as a child
- She appears slightly younger than them in flashbacks
- In current Overwatch 2 gameplay she seems around early 20s
My best estimate based on this evidence is that Kiriko is between 15-20 years younger than Genji‘s age of 35. That pegs her safely in the early 20‘s age range.
Additional Insight on Kiriko‘s Age
Some more analytical observations on why I think early 20‘s is a reasonable estimate:
- Kiriko‘s youthful visual design supports her being in her 20s
- She had enough time to train extensively under her mother Asa as a young teen
- 15-20 year gap between her and Genji/Hanzo allows for this childhood training backstory and age dynamic
In terms of narrative themes, I could also see Blizzard intentionally making her younger to highlight:
- Her prodigal talents – mastering mystical abilities at a young age
- Passing the torch – the new generation surpassing the previous one
Kiriko and Genji Share a Deep Bond and History
Even if unclear on exact ages, the extensive history between Genji and Kiriko is certainly canon lore in Overwatch. Some key facts on their relationship:
- Childhood friends training under swordmaster Asa
- Asa is Kiriko‘s mother and taught her unique abilities
- Kiriko was there to support Genji after his near-fatal fight with Hanzo
- They share deep history and trust as part of the Shimada clan saga
The youth, enthusiasm and potential of Kiriko contrasts nicely against Genji‘s seasoned veteran status. It will be exciting to see their teacher/student relationship evolve!
I hope this breakdown gives you some gaming insight into the backstories and ages of these compelling Overwatch heroes! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions. I had fun putting my lore expertise and analytical eyes to work. Now it‘s time to boot up Overwatch 2 and main Kiriko!
