Kiriko (Overwatch)

Kiriko Kamori ( ) is a character in the Overwatch media franchise. Her first appearance was in Overwatch 2, a 2023 first-person hero shooter developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Kiriko's character design and gameplay mechanics draw from the imagery found in Japanese folklore and Shinto folk religion. In the game's lore, her mother trained her to be a ninja, while her grandmother taught her about spirituality and her ancestry. Combining her two matriarchal influences, Kiriko carries the power of a kitsune, which she uses to protect her native Kanezaka, a fictional Japanese city. She was the first playable Overwatch character announced following the end of Overwatch 2's beta testing period, as well as the first character made available through a battle pass unlock. Blizzard's decision to make Kiriko and all future playable heroes locked behind a battle pass system was met with backlash and criticism from the game's player base; in April 2024, the decision was reversed, making all heroes, including Kiriko and everyone released after her, become available for free. Kiriko initially received positive reception upon her release. However, she was the subject of continuously receiving skins nearly every limited time in-game event. Players and critics also stated her personality to be "arrogant" and "rude" and her lore was making her a "self-insert" to Genji and Hanzo's story. As a result starting in 2025, the character's overall reception has changed to become mixed to negative.