In the original Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sucker Punch's masked bandit hunts for pages from a special book that teach him the techniques of his ancestors. In the upcoming Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time you'll get to play those ancestors, including master ninja Rioichi Cooper.
The inventor of sushi who uses his famous restaurant as a front for his criminal dealings, Master Rioichi looks to be more of a red panda than a raccoon, but they're equally adorable and ferocious so I'll let it slide. Players will slip into Rioichi's stealthy paws in his original time period, utilizing his Leaping Dragon technique to span long distances in a single bound. Once the master ninja's historic mission is completed he'll join up with Sly and pals in the present as the latest member of his band of thieves.
Developer Sanzaru Games promises many more Sly ancestors appearing in the game, each with their own unique powers and personality. They had me at master ninja raccoon.
Meet Ninja Master Rioichi Cooper from Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time [PlayStation Blog]
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