Out of the seven original series characters, Kano has featured the least in the Mortal Kombat games, though he was among the eleven characters who represented the franchise in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. He has appeared in alternate series media such as the first Mortal Kombat film, the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, in addition to having a central role in the 1995 Mortal Kombat novel and featuring on official series merchandise. General and critical reception for the character has been mainly positive, but mixed in regards to his Fatality finishing moves.