Iori Yagami

## Personal Info

Title: Unbridled Instinct

Birthdate: March 25

Age: 20

Birthplace: Japan

Height: 6’2 (188)

Weight: 168 (76)

Blood: O

Job: Musician

Style: Yagami Martial Arts

## Story

660 years before the game takes
place, Orochi's seal began to weaken. The three clans decided to move its
vessel into another location. Wanting to disrupt their unity, one of the
Hakkesshu killed the leader of the Yasakani's wife. Under a disguise, the
murderer then approached the Yasakani head and reported that the Kusanagi clan
was responsible, saying that it was "atonement" for letting the seal
weaken. To add more fuel to the fire, the corpse of his wife was found in the
Kusanagi homeland. Angered by the revelation, the Yasakani made a blood pact
with Orochi to gain the necessary means for revenge. Gaining a forbidden
technique called "Kin Sen Hyaku Juuichi Shiki: Ya Otome" (Forbidden Method 1211: 8 Maidens), the Yasakani renamed themselves as the Yagami
clan.

As a side-effect of the Orochi's
curse, the once crimson flames of the Yagami have a bluish tint. The curse also
causes each heir to die young and each mother to die in childbirth.

Before the events of The King of
Fighters '95 tournament, Billy Kane and Eiji Kisaragi end a sudden duel in a
draw. Billy then introduces Eiji to Iori who comes in dragging the body of one
of Geese's assassins. Overwhelmed by Iori's strength, Billy invites both Eiji
and Iori to form the Rival team to enter the tournament. Iori joins them as a
means to meet his rival. At the finals, he helps the hero team defeat Rugal Bernstein. Before Rugal dies, Iori mocks him for trying to use the power of
Orochi. Claiming that such power could only belong to him, Iori severely
injuries his fellow team members. He then declares Kyo and his clan will be
next.

Before the King of Fighters '96
tournament, Iori is visited by two mysterious women who introduce themselves as
Vice and Mature. They tell him of Kyo's entry in the tournament and try to
coerce him to join as well. After a brief fight, he agrees to enter once the
two submit to be his servants, intending to use them to help him kill his
rival. When he leaves, Vice and Mature contact their employer, Goenitz,
ensuring him everything was going to their plan.

During the finals of the tournament,
he helps his rival and Chizuru Kagura, heir to the Yata clan, to defeat
Goenitz. The former dies leaving a warning to not underestimate the power of
Orochi or Yagami. Vice and Mature are left shaken by the ill omen. It is then
when Iori suddenly undergoes symptoms of the Riot of the Blood. Unable to
control this surge of Orochi power, Iori violently kills his companions.

Before the events of the King of
Fighters '97 tournament, Iori learns of his rival's entry from the local news.
Later that night, he has a nightmare of two women mocking his inability to
defeat Kyo. The women disappear with the promise of meeting him again soon.
When he awakes, he coughs up blood. Filled with a sudden hate and rage, he
declares to defeat his rival. However, at the tournament's conclusion, he joins
both Kyo and Chizuru again.

He advances into the finals, where
he confronts the remaining "Four Heavenly Kings" of Orochi, Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, and Chris. When they are beaten, Orochi possesses Chris'
body and attempts to destroy the three clans at once. As was done in the
legends of their clans, the trio successfully defeat him. In a last-ditch
effort, Orochi causes Iori to enter the Riot of Blood, expecting him to turn on
Kyo and Chizuru. Instead, Iori snares Orochi by the neck, and Kyo obliges his
rival by crippling the great demon with one last deathblow, allowing Chizuru to
reseal Orochi.

Shortly after discovering the
creation of clones of Kyo, Iori gained word of another King of Fighters
tournament, and he began to suspect that the person responsible for cloning Kyo
might be there. Iori followed the battles from the shadows, and eventually
found an abandoned warehouse where Krizalid had fought the New Hero Team and
Kyo.

The whereabouts of Iori were unknown
after KoF '99, and it is assumed he cared little about Southtown and the events
of KoF 2000, instead focusing on the opportunity for a fight against his rival.

The next year, an agent named Seth
invited Iori to join his team for the next King of Fighters tournament, under
the presumption that he would get his shot against Kyo if he entered. Iori made
it clear from the beginning of the tournament that teamwork was irrelevant, as
he could take on whole teams by himself. However, near the climax of the
tournament, he assisted K', Kula Diamond and Kyo in besting Igniz aboard a
massive space station. He later escaped the destruction of the station before
its impact with Earth.

In The King of Fighters 2003, Iori
reluctantly teamed up again with Kyo and Chizuru Kagura at the latter's
request, as it seemed that the current tournament might be linked to the
Orochi. After their battle with Mukai, Ash Crimson stole Chizuru's powers. He
then made an offer of servitude to Iori, who answered with a fiery attack,
which prompted Ash to disappear while Kyo swore revenge. With the defeat of
Chizuru and the crippled Orochi seal spelling possible catastrophe, it seemed
that the Yagami clan would soon be changed forever.

In The King of Fighters XI, Iori
agrees on Chizuru's request to team up with Kyo and Shingo Yabuki in hopes of
opposing Ash. At the end of the tournament, the strengthening presence of
Orochi caused Iori to enter the Riot of Blood, in which he trashed Kyo and
Shingo before Ash Crimson appeared and stole Iori's sacred treasure, the
Yasakani Jewel, and his power.

Before the KOF XIII tournament, Iori
pays a visit to Chizuru to see if she needs her treasure to use her power.
Realizing that his predictions are true, she presents Iori with the prospect of
ridding the Orochi curse from his bloodline since he is no longer hindered by
his treasure. Uninterested in rectifying his family's mistake, he remarks that
Chizuru's mirror will return in due time and leaves. With Mature and Vice
haunting him to join the tournament with them, they perk his interest to settle
matters with Ash.

In the tournament climax, Iori
regains his treasure once Ash disappears. Mature and Vice remark that he can
still choose to refuse the treasure, saving himself from the Orochi curse once
and for all. He questions what will happen to his teammates if he should accept
the treasure again, but they voice that he should choose whatever he thinks is
right. Therefore, he mercilessly regains his flames and his teammates disappear
once more from the mortal realm. Back in action, he challenges Kyo to an
undecided outcome.

## Power

Slashing Hand

Pyrokinesis

Riot of the Blood

## Music

Stormy Saxophone (MediaWiki:Badtitletext, King of Fighters 98, King of Fighters 98: Unlimited Match, MediaWiki:Badtitletext, King of Fighters 13)

Stormy Saxophone 2 (MediaWiki:Badtitletext, King of Fighters 02, King of Fighters 13, MediaWiki:Badtitletext)

Cool Jam: Stormy Saxophone 3 (King of Fighters 97, KOF 98, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium, KOF 98: UM,
King of Fighters R-1, King of Fighters R-2)

Esaka Forever (KOF 98, KOF 98: UM)

Sadistic Eyes (King of Fighters 99)

Stormy Scream: Stormy Saxophone 4
(King of Fighters 00, King of Fighters EX 2)

Immortal Mirror of the Sun (MediaWiki:Badtitletext)

Cool Jam 2 (King of Fighters 03)

New Order (KOF 11)

Stormy Saxophone 5 (KOF 13)

Tranquilizer (King of Fighters 02: Unlimited Match)

Aquamarine: Luv and Sax (King of Fighters Dance Trax)

Stormy Black: Black (KOF DT)

Cool Jam: Saxophone Storm 3 Mix
(King of Fighters Best Collection)

Reverse Kusanagi (Days of Memories)

Moon of Crazy Flame (KOF 96)

Monochrome (MediaWiki:Badtitletext)

Sun & Moon

Allegory of the Wind (KOF 97)

Never Lose My Way (KOF 98)