Art of Fighting Team

The **Art of Fighting Team**, also known as the Mexico Team or the **Kyokugenryu Team**, is a group that brings together the main characters of the Art of Fighting video game.

It was originally composed by Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia and Takuma Sakazaki in the games *The King of Fighters '94* or *'95*. After Takuma's retirement, Yuri Sakazaki enters with them in *The King of Fighters '96* and *'97*. Takuma returns to the tournament during the NESTS Saga and King joins only in *The King of Fighters 2000*, *XI* and *XV*.

## Story

### Orochi Saga

In this saga for '94 and '95 three Sakazaki warriors defeat Rugal and in a subsequent tournament they defeat Saisyu (Controlled by Rugal in order to see Kyo suffer) and then they manage to defeat the strongest version of Rugal known as Omega Rugal.

In '96, Takuma asks Yuri to take his place if he doesn't want him to kick her out of the house, they manage to first beat Mr. Big who was looking for revenge from the Sakazaki but he left the tournament because Geese wanted to get the energies of Orochi. Later they defeat the sponsor. Chizuru, a fighter belonging to the Yata Clan and finally Goenitz, one of the 4 Orochi Kings who controls the wind, he explained that he had known Rugal for a long time and ripped out his right eye to obtain forces, they manage to defeat him and he commits suicide. At the end it is seen that they are somewhat encouraged to defeat the heavenly King and Mr. Karate appears again, in the rubble, still believing that he is a hero. Although the three ignore it, knowing that again Takuma is out of his way.

In KOF '97 again the three appear at the time, although they were frankly defeated by the Fatal Fury Team, like the other teams they were attacked by the blood disturbance in Iori Yagami because the Orochi Team activated the powers on this fighter during the final. After Orochi's defeat by the Three Sacred Treasures Team the trio went to a park where they meet Mr. Karate himself. Although the three of them realized who he really was, then Karate took off his mask and it turned out to be Takuma Sakazaki, which for them was a surprise to see them from the shadows.

This team appears in KOF '98 as part of a Dream Match with no canonical background, in addition, Takuma can be chosen as part of the main team with images in the credits. Instead Takuma joined the Master Team with Heidern and Saisyu Kusanagi.

### NESTS Saga

In the first tournament of the NESTS Chronicles, the AOF had Takuma as a team (Since the tournament rules are for 4 people). This team almost to the semifinals did not achieve positive results but they went to observe that the K' Team arrived with Krizalid (the sponsor of the tournament) explaining about their objectives of using Kyo Kusanagi's DNA to some clones that they implanted. After the death of Krizalid at the hands of an unknown man, the karatecos did not hesitate to escape the collapse. But Takuma could not run as fast as he could and ends up crushed by a rock, Yuri, Robert and Ryo pray for Takuma's health in the credits, but soon Takuma had survived the collapse to the surprise of all three.

In 2000 things continue to prosper for the AOF, in the first place Yuri retires from the AOF because Takuma demands a lot from him and in the second the latter begs that King take his place again this year. Before this Robert began to challenge him to test his strength, so much so that Ryo seems to have affection and ended up being in the team as a lie. After Zero (clone) died, who created the Zero Cannon to destroy the entire world, Takuma manages to save King from being crushed with a Ko'oh Ken (Possibly remembered what happened in '99). In his heart, King thanks him for his thanks, although Takuma does not answer him.

In the last NESTS Chronicles tournament, Yuri joins the team again, due to Robert's family

     had financial problems, together they must win the tournament prize at first they meet Zero who apparently is the good one and the other is a clone, later they discover that the event is organized by Igniz the arrogant leader of NESTS, who first kills Anidas Nests then mentions his guinea pigs (K', Kula, Krizalid and K9999) and then decides to become a god to leave humanity. When the 4 managed to stop Igniz, he wanted to commit suicide because no one let him become a god and proclaims himself as a demon. They were all saved from the explosion (Probably Ron) and Takuma tells Robert to give him the tournament prize in the face of denials from Robert and the others.

In KOF 2002, as it is a Dream Match, the team is the same as KOF '94, '95 without Yuri and King. In their remake they include two alternate versions: Robert (KOF '99-2000 attacks) and Takuma (with his energy spheres).

### Ash Saga

Yuri, Robert and Ryo return to action in 2003, however after stopping Mukai who breaks the Orochi seal, upon reaching the dojo someone or an unknown person attacked Takuma on the spot and he was knocked unconscious.

In KOF XI, King takes the place of Takuma (The reason why he had fallen in 2003, is because of his health problems, which is also discovered that Those from the Past did it first discovering that Chin Gentsai was right about of what happened in the 2003 tournament).

Apparently King, Yuri and Ryo face another team that has rivalries with the Sakazaki better known as Anti-Art of Fighting Team, made up of Eiji Kisaragi who returned for revenge against them and his revenge against Iori (thinking that has died for the same Iori, but continued), the girl who was with Athena, Malin entered as Yuri's rival since she said that her fighting style was *weak*, and finally Kasumi Todoh who still has rivalries with the Sakazaki but never revealed if he has found his father.

After Magaki (the host of the tournament and a member of the TFTP) dies and a boy named Shion (also of the TFTP) disappears into another dimension, Ryo and King went to the bar but Robert, Yuri and Takuma (Returning with the same mask of Mr. Karate and probably recovered from his illness) they disguise themselves as employees to ruin the event, which makes Ryo and King angry. Takuma gives him some keys to his penthouse and King gets angry (indicating that she was the one who ended up hitting the Anti-Art of Fighting Team who were in the same place).

Already in KOF XIII the trio of the three warriors from '94 and '95 meet to defeat Saiki and the evil version of Ash. Mr. Karate also appears as an alternate character for Takuma and in this case Takuma is already obese due to his health in previous tournaments.

### KOF XIV & XV

The team is again made up of Robert, Ryo and Yuri in past installments, again Takuma is absent from the tournament.

## Music

* **Ryuuko no Ken** - The King of Fighters '94
* **Ryuuko no Ken ~ Yureru Otokogo ~** - The King of Fighters '95
* **Kamikirimushi** - The King of Fighters '96
* **Art of Fight** - The King of Fighters '98
* **Ryu-Ko** - The King of Fighters '99
* **The Beauty and the Beast** - The King of Fighters 2000, EX Neo Blood, EX2 Howling Blood and The King of Fighters 2002
* **Fight to the Limit** - The King of Fighters 2001
* **ART OF FIGHT ~ Ryuko to Tsubame** - The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match
* **Kyoku-gen** - The King of Fighters 2003
* **After a Long Absence** - The King of Fighters XI, The King of Fighters XIII (Console version, as Type B Theme)
* **Diet** - The King of Fighters XI (Yuri as leader in PS2 version)
* **Kyokugen Training! ~ Mountain Seclusion ~** - The King of Fighters XIII
* **Tiger & Dragon** - The King of Fighters XIV

## Gallery

### Artworks

Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '94Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '95Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '96Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '97Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '98Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters '99Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters 2000Art of Fighting in The King of Fighters 2001Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters 2002Art of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters XIArt of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters XIIIArt of Fighting Team in The King of Fighters XIV
## Trivia

* Many fans were rumoned that the team came from Mexico because they represented that country from the first game.
* Yuri is the girl with the most appearances on the team.
* In KOF '97 this team had no songs for any of its members.
* King only had a minor appearance on the team, as he replaced Yuri first and replaced Takuma in KOF XI.
* It is the team that changed the most in all games, after the Fatal Fury Team.