Robert Garcia

Robert in Bleach the King of Fighters A15 (2019)

**Robert Garcia** (ロバート・ガルシア, *Robāto Garushia*) is the deuteragonist (and second protagonist) of the *Art of Fighting series*, forming the second half of the Japanese's series namesake as "**The Raging Tiger**" or "**The Mightiest Tiger**" (最強の虎, *Saikyo no Tora*).

## Personality

Robert in the *Art of Fighting* series is first portrayed as the fiery smartmouth to contrast the level-headed, serious Ryo. After the first game, his character softens to be a stylish, charismatic and extraverted showman who seemingly overcomes any obstacle flawlessly. Though he may act cocky and self-assured, Robert is a passionate and righteous man at heart. If there is a serious threat to his loved ones, he won't hesitate to provide his aid. In every incarnation, he is fiercely devoted to the Sakazaki family, his family, and his friends. This series hints that his attraction to Yuri is mutual and accepted by her family.

*The King of Fighters* series plays the melodrama of the *Art of Fighting* series for laughs, which often shoves Robert into a comedic role as a result. One example is that despite his family's wealthiness, Robert doesn't use it to help his poorer Sakazaki friends. In the *Art of Fighting* series, this is because the Sakazakis are strong believers in self-reliance and would have been gravely insulted by the financial assistance; the *King of Fighters* series jokes that it's really because the Sakazakis are finally realizing and complaining about the realities of poverty or that the Garcias are too greedy to help. He is often bumbling about at Takuma or Yuri's eccentric whims. In fights, his flashiness and showmanship are emphasized. Robert's infatuations with Yuri also aren't as strongly recuperated as they are in *Art of Fighting*.

## Powers

* **Gather chi:** Robert can gather ki from Gaia, the mother-earth.
* **Energy Projectile:** Robert can fire the Ryugekiken and Haoh Shou Kouken blast normally.
* **Multiple Attacks:** Robert can channel his ki energy into his legs to deliver multiple kicks at a very fast ratio.

## Fighting Style

To counter Ryo, Robert was taught to be the "dragon" of Kyokugenryu Karate, ironic since his nickname calls him a "tiger", especially with his frequently-reworked Ryuugeki Ken (Dragon Attack Fist) technique as staple of the motif. Robert's style focuses upon lethal kicks, his signature move being the Gen'ei Kyaku (Phantom Leg), along with his Mahha Geri (Mach Kick) from *Neo Geo Battle Coliseum* and *KOF XI* being a possible feint attack. He of course, also tends to sport some of the same techniques as Ryo, like the Haou Shoukou Ken.

His fighting style has been reworked through the history of his game appearances, having his first drastic change in *KOF '96* with a stationary Ryuugeki Ken and a completely different Hien Shippuu Kyaku (Flying Swallow Hurricane Leg; later reworked into the Hien Senpuu Kyaku lit. Flying Swallow Whirlwind Leg which puts more emphasis on multiple rapid-spinning kicks). In *KOF '99* and *KOF 2000*, all his movesets where changed into charging motions (holding back or down then release into the opposite direction along an attack button), losing several of his traditional moves like his Gen'ei Kyaku or his Ryuuga (this "charge" version of himself would return in *KOF 2002UM* as EX Robert. Because of these constant reworks on his style, Robert, unlike most fighters, has several different fighting stances differing from game to game.

His aforementioned Ryuugeki Ken has also been one of his most reworked moves, ranging from a simple wave launched from a hand movement (via several different animations for the attack) to being a wave launched from a kick (Ryuugeki Sen lit. Dragon Attack Flash).

In *KOF XII* and *XIII*, he along with Yuri in *KOF XI* has now a backwards kick command normal called Ushiro Geri (Behind Kick), which functions just like Iori's Yuri Ori. Like Iori in the series, Robert was also one of the few characters to be able to pull of an aerial attack during his backdash.