Kukri

**Kukri** (ククリ) is a character from ***The King of Fighters*** series. He was introduced in *The King of Fighters XIV* as a mysterious hooded, fouled mouth man, although there is more to him than meets the eye. His official nickname is "***Sharp-Tongued Sandman***".

He is voiced by Hiroki Takahashi.

## Story

### Past

Kukri was born and raised in the harsh desert streets for as long as he could remember. His parents had left him at a young age, and had to fend for himself. His only concern was his life; he spent his days in the shadows, out of sight of passersby, holding his breath so that he could survive another day. However, everything would change when a young woman named Dolores met him by chance. She offered Kukri to be her pupil, to which he accepted.

Seven years later, Kukri awakened to his sand powers, but was unable to control them, causing a massive sandstorm and robbing moisture from its surroundings. Dolores arrived to help and save him, at the cost of her own life. Kukri would live the rest of his life filled with hate and regret of that day. At some point, Kukri made a name of himself in the underground society.

### New Age Saga

#### The King of Fighters XIV

Prior to the the fourteenth tournament, Kukri was personally invited by Antonov as part of the Official Invitation Team along with Sylvie Paula Paula and Mian. Before entering, he made a detour to Dolores's home, and looked scoured through the literature, relying on his memory of the texts. The desk was piled high with scrolls, and Kukri grabbed anything he could find. He notice a line during the passages, "***Theoretically...it could even revive the dead...***". With those words, he was determined to get Dolores back. He then made contact to Elisabeth Blanctorche, who was greving over Ash Crimson's disappearance from history, and helped her to recall her memories of Ash. In exchange for reviving Ash, Kukri sought the cooperation of the Blanctorche family, to which the noblewoman assented without hesitation.

Throughout the tournament, he meets several fighters, all with different powers and backgrounds to come together to fight. Out of all of the fighters, he met a green haired boy wearing headphones, who he heavily dislike him for having the Amplified Specters that Dolores taught him. Kukri, along with Team Official Invitation, lost to a Team at some point during the tournament.

At the end of the final match reveals that he is familiar with Verse, especially with the monster's half-power within Shun'ei. After Verse's defeat, Verse released numerous souls and has caused many who have perished throughout the series to be brought back to life. Kukri travels to the Ukraine Carpathian Mountains, hoping to find his master, but instead finds Ash Crimson. Kukri somehow contacts Elisabeth to informed her that he found Ash's body in the Ukraine Carpathian Mountains.

#### SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy

Several months prior to the events of the fifteenth tournament, Kukri's obsession for women caused him to create a pocket dimension where women fighters must survive in his universe and join forces and slug it out with other women. Kukri transports most of the female fighters, including few of them who aren't present in the previous tournament (such as Jeanne D'Arc and the recently revived Shermie) to this pocket dimension, and they suddenly fall unconscious. Upon waking, they find themselves in a strange mansion, along some male fighters who have been changed into women. The fighters attempt to battle their way out, but are confronted by the mastermind, Kukri, who reveals he has trapped them in his castle in a pocket dimension and they must defeat him to return home. During the final battle the pocket dimension collapsed, though he manage to escape in other way.

#### The King of Fighters XV

Prior to the fifteenth tournament, Kukri meets up with Ash and Elisabeth in a cafe in Southern France and explains his backstory to them, although he tells them that he made it up. Kukri is annoyed at depsite everything he did to try and revive Dolores, Ash was revived instead. During a live interview of The King of Fighters, Dolores appears on screen, shocking Kukri. Due to this sudden news, Kukri storms out of the establishment, with Elisabeth following after him, while Ash finished his last meal before catching up with them.

Eventually, he confronts Dolores herself and realizes she has been indeed revived. After some conversation and catching up, the two return to their home, and Kukri changed because of his mother figure coming back to life at last.

## Personality

At first glance, Kukri comes off as a very rude, foul-mouthed, arrogant and sadistic fighter that also sports a bit of an openly perverted affection for women; much of his other interests however, are kept under the shadows and are comically speculated by others.

However, in certain teams' cutscenes and his team ending, it's shown that Kukri is very observant and seems to have a helpful side in him, helping Elisabeth locate Ash's whereabouts when he is brought back to life. This further reveal behind Kukri's bitterness is that he had been a sad man on the inside, following Dolores' sacrifice to save him from his recently awakened power in the past. Additionally, according to Dolores, Kukri has been foul-mouthed since childhood.

## Powers

Kukri has the power of sand in order to trick, attack and defend against his opponent(s).

## Skills

* **Sand Manipulation** - Kukri can stun his opponents with sand, through heavy attacks and mountains of the natural element.
* **Parallel Universe Creation** - Kukri can apparently create a parallel universe, out of reality.

## Fighting Style

**Hot Sand Assassin's Fist** - It consists of handling sand to attack. Kukri acquired the skill in North Africa (possibly in Egypt or Mali, his hometown).

## Fanon Appearances

### Game Appearances

* KOF: The King of Fighters XVI - Playable character
* Capcom vs SNK 3: Fighters' Spirit - Possible mid-boss and hidden character
* The King Of Fighters: Second Kingdom - Playable character

### Cameo Appearances

* Neo Geo 2: Match of the Century - in Elisabeth's ending