Iori Yagami

Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters A15

### Family/Relatives

Unnamed father (reportedly deceased), Unnamed younger sister, Chizuru Kagura (girlfriend), Unnamed ex-girlfriend

### Fighting style

Yagami style of ancient martial arts + pure instinct

### Element

Fire

**Iori Yagami** (八神庵, *Yagami Iori*) is a character who made his first appearance in *Bleach the King of Fighters 2ndMIX*. He is a central recurring character, and the initial enemy (and eventual rival) of Kyo Kusanagi.

He is the heir to one of the three clans that sealed the legendary snake entity, Orochi, 1,800 years ago. His clan, formerly known as the **Yasakani Clan** (八尺瓊, *Yasakani*), wields pyrokinetic powers. They keep the seal over Orochi intact with help from the Kusanagi and Yata clans using three ancient artifacts. His family's treasure is the **Yasakani Jewel** (八尺瓊曲玉, *Yasakani no Magatama*) and his family crest is the crescent moon, which he wears on the back of his old jacket.

His official nickname is "***Flame of the End***" (終焉の炎, *Shūen no Honō*). In XII and XIII it was changed to "***Unbridled Instinct***" (*解き放たれし本能,* Tokihanatareshi Honnou*), and his Flame variant in XIII became "***Iori who has Recovered His Flames***" (炎を取り戻した庵,* Honoo wo Tomoridoshita Iori*).. In* **KOF XV***, his nickname is "***Unshackled Instinct***" (解き放たれし本能,* Tokihanata reshi hon'nō*).*

Aside from the main body of the *King of Fighters* series, Iori features his own drama CD and character image album. His character is also a member of SNK's character image band, Band of Fighters and he also appears as a regular antagonist in the spin-off manga, *The King of Fighters: Kyo*. *Part Time Stories: Kyo & Iori* also co-star him and Kyo working together at SNK for the promotion of the company's merchandise.

## Story

### Bleach the King of Fighters

Trails of the Pure instinctively Iori Yagami.

### Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA

Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA (2006)Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2 (2007)Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2: ULTIMATE Special (2008)
### Bleach the King of Fighters X

Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters X (2010)Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters X2 (2011)Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters X3 (2014)
### Bleach the King of Fighters A

Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters A (2017)Iori in Bleach the King of Fighters A15 (2021)

## Music

* Stormy Saxophone – Bleach the King of Fighters 2ndMIX
* Sadistic Eyes – Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA and Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2

## Voice Actors

* Kunihiko Yasui – BTKOF2ndMIX~BKOFS
* David Schaufele – BKOFSN
* Tomokazu Sugita – Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2~since
* Ryotaro Okiayu – CR Bleach: Imagin Saga (pachinko)
* Patrick Seitz – Bleach the King of Fighters (anime) (English voice)

## Game Appearances

* Bleach the King of Fighters 2ndMIX
* Bleach the King of Fighters EXTREME
* Bleach the King of Fighters STRIKE
* Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA
* Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2
* Bleach the King of Fighters SuperNOVA2: ULTIMATE Special
* Bleach the King of Fighters X
* Bleach the King of Fighters X: UNLIMITED Special
* Bleach the King of Fighters X2
* Bleach the King of Fighters X2: GENERATIONS Special
* Bleach the King of Fighters X3
* Bleach the King of Fighters X3: REVOLUTION Special
* Bleach the King of Fighters X3: PERFECT Dream Project
* Bleach the King of Fighters A: GENESIS
* Bleach the King of Fighters A15
* Bleach the King of Fighters A15: CROSS RAYS
* Bleach the King of Fighters A15: CROSS RAYS PLUS

## Trivia

* A majority of his clan's techniques have nods to the legends of Orochi as a possible foil to Kyo:
	+ His Super Special Move, "Ura 108 Shiki: Ya Sakazuki/Reverse Method 108: Eight Wine Cups", is based off of the Orochi legend when each of Orochi's eight heads drank a cup of wine; each cup would then leave each a head drunk and unconscious (which, in the myth, was part of Susanoo's plan to slay the monstrous serpent). Since it is a "Reverse Method" move, it serves Iori's direct counterpart of Kyo's Ura 108 Shiki: Orochinagi (Reverse Method 108: Great Serpent Mower) via the Kusanagi clan's arts, as both are derived from the Yami Barai.
	+ His last and most well known super, "Kin 1211 Shiki: Ya Otome" (Forbidden Method 1211: Eight Maidens; affectionately known among fans as the Maiden Masher), is based off the legend when Orochi had eaten eight maidens who were daughters of Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi. The move often composes of eight blows, barring the finisher, and Iori uses it often as his signature DM. It is also the very technique which most of the Yagami several years ago used against the Kusanagi, and the first of the clan's many newly-added "Kin Shiki" (Forbidden Method) techniques to their repertoire.
	+ His most recent Super Special Move in *KOF XIV* that is an alternate version of his aforementioned Ya Sakazuki (input wise) is referred to as the Ura 1018 Shiki: Yashiori (Reverse Method 1018: Eight Times Snapper), which is a reference to the Yashiori/Yashio'ori no Sake (Sake of Eight Salt Snappers), the type of wine used by Susano'o to intoxicate the Orochi (hence the reference to the Ya Sakazuki). Unlike the original product, Iori's is written differently and thus gives off a different translation altogether.
* Iori's infamous dropkick sweep attack, Ura 98 Shiki, is notable for an oddity; while it is treated like a low-hitting attack when blocking it normally, it is instead treated as a mid-hitting attack when countered/reversed or against anything with low-level invincibility.
* Iori has been red haired to Gaara of the Naruto series.
	+ He has been very strongest similar to Guile of the Street Fighter series.

## References

1. ↑ Official character profile from *KOF Maximum Impact Regulation "A" website.*
2. ↑ Official character profile from *The King of Fighters XII website.*
3. ↑ Official site for *The King of Fighters XIII website.*