Yuri (Art of Fighting)

## How Yuri joined the Tourney

As a child, Takuma dedicated more time training Ryo to be next family heir rather than raising Yuri. When she was six years old, her mother died in a tragic car accident. Sensing his family was being targeted, their father leaves in order to protect them. With the loss of both parents, she becomes fearful and heavily dependent on Ryo for the rest of their childhood. When she first meets Robert, she does not trust him but eventually warms up to him.

When she was 17, Yuri was kidnapped by Mr. Big on behalf of Geese Howard as part of a ploy to blackmail her father. Ryo and Robert search Southtown to find her whereabouts and rescue her. While held hostage, she finds out the identity of Mr. Karate. When Ryo defeats her captors, she reveals it to her brother and the family is reunited.

In order to protect herself in the future, Takuma teaches her how to fight much to Ryo and Robert's chagrin. He trained Yuri in secret, but only taught her enough to defend herself.

She becomes worried about Robert when he doesn't appear for their date before Art of Fighting 3. Setting out with her brother, they search for him in Glasshill. During their trip, she is wounded by Sinclair and briefly hospitalized. If the player plays through Robert's story, a strained Yuri appears to assist his plight against Wyler. She is healthy enough to leave with Robert by the end of the game's events.

According to Ryo, she and Robert are still single by the time Buriki One takes place. She likely stayed at home to help the family business, as she is close enough to her brother to tell him to shave off the hair from his chin.

Yuri, now confident in her fighting prowess, decides to enter the tournament, but is denied to enter by her brother. She defies his wishes and enters with King and Mai. It isn't until the 1996 tournament that they finally form a team together to represent the prestige of Kyokugenryu to the world. She is forced to join when Takuma gives her an ultimatum to either enter with Ryo or leave the house.

After the 1999 King of Fighters tournament, Yuri wanted to once again show her independence. She begs King to take her place for the year and joins the Women's Team. In 2001, Robert reveals to the family that his family business is in trouble. They decide to all enter together to win the prize money and help out Robert's situation. Since 2001, Yuri then has been a regular for the Art of Fighting team alongside Ryo and Robert. In The King of Fighters XI, Yuri has a rival in the form of Malin. She stuns her father with her whimsical haircut before KOF XIII and is upset by her family's eccentric reactions. Since the rising skill of martial artists in the tournaments outclasses her basic training, Robert informs her of her brother and father's wishes to quit Karate for her own safety. Optimistic in her attempts to improve herself, however, she teams with Mai and King for the newest tournament.

Still seeking to improve, she joins the second Smash Bros. Tourney with a new Woman Fighters Team, Katt Monroe, Nakoruru and Felicia. A ninja named Kazemaru has been ordered to make sure she quits karate, permanently.

## Character Select Screen Animation

### After the announcer calls her name

Yuri raises her fists saying "Let's go!" then when the camera zooms, she slams her elbows down and goes "Osu!"

## Special Moves

### Ko'ou Ken (Neutral)

Yuri sends an orange ball of chi out of her right hand but though it can quickly disappear, it can knock her opponent off balance.

### Saiha (Side)

Yuri flashes orange chi in her opponent's face to blow him/her away.

### Yuri Chou Upper (Up)

Yuri jumps into the air with a two hit left uppercut.

### Hyakuretsu Binta (Down)

Yuri dashes at her opponent. If she makes contact, she grabs and slaps him/her 10 times, then gives a hard slap to knock the opponent off.

### Hien Hou'ou Kyaku (Hyper Smash)

Yuri poses like a phoenix, then runs to her opponent. If she connects, she rapidly kicks him/her, then finishes with a kick to the face.

### Super! Ryuko Ranbu (Final Smash)

Yuri readies herself with "Kyokugenryu Secret Move!" then dashes to her opponent. If she connects, she bombards her prey with punches and kicks, and a hip ram. She then does a Yuri Chou Upper, then finishes with a left light upper, then a right light upper, and a rising right upper, in a manner similar to the Shin Shoryuken.

## Victory Animations

1. Yuri gives the v sign saying "Piece of cake! I win!"
2. Yuri performs a small kata and then shouts, "Osu!"
3. Yuri takes a fish rice ball and eats it. Then says "Eating a fish rice ball after a victory is great!"

## On-Screen Appearance

Yuri walks in tightening her gi and says "Let's do this a lot!"

## Trivia

* Yuri Sakazaki's default rival is a ninja named Kazemaru.
* Yuri Sakazaki shares her French voice actress with 5-Volt.
* Yuri Sakazaki shares her German voice actress with Grace Thomas.
* Yuri Sakazaki shares her Arabic voice actress with Toph Beifong, Queen Sectonia and Rise "Risa" Kajikawa.
* Yuri Sakazaki shares her Mandarin Chinese voice actress with Casey, Kazumi Mishima, Devil Kazumi, Tokiko Tsumura, Mimi, Meganium, Nakoruru, Dora Winifred "D.W." Read and Bella X1.
* Yuri Sakazaki's Woman Fighters team consists of herself, Katt Monroe, Nakoruru and Felicia.