Kyo Kusanagi

**Kyo Kusanagi** (草薙 京, *Kusanagi Kyō*) is the main protagonist in the game series, The King of Fighters. He was first introduced in *The King of Fighters '94* as the main leader of the Japan team. He is known as the rival of, Iori Yagami.

He was first introduced as a cocky delinquent high school student who is the hair of the Kusanagi clan, one of the three clans that sealed the legendary snake entity, Orochi, 1,800 years ago, His clan wields pyrokinetic powers, an inherited power that few members obtain. They, along with the Yasakani and Yata clans, keep one of the three sacred treasures used to contain Orochi long ago. His family's treasure is the **Kusanagi Sword**, and his family crest is the sun, represented in a stylized halo of fire. His official nickname is **Scion of the Flame**  or **The Cleansing Exorcising Flame**.

Aside from the main series, Kyo also has a spin-off manga story based on his adventure in *The King of Fighters '96*, entitled *The King of Fighters: Kyo*. A video game under the same name was also created to further expand his character. In addition, a number of image songs and audio dramas featuring Kyo's character have been released, including the contents of his own character image album consisting of all of his theme songs. He is a member of SNK's character image band, The Band of Fighters and also co-star alongside Iori in one of SNK's promotional series, Part Time Stories: Kyo & Iori. At Vigamus, a museum of videogames sponsored by the municipality of Rome, a lists Kyo as the mascot of the mid-90's era of Neo Geo.

## Development

When designing characters for the first *The King of Fighters*, developers wanted a new hip hero who would easily rival the *Fatal Fury* and *Art of Fighting* characters in style. Through most of his development, Kyo was meant to be called Syo Kirishima, and was dressed in martial arts clothing common with fighting games at the times. But late in production, his name became Kyo Kusanagi, likely due to the KOF story's change in direction towards the Yamata no Orochi legend. When designing Syo, **Shinichi Morioka** (Kyo and Iori's creator) used *Shotaro Kaneda* from the *Akira manga* as inspiration. When Syo appears as a striker in *KOF 2000*, he would be voiced by Mitsuo Iwata who also voiced Kaneda. The idea for his flames -as well as the other elemental powers for the rest of the Japan team- was derived from the anime *Getter Robo*; in the show, there were three featured heroes who served as the inspiration for the KOF trio: the protagonist had a "fiery" persona, his friend was "down-to-earth giant". It is also a homage to a Japanese phrase of giving birth to fire (roughly translated as "lighting strikes the earth which sparks the flame"). Other influences include *Jo Yabuki* and *Akira Fudo* from the respectively series *Ashita no Joe* and *Devilman*. While in charge of designing the character, Yuichiro Hiraki sought to contrast Kyo with *Street Fighter* character Ryu, he considered the character to be an *"overwhelming rival or a wall."*  He believed the latter was a popular character that couldn't be surpassed in the same field, so he made Kyo's characterization and design contrast Ryu so he could benefit from appealing to a broad demographic. He wanted Kyo to be a character who *"dislikes training and was strong due to natural talent."*

His change in fighting style was also made as a part of the series's overhaul in *The King of Fighters '96*. To appease all fans, they also included an older version of Kyo from *The King of Fighters '94* into *The King of Fighters '97* and placed the '*95* version of Kyo in *'98*, which made both versions of Kyo popular during location tests. The idea of having two versions of Kyo at once lead to the concept of his clones; during the early development stages of *The King of Fighters '99*, SNK planned to avoid adding any version of Kyo altogether, or Iori, to the game, as the story's focus was meant to center on the new protagonist, K'. However, they retracted this decision, as "they couldn't leave these popular characters in limbo". Since then, veteran developers for the series admit that Kyo's repeated appearances in the series is due to the marketers and the main planners' insistence to add him, Iori, and other SNK regulars in every game, making it a challenge to decide the story for each title. Kyo's voice actor, Masahiro Nonaka, related greatly with his character as being young and reckless until he "grew up" in his later appearances. He then expressed some difficulty accepting Kyo on the same level.

According to Nobuyuki Kuroki, the staff wanted to provide a new design that would captivate new fans. Despite Kyo being the main character, they decided to drastically change his hair and outfit. Fearing fans would not like Kyo's new appearance, the staff commented that they aimed it as a challenge, they also mention that old players from the series would understand he is still the same character despite cosmetic changes. This new design, alongside Iori's, provoked major controversy during the time it was revealed. However in an interview, *The King of Fighters XIV* director Yasuyuki Oda said the team wanted the characters to carry a new look due to the game being set in a new story arc. Oda also notes that Kyo became more macho as the games progressed, so they decided to alter his physique so he won't look as aggressive as he did in *KOF XIII*.

Kyo, along with his rival, Iori, has been noted by several of the series's designers as being one of the most difficult characters to illustrate because of his popularity amongst fans. In Gamest Mook Vol.197, Nona comments that he found it difficult to draw Kyo in a heroic image, since he draws Kyo in the image of Devilman's Akira Fudo. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Kyo was voted as the staff's second favorite character. In the Neo Geo Freak's 1997 Volume 8 character poll, he was voted as the favourite character overall, with a total of 2.160 votes. 620 votes from the male fans and 1,540 votes from the female fans. And in Neo Geo Freak's August 1998 issue, he was ranked as the 3rd best character. In a 2005 poll made by SNK-Playmore USA, he was voted as the sixth fan favorite character with a total of 176 votes. In a character popularity poll on Neo Geo Freak's website, he was voted as the third favorite character with a total of 2,574 votes. In an interview with one of the manhua artist and authors, Wing Yan, he replies that Kyo is his favorite original character in the series.Garou: Mark of the Wolves planner and The King of Fighters XIV producer *Yasuyuki Oda* states that Kyo and Leona are his favourite characters in The King of Fighters series.

## Story

### Clan Background

660 years ago, the Kusanagi and Yasakani clans were once allies. However, due to a horrible misunderstanding, the Yasakani struck a blood pact with Orochi for more power. They renamed their family name to Yagami, and their flames, previously red like their former allies, changed to violet from Orochi's taint. Since then, the clans have waged a generation long grudge with casualties made from both sides. It continues in *The King of Fighters* series with Kyo and Iori Yagami.

### Orochi Saga

The Orochi saga takes place between *The King of Fighters '94* and '*97*. Kyo surpassed his father at the age of fifteen and was designated as the clan's leader. Shortly after the completion of his training, Kyo competes in a preliminary held in Japan to determine the members of the country's representative team in the The King of Fighters tournament. He bests Goro Daimon and Benimaru Nikaido to become the leader of the team, the two becoming his teammates and eventual friends. They reach the finals, where they met the host of the tournament, a powerful fighter named Rugal Bernstein. Rugal boasts his desire to fight powerful opponents and challenges them. After his defeat, he self-destructs his ship in attempt to bring them with him, but the team escapes unharmed. Afterwards, Kyo decides to travel abroad in order to train.

In the following year, Daimon and Benimaru were waiting for Kyo's ship to dock, when they were attacked by a masked assailant. Kyo returns and throws a fireball at the mysterious person, only to destroy her mask and reveal her to be Rugal's secretary. She hands over an invitation letter to another King of Fighters tournament, organized once again by Rugal, who survived his craft's self-destruction. This time, Rugal also brainwashed Kyo's missing father, Saisyu, into attacking his son. Kyo's father regains his senses after he was subdued by the team. To counter the team's strength, Rugal challenges them with power sapped from Orochi. However, Rugal's body was overwhelmed by the power's immensity and he was vaporized after his defeat. Pleased with his son's prowess, Saisyu leaves unnoticed, insinuating that he entrusts the clan's duty to Kyo.

Prior to the events of *The King of Fighters '96*, a mysterious man -later revealed to be one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Orochi, Goenitz- challenges Kyo to a fight. Kyo arrives, powered by his overwhelming confidence in his fists, only to be defeated soundly by his challenger and sent to the hospital. In spite of his injuries, his anger and spirit from his loss drove him to invent powerful new techniques (this is the canon explanation for Kyo trading his projectile attack-based technique set for his now trademark flame-laced melee attack strings). He enters the year's tournament to prove his strength to his unknown attacker. In the tournament's finals, he meets the host of the tournament and the younger heiress of the Yata clan, Chizuru Kagura. At the tournament's end, he vanquishes Goenitz with Iori and Chizuru's help. Though he is warned by Chizuru of his clan's destiny with Orochi, Kyo ignores her and promptly departs.

Before *The King of Fighters '97* takes place, he is pestered by fellow high school student, Shingo Yabuki, to teach him how to create his flames. Though annoyed and flustered by his persistence, Kyo partially agrees to mentor him as a means of gaining free meals. He also experiences nightmares of a strange man defeating him at The King of Fighters tournament, but continues to participate. Before the tournament, his girlfriend, Yuki was kidnapped by the Hakkesshu, in order to be used as the last of the sacrificial maidens for Orochi's revival. Though it's ambiguous as to which team he enters during the tournament, it is canonly accepted that Kyo joins with Iori and Chizuru for its conclusion.

He advances into the finals, where he confronts the remaining "Four Heavenly Kings" of Orochi, Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, and Chris. The Hakkesshu also mention the plan to sacrifice Yuki in order to revive Orochi. Fueled by these turn of events, Kyo fights an emotional and heroic battle. When they are beaten, Orochi possesses Chris' body and attempts to destroy the three clans at once. As was done in the legends of their clans, the trio successfully defeat him. In a last-ditch effort, Orochi (manifested in Chris' body) causes Iori to enter the berserk Riot of the Blood state, expecting him to turn on Kyo and Chizuru. Instead, Iori snares Orochi by the neck, and Kyo obliged his rival by crippling the great demon with one last deathblow, allowing Chizuru to reseal Orochi. Exhausted, Kyo passes out. The last thing he sees is Yuki, saying that she will wait for him.

## References

1. ↑ Official character profile from *The King of Fighters XII*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Official character profile from *KOF Maximum Impact Regulation "A"*
3. ↑ Official site for *The King of Fighters XIII*
4. ↑ Vigamus *official website.*
5. ↑ SNK Legends at Italian Museum of Videogames, Vigamus! Archived from the original
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 - "The King of Fighters ’94 - Developer Interview" Archived from The original'
7. ↑ From Air Duel and Last Resort to The King of Fighters ‘94 and Daraku Tenshi: the early years of Mitsuo Kodama from *VGDensetsu*
8. ↑ *Akihiko Ureshino, ed. (2005). The King of Fighters Perfect Reader (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. pp. 136~139.*
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 - *ROUND 3: Yuichiro Hiraki Part 2* Archived from The original
10. ↑ Official character profile from *KOF anniversary website.*
11. ↑ Gamescom exclusive KOF XIV QA wih SNK Interview published on 23/8/2016
12. ↑ *THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV Premium Art Book, p.021*
13. ↑ https://xw.qq.com/games/20151017000037
14. ↑ THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV - Producer Yasuyuki Oda interview *from Game Watch.*
15. ↑ KOF 10th anniversary website *Tonko's interview.*
16. ↑ KOF 10th anniversary website *Hiroaki's interview.*
17. ↑ Video Game Magazine GAMEST MOOK Vol.197, p.010
18. ↑ Neo Geo Freak 1997-08 archive *Neo Geo Freak character popularity poll results.*
19. ↑ Neo Geo Freak 1997-08 archive *Number of votes from both genders, from Neo Geo Freak character popularity poll.*
20. ↑ Neo Geo Freak 1998-08 archive *Neo Geo Freak 10 best character set original image collection.*
21. ↑ KOF 10th anniversary website *Wing Yan and King Tung's interview.*
22. ↑ ArcadeAttack Interview *Yasuyuki Oda (SNK) - Interview (30th November 2018)*
23. ↑ The King of Fighters '94: Hero Team Story from *KOF anniversary website.*
24. ↑ The King of Fighters '95: Hero Team Story from *KOF anniversary website.*
25. ↑ The King of Fighters '96: Hero Team Story from *KOF anniversary website.*
26. ↑ The King of Fighters '97: Shingo Yabuki Story from *KOF anniversary website.*
27. ↑ The King of Fighters '97: Hero Team Story from *KOF anniversary website.*