Iori Yagami

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Iori Yagami
Iori Yagami in The King Of Fighters 2003
Game series	King of Fighters series SNK Vs. series
First game	King of Fighters '95
Voice actor(s)	Kunihiko Yasui
In-Universe Information
Birthplace	Japan
Blood type	O
Fighting style	Yagami style of ancient martial arts combined with pure instinct

Iori Yagami (八神庵, Yagami Iori^?) is a video game character who made his first appearance in the Neo Geo fighting game, The King of Fighters '95. He is a central recurring character and the initial enemy (and eventual rival) of Kyo Kusanagi. Iori is voiced by Kunihiko Yasui. He wears an instantly recognizable outfit of a black jacket (slightly cut off above the waist with a white crescent moon on the back) over a long white button-down shirt with the sleeves open, red pants that are tied together just below the knees with a red belt, and a black leather collar around his neck. He also wears a plain silver ring around his left middle finger. The significance of the ring (if any) is unknown.

1 History
2 Personal details
3 Game appearances
4 Trivia
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

[edit] Legend of Yagami

In ancient times, the Yagami clan was once known as the Yasakani; at that time, they were allied with the Kusanagi clan. In 1200 CE, with the help of the Yata clan (now known as the house of Kagura), keepers of the sacred mirror, the two clans sealed Orochi away, placing him in an eternal slumber. They accomplished this by giving Orochi eight cups of wine and when he was drunk, he was weakened with the sword of Kusanagi and sealed by the Yasakani's Magatama, their mystical and spiritual flame. He was then imprisoned within the sacred mirror of the Yata. Uniting the power of the both clans, and using the crimson flames, the two blood lines managed to seal away the Orochi's power. They assigned the Clan of the Yata to look over the seal, and both clans retired to their respective villages.

As time passed, the Yasakani, tired of living in the shadow of the Kusanagi, fell to the temptation of the power of Orochi and made a blood pact with him. This gave them greater powers, but in return, they and their descendants were forever cursed. They renamed their clan the Yagami and set out to destroy the Kusanagi with their new flames, the Magatama no Orochi. The Kusanagi declared war on the Yagami in response for this treachery, a war that has killed many clan members on both sides - much to the glee of the Orochi clan.

As a side-effect of the Orochi's curse, the flames of the Yagami have a bluish tint (more purple in color). The curse also causes each heir to die young and each mother to die in childbirth.

[edit] Rugal Saga

Iori is the current descendant of the Yagami clan. Kyo and Iori continue the ancient feud, though fate would (somewhat) steer them off the footsteps of their ancestors.

While Iori was training, he heard of numerous exploits by the current heir to the Kusanagi throne, Kyo. One of them was his entrance into the King of Fighters tournament, which Iori perceived as an excellent chance to kill Kyo. To accomplish this, he entered the tournament with Billy Kane and Eiji Kisaragi, forming the Rival Team. Unfortunately, the Rival Team failed to defeat (or, by some accounts, to even fight) the Heroes Team - Iori subsequently became extremely angry and beat both Billy and Eiji within an inch of their lives before angrily marching off to find Kyo {he was brought here by Billy Kane in the battle who forced him to enter the battle by exploiting the name of Kyo}. He then arrived at the secret underground base where Kyo was fighting the host, Rugal Bernstein, and recognized the presence of Rugal's Orochi blood. This made him very formidable, but as he was not born with the power, he could not contain it - Iori said the classic phrase: "Only those of the bloodline can control such power. You didn't have chance!" as he saw Rugal wondering why his own power was consuming him. Iori's phrase gave birth to the Orochi saga in The King Of Fighters.

[edit] Orochi Saga

The next year, Iori trained strenuously, practicing nearly to unconsciousness, convinced he would triumph in the next tournament. While training, Iori was confronted by two women. Iori recognized Mature as one of the secretaries that were with Rugal. Both then revealed to him that they were servants of the Orochi. Vice, the other woman began attacking him when he demanded that they get lost. While Iori was enjoying the ferocious attacks of the weird and elegant woman, Mature told Iori that they had been observing him, and that he would be perfect as their teammate in the next King of Fighters tournament, as they all were genius and sadistic fighters.

In the course of the competition, he eventually faced the "Heroes Team", composed of Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon. However, the ensuing fight was brief; Chizuru Kagura of the Yata clan quickly took his rival away to confront the threat of the impending Orochi.

Iori immediately sought out Kyo again, and found his rival fighting against Goenitz. Iori recognized the power as the same that had destroyed Rugal, and he knew it had to be related to the Orochi. Iori then joined in Kyo's attack on Goenitz. With a double blow of crimson flames, Kyo and Iori defeated Goenitz. As he was standing bleeding, he told the two women that he had underestimated the power of the Yagami, and that Yagami was a dangerous man, that as long as he possesses the Orochi power Goenitz would have power. Iori, not amused by this at all, started to make fun of Goenitz, but saying his final words, he disappeared. Still deeply disgusted, Iori walked away, and when he was walking his teammates, Mature and Vice, started to mourn on his back "That Yagami guy is one scary dude" and "He's really tough". Meanwhile, stopping, looking to the ground Iori began to feel bad. His eyes got hazy, and he began coughing blood - symptoms of the "Riot of the Blood". Unable to control this surge of Orochi power, Iori killed his companions violently and we see him roaring and going crazy before the screen fades.

After the two murders, Iori disappeared for a year, continuing to suffer from multiple outbreaks of the Riot of Blood (resulting in a number of fatalities). Iori learned he had been entered in the next King of Fighters tournament of 1997 as a single entry. Iori was convinced that the responsible agent was Chizuru, who was likely thinking he might help her again. However, not much later, Iori once again entered the Riot of Blood, and went into a berserk rampage that grew and grew with the presence of Orochi. With much difficulty, the other fighters were able to calm him down through force.

Immediately after gaining consciousness again, Iori finds himself along with Chizuru and Kyo confronted by the New Faces Team, composed of Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie and Chris, which then turn into their Orochi forms, revealing themselves to be the 3 last and most important servants of Orochi, who are meant to revive him once and for all. Before the fight, Orochi Yashiro tells them "Even if you win, a living hell awaits you!", hinting that Orochi's resurrection is irreversible now. When the 3 servants are defeated, Chris starts to levitate and Orochi himself awakes in him. Saying "Even with your power, you are too late!" Orochi threatens them, and the fated battle of 1800 years ago begins. Through the combined efforts of Kyo, Iori and Chizuru, they eventually are able to turn the tide against the resurrected demon. In a desperate gambit, Orochi caused Iori to snap and revert to the Riot of Blood state, expecting that he would turn on his allies. Supposedly being under Orochi's control, Iori jumps towards Kyo, but later we see that he actually jumps over him, grabs Orochi by the neck, and with a saddened look in his face, offers his own life to give the chance to his rival, Kyo Kusanagi, to defeat the God using the last of the sacred treasures in a single blow with all his might, and Kyo doesn't hesitate. Thereafter, with Orochi weakened by the full effort of Kyo and Iori, Chizuru enters to the action and seals Orochi again.

[edit] NESTS Saga

Shortly after discovering the creation of clones of Kyo, Iori gained word of another King of Fighters tournament, and he began to suspect that the person responsible for cloning Kyo might be there. Iori followed the battles from the shadows, and eventually found an abandoned warehouse where Krizalid had fought the New Hero Team and Kyo.

The whereabouts of Iori were unknown after KoF '99, and it is assumed he cared little about Southtown and the events of KoF 2000, instead focusing on the opportunity for a fight against his rival (which came to pass during Southtown's destruction).

The next year, an agent named Seth invited Iori to join his team for the next King of Fighters tournament, under the presumption that he would get his shot against Kyo if he entered. Iori made it clear from the beginning of the tournament that teamwork was irrelevant, as he could take on whole teams by himself. However, near the climax of the tournament, he assisted K' and Kyo in besting Igniz, the CEO of NESTS, aboard a massive space station. He later escaped the destruction of the station before its impact with Earth.

[edit] Sacred Teasures Saga

In The King of Fighters 2003, Iori reluctantly teamed up again with Kyo and Chizuru Kagura at the latter's request, as it seemed that the current tournament might be linked to the Orochi. After their battle with Mukai, Ash Crimson stole Chizuru's powers. He then made an offer of servitude to Iori, who answered with a fiery attack. Ash then disappeared while Kyo swore revenge. With the defeat of Chizuru and the crippled Orochi seal spelling possible catastrophe, it seemed that the Yagami clan would soon be changed forever.

In KoF XI, Iori teamed up with Kyo and Shingo Yabuki in hopes of opposing Ash. At the end of the tournament, the strengthening presence of Orochi caused Iori to enter the Riot of Blood, in which he trashed Kyo and Shingo before Ash Crimson appeared and stole Iori's sacred treasure, the Yasakani no Magatama, and his power. Iori's status afterwards is unknown.

[edit] Personal details

The curse of the Yagami family has ostracized Iori - it is said that he is the only known living member of the family, though many believe Leona Heidern to also be of Orochi lineage. This and the street life that he has carried have tempered his personality, giving origin to his identity. His strong, sometimes maniatic and sarcastic personality is demonstrated by his victory speech/poses (among them particularly diabolical laughter that has become his trademark), and his savagely beating Eiji Kisaragi and Billy Kane, his teammates in KoF '95, for failing to defeat Kyo's team. He carries an intense desire to kill Kyo, and this was the motivation for him to enter 3 of the King of Fighters tournaments.

Numerous other traits and instances, however, are cause to regard Iori as an anti-hero. On the several occasions mentioned above, he has demonstrated a sense of obligation to fulfill his duty as the bearer of a Sacred Treasure - the Yasakani Magatama. He demonstrates awareness of the fact that destiny will always lead him back to playing the hero, but seems unperturbed by this fact and retains his one goal of destroying Kyo.

As for his personal life, his profile reports him as having a girlfriend, although she remains unnamed and unseen in the official story. Also according to his profile he is proficient in all the existent sports and once in a long while, enjoys playing the bass casually in a musical band (the extent of their success in unknown, though one might surmise that Iori being a genius fighter would do that well too, and his participation in the KoF tournaments led to easy publicity).

[edit] Game appearances

The King of Fighters '95 (1999)
The King of Fighters '96 (1999)
The King of Fighters '97 (1999)
The King of Fighters '98 (1999)
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash (1999)
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (1999)
The King of Fighters '99 (1999)
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 Expansion Edition (2000)
Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 (2000)
Capcom VS SNK: Pro (2000)
The King of Fighters 2000 (2000)
Capcom vs. SNK 2 (2001)

The King of Fighters 2001 (2001)
The King of Fighters EX: NeoBlood - (2002)
The King of Fighters 2002 (2002)
SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (2003)
The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood (2004)
The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact (2004)
The King of Fighters Neowave (2004)
The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact: Maniax (2005)
The King of Fighters XI (2005)
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum (2005)
The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 (2006)

[edit] Trivia

His LDM, San Shingi no Ni (or The Trinity Two in America) is a reference to the way he held Orochi to let Kyo finish him off. In San Shingi no Ni, Iori grabs his opponent, slams him/her into the ground, then sets the foe ablaze in a giant pillar of flame that starts off purple, only to fade away to a crimson hue (symbolizing possible redemption for the Yagami). This attack returns in The King of Fighters XI, but the flame stays purple until it fades. This, along with the absence of Kyo's sacred technique (San Shingi no Ichi, or The Trinity One), may symbolize the loss of one of the Sacred Treasures.

Iori's flames are almost always shown as purple, though there have been two occasions when they were blue: In the opening of The King of Fighters '95, and on the monitor displaying characters fighting in the background of Chizuru's stage in The King of Fighters '96.

Iori's original character design was vaguely influenced by the typical drawings of Japanese manga artist Yasuhiro Nightow, known for his character designs in Trigun and Gungrave. It is also noted that Iori has the Yasuhiro design of broad, sloping shoulders; strong-build, and bangs that covers one of his eyes. This is especially noted by Iori's similarities to Trigun villain Legato Bluesummers, and Gungrave protagonist Brandon Heat (although obviously Iori predates Brandon by several years). Iori's red hairstyle also resembles ES member Dextera from Kiddy Grade.

When Demitri's Midnight Bliss is used on the Blood Riot form of Iori in SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom, he is transformed into alleged alter ego Miss X, final boss of the Neo-Geo Pocket Color game SNK Gals Fighters. Miss X was, presumably, Iori in a long dress and cloth mask. [1] Also note that Miss X appeared with Iori in the Hong Kong comic (which is non-canonical), as his female cousin.

Iori almost always has special before-battle conversations with Kyo in every KOF series. The absence of a special introduction with Kyo in KOF 2002 created quite a bit of negative attention. Also, in SVC Chaos, Kyo and Iori don't have a special introduction either (unlike in their appearances in Capcom VS SNK 1 & 2, they use the same introduction they had in KOF '98). Also, in KOF XI, Iori has a special taunt animation if he's against either Kyo or EX Kyo.

Iori is stated (on his official bio) to hate violence, but he always portrayed as a violent, sadistic, rage-consumed fighter who frequently beats up his fellow teammates (this hate of violence was probably stated with sarcasm by himself while making the bio, or else his rage is normally sublimated, but peaks extremely rapidly when he is in battle, or even anticipating it, it is also possible that Iori's hatred of Kyo overpowers his dislike of violence).

He appeared also Real Bout Special's GB version as a secret character.

Orochi Iori (Known as Wild Iori or Riot of Blood Iori) howls like a wolf in his introduction before a fight begins. He can be compared to a werewolf while Leona Heidern can be compared to a werecat.