Kyo Kusanagi
Kyo Kusanagi (Japanese: 草薙 京, Hepburn: Kusanagi Kyō) is a fictional character in SNK's The King of Fighters series of fighting games. The character was first introduced in the 1994 video game The King of Fighters '94 as the leader of the Japan team from the series' title tournament. Kyo, heir to the Kusanagi clan, is first introduced as a cocky, delinquent high-school student who has pyrokinetic powers. His clan is one of three who banished the legendary snake demon entity Yamata no Orochi. During the series' story, Kyo meets rivals and enemies who seek to take his flame abilities. Aside from the main series, Kyo appears in several crossovers and spinoffs with other games. He is also the central title character of the manga The King of Fighters: Kyo and video game adaptation with the same name which center around his daily life.
| Kyo Kusanagi | |
|---|---|
| The King of Fighters character | |
Kyo Kusanagi in his original design by Shinkiro | |
| First game | The King of Fighters '94 (1994) |
| Created by | Yuichiro Hiraki, Shinichi Morioka |
| Portrayed by | Sean Faris (2010 film) Yuichi Nakamura (KOF All Star promo trailer) |
| Voiced by | Japanese Masahiro Nonaka (KOF '94 - Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting) Tomoaki Maeno (KOF XIV - onwards) Ryōtarō Okiayu (CD Drama) Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese dub of KOF movie) English Andrew Roth (KOFMI series) |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Martial Artist, Guitarist |
| Fighting style | Kusanagi Style of Ancient Martial Arts (combines it with kenpō starting in KOF '96) |
| Family | Saisyu Kusanagi (father) Shizuka Kusanagi (mother) Aoi Kusanagi (cousin) Souji Kusanagi (cousin) |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Kyo was created by Shinichi Morioka as a hero who would fight the main characters from other SNK franchises, such as Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. His debut in The King of Fighters received a large positive response by fans, making Kyo return in The King of Fighters '99 where he was originally non available in early versions. His outfit and gameplay techniques were redesigned throughout the series; since his original appearance, featuring a high-school uniform, became popular with fans, designers created clones of his original costume in later games. The same occurred with his moves, which have been re-balanced across the series.
Video game journalists have praised Kyo's design and fighting style as among the best of the series, and in fighting games in general. His role in the story and his long rivalry with Iori Yagami were also celebrated. The character's redesign in The King of Fighters XIV earned mixed responses because of the differences from previous incarnations. Kyo's role in printed media and other adaptations of the series has often been criticized, most notably in the live-action film. A variety of Kyo collectibles, including key chains and figurines, has been created.