List of characters in the Art of Fighting series
Encyclopedia
This is a list of all characters from the Art of Fighting
series by SNK
. Characters are listed in order of appearance by game.
mysteries of Kyokugen karate under the tutelage of Albert's lifelong friend, Takuma Sakazaki. After the death of Ryo's mother and the disappearance of Ryo's father, Robert watched over the young boy, providing him with friendship. Robert remains, however, Ryo's ultimate rival.
, which derives its style from Aikido
and Kendo
. Todoh has a long standing rivalry with disciples of the Kyokugenryu school of karate and considers them a threat to his style of teaching in terms of profits as well as personal animosity dating back to a rivalry with Takuma Sakazaki when both men were very young.
After the player defeats Ryuhaku as Ryo and Robert wanted to interrogate him to know about who kidnapped Yuri, Todoh went into hiding and has not been seen since. Because of his disappearance, his daughter Kasumi goes on a personal quest to look for her father and gain revenge on Ryo and all Kyokugenryu disciples to try to reclaim her family's honor. However, in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos he makes a short appearance after seeing Kasumi's development. He also appears in The King of Fighters 2000
as a striker from Kasumi named voiced by Akira Goto. He has also been a playable character in Capcom vs SNK 2. He is voiced by Takeshi Aono and Carter Cathcart. He also appears in the game Samurai Shodown II
during Gen-an's ending.
and an expert of his country's medicine. He works as the director of the Southtown prison, but also has a small herbal shop which he runs part time. A former adversary and long-time friend of Ryo Sakazaki
's father Takuma, he enters the tournament to test Ryo's skills. And like his friend, he dawns a mask. In this case, a Monkey Mask. Humorously, in his ending to AOF2, it was discovered that Lee would become famous for finding the cure to haemorrhoids.http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/neogeo/a/aof2lee.htm He has also been featured in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
as a playable character. Eiji Yano voices him in Art of Fighting and NeoGeo Battle Coliseum and Kay Inage in Art of Fighting 2.
King is also a recurring character from The King of Fighters series as part of the Women Fighters Team participating in various tournaments, usually acting as the de facto
leader and peacekeeper. The team is initially composed of King, Mai Shiranui
and Yuri, but Yuri is replaced in '96 by Kasumi Todoh and in '97 and '98 by Chizuru Kagura. In The King of Fighters '99
, the tournament now requires four members per team, and while Mai joins to the Fatal Fury Team, Chizuru left competition. However, Kasumi, Li Xiangfei and Blue Mary join King to complete the team. In The King of Fighters 2000
, King is requested by Yuri to replace her in the Art of Fighting Team, in which she bonds with Ryo, Robert and Ryo's father, Takuma. She returns to the Women Fighters Team in The King of Fighters 2001
with Mai, Hinako Shijou and Li Xiangfei. In The King of Fighters 2003
, King joins Mary and Mai once again in the Women Fighters Team as the tournament returns to the use of three fighters per team. In The King of Fighters XI
, the Women Fighters Team is disbanded since Mai went into searching for her boyfriend Andy Bogard and Mary joins the Agents Team. However, King is once again requested to enter into the tournament with the Art of Fighting Team with Ryo and Yuri as Robert has problems with his organization and Takuma is in a weak state. Takuma pretends to be in a bad state just to make King join Ryo and intensify their relationship which has been hinted several times in the series. While she and Ryo do have feelings for each other, ironically the dojo's meddlesome antics (such as the badly disguised trio interrupting the two at a restaurant) are what keep getting in the way of the two consummating.
King has also appeared in The King of Fighters Neowave
with the her original team and in The King of Fighters Kyo aiding Kyo Kusanagi
and Blue Mary into investigating Geese Howard
. She was removed from The King of Fighters 2002
, but was added as a playable character in the home version from the game as well as in the remake The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match teaming up with Kasumi and Mai. Additionally, she has appeared in Capcom vs SNK and Capcom vs SNK 2. Harumi Ikoma
has voiced King since her debut. In the anime adaptation from Art of Fighting, King is voiced by Masako Katsuki in Japanese and Sharon Becker in English.
who was expelled from the ranks after he accidentally killed a man in the ring. He currently stalks Southtown seeking opponents to vent his anger and frustration on, and enters the tournament for the same reason. Like Crawley, Mickey gets a haircut between his two appearances. In the first AOF, Mickey has long hair, worn in dreadlocks
. In AOF2, he has short hair. In Art of Fighting 1, Mickey becomes a small time hood who works for Mr. Big so that he can get money as a street hustler. In Art of Fighting 2, Mickey has since reformed, wanting to get back into the professional boxing circuit. In Mickey's AOF2 ending, his trainer Pops (who is visible in Mickey's stage as well) informs him that his time has come, and he has a title bout. He is voiced by Kay Inage.
's criminal organization, soon becoming his right-hand man. Big secretly feared Takuma Sakazaki, the master of Kyokugenryu Karate, so he ordered the kidnapping of Takuma's daughter, Yuri
, and threatened Takuma into working for him. Unfortunately, the plan backfired when Ryo Sakazaki
and Robert Garcia
fought their way through Southtown's crime to find both of them, beating Big senseless to rescue Yuri and Takuma. King worked as a bouncer
at one of Mr. Big's establishments.
In 1996, Geese brought Mr. Big and Wolfgang Krauser to The King of Fighters, and revealed that he was after the Orochi power following the tournament's dramatic conclusion. Enraged, Mr. Big had a sniper
take a shot at Geese, but the plan failed, and Mr. Big bailed out. The team also appears in The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match. Mr. Big has also been featured in The King of Fighters: Kyo, Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
and the PlayStation 2 version from The King of Fighters XI
. He also appears in the PS2 port from The King of Fighters 2000
as an assistant version of Takuma.
Masaru Naka voices Mr. Big in most KOF titles and Nobuyuki Yuki in NGBC and KOF XI. In the AOF anime adaptation, he was voiced by Iemasa Kayumi in Japanese and Cliff Lazenby in English. Mr. Big is played by Sam Hargrave in the 2010 live-action film adaptation of The King of Fighters
, being the only character from the Art of Fighting series in the film.
and that his right-hand man, Mr. Big, kidnapped Yuri to put him under control. In the Super Nintendo port, Takuma Sakazaki reveals himself as the unwilling killer of Jeff Bogard, stating he wouldn't have eliminated him but Geese had already taken Yuri hostage. In Art of Fighting 2, Takuma rebels against Geese and Mr. Big, by fighting in their King of Fighters tournament, but retreats due to the several injures he has.
Takuma also appears in The King of Fighters series as part of the Art of Fighting tournament along with Robert and Ryo, but he lets Yuri take his place in The King of Fighters '96
as he decides to retire. However, he returns in The King of Fighters '99
to the team as the tournament now requires four fighters per team. He once again retires in The King of Fighters 2003
with the tournament returning to use 3 members per team. He becomes very weak in this game, but uses this state to make King enter the Art of Fighting Team to intensify her relationship with Ryo. In The King of Fighters 2002
and The King of Fighters Neowave
he appears with the original Art of Fighting while in The King of Fighters '98
and The King of Fighters 2002: Unilimited Match, he is part of the Oniayi Team, composed of elder characters from the series. In SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos there is a boss character named , which is an enhanced version of the normal Mr. Karate (also playable in the game). He has been voiced by Eiji Tsuda in all his appearances. Following an absence from the series since the 2002 installment, Takuma makes his return debut to the series in The King of Fighters XIII
, rejoining Robert and Ryo from the 1994 team.
from the feared and respected Kisaragi clan. His school is the sworn enemy of both the Sakazaki clan and Kyokugenryu Karate. Eiji is a mercenary, willing to kill for anyone so long as they pay well. In The King of Fighters '95
, Eiji joins Billy Kane
and Iori Yagami
in the Rivals Team as in order to kill the Sakazaki Family (Ryo, Yuri
and Takuma). Eiji's team failed to reach the finals of the 1995 tournament and he was unable to get a 'clear shot' at the Sakazaki family. While about to escape and go search for them on his own, Iori Yagami appeared in front of Eiji and Billy Kane and brutally beat them, nearly killing them both.
Eiji did not appear as a playable, or story, character in a King of Fighters game again until The King of Fighters XI
, in which he joins Kasumi Todoh and Malin as the Anti-Kyokungeryu Team to find and defeat the Sakazakis once again, only to be badly beaten by an enrage King who was too angry at the Sakazaki's, but for different reasons. Eiji did eventually make the cut for The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match along with Kasumi Todoh and the '96 Boss Team. In The King of Fighters 2000
, he appears as an assistant character for Lin. He also makes short cameos with Billy Kane in some of his introductions against Iori, in which he also seeks revenge for what he did to them. He is voiced by Yoshinori Shima.
n dock worker at the Southtown port. Tem resigned himself to a period of menial work as a manure loader. Finding the job 25 bucks
an hour, tem stayed on, earning money for the small school in Mongolia where he dreams of teaching one day. He is voiced by Yoshinori Shima.
and Kobujutsu
, taught to her by her father. As her family's sole heir, she does all she can to stand up for the Todoh way. When Ryuhaku stayed at Southtown to settle an old score with a man named Takuma Sakazaki, Kasumi remained in her house, waiting for her father's return. A couple of months later, she learns that Ryuhaku has been defeated by Ryo Sakazaki
, Takuma's son and has not been seen since. She decides to fight Ryo and anybody else in order to avenge her father. However, her mother does not like that idea and convinces her to make peace with Ryo to the point of slapping her in the face.
Kasumi goes on to participate in the 1996 King of Fighters
tournament with King and Mai Shiranui
, replacing Yuri Sakazaki
who left for Ryo's team in place of Yuri's father Takuma (Takuma threatened to seize Yuri's assets in order to motivate Yuri to join Ryo's team). After Goenitz (highest priest of the Orochi Power) was defeated (not to mention taking his own life), King took Mai and Kasumi to her bar
.
In 1999, she teams up with King, Blue Mary and Li Xiangfei. Later in 2000, Kasumi rejoins Mai, and the two team up with Yuri and Hinako Shijou. While Kasumi had some reservations about teaming up with Yuri (mainly because Yuri is a Kyokugenryu Karate practitioner), Kasumi knows that she has to live under a family code of ethics and accepts Yuri as her teammate. In The King of Fighters XI
, she teams up with Malin and the bitter rival of the Sakazaki family, Eiji Kisaragi to form the Anti-Kyokugenryu Team. She has also been featured in The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match as an edit character, in The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match in the Women Fighters Team with Mai and King and SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos. She is voiced by Masae Yumi.
and searches for him, eventually tracking him down and confronting him in GlassHill Valley while Ryo is searching for his friend Robert Garcia
there. Unlike most of the characters, Jin's final battle is not with Wyler, but Ryo Sakazaki
. Unique to Jin Fu-Ha's ending is a page of text that tells the player Jin will one day fight Eiji but until then will wander the globe alone in the shadows. He is voiced by JAI.
's parents in a personal assistant-like role who has known Robert since he was a child. The Garcias send Karman to find their son after he disappeared to look for his old childhood friend Freia Lawrence which has led him to GlassHill Valley. Karman is a loyal employee who seems very fond of Robert Garcia and lets him get away with much more than he should. Karman's final fight in Art Of Fighting 3 is not Wyler like most of the characters but Robert. However, Karman allows him to finish his search for Freia. He is voiced by Mantarō Koichi.
) and deliver her to him. The two appear to have a bad reputation within their profession and Lenny sees their new assignment as their 'big chance'. Lenny is a tough, straight-talking woman but with a caring nature underneath. She fights using a whip, though she appears to be fond of using it for different things (such as dragging Rody around). She is voiced by Kumi Ishida.
because he has been hired by Wyler to find an old childhood friend Freia for him. He is voiced by Eiji Yano.
: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gaau Sāan) is an artist
entering a competition, and is also a friend of Lee Pai Long. He comes to GlassHill Valley for inspiration for the competition, but once there he learns of Wyler's Elixir and thinks that it will interest Lee. Wang travels with his pet Pelican
Hoeh-Hoeh. In his ending, he returns home and lets Hoeh-Hoeh choose the painting for competition. Then humorous 'drawings' of Hoeh-Hoeh interacting with all of the characters from the game are displayed. He is voiced by Monster Maezuka.
n descent, and is a mini-boss of sorts. Her flashy sword fighting is reminiscent of an assassin
style. She is working with Wyler, pretending to encourage him in his experiments, but secretly wants him to stop them; whether she is there to assassinate him or not is unknown. Like Wyler, Sinclair does not have an ending sequence: completing the game only yields the staff roll. Unlike Wyler, she can be thrown, but cannot use throw moves herself. She has only appeared in Art of Fighting 3 thus far. She is voiced by Harumi Ikoma
.
-like man. However, it has an unforeseen after-effect and reverts his mind to a child-like state. Freia choose to stay and tend to him. Wyler is a playable character, though he does not have an ending sequence of his own. He is voiced by Monster Maezuka
.
Art of Fighting
is a trilogy of competitive fighting game titles that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the Fatal Fury series and is set in the same fictional universe...
series by SNK
SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
. Characters are listed in order of appearance by game.
Ryo Sakazaki
is the son of the respected Kyokugenryu master, Takuma Sakazaki. Orphaned at the age of 10, he now lives with his kid sister, Yuri. After Yuri is kidnapped, the Invincible Dragon is awakened in him. He plunges head-long into the urban battlezone, Southtown.Robert Garcia
Son of the multi-millionaire Albert Garcia. Sent to the world-famous Imperial Academy to study themysteries of Kyokugen karate under the tutelage of Albert's lifelong friend, Takuma Sakazaki. After the death of Ryo's mother and the disappearance of Ryo's father, Robert watched over the young boy, providing him with friendship. Robert remains, however, Ryo's ultimate rival.
Ryuhaku Todoh
is the first opponent in the arcade mode of Art of Fighting. He is the creator and main teacher of Todoh style karateKarate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, which derives its style from Aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
and Kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
. Todoh has a long standing rivalry with disciples of the Kyokugenryu school of karate and considers them a threat to his style of teaching in terms of profits as well as personal animosity dating back to a rivalry with Takuma Sakazaki when both men were very young.
After the player defeats Ryuhaku as Ryo and Robert wanted to interrogate him to know about who kidnapped Yuri, Todoh went into hiding and has not been seen since. Because of his disappearance, his daughter Kasumi goes on a personal quest to look for her father and gain revenge on Ryo and all Kyokugenryu disciples to try to reclaim her family's honor. However, in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos he makes a short appearance after seeing Kasumi's development. He also appears in The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the seventh installment in The King of Fighters series for the Neo Geo, as well as the final one produced by SNK before the bankruptcy. The game was ported to the Sega...
as a striker from Kasumi named voiced by Akira Goto. He has also been a playable character in Capcom vs SNK 2. He is voiced by Takeshi Aono and Carter Cathcart. He also appears in the game Samurai Shodown II
Samurai Shodown II
, is the second game in SNK's popular Samurai Shodown series of versus fighting games. This game has been released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on August 8, 2008 and in North America on August 25, 2008 at a cost of 900 Wii Points...
during Gen-an's ending.
Jack Turner
is a member of Mr. Big's syndicate, and a developer of his own fighting style. One of Mr. Big's highest-ranking subordinates, he devastates anyone who crosses his path. Jack is also the leader of the Southtown gang known as the Neo Black Cats. Humorously, in Jack's ending in AOF2, it was revealed that he wanted to make the gang into a dance group.Lee Pai Long
Lee Pai Long (Chinese: 李白龍) is a master of Chinese martial artsChinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
and an expert of his country's medicine. He works as the director of the Southtown prison, but also has a small herbal shop which he runs part time. A former adversary and long-time friend of Ryo Sakazaki
Ryo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
's father Takuma, he enters the tournament to test Ryo's skills. And like his friend, he dawns a mask. In this case, a Monkey Mask. Humorously, in his ending to AOF2, it was discovered that Lee would become famous for finding the cure to haemorrhoids.http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/neogeo/a/aof2lee.htm He has also been featured in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is a 2 on 2 tag team fighting game for the Atomiswave arcade board. The game features characters from several SNK and ADK titles. The PlayStation 2 version of the game has been released in Japan, North America and Europe...
as a playable character. Eiji Yano voices him in Art of Fighting and NeoGeo Battle Coliseum and Kay Inage in Art of Fighting 2.
King
is a female Muay Thai fighter who hides her gender to avoid various issues with her. In the first Art of Fighting, King appears as a CPU-controlled character. She is hired by the criminal Mr. Big to work as a bouncer in his tournament. After King is defeated by Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia who were searching for Ryo's kidnapped sister, Yuri, King agrees to help them to find Mr. Big. In Art of Fighting 2, King enters into the King of Fighters tournament in order to win the prize money to pay for an operation for her younger brother, Jan, to regain the use of his legs. As such, Ryo and Robert decide to use the prize money to pay for the operation in gratitude for helping them to find Yuri.King is also a recurring character from The King of Fighters series as part of the Women Fighters Team participating in various tournaments, usually acting as the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
leader and peacekeeper. The team is initially composed of King, Mai Shiranui
Mai Shiranui
is a player character in both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games by SNK and in related media, also appearing in a large number of other games...
and Yuri, but Yuri is replaced in '96 by Kasumi Todoh and in '97 and '98 by Chizuru Kagura. In The King of Fighters '99
The King of Fighters '99
The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle is a head-to-head fighting game by SNK released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the sixth installment in the companys The King of Fighters series. The game was ported to the Neo-Geo CD and the PlayStation as the final KOF game released...
, the tournament now requires four members per team, and while Mai joins to the Fatal Fury Team, Chizuru left competition. However, Kasumi, Li Xiangfei and Blue Mary join King to complete the team. In The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the seventh installment in The King of Fighters series for the Neo Geo, as well as the final one produced by SNK before the bankruptcy. The game was ported to the Sega...
, King is requested by Yuri to replace her in the Art of Fighting Team, in which she bonds with Ryo, Robert and Ryo's father, Takuma. She returns to the Women Fighters Team in The King of Fighters 2001
The King of Fighters 2001
The King of Fighters 2001 is a competitive fighting game produced by Eolith for the Neo Geo. It is the eighth game in The King of Fighters series and the first game produced following the closure of the original SNK. The game was produced by the Korean-based company Eolith and developed by...
with Mai, Hinako Shijou and Li Xiangfei. In The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters 2003 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the tenth game in The King of Fighters series and the first KOF game to become a tag tournament as well as the first one to be published by SNK Playmore...
, King joins Mary and Mai once again in the Women Fighters Team as the tournament returns to the use of three fighters per team. In The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore originally released in as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswave platform...
, the Women Fighters Team is disbanded since Mai went into searching for her boyfriend Andy Bogard and Mary joins the Agents Team. However, King is once again requested to enter into the tournament with the Art of Fighting Team with Ryo and Yuri as Robert has problems with his organization and Takuma is in a weak state. Takuma pretends to be in a bad state just to make King join Ryo and intensify their relationship which has been hinted several times in the series. While she and Ryo do have feelings for each other, ironically the dojo's meddlesome antics (such as the badly disguised trio interrupting the two at a restaurant) are what keep getting in the way of the two consummating.
King has also appeared in The King of Fighters Neowave
The King of Fighters Neowave
The King of Fighters Neowave is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore and originally released as a coin operated arcade game for Sammys Atomiswave hardware. It was the first game SNK Playmore produced for the Atomiswave...
with the her original team and in The King of Fighters Kyo aiding Kyo Kusanagi
Kyo Kusanagi
is one of the main characters in SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series; he was first introduced in The King of Fighters '94 as the leader of the Japan team. He is one of the iconic characters of the series and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. His name and...
and Blue Mary into investigating Geese Howard
Geese Howard
is a fictional video game character appearing in SNK Playmore's Fatal Fury fighting games series. Debuting in Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, Geese is the local crime boss of the fictional city of South Town. Geese hosts a fighting tournament named "The King of Fighters", in which he faces the...
. She was removed from The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2002 is a competitive fighting game produced by Eolith and Playmore for the Neo Geo. It is the ninth game in The King of Fighters series and the second one produced by Eolith and developed by SNK Neo Geo . The game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and the Xbox...
, but was added as a playable character in the home version from the game as well as in the remake The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match teaming up with Kasumi and Mai. Additionally, she has appeared in Capcom vs SNK and Capcom vs SNK 2. Harumi Ikoma
Harumi Ikoma
is a Seiyū that is best known for performing narration and character voices in popular fighting videogames for SNK, now known as SNK Playmore. She is the standard voice for the characters Blue Mary, King, Charlotte, and Nakoruru who appear in the popular franchises of video games King of Fighters,...
has voiced King since her debut. In the anime adaptation from Art of Fighting, King is voiced by Masako Katsuki in Japanese and Sharon Becker in English.
Mickey Rogers
is a former professional boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who was expelled from the ranks after he accidentally killed a man in the ring. He currently stalks Southtown seeking opponents to vent his anger and frustration on, and enters the tournament for the same reason. Like Crawley, Mickey gets a haircut between his two appearances. In the first AOF, Mickey has long hair, worn in dreadlocks
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also called locks, a ras, dreads, "rasta" or Jata , are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as backcombing...
. In AOF2, he has short hair. In Art of Fighting 1, Mickey becomes a small time hood who works for Mr. Big so that he can get money as a street hustler. In Art of Fighting 2, Mickey has since reformed, wanting to get back into the professional boxing circuit. In Mickey's AOF2 ending, his trainer Pops (who is visible in Mickey's stage as well) informs him that his time has come, and he has a title bout. He is voiced by Kay Inage.
John Crawley
is a Martial Arts Instructor, and with his brutal and aggressive fighting style was known to his friends as "The Madman" and "The Killing Machine". He enters the tournament to win the prize money and test his skills. In the first AOF, Crawley has longer hair. By the time AOF2 occurs, his hair is cut shorter. In John's AOF2 ending, the US Military attempts to recruit him to rescue the President's canary, but John refuses. Although it is not mentioned in the game, John seems to be assigned to the aircraft carrier , since a large "62" is visible on the ship's island.Mr. Big
is the sub-boss character from the first two Art of Fighting games. He has been involved with the mob for as long as he can remember. He made it big in Southtown, a city as seedy and corrupt as he is. He joins Geese HowardGeese Howard
is a fictional video game character appearing in SNK Playmore's Fatal Fury fighting games series. Debuting in Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, Geese is the local crime boss of the fictional city of South Town. Geese hosts a fighting tournament named "The King of Fighters", in which he faces the...
's criminal organization, soon becoming his right-hand man. Big secretly feared Takuma Sakazaki, the master of Kyokugenryu Karate, so he ordered the kidnapping of Takuma's daughter, Yuri
Yuri Sakazaki
is a video game character from SNK Playmore's Art of Fighting series. She first appears in the original Art of Fighting being kidnapped by Mr. Big, a criminal from the fictional city of Southtown. The players, Yuri's brother Ryo and his friend Robert Garcia spend the game searching for her...
, and threatened Takuma into working for him. Unfortunately, the plan backfired when Ryo Sakazaki
Ryo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
and Robert Garcia
Robert Garcia
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore, formerly known as SNK. Robert stars in the fighting video game Art of Fighting as the lead character along his best friend Ryo Sakazaki. The game features both of them as practitioners of the Kyokugenryu Karate fighting who search for Ryo's younger...
fought their way through Southtown's crime to find both of them, beating Big senseless to rescue Yuri and Takuma. King worked as a bouncer
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
at one of Mr. Big's establishments.
In 1996, Geese brought Mr. Big and Wolfgang Krauser to The King of Fighters, and revealed that he was after the Orochi power following the tournament's dramatic conclusion. Enraged, Mr. Big had a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
take a shot at Geese, but the plan failed, and Mr. Big bailed out. The team also appears in The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match. Mr. Big has also been featured in The King of Fighters: Kyo, Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is a 2 on 2 tag team fighting game for the Atomiswave arcade board. The game features characters from several SNK and ADK titles. The PlayStation 2 version of the game has been released in Japan, North America and Europe...
and the PlayStation 2 version from The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore originally released in as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswave platform...
. He also appears in the PS2 port from The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the seventh installment in The King of Fighters series for the Neo Geo, as well as the final one produced by SNK before the bankruptcy. The game was ported to the Sega...
as an assistant version of Takuma.
Masaru Naka voices Mr. Big in most KOF titles and Nobuyuki Yuki in NGBC and KOF XI. In the AOF anime adaptation, he was voiced by Iemasa Kayumi in Japanese and Cliff Lazenby in English. Mr. Big is played by Sam Hargrave in the 2010 live-action film adaptation of The King of Fighters
The King of Fighters (film)
The King of Fighters is a film loosely based on SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters series of fighting games. It stars Sean Faris as Kyo Kusanagi, Maggie Q as Mai Shiranui, Will Yun Lee as Iori Yagami, and Ray Park as Rugal Bernstein.-Plot:...
, being the only character from the Art of Fighting series in the film.
Takuma Sakazaki
is Ryo and Yuri's father who left them prior to the first Art of Fighting. Takuma appears as the final boss from the game as a masked warrior named , having taken Yuri as a hostage. Before being defeated by Ryo and Robert, Yuri stops them, revealing his identity. It is later revealed that Takuma was forced to work for Geese HowardGeese Howard
is a fictional video game character appearing in SNK Playmore's Fatal Fury fighting games series. Debuting in Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, Geese is the local crime boss of the fictional city of South Town. Geese hosts a fighting tournament named "The King of Fighters", in which he faces the...
and that his right-hand man, Mr. Big, kidnapped Yuri to put him under control. In the Super Nintendo port, Takuma Sakazaki reveals himself as the unwilling killer of Jeff Bogard, stating he wouldn't have eliminated him but Geese had already taken Yuri hostage. In Art of Fighting 2, Takuma rebels against Geese and Mr. Big, by fighting in their King of Fighters tournament, but retreats due to the several injures he has.
Takuma also appears in The King of Fighters series as part of the Art of Fighting tournament along with Robert and Ryo, but he lets Yuri take his place in The King of Fighters '96
The King of Fighters '96
The King of Fighters '96 is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles. It is the third game in The King of Fighters series, following The King of Fighters '95. Like its predecessor, the game was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn...
as he decides to retire. However, he returns in The King of Fighters '99
The King of Fighters '99
The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle is a head-to-head fighting game by SNK released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the sixth installment in the companys The King of Fighters series. The game was ported to the Neo-Geo CD and the PlayStation as the final KOF game released...
to the team as the tournament now requires four fighters per team. He once again retires in The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters 2003 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the tenth game in The King of Fighters series and the first KOF game to become a tag tournament as well as the first one to be published by SNK Playmore...
with the tournament returning to use 3 members per team. He becomes very weak in this game, but uses this state to make King enter the Art of Fighting Team to intensify her relationship with Ryo. In The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2002 is a competitive fighting game produced by Eolith and Playmore for the Neo Geo. It is the ninth game in The King of Fighters series and the second one produced by Eolith and developed by SNK Neo Geo . The game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and the Xbox...
and The King of Fighters Neowave
The King of Fighters Neowave
The King of Fighters Neowave is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore and originally released as a coin operated arcade game for Sammys Atomiswave hardware. It was the first game SNK Playmore produced for the Atomiswave...
he appears with the original Art of Fighting while in The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters '98 is a fighting game released by SNK released for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the fifth game in The King of Fighters series...
and The King of Fighters 2002: Unilimited Match, he is part of the Oniayi Team, composed of elder characters from the series. In SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos there is a boss character named , which is an enhanced version of the normal Mr. Karate (also playable in the game). He has been voiced by Eiji Tsuda in all his appearances. Following an absence from the series since the 2002 installment, Takuma makes his return debut to the series in The King of Fighters XIII
The King of Fighters XIII
is the latest installment of The King of Fighters fighting game series developed and published by SNK Playmore. The game is set after the events from The King of Fighters XI and is also the conclusion of Ash Crimson's story arc, which started in The King of Fighters 2003...
, rejoining Robert and Ryo from the 1994 team.
Eiji Kisaragi
is a Japanese assassinAssassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
from the feared and respected Kisaragi clan. His school is the sworn enemy of both the Sakazaki clan and Kyokugenryu Karate. Eiji is a mercenary, willing to kill for anyone so long as they pay well. In The King of Fighters '95
The King of Fighters '95
The King of Fighters '95 is a fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the sequel to The King of Fighters '94 and the second game in The King of Fighters series...
, Eiji joins Billy Kane
Billy Kane
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore . He makes first appearance in the fighting game Fatal Fury: King of Fighters as the sub-boss from the game. In the Fatal Fury series Billy is the right-hand man from Geese Howard, the crime lord from Southtown...
and Iori Yagami
Iori Yagami
is a character from the SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series that first appeared in The King of Fighters '95 as the leader of the Rivals Team. He is an iconic character of the series, and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. Iori is a central character to the...
in the Rivals Team as in order to kill the Sakazaki Family (Ryo, Yuri
Yuri Sakazaki
is a video game character from SNK Playmore's Art of Fighting series. She first appears in the original Art of Fighting being kidnapped by Mr. Big, a criminal from the fictional city of Southtown. The players, Yuri's brother Ryo and his friend Robert Garcia spend the game searching for her...
and Takuma). Eiji's team failed to reach the finals of the 1995 tournament and he was unable to get a 'clear shot' at the Sakazaki family. While about to escape and go search for them on his own, Iori Yagami appeared in front of Eiji and Billy Kane and brutally beat them, nearly killing them both.
Eiji did not appear as a playable, or story, character in a King of Fighters game again until The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore originally released in as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswave platform...
, in which he joins Kasumi Todoh and Malin as the Anti-Kyokungeryu Team to find and defeat the Sakazakis once again, only to be badly beaten by an enrage King who was too angry at the Sakazaki's, but for different reasons. Eiji did eventually make the cut for The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match along with Kasumi Todoh and the '96 Boss Team. In The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2000 is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the seventh installment in The King of Fighters series for the Neo Geo, as well as the final one produced by SNK before the bankruptcy. The game was ported to the Sega...
, he appears as an assistant character for Lin. He also makes short cameos with Billy Kane in some of his introductions against Iori, in which he also seeks revenge for what he did to them. He is voiced by Yoshinori Shima.
Temjin
is the only MongoliaMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n dock worker at the Southtown port. Tem resigned himself to a period of menial work as a manure loader. Finding the job 25 bucks
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
an hour, tem stayed on, earning money for the small school in Mongolia where he dreams of teaching one day. He is voiced by Yoshinori Shima.
Geese Howard
is a former champion of the National Martial Arts of America. Before he became a champion, people in the underground were afraid of him and he was nicknamed "Lone Wolf Killer Geese". Underhandedly, he achieved fame and authority in Southtown. He trained under every martial arts master around. He became a brutal killer and it is rumored that he is as strong as a demon. And now he is here to gather more and more young strong fighters for his plans.Kasumi Todoh
is the daughter of Ryuhaku Todoh, the first enemy in the original Art of Fighting. Kasumi grew up learning the Todoh school of AikidoAikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
and Kobujutsu
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
, taught to her by her father. As her family's sole heir, she does all she can to stand up for the Todoh way. When Ryuhaku stayed at Southtown to settle an old score with a man named Takuma Sakazaki, Kasumi remained in her house, waiting for her father's return. A couple of months later, she learns that Ryuhaku has been defeated by Ryo Sakazaki
Ryo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
, Takuma's son and has not been seen since. She decides to fight Ryo and anybody else in order to avenge her father. However, her mother does not like that idea and convinces her to make peace with Ryo to the point of slapping her in the face.
Kasumi goes on to participate in the 1996 King of Fighters
The King of Fighters '96
The King of Fighters '96 is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles. It is the third game in The King of Fighters series, following The King of Fighters '95. Like its predecessor, the game was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn...
tournament with King and Mai Shiranui
Mai Shiranui
is a player character in both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games by SNK and in related media, also appearing in a large number of other games...
, replacing Yuri Sakazaki
Yuri Sakazaki
is a video game character from SNK Playmore's Art of Fighting series. She first appears in the original Art of Fighting being kidnapped by Mr. Big, a criminal from the fictional city of Southtown. The players, Yuri's brother Ryo and his friend Robert Garcia spend the game searching for her...
who left for Ryo's team in place of Yuri's father Takuma (Takuma threatened to seize Yuri's assets in order to motivate Yuri to join Ryo's team). After Goenitz (highest priest of the Orochi Power) was defeated (not to mention taking his own life), King took Mai and Kasumi to her bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
.
In 1999, she teams up with King, Blue Mary and Li Xiangfei. Later in 2000, Kasumi rejoins Mai, and the two team up with Yuri and Hinako Shijou. While Kasumi had some reservations about teaming up with Yuri (mainly because Yuri is a Kyokugenryu Karate practitioner), Kasumi knows that she has to live under a family code of ethics and accepts Yuri as her teammate. In The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI
The King of Fighters XI is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by SNK Playmore originally released in as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswave platform...
, she teams up with Malin and the bitter rival of the Sakazaki family, Eiji Kisaragi to form the Anti-Kyokugenryu Team. She has also been featured in The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match as an edit character, in The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match in the Women Fighters Team with Mai and King and SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos. She is voiced by Masae Yumi.
Jin Fu-Ha
is a former disciple of Eiji Kisaragi, who betrayed him. He then decides to kill Eiji, to test if he is strong enough to do so, he decides to see if he can defeat Eiji's sworn enemy Ryo SakazakiRyo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
and searches for him, eventually tracking him down and confronting him in GlassHill Valley while Ryo is searching for his friend Robert Garcia
Robert Garcia
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore, formerly known as SNK. Robert stars in the fighting video game Art of Fighting as the lead character along his best friend Ryo Sakazaki. The game features both of them as practitioners of the Kyokugenryu Karate fighting who search for Ryo's younger...
there. Unlike most of the characters, Jin's final battle is not with Wyler, but Ryo Sakazaki
Ryo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
. Unique to Jin Fu-Ha's ending is a page of text that tells the player Jin will one day fight Eiji but until then will wander the globe alone in the shadows. He is voiced by JAI.
Karman Cole
is a long-time employee of Robert GarciaRobert Garcia
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore, formerly known as SNK. Robert stars in the fighting video game Art of Fighting as the lead character along his best friend Ryo Sakazaki. The game features both of them as practitioners of the Kyokugenryu Karate fighting who search for Ryo's younger...
's parents in a personal assistant-like role who has known Robert since he was a child. The Garcias send Karman to find their son after he disappeared to look for his old childhood friend Freia Lawrence which has led him to GlassHill Valley. Karman is a loyal employee who seems very fond of Robert Garcia and lets him get away with much more than he should. Karman's final fight in Art Of Fighting 3 is not Wyler like most of the characters but Robert. However, Karman allows him to finish his search for Freia. He is voiced by Mantarō Koichi.
Lenny Creston
is a private investigator who works with Rody Birts. Though there seems to be some romantic tension between them, the two are partners in a business sense only. They have been hired by Wyler to find Freia (also a schoolfriend of Robert GarciaRobert Garcia
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore, formerly known as SNK. Robert stars in the fighting video game Art of Fighting as the lead character along his best friend Ryo Sakazaki. The game features both of them as practitioners of the Kyokugenryu Karate fighting who search for Ryo's younger...
) and deliver her to him. The two appear to have a bad reputation within their profession and Lenny sees their new assignment as their 'big chance'. Lenny is a tough, straight-talking woman but with a caring nature underneath. She fights using a whip, though she appears to be fond of using it for different things (such as dragging Rody around). She is voiced by Kumi Ishida.
Rody Birts
is a private investigator who works with Lenny Creston. Though she dominates him, their relationship is good-natured and there is even a hint of romantic tension. The two appear to have a bad reputation as private eyes. He has come to GlassHill Valley, MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
because he has been hired by Wyler to find an old childhood friend Freia for him. He is voiced by Eiji Yano.
Wang Koh-San
Wang Koh-San (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gaau Sāan) is an artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
entering a competition, and is also a friend of Lee Pai Long. He comes to GlassHill Valley for inspiration for the competition, but once there he learns of Wyler's Elixir and thinks that it will interest Lee. Wang travels with his pet Pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
Hoeh-Hoeh. In his ending, he returns home and lets Hoeh-Hoeh choose the painting for competition. Then humorous 'drawings' of Hoeh-Hoeh interacting with all of the characters from the game are displayed. He is voiced by Monster Maezuka.
Sinclair
is an attractive young woman that appears to be of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n descent, and is a mini-boss of sorts. Her flashy sword fighting is reminiscent of an assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
style. She is working with Wyler, pretending to encourage him in his experiments, but secretly wants him to stop them; whether she is there to assassinate him or not is unknown. Like Wyler, Sinclair does not have an ending sequence: completing the game only yields the staff roll. Unlike Wyler, she can be thrown, but cannot use throw moves herself. She has only appeared in Art of Fighting 3 thus far. She is voiced by Harumi Ikoma
Harumi Ikoma
is a Seiyū that is best known for performing narration and character voices in popular fighting videogames for SNK, now known as SNK Playmore. She is the standard voice for the characters Blue Mary, King, Charlotte, and Nakoruru who appear in the popular franchises of video games King of Fighters,...
.
Wyler
is the final boss in Art Of Fighting 3. He works on perfecting a powerful elixir that was originally developed by his father and Freia Lawrence's father. However, the essential data needed for completing it was taken by Freia's father when the partnership broke up. Wyler believes this action is the cause of his father becoming destitute and even the cause of his death. Wyler hires the private investigator partners Rody Birts and Lenny Creston to find her. Wyler finds Freia, though seemingly without the help of the private eyes he hired. He completes the elixir and takes it himself, turning into a large HulkHulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
-like man. However, it has an unforeseen after-effect and reverts his mind to a child-like state. Freia choose to stay and tend to him. Wyler is a playable character, though he does not have an ending sequence of his own. He is voiced by Monster Maezuka
Monster Maezuka
is a Japanese voice actor currently associated with the Clutch voice actor agency. Maezuka is noted for his roles as Benimaru Nikaido, Ralf Jones and Choi Bounge in the Capcom vs...
.