K'
First Appearance: King of Fighters '99
Game Appearances: King of Fighters '99-XII & XIV-XV (92% of games since debut), KoF Maximum Impact 1 & 2, Neo*Geo Battle Coliseum
Role: The New Main Character, Kyo Clone, Aloof Hero, Anti-Hero
PL 10 (145)
STRENGTH 3
STAMINA 3
AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 13
DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 1
AWARENESS 3
PRESENCE -1
Skills:
Acrobatics 9 (+14)
Athletics 9 (+12)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 4 (+17)
Expertise (Martial Arts) 8 (+9)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 7 (+6)
Perception 4 (+7)
Ranged Combat (Chi) 6 (+13)
Advantages:
Assessment, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Evasion ("Black Out"), Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed) 3, Improved Critical (Dark Thrust), Improved Critical (Rapids of Rage) 2, Improved Critical (Fire Spin) 2, Improved Critical (Wicked Chew) 2, Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 3
SNK Fighting Style: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Defensive Roll, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Hold, Improved Trip (Throw), Power Attack, Takedown, Withstand Damage (Block)
Powers:
"The Kusanagi Flames" Features 1: Adds Fire to Unarmed Damage [1]
"Assorted Combos" Strength-Damage +1 (Extras: Multiattack 4) (Flaws: Distracting) Linked to Affliction 4 (Toughness; Dazed & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree) (Inaccurate -1) (6) -- [8]
- AE: "Iron Trigger- Fire Punch" Strength-Damage +2 (Inaccurate -1) (1)
- AE: "Crow Bite" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: +2 to Hit Jumping Opponents) (Inaccurate -1) (2)
Offense:
Unarmed +17 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Special Moves +15 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Combos +16 (+4 Damage & Affliction, DC 19 & 14)
Initiative +9
Defenses:
Dodge +15 (DC 25), Parry +16 (DC 26), Toughness +3 (+4 D.Roll), Fortitude +6, Will +7
Complications:
Responsibility (Fugitive)- K' was a fugitive from justice, having been a part of the NESTS Cartel (albeit due to brainwashing).
Relationship (Whip, Kula Diamond)- Whip is K's birth sister, and Kula is a clone of his- he is close to both.
Responsibility (Antisocial)- K' is a bit grim, aloof, uncooperative socially, and intense. Maxima does most of his talking for him, and he doesn't like to put much effort into anything- he's known for being lazy and rude.
Weakness (Predictability)- SNK Characters cannot simply "spam" out the same attack over and over again, as the opponent will expect the attacks, and be ready for them (and a counterattack). The third time they try the same technique (or same combo of techniques) in a short span, they will be at -2 to Accuracy, AND to his Active Defenses in that round. All will decrease by 2 every successive round the same move is done.
Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 50--25 / Advantages: 20 + 11 / Powers: 9 / Defenses: 20 (145)
K'- Our New Main Character:
-In a pretty big surprise move, the end of the "Orochi Saga" brought on a NEW Main Character- K' replacing Kyo Kusanagi as the lead guy in the "Hero Team", and the one who wins all the tournaments and defeats the Final Bosses in canon. The apostrophe in his name is one of those quirks about Japanese translations of English things, and I've seen it before, but sometimes pronounced differently. Here, the name is pronounced "Kay-dash"- there's a Japanese women's promotion called JD' that is pronounced "J.D. Star".
-K' is so much a clone of Kyo Kusanagi (ie. they share a ton of moves) that he is almost literally just that. A guy with the actual DNA of Kyo Kusanagi! The NESTS Cartel being interested in creating the ultimate fighting machines, they clone Kyo relentlessly, making an army of guys who can wield his ancestral "Kusanagi Flames"- the white-haired K' ends up becoming one of the best of these. When he discovers that NESTS also cloned HIM, creating the superior Krizalid, he is disgusted, and abandons NESTS alongside his partner Maxima. In this sense, K' is a very dark character- aloof and incapable of much social interaction, he requires Maxima to handle most of the socializing. A reluctant hero and fugitive from justice, he's perhaps emblematic of the type of male character who came to dominate things targeted at young boys- instead of the friendly fight-lovers like Goku, Shonen protagonists started turing into the same grim, outlaw archetypes you saw in American comics in the '90s.
-K' was, well, VASTLY important to the "NESTS Saga", having the whole thing revolving around him like the "Orochi Saga" did around Kyo (who got a rival, partners, clones, a fanboy, a father, and more)- K' ends up fighting his sisters Whip & Kula, deals with his clone, and more. His visual look was BAD-ASS, though- SNK always specialized in "Guys in fashionable clothes" fighting, but K' had this whole leather gear thing, contrasting well with his ultra-white hair. His hairstyle was redesigned when someone realized that Rock Howard had the same look in
Garou: Mark of the Wolves, but we had our new main guy. K' actually went over really well, despite being a Kyo-Clone- he's one of the most popular characters in the series. Despite that, he doesn't make it into any of the
Capcom vs. SNK games.
The Story of K':
-K' was a normal child living with his sister, Seirah, but they were kidnapped by NESTS and experimented upon- his DNA was mixed with that of Kyo Kusanagi's, giving him Kyo's fire powers, and his memories were altered. He was forced into the King of Fighters tournament, teaming with Maxima (a secret agent within NESTS) and Kyo's friends Benimaru & Shingo as the new "Hero Team". They confront Krizalid at the end of the 1999 KoF tournament, ultimately defeating him- Krizalid was merely a pawn of NESTS, and a clone of K' himself. Krizalid dies and the heroes go on the run from Heidern's Ikari Warriors and other agents of justice.
-The next year, K' & Maxima team up with Vanessa & Ramon in a new incarnation of the "Hero Team", but the two revealed at the end their intentions to capture the duo under orders from Heidern. They confront Zero at the end of the tournament, and he dies- Kula Diamond, herself another K' clone, saves the world from his Zero Cannon. Along the way, he discovers that Whip of the Ikari Warriors is his sister, Seirah! K' and his friends continue fighting, defeating the Original Zero and Igniz, who rules NESTS, alongside new character Lin, in
KoF 2001, which ends the "NESTS Saga". The next game is a "Dream Match" out of continuity.
-The "Ash Crimson Saga" continues the next arc of
KoF, with K' himself now more of a side character who appears in the background. He doesn't appear in
KoF XIII for some reason (his sprite was animated for its predecessor!), saying he wasn't interested in the fight- in most of these games, he and Maxima were sent by Heidern or Chin Gentsai to investigate the bad guys.
The Power of K':
-K' uses a fighting style similar to Bruce Lee's, but with some of Kyo's Specials thrown in- he's a combo-based fighter like Kyo turned into, but keeps the anti-air and other things. He uses violent elbow strikes, loud cries, and more- coming off like an unhinged, brutal ass-kicker. Typically in most games he is one of the top-tier fighters.