K'/Story

The King of Fighters series

Past

K' (real name unknown) was a normal child who lived happily with his sister, Seirah. In 1998, the boy was made to participate in the Kusanagi cloning program. He was infused with Kyo Kusanagi's DNA, which gave him the power of pyrokinesis, as well as a clone based on his appearance named Krizalid. During the program, his memory was tinkered with, and he was made to believe that he was Krizalid's clone. Any real memories from his past have either been erased by NESTS, forgotten, or repressed. With his memories suppressed, and now working for NESTS, the boy with no name now became known as K'; and who would eventually become NESTS's ultimate downfall.

NESTS Chronicles

The King of Fighters '99

Under NESTS orders, he and Maxima joined the 1999 King of Fighters tournament with Benimaru Nikaido and Shingo Yabuki.^[1] The team makes it to the finals and are sent to a place where Krizalid waits for them. He poses as the tournament's host and fights them to gather their battle data energy. He hoped to use the data to activate the thousands of listless Kyo clones around the globe. However, K' defeats him and the team learns that Krizalid was merely a pawn for NESTS. Shortly afterward, Krizalid is executed by his superior, at a same time K' and his finally being encountered by the real Kyo. When the base collapses, K' and Maxima are divided from their team and Kyo, and hunted down by the Ikari squad. They survive the ambush and continue their resistance by leaving the organization. K's personal reason for doing so is find a way to regain his lost memories.

The King of Fighters 2000

The next year, K' and Maxima were joined by mercenaries Vanessa and Ramon.^[2] They entered the tournament to discover NESTS scheme, but Vanessa and Ramon were there to capture K' and Maxima at the end of the tournament, since they were working for Ling and Heidern. Their team makes it to the finals where they encounter Zero. Although K' defeats the traitor, they are unable to stop the Zero Cannon from firing. Unknown to them, Kula Diamond and her team destroy it and save the world from further damage. K' and Maxima are once again separated from their teammates after the tournament's climax. Whip finds them, reveals her relation to K', and joins their resistance effort.

The King of Fighters 2001

They spend the remainder of the year hunting down NESTS's bases around the globe. Though they have stumped some of the syndicate's plans, none of the bases were the main headquarters they were hoping for. K' and company enter the 2001 tournament with Lin, who tracked their movements in his personal hunt for Ron.^[3] Once his team makes it to the finals, they are lifted into a spaceship and are confronted by the real Zero. He reveals to the frustrated K' that they are on their way to the syndicate's main headquarters and will meet the real leader to NESTS. Once they reach the satellite, they meet Nests, Misty, and Igniz.

Although Nests requests their neutral cooperation, he is quickly killed by Igniz. Shortly afterwards, Igniz reveals to K' and his team that K', Kula, Krizalid, and K9999 that they were merely modified humans (or clones) purely created for Igniz's personal entertainment (i.e. to become a new god). K' faces the villain and with some assistance from his team defeats him, which motivates Igniz to kamikaze the satellite to Earth. It harmlessly falls in the ocean - apparently thanks to Ron - with most of its passengers safe. Emerging from the wreck, K' forms an alliance with Kula and Diana. Both of them want to make their own future and make up for the time lost in their lives.

Tales of Ash

The King of Fighters 2003

In 2003, Chin Gentsai visits K' and Maxima and requests that they enter the tournament. Chin, feeling a dark wave of energy around KOF that year, wants them to investigate it in his place.^[4] K' and company locate and face Mukai. The K' Team defeats him, but K' was bothered by Mukai's taunts about regaining his memories, as well as reaching his true potential.

The King of Fighters XI

Mukai's words would continue to haunt him in the following tournament, leading K' to wonder if he can surpass his fate as "the second Kusanagi flame".^[5] At the end of the XI tournament, K' and his teammates were invited by Heidern to attend a lecture about the mysterious group known as Those from the Past. Heidern said he had Magaki's body, but they were attacked by two children who took the body away.

The King of Fighters XIII

K' had absolutely no interest in entering the KOF XIII tournament, and is upset when Chin calls him once more at his apartment with Maxima. Since he soon learns from Chin and Kula that they're in the newest tournament, K' is forced to enter against his own will.^[6]

In their ending, the team spend their vacation on a cruise ship; Maxima told K' to enjoy the fun, but the latter didn't seem interested, while Kula seems to have more fun, making a giant splash around the pool, washing other people ashore. Maxima orders a big ice cream treat in a giant glass cup with many cones around, despite his eatery for sweets, and manages to finish it off. After that, agents appear out nowhere in the cruise, and the 3 prepare to fight the agents with the power of NESTS.

Shun'ei Saga

The King of Fighters XIV

After the events of the previous tournament, the majority of their wanted posters had now been taken down in exchange for their strategic aid to Heidern and his forces. While this ended their status as suspected terrorist fugitives, it did not put an end to the shadowy organizations pursuing them. After K' and Maxima dealt with the pursuers, Kula contacts the duo, passing on a message related to formermembers of NESTS participating in the upcoming KOF tournament.^[7]

In their ending, they were ordered to attend Heidern's meeting to pass on information related to Verse. Once K', Maxima and Kula board the helicopter, Maxima informs his partner that several bodies have emerged from the fragments of Verse and that some of those bodies have records from previous competitions while some have no records at all.

The King of Fighters XV

Prior to the fifteenth tournament, Kula ran away from K' and Maxima after an argument. A few days later, Whip appeared to the both of them, and learn that she had been captured by former NESTS agents Ángel and a mysterious Krohnen McDougall, a man who had a new yet familiar face about him. Whip's mission is to rescue Kula and capture Krohnen, and the best way to do it is during The King of Fighters. While Maxima immediately agreed, K' did not want to join, believing that this is clearly a trap. However, he does point out that the worse may happen to Kula if they don't show up. Maxima and Whip persuades K' to join them and to apologize Kula for being too careless towards her. ^[8]

Maximum Impact series

K's life in this timeline is exactly the same as his mainline counterpart up until The King of Fighters 2003.

The King of Fighters: Another Day

K' teams up with Whip, Kula, and Maxima in the third episode of The King of Fighters: Another Day. Both he and Maxima infiltrate South Town's subway to see if they can find whereabouts for either Dr. Makishima or the rogue Kyo clone. With the task of guarding his partner's back, K' finds the job to be a bore and wants to have something exciting happen in their task. Dodging the average soldiers by riding a train, they fight Leona, Ralf, and Clark Still. Maxima grabs him to hop into the train operated by Whip and Kula, remarking that the incident was more than what he bargained for.

Spin-Offs

K' appears in various other media that doesn't necessarily tie into his canon counterpart. He usually acts in a similar manner as his original incarnation, but he demonstrates different traits or character relationships that make him different.

Days of Memories

In Days of Memories, he is often acting as Kula's older brother. Since he doesn't like to reveal too many details about himself and Kula is constantly worried for him, the first protagonist mistakes him as a romantic interest for her. Although he quit the gang he was involved with, he frequently clashes with them to protect him and Kula. He continues to do so until Kula pleads him to stop hurting himself for her.

During the fourth title, he is a childhood friend of the protagonist who moved away during their time together in elementary school. Nicknaming him "Kei-kun", she recalls him as a bright and enthusiastic crybaby, who liked to play soccer with her. Although they promised to meet once more, she is surprised when he doesn't remember her when he returns to Japan during the summer break. He acts disinterested in socializing with others and usually hangs around Neo Geo World. K' stays away from his home since he hates his adoptive family, but he does treat Kula nicely and looks out for her safety. Although he likes to rough house and cause a great stir by speeding through the streets on his motorcycle, Maxima asks her to continue being nice to him since he knows his partner really appreciates her.

If she does, she learns that K' suffers from amnesia -though he privately admits that he can only remember his past with memories concerning her. He later reveals that Krizalid wanted K' and Maxima to join with him in a gang to conquer the land for their own. Naturally, he and his partner refuse but Krizalid punished K' by taking away his memories. Later in the month, Maxima is wounded and hospitalized. Knowing that Krizalid is likely behind the attack, K' pursues him to settle the score. He tells the protagonist and Kula to get lost since they would only get in the way, but he is really worried for their safety. After two uneventful days of searching by himself, he agrees to have the protagonist help him in his search. If she takes him to certain places, they'll remember their past together.

When the protagonist's friend, Kaori, is kidnapped by Krizalid the following day, K' tried to stop him but is wounded. Forgoing treatment, he pursues Krizalid together with the protagonist. Though Maxima manages to save them from Kyoclones, Krizalid holds Whip hostage and threatens to kill her if K' doesn't become his subordinate. Caring for his treasured sister, K' is ready to agree until the protagonist yells at him to stop worrying about others and care more about himself. If she is successful, Whip steps in and follows up on her claims. She apologizes for deceiving Krizalid and asks her two younger brothers to get along with one another. Krizalid offers to return K's lost memories, but he refuses since he's happy with the ones he is currently making. He spends a month remedying affairs at his home and decides to come back for the protagonist for a little joyride on his bike. He promises that he won't disappear without telling her anymore.

In his bad ending, K' refuses to believe the protagonist's words and joins Krizalid. Kula follows him, saying that they'll be unstoppable together. Maxima, who understands the girl's frustrations, promises to take care of K' for her.

During the seventh title, he is a popular model who attends an all-star academy. While he is a top star and has many fans, K' actually doesn't like modeling or dressing up for photo shoots. The main reason why he does it is because Kula dragged him into it. He seems callous and cold to his classmates, but he really does care for them. On two different occasions, he cheers up a depressed protagonist and Leona, telling them to never give up their respective dreams. He makes a brief cameo in the ninth title, but he doesn't like to do much with others.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum

After the destruction of NESTS, K' and his companions are content to live their days in peace. However, WAREZ has targeted them and desires to research their enhanced bodies for their own needs. Deciding to put an end to the pursuit, K' enters the tournament alone to deal with them.

In his ending, he drifts into a state of melancholy when he begins to ponder about the future battles ahead. Maxima and Kula appear to cheer him up, making him realize that at least he isn't alone for whatever obstacles he will need to face.

The King of Fighters 2

In The King of Fighters 2, he actually likes spying on girls from the series and rates them under a point system of attractiveness. He is also more ready to celebrate than usual.

Drama CDs

The King of Fighters series

The King of Fighters '99 (Drama CD)

In the The King of Fighters '99 drama CD, K' reveals that he knows Kyo since he instinctively remembers him. He states that he has always wanted to meet Kyo at least once, though he doesn't know why. He wonders if it his fate to someday fight the real Kyo. To show his strengths to his new teammates, he wins a fight over Benimaru. When the Kyo clone terrorizes the other fighters, he rescues Shingo from the clone and fights by himself. He laughs as he reveals to the other watchers that his opponent is a clone. After he prevails, Benimaru threatens that he carries a grudge for the youth and doesn't fully trust him or NESTS. K' leaves, saying that nothing has been solved yet.

During the gag bonus segment, Athena Asamiya interviews him to say more about himself. K' remains uninterested and apathetic to her questions, at one point saying that he wanted to go home. A frustrated Athena explodes and blows him away with a Psycho Ball. She rants that she actually hates talking to people too and breaks character by complaining that Nezumi is an irritating and stupid name.

The King of Fighters 2000 (Drama CD)

The 2000 drama picks up after the conclusion of the 1999 tournament. K's glove suffers damage, but he stubbornly insists that he is fine enough to continue without repair. In a dream sequence, he tells Kula that they both don't know who they really are, which causes the girl to wake up.

During the A Line story, he is intent to destroy NESTS by himself, even if it costs him his life. Meeting Whip in the city, he states that she will only get in the way of their investigation of the nearby terrorists in the area and refuses her help. It isn't until Maxima catches him in pain from his flame that the trio decide to work together. K' tries to raid the terrorist base they were after by himself, which turns out to be a NESTS hideout. After he wounds Foxy, he has a brief fight with Kula and Benimaru. Maxima catches up to him and scolds him to stop using his powers recklessly, knocking him out when K' protests. K' awakes with his glove repaired and roughly thanks his partner for saving him.

KOF: Mid Summer Struggle

K' plays a smaller role in the Mid Summer Struggle story as he and Maxima invade the island to destroy the remnants of NESTS. K' rescues Leona and Ralf Jones from armed thugs and leaves to regroup with Maxima. As he does, he confronts Ryuji Yamazaki on the road to steal the man's car. The story cuts away but he supposedly beats the yakuza and rams the car into more brutes. He and Maxima fight them off and disappear by the time the Ikari Warriors arrive on the scene.

Other Drama CDs

Neo Geo DJ Station

In this Drama CD, K' is a self-proclaimed "genius gigolo" working for Yamazaki's failing idol service, Dragon Pro. While he usually acts as a sarcastic individual to his boss, he acts as a proud and flirtatious individual on the job. Speaking in a sweet and poetic voice, he overly compliments ladies with offers to "fly into his arms" and nicknames each one as "My honey". He tries to use his talents to recruit Hibiki Takane for the studio, but she is too obsessed with Shingo to even notice him. Her obliviousness to his efforts wounds his pride as a professional and he tries in vain to have her turn his way. He doesn't consider Li Xiangfei to be a woman and therefore makes her exempt from his charming skills, hitting her or ignoring her completely.

To test that he isn't out of touch, he randomly charms a lady on the street for lunch. He convinces her that he doesn't have his wallet on him, and she accepts to buy the meal. K' was ready to go with the outing, but is frustrated that his words can't penetrate Hibiki and drops the idea. When the cast are dragged into the past, they land on Mikoto and Saya in the midst of a fight. He is among the three captured by Mikoto. They fail to get back to their real time and end the drama by running around the island.

Days of Memories (Drama CD)

Although he personally doesn't appear, Kula calls out to him once she realizes the microphone is on. She asks for him to meet her after school so they can go somewhere. She also mentions that she wants to hang out with him again at Neo Geo World.

Manga & Manhua

The King of Fighters: A New Beginning

To be added...

References