| Iori Yagami | |
|---|---|
| The King of Fighters character | |
 Iori Yagami's first outfit byEisuke Ogura | |
| First game | The King of Fighters '95 (1995) |
| Designed by | Yuichiro Hiraki |
| Portrayed by | Will Yun Lee (2010 film) |
| Voiced by | Japanese Kunihiko Yasui[1] (KOF '95 -Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting) Takanori Hoshino (KOF XIV onwards) Chisa Horii (female;SNKH: TTF)[2] Sho Sudo (Japanese dub of theKing of Fighters movie) |
| In-universe information | |
| Fighting style | Yagami style of ancient martial arts + Pure instinct |
| Origin | Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Iori Yagami (Japanese:八神 庵,Hepburn:Yagami Iori) is a character fromSNK'sThe King of Fightersvideo game series. The character first appeared inThe King of Fighters '95 as the leader of the Rivals Team, as the initial enemy and later rival ofKyo Kusanagi. Iori is the heir of the Yagami clan, who usepyrokinetic powers and sealed theOrochi devil along with the Kusanagi and Yata clans. Iori suffers from a curse – "The Riot of the Blood" (血の暴走,Chi no Bōso) – under which he becomes faster, stronger and wilder, exhibiting a deadly tendency to indiscriminately attack everyone in close proximity. In this state, Iori is commonly called "Wild Iori" or "Orochi Iori" (月の夜大蛇の血に狂う庵,Tsuki no Yoru Orochi no Chi ni Kuruu Iori, lit. Insane Iori with Blood of Orochi Under the Night of the Moon).[3] Aside from the main series, Iori appears in several other media series, includingspin-offs, crossover video games and comic adaptations of the series.
Iori was created as Kyo's rival; his name and abilities were designed to relate him with the legend ofYamata no Orochi. The designers ended up liking him so much they are careful of the character'sdevelopment as the series expands. As a result, Iori sometimes helps Kyo to have the opportunity to fight him. Finding his design appealing, new outfits presented the SNK staff with difficulties as they devised new appearances for the character that would retain his popularity.
Video game journalists have praised Iori Yagami as one of the most powerful characters in the series. Reviewers have also cited Iori as one of the best characters from the games, labeling him as a veteran character and praising his appearance as one of SNK's best creations. "Miss X", Iori'scrossdressing form fromSNK Gals' Fighters and the additional female one ofSNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, also received attention for its humor. A series of collectible items based on Iori's likeness, including key chains and figurines, have been manufactured.
Iori Yagami was created by Yuichiro Hiraki who aimed to create an ideal rival to Kyo Kusanagi's character; Since Kyo hot-blooded in some ways, the development team just assumed Iori would be the opposite, cool and blue-blooded.[4] Iori's name is loosely based on the Japanese mythological creatureYamata no Orochi.[5] In contrast to Kyo's life, SNK decided to keep Iori's life as private despite some related material mentioning the fact that Iori has relatives.[6] Though Iori and Kyo first meet inKOF, writerAkihiko Ureshino decided to take freedom in his novelizations to foreshadow more their meetings in novels.[7] After watching fan reactions at initial location testing forKing of Fighters '95, several staff members predicted Iori would be popular.[8][9] Iori was created not only to the yang to Kyo's ying but also inherit the popularity of theArt of Fighting andFatal Fury series. In order to stand out besides being Kyo's rival, the plot of the Orochi arc would give Iori a unique Desperation Move that symbolizes his clan's past when being corrupted by Orochi: the Forbidden Method 1211: Eight Maidens.The King of Fighters '96 was created to explore more the Orochi lore through the new host Chizuru Kagura who wants help from the protagonist and his rival.[10]
Iori was originally introduced inThe King of Fighters '95 as the leader of a team composed ofBilly Kane,Eiji Kisaragi and himself. Each member shares a rivalry with another character in the game. Although the staff members worked hard to impress their superiors at SNK, Iori's characterization caused them to discard the team in the next game in the series. In the rival team's ending, Iori betrays Billy and Eiji, generating anger from theArt of Fighting developers for what Iori did to their character.[11][12]
Iori is aberserker due to the Orochi demon blood within him. This version of the character, officially named "Orochi Iori", is hinted to have existed before his debut inThe King of Fighters '97 as one of the game'smid-bosses. This form of Iori was designed to easily overpower other characters.[13] Series' flagship director Toyohisa Tanabe states that the staff were initially reluctant to add this version of Iori to the series' roster; they were worried about fans' reactions but did so to add more impact to the Orochi saga's climax. Tanabe was particularly pleased to see surprised reactions from female fans to this form duringKOF '97's location testing. Another minor development of the character was his change of "most valued possession/valued treasure" information. A girlfriend was also listed inThe King of Fighters '95,The King of Fighters '99, andThe King of Fighters 2000. Starting withThe King of Fighters 2001 and every entry after that, however, the space is listed as "None". The SNK staff commented that it is curious that he does not have a girlfriend anymore.[14]
After working in 10KOF novelizations, Akihiko Ureshino noted that SNK used Kyo and Iori too much and believed they should be given a rest afterThe King of Fighters '97. Kyo and Iori were supposed to disappear due to business reasons or the requests of enthusiastic fans, but in the end they have continued to appear ever since. After taking a step back in the "Nests Saga" they are then playing important roles in the "Ash Saga". The problem is the positioning of these two within theMaximum Impact series. In the "Ash Saga" Kyo, Iori, and Chizuru's Three Sacred Treasures play a major role in the "Orochi demon Returns" type story, and in the previous "Nests Saga," Kyo was involved in the story to some extent, but not Iori, in terms of the connections with the new protagonist K'. However, the Miera brothers were the main focus of theMaximum Impact spin-offs relegating Kyo and Iori for the first time to minor characters. Both the Ash arc andMaximum Impact games were developed at the same time which resulted in Kyo and Iori still playing a major role in theAnother Day original video animation that promotesMaximum Impact 2.[15] While Kyo and Iori are always arguing with each other, Ureshino was careful with how writing them to the point their introduction inThe King of Fighters '99 added a subtext of happiness of the two rivals meeting again, believing they had died when fighting Orochi and remained as hidden characters.[16] ByThe King of Fighters XV, Ureshino aims to make the relationship between Iori and Kyo important, claiming that should something bad happen to Kyo's life, Iori would find no reason for existing.[17] However, he refuses to make Iori act friendlier with Kyo and not mature as it would ruin his original appeal.[18]
In an interview with Iori'sJapanese voice actor,Kunihiko Yasui comments that he feels responsible as a voice actor for his performances as Iori, taking care to sound different in each installment as a means of developing and protecting his character's humanity.[19] Yasui was replaced byTakanori Hoshino starting inThe King of Fighters XIV; Hoshino said he was delighted to be the new voice actor of the character, thanking SNK.[20] Chisa Horii voices Iori's female incarnation inSNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy.[2]
One of the planned objectives forThe King of Fighters '95 was to properly introduce Iori as Kyo's rival. According to his creators, Iori's personality and other aspects of his character such as his phrases and unique moves "broke the mold for characters in fighting games at that time" resulting in a unique design from the point of view of the fans.[21] Like Kyo, several aspects of Iori, including his surname and abilities, were designed to relate him to the Japanese legend Yamata no Orochi, which was the inspiration for the plot.[21] The pixel art of Iori was made by Yuichiro Hiraki who, despite leaving SNK to work in another project a few years later, was asked byCapcom's Kaname Fujioka to once again work on the character's design for the crossover fighting gameCapcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000.[22] During the early development stages ofThe King of Fighters '99, SNK planned to exclude Iori and Kyo from the game because the company wanted to focus the story on the new protagonist,K'. They reversed this decision because of the characters' popularity.[23] The repeated appearance of Iori, Kyo, and other SNK regular characters in the series is at the insistence of the marketers and main planners, making it a challenge to decide the story for each title.[24] Because of his popularity among fans, some of the series' main designers have said Iori is "difficult to draw for". Illustrator Shinkiro said he thought Iori was one of the series' wildest characters because of his hairstyle; similar sentiments were expressed byLast Blade illustrator Tonko.[25]KOF: Maximum Impact producerFalcoon stated that attempting to change an "untouchable" design such as Iori's put him under severe pressure. He stated that creating Iori's alternative design that appears in theMaximum Impact series almost felt "unforgivable" because he felt unsure of fans' reaction to the change.[26]
For theMaximum Impact spin-off games, Iori's characteristic hairstyle was changed dramatically. Throughout the series, his normal costume consists of a short jacket andbondage pants; without changing his design and adjusting only his coloring, a diverse number of image variations can be brought about.[27] InThe King of Fighters XII andThe King of Fighters XIII Iori and Kyo were meant to wear new outfit that emphasized their sexual appeal but due to time constraints, they were removed. As a result, they sport similar outfits to the ones seen in Ash arc though there was emphasis in giving Iori the same style.[28] During the making ofThe King of Fighters XIV, Nobuyuki Kuroki wanted Iori, except the character's hair, to be redesigned. Character designer Eisuke Ogura created a new outfit for Iori and asked the modeler to focus on his masculinity and to pay close attention to the way the design of the character's eyes.[29] This new design, alongside Kyo's, provoked controversy when it was revealed.KOF XIV director Yasuyuki Oda said the team wanted the characters to have new looks because the game is set in another story arc.[30] A new design was created by Tomohiro Nakata for the next game,The King of Fighters XV; He expressed pressure of giving him a proper appeal that makes it worth of the character's fame. The new outfit focuses on red and black clothes and continue focusing on drawing the Yagami Crest of the moon in his back as usual.[31]
When fighting, Iori employs the "Yagami style of ancient martial arts" as well as an art labelled as "Pure instinct" which involves the usage of purple flames. His strongest technique is known as Kin 1211 Shiki: Yaotome (禁千弐百拾壱式・八稚女, lit. "Forbidden Style 1211: Eight Maidens") InThe King of Fighters XIII, Iori's gameplay mechanics were modified to become a close-range fighter. Despite losing his flaming techniques temporarily during KOF XIV, he continued fighting by using his fingernails like claws to scratch his opponents. Iori's strongest technique is "Forbidden 1218 Shiki: Yatagarasu" (禁千弐百拾八式・八咫烏), a new move that focuses on violent combinations and serves as a reference to the character's ending fromThe King of Fighters '96, in which he murders his teammates. Iori's 10th color scheme in the game matches that of his classic outfit. During development of the game, details were added to increase the similarities.[32] This version, featuring his classic techniques, was designed to avoid surpassing the current Iori so players could choose the fighting style they prefer in the game.[33] This was further emphasized in the console version ofThe King of Fighters XIII, in which Iori had his moveset were adjusted for better balance by not using flaming techniques.[34] Meanwhile, the Orochi Iori version was designed to be more overpowered than regular playable character as result of being originally set as a boss.[13]
As downloadable content forThe King of Fighters XIII, SNK added the original Iori Yagami who can wield flames for his fighting style. This version was meant to be innovative similar rather than make him look like his classicThe King of Fighters '95 persona. Despite being the same person, the playstyle of Iori's flames is highly different from the regular Iori whose attacks involve hand-to-hand combat. Nevertheless, he was balanced by SNK in order to avoid making the character be overpowered when exploring his special moves. Some distinguishable moves were given to him in order to give the player multiple options of tactics. This Neo Max was created with the idea of impressing gamers so that they would be attracted to use this version of the character.[35] InKOFXIV, the commands for Iori's moves were also affected; one of his strongest attacks, the Ura 316 Shiki Saia (裏316裏参), would require high skill for regular players because SNK attempted to balance the characters.[36] Oda wanted to keep his gameplay intact in order to avoid fan backlash.[37]
Iori is a violent, sadistic person who suffers from trauma because of his clan's past. In ancient times, the Yagami clan was known as the Yasakani who, With the help of the Yata and Kusanagi clans, sealed the snake demon Orochi. As time passed, the Yasakani clan grew tired of living in the shadow of the Kusanagi and made a blood pact with Orochi that gave them greater powers but cursed the clan and its descendants forever. They renamed their clan the Yagami and set out to destroy the Kusanagi with their new powers.[38][39] The curse also causes each heir to die young and each mother to die in childbirth. Iori becomes obsessed with killing his heir Kyo, disregarding their clans' past. This sometimes results in Iori helping Kyo to defeat his enemies and to finish their battles.[40] To find Kyo, Iori sometimes enters the King of Fighters tournaments and uses his teammates as tools to reach him.[41]
Iori Yagami first appeared inThe King of Fighters '95, in which he enters an annual tournament as the leader of the Rival Team with Billy Kane andEiji Kisaragi. Iori learns that the heir of the Kusanagi clan,Kyo, is expected to be there.[41] After the team fails to defeat Kyo's team, Iori betrays his teammates.[42] In thenext video game, Iori teams up with two women,Vice and Mature, servants of the Orochi demon.[43][44][45] During the '96 competition, Iori meetsChizuru Kagura, the heir of the Yata clan who wants to gather Kyo and Iori on her team to seal Orochi. They defeat the Orochi followerGoenitz but neither Iori nor Kyo agree with the idea.[3] When Iori leaves with his teammates, he cannot control his surge of Orochi power, resulting in their deaths.[46] Iori continues to suffer from multiple outbreaks; duringThe King of Fighters '97 he attacks other team members and appears as asub-boss character in the game, depending on the characters the player uses.[47] He later joins Chizuru and Kyo to confront and seal Orochi.[40][48]
In most versions ofThe King of Fighters '99, Iori is a secret character that can be faced as a bonus fight at the end of the game if the player scores enough points. In the story, Iori discovers the creation of Kyo clones and enters the annual tournament, where he finds those responsible, an organization namedNESTS.[49] Iori follows the battles in secret and fights against the NESTS' agents to continue his fight against Kyo.[50] An assistant version of his character named Striker also appears for Iori inThe King of Fighters 2000 wearing an outfit based on illustrations in artbooks.[51] InThe King of Fighters 2001, an agent namedSeth invites Iori to join his team for the nextKing of Fighters tournament, assuming he would get his shot against Kyo.[52] While his regular form appears inKOF 2002, his Orochi form is also featured in the PlayStation 2 port of the game and the remake ofKOF '98.[53][54] InThe King of Fighters 2003, Chizuru appears to both Kyo and Iori, asking them to form a team and investigate suspicious activities concerning the Orochi seal.[55] During the investigation, the team is ambushed by the fighterAsh Crimson, who plans to get the power from the descendants of the clans who sealed Orochi and steals the ones from Chizuru.[56]
In thefollowing video game, Iori and Kyo form a team with Kyo's student Shingo Yabuki to fill Chizuru's spot to stop Ash.[57] At the end of the tournament, the strengthening presence of Orochi causes Iori to enter the Riot of Blood state, in which he attacks his comrades. Ash appears afterward and defeats Iori, stealing his powers.[58][59] Iori is a playable character inThe King of Fighters XII, in which he is featured with a different outfit and a new moveset that does not use purple flames. He does not have a team.[60] Iori's appearance inThe King of Fighters XIII sees him teamed with Mature and Vice, his teammates from the 1996 tournament who return as spirits.[61] Following Ash's disappearance, Iori recovers his flames at the end and appears as downloadable content in this form.[62][63] He returns inThe King of Fighters XIV, in which he tracks Orochi's weakened body in central Hungary after the tournament is over. He seals the weakened snake demon with the help of Kyo and Chizuru.[64] Iori wears a new costume in the game and his classic one appears asdownloadable content.[65][66]
He appears once more in TheKing of Fighters XV, now teamed up with Chizuru Kagura and his rival Kyo Kusanagi.[67] Kagura makes an offer to allow him and Kyo to brawl unsupervised after the tournament, in exchange of teaming up. At the climax of the tournament, Kagura leaves both men to brawl to their hearts content, confident that both men now knows their boundaries.
InThe King of Fighters: Kyo, arole-playing video game set before the events ofKOF '97, Iori appears as Kyo's antagonist in his journey around the world.[68][69] BothKing of Fighters R-1 andKing of Fighters R-2 feature the regular Iori and his berserker form as playable characters; the latter game features him as a teamless character.[70][71] Iori appears in the spin-off video gamesMaximum Impact series.[72] In the North American editions ofMaximum Impact, Iori is voiced by Eric Summerer.[73] Iori appears as a sub-boss inThe King of Fighters Ex: Neo Blood, which is set after his fight against Orochi. Although Iori enters the tournament to fight Kyo,Geese Howard, the organizer of the tournament, tries but fails to make him awaken his Riot of the Blood to absorb his powers. InThe King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood, Iori enters another tournament and is joined by two women who want to find a man controlled by the Orochi power.[74] The shooter gameKOF: Sky Stage also features Iori as a boss, whileNeo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting makes him playable.[75][76] He is also featured inKOF X Arena Masters,[77]Game of Dice[78]The King of Fighters All Star.[79] and the Korean fighting gameThe King of Cyphers.[80][81] SNK also released apachinko based on the Orochi storyline.[82] as well as theotome gameKing of Fighters for Girls.[83]
Iori also appears in SNK's hand-held game,SNK Gals' Fighters, as a comical interpretation called Miss X (ミス X,Misu Ekkusu). The character insists he is a female in order to participate in the game'sQueen of Fighters tournament, though several female fighters easily see through his disguise.[84] He is also present inThe Rhythm of Fighters.[85] Miss X reappears in the fighting gameSNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy as downloadable content, this time sharing both the original crossdresser and new true gender swapped form.[86] In the story, Miss X fights against multiple female fighters (including his fellow gender-swapped fightersTerry Bogard and the guest fighterSkullomania) to stop the host Kukri and his ending involves an embarrassing nightmare in which he and Kyo become friendly rivals.[87] In the crossover video gamesNeoGeo Battle Coliseum andSNK vs. Capcom series, Iori appears as a playable character; the latter includes his Riot of the Blood state.[88][89] His character is also a boss character (along with Geese) in the Game Boy version fromReal Bout Fatal Fury Special.[90] He also appears inSquare Enix's fighting gameMillion Arthur: Arcana Blood.[91] He is also available in theKing Fighters X Fatal Fury mobile phone game.[92] He is also present in the Chinese mobile phone game namedKOF: WORLD,[93] thevisual novelDays of Memories,[94]Metal Slug Defense,[95]Lords of Vermillion,[96] andLucent Heart.[97] The character's original look is also being used inaction role-playingPhantasy Star Online 2.[98]
Additionally, Iori Yagami made his appearance as playable guest character inWar Song, amultiplayer online battle arena developed by Morefun Studio, a game studio owned byTencent.[99] Iori also appears as one of the background characters on the King of Fighters Stadium stage inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. In addition a costume based on him for the Mii Brawler appears as downloadable content.[100]
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Aside from theKing of Fighters series, the character is featured in anaudio drama[101] and a characterimage album.[102] In the animeThe King of Fighters: Another Day, Iori searches for Ash to regain his powers.[103] Iori appears in the spin-offmanga story entitledThe King of Fighters: Kyo, which is based on his adventure prior toThe King of Fighters '96.[104] Ryo Takamisaki's mangaThe King of Fighters G shows an alternative retelling ofKOF '96 in which Iori faces Kyo and Athena Asamiya.[105] The character appears in amanhua adaptation ofThe King of Fighters: Zillion created byAndy Seto that retells Iori's story of his fight against Orochi until he attacks NESTS to destroy Kyo's clones. He also stars in other manhua for the games, starting withThe King of Fighters 2001 and ending with2003 along with theMaximum Impact series.[25] In the mangaThe King of Fighters: A New Beginning, Vice and Mature force the Orochi power to make Iori lose his mind during his battle with Kyo. The battle ends in a draw with Iori's team losing due to the other fighters' rounds.[106][107]
Iori is played byWill Yun Lee in the filmThe King of Fighters.[108] In the CGI seriesThe King of Fighters: Destiny Iori makes a brief appearance in the first season's finale, in which he tries to play music but starts going berserk.[109] He is one of two protagonists alongside Kyo in online gag mangaPart Time Stories: Kyo & Iori byFalcoon; the two title characters work together to promote SNK's merchandising.[110] He is also featured in the mangaThe King of Fighters: A New Beginning.[111] Iori is also present in novels based on the series.[112][113] He is also set to be the protagonist of the light novel seriesIori Yagami's Isekai Mu'sou by Nobuhiko Tenkawa which depicts him in an alternate universe fighting goblins.[114]
The character Iori Yagami was mostly well received by several video game publications and other media. He is ranked in the top-ten fighting games fromGameTrailers and has been called one of the series' innovative characters from his introduction inThe King of Fighters '95 and during his development in the following games.[115] Sohu commented Kyo Kusanagi is more suitable to be the heir of the blood of the Orochi, Iori Yagami overshadows him due to his origins. Kyo and Iori's introduction was highly popular to the point Japanese gamers spread rumors they might be brother due to their connection to the myth of Orochi though Chinese comic created bizarre plots involving them. Despite the comics portraying Kyo and Iori's deadly enemies, the video game introductions did not go that far and instead used to tease their continuous competitiveness highly lampshaded by how they stare at each other while creating different colored flames. Therefore, Iori Yagami and Kyo Kusanagi still get along very harmoniously in occasions that do not involve "Orochi" but still have misrelationship.[116] According to Atomix, the berserker Iori is nicknamed "Crazy Iori" in Mexico where the franchise is highly popular. Meanwhile, the Japanese have a tendency to call him "Buso Iori".[117]
Kevin S. fromGameRevolution liked the interactions between Kyo and Iori inThe King of Fighters XIV because it was one of the most famous parts from the series. The addition of a unique theme song to Iori's and Kyo's rival fight was also praised.[118][119] Meristation compared Kyo's and Iori's antagonistic rivalry to that ofGoku andVegeta from theDragon Ball manga byAkira Toriyama.[120]The Daily Star noted Kyo's and Iori's popularity comes from the way Kyo and Iori start facing each other as enemies but still become allies for other games.[121] The formation of the Three Sacred Treasures Team inThe King of Fighters '96 had a major impact with fans because it was appealing because of the Orochi saga and because of its incorporation of Japanese mythology.[122][123] In the bookGaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific, Iori was regarded as one of the most popular video game characters in Hong Kong from the mid 1990s onward alongside Kyo, Mai and others, to the point of overshadowing theStreet Fighter characters, which were also well-known.[124] The developers ofKOF noted that Kyo and Iori were very popular in Korea, which led to their immediate inclusion isThe King of Fighters 2001 which was the first game in the series that was not developed by the original company.[125]
Across the franchise, Iori has been given new looks and techniques which have also resulted in different kind of responses. The character's new design fromThe King of Fighters XII has been well received byGameSpot's writer Andrew Park who found such moves interesting.[126] On the other hand,1UP.com writer Richard Li; Li complained about the lack of Iori's signature moves such as his fireballs, and while some of them remained, Li noted that they now require a different input from the ones they normally require.[127] The Orochi form from Iori was listed as the sixth best altered video game character alongside Leona's based on the impact both have on the storyline byDen of Geek.[128]Den of Geek same site also listed him as the fourth bestKing of Fighters characters based on his moves, rivalry with Kyo as well as apparent character arc based on how he retakes his lost powers inKOF XIII and used them inKOF XIV to once again seal Orochi.[129] The writer noted that while Iori started as "anti-hero" due to his tendency to beat up his own teammates in his first two games, he would join forces Kyo for a greater good in upcoming titles which changed the way he was seen. However, the fact that Iori is defeated by Ash inKOF XI was noted to be the opposite due to how much it affected him to the point of creating a new fighting style that does not involve flames.[130]
Todd Ciolek fromAnime News Network found Iori's appearance inKOF XIV dated.[131] Meanwhile, Iori's return to his classic techniques inKOF XIV mainly using flames were celebrated byHobby Consolas because of their popularity with fans.[132] Atinux agreed, calling the character "sadistic" because of the violence of his attacks, most notably seen in his strongest moves that reference his enhanced Orochi form from previous games.[133]Shoryuken said that while Iori and Vice showed appealing skills in theirKOF XIV trailer, they were overshadowed by Mature's techniques.[134] In response to the negative feedback involving the design, artistHiroaki Hashimoto said that while Kyo's and Iori's original designs in the Orochi arc were so appealing, it was hard for SNK to keep coming up with quality withXIV.[135] Den of Geek praised Iori's Orochi form for being far more violent than his already deadly persona.[136]
Journalists have also commented on Iori's appearances outside theKOF games. Iori's crossdressing persona Miss X has been popular; SNK stated they received multiple requests to add him into the crossover gameSNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, an upcoming fighting game focused on female characters.[137]Destructoid stated he was shocked by Miss X's debut inSNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy because of Iori's obvious secret identity and because she has different incarnations with a different gender and outfit.[138] Atomix shared similar feelings but refrained from revealing the character's true identity.[139]Universo Nintendo originally thought the DLC character would be an alternative version of Ash Crimson and was surprised by the revelation. The website said Miss X's second form is possibly the most humiliating version because the character is wearing a t-shirt of his rival Kyo. Nevertheless, the character's movements were thought to be similar to those of the original Iori and thus long-time gamers would easily play as Miss X.[140]Den of Geek found the comicSVC Chaos ridiculous because as Iori commits suicide to follow the deceased Kyo to the Underworld.[141]
Merchandising based on Iori, including figurines, key-chains and puzzles, has been released.[142][143] Two scale figures based on Iori's original form and hisXIV look have also been released.[144] A replica of hisKOF XIV coat was produced for merchandising.[145]
To choose the cover for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports ofKOF XII,Ignition Entertainment started a survey on May 4, 2009, in which users of their forum could vote for one of two covers they wanted to see in the game. While both covers feature multiple characters, one uses Kyo in the center and the other Iori.[146][147] When the two surveys ended, Ignition started two new ones that asked people to vote between the previous winners and the Japanese covers from the game for both consoles.[148][149] In late 2018, Iori and other SNK characters appeared as part of collaborations with other companies inHarajuku, Japan, involving new merchandising. Iori's image was made by Falcoon.[150] Game designerMasahiro Sakurai was amazed when first seeing Iori inThe King of Fighters '95 due to his attitude and moves which made him praise the designers.[151] In November 2024, Tanita made an official collaboration with SNK which involved merchandising and studying the bodies of Iori among other characters from the series.[152]
Mature: Are you shaking?/Vice: Yeah, he ain't normal. But, that guy... I mean... He's really tough./Iori: W, what? I can't see! Yaaah! Unnhhh! Gya... GWAAAAH!/Vice: Hey, Yagami, take it easy!/Mature: Oh, my God.../Iori: I, it's the... Riot of the Blood!/Vice: Gah. You mean there's nothing we can do?/Mature: Ooowaaaaah! Ya, Yagami!/Iori: GOOOWAAAAH!
When you think of Iori Yagami, his intense personality most likely comes to mind. His moves are unique, and his dives choice of hairstyle, wardrobe, and manner of speaking was certainly a personality that broke the mold of former characters in fighting games at that time. During the initial location tests to determine the popularity of the game, Iori was the character who stood out most. His hair and his lines to provoke his opponents ("You think I'm scary, do you?") excited his fans to no end.
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)Spirit represented by purple flame: All is from the Orochi blood! From our blood allegiance. With the Orochi clan!/Kyo: Our clan? Yagami? The Yasakani clan?/Spirit represented by purple flame: A 660 year old error... It can't be corrected!
Chizuru: The crimson flame of Yagami came from a part of your long-repressed true essence./Iori: Nonsense! I don't by [sic] that Freudian garbage!/Chizuru: The blue flames you control come from the Orochi power flowing within you.
Iori: Aaaaah!! /Orochi: Kill Kusanagi and Yata! Break the Shingi troica! Fight, my Orochi son! Listen, Yagami! /Iori:Ahhhhhhh!!!/Orochi: Ah?!
Iori: What a fool! Such power can only by mine! Well, shall we wrap this up?/Eiji: What?/Billy: Hey! You're... you're Geese!/Iori: Just wait, Kyo. You're next for extermination. You and all Kusanagis! Yah, hah, hah
Goenitz: I guess I underestimated you. I never thought... but this isn't the end for you./Iori: Hah! "ONE-FOR-THE-ROAD" BLAST!/Goenitz: AHHHHH!/Kyo: Hah! Eat this, pal! SERPENT WAVE!/Goenitz:GYAAAH! Why? Why is there no wind? GYAAAAAH!
Kyo: Finish it, Kagura! Can you do it? /Chizuru: As a mirror keeper... I must do it! /Orochi: Fools! A waste of time! If I release my remaining power.../Iori: Waahh!/Chizuru: His power... too strong! Kusanagi! Quickly... /Kyo: Heeaahhh! Woooohh!
Kyo: Consider that payback for the way you used us!/Zero: "'Used' you? The strength of your Mushiki move... was used to power the Zero Cannon. It's the ultimate compliment!/Kyo: In your sick fantasies! You conceited freak!.../Zero: Chill out. I'll soon be dead. Instead of me, think... of the one who awaits you.../Kyo:...Someone awaits me?/Iori: Enough prattle..../Kyo: Don't you think? Here's "someone"! Let's rumble, dude!
Ash: Where... is... it... now?/Chizuru: Ah.. ah.../Ash: Oh, oh, oh, here we are. With this my objective has come to fruition.
Iori: Oooh... I'll kill you... Kyo.../Shingo: Damn, damn, my body... Must save... Gagh, Mr. K-Kusanagi... He's going to be killed.../Ash: Well, well, what's going on here? And without any protection, either?/Shingo: Uh, Ash... Yagami just went crazy all of a sudden./Ash: Well, well, well. You're in a tough spot, aren't you?/Shingo: W-watch out. H-he's not like he usually is./Iori: K... Kill.../Ash: (So that's the look... Now I see. If he's gotten this far, it can only mean...) Heh, heh. Talk about pressure!/Iori: Ga, ga, ga, gaaaaah...
Ash: Holy moley, you're scary as ever. But that's not how it'll work out. And why? It's because I... am not the same old Ash./Elizabeth: That color! Iori Yagami's? No, it can't be, can it? The Orochi?!
Yuki: It's wish time! This Talisman will turn you into Ms. X forever.../Miss X: Argh! You're a sneaky tart!/Yuki: Tart? You asked for it! O, Talisman.../Miss X: Ah! Wait! I take it back! Curses...
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