| Iori Yagami | |
|---|---|
| The King of Fighters character | |
 Iori Yagami in The King of Fighters XIII illustrated by 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 the King 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 from SNK's The King of Fighters video game series. The character first appeared in The King of Fighters '95 as the leader of the Rivals Team, as the initial enemy and later rival of Kyo Kusanagi. Iori is the heir of the Yagami clan, who use pyrokinetic powers and sealed the Orochi 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, including spin-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 of Yamata no Orochi. The designers ended up liking him so much they are careful of the character's development 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's crossdressing form from SNK Gals' Fighters and the additional female one of SNK 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.
- ^ SNK (July 25, 1995). The King of Fighters '95 (Neo Geo). SNK. Level/area: Credits.
- ^ SNKヒロインズ - DLCキャラクター「ミスX」. October 25, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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