Orochi Iori

Template:CharacterInfoboxOrochi Iori (Template:Furigana Template:Furigana, Bousou Iori, lit. Rampaging Iori), also named as Wild Iori (ツキノヨルオロチノチニクルフイオリ, Tsuki no Yoru Orochi no Chi ni Kurufu Iori, lit. Insane Iori with Blood of Orochi Under the Night of the Moon), is Iori Yagami during the Riot of the Blood.

He was first seen in The King of Fighters '96 in Iori's ending where he kills Mature and Vice. His first appearance as a fighting game character was in The King of Fighters '97 as a mid-boss.

Development

The team originally wanted Orochi Iori to be the final boss for KOF '97, but later in production he was relegated to a "Minor" boss character.<ref name=KOF>Official character profile from KOF anniversary website.</ref> He was specifically designed "to mow down the other characters with relative ease." <ref name=KOF/> Series flagship director, Toyohisa Tanabe, states that the staff was initially reluctant to add this version of Iori to the series roster -worried about fans' reactions- but did so to add more impact to the Orochi saga's climax. He was particularly pleased to see female fans' surprised reactions to Wild Iori during KOF '97's location testing.

Story

Due to the pact the Yasakani (Yagami) made with Orochi, all members of the bloodline are subject to the Riot of the Blood. Iori is first seen entering this state during the tournament in '96 and kills Vice and Mature.

During the finals of the '97 tournament, the Heavenly Kings activate the Riot of Blood in Iori. He eventually snaps out of it and helps fight Orochi. When Orochi was about to lose, it triggers the Riot of the Blood in Iori in an attempt to make him turn against Kyo and Chizuru Kagura. This backfires with Iori strangling Orochi allowing Kyo to deliver the final blow and Chizuru to reseal the deity.

Orochi's weakening seal in The King of Fighters XI has Iori lose control and attack Shingo Yabuki and Kyo. His Magatama was then stolen by Ash Crimson, ridding him of the tendencies entirely until willfully regaining his power.

Personality

Iori has a raw, animal-like mentality, only able to speak a few words. He has a single-minded obsession with killing Kyo while in this state, to the point that he keeps screaming his name when he is not even present but he will attack anyone in his path.

Powers

Slashing Hands - Iori can use his hands as slicing weapons.
Pyrokinesis - Due to his Yagami heritage, Iori can control fire. He can create purple fire from thin air, create fire balls, deliver punches of fire, create pillars of fire and put his own body on fire. His fire also has the sacred ability to put enemies in a stasis-like state. He is not immune to other types of fire. He cannot control other fires that he didn't create.

Fighting Style

Wild Iori's style is exactly the same as normal Iori's, but his strength and agility have been remarkably enhanced due to the Orochi power within him reaching peak levels. He is now twice as fast and twice as strong as he was before, but to offset this he takes twice as much damage as well when playable as a more traditional glass-cannon-type of fighting game character. As a CPU opponent however, he does not have the health-total drawback.

Also, in some games, Iori in this state might have moves only exclusive to him, such as the Ura 108 Shiki: Ya Sakazuki (Reverse Method 108: Eight Wine Cups), a move available at times to normal Iori or the more unique Ura 100 Shiki: Oni Honoo (Reverse Method 100: Ogre Blaze) in Capcom vs. SNK 1 and 2; even in some cases, he might also have the San Shingi no Ni (Three Divine Arts No. Two), only named as "????"; which is a nod to him in his berserk form holding Orochi himself by the neck at the end of KOF '97, as well as the fact that the action was surprising at the time.

Music

Control Crisis - The King of Fighters '97, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, The King of Fighters R-1, shared with Wild Leona
The Dark Pulsation - SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium, shared with Evil Ryu
Unexpected Fight - SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, shared with Violent Ken

Game Appearances

The King of Fighters '96 - in the Yagami Team ending; playable in the Gameboy version only, as Iori!
The King of Fighters '97 - potential mid-boss
The King of Fighters R-1 - mid-boss
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - final boss
Capcom vs. SNK - unlockable
The King of Fighters 2000 - as a PS2 Maniac Striker for Benimaru
Capcom vs. SNK 2
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos - potential sub-boss and hidden character, also during Iori's Exceed
The King of Fighters 2002 - during Iori's HSDM and SDM, potential mid-boss & unlockable in console versions only
The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - potential mid-boss, unlockable, also during Iori's SDM
The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match - during Iori's HSDM and SDM
KOF Sky Stage - as a boss
Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting - as a boss, also appears in Iori's ending
CR The King of Fighters

Mobile Appearances

Cameo Appearances

The King of Fighters '98 - during Iori's SDM
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum - Akari Ichijou's 100 Demons Special Move, also in one of Iori's DMs/Super Special Moves
The King of Fighters XIII - during EX Iori's Neo Max
The King of Fighters XIV - during Iori's Climax
The King of Fighters XV - during Iori's Climax
Million Arthur: Arcana Blood - Guest character during Iori’s Million Excalibur

Similar Characters

Cards

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash 2 Expand Edition SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS KOF98UM OL Kimi Wa Hero KOF All Star

Sprites

SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium The King of Fighters '97 Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000

Gallery

Iori-wild-2002.jpg

The King of Fighters 2002 artwork
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The King of Fighters XI
Orochiiori-kofXI.png

The King of Fighters XI

References