From the book
“The Mysteries of KOF'94” (KOF'94の謎)
Published by Gamest in 1995.03.07
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[Q012] Why does Kyo still wear a school uniform?
[Q013] How does Kyo control fire?
[Q014] Who are Kyo’s family members?
[Q015] The emblem on Kyo’s back, what does it mean?
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[Q012] Why does Kyo still wear a school uniform?
When we talk about characters who wear school uniforms in KOF’94, the one
that immediately comes to mind is… Athena Asamiya? Not quite. This time,
we’re referring to Kusanagi, Kyo-sama. Why does he dress like this, even
though he’s 19 years old? Is it a school uniform fetish?
It is well known that Kyo-sama is still in school, despite being 19 years
old. This means he failed a year. We’re not sure if Kyo’s fans are happy
or sad about this, but what we know for sure is that Kyo-sama will spend a
fourth delightful year at school.
He didn’t fail because of bad grades, or for lighting the cigarette of
some hoodlum (with a Yamibarai). It was because he didn’t meet the minimum
school attendance requirement.
What caused his absences? Maybe he was training and he simply forgot, or
perhaps he was recovering from injuries.
There are many possibilities, but the truth will continue to be a mystery.
(It is also rumored that he failed because he wanted to be in the same
year as Yuki…)
And thus, Kyo-sama is still a student and fights while wearing his school
uniform, despite the fact that there’s no requirement to do so.
From our own experience, we know that school uniforms are heavy and
restricting, unfit to be used as fighting gear. Which raises the question,
why does Kyo wear it during fights? Doesn’t he have some casual clothing?
Or is his school too strict and it has a rule stating “you must wear your
uniform even when you’re not in class”? Anyways, the mystery remains.
Failing a year
Repeating a year is embarrassing and objectionable, but in Kyo’s case, it
seems we can’t help but think “that’s so cool!” Oh, Kyo-sama, you’re
setting a bad example!
Suspension
Kyo-sama’s most precious object is his motorcycle. Maybe he was found
riding it to school, against the rules.
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[Q013] How does Kyo control fire?
How does Kyo control fire?
Kyo-sama can control flames at will, but why isn’t he burned in the process?
More importantly, why aren’t his opponents burned to death?
Kyo can light a flame on his fingertip and also cover himself in fire. His
command over fire is not a cheap trick. With his talent, he could be touring
Japan, making money. But he prefers to use the fire in his martial arts,
dangerous as it is.
The principle behind the ability to summon flames remains a mystery,
because it is a secret technique of the ancient Kusanagi Style. But,
seeing that Kyo isn’t burned by them, some people believe that they are
different from normal flames (Rugal Bernstein, for example).
It seems that Kyo-sama can control the temperature of his flames at will.
When he fights human opponents, the temperature is significantly low.
(When he uses his Orochinagi MAX, the intensity is at 10%).
If he wanted to, he could reduce an opponent to ashes in one hit.
We can also gauge his power based on his remarks: “How did it feel to
receive my punches? They burn hotter than napalm!” and “If we’d kept
going, I’d’ve burned you to a crisp!”
The fact that Kyo keeps this power sealed is due to the kindness of his
heart. The other KOF participants should be grateful!
However, we’re concerned about Ralf and Clark, who carry ammunition on
themselves. If Kyosama’s flames reach the ammo, they could ignite it and
cause an explosion, right? It would be unfortunate if these soldiers, who
have survived countless tragic battles, die because of the ammo that they
themselves decided to carry.
A fiery Shinkuu Katate Koma
Hmm… It must be nice, being able to control fire at will, don’t you think?
You wouldn’t freeze during winter. I’d love to have a Kyo-sama at home and
use it as a human heater!
I’ll burn you to a crisp!
Kyo-sama’s favorite food is grilled fish. He could cook it using a Yamibarai
or an Orochinagi, right? (lol) Kyo-sama is a pretty handy guy to have
around. Why don’t we call him “human lighter” from now on?
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[Q014] Who are Kyo’s family members?
At first glance, Kyo-sama looks like a carefree lone wolf who would
rather fight alone. When Rugal killed his father, we thought he had
no other relatives left, but we were wrong. Kyo has a loving family,
thank god.
Main characters are often surrounded by the dark shadow of a tragic
past they refuse to speak of, but Kyo-sama’s wasn’t as unfortunate.
(Although he did have to see his father die before his eyes…)
His family life was pretty normal, actually.
Kyo used to live with his father and mother. The three of them got
along very well, but, as we already mentioned, his father Saisyu
vanished and this cast a dark cloud over the Kusanagi family.
KOF’94 was held. It is said that the organizer, Rugal, killed
Saisyu. Kyo defeated Rugal to avenge his father and then took off to
travel around the world, aiming to train and become stronger.
Kyo’s mother took charge of the family on her own. She probably
feels lonely, and Kyo wants to return to her as soon as possible.
Think of your girlfriend Yuki too! And come back soon, Kyo!
Speaking of Kyo’s mother… She’s a doctor, and her income was higher
than Saisyu’s. Kyo’s grandfather and grandmother are also alive and
well, although they live in a different house.
Kyo’s grandfather was the third from last heir of the Kusanagi
Style, and it seems he can still use fire. The grandparents are
visited by Kyo’s mother often, maybe as a way to keep the loneliness
at bay. But she misses her son deeply. Hurry up and come back, Kyo!
Tragic Heroes
Unlike Terry and Andy in Fatal Fury, or Ryo in Art of Fighting,
Kyo-sama’s life had not been marred by terrible tragedy. But then he
had to witness the death of his father. Be strong, Kyo-sama!
Kyo-kun’s Moral Code (*Wordplay between “kyoukun” and “Kyo-kun”)
Kyo-sama left Yuki behind to travel around the world. Does he think
that “women have no place in the fighting world”? (No, wrong game).
The Father’s Authority
Saisyu’s income was lower than his wife’s. Then he was defeated by
his own child. But his death was splendid. God rest his soul.
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[Q015] The emblem on Kyo’s back, what does it mean?
The crest shown on the back of Kyo’s school uniform is obviously the
emblem of the Kusanagi clan, right? Let’s take a closer look at this
mystery, which accentuates Kyo-sama’s enigmatic side.
At first glance, it looks like a yellow circle drawn in a hurry, but it
actually has a surprising hidden meaning, and it has become Kyo’s
trademark by now.
The design represents the sun, but it is not the family emblem. This
symbol has been passed down from time immemorial together with the ancient
martial arts of the Kusanagi Ryuu. Its meaning is quite simple: the sun
can be considered a celestial body that rules over fire.
It may not be clearly discernible on the game screen, but the symbol is
certainly the sun.
Apparently, if you carry this emblem, this means that you are considered a
true successor of the Kusanagi Ryuu. Kyo’s father displays it on the
sleeves of his outfit, and Kyo, as the heir of the tradition, wears this
emblem as well.
Kyo-sama seems to really like that symbol, by the way.
The question is, how is the design attached to his clothes? Is it a custom
iron-on print by his mother? Did his girlfriend Yuki embroider it for him?
Whatever the answer, this sun is now affixed to the back of the heir of
the Kusanagi Ryuu’s 1800 years of history, and shines as bright as
Kyo-sama’s fighting spirit, which can turn anything into ashes!
Trademark
Kyo-sama’s trademark is his school uniform, but privately, he also earns
extra points for the bandana.
Buzzkill
(*Wordplay between “kyouzame” and “Kyo-sama”.)
CPU!Kyo-sama is remarkably strong. When he doesn’t follow the pattern, I
hate my beloved Kyo-sama. But I must not hate him. Let’s hate the
programming, not the character.
Source: “The Mysteries of KOF’94” (KOF’94の謎), Trivia No. 15, Pag. 40
Published by Gamest in 1995.03.07 | Translation by @miauneko
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