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RYO SAKAZAKI
"Good beyond the Hill"
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Birthplace: Japan (of American heritage)
Birthdate: August 2, 1973 (26 years old)
Height: 1.79 m (5'9")
Weight: 68 kg (148 lbs)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Weekend carpentry
Favorite food: Mochi, natto
Favorite sport: Sumo wrestling
Most valuable: Restored motorcycle, horse
Hates the most: Bugs with multiple legs
Fighting style: Kyokugenryo Karate
*Mochi = rice cake
*Natto = fermented soy beans
Ryo is the older son of Takuma Sakazaki, master of Kyokugenryo Karate, and
older brother of Yuri Sakazaki. Being the oldest of the two children of Takuma,
he has been chosen to be the heir of the Sakazaki legacy, and Ryo tries to live
up to it by training very hard every day in the Kyokugenryo Karate dojo, using
the power of the tiger to fight. He has trained since he was a little kid, and
wants to make his father proud. He considers Yuri to be nothing more than a
pest, and that she must not be training in Kyokugenryo Karate, since she is just
a girl, and besides, Ryo fears she might be hurt in a battle.
While still training, Ryo receives a new training partner, the son of one
of Takuma's friends, Robert Garcia. Both became the best of friends, joined by
the same style. They quarrel a bit, especially when Robert gets close to Yuri.
However, they both respect each other, and sometimes get in a little battle once
in awhile. Both fighters become the top students of the dojo, but suddenly,
Takuma disappears with no notice, and Yuri is kidnapped shortly after. Ryo is
resolved to go and seek his family in the dangerous and criminal Southtown,
aided by Robert. Ryo and Robert divide themselves to look out for clues of
Yuri's location. Ryo then meets a lot of enemies and friends, one of them being
King, a bouncer of a bar which Ryo thought to be a man, and upon using a Koh-Ho-
Ken on her, Ryo breaks King's shirt, revealing Ryo that she is a woman. Pretty
ashamed, Ryo offers to help King, and ever since, both have become the best of
friends...and even a bit more than that, but both refuse to accept their true
feelings...
Finally, Ryo is informed that the man who kidnapped his sister was no
other than Mr. Big, one of the more important gang leaders of Southtown. Ryo and
Robert go to his lair, and Ryo furiously demands Mr. Big to give him back his
sister. Mr. Big obviously smiles and tells them that the won't do anything
unless they defeat him. Robert takes care in doing so, but then, the defeated
Mr. Big calls infor Mr. Karate. This man wore a strange "tengu" (bird) mask, and
Ryo sensed a powerful, but familiar, aura from him. Mr. Big orders Mr. Karate to
attack them. Robert is exhausted from his battle with Mr. Big, and Ryo takes the
battle on. The two warriors fight, and Ryo realizes with astonishment that this
man uses Kyokugenryo Karate as well! However, Ryo is determined to save his
sister, and with an exceptional display of courage and strength, defeats Mr.
Karate. About to finish him off, determining he was the cause of Yuri's
kidnapping, it is no other than Yuri herself who bids Ryo not to finish him. It
turns out that Mr. Karate was really Takuma, who had been blackmailed by Geese
Howard, main criminal leader of Southtown, to fight for him if he did not want
Yuri to die. Ryo accords to stop Geese, but he already has his hands full with
the Bogard brothers, who had come to exact revenge from him for the death of
their father. Ryo decides to retire back to the dojo and continue with his
training, now that his father and sister are all right.
Ryo, after a few years, has been invited by Takuma to form a team with him
and represent the Kyokugenryo Karate style in the new King of Fighters
tournament, which introduced the team battle mode. Ryo personally refuses that
Yuri to join in their team, since she is too unprepared to fight with them. So,
Robert comes with them instead. Ryo then helps his father to show the world the
power of Kyokugenryo Karate, and since Ryo is the heir to the family, he fights
to live up to expectations, and fights with all his will. However, he dislikes
being ordered to train again by Takuma after every tournament. Ryo takes a break
in the King of Fighters tournament when Yuri asks him to help her in looking for
Robert in Southtown, trying to help a childhood friend. After his return, Ryo is
told by his father that Yuri will replace him instead. Ryo refuses that idea
with fury, but Takuma has already made a decision. Not willing to stop showing
the power of Kyokugenryo Karate, Ryo has to resign. He also has to keep an eye
on Robert so he doesn't do anything smart as well! Ryo fights with spirit, but
next year. Ryo is faced with the humilliation of the dojo being wrecked and the
students in the dojo being defeated and wounded. Ryo is told by his father to go
fight in the tournament once again, and clean the name of Kyokugenryo Karate.
Now, Ryo is the leader of the Kyokugenryo Karate, the best martial art in the
world!
Ryo does not rest his discipline even after the world was rid of the Orochi
presence. He knows he must prove that the Kyokugenro Karate is the best martial art
in the world any chance he can get. His efforts would soon be rewarded, as he gets
another chance to fight in the King of Fighters tournament, this time fighting with
his whole family, and of course, his friend, Robert. This time is better than ever
to prove once and for all the true power of Kyokugenryo Karate!
Ryo is a proud man, and is a very friendly man, but sometimes pretty
stubborn. He cares for his sister very much, that is why he does not want her to
be hurt by fighting. He also respects Robert as his friend, but since he is so
jealous, he does not want him to get close to his sister. He wants to train hard
to keep on to Takuma's exceptions. He is also very interested in King, but he
thinks she will not pay attention to him, he tries to stay away.
ART OF FIGHTING RYO SAKAZAKI (The King of Fighters '98): Alternate version
of Ryo, based on his incarnation of the Art of Fighting series. He regains his
long range Koh-Ho-Ken (ground and air versions), and his Zan Retsu Ken (multiple
punch move). He still has two DM: the Ryuko Ranbu and the Haoh-Sho-Koh-Ken, but
loses the Tenchi Ha Ou Ken DM.
*Fun fact = Ryo represents the Tiger, and Robert the dragon. Both animals are
said to be the most lethal enemies in the Chinese mythology (thus, explaining
the rivalry between Ryo and Robert).
Appearances: The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95, The King of
Fighters '96, The King of Fighters '97, The King of Fighters '98, The King of
Fighters '99
Other games: Art of Fighting, Art of Fighting 2, Art of Fighting 3, Fatal Fury
Special
(
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