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TAKUMA SAKAZAKI
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Birthplace: Japan
Birthdate: February 4, 1947 (52 years old)
Height: 1.80 m (5'9")
Weight: 70 kg (152 lbs)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Making Soba noodles
Favorite food: White rice, miso soup
Favorite sport: All martial arts
Most valuable: His two children, his students, and Kyokugenryo Karate
Hates the most: Snakes
Fighting style: Kyokugenryo Karate
*Soba = buckwheat
Takuma is the current head of the Sakazaki family, and leader of the
Kyokugenryo Karate style. He has two children: his older son, Ryo, and his
younger daughter, Yuri. He also has a lot of students training in his dojo, but
his most cherished student is Robert Garcia, son of one of his friends, the
millionaire Alberto Garcia.
Takuma learned Kyokugenryo Karate from his father, and trained very hard
since he was to be the sole heir to the Kyokugenryo Karate style. Takuma became
a skillful fighter in no time, due to his constant training and desire of
superation. After being named the heir of the Kyokugenryo Karate style, Takuma
meets an American woman. He falls in love, and they get married, both moving to
Southtown, a small city which was still peaceful at the time. Takuma and his
wife had their two children, but his wife gained a disease, and died time later.
Takuma was filled with grief, but his hopes now rely on his two children. He
resolves to make them the best fighters in the world!
Takuma begins training his son Ryo, using the same method his father used.
He left Yuri since she was still too young to be training. Soon after, Takuma
received Robert, and began training him as well. There were not many students,
but Takuma vowed that soon Kyokugenryo Karate would gain many followers!
However, Southtown slowly became plagued with crime and dispair. Geese Howard
was in charge, and he had corrupted any way of justice in town. Now, Southtown
was nothing more than a criminal central. Not able to tolerate so much evil,
Takuma decides to go and stop Geese. He leaves the dojo, and heads for Geese's
tower. Easily taking out any resistance, Takuma arrives to Geese's personal
office. He demands Geese to stop the madness, but Geese just grins, and snaps
his fingers. Then, some of his lackeys take out Yuri with them! Takuma is unable
to do anything, since Geese promises that if Takuma does anything smart, he
would kill her. Then, having Takuma under control, Geese demands Takuma to work
for him, and so he can not be recognized and dishonored, Geese gives him a
"tengu" (bird) mask for him to wear. Then Geese leaves on a business trip, and
leaves his right-hand man Mr. Big in charge. Now Mr. Big ordered Takuma around
and obligated him to do criminal stuff, the things that Takuma hated to see and
now had to do.
However, Takuma soon was informed that his son, Ryo, and Robert had went
on a journery around town to search for the disappeared Yuri. Secretly wishing
that they may have success, Takuma then sees how old rivals of his come out to
fight his students. There was Rhiyaku Todoh, and Lee, but he was happy to see
that both Ryo and Robert overcame all obstacles. That rised Kyokugenryo Karate's
pride, and soon, they arrived to where Mr. Big was. Watching from a secret room,
Takuma saw with pleasure how Robert thrashed Mr. Big. Kyokugenryo Karate rises
high! However, Mr. Big calls out for Mr. Karate, which was Takuma's name now.
Now he had to face his own son, as Robert was unable to fight. Both engaged in a
heavy, passionate battle. Takuma liked to prove how much his son has improved,
and became evident when Ryo defeated him. The new generation had won, and Takuma
was happy. When Ryo was about to finish him off, considering him the mastermind
behind Yuri's disappearance, Yuri appeared. She begs Ryo not to harm him, as he
was his father! Indeed, Takuma removes his mask to reveal his true face. Once
again, the family is reunited, and all vow to defeat Geese, but they abandon the
plan when Geese gets involved in trouble with the Bogard brothers, sons of Jeff
Bogard, who was murdered by Geese. Takuma once again leaves to his dojo, where
he begins training Yuri at Ryo's back (since he opposed to Yuri being trained).
He also begins to receive lots of students, and Takuma finally sees how the
Kyokugenryo Karate has finally been honored as it should be.
One day, Takuma received an invitation for the new King of Fighters
tournament, introducing the new team battle mode. Takuma tells Ryo to join him
and represent Kyokugenryo Karate in the competition, but then Ryo opposes that
Yuri should come with them. Takuma accepts anyway, and invites Robert to tag
along. So, all three now desire to make Kyokugenryo Karate proud, and Takuma
proves that you can still teach an old dog some new tricks! Being one of the
last fighters of the past generation, Takuma fights to show true Kyokugenryo
Karate power! He always puts Ryo and Robert to train again after ever tournament
still! (Much to Ryo and Robert's dismay)
After the second King of Fighters tournament, though, Takuma feels too old
after seeing all that display of young power. He then decides to leave it to his
children and Robert. He calls for Yuri to make a team with Ryo and Robert, but
since she is not too sure now, Takuma threatens to cancel all her credit cards,
and Yuri is obligated to go fight in place of her father. Takuma then takes a
seat back and watches the tournament, but he is always trying to pass by a
secret guy using his Mr. Karate identity! However, he now goes back to action
after his dojo and his students get trashed by some maniac. He then decides to
go out on his own and look for this man, and meanwhile, he tells Ryo to go to
the tournament cleanse the name of the Kyokugenryo Karate. Saying this, Takuma
follows his own path...
After his sons and best student successfully defended the name of Kyokugenryo
Karate for the last two tournaments, Takuma feels that his martial art style has
finally earned a name for itself. However, the new King of Fighters tournament
rekindles Takuma's fighting spirit, and is obssessed with the idea of showing the
whole world that Kyokugenryo Karate has not grown old during the two-year recess
period. This time, taking advantage of the four fighter system, he would once again
leap into action as the patriarch of the new generation of Kyokugenryo Karate!
Takuma seems to be a strict man, but he is really kind-hearted and loves
his children and respects Robert a lot. He is proud of how Kyokugenryo Karate
has evolved, but still feels that it has more path to follow. Takuma still
trains whenever he has the chance. He has not left his "tengu" mask, though, as
he has taken quite a liking for it. He is also always giving corny speeches to
his students, which they more likely seem to be bored.
*Fun fact = Takuma or Mr. Karate? Although Takuma had revealed himself as Mr.
Karate way back in AOF 1, he still keeps the "tengu" mask, and always puts it on
in the Kyokugenryo Team's endings of KOF '96/'97. He thinks his students do not
know who he is (although they think he's just getting senile), and gives some
lengthy speeches. They leave him talking by himself in KOF '96, and punch him to
the sky in KOF '97! Such caring students! ^-^
Appearances: The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95, The King of
Fighters '98, The King of Fighters '99
Other games: Art of Fighting, Art of Fighting 2
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