Team Hero

Team Hero, also known as Team Protagonist , is a reoccurring Team in The King of Fighters series.

Description
This team is one of the most assiduous main teams created and found in The King of Fighters series. As the name implies, for all intents and purposes, the members of the team are considered the main characters of the saga/story arc's plot which they're inserted (and sometimes only in a one game). After (and during) each saga, the teams receive the following nomenclatures:

Mainline Formations

 * Orochi Saga: Team Japan (A.K.A. Team Kyo);
 * NESTS Chronicles: Team K' ;
 * Tales of Ash: Team Ash;
 * New Age Saga: Team China (in KOF XIV) and Team Shun'ei (KOF XV).

Alternative Formations

 * Orochi Saga: Team Sacred Treasures (only in KOF '97 [as an alternative Story Team]);
 * Tales of Ash: Team Elisabeth (only in KOF XIII [due to the purpose of Ash Crimson {the story arc protagonist} to go solo and his supposed villainous role])''.

First Leader

 * Kyo Kusanagi - Leader of Team Hero from KOF '94/Re-Bout through '98/UM, and also in EX games. He is also leader of the team variant (Team Sacred Treasures).

Members

 * Benimaru Nikaido - Member of Team Hero from '94/Re-Bout through '98/UM on its first incarnation, and join two later incarnations in both '99 (Team K ') and XV (Team Shun'ei). Also appears in EX1: Neo Blood.
 * Goro Daimon - Member of Team Hero from KOF '94/Re-Bout through '98/UM.

Members

 * Iori Yagami - Member of Alternative Team Hero (Team Sacred Treasures) in '96 and '97.
 * Chizuru Kagura - Member of Alternative Team Hero (Team Sacred Treasures) in '96 and '97.

Second Leader

 * K' - Leader of Team Hero from KOF '99 through 2002/UM.

Members

 * Maxima - Member of Team Hero from KOF '99 through 2002/UM.
 * Shingo Yabuki - Member of Team Hero in KOF '99. Left after this game. He also appears in The King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood, as a striker.

Members

 * Ramón - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2000. Left after this game.
 * Vanessa - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2000. Left after this game.

Members

 * Whip - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2001 and 2002/UM.
 * Lin - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2001. Left after this game.

Third Leader

 * Ash Crimson - Leader of Team Hero in KOF 2003 and XI. Left after XI.

Members

 * Duo Lon - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2003. Left to join with Team Rivals in XI and XIII (an alternative Team Hero in XIII).
 * Shen Woo - Member of Team Hero in KOF 2003 and XI. Left to join with Team Rivals in XIII (an alternative Team Hero in XIII).

Member

 * Oswald - Member of Team Hero in KOF XI. Left after XI.

Alternative Leader

 * Elisabeth Blanctorche - Leader of the Alternative Team Hero in XIII.

Fourth Leader

 * Shun'ei - Leader of Team Hero in KOF XIV and XV.

Members

 * Meitenkun - Member of Team Hero in XIV and KOF XV.
 * Tung Fu Rue - Member of Team Hero in KOF XIV. Left after this game.

KOF EX Team Formations
The team has new formations, exclusive for the EX/spin-off games (released only in the Game Boy Advance). The new characters added to this team are Moe Habana (EX1: Neo Blood) and Reiji Oogami (EX2: Howling Blood).

EX1: Neo Blood

 * Moe Habana - Member of Team Hero. Appears in Neo Blood and Howling Blood.

EX2: Howling Blood

 * Reiji Oogami - Member of Team Hero. Appears only in Howling Blood.

Members' Participation

 * Participation of the members of the team during the mainline series (and some spin-offs).


 * Note 1: About the colors in the table, they follow the logic below:


 * Yellow: for table titles and undefined/dual status.
 * Lime & Red: for the characters' participation in the team.
 *  Forest Green & Fire Brick: the first color indicates the characters who participated in the team in all times which he appeared in the series, and the second indicates the characters who were absent in the team from, at least, one game in the series.


 * Note 2: Due to the constant changes of protagonists in the mainline game series, all characters that participated/participate in the team are in fire brick.


 * Note 3: Due to the fact that it is an alternate formation, the Elisabeth Team appears with their participation in yellow, as well as the participation of Iori Yagami and Chizuru Kagura (Sacred Treasures Team).