Yata Clan

The Yata Clan is a clan present in ''The King of Fighters series.

They are well known as one of the three clans who defeated and sealed away Orochi 1800 years prior to the events of the series, as well as their unique fighting style.

History
1800 years ago in the past, the serpent god Orochi could no longer tolerate the destruction of the Earth as a byproduct of human progression and wanted to completely wipe humanity from existence. It used the powers gained from nature purely as a tool for chaos. Its clan and the human race waged war until the Kusanagi, Yata, and Yasakani clans defeated it with the Three Sacred Treasures.

While the Kusanagi Clan and Yasakani Clan (now changed their name to the Yagami Clan) had their blood feud, the Yata Clan stayed out their affairs and maintained keeping a watchful eye on the Orochi Seal. In the 1980s, the Yata Clan is lead by Maki Kagura, the older of the twin heiresses of the Yata clan, the other being her younger twin sister, Chizuru Kagura. As the heiress of the Yata clan, she was raised as a priestess and was given the duty of keeping the diligent seal on Orochi intact.

One night, Goenitz visited their home with intentions to destroy the seal. Maki confronts him, but since the power of their clan can not fight the Orochi without the help of the other two clans and Goenitz's strength as one of the Heavenly Kings was too great, she loses and is mortally wounded. Goenitz destroys the seal and leaves with the satisfaction of a weak but released Orochi. Before her death, Maki passes on the responsibilities of the seal to Chizuru, begging her to join the three clans together once again to defeat Orochi.