Athena Asamiya

''This article is about the Psycho Soldier and The King of Fighters character. For the protagonist of her self-titled game, see Athena.''

Athena Asamiya ( アテナ, Athena Asamiya) is a character originally from Psycho Soldier and a distant relative and modern-day counterpart of Princess Athena from Athena. She later appears as a regular fighter in The King of Fighters series; she is perhaps best known for changing her outfit and hair style for virtually every main installment. She stars in her own ADV game Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life that was only released in Japan for the Sony PlayStation in 1999. Her official nickname is The Psychic Powered Idol.

Development
Athena was a highly anticipated character for the King of Fighters lineup, and the developers relate that they are constantly working to keep her in the series. Throughout the years, her sailor uniform outfit was a frequent request from Japanese fans that was denied due to the belief that it wouldn't translate well with the overseas audience. This kept up until The King of Fighters XI, where Athena finally had her sailor uniform, and her classic Psycho Soldier outfit was used in The King of Fighters XII.

Personality
Athena is very outgoing, polite, and friendly. A happy girl with righteous virtues and well-meaning morals, she treasures her fans and those who are helpless and strives to do her best to fight for them, though she can be a bit of a crybaby at times.

Athena often chides Kensou for slacking off in his training. She either is well aware of his crush on her, but usually chooses to ignore his romantic advances since he seems to embarrass her, or she is oblivious about his romantic interest in her.

Powers

 * Psionics - Athena is a powerful psychic, being capable of harnessing several psionic abilities.
 * Psychokinesis - Athena can move objects with her mind.
 * Psychic projectile - Athena can condense her psychic energy into the shape of a ball and fire it at her opponent.
 * Psychic energy strikes - Athena can materialize and coalesce psychic energy on her limbs, in order to strengthen her physical attacks.
 * Psychic barrier - Athena can surround her body with a resilient shield of energy. This energy barrier can also be used offensively
 * Teleportation - Athena can bend space with her mind in order to move herself, objects or other people.
 * Psychic Reflector - Athena can create a shield-like barrier that deflects projectiles.
 * Psychic Healing - Athena can channel her psychic energy in order to heal herself or others of wounds and damage. This is seen in The King of Fighters 2000 as her striker move.

Skills

 * Singing and Performing - Athena is a J-Pop star of established fame. She is an accomplished singer who has many fans, including Jhun, Momoko and Kaoru. She has found success among male and female fans alike.
 * Web Designing - Athena is good at designing and creating websites and makes a hobby out of it. In fact, she is good on everything relating to the internet and also likes to shop online.
 * Lacrosse - Athena is especially good at lacrosse.

Fighting Style
Athena was taught Kung Fu by Chin Gentsai, probably the style of Wing Chun. Her stance was loosely based on Liuhebafa. While Athena is a capable hand-to-hand fighter, she mostly relies on her psychic powers to fight. Athena is not feared for her martial arts training, but she is respected and can somewhat hold her own against some fighters. Athena's fighting style revolves mostly around simple yet effective strikes, and around speed and acrobatics, rather than strength. She uses her psychic powers to full effectiveness when in combat, improving her martial capabilities, controlling the battlefield and catching the enemy off guard with several surprise tactics.

Music

 * Psycho Soldier - Psycho Soldier
 * Psycho Soldier "K.O.F. Version" - The King of Fighters '94, 2002, Athena On Stage
 * Senritsu no Dora (Trembling of the Gong) - The King of Fighters '95, The King of Fighters '98, The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match (console version only), The King of Fighters R-2
 * Psycho Soldier Remix 96 - The King of Fighters '96
 * Psycho Soldier Remix 97 - The King of Fighters '97, R-1, SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
 * Shin! Senritsu no Dora (New! Trembling of the Gong) - The King of Fighters '98, The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match (arcade version only)
 * Psyco Sonic Trip ~Dance at the Paddy Field~ - The King of Fighters '99
 * Will - The King of Fighters 2000, EX, EX2
 * Psychic Guys - The King of Fighters 2001
 * You Feel for Me - The King of Fighters 2003, Athena On Stage
 * Pure ~At Good Old Days~ - The King of Fighters XI, The King of Fighters XIII (when the music is set to "Type B", console version only, shared with Chin Gentsai and Sie Kensou)
 * Purity Soldiers - The King of Fighters XIII
 * Tachi bou ke -Instrumental- - The King of Fighters XIV
 * Tachi bou ke  - The King of Fighters XIV (as Kensou's opponent)
 * Psycho Soldier ~Super Chinese Remix~ - The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * Theme "Athena" - Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life
 * The Life of an Idol - Days of Memories (Koi wa Good Job!)
 * Psychic Madonna - Days of Memories (Boku to Kanojo to Koto no Koi, Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Fuyu)
 * Psycho Dancer - 100 Mega Shock!
 * Psycho Soldier ~SNK Heroines Edit~ - SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy

Image Songs

 * Psycho Soldier - Psycho Soldier
 * Psycho Soldier "K.O.F. Version" - The King of Fighters 94
 * My Love ~Yuki wo Dashite~ - The King of Fighters 95, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match (if Athena vs. Kensou is on the first turn)
 * Psycho Soldier Remix '96 - The King of Fighters '96
 * Koi wo Shiyo (Let's Fall in Love) - The King of Fighters '96
 * Koi wo Machi Kirenai - Neo Geo DJ Station
 * Psycho Soldier Remix '97 - The King of Fighters '97
 * Present Holiday - for The King of Fighters '98
 * Open Your Eyes - Neo Geo DJ Station 2
 * Kizudarake no Blue Moon - Psycho Soldier, The King of Fighters XI (PS2 port, only in the Concert Stage)
 * The Song of Fighters II - Shared image song with other King of Fighters characters
 * Tachi bou ke - The King of Fighters XIV

Voice Actors

 * Rushina (anonymous SNK employee) - Psycho Soldier
 * Reiko Fukui - The King of Fighters '94, Metal Slug Defense (recycled audio)
 * Moe Nagasaki - The King of Fighters '95
 * Masae Yumi - Neo Geo CD Special
 * Tamao Sato - The King of Fighters '96, Neo Print
 * Yukina Kurisu - The King of Fighters '97, The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Haruna Ikezawa - The King of Fighters '98/UM ~ present, Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life, KOF Sky Stage, Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting
 * Robyn Gryphe - KOF Maximum Impact (English voice)
 * Lily Kong - KOF Maximum Impact 2 (English voice)
 * Feng Youwei - Neo Print (Chinese voice)

Live Action Actors

 * Kei Ishibashi - Athena live drama

Game Appearances

 * Psycho Soldier
 * The King of Fighters '94
 * The King of Fighters '95
 * Neo Geo CD Special - as a guide
 * The King of Fighters '96
 * The King of Fighters '97
 * The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * The King of Fighters '98
 * The King of Fighters R-1
 * The King of Fighters R-2
 * The King of Fighters '99
 * Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life
 * SNK Gals' Fighters
 * SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millenium
 * The King of Fighters 2000
 * Capcom vs SNK 2
 * The King of Fighters 2001
 * The King of Fighters 2002
 * The King of Fighters Neowave
 * KOF: Maximum Impact
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2
 * The King of Fighters XI
 * KOF: Maximum Impact Regulation A
 * The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match
 * The King of Fighters XII
 * The King of Fighters XIII
 * The King of Fighters (pachinko) - roulette character
 * Maximum Impact - roulette character
 * CR The King of Fighters
 * KOF Sky Stage
 * Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting
 * Core Masters - Guest Character
 * The King of Fighters XIV ('98 Athena as DLC Costume)
 * SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy

Mobile Appearances

 * Athena On Stage
 * Days of Memories (first, second, fifth, seventh, and ninth titles) - non-playable
 * Neo Geo Tennis Coliseum
 * The King of Fighters Mobile
 * The King of Fighters Mobile R-2
 * The King of Millionaire
 * The King of Fighters Volleyball
 * The King of Fighters Mahjong
 * SNK Gals Fighters
 * SNK Beach Volley Gal's Attack
 * SNK Gals Island Dokidoki Puzzle Shock!
 * SNK Gals Island Jintori Puzzle Miseteagemasu
 * SNK Gals Island Techu Typing Omigotodesu
 * SNK Gals Island Senkan Battle Gekichinshichaouzo!
 * SNK Gals Island Beauty Dungeon Mimi to Kimashita!
 * Moeyo! SNK Gals Osuin Katoukai
 * The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise - as a striker
 * The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood
 * SNK Dream Battle
 * SNK High School Collection
 * KOF x Fatal Fury
 * Dai Shingeki RPG! Sister Quest - collaboration event
 * The Rhythm of Fighters
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online
 * Metal Slug Defense (unlockable)
 * Brave Frontier
 * Game of Dice
 * World Cross Saga
 * Venus Eleven Vivid
 * Crash Fever
 * Arena Masters
 * Valkyrie Connect
 * Tower of Saviors
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * Puzzle & Dragons
 * Avabel Online
 * The King of Fighters Destiny (Game)
 * The King of Fighters: World
 * The King of Fighters: All Star
 * Tokyo Prison
 * Returners
 * The King of Fighters: Orochi Go
 * The King of Fighters M: Fighting Stars Assembly
 * Knives Out-Tokyo Royale
 * Mobile Legends:Bang Bang - as a skin for Guinevere
 * SNK Fighting Age
 * Seven Deadly Sins : Grand Cross - as a event character

Cameo Appearances

 * Fatal Fury Special - in Jubei's ending
 * Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden (Neo-Geo CD version only) - name is the same but written as "阿沙宮あてな".
 * Days of Memories (third and sixth title) - text-only
 * The King of Fighters 2
 * Neo Print - Photo sticker booths for SNK, Athena Asamiya is the character who was explaining on the screen
 * Phantasy Star Online 2 - as a costume
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - background cameo in King of Fighters Stadium Stage and a spirit

Anime Appearances

 * The King of Fighters: Another Day
 * The King of Fighters: Destiny

Similar Characters

 * Athena

Etymology

 * The name Athena comes from an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, handicraft and warfare who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva.
 * Athena's surname Asamiya means "hemp, flax" (麻) (asa) and "temple, shrine, palace" (宮) (miya).

Trivia

 * Nona, one of the series designers, reply that Athena is his favorite original character in the series.
 * In the Neo Geo Freak's 1997 Volume 8 character poll, she was voted as the eighth favourite character with a total of 1,139 votes. 833 votes from the male fans and 306 votes from the female fans. In the character popularity poll on Neo Geo Freak's website, she was voted as the tenth favorite character with a total of 1,020 votes.

Sprites