Kyo-1

In The King of Fighters '99, two clones of Kyo Kusanagi appeared as selectable characters: Kyo-1 and Kyo-2. The original Kyo was redesigned for the game, but some designers wanted his return to KOF '99 with his iconic school uniform. When they were nearing the end of their production schedule, staff members were indecisive upon which uniform the Kyo clone should wear (KOF '94 or KOF '95) when the project head said to just make two clones instead. To save time, the project head then drew designs for Kyo-1 and Kyo-2 on the spot.

Story
During the course of The King of Fighters '99, Kyo-1 and Kyo-2 were merely two of thousands ready to be activated by Krizalid. They were presumably destroyed, since both characters don't have a personal ending and don't belong to any team. They return in The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match as part of the Clone Team along with Kusanagi, only to presumably test their opponents and eliminate Kyo.

Personality
Kyo-1 is more serious than Kyo-2, hates Kyo Kusanagi, and doesn't underestimate any of his opponents.

Powers

 * Pyrokinesis - Kyo-1 has control over fire except for those he didn't create.
 * Create Fire - Kyo-1 can create fire from thin air.
 * Fire Attacks - Kyo-1 can throw balls of fire.
 * Fire Projectile - Kyo-1 can fire a projectile of fire through the ground.

Fighting Style
His fighting style is based on Kyo's fighting style during The King of Fighters '94 and The King of Fighters '95 , though heavily modified and arranged. Like Kyo-2, Kyo-1 does not possess any method numbering like the original Kyo does, and his Oniyaki (Ogre Baker) is notably replaced by a variation of the original Kyo's Batsu Yomi (Punishment Recital) known as the Aoki (Pale Ogre). And compared to Kusanagi and Kyo-2, Kyo-1's attacks are more original with moves like the Kurogami (Black Bite; a flameless Aragami-style punch not unlike Shingo's Aragami Mikansei) and Suishin (Crest Swing; a simple elbow drop derived from the Yanosabi/Eight Rusts); even a flameless version of the original Kyo's Migiri Ugachi (Momentary Driller).

His new DM and MAX2DM/HSDM in The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match resemble Terry's Power Wave and Saisyu Kusanagi's Tsumugari (All-Eyes Reaper), respectively. His DM is known as the Shutenbarai (Vermilion Heaven Sweeper), and with his HSDM/MAX2 being a Dokugami-to-Orochinagi combo known as the Ame no Habakiri (Feathery Slash of Heaven), which is a Shintou mythology reference. This predates EX Kyo's Saishuu Kessen Hiougi: Totsuka (Final Play-Off Hidden Secret Skill: Ten Fists) in The King of Fighters XIII, as the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (Sword-of-Ten Fists) is also known as both the Ame-no-Habakiri and the Ame-no-Ohabari (Tail Feather String-of-Heaven).

Music

 * Esaka ~Acid Mix~ - The King of Fighters '99
 * Niritsuhaihan (Antinomy) ~Mutually Exclusive Dichotomy~ - The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match

Game Appearances

 * The King of Fighters '99 - potential special boss
 * The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match - potential mid-boss

Cameo Appearances

 * Days of Memories (fourth title) - in-text cameo; mentioned as one of Krizalid's minions

Similar characters

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Kyo-2
 * Kusanagi