Athena Asamiya

Athena Asamiya (麻宮アテナ, Asamiya Atena) is a character originally from the former SNK's video game Psycho Soldier and a distant relative and modern-day counterpart of Princess Athena from the game Athena. She later appears in The King of Fighters series of fighting games as a female fighter character and has appeared in every one of its editions. She was also given her own RPG game Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life in 1999 released only in Japan for the Sony PlayStation. She is perhaps best known for changing her outfit and hair style for virtually every new KOF game.

Athena was a highly anticipated character for the King of Fighters lineup and 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 recent installments). Her official nickname is The Psychic-Powered Idol.

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.

Story
Athena is a modern day high school girl in Japan. She teamed up with her friend, Sie Kensou, to fight in the name of justice. In Psycho Soldiers, she was one of the "heroes of light" who defended the world from the Shiguma forces. Her psychic powers are believed to be transmigrated to her rather than inherited by her family. As such, she is sometimes referred to as the resurrected Athena who is gifted with esper-like powers.

Orochi Saga
In the King of Fighters series, she is a student of Kensou's Kenpo teacher, Chin Gentsai. She has spent most of her life secluded in China's mountains training. Her team participates in the tournaments as a form of training and to save the populace from an apparent future threat. Other times, they enter to disrupt any evil forces they may feel at the time. In the 1996 tournament, Chin seemed perturbed by the energy he sensed and didn't want his students to be involved with it. However, they surprise him by redoubling their enthusiasm for the event and they enter.

Their success in the tournament is shown in the following year where they receive a mountain of adoring fan letters. Athena in particular had a boost in popularity and stardom. However, Chin rejects their proposal to enter King of Fighters since he doesn't want his students to forget the purpose of their training. Determined to change his mind, Athena presents him with an inspirational letter from Kaoru Watabe. The contents in the letter helps her argument that their publicity moves people to do better things, which is essentially another way of saving people. Convinced that his students are improving, he allows them to enter once more.

In the aftermath of KOF '97, the Psycho Soldiers meet Kaoru, who now travels with them to most of their engagements and was even a striker in KOF 2000.

NESTS Saga
By this time in the series, Athena becomes a famous pop-star who is rising the charts with her concerts. She welcomes the new recruit, Bao, warmly and hopes that he does his best. Additionally, she grows concerned for Kensou once he lost his powers though she remains optimistic that they might return during the tournament on a spur-of-the-moment notice.

Her team's backstory in The King of Fighters 99 reveals that the team was there during the collapse of NESTS's base in the finals. During that time, Athena was caught underneath the falling rubble and passed out. Though he has no memory of it, Kensou saved her with a formidable latent energy. Ever since then, Bao suffered from a mysterious fatigue and illness. This same energy is later revealed to be the "Dragon's Spirit". Though she has her doubts with her master's methods, she wearily agrees to join the tournaments in this saga to treat Bao and Kensou's predicament. In the team's story in The King of Fighters 2000 she, Chin and Kaoru Watabe witness Bao's near heroic sacrifice as he takes a the NESTS satellite's energy beam to protect them, and how this leads to Kensou recovering his powers when he absorbs the rest of the energy.

Ash Saga
For the first time since the beginning of KOF, the Psycho Soldiers did not enter the tournament in KOF 2003 since Kensou and Bao went on a year long training mission with Chin to master Kensou's unreliable "Dragon's Spirit". Not wanting to miss out on her annual fix of tournament competition, Athena joined forces with Hinako Shijou and Malin to form the High School Girls team, a strange but rather successful partnership. For KOF XI, Athena reunites with Kensou after his year of training, and Momoko, one of Athena's fans with psychic capabilities.

Though neither Athena nor the other Psycho Soldiers have much connection with the major plot in KOF 2003 through KOF XI, it seems she is destined to soon struggle alongside Kensou and Bao against the evil and powerful Ron and his henchmen, who intend to steal the Dragon's Spirit.

Personality
Athena is very outgoing, polite, and friendly. She is a happy girl with righteous virtues and well-meaning morals. She treasures her fans and will do her best to fight for them. On the other hand, she can be a bit of a crybaby who is sometimes too scared to fight in the face of danger; she has, however, gotten over this flaw, as it is shown that she has gotten much braver.

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. Different media of the series, such as drama CDs and manga, imply that Athena has a passing fancy for Kyo, but since Kyo is dating Yuki, she respects their romantic relationship and settles for simply staying friends with both of them.

Powers

 * Mind Reading: Athena can read other people's thoughts.
 * Telepathy: Athena can project her thoughts to others minds.
 * Telekinesis/Psychokinesis: Athena can move objects through her willpower.
 * Psychic Projectile: Athena can fire a ball of psychic energy.
 * Psychic Sword: Athena can materialize a sword using her psycho powers.
 * Psychic Barrier: In her adventure game, Athena can surround her body with a resilient shield of energy.
 * Psychic Aura: Athena can attack enemies with a psychic aura around her hands to increase punching damage.
 * Teleport: Athena can teleport herself and others.
 * Psychic Reflector: Athena can create a barrier that deflects projectiles.
 * Psychic Healing: Athena can heal herself and others with psychic powers.
 * Psychic Phoenix: Athena can create a giant bird of psychic energy around her.
 * Sense Danger: As seen in KOF: Another Day, Athena can sense people in danger. She can also use this ability to foretell some future events.

Skills

 * Singing: Athena is a J-Pop star.

Fighting Style
Athena was taught Kung Fu by Chin Gentsai, probably the style of Wing Chun. Her stance was loosely based on Liuhebafa.

Music

 * Psycho Soldier "K.O.F. Version" - The King of Fighters '94, 2002, Athena On Stage
 * Senritsu no Dora - The King of Fighters '95, The King of Fighters '98, The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match (console version only)
 * Psycho Soldier Remix 96 - The King of Fighters '96
 * Psycho Soldier Remix 97 - The King of Fighters '97, SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
 * Shin! Senritsu no Dora - 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
 * 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
 * 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!

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

Voice Actors

 * Rushina - Psycho Soldier (in-game)
 * Kaori Shimizu - Psycho Soldier (image songs)
 * Reiko Fukai - The King of Fighters '94
 * Moe Nagasaki - The King of Fighters '95
 * Masae Yumi - Neo Geo CD Special
 * Tamao Satou - The King of Fighters '96
 * Yukina Kurisu - The King of Fighters '97, The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Haruna Ikezawa - The King of Fighters '98 ~ present
 * Robyn Gryphe - KOF Maximum Impact (English voice)
 * Lily Kong - KOF Maximum Impact 2 (English voice)
 * Miwa Gardner - The King of Fighters XII (English voice)
 * You-Wei Fong - 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
 * KOF Sky Stage
 * Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting

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

Cameo Appearances

 * Fatal Fury Special - cameo 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

Anime Appearances

 * The King of Fighters: Another Day

Similar Characters

 * Athena

Sprites