Team Orochi

The Team Orochi (オロチチーム, Orochi Chīmu), formerly called New Faces Team (新人チーム, Shinjin Chīmu) and also called Orochi Team in earlier English translations, is a reoccurring  special Team in The King of Fighters series.

Story
As the name implies, this team is formed for three of the Four Heavenly Kings of Orochi (being Goenitz the fourth): Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie and Chris. Both the members forms a music band called CYS (a reference to the members' first letters). Yashiro is the main guitarist, Shermie is the main keyboardist (beside a fashion designer) and Chris is the main vocalist. The trio were preparing to perform when the club they were scheduled at canceled them in favor of a jazz band featuring Iori Yagami. Upset at their loss and angered by "the man with red hair", the band steal the invitations from the American Sports Team (Heavy-D!, Lucky Glauber, and Brian Battler) and enters in the KOF '97 tournament in order to get their revenge against Iori. They first appeared as a team for the first time in The King of Fighters '97, as the antagonist team for the Sacred Treasures and opposing the Japan Team (the Hero Team in this year). During the events of KOF '97, both discover their real identities as Orochi's servants, through the dangerous blood that runs through their veins. Since then, they work to resurrect their lord by gathering the fighters' own energy. Near the end of the tournament, both Yashiro and Shermie commit suicide in order to transfer their remaining energy into Chris and because of this, Orochi is able to return to the world while using Chris' body as the host, but Orochi itself is re-sealed again by the Three Sacred Treasures Team.

In the end of The King of Fighters XIV, an evil creature called Verse is defeated, causing the release of numerous souls and has caused many who have perished throughout the series to be brought back to life. The team is confirmed to have been revived. This further evident in Shermie's ending in SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy, and his revival is eventually showcased in his proper return in the fifteenth KOF tournament.

Awakened Form
This form appears during the end of '97 tournament. In this form, the three activate the Orochi blood within Leona Heidern and Iori Yagami, as a part of their plan to resurrect Orochi. When both Leona and Iori are defeated, the New Faces Team reveal themselves as the Heavenly Kings and fight with the player's team. After the events of '97, the trio only appeared in Dream Match (non-cannonical) games, in both versions.

List of Members
Normal Form=
 * Yashiro Nanakase - Leader of Team Orochi (A.K.A. Team New Faces). Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games), and returned in XV.
 * Shermie - Member of Team Orochi (A.K.A. Team New Faces). Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games), and returned in XV.
 * Chris - Member of Team Orochi (A.K.A. Team New Faces). Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games), and returned in XV.
 * -|Awakened Form=
 * Orochi Yashiro - Leader of the team. His nickname is Parched Earth. Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games).
 * Orochi Shermie - Member of the team. Her nickname is Insanely Violent Lightning. Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games).
 * Orochi Chris - Member of the team. His nickname is Flames of Destiny. Appears only in '97 (and in Dream Match games).

Trivia

 * The Team Orochi's awakened versions are counterparts of each member of the Japan Team. Therefore:
 * Orochi Yashiro is a counterpart for Goro Daimon;
 * Orochi Shermie is a counterpart for Benimaru Nikaido;
 * Orochi Chris is a counterpart for Kyo Kusanagi, although his flames are purple like Iori Yagami's.