Ryuji Yamazaki

"'This lunatic is a real, bitter snake! Pray he doesn't use both hands! RYUJI YAMAZAKI.' - The King of Fighters XV"Ryuji Yamazaki is a character from the Fatal Fury series. He was introduced in Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory as sub-boss, and is also a reoccurring character in The King of Fighters series. His nickname in KOF XV is Wicked Heretic.

Personality
Yamazaki has psychopathic tendencies with a love for materialistic articles and money. He has two distinct personas, both malevolent: most of the time he is a calm and calculating gangster, while sometimes he turns into a hysterical lunatic killer who likes to bash, smash, cut, and kill everyone and anyone whom he confronts. These savagely cruel mannerisms were borne out of witnessing his father figure die in the worst way possible.

While not completely amoral, he is not above toying around as much as he likes to emphasize his dominating demeanor to anyone he encounters.

Of curious note is how Yamazaki subconsciously keeps his right hand in his pocket because his idol once praised the power of that particular fist, and only uses it for special techniques.

He doesn't want to be involved with Orochi and the Hakkesshu and has been rebuked for his disinterest during the events of KOF '97. Because of his insanity, he manages to retain his mind against the Riot of the Blood's influence, something that others born under the Orochi blood cannot accomplish. Whenever he encounters any version of the '97 New Faces Team in any of their game appearances, Yamazaki laughs hysterically at them during their special introduction sequences, perhaps because he thinks of them as "weak" or "pathetic" for being under such influence.

Powers

 * Elongate Arms - Yamazaki can increase the range of his strikes with his arms. This move is extremely fast, making it nearly impossible to actually see Yamazaki's arm - only a blur can be seen, denoting the area of the attack. He can also use the speed of this attack to strike several times at his opponent in a barrage of almost inescapable punches or knife slashes.


 * Explosive Headbutt - Yamazaki can headbutt his opponent with such force that he can create a small explosion with its impact. This has also been shown in some games to stun Yamazaki.


 * Energy Strikes - Yamazaki can infuse his strikes with an unknown source of energy. This power takes two forms: a weaker and a stronger version. Both versions take the form of a golden energy halo surrounding his hands, with golden arcs circling his striking path. The stronger version seems has the arcs spin around his arm, making it appear like an 'energy hurricane' (or a drill, as implied by his iconic 'Drill' super special move).


 * Absorb Energy - Yamazaki has the ability to absorb the chi of projectiles thrown at him (or kinetic energy, in case of a physical projectile such as Lucky Glauber's basketballs, Mai Shiranui's paper fans and even K''s sunglasses). To do so, he hits the projectile with his arm, feeling pain, but receiving no damage and increasing his own power - an evidence of his inherent masochism.
 * Blood Projectile - An alternative to the power described above, if Yamazaki receives a wound from the projectile he tried to intercept, he can infuse his own blood with dark energies and fire it at his opponent as an extremely fast dark red projectile.


 * Hakkesshu: Death - The powers of death grant him merciless, feral brutality with unknown variable effects. It is likely that this is responsible for the majority of his powers.

Skills

 * Sleep Resilience - Yamazaki can easily stand up to three consecutive nights without sleeping, in a similar way to Elisabeth Blanctorche.


 * Orochi Resistance - Due to Yamazaki already being insane, he possesses a strong and stubborn willpower that grants him complete invulnerability to Orochi's influences - something that even other strong-willed individuals such as Iori Yagami and Leona cannot accomplish.

Fighting Style
In contrast with most of the other fighters in combat video games, Yamazaki does not use any particular martial art.

He has little to no interest in technique, and instead fights with his instincts in an extremely pragmatic form of street fighting. He uses a wide variety of attacks while fighting, including unfair and dishonest moves such as splashing and/or kicking sand in his opponent's eyes, viciously headbutting and stomping his opponent repeatedly, and pulling out his pocket stashed ever-present-prized knife which he uses to slash opponents (from the Fatal Fury series until The King of Fighters 2003).

He also rarely takes his left hand out of his pocket unless he is using his knife or other certain moves that involve his powers (especially his Super Special Moves; it is said his idol passed on the idea of praising one's dominate fist to Yamazaki which is why he normally doesn't make too much use of it), and a majority of his moves display quite an amount of strength from him.

Music

 * C62 ~Shirokuni~ (C62 ~White Country~) - Fatal Fury 3, Real Bout Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters 98: Ultimate Match (as EX Yamazaki)
 * C62 ~Shirokuni Ver.2~ (C62 ~White Country Ver.2~) - Real Bout Fatal Fury Special, Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, The King of Fighters 97, The King of Fighters 98, The King of Fighters 98: Ultimate Match, The King of Fighters All Star
 * Black Rose - Fatal Fury Wild Ambition
 * Yuuwaki no Toki (The Alluring Time) - The King of Fighters 2002
 * Villainous - The King of Fighters 2003
 * Masquerade - The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * C62 -KOF XIV ver.- - The King of Fighters XIV
 * Soy Sauce and a Dash of Sake for Geese - The King of Fighters XV
 * Dance de Peace! - Fatal Fury shared image song

Voice Actors

 * Kōji Ishii - Fatal Fury 3~The King of Fighters 2003
 * Tsuguo Mogami - The King of Fighters XIV~present
 * Kenjiro Tsuda - The King of Fighters for Girls

Appearances
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Games

 * Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory - Sub-boss
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury
 * The King of Fighters '97
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
 * Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special Dominated Mind
 * The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends
 * The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers
 * Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition
 * Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000
 * Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001
 * The King of Fighters '99 Evolution - as a Special Striker
 * The King of Fighters 2000 - as a Normal Striker for Blue Mary
 * The King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood - as a Hidden Striker
 * The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * The King of Fighters XIV - DLC Character
 * The King of Fighters XV - DLC Character
 * Garou Densetsu Special - event character
 * Garou Densetsu Sougeki - Boss character
 * Garou Densetsu Premium

Mobile

 * Garou Densetsu Southtown Adventure
 * Days of Memories (second title) - in-text cameo; participates in the Orochi route
 * SNK Gals Island Astro Quest Hoshi☆wa Nigashimasen! - as an enemy
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online
 * Crash Fever
 * The King of Fighters: Destiny (Game)
 * The King of Fighters: World
 * The King of Fighters All Star
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * The King of Fighters: Orochi Go
 * The King of Fighters M: Fighting Stars Assembly
 * The King of Fighters for Girls
 * SNK Fighting Age

Cameos
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 * The King of Fighters '95 - in the Japan Team's stage
 * The King of Fighters 2002 - on a "Wanted" poster in the Mexico stage
 * The King of Fighters XIII - on a "Wanted" poster in the London stage
 * The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout - background cameo
 * KOF: Maximum Impact - background cameo
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2 - background cameo
 * Garou Densetsu The Legend of Wild Wolf
 * The King of Fighters (pachinko)
 * The King of Fighters 2
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - in King of Fighters Stage
 * The King of Fighters Side Story: The Origin of Flame - Shingo Travels Through Time! Let's Go! - mentioned by Shingo's older sister

Etymology

 * The name Ryuji means "dragon" (竜) (ryu) and "two" (二) (ji).
 * Ryuji's surname Yamazaki means "mountain, hill" (山) (yama) and "cape, peninsula" (崎) (saki/zaki).

Trivia

 * Yamazaki is known for his motif towards snakes, and is often compared to one by many characters, including himself.


 * Before it was likely established that Yamazaki is a southpaw/left-handed, Yamazaki's 3D model in Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition had him be right-handed instead.


 * Yamazaki is the only Hakkesshu who hails from another SNK game series (in that case, the Fatal Fury series).
 * Yamazaki and Gaidel (and by extension, Leona) are the only Hakkesshu who doesn't care about their master's resurrection.


 * Yamazaki is the only character in The King of Fighters XIV with various versions of the same Climax Super, even depending on the stage being played.


 * Many of his techniques are rarely written in kanji, as a majority of them are written with a mixture of both kanji and katakana, leaving some of their meanings to be a bit ambiguous at best; however, a number of them are named after a variety of Japanese onomatopoeias. His Bakudan Pachiki (Bomb Headbutt) technique also possesses the Korean term for "headbutt" in its katakana.


 * In Neo-Geo Freak 1998, the characters in KOF '98 have their own interviews. Here are Yamazaki's response to the questions.
 * What is your aspiration in this competition? - "... kill ... kill everything Oh! Hyacha HotHatHatHatHatHat ... !!"
 * Who would you like to fight the most? - "I will kill all this !! (Yamazaki's serpent slash. Ruptures the skull of the cameraman)"
 * Who would you like to team up with? / Who would you not like to team up with? - "There is no such thing! This trash is ah!! (Yamazaki's sand kick caused corneal inflammation in the soundman's eyes)"
 * What is "KOF" for you? - "... lick. Shoes, lick it ... I'll teach you to lick ... Hey! Be sure to lick it or else !! (Reporter licking the shoes of Yamazaki) Hyacha HotHatHatHatHatHat ... I'll teach you as promised, my mop! (Reporter with head caught)"
 * Finally, please give a word to your fans. - "Go away-!! Ukyukyukyakyakyukyakyakyakyaky ... !! (Yamazaki's bombshells, reporter's face, big hit) Uhy ... Ukyakyukyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyakyat !!
 * In the Capcom vs SNK series, Terry and Yamazaki's special intro is a direct reference to Bunnoshin Inagi vs Kaoru Hanayama from Baki the Grappler.


 * Yamazaki's hairdo is somewhat identical to Goenitz's, an undercut with blonde top hair, although it is unknown if the resemblance is meant to be intentional. In artwork present in KOF 98 UM 's gallery, they are seen fighting over a single toupee as a joke.


 * Yamazaki's Theme, C62 ~Shirokuni~, is a Japanese pun:
 * C62 = Train
 * C roku-ju ni = C sixty two
 * Shi roku ni = C six two
 * Shirokuni = The White Country


 * In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Yamazaki was voted as the staff's fifteenth favorite character. He shared the spot with Samurai Shodown character, Galford, and Street Fighter character, Ken. In the Neo Geo Freak's 1997 Volume 8 character poll, he was voted as the seventh favourite character with a total of 1,206 votes. And in Neo Geo Freak's August 1998 issue, he was ranked as the 6th best character.