Eiji Kisaragi

Eiji Kisaragi (, Kisaragi Eiji) is a character in both the Art of Fighting and The King of Fighters series. He is speculated to be the descendant of Zantetsu from The Last Blade series. Former SNK illustrator, Shiroi Eiji, takes her namesake from the white alternate color palette swap of Eiji in Art of Fighting 2.

In both The King of Fighters XI and the manga of The King of Fighters: Kyo, Eiji is portrayed as only semi-serious, and is often the butt of other characters' jokes.

Art of Fighting
Eiji is a ninja from the feared and respected Kisaragi clan. Sworn to be the strongest under the heavens, he made it his goal to defeat the one school his clan had not yet surpassed: Kyokugenryu Karate. As a descendant of Zantetsu, he also wields the Nagare and Kage twin ninja daggers and uses them sparingly.

As with all of the characters from the previous two games except Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia, Eiji does not appear in Art of Fighting 3. His former student searches for him and is his rival.

The King of Fighters
In The King of Fighters '95, Eiji was summoned by Billy Kane to enter a team with Iori Yagami and him. Although he seemed surprised to see his teammates for the first time, he agreed since it was a chance to continue his agenda against the Kyokugenryu practitioners. After Rugal's death, he and Billy are betrayed by Iori, whom Billy compares to be as dangerous as Geese.

Eiji returns in The King of Fighters XI as a member of the Anti Kyokugenryu team. In their team's backstory, it is explained that he was extensively training in the mountains since his defeat in 1995. Summoned by Malin, he seemed intent on taking his revenge on Takuma and is surprised to hear the master of the style hospitalized. He instead shifts his target to Ryo, who is deemed to be the most proficient practitioner in the tournament by both him and his teammate, Kasumi, as well as to take revenge against Iori for the harsh injuries that both he and Billy had received from Iori at the end of The King of Fighters '95.

Personality
Possibly due to his few appearances, little of his character has been fleshed out beyond his rivalry of the Sakazaki family and his more recent grudge against Iori. As with the other Art of Fighting characters, he is usually used for comic relief in his newer appearances, as seen in the Anti Kyogukenryu team ending in KOF XI.

Despite the timeline difference between the two series, many Western players believed Eiji to be secretly in love with Mai Shiranui due to a script change in the US version of his Art of Fighting 2 ending. The original Japanese version makes no such implication. This belief was reinforced when he was planned to make an appearance in the Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture in Hauer's eventual role.

Abilities

 * Translocation - Eiji is able to move himself from one place to another nearby almost instantly.
 * Energy Projectile - Eiji can create a projectile of energy.
 * Cutting Energy - He can also envelop his hands with cutting energy.
 * Energy Reflector He can reflect projectiles back towards his opponent.
 * Solid Illusion Image - Eiji can make a copy of himself through ninjutsu.


 * Ninja Skills - Beyond being in top physical shape, Eiji possesses all the skills a ninja must have, like hiding, climbing, swimming, etc.

Fighting style
Eiji uses the Kisaragi-ryuu Ninjutsu, a fighting style also used by Zantetsu. Users of this style know how to fight unarmed and with knives, often involving palm strikes and slashing motions that all involve the flow of chi with a shadow motif of sorts.

Eiji's two dirks are also named Nagare and Kage; as Zantetsu's two dirks interestingly also share the same names, it often gives rise to the speculation that Eiji's dirks were possibly once used by Zantetsu, pointing out the supposed ancestry. It is unknown though if they are indeed the same weapons.

His recent appearances, starting in KOF XI, has him gain more moves from the Kisaragi-ryuu, including an SDM that Zantetsu originally has.

Music

 * Shinobi no Michi (Way of the Ninja) - Art of Fighting 2, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match
 * Arashi no Saxophone - The King of Fighters '95, '98 Ultimate Match (when teamed with Iori and Billy)
 * Triumphantly - The King of Fighters XI

Voice actors

 * Yoshinori Shima - Art of Fighters 2, The King of Fighters '95~XI
 * Eiji Tsuda - The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match
 * Ryō Iwasaki - The King of Fighters All Star

Appearances
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Mainline

 * Art of Fighting 2
 * The King of Fighters '95
 * The King of Fighters 2000 - as a Striker for Lin
 * The King of Fighters XI
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match - potential mid-boss

Mobile

 * Days of Memories (fourth title) - in-text
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * The King of Fighters All Star
 * The King of Fighters M: Fighting Stars Assembly

Cameo
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 * Art of Fighting 3 - mention in Jin Fu-Ha's story
 * Neo Geo Battle Coliseum - background in Castle Stage
 * The King of Fighters '94 - background in Team Art of Fighting stage
 * The King of Fighters '96 - in Chizuru's stage
 * The King of Fighters '97 - in China stage
 * The King of Fighters '98 - in USA Wharf stage; in Billy vs. Iori intro
 * The King of Fighters 2002 - in Team Japan stage; in Billy vs. Iori intro
 * The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match - in Billy's intro and victory vs. Iori
 * The King of Fighters Neowave - in Billy vs. Iori intro
 * Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting - in Terry's ending
 * The King of Fighters XIII - in Dojo stage, in Team Women Fighters' ending, mention in their story
 * The King of Fighters XIV - mention in Robert vs. Bandeiras pre-fight talk, indirect through "Kasumi-Girl", in-text in Robert's winquote
 * The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * KOF: Maximum Impact - background
 * The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout - background
 * SNK Gals' Fighters
 * The King of Fighters
 * Moeyo! KOF Daiundokai
 * The Last Blade - in Zantetsu's ending
 * The Last Blade 2 - in Zantetsu's ending
 * Part Time Stories: Kyo & Iori

Gallery
Eiji Kisaragi