Athena Asamiya


 * This article is about the Psycho Soldier and The King of Fighters character. For the protagonist of her self-titled game, see Athena.

"'A girl who can slip in-between dimensions! The Eternal Psychic Idol makes her entrance! ATHENA ASAMIYA.' - The King of Fighters XV"Athena Asamiya is a character originally from Psycho Soldier and a distant relative and modern-day counterpart of Princess Athena from Athena. She later appears as a regular fighter in The King of Fighters series; she is perhaps best known for changing her outfit and hair style for virtually every main installment. She stars in her own ADV game Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life that was only released in Japan for the SONY's console PlayStation 1 in 1999. Her official nickname is The Psychic Powered Idol or Eternal Psychic Idol

Development
Athena was a highly anticipated character for the King of Fighters lineup, and the 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 The King of Fighters XI, where Athena finally had her sailor uniform, and her classic Psycho Soldier outfit was used in The King of Fighters XII.

Personality
Athena is very outgoing, polite, and friendly. A happy girl with righteous virtues and well-meaning morals, she treasures her fans and those who are helpless and strives to do her best to fight for them, though she can be a bit of a crybaby at times.

Athena often chides Sie Kensou for slacking off in his training. She is either 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.

She greatly enjoys being a pop idol and participating in the King of Fighters tournaments. For instance, Chin Gentsai didn’t particularly want to participate in KOF ‘96, but it was Athena who persuaded him. She also enjoys interacting with her fans. She has changed her costume in response to fan letters and during KOF 2000, dabbled in making her own homepage.

Abilities

 * Psionics - Athena is a powerful psychic, being capable of harnessing several psionic abilities.
 * Psychokinesis - Athena can move objects with her mind.
 * Psychic projectile - Athena can condense her psychic energy into the shape of a ball and fire it at her opponent.
 * Psychic energy strikes - Athena can materialize and coalesce psychic energy on her limbs in order to strengthen her physical attacks.
 * Psychic barrier - Athena can surround her body with a resilient shield of energy. This energy barrier can also be used offensively
 * Teleportation - Athena can bend space with her mind in order to move herself, objects or other people.
 * Psychic Reflector - Athena can create a shield-like barrier that deflects projectiles.
 * Psychic Healing - Athena can channel her psychic energy in order to heal herself or others of wounds and damage. This is seen in The King of Fighters 2000 as her striker move.


 * Singing and Performing - Athena is a J-Pop star of established fame. She is an accomplished singer who has many fans, including Jhun, Momoko and Kaoru. She has found success among male and female fans alike.
 * Information Technology - Athena is stated to be particular well-versed in all matters of the internet. She is also an avid online shopper and is stated to be constantly on the lookout for bargains and have bought numerous items online, a detail stressed in XV.
 * Website Designing - Athena is good at designing and creating websites and makes a hobby out of it. Her aforementioned line of expertise pertains to the front-end aspect of websites.
 * Lacrosse - Athena is especially good at lacrosse.
 * Divination - Athena is knowledgeable in tarots, astrology and fortunetelling.

Fighting Style
Athena was taught Kung Fu by Chin Gentsai, probably the style of Wing Chun. Her stance was loosely based on Liuhebafa. While Athena is a capable hand-to-hand fighter, she mostly relies on her psychic powers to fight. Athena is not feared for her martial arts training, but she is respected and can somewhat hold her own against some fighters. Athena's fighting style revolves mostly around simple yet effective strikes, and around speed and acrobatics, rather than strength. She uses her psychic powers to full effectiveness when in combat, improving her martial capabilities, controlling the battlefield and catching the enemy off guard with several surprise tactics.

Voice actors

 * Rushina (anonymous SNK employee) - Psycho Soldier
 * Reiko Fukui - The King of Fighters '94/Re-Bout, Metal Slug Defense (recycled audio)
 * Moe Nagasaki - The King of Fighters '95
 * Masae Yumi - Neo Geo CD Special
 * Tamao Sato - The King of Fighters '96, Neo Print
 * Yukina Kurisu - The King of Fighters '97, The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Haruna Ikezawa - The King of Fighters '98/UM ~ present, Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life, KOF Sky Stage, Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting
 * Robyn Gryphe - KOF: Maximum Impact (English voice)
 * Lily Kong - KOF: Maximum Impact 2 (English voice)
 * Miwa Gardner - The King of Fighters XII (English voice)
 * Feng Youwei - Neo Print (Chinese voice)

Live-action actors

 * Kei Ishibashi - Athena live drama

Appearances
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Games

 * 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: The Match of the Millennium
 * The King of Fighters 2000
 * Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001
 * The King of Fighters 2001
 * The King of Fighters 2002
 * The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters Neowave
 * KOF: Maximum Impact
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2
 * The King of Fighters XI
 * KOF: Maximum Impact Regulation "A"
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match
 * The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * The King of Fighters XII
 * The King of Fighters XIII
 * The King of Fighters - roulette character
 * Maximum Impact - roulette character
 * CR The King of Fighters
 * KOF Sky Stage
 * Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting
 * Core Masters - Guest Character
 * The King of Fighters XIV ('98 Athena as DLC Costume)
 * SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy
 * The King of Fighters XV

Mobile

 * 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 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
 * SNK Dream Battle
 * SNK High School Collection
 * KOF x Fatal Fury
 * Dai Shingeki RPG! Sister Quest - collaboration event
 * The Rhythm of Fighters
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online
 * Metal Slug Defense - unlockable
 * Metal Slug Attack
 * Brave Frontier
 * Game of Dice
 * World Cross Saga
 * Venus Eleven Vivid
 * Crash Fever
 * Arena Masters
 * Valkyrie Connect
 * Tower of Saviors
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * Puzzle & Dragons
 * Avabel Online
 * The King of Fighters Destiny
 * The King of Fighters: World
 * The King of Fighters All Star
 * Tokyo Prison
 * Returners
 * The King of Fighters: Orochi Go
 * The King of Fighters M: Fighting Stars Assembly
 * Knives Out-Tokyo Royale
 * Mobile Legends:Bang Bang - as a skin for Guinevere
 * SNK Fighting Age
 * Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross - as an event character

Cameos

 * Fatal Fury Special - 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 explains on the screen
 * Phantasy Star Online 2 - as a costume
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - background in King of Fighters Stadium stage and as a spirit

Anime
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 * The King of Fighters: Another Day
 * The King of Fighters: Destiny

Similar characters

 * Athena

Etymology

 * The name Athena comes from a Greek goddess associated with wisdom, handicraft and warfare.
 * Coincidentally, her voice actress since KOF '98, Haruna Ikezawa, was born in Athens, Greece's capital city, named after and originally dedicated to the goddess Athena.


 * Athena's surname Asamiya means "hemp, flax" (asa) and "temple, shrine, palace"  (miya).

Trivia

 * Nona, one of the series' designers, replies that Athena is his favorite original character in the series.


 * In the Neo Geo Freak's 1997 Volume 8 character poll, she was voted as the eighth favourite character with a total of 1,139 votes. 833 votes from the male fans and 306 votes from the female fans. 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.


 * Athena's birthday, March 14, falls on White Day, a common celebration in Japan and neighbouring countries that is a counterpart to Valentine's Day.


 * Athena is the character of the KOF series with more changes of outfits and hair styles, switching her clothes in each mainline game she participates in. She is the only female character of the series to do this.