Eiji Kisaragi

Eiji Kisaragi is a character in both the Art of Fighting and The King of Fighters series.

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.

His nickname in the English version of Art of Fighting 2 is “The Mysterious Ninja Guy”.

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.

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.
 * Darkness - Used sparingly by Eiji, he can also envelope his enemy in supernatural darkness and finish off his enemy from within, an ability once used by Zantetsu. Eiji is seen using this in KOFXI.


 * 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

Cameos
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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

Etymology

 * The name Eiji means "shadow, shade, other side" (影) (ei) and "two" (二) (ji).
 * Eiji's surname Kisaragi means "February" (如月).

Trivia

 * He is speculated to be the descendant of Zantetsu from The Last Blade series, due to numerous hints, moveset similarities and cameo appearances of Eiji from The Last Blade and The Last Blade 2.


 * Former SNK illustrator, Shiroi Eiji, takes her namesake from the white alternate color palette swap of Eiji in Art of Fighting 2.


 * 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.


 * 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.


 * Eiji's birthday, December 25, falls on the Christmas Day. He also shares his birthday with Billy Kane and Robert Garcia.

Gallery
Eiji Kisaragi