Malin

Malin is a character from The King of Fighters series. She debut in The King of Fighters 2003 as a member of the High School Girls Team, alongside the J-idol Athena Asamiya and the sumo student Hinako Shijou.

She is voiced by Kazuyo Inosako.

Development
After the development team decided that Choi Bounge would not appear in The King of Fighters 2003, the team immediately agreed to make "a cute girl character". Malin's name being spelled as "Malin" and not "Marin" was something the supervising designer insisted, and remains as a mystery as to why.

Personality
Malin is a spoiled girl always trying to get what she wants. Aside from the assumption that she is usually on some sort of mission, her real motives for being in the tournament remain unclear. She is prideful of her abilities and easily upset when she's underestimated.

She also seems to enjoy being sneaky and mischievous and easily offended by petty comments, such as how she easily and for long developed a grudge against Yuri Sakazaki for calling her fighting style "cowardly".

Powers

 * Extreme Agility - Malin is able to move about fast and with great technique and agility.
 * Hammer Space - Malin has access to hammer space and can hide/pull out a weapon as big as a giant hammer from visibly nowhere.

Fighting Style
Her fighting style utilizes use of various weapons and her excellent agility; she even somewhat resembles a ninja. Also, honor does not seem to matter to her during fights.

The majority of her weapons are knives and blades, though she also uses electric batons, yo-yo's (though they are also fitted with blades which may or may not be used) and a giant hammer. Her moves may also seem childish or teasing, particularly her use of yo-yo's and way of attacking, fitting in well with her identification of a high school girl.

Music

 * You Feel for Me - The King of Fighters 2003
 * Triumphantly - The King of Fighters XI
 * She is the Mysterious Agent - Days of Memories (Junpaku no Tenshitachi)

Games

 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters XI

Mobile

 * Days of Memories (fourth and fifth titles) - unplayable; in-text cameo for the fourth
 * SNK Gals Island Non Pre-mission Akiramenai de!

Cameos

 * The King of Fighters 2000 - mentioned in Korea Justice Team Story, debut apperance
 * The King of Fighters XIII - in the Dojo stage, passing mention in Women Fighters story and cameo in their ending
 * The King of Fighters XIV - in the Women Fighters Team ending
 * The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout - background cameo in the Art of Fighting Team, Women Fighters Team and Korea Justice Team stages
 * The King of Fighters XV - mentioned by Yuri in the Super Heroines Team ending; also mentioned by Hinako in his win quote vs. Athena and in her Story
 * Nariyuki Quest - in Episode 38

Trivia

 * Although Malin makes her King of Fighters debut in The King of Fighters 2003, her first appearance in any SNK media is in Team Korea's backstory in The King of Fighters 2000, where she meets with Jhun Hoon.
 * Many of Malin's moves reference bugs, as she has Hornet, Yellowjacket, Mayfly, Scorpion, Spider and Queen Bee among her move names, which can be somewhat ironic as one of Malin's dislikes is bugs. All of these moves involve the use of blades and may reference their stings and/or their movements.