Takuma Sakazaki

Takuma Sakazaki (タクマ・サカザキ; also written as 坂崎 拓馬, Sakazaki Takuma) is a character from both the Art of Fighting and The King of Fighters fighting game series. The inspiration for this character came from Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin Karate - a full contact karate style, which was the inspiration for Kyokugenryu Karate. His distinguishing feature is an X-shaped scar on his right pectoral. He is also somewhat eccentric, donning his tengu mask and insisting he's Mr. Karate, and delivering speeches that are supposed to rally morale, but often make him look silly. Takuma is the most established known Kyokugenryu Karate practitioner, and he is the only one in the discipline who can make full use of the discipline's most difficult moves.

He is voiced by Eiji Tsuda in the games, and by Hōchū Ōtsuka for The King of Fighters '94 Dengeki Bunko drama CD.

Story
During his younger days, he became rivals with Ryuhaku Todoh and Lee Gakusuo, Lee Pai Long's father. He once fought in a match with Gakusuo, but they could not decide on a final victor and it ended in a draw. In honor of one another's strength, Gakusuo was dubbed "The Ultimate Tiger" and Takuma was known as "The Invincible Dragon". He was also acquaintances with Jeff Bogard, and seems to have a yet-to-be-divulged history with Saisyu Kusanagi. His experiences with his various opponents lead Takuma to eventually invent Kyokugenryu Karate.

According to the ending of Art Of Fighting 2, when Takuma was working for Geese Howard, it is implied that he (as Mr. Karate) was the one who killed Jeff Bogard, unwillingly, under Geese's orders or that he may have been the one who weakened Jeff Bogard in combat and then Geese came in with the killing blow - blackmailed and forced into it by the crimelord.

As time passed, Takuma married an American woman named Ronnet. Both Takuma and Ronnet became parents of Ryo and Yuri, who were born respectively four years apart. Shortly after Yuri's birth, they moved near Southtown to raise their family and to spread the prestige of the Sakazaki martial arts.

Takuma trained Ryo exclusively at the beginning, as he felt Yuri was too young and he wanted Ryo to be his proper heir as Kyokugenryu Master. He accepted his best friend, Alberto Garcia's son, Robert Garcia into the dojo after seeing his earnest interest in the style. When Ryo was 10, Ronnet was killed in a car accident. Sensing that he and she were most likely targeted by someone, Takuma leaves his home to investigate the manner and leaves Ryo to take care of Yuri.

Art of Fighting
Takuma eventually fought his way through lackeys and stooges to confront the man responsible for crime in the area, Geese Howard. He demanded that he put an end to the tyranny and Geese replied with threats against Takuma's children. To protect the safety of his remaining family, he was forced to work for Geese. In order to preserve his honor, Takuma donned a tengu mask and formed another persona: "Mr. Karate". During his years of labor, he became feared as the indomitable and undefeated hitman for Geese.

While Geese was out on business, Mr. Big was in charge. In order to keep Takuma firmly under his control, Mr. Big had Yuri kidnapped. Unfortunately, that move caused Ryo and Robert to tear up Southtown in search of her and Takuma. When Mr. Big was defeated, he called for Mr. Karate to deal with the two youths. He fought with Ryo and, after a fierce battle, Ryo became the victor. Not knowing Mr. Karate's true identity, Ryo threatened to kill him if he didn't tell him where Takuma and Yuri were. Yuri stopped Ryo from killing their father, and they had a joyous reunion.

To redeem himself as a master of Kyokugenryu Karate, he decides to enter the King of Fighters tournament without his Mr. Karate persona. In his ending for the second Art of Fighting, Takuma's injuries from fighting takes its toll and he hands responsibility of the dojo to his children. He implies that he'll probably have to retire from the fighting circuit for awhile.

The King of Fighters
Takuma led Ryo and Robert as a team in the new King of Fighters for two years, until he retired and brought in Yuri as a replacement. He remained on the sideline until 1999, when he rejoined the team as their fourth man. In 2000, Takuma welcomed King into the team, knowing that she and Ryo have a "special something" together. He couldn't use the Garcia fortune to rebuild with, as a world financial crisis had virtually wiped it out. He entered the team into the 2001 tournament to win the prize money. At the end of King of Fighters 2003, he is apparently attacked by an unseen assailant. He tries to tell what happened to him, but passes out before he can. It was rumored that his assailant may either be Yamazaki or Eiji Kisaragi, however, according to the official KOF XI story, it is stated that Takuma collapsed due to malnutrition, liver problems, and other health issues. He uses his "weak state" as an excuse to once again enforce his wishes for a grandchild, requesting that King enter the tournament in his stead. He makes a healthy recovery to enter KOF XIII with Robert and Ryo.

Personality
Takuma is rather serious when he's relating to evil people. But when relating to his students, Takuma starts saying things that many people find silly. He is a traditionalist and a fighter to the core, making it sometimes impossible for him to relate with the modern day youth. His inability to change his strict training regime unintentionally drives newer students away from the dojo. He constantly makes wheat noodles to the point where it's almost sickening for his students.

Much of his siilier antics tends to spread to his family, being seen as a bit of a bumbling dad; he desperately wants his son to wed and grant them the "third successor" of the family. When Yuri cuts her hair, Takuma doesn't approve of it since it pains him to have no memories of her with a short haircut. He is also a bit overprotective of Yuri in a comical way, seeing how he and Robert fight each other behind their teammates' backs due to Robert proposing a marriage to Yuri.

Despite this, outside of his serious Mr. Karate persona in SVC Chaos and KOF XIII, Takuma himself is serious in regards to both friend and foe alike, and offers fine words of wisdom to those like K' and Saiki (though the latter dismisses his point).

Powers

 * Gather Chi - Takuma can gather ki from Gaia, the mother-earth.
 * Energy Projectile - Takuma can fire the Kouken, Haoh Shou Kouken and Haoh Shi-Kouken blasts normally.
 * Vacuum - In The King of Fighters 2002, Takuma can fire an invisible projectile.
 * Multiple Attacks - Takuma can channel his ki energy into his arms to deliver multiple punches at high speed.

Fighting Style
Takuma is the grandmaster (black belt) of Kyokugenryu Karate. He mainly relies on strong and focused strikes from his arms and legs. In The King of Fighters series, he can eventually hurl his own ki to hurt his opponents in an invisible manner, being the only practitioner to do so.

Music

 * Shihan (Normal) ver.2 - Art of Fighting 2
 * Ryuuko no Ken - The King of Fighters '94
 * Yureru Otokogokoro - The King of Fighters '95
 * In Spite of One's Age - The King of Fighters '98
 * Ryu-Ko (Dragon-Ko) - The King of Fighters '99
 * The Beauty and the Beast - The King of Fighters 2000, 2002
 * Fight to the Limit - The King of Fighters 2001
 * After a Long Absence - The King of Fighters XIII (when the music is set to "Type B", console version only, shared with Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia)
 * Kyokugen Training! ~ Mountain Seclusion - The King of Fighters XIII
 * In Spite of One's Age ~Ver. Immortal~ - The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match

Game Appearances

 * Art of Fighting - as Mr. Karate
 * Art of Fighting 2
 * The King of Fighters '94
 * The King of Fighters '95
 * The King of Fighters '98
 * The King of Fighters '99
 * The King of Fighters 2000
 * The King of Fighters 2001
 * The King of Fighters 2002
 * SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos - as Mr. Karate (both normal and Honki ni Natta Mr. Karate)
 * The King of Fighters XIII - both Takuma and Mr. Karate
 * The King of Fighters Neowave
 * The King of Fighters EX2
 * The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Quiz King of Fighters
 * The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match

Mobile Appearances

 * Athena On Stage - quiz show contestant
 * The King of Fighters Mobile
 * The King of Fighters Mobile R-2

Cameo Appearances

 * The King of Fighters '96 - during the Art of Fighting team's ending (as Mr. Karate)
 * The King of Fighters '97 - during the Art of Fighting team's ending
 * The King of Fighters 2003 - during the Art of Fighting team's ending
 * The King of Fighters XI - during the Art of Fighting team's ending (as Mr. Karate)
 * The King of Fighters XII - passing mention by Athena
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2 - Kyokugen Dojo
 * SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - passing mention
 * Capcom vs. SNK - background cameo in the Kyokugenryu dojo stage
 * Days of Memories (first and fourth titles) - in text cameo
 * The King of Fighters (pachinko)
 * The King of Fighters 2

Similar Characters

 * Mr. Karate
 * Honki ni Natta Mr. Karate