Yuri Sakazaki

Yuri Sakazaki (ユリ・サカザキ or ユリ 坂崎, Yuri Sakazaki) is a character introduced in the Art of Fighting series as a damsel in distress and eventually as a playable character. Since then, she has appeared in many SNK fighting games, alongside her older brother, Ryo Sakazaki. She is the first and only known female practitioner of Kyokugenryu Karate.

Art of Fighting
As a child, Takuma dedicated more time training Ryo to be next family heir rather than raising Yuri. When she was six years old, her mother died in a tragic car accident. Sensing his family was being targeted, their father leaves in order to protect them. With the loss of both parents, she becomes fearful and heavily dependent on Ryo for the rest of their childhood. When she first meets Robert, she does not trust him but eventually warms up to him.

When she was 17, Yuri was kidnapped by Mr. Big as part of a ploy to blackmail her father. Hearing of her abduction, Ryo and Robert search Southtown to find her whereabouts and rescue her. While held hostage, she finds out the identity of Mr. Karate. When Ryo defeats her captors, she reveals it to her brother and the family is reunited.

In order to protect herself in the future, Takuma teaches her how to fight much to Ryo and Robert's chagrin. He trained Yuri in secret, but only taught her enough to defend herself.

She becomes worried about Robert when he doesn't appear for their date before Art of Fighting 3. Setting out with her brother, they search for him in Glasshill. During their trip, she is wounded by Sinclair and briefly hospitalized. If the player plays through Robert's story, a strained Yuri appears to assist his plight against Wyler. She is healthy enough to leave with Robert by the end of the game's events.

The King of Fighters
Yuri, now confident in her fighting prowess, decides to enter the tournament, but is denied to enter by her brother. She defies his wishes and enters with King and Mai. It isn't until the 1996 tournament that they finally form a team together to represent the prestige of Kyokugenryu to the world. She is forced to join when Takuma gives her an ultimatum to either enter with Ryo or leave the house.

After the 1999 King of Fighters tournament, Yuri wanted to once again show her independence. She begs King to take her place for the year and joins the Women's Team. In 2001, Robert reveals to the family that his family business is in trouble. They decide to all enter together to win the prize money and help out Robert's situation. Since 2001, Yuri then has been a regular for the Art of Fighting team alongside Ryo and Robert. In The King of Fighters XI, Yuri has a rival of in the form of Malin.

Personality
Yuri Sakazaki is a friendly young woman who always cares about her family and friends. She is a strong believer of innovation and trends, constantly finding ways to improve herself through change. She is often arguing with her father and Ryo over matters regarding her newly found sense of independence.

In the Art of Fighting series, it is heavily implied that she has a romantic interest in Robert after her kidnapping.

Powers

 * Gather chi: Yuri can gather chi from Gaia, the mother-earth.
 * Energy Projectile: Yuri can fire the Kouken and Haoh Shou Kouken blast normally.
 * Energy Reflector: Yuri can create a ball of energy in her hands to reflect projectiles.

Fighting Style
Yuri uses the lowest-grade version of the Kyokugenryu Karate discipline, known as the Raiou principle, which taught only the basic and low-level moves and encouraged personal instinct to be used in conjunction with the tutelage. Among Yuri's personally-crafted moves are the Slipstream Handslap and the Butt Press. Raiou means "Lightning Sparkle" in Japanese.

Yuri's moveset is a running parody of various special moves from Street Fighter series. This is very noticeable in King of Fighters '96, when she received her Yuri Cho Mawashi-geri, which was similar to Sakura's Shunpuu Kyaku. Yuri has since then received various moves that are parodies of these: Sakura's Flower Kick, Ryu's Shin Shoryuken, Ken's Shoryureppa, Felicia's intro, Makoto's intro, Akuma's Shun Goku Satsu, Chun-Li's Flip Kick, and Ryu's Denjin Hadoken. It is notable that KOF '96 came out a year after Street Fighter Alpha, where Dan Hibiki (a character that parodies Ryo) was introduced.

Music

 * Diet: Art of Fighting 2, The King of Fighters 2002
 * Ne!: The King of Fighters 94
 * The Base Crawls on the Earth: The King of Fighters 95
 * Kamikirimushi: The King of Fighters 96
 * Art of Fight: The King of Fighters 98
 * Ryu-Ko: The King of Fighters 99
 * Come up Smiling: The King of Fighters 2000
 * Fight to the Limit: The King of Fighters 2001
 * Kyoku-gen: The King of Fighters 2003
 * After a Long Absence: The King of Fighters XI

Image Songs

 * The Song of Fighters '95 - shared image song from The King of Fighters '95 Arranged Soundtrack
 * Heavy Baby's - Neo Geo DJ Station shared image song

Voice Actors

 * Harumi Ikoma - Art of Fighting
 * Kaori Horie - Art of Fighting 2~present
 * Amy Walls - Maximum Impact series (English voice)
 * Ayumi Hamasaki - Art of Fighting anime
 * Veronica Taylor - Art of Fighting anime (English voice)
 * Sakura Tange - Dengeki Bunko drama CD

Live Action Actors

 * Miki Hareyama - Art of Fighting commercial
 * Ayumi Hamasaki - Art of Fighting 2 commercials

Game Appearances

 * Art of Fighting - damsel in distress
 * Art of Fighting 2
 * Art of Fighting 3 - NPC in Ryo and Robert's story modes
 * The King of Fighters '94
 * The King of Fighters '95
 * The King of Fighters '96
 * The King of Fighters '97
 * The King of Fighters '98
 * The King of Fighters '99
 * The King of Fighters R-2
 * SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millenium - secret character
 * Capcom vs SNK
 * Capcom vs SNK Pro
 * SNK Gals' Fighters
 * The King of Fighters 2000
 * Capcom vs SNK 2
 * The King of Fighters 2001
 * The King of Fighters EX - striker character
 * The King of Fighters 2002
 * The King of Fighters EX2
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters: Neowave
 * The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact
 * The King of Fighters XI
 * The King of Fighters 2006
 * The King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A
 * The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match
 * The King of Fighters: Kyo
 * Quiz King of Fighters - damsel in distress
 * Days of Memories (first, fourth, fifth and eighth titles) - non-playable
 * Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden (Neo-Geo CD version only) - cameo
 * SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos - cameo in Ryo and Mr. Karate's ending

Anime Appearances

 * Art of Fighting (anime)

Trivia

 * When you use a special move on Yuri (as her KO is almost full), the top of her costume flies off. This will only happen in The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95 and Art of Fighting 2.


 * In Capcom Vs. SNK 2, when Yuri finishes a fight with a "Dramatic KO" (Finish with a super move as a counter to an opponent's special or super move), she will attempt to tie her gi tighter. However the belt becomes completely undone and her top opens, revealing a semi sheer undershirt. Yuri will then blush in total embarrassment and immediately cover herself. This victory pose first appeared in Art of Fighting 2 when Yuri scores a Perfect victory.


 * Ryuji Yamazaki has a special win quote versus Yuri in Capcom vs. SNK 2. "Who cares about your father!?" This may however be due to him trashing the family dojo.


 * Yuri notably breaks the fourth wall in KOF XI; in her win pose versus Gai Tendo, she suggests he try saying "Hurricane Upper!", referencing that Gai and Joe Higashi have the same voice actor.


 * One of Yuri's ANOTHER costume resembles Lara Croft.