Kyo Kusanagi

First The King of Fighters video game, Kyo stars in the famous fighting tournament as the leader of the Japan team composed of he, Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon. In the finals, they meet and defeat the host of the tournament, a powerful criminal named Rugal Bernstein. In the next video game, Kyo and his team reach the finals and meet Rugal again, who brainwashed Kyo's missing father, Saisyu, into attacking his son. Rugal tries to use the Orochi creature power's to kill Kyo but his body is vaporized due to its use.

Prior to the events of The King of Fighters 96, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Orochi, Goenitz, easily defeats Kyo. In order to prove his strength against him, Kyo enters the 96 tournament. In The King of Fighters 97 Kyo joins with Iori and Chizuru to defeat the Orochi's last three soldiers, the New Faces Team. Although they win Orochi reappears using one of his follower's body to fight Kyo's team. he is eventually defeated and sealed. In KOF 98, Kyo appears as a playable character in the Japan Team with Benimaru and Daimon. An alternative version from his characters with movesets used in previous games is also playable.

Kyo is a secret character in most versions of The King of Fighters 99, and has no team. Depending on how much points the player gets when the game finishes, Kyo can be faced as a bonus fight. He continues his fight against the NESTS alone in The King of Fighters 2000 and in the next game, Kyo reunites with his old teammates and his student Shingo Yabuki to make a comeback in the Japan Team and finally destroy the NESTS. In KOF 2002, Kyo is a playable character in the original Japan Team. In The King of Fighters 2003, Chizuru appears to both Kyo and Iori, requesting that they form a team and investigate suspicious activities concerning the Orochi seal. During the investigation, the team is ambushed by the fighter Ash Crimson who plans to get their clans' powers and steals the ones from Chizuru. In the following video game, Kyo and Iori form a team once again with Shingo to fill Chizuru's spot to stop Ash. However, the growing presence of the Orochi causes Iori to enter into berserk state, forcing him to damage his teammates. Ash appears thereafter and steals Iori's abilities after defeating him.