Story
Early Life
Ryo is Takuma and Ronnet’s son and the older brother of Yuri. He started training in the martial arts at an early age, deeming to become Takuma’s successor. Ryo was instilled by his father with the hard principle of self-reliance where one’s strength can form their own worth in the world. He eventually got a sparring partner and friend in Robert Garcia when Robert was admitted into the dojo.
Ryo’s mother died in a tragic car accident on Ryo’s 10th birthday. Takuma left their home and left Ryo to take care of Yuri. In order to do so, he worked in construction and tirelessly strived to defend his family’s dojo. He also started street fighting, remembering his father’s words. He didn’t do well at first, but after a lot of years of persistence, he eventually became a famous and feared fighter.
Art of Fighting
In the first game, Yuri gets kidnapped by Mr. Big, a local crime leader of the dangerous city, Southtown. During his journey on saving Yuri, he met a bouncer named King, who leads him and Robert to Mr. Big’s location. With Robert and King’s aids, Ryo confronts and defeats the kingpin. Chasing Mr. Big lead him to a karate dojo where a mysterious man in a tengu mask challenges him. When Ryo prevailed, he threatens to finish Mr. Karate if he doesn’t give any information regarding Yuri’s safety. Before he deals the final blow, Yuri reveals the man’s identity as Takuma, their father. After eleven years of separation, the whole family is reunited.
Before the events of the second game, Ryo went into the mountains for training. He received an invitation to the King of Fighters tournament, which he accepted in order to test his strength. He was able to reach the finals and then the tournament’s host, Geese Howard, wanted to hire Ryo into his services. Ryo refuses however and subsequently defeats him. Unfortunately, Geese manages to escape and later reenacts the beginning of the Fatal Fury story.
Ryo’s role in the third game was reduced to being a supporting character for Robert. In his ending for the game, he hands over a ticket to Yuri for Robert’s flight back home and wishes the best for both of them. He also gains another rival called Kasumi Todoh, who is later mentioned in The King of Fighters series.
It is assumed that after the Art of Fighting series ended, Takuma retired from fighting and entrusts the Kyokugenryu dojos to Ryo. At least two dojos are still active, one near Southtown and one is later entrusted to Ryo’s student, Marco Rodriguez. This is supported by the fact that Ryo uses the Mr. Karate mantle that his father once held in Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition and Buriki One.
The King of Fighters
The King of Fighters series was inspired by the fact that Ryo appeared in Fatal Fury Special as a secret final boss. Much of the appeal for the first game, KOF 94, was so that characters from both Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting can fight together and against one another. The story was retconned to make the characters from both FF and AOF appear around the same age, although KOF is separate from their respective series. Despite both protagonists having only support roles in the series, Ryo and Terry are friendly rivals. This is shown through special intros, official art and game openings.
Throughout KOF, The Kyoukugenryu is portrayed as a struggling family business, being funded by the prize money earned from KOF tournaments and Robert’s vast wealth. Every year, after the conclusion of each KOF tournament, because of their strong performance, the Kyokugen dojo would have many applicants. However, because of the harsh training program or mysterious people who appear and trash the dojo, most of the applicants would quit, despite their hard fought success. The family is still running two dojos. One in South town and another in Mexico.
Ryo teams up with Robert, Yuri or Takuma to spread the fame of the Kyokugen style. He tries to keep his sister away from entering the KOF tournaments and gives in to his father’s demands. He invited King to the team in KOF 2000, despite Robert’s protests. Takuma observed (and sort of mistaken) the respect the young fighters had for one another and wants King to join the team whenever the time calls for it. In KOF XI, Ryo points out that his student, Marco is right now a green belt.
Personality
Ryo is both serious when it comes to fighting and loyal to his family and friends. Thanks to the martial arts training that he earned from his father, he has been given discipline. Although they’re best friends, Ryo treats Robert as his rival. He is a little old fashioned and less intense, which separates him from his trendy sister, Yuri and his stylish rival, Robert. He admits to not being very intelligent and well talented, however, he believes that theses are the two obstacles for him to overcome. Ryo thinks he can achieve excellence in his art by hard work and experience compared to Yuri and Robert’s training ideologies. Because he raised both himself and Yuri, he is struggling by his wish to protect his sister and his other wish to see her grow up. He accepts her growing maturity without being against it.
It is suggested that there is a romantic tension between Ryo and King. He suddenly thinks of her as a good friend, despite King thinking more of Ryo since he provided helping in her brother’s recovery in AOF2. Their relationship is referred to many times throughout the KOF series.
Profile
Full name: Ryo Sakazaki
Birth date: August 2nd
Birthplace: Japan
Height: 179 cm (5’10.5″)
Weight: 75 kg (165 lbs)
Blood type: O
Family/Relatives:
- Takuma Sakazaki (father)
- Ronnet Sakazaki (mother, deceased)
- Yuri Sakazaki (sister)
- King (love interest)
Job/Occupation: Dojo owner and master
Likes: The motorcycle he rebuilt himself, Tatsumaki (the horse he received)
Dislikes: Pickles, bugs with a lot of legs
Hobbies: DIY carpentry, growing vegetables at home
Favorite food: Rice cakes, fermented soybeans
Forte in sports: Sumo wrestling
Favorite music: Country music
Powers
- Chi Gathering – Ryo can gather ki from Gaia, the mother-earth.
- Energy Projectile – Ryo can fire the Kouken and Haoh Shou Kouken blast normally.
- Multiple Attacks – Ryo can channel his ki energy into his arms to deliver multiple punches at a very fast ratio.
Fighting Style
Kyokugenryu Karate
Video game appearances
Art of Fighting