I just noticed something about Iori Yagami's design that's bothering me.

[Kalmakov]

So, recently with Sakurai praising KOF's Iori Yagami's design, my twitter TL is filled to the brim with Iori art. Even having looked at the character extensively for every KOFXIII tourney, I've just now started to notice something about his design that I'm really confused about.

Just what is going on with the belt around his legs?

First off, it has two different buckles yet appears to be one single belt, second, that single belt is absurdly long. Another thing, why does his pants have belt loops around his legs in the first place? Wouldn't this also restrain his fighting ability since he can only extend his legs so far? Also, what is this even supposed to convey? Like, how does this play into any visual motif? What is the point of this belt?

 

[WestEgg]

It's fashion, man.

 

[Unknownlight]

Don't forget: Whoever designed that character must be a genius.

 

[JuicyPlayer]

SNK characters have the best fashion , Capcom tried to copy Iori with Remy.

 

[nsilvias]

hes a fan of nomura

 

[Bearwolf]

To keep his leg from flying off. It's a move.

 

[Alberto Robert]

I KNEW this would be about the belts.

I dunno, maybe it looked cool to the designer?

 

[Foot]

If he allowed himself to kick properly he'd be unbeatable. He's very honourable.

 

[mrmoose]

Murata did a gag on this:

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-n...-take-on-king-of-fighters-bad-boy-iori-yagami

 

[signal]

You've never noticed that? I'll assume you've never seen Iori before.

 

[Nome]

KOF is just Tokyo Fashion Week if it turned into a big brawl

 

[IDreamOfHime]

I knew it was gonna be about the belt.
Lets just say I dressed as him at a fancy dress party once and I should have used a bigger belt. Walked around like a penguin all night.

 

[Cantaim]

You've never noticed that? I'll assume you've never seen Iori before.

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This lol

 

[Poppy]

because it's cool

 

[rpm]

it's called fashion, sweetie, look it up sometime

 

[Kalmakov]

You've never noticed that? I'll assume you've never seen Iori before.

Click to shrink...

I've always assumed it was like, strands of his pants being torn or something, I never noticed it was this one singular, bizarre belt.

 

[Fuzzy]

Are you sure it's not an elastic belt and it works as a reverse Thighmaster?

 

[ZiggyPalffyLA]

Don't forget: Whoever designed that character must be a genius.

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lmao I love Sakurai but he's got some weird taste

 

[Daysean]

Don't forget: Whoever designed that character must be a genius.

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Considering it's a protected and fan favorite design that artists felt pressure from trying to mix it up in the past, yeah they are a genius for hitting gold

 

[Angelus Errare]

Iori has had that belt there for at least 23 actual years lol

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

How did you JUST notice this? Its always been the dumbest thing

 

[Deleted member 176]

it's to keep his pants up

 

[FormatCompatible]

The leg belt debate is nothing new in the KOF community.

I think it was the old KOF manhua that did give a use to the belt. Can't find the image tho.

 

[Hikari]

.... first time seeing Iori?

 

[Deleted member 14377]

To make things fair for their opponents

 

[Kalmakov]

.... first time seeing Iori?

Click to shrink...

Like I said, seen this character for forever but for some reason my brain always auto corrected that strand around his legs to be like strands of his torn pants or something similar. I never noticed that it was a belt until I actually looked at it closer.

 

[EVA UNIT 01]

Nomura is killin himself for not doin it

 

[Kalmakov]

it's called fashion, sweetie, look it up sometime

Click to shrink...

 

[Burning Kasshu]

If it makes you feel better, he doesn't have it in his 13 or 14 design.

 

[Gxgear]

If we're going to talk appropriate attire, then the entire fighting genre would implode.

 

[InfiniDragon]

All of Iori's designs are fantastic but yeah, the leg belt is a weird point that's will turn some folks off the outfit, haha.

His XIII outfit in particular, gawddamn that looks cool.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Yeah, Ash stole his belt after KoF XI, which caused him to lose his flames.

 

[Gustaf]

If it makes you feel better, he doesn't have it in his 13 or 14 design.

Click to shrink...

not my Iori

the second one is cool tho

 

[Flipyap]

Click to shrink...

It is. It's a '70s punk thing and it's adorable.

 

[Daysean]

Everytime I look at his 13 design I'm like man that's cool
Then I remember it's flameless and I'm like nope

 

[Kalmakov]

If it makes you feel better, he doesn't have it in his 13 or 14 design.

Click to shrink...

12 and 13 were the first KOF games I ever knew and played, I love that default design for Iori, that looks actually classy and fashionable

 

[Deleted member 5621]

It's like training wheels for drop kicks. Look it up.

 

[Spine Crawler]

thats why he does drop kicks

 

[Doskoi Panda]

Knew this is what the thread would be about from the title

Ya know how Oro keeps one arm tied so he doesn't kill the shit out of people? It's probably something like that. Also it looks kinda cool

 

[MP!]

if he can beat you up with his legs tied then that makes him a better fighter


or something

 

[Ferrio]

Fashion. He's in a Jazz band.

 

[Billy Awesomo]

Murata did a gag on this:

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-n...-take-on-king-of-fighters-bad-boy-iori-yagami

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Omg, Imma dying this is hilarious. lol

 

[Strangelove_77]

I thought you'd mean that stupid white shirt.

 

[Laser Ramon]

Ya'll don't belt your knees?

 

[mrmoose]

Knew this is what the thread would be about from the title

Ya know how Oro keeps one arm tied so he doesn't kill the shit out of people? It's probably something like that. Also it looks kinda cool

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But it never really restricts his kicks, does it?

 

[DiipuSurotu]

If it makes you feel better, he doesn't have it in his 13 or 14 design.

Click to shrink...

Only because it was too difficult to animate in 3D

 

[Daouzin]

I hadn't noticed that either until he showed up in the Smash Direct. Bothered me, but he's still sick.

 

[MysticGon]

It is. It's a '70s punk thing and it's adorable.

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And I thought the 80s were bad.

 

[Futaleufu]

If he allowed himself to kick properly he'd be unbeatable. He's very honourable.

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He can kick high even with the belt.

 

[Deleted member 29682]

I knew it was gonna be about the belt.

Click to shrink...

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