Iori Yagami

1/3 THE VOICE BEHIND YAGAMI IORI (KOF95) Kunihiko Yasui’s first-ever video game role was one of fighting games’ most iconic characters. In this December 1995 interview, he explains how he created Iori’s voice for KOF95, why the character’s flawless design placed him under intense pressure, and which parts of Iori’s personality he recognized in himself. HIGHLIGHTS _ Kunihiko Yasui explains that KOF95 marked his first experience recording a character for a video game. Until then, most of his voice work had involved anime, foreign-film dubbing and narration. _ Yasui considered himself an actor before a voice actor. He had wanted to act since childhood, studied theatre at university, completed professional training and joined a theatre company, where he worked mainly on stage and in filmed productions. _ He began taking voice roles after joining 81 Produce around 4 years earlier. Yasui believed that working across theatre, television and voice acting would broaden his abilities and help him grow as a performer. _ When Yasui first saw Yagami Iori’s design, he was struck by how perfectly composed and effortlessly cool the character looked. Iori appeared so flawless that Yasui seriously wondered whether he was worthy of being given the role. _ Iori’s design suggested such a precise personality that Yasui felt only one particular voice could suit him. That extremely narrow vocal range made the performance more difficult, since even the slightest deviation could make the character sound completely wrong. _ Yasui tried to express a great deal of emotion within that limited range without allowing his voice to be overshadowed by Iori’s artwork. The pressure was especially strong because this was his first video game role and the character already possessed such a powerful visual identity. _ The actors recorded their dialogue without seeing any completed game footage. Yasui had to rely entirely on the written lines and his imagination to reconstruct the situations, picture the battles and determine the appropriate intensity for each performance. _ His experience on stage was both useful and troublesome. It helped him inhabit the role, but it also caused him to exaggerate reactions, project too loudly and create unwanted noise, forcing him to adjust to the much shorter distance of microphone acting. _ Yasui saw in Iori a form of dandyism that he believed modern men had lost. Rather than seeking approval or trying to please women, Iori seemed to keep everyone at a distance through his personal code, uncompromising attitude and “quiet pride.” _ Yasui discovered one direct connection between himself and Iori: both had played in a band during high school. Yasui performed guitar and bass, covering Japanese groups such as Twist, Godiego and Kai Band, although he never felt comfortable singing. _ Away from acting, Yasui recalled a serious motorcycle accident that completely destroyed his bike while leaving him with only minor scratches and a damaged pair of jeans. He eventually stopped riding and made walking his main hobby, even carrying a spare shirt during summer journeys. _ Looking ahead, Yasui wanted to continue working in voice acting and theatre without limiting himself to one field. He was particularly interested in narrating documentaries about social and environmental issues that could make viewers feel personally concerned. _ Yasui believed that reaching his mid-thirties had strengthened his desire to contribute to society through his work. The interviewer connected this outlook to the “quiet pride” he had identified in Iori, although Yasui jokingly blamed his old-fashioned seriousness for still being single. _ Asked about his ideal woman, Yasui said he admired someone he could respect: a woman with pride in herself. He immediately laughed at how serious and old-fashioned his answer sounded, before admitting that it simply reflected his natural personality. KUNIHIKO YASUI PROFILE Born on December 12, 1960. From Aichi Prefecture. Blood type A. Approximately 4 years of experience as a voice actor. Represented by 81 Produce. He currently works across a wide range of fields, including anime, foreign films and narration. Yagami Iori in KOF95 was his first video game character. His hobbies include listening to music and walking. From neoGeo Freak Vol.8 - Decembre 1995 #NeoGeo #SNK