The King of Fighters (Nintendo Cinematic Universe)

The King of Fighters is a Japanese graphic novel series.

Volume 1
In 1994, a new King of Fighters tournament is held by a mysterious host named "R"; the catch: the competitors are in teams of three.

Volume 2
In 1995, "R" holds a King of Fighters tournament, but it is unknown if this host is the same host of the previous year's tournament: Rugal.

Volume 3
In 1996, although Rugal is gone, a new host holds a new King of Fighters tournament.

Volume 4
In 1997, a new King of Fighters tournament is held in the same year as Orochi's impending return.

Dream Match Never Ends
In 1998, the King of Fighters tournament returns, and almost everyone from the previous tournaments return to participate.

Millennium Battle
In 1999, a new rule is made for the King of Fighters tournament in which teams are expanded to members of four.

Volume 7
In 2000, K' and Maxima continue their fight against NESTS in a new King of Fighters tournament.

Volume 8
In 2001, NESTS hosts the King of Fighters tournament to lure out and finish off K' and Maxima once and for all.

Challenge to Ultimate Battle
In 2002, as the King of Fighters tournament returns to three-team members, another dream match begins.

Volume 10
In 2003, a young man named Ash Crimson is seeking something at the new King of Fighters tournament for unknown reasons.

Volume 1

 * The story is set in 1994.
 * Rugal Bernstein, an influential black market weapons and drugs dealer bored of the lack of competition, sent out 24 invitations to certain individuals around the world. Eight teams had entered, each representing a different country.
 * At the tournament's conclusion, Mature, Rugal's personal secretary, invited the Japan team to fight their final match within Black Noah.
 * It is there when Rugal revealed the true purpose of his tournament: defeat the winning team and add them to his grisly collection of previous challengers.
 * Kyo sees his defeated father there and decides to avenge him.
 * As Rugal is finally beaten, he triggers the self-destruct mechanism on his ship. The team escapes and reflects on their victory.

Volume 2

 * The story is set in 1995.
 * A new King of Fighters tournament is announced by "R", presumed to be the same host of the previous year's tournament: Rugal Bernstein, who supposedly blew himself up on his aircraft at the end of the tournament.
 * The Hero Team ultimately win and gassed into unconsciousness. Recovering, they meet the host: Rugal Bernstein.
 * Rugal sends Kyo's brainwashed father, Saisyu, to kill the winners, but is defeated and freed from Rugal's mind control.
 * Angered, Rugal uses the of Orochi to become Omega, only to be defeated as well. Rugal then explodes from using too much of Orochi's power, although he vows to return.
 * Saisyu disappears, but Kyo is determined to reunite with his father someday.

Volume 3

 * The story is set in 1996.
 * A new King of Fighters tournament is announced, though the letters of invitation sent out to the fighters are no longer sent by Rugal Bernstein.
 * There are many changes in the tournament's approach. Since the previous year, the tournament's fame has grown immensely, turning it into a major international event. Huge corporations transform the King of Fighters tournament into something widely televised, commercialized, and celebrated, drawing in many crowds from around the world.
 * The tournament is now held by Chizuru Kagura, a descendant of the ancient Yata Clan responsible for sealing the Orochi demon along with the Kusanagi and Yasanaki clans (the clans from Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami, respectively).
 * Chizuru uses the tournament in hopes of finding and recruiting Kyo and Iori in order to stop the upcoming Orochi threat, but Kyo and Iori aren't willing to work together on friendly terms.
 * The Hero Team win the tournament and defeat Chizuru.
 * Goenitz then arrives to defeat the Hero Team and awaken Orochi, but is defeated.
 * The Hero Team parts ways as they leave the tournament.

Volume 4

 * The story is set in 1997.
 * Despite the events at the end of the previous tournament, the KOF tournament was a huge commercial success and sparked a worldwide fighting craze.
 * Within a few months of the tournament ending, various large corporations had held smaller KOF tournament qualifiers and constructed special KOF stadiums around the world, building the excitement up for the next tournament.
 * News of the tournament spread through every form of media and fans and new fighters from across the globe come to watch the preliminary matches.
 * The Hero Team defeat an Orochi-possessed Iori.
 * The New Faces Team, possessed by Orochi, are defeated by the Hero Team, but Chris transforms into Orochi.
 * Orochi is defeated by the Three Sacred Treasures.
 * The Hero Team disbands.
 * Kyo and Iori clash one last time, though the victor is unknown.

Dream Match Never Ends

 * The story is set in 1998.
 * A new King of Fighters tournament is announced.
 * The host is a resurrected Rugal Bernstein, now mastering the power of Orochi.
 * The winning team/contestant defeats Rugal, causing him to be self-destruct his base to kill the winner(s), but they escape.
 * The winning team/contestant is unknown.

Millennium Battle

 * The story is set in 1999.
 * Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami have disappeared since the last tournament.
 * Invitations are sent to many characters inviting them to a new tournament, which this time around is more of a secretive affair and away from the public eye than the ones in both '96 and '97, with each team now having an additional member.
 * The Hero Team wins the tournament and meet the host: Krizalid.
 * Krizalid is a part of NESTS has made several Kyo-1 and Kyo-2 clones of Kyo Kusanagi, and has used the King of Fighters tournament in the hopes of gathering data from the participants for his clones to take over the world..
 * K' is also clone of Kyo, but has defected to take down NESTS.
 * The Hero Team defeats Krizalid, shutting down all Kyo clones.
 * Benimaru and Shingo escape, while K' and Maxima decide to continue fighting NESTS.

Volume 7

 * The story is set in 2000.
 * After an incident at the previous tournament, the commander of the Ikari Warriors Team, Heidern, is determined to investigate the objective of the NESTS cartel and stop it from achieving its ruthless ambition.
 * Ling, a fellow commander and long-time friend of Heidern, tells him that K′ and Maxima were once NESTS operatives and that they may hold the key to locating the whereabouts of the mysterious organization. Using this information, Heidern decides to focus his efforts into using the next KOF tournament to lure both K′ and Maxima out of hiding so that they can be captured and interrogated by him for crucial and critical information about the NESTS cartel.
 * The hero Team wins the tournament.
 * Kula Diamond might appear to eliminate K', but fails from within her mission.
 * Shortly afterwards, Ling and a couple of his associates suddenly attack and betray Heidern near the end of the tournament, the former revealing himself to be a clone of the real Ling who was murdered in the past and being replaced via the machinations of a high-ranking NESTS member named Zero, who seeks to destroy NESTS itself and create a new world order under his own rule.
 * Through the accumulated fighting power he had gathered during the tournament, Zero initiates and utilizes a space-based satellite weapon named the "Zero Cannon", with which he sends a powerful energy blast from it straight towards Earth, destroying most of South Town via the energy blast's explosive impact upon it.
 * After Zero's defeat in combat, he attempts but fails to use the cannon again while Heidern swiftly and forcibly removes the clone Ling's remote control of the cannon while dispatching him in the process.
 * Kula's supporters Diana and Foxy stop Zero while Kula destroys the Zero Cannon herself.

Volume 8

 * The story is set in 2001.
 * One year has passed since most of South Town was decimated by the now-destroyed Zero Cannon.
 * Another KOF tournament is being held and this time, it's hosted by the NESTS cartel.
 * K′ and Maxima return to put an end to NESTS once and for all. They are now joined by former Ikari Warriors Team member Whip and the assassin Lin formerly from Benimaru's Team, both of whom are seeking the destruction of NESTS as well.
 * NESTS sends their own team to compete in the tournament, composed of NESTS agents Kula Diamond, K9999, Foxy, and Angel.
 * Kyo Kusanagi joins his former teammates of Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon, reuniting the original Japan Team along with Shingo Yabuki.
 * Iori Yagami joins a team composed of agents Seth, Vanessa, and Ramon.
 * Yuri Sakazaki rejoins the Art of Fighting Team.
 * King and Mai Shiranui once again lead the Women Fighters Team along with the returning Li Xiangfei and Hinako Shijo.
 * Heidern also makes his KOF return, taking Whip's place in the Ikari Warriors Team.
 * Kim Kaphwan's young student May Lee takes over Jhun Hoon's place in the Korea Justice Team, the latter being unable to compete due to an injury.
 * The Hero Team wins the tournament of confronts Igniz, having just become the leader of NESTS after murdering his father, Nests.
 * The Hero Team defeat Igniz, flee the self-destructing base, and disband.

Challenge to Ultimate Battle

 * The story is set in 2002.
 * A new King of Fighters tournament is announced.
 * The host is a resurrected Rugal Bernstein.
 * The winning team/contestant defeats Rugal, causing him to self-destruct on his airship.
 * The winning team/contestant is unknown.

Volume 10

 * The story is set in 2003.
 * A new King of Fighters tournament is announced.
 * The tournament is sponsored by an unknown patron, whose identity becomes a matter of public interest in the country.
 * The Hero Team wins the tournament.
 * The Hero Team defeat a single fighter named Kusanagi, a clone of the returning warrior Kyo Kusanagi.
 * It is revealed that Kusanagi was created by Chizuru Kagura as an attempt to test the winner.
 * Chizuru and her undead sister Maki challenge the Hero Team to a fight.
 * Following the Kagura sisters' defeat, a woman named Botan reveals herself as the true mastermind behind the 2003 tournament, having brainwashed Chizuru.
 * Botan's partner, Mukai, challenges the Hero Team and despite being defeated, claims success for his superior, having weakened the seal of the ancient demon Orochi.

Volume 1

 * Based on The King of Fighters '94.

Volume 2

 * Based on The King of Fighters '95.

Volume 3

 * Based on The King of Fighters '96.

Volume 4

 * Based on The King of Fighters '97.

Dream Match Never Ends

 * Based on The King of Fighters '98.

Millennium Battle

 * Based on The King of Fighters '99.

Volume 7

 * Based on The King of Fighters 2000.

Volume 8

 * Based on The King of Fighters 2001.

Challenge to Ultimate Battle

 * Based on The King of Fighters 2002.

Volume 10

 * Based on The King of Fighters 2003.