The King of Fighters 2003 Vol.3
Reviewed by Kat Avila - Sequential Tart
Credits
ISBN: 1-59796-009-8
Creators: Wing Yan, King Tung
Grade: 9
"Our fates were set over 1800 years ago. Practitioner Kusanagi, protector Kagura, and sealer Yagami. Why do you refuse your duties?" — Chizuru Kagura fighting the stubborn Iori Yagami
Your favorite SNK Playmore video game brawlers are on the front cover of The King of Fighters 2003, volume 3: Ash Crimson, K', Kyo Kusanagi, and Iori Yagami. The opening color splash is of beautiful and somber Shinto priestess Chizuru Kagura, an alert Iori Yagami, and a preoccupied Kyo Kusanagi.
Tantrum-prone Rose and her big brother Adelheid are visiting their father's grave; Rose is bent on avenging his death and with inherited resources from NESTS is secretly sponsoring the King of Fighters (KOF) 2003 tournament to do that, while Adelheid is not so sure they're doing the right thing. KOF team K', Whip, and Maxima are at Tom's grave; a clone of Tom had once helped K' and Maxima to destroy NESTS. It turns out they are all visiting the same graveyard at the same time.
Netherworld, human-despising monster Mukai is checking on the progress of his fox-fur stole-wearing servant Botan (aka Peony, a translation of "botan"; the translated script uses both names), who is overconfident of the mission he has assigned to her. Affixing invisible threads to her victims, Botan can manipulate the weak-willed like puppets. She has been tormenting Chizuru Kagura, guardian of the seal of the Orochi. Presently, Botan is keeping an eye on the KOF teams for her master and is especially interested in the fighting abilities of stylish Ash Crimson who is leading the unfamiliar Hero Team.
Priestess Chizuru is also busy. She has called Kyo Kusanagi and Kyo's mortal enemy Iori Yagami to the Shinto shrine in Kyoto. Fireworks are expected.
The retrospective layout of Kyo and Iori's relationship on page 83 is emotionally dynamic. Pasted in an S-curve on the left side of redhead Iori's pissed-off mug is a chronological series of six panels. Your eye wanders back and forth between the historical panels and Iori's face, building up the anger and other emotions Iori feels at the moment.
Also, the four pages of KOF 2003 teams on pages 102-105 are worth lingering over for the character designs. Eleven teams are participating: the Korea Team, Women Fighters Team, Ikari Team, Art of Fighting Team, High School Girls Team, Fatal Fury Team, Benimaru Team, Outlaw Team, Hero Team, K' Team, and 3 Sacred Treasures Team (not represented in the immediate layout).
The King of Fighters 2003, volume 3, is a content-packed issue, one of the most exciting I've seen in awhile for fighter comics. The KOF 2003 tournament fighting begins in volume 3.
