Athena Asamiya

Athena Asamiya (麻宮 アテナ, Asamiya Atena) is a character originally from Psycho Soldier and a distant relative and modern-day counterpart of Princess Athena from Athena. She later appears as a regular fighter in The King of Fighters series; she is perhaps best known for changing her outfit and hair style for virtually every main installment.

She stars in her own ADV game Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life that was only released in Japan for the Sony PlayStation in 1999.

Athena was a highly anticipated character for the King of Fighterslineup and developers relate that they are constantly working to keep her in the series. Throughout the years, her sailor uniformoutfit was a frequent request from Japanese fans that was denied due to the belief that it wouldn't translate well with the overseas audience (this kept up until recent installments). Her official nickname is The Psychic-Powered Idol. Nona, one of the series designers, reply that Athena is his favorite original character in the series.

In the character popularity poll on Neo Geo Freak's website, she was voted as the tenth favorite character with a total of 1,020 votes.

Story
Athena is a modern-day high school girl in Japan. She teamed up with her friend, Sie Kensou, to fight in the name of justice. In Psycho Soldiers, she was one of the "heroes of light" who defended the world from the Shiguma forces. Her psychic powers are believed to be transmigrated to her rather than inherited by her family. As such, she is sometimes referred to as the resurrected Athena who is gifted with esper-like powers.

Orochi Saga
In the King of Fighters series, she is a student of Kensou's Kenpo teacher, Chin Gentsai. She has spent most of her life secluded in China's mountains training. Her team participates in the tournaments as a form of training and to save the populace from an apparent future threat. Other times, they enter to disrupt any evil forces they may feel at the time. In the 1996 tournament, Chin seemed perturbed by the energy he sensed and didn't want his students to be involved with it. However, they surprise him by redoubling their enthusiasm for the event and they enter.

Their success in the tournament is shown in the following year where they receive a mountain of adoring fan letters. Athena in particular had a boost in popularity and stardom. However, Chin rejects their proposal to enter King of Fighters since he doesn't want his students to forget the purpose of their training. Determined to change his mind, Athena presents him with an inspirational letter from Kaoru Watabe. The contents in the letter helps her argument that their publicity moves people to do better things, which is essentially another way of saving people. Convinced that his students are improving, he allows them to enter once more.

In the aftermath of KOF '97, the Psycho Soldiers meet Kaoru, who now travels with them to most of their engagements and was even a striker in KOF 2000.

NESTS Saga
By this time in the series, Athena becomes a famous pop-star who is rising the charts with her concerts. She welcomes the new recruit, Bao, warmly and hopes that he does his best. Additionally, she grows concerned for Kensou once he lost his powers though she remains optimistic that they might return during the tournament on a spur-of-the-moment notice.

Her team's backstory in The King of Fighters 99 reveals that the team was there during the collapse of NESTS's base in the finals. During that time, Athena was caught underneath the falling rubble and passed out. Though he has no memory of it, Kensou saved her with a formidable latent energy. Ever since then, Bao suffered from a mysterious fatigue and illness. This same energy is later revealed to be the "Dragon's Spirit". Though she has her doubts with her master's methods, she wearily agrees to join the tournaments in this saga to treat Bao and Kensou's predicament. In the team's story in The King of Fighters 2000 she, Chin and Kaoru Watabe witness Bao's near heroic sacrifice as he takes a the NESTS satellite's energy beam to protect them, and how this leads to Kensou recovering his powers when he absorbs the rest of the energy.

Ash Saga
For the first time since the beginning of KOF, the Psycho Soldiers did not enter the tournament in KOF 2003 since Kensou and Bao went on a year long training mission with Chin to master Kensou's unreliable "Dragon's Spirit". Not wanting to miss out on her annual fix of tournament competition, Athena joined forces with Hinako Shijou and Malin to form the High School Girls team, a strange but rather successful partnership. For KOF XI, Athena reunites with Kensou after his year of training, and Momoko, one of Athena's fans with psychic capabilities.

Personality
Athena is very outgoing, polite, and friendly. She is a happy girl with righteous virtues and well-meaning morals. She treasures her fans and those who are helpless and strives to do her best to fight for them. She used to be a bit of a crybaby who was sometimes too scared to fight in the face of danger, but has gotten over this flaw, as it is shown that she has become much braver.

Athena often chides Kensou for slacking off in his training. She either is well aware of his crush on her but usually chooses to ignore his romantic advances since he seems to embarrass her, or she is oblivious about his romantic interest in her. Different media of the series, such as drama CDs and manga, imply that Athena has feelings for Kyo, but since Kyo is dating Yuki, she respects their romantic relationship and settles for simply staying friends with both of them.

The King of Fighters Appearance
The King of Fighters XV (TheProjectXZoneFan1997)

Athena is part of the Psycho Soldier team alongside Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai and Bao.

Crossover Appearance
Cross Maximum 2: Exceed Sky

Athena Asamiya appears as one of the characters from SNK side along with Sie Kensou.