as long as Hisako is there Im good 
This is VERY hard because KI has very interesting characters. But I am going to try to lay out my criteria first (because that is more interesting to me than the actual list of ten).
KI has always been a bold game, making bold decisions between installments and you guys did a great job with this for the current game. Even though I love almost all the characters (I’m looking st you Sadira), I actually hope KI follows the trend of changing up the roster. This game includes everybody, but in a way that is completely reimagined but pays homage or retains some defining characteristics. So my operating assumption is that any new game would build in this one but have to be substantially different. I don’t expect an update to the characters like between seasons of the current game and then a “KI2” logo splashed on it (I’m looking at you tekken 3.5 I mean 7).
So, which characters can be radically changed in interesting ways while keeping some core concepts and make an interesting roster for a different game? These are not all choices that make me emotionally happy, but I think I they meet my criteria the best. In no particular order:
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Kim Wu: taking the (excellently redesigned) character from a teenager to an adult is rich with opportunity. Does she go more punk, more traditional? Also, her technical gameplay could be radically altered with even relatively minor changes to the way her moves work. The nunchucks and the dragons and the parry all have interesting potential for very different gameplay in my opinion.
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Aganos: I don’t love playing as or against Aganos, so he is not a sentimental favorite for me. But this character is so unique in the fighting game world that he meets my criteria. Where does he go from here? More walls? Lose the walls all together? Change the chunk mechanic? And visually you could do almost anything with him.
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Maya: another redesign that’s too good to not evolve in the new game. Her dagger mechanic is another rich area for potential gameplay iteration and flat out change. The Maya/Mira story is a compelling subplot too. Which brings me to:
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Mira: another cool design that I love because it meets the KI standard of derivative but still unique. Mira’s gameplay has lots of potential for growth and change too. Maybe lose the self damage mechanic and go with a more traditional health recovery move. Or double down and emphasize this powers even more. But you could do this while changing her entire move set and still be true to the character. mira’s Scythe and bats are what she is using to fight - not defining qualities. Kill the scythe and give her a sword and the character still makes sense. Lots of things to do here.
5.Fulgore: this character has been radically altered throughout the three seasons, but I still think you could do almost anything with him and it could work. I would drop the reactor spin mechanic but he can still have his lasers and dragon punch and fireballs but use them very differently. Maybe I’m just hoping to see the return of a four hit DP where he spins around. But there’s so many ways to skin this cat I think he meets the criteria.
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Thunder: a triumphant return and an amazing resdesign. I’m a little concerned about where Thunder’s gameplay goes from here but I think getting rid of his arial shenanigans and pushing him towards a true grappler could be great. He’s dying for an anti air grab and KI could use one besides Kan-Ra. Plus his story arc is compelling.
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Eagle: as an afterthought to this KI Eagle has a lot of cool untapped potential. His tools are cool as is his place in the story. I would like to see more clearly defined impacts of Glacius and Aria on Eagle based in his experience. And again, you could radically alter the way he actually fights and it could still be true to character.
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Glacius: this is a sentimental favorite for me (although I didn’t like Glacius much in the first two games), and I almost didn’t put him in just to avoid this “get rid of anyone you wants as long as you bring my character back” mentality. But I think bringing him back in the context of the interesting and totally unexplored dynamic between him, Eagle, Thunder and ARIA is a good idea. But I would like to see radically altered gameplay for him. Maybe explore how Eagle has impacted Glacius, not just the other way around. Get rid of hail, get rid of shatter. Take him back to rushdown puddle punching old Glacius. Or send him somewhere different. But not like he is in the current game.
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ARIA: too cool to discard this character after one game. Aria is not a gameplay favorite of mine, but you could do literally anything with her. Stick her in one body only. Have her swap between 4. Make her the end boss only. I don’t think a reasonable person could say “aria isn’t aria without sword slash.” As far as her role, how is she impacted by the outcome of this game? Is she doubling down on being the villain or is she growing as a sentient being?
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Omen: this is another pick that runs against my personal emotional preference. I don’t like playing as or against Omen I’m this game. But Omen is a character that you could do lots with. His tools are interesting and different. I would carry over his shadow teleport and his orbs, but you could change up how he uses them. And exploring the sort of Ronin, masterless samurai aspect of this character after the defeat of gargos could be really interesting.
That’s my list. Heavy on characters new to KI 2013 and light in series favorites. I would specifically not want Jago back. This is a character that has not evolved in any interesting way (in my opinion) over three games and the best way to sum him up is still “Ryu clone.” He’s been well explored in the current game and I just have no interest in anything else you might do with him (even though I kind of enjoy playing him in this game). Orchid is similar - although to a lesser extent. I’m not sure where that character goes in terms of gameplay that is an interesting and significant evolution. Sadira should be forgotten to history. Kan Ra is appealing to me in a lot of ways and I like his gameplay. But it’s hard for me to see him change much and still be Kan Ra. Reasonable people can disagree on that. Tusk is another one that I think is nailed so thoroughly in this game that his inclusion in the next game would almost have to be a letdown. He’s amazing in this game. Don’t try to copy amazing. Let it alone. Cinder is a favorite but I don’t see where his gameplay goes either. TJ is like Jago in that he’s been well explored as a character. This version is the most different by far but what could you do after that?
TL;DR
Kim Wu
Aganos
Maya
Mira
Fulgore
Thunder
Eagle
Glacius
ARIA
Omen
4 Likes
Gutting core characters from the game like Jago and Orchid would be a VERY bad idea IMO, it’s like taking Ken and Ryu out of Street Fighter..sure they may not evolve much but just because something is the same doesn’t make it undesirable. People buying KI expect (and according to that event hub poll definitely want) to see certain characters like Jago, Orchid, Fulgore etc.
6 Likes
Hisako
Shadow Jago
Spinal
Glacius
Cinder
Omen
Riptor
Fulgore
Tusk
Kan-Ra
Sabrewulf
with a new or enhance engine please,
3 Likes
Here’s my top 10:
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Shadow Jago - Okay, so I’m kinda bias with this as he’s my main. But I loved the concept of a corrupted Jago from the get go, and I think it’s only fair that the risk remains for Jago that Gargos’s corruption can always manage overtake him. As well as what exactly would happen if it does. Gameplay wise, he’s just fun. Has solid fundamentals, is a zoning heavy character, and has stupid mixup potential. I love him to pieces.
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Jago - Can’t have Shadow Jago without Jago, lul. Serious note; Aside from the obligatory fundamentals argument and the fact that he is kinda the main hero of KI’s story, the struggle he faces is one that’s very real. It’s something everyone can relate to; Dealing with your inner demons both in the literal and figurative sense.
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Black Orchid - Okay, this one’s also kinda obvious but aside from the fact that she is basically the poster girl of the series, the idea of a Shadow Orchid also intrigued me. What would happen if Gargos’s corruption instead corrupted Jago’s sister? How would this affect her game plan? Would she have shadow laser discs?
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Cinder - He’s fun and frustrating to fight as and against. Nuff said. That said, another idea worth exploring; What does Cinder do after Ultratech crumbles and he’s a free man? Is there a risk to his genetic alterations backfiring somehow? (Bad pun, I know..)
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Mira - I liked the idea of this character from the get go. Not just from a gameplay perspective of being glass cannon, but also the idea behind the Coven. There’s tremendous creative potential in exploring the aftermath of Ultratech and Gargos. Who rises to take over the world now that it lays in ruins in Gargos’s wake? What threat does the Coven pose to humanity? Do they have the strength to fill the void left behind?
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Fulgore - I feel that a Killer Instinct without a Fulgore is missing something. Maybe for the Mark IV or V unit, he gets redesigned with some of Kilgore’s better ideas as Ultratech (or what remains) realizes they didn’t actually completely botch the Kilgore project. Maybe he gets Kilgore’s missles? Or can now close the gap with the metal ball attack? Upgrades of course come at a price, he’d probably have to lose a few things like the eye lasers.
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Spinal - The skeleton’s also fun and infuriating to fight against, but is another one of those characters that I feel is core to the franchise. I really wish I could come up with a better reason, but I can’t.
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Kan-ra - As much as I may hate fighting this character, I really liked his backstory and the beef he shares with Aganos. I’d love to see and hear about what happens next. Does Kan-ra finally meet his end? Because I highly doubt that Eyedol was able to kill the good mummy.
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T. J. Combo - He’s another defining face of the series and his story of redemption is one I’d like to see further explored. Where does the champ go? Does he continue to be a hero to the people? Does he retire? What’s next?
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Thunder - I really enjoyed his redesign in the game. He’s one of the best grapplers in a fighting game in a long time, and he has a new moral dilemma to face now that his brother is alive and back; Where does he go from here when the new threat arises? He walked the path of Eagle and found him. Now what?
2 Likes
You would have Shadow Jago on your list. lol
My preferred list based on design and franchise storied characters.
Glacius (obviously)
Jago (got to have your ninja and Ryu-esque type character)
Fulgore (probably will be an upgraded model, probably combining things from Kilgore)
Sabrewulf (another redesign will probably have him more human-like than previous version. Possibly close to
how Lycans were portrayed in the Underworld movies)
Spinal (character design is too good to not have return)
Riptor (although she is a popular favorite, there’s a good chance she won’t return, like she didn’t in KI2)
Orchid (I cannot see her not returning. Some updates and returning moves (projectile instead of grenades) )
ARIA (the villain (playable) She was a great design)
TJ Combo
Thunder
So those would my 10 returning. There will be new characters introduces and others that didn’t make the cut would return later as DLC (Season package)
1 Like
You are dead to me. 
10 Likes
Interesting twist @TempusChaoti I think I’d like to tackle it with an eye towards character/playstyle diversity, along with all the other cool things like the look and feel and lore behind each. I’d go with:
- Jago - KI poster boy who serves the all-important “shoto” role to ease people into the game.
- Sadira - still think she has a very cool design, and very unique and interesting toolset.
- Hisako - super cool (and popular!) character. Counter/grappling style melds unique with traditional.
- Cinder - not really a fan of him personally, but cool visuals and unique playstyle make him a solid choice.
- Aria - extremely unique look and playstyle (heck, maybe even too unique ), and good from a lore standpoint.
- Eagle - cool character who came a bit too late in this one. Fulfills zoner function (I’d actually remove a fair bit of his setplay and vortex stuff to focus on this).
- Kim Wu - still think she has a cool look (yes, I like it), and think her moveset has potential as alternative “basic” character.
- Riptor - it’s a friggin’ raptor in a fighting game! My original main, and the only character I missed in KI2. Fulfills rushdown role.
- Mira - one of the things I grew to absolutely love about KI 2013 is the diversity of playstyles. Mira’s air movement is a great addition from the anime genre of FG’s.
- TJ Combo - powerful and straightforward playstyle. Provides another rushdown archetype for new players, along with simple inputs and an easy to understand gameplan.
That gives us a good selection of easy and technically difficult characters to use, along with a solid (I think) amount of visual and gameplay diversity.
Notable characters I left off:
- Fulgore: Certainly iconic, but this character has really just rubbed me the wrong way in S2 and S3. I really think his S1 iteration was the best one; the penalty-free vortex in later seasons is frustrating to deal with given his other options up close and in neutral. He’s iconic enough that you could swap him for Aria though and that’d probably be a decent trade.
- Orchid: the “first lady of KI” as she’s often called, is just kinda boring in comparison with the rest of the cast, and a lot of her “iconic” status comes from the sex doll marketing of her in the 90’s. I think she’s a cool character, but I think Kim Wu is a more interesting take on “basic human female.” Give me 12 characters and she probably makes the cut, but if I’m stuck with 10 I’d leave her out.
- Kan-Ra: eff Kan-Ra. As much as I love his personality, eff fighting him.
- Aganos: give me a roster of 12 and he’s in, but playstyle probably a bit too unique for a 10 man fighter.
- Gargos: for lore reasons I guess he’s a bad pick, but I’m still giving a solid round of applause for making this character work. He has everything, and still manages to be balanced. Would love to see him and his crazy moveset return!
A man with commitment. I like it 
7 Likes
Well if I was to limit the returning characters to 10 I could see the following coming back:
Jago (the Ryu of KI, being one of the original characters and the main shoto style character)
Orchid (the new KI gave her relevance in terms of story, also a legacy character like Jago)
Fulgore (the face of KI, also the Akuma to Jago’s Ryu)
Glacius (joins Orchid and the others to get to Ultratech, also became the main zoner of KI)
Maya (fights against Ultratech with the others, also relevant because of Mira)
Mira (member of the Coven which I could see being a major part of the next game)
ARIA (head of Ultratech, so her inclusion is a given)
Cinder (works for Ultratech, acting as squad leader or special ops)
Riptor (commands the Ultratech shock troopers, also good for character diversity because she’s a dinosaur)
Kilgore (I could see a massively upgraded version acting as the Heavy Weapons Guy of KI)
As I said in my original post, I don’t feel some of the others coming back unless the story warrants it (Kim Wu, Tusk, and Hisako feel irrelevant if there isn’t a threat from the Astral Plane IMO) and even then with one of KI themes being “good guys vs Ultratech” I could see these characters returning with new characters covering the other roles and archetypes.
2 Likes
I’m really enjoying reading everyone’s picks. It’s good to be reminded of just how thoughtfully designed each KI character has been in this game - both story wise and gameplay wise. Everyone is going to have their list but I’m reading people’s rationale for lists that are very different than mine, and it’s all very sensible.
Sorry dude. 
I can’t find any love for her in this game but if I’m being fair there are things they could do with her that would be worth exploring.
1 Like
Okay, I guess I should give a real answer.
I make my choice for the returning ten, based upon two factors A. Their importance to KI, and B. What they offer in terms of game play, simplicity to use, and over all fun factor.
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Jago - Much like Ryu and Ken are to Street Fighter or Sub-Zero or Scorpion to Mortal Kombat, it is very hard to imagine KI without Jago. Jago is the quintessential intro character to KI. He is one of the easiest to pick up and has all the resources to deal with just about any situation. While some may argue he never really evolved much, to be honest, he didn’t have to.
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Orchid - Overall much like Jago, she has remained relatively unchanged, and again, she didn’t need many changes.
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Fulgore - Like Jago, he is pretty much the face of KI and to imagine KI without Fulgore, no matter how he evolves, is impossible.
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Sabrewulf - He is KI’s Rushdown character. He also fulfills the Monster Niche in KI, and is easy to pick up and use.
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Thunder/Eagle - I really love Thunder and he is still, in my opinion, one of the best grapplers in the game, but in terms of story arc, his story is finished completely, as he’s found his brother. I feel sorry for Eagle, as he’s the last new character and his life has some at the end of KI3. I’d like to see him evolve with some of Thunder’s grappling attacks.
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Glacius - Of the trap/zoner characters, I find Glacius the easiest to pick up and play (and he is a lot of fun to play). His design is also really cool.
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Sadira - Since the day she arrived on the scene, Sadira has been a very polarizing character. Many love her. Many hate her, but I think Sadira brought a very unique and surprisingly easy to pick up fighting style to KI, and it is for this reason, that I put her on this list.
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Spinal - Because @UABass would cry if we didn’t. Please don’t make Bass cry. Also, Spinal, as a fully recourse character, offers yet again a very unique play style that is worth investing in.
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Hisako/Shinsako - I would love to see Sako evolve in the next installment. We really don’t need two versions. Just mold the best of the two and make her one with herself.
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Kim Wu - Another character that I think deserves another chance and an updated model. I can see her move set evolving and plus me and @SneerfulWater57 can still have epic battles.
All in all, there are several great characters, and hopefully the first 10, would only be the start, as I couldn’t imagine Riptor, Cinder, or Tusk to be left in the cold.
The only characters that I think shouldn’t come back, is Gargos and Eyedol.
2 Likes
The new KI is here, but it is abandoned. #Season4.
The next KI, if it happens, will be in five years minimum.l don’t need that.
Kan-Ra, Aganos, Fulgore, TJ, Spinal, Orchid, Cinder, Omen, Eagle, Kim Wu(with a better face)
3 Likes
1.) Jago
2.) Orchid
3.) Glacius
4.) Sabrewulf
5.) Thunder
6.) Spinal
7.) Fulgore
8.) Kan-Ra
9.) Cinder
10.) T.J. Combo
But TBH 10 isn’t enough for a base roster for a new iteration of KI so if we’re going to go bare bones the next few characters that I feel are essential would be…
11.) Kim-WU
12.) Maya
13.) Myra
14.) Tusk
15.) Aria
16.) Sadira
Bringing back both a mix of the characters introduced in KI 2013 and classics would be respectful toward the additions to the franchise made by DH and IG. As much as I love the other original characters not listed here I don’t feel like they had the staying power of Sadira, Kan-Ra, or Myra. Honestly those 3 new characters feel decisively K.I.
But hey, if it takes me doing the modelling, texturing and rigging to get my boy Kan-Ra into the next game. Hit me up! 
4 Likes
Quoted for truth…and a good opinion about Kim to boot.
3 Likes
Hold your horses dude! Orchid was the first female to win a fighting game tournament, in canon, making her the first ever female lead. The first KI story shrouded her past in mystery ,which made her intriguing, while defining her as a tuff determined spy sent in to take down an all powerful multinational corporation. I loved the character arc they gave her.
KI2 was… KI2. Everyone’s ending story lines took a nose dive.
KI 2013, took Orchid’s cool story arc and abandoned it half way through. The main story focus shifted from a tournament sponsored by an evil corporation in a dystopian future, to a run of the mill evil entity here to destroy humanity. With the shift, Orchid’s story did not get updated or refocused, keeping her in the past story line and making her, and a bunch of other fighters, irrelevant in the game story wise.
She’s not interesting because the story in this game seems to have been made up as a new developer took the helm. Yes, right now Kim Wu seems to be the new lead, but only because she was one of the last characters to get added and her story lines up the most to the current plot.
I hate what they did with Kim Wu. The cocky attitude and the fact she just got her power because she was “the chosen one”, like a good Mary Sue is boring and I’m tired of hearing that stupid story (I’m looking at you Star Wars: The Last Jedi). Orchid’s story arc, where some of her powers where inherited and she had to work hard to earn the other’s, and uses them defend and avenge the people she cares about, at least to me, is much more satisfying.
All true. And then she flashed her apparently horrific ■■■■■ to finish off the opponent and moaned every time you got a Supreme. 
KI2 Orchid was definitely the more oversexed between the two, but original Orchid was also largely a pretty generic pin-up caricature in terms of marketing. At least in my opinion -shrug-
I think it’s really cool that she won the first tournament, and in general I think her actual character background is and was interesting, even in the originals. But in my experience “she killed Eyedol” isn’t generally what fans are talking about when they call her the first lady of KI.
5 Likes
Yeah yeah!, And Saberwolf and Spinal used to stab people in the crotch and humiliations where a thing… KI and the 90s where weird. The original character designs where ridiculously cheese and over-sexed (think Jago with his tight pants and halter-top kicking the screen showing off his crotch).
Everyone’s design in KI2 was overly sexed, think Kim Wu’s supreme victory FMV where you get to see her thong as she kicks at the camera several times, or Maya’s breathy moaning as she swings her blades.
It is cool, since no other female character has done it in canon before or since. Characters are remembered for whatever made the biggest impression on us; case and point what do you remember Daenerys Targaryen or Tifa Lockhart for (Excuse the references, they least esoteric reference I could come up with)
For me I’d love to see the 10 following characters return for a hypothetical sequel:
Shin Hisako/Hisako
Jago/Shadow Jago
Mira
Maya
Spinal
Saberwulf
Eagle
Kim Wu
TJ Combo
Orchid
1 Like