The King of Fighters 2001 - Japan Team (Neo Geo MVS) ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ 2001 日本チーム

This team is formed by characters who hails from Japan. The team is also the first Hero Team in the series' history, acting during the Orochi Saga. The classic formation of this team occurred when Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon met during one of the Japanese qualifiers for the KOF tournament, which at the time was organized by criminal/drug cartel leader Rugal Bernstein. Kyo, heir of the Kusanagi clan, one of those who sealed the entity known as Orochi, won the first place, followed by Benimaru and Daimon. The team led by Kyo (and his variations) had, as one of his main missions, prevent the imminent return of Orochi.

During the NESTS Chronicles, the team was undone due to Kyo's disappearance in '99 and later his solo mission in 2000, until it was remade at the end of the saga, with the presence of Shingo Yabuki, the big fan of Kyo and student of the Kusanagi style, to defeat the cartel that cloned the heir to the Kusanagi clan.