<p>K9999 won't appear in any future games because </p>

<ol>
<li><p>SNK hates the character</p></li>
<li><p>He is a liable lawsuit in which the creators of <em>Akira</em> could sue SNK Playmore </p></li>
<li><p>Elioth, a Korean company helped co-create <em>King of Fighters 2001</em> and owns the rights to him</p></li>
<li><p>He was replaced in <em>KoF 2002 Unlimited Match</em> with a character called "nameless" who looks like Black Jack from the anime.</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-09T01:38:01.383Z
2017-07-19T11:33:45.197Z
2017-07-19T11:33:45.197Z
gouki
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K9999#NESTS_Team" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a> says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>and K9999 (pronounced K Four-Nine), a clone from Kyo entirely based on Tetsuo Shima from Akira, able to transform his arm into a long tentacle like Tetsuo's. Due to copyright issues, for the King of Fighters 2002 remake he was replaced with a similar character.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>but gives no sources.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-10T06:36:16.657Z
2013-09-10T06:36:16.657Z
Martin Schröder
<p>I think K9999 is the 9999th android of "K" because it disappeared, looking for the nests hideout and destroy it because they killed the original "K" who's real name is Kryzalid.</p>

<p>Tetsuo Shima is just a kid who grew up poor and turned into a mutant by Akira and put into an Akira Institute, and he escaped not knowing that his infected arm must be kept stable and that's why he ended up transformed into a huge mutated ugly monster and just died.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-30T05:34:48.887Z
2017-07-19T11:36:27.343Z
2017-07-19T11:36:27.343Z
user9397
<p>I was watching <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YeTs5oHAwg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this video</a> which shows the similarities between both characters. I suppose it must be a kind of tribute, or maybe is just a vile copy (I don't think so). Anyone knows the reason?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-10T04:06:14.967Z
It looks like footage from the movie spliced into video of the game. It's clearly not from the game itself.
Jon Lin
<akira><game-history>
Why is K9999 almost identical to Tetsuo Shima?
# Why is K9999 almost identical to Tetsuo Shima?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-09-10
I was watching [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YeTs5oHAwg) which shows the similarities between both characters. I suppose it must be a kind of tribute, or maybe is just a vile copy (I don't think so). Anyone knows the reason?
**Tags:** akira game-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It looks like footage from the movie spliced into video of the game. It's clearly not from the game itself.  
---
## 3 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-09. Score: 3
K9999 won't appear in any future games because

1. SNK hates the character
2. He is a liable lawsuit in which the creators of *Akira* could sue SNK Playmore
3. Elioth, a Korean company helped co-create *King of Fighters 2001* and owns the rights to him
4. He was replaced in *KoF 2002 Unlimited Match* with a character called "nameless" who looks like Black Jack from the anime.
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-09-10. Score: 3
[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K9999#NESTS_Team) says

> and K9999 (pronounced K Four-Nine), a clone from Kyo entirely based on Tetsuo Shima from Akira, able to transform his arm into a long tentacle like Tetsuo's. Due to copyright issues, for the King of Fighters 2002 remake he was replaced with a similar character.

but gives no sources.
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2014-11-30. Score: -2
I think K9999 is the 9999th android of "K" because it disappeared, looking for the nests hideout and destroy it because they killed the original "K" who's real name is Kryzalid.

Tetsuo Shima is just a kid who grew up poor and turned into a mutant by Akira and put into an Akira Institute, and he escaped not knowing that his infected arm must be kept stable and that's why he ended up transformed into a huge mutated ugly monster and just died.
---
