, who uses the code name , is a fictional character in the
''Persona'' series, first appearing in ''
Persona 5
is a 2016 role-playing video game developed by Atlus. It takes place in modern-day Tokyo and follows a high school student known by the pseudonym Joker who transfers to a new school after being falsely accused of assault and put on probation. ...
''. A high school detective nicknamed "The Second Coming of the Detective Prince", Akechi opposes the Phantom Thieves' actions and becomes both a rival and a
foil
Foil may refer to:
Materials
* Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine
* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal
* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food
* Tin foil, metal foil ...
to
Joker, the group's leader. For ''Persona 5 Royal'', Akechi's characterization was further explored in order to appeal more to players. Besides printed and animated versions of the series, he has also been featured in the spin-offs ''
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight'' and ''
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth''.
Created by
Shigenori Soejima
is a Japanese video game artist, best known for his work in the '' Persona'' series of role-playing video games by Atlus. Inspired in his work as an artist from an early age, he initially worked in minor roles on several games after joining Atl ...
, Akechi was developed to be a mysterious detective who would be the opposite of Joker. Due to polarizing reception, Akechi was further explored in ''Royal''. He is voiced by
Sōichirō Hoshi
is a Japanese voice actor and singer affiliated with Arts Vision. Some of his major anime roles include Son Goku in ''Saiyuki'', Kira Yamato in ''Gundam Seed'', ''Gundam Seed Destiny'', Kazuki Fuuchouin in ''GetBackers'', Masaru Daimon in ''Di ...
in Japanese and
Robbie Daymond
Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
in English. Initial critical reception towards his character has been mixed in both the first game and the anime television series despite ranking high on official character polls. However, upon the release of ''Royal'', critics found Akechi more likable due to how Atlus started handling him in a different fashion from his original version.
Development
Akechi's character design was created by
Shigenori Soejima
is a Japanese video game artist, best known for his work in the '' Persona'' series of role-playing video games by Atlus. Inspired in his work as an artist from an early age, he initially worked in minor roles on several games after joining Atl ...
. Early in development, the creative team decided he was going to be a detective but was unsure on how suspicious he would look or what role he would play in the story,
with one early suggestion being that he was
Makoto Niijima's brother.
Eventually, the team decided to make him look well-behaved with a cheerful personality, leaving his collar button unbuttoned, his tie slightly loosened, and his hair messy.
His main color is white to contrast with
Joker's black color scheme.
Akechi also wears black gloves, though at one point, the creative team believed it would give him away as the group's traitor.
His Phantom Thief outfit contains a mask that resembles a to give him a condescending appearance, while his outfit was kept formal, resembling an officer.
For ''Persona 5 Royal'', due to Akechi's initial polarizing reception, Kazuhisa Wada noted the difficulties in making sure Akechi seemed true to his character during the third semester.
The new events where Akechi socializes with Joker were made to appeal to the audience that disliked his original take as well as to expand more of his character. The new battle dialogue for Akechi was initially "wilder", but because Wada and Daiki Ito found Hoshi's voice acting too strong, he was asked to re-record them.
Late in development, the art team suggested on giving Akechi different character portraits, including his default stern expression, as a way for Akechi to show his "true" self around the Phantom Thieves and, especially, Joker.
Other than Joker, Akechi does not care for anyone else, which is exemplified in how he scolds Sumire Yoshizawa for missing her attacks. Wada also stated that other than a rival, Akechi is also considered a deuteragonist.
Akechi's first Persona is
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
, a "hero of justice" who matches Akechi's "superhero" image. His second Persona is
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
, who has a
dazzle camouflage
Dazzle camouflage, also known as razzle dazzle (in the U.S.) or dazzle painting, is a family of ship camouflage that was used extensively in World War I, and to a lesser extent in World War II and afterwards. Credited to the British marine ar ...
pattern likened to World War I battleships to disguise from enemies, as well as horns similar to ''
leucochloridium
''Leucochloridium'' is a genus of parasitic trematode worms in the order Diplostomida. It Is the sole genus in the family Leucochloridiidae.Carus, C. G. (1835). Beobachtung über einen merkwürdigen schöngefärbten Eingeweidewurm, ''Leucochlori ...
'' parasites to make its origins less clear. In ''Persona 5 Royal'', during the game's third semester, Akechi gains
Hereward
Hereward the Wake (Traditional pronunciation /ˈhɛ.rɛ.ward/, modern pronunciation /ˈhɛ.rɪ.wəd/) (1035 – 1072) (also known as Hereward the Outlaw or Hereward the Exile) was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman and a leader of local resist ...
as his Ultimate Persona.
Akechi is voiced by
Sōichirō Hoshi
is a Japanese voice actor and singer affiliated with Arts Vision. Some of his major anime roles include Son Goku in ''Saiyuki'', Kira Yamato in ''Gundam Seed'', ''Gundam Seed Destiny'', Kazuki Fuuchouin in ''GetBackers'', Masaru Daimon in ''Di ...
in Japanese and
Robbie Daymond
Robert Daymond Howard (né Niles; born March 11, 1982) is an American voice actor who is mostly known for his roles in audiobooks, video games, and animation, best known for voicing Jesse Cosay in the second season of '' Infinity Train'', Spider ...
in English. Hoshi described Akechi as a high school detective and a "refreshing young man", but notes that is not all that defines him. Daymond was surprised by the impact of his character. Revisiting the game following recording, Daymond found it surreal due to how he kept looking about Akechi's character, finding him fun to play and wondering if he could inspire another meme.
Appearances
In ''Persona 5''
Akechi is a playable character in ''
Persona 5
is a 2016 role-playing video game developed by Atlus. It takes place in modern-day Tokyo and follows a high school student known by the pseudonym Joker who transfers to a new school after being falsely accused of assault and put on probation. ...
'', with his character first revealed to the public during
E3 2016
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 (E3 2016) was the 22nd E3, during which several hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily re ...
. As a Confidant, Akechi represents the
Justice
Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
Arcana. In the game, he is a third-year high school student and celebrity detective known as "The Second Coming of the Detective Prince." He opposes the Phantom Thieves and becomes Joker's rival throughout the game, but he later joins them during Sae's Palace, using the code name "Crow."
Akechi later betrays the Phantom Thieves, partly out of jealousy for Joker, and is revealed to be been the black masked assassin causing cognitive shutdowns ordered by Masayoshi Shido, a corrupt politician. Akechi confronts the Phantom Thieves again in Shido's Palace, revealing that he is Shido's illegitimate son and plots to get revenge on him after years of neglect. Like Joker, Akechi is also a "wild card" who can hold multiple Personas, a power given to him by
Yaldabaoth
Yaldabaoth, Jaldabaoth, or Ildabaoth is an evil deity and creator of the material world in various Gnostic sects and movements, sometimes represented as a theriomorphic, lion-headed serpent. He is identified as the Demiurge and false god who ke ...
through a bet with Igor to see whether chaos or order will dominate society. However, his "wild card" power failed to develop properly due to his nihilistic view of human relations. Akechi later sacrifices himself to save the Phantom Thieves when he learns that Shido had planned on having him killed after the election.
While playable only during the duration of Sae's Palace, in ''Persona 5 Royal'', the updated re-release, Akechi was made playable in the third semester of the game with a new interactive Confidant and abilities.
During the third semester, he aids Joker in investigating Maruki's Palace, this time interacting with him with his true personality. Near the end of the game, Maruki reveals that Akechi's return was through Joker's wish to save him. Wada and Ito intentionally made it so that Akechi's survival ultimately depended on the player's choice in the game,
which can be achieved through certain choices made in his Confidant.
In other media
Akechi has also appeared in other spin-off titles, such as ''
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight'' as a
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
, and ''
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth''. Akechi also appears in ''
Persona 5: The Animation'' with more focus on his character compared to the game, a conscious decision made by director Masashi Ishihama and producer Kazuki Adachi, who both stated that without his "dark side", the anime would be "boring."
Fashion brand SuperGroupies also created a collaboration apparel line based on Akechi and Joker. In the stage play adaptation, Akechi is portrayed by
Yoshihide Sasaki
is a Japanese actor and singer. He made his first acting appearance in 2003 and has since been involved in many productions, mostly in theater. He is best known for his role as Kuranosuke Shiraishi in '' Musical: The Prince of Tennis''.
In ad ...
. To prepare for the role, Sasaki completed ''Persona 5'', stating that he was "shocked" upon seeing Akechi's sudden change and that he was looking forward to portraying his dual personalities.
Reception
Akechi was voted #1 by Japanese fans as their favorite Confidant in ''Persona 5 Maniacus'' and volume 12 of the magazine ''
Comiket
, more commonly known as or , is a semiannual ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered by the volunteer-ru ...
Plus''. Comments from ''Comiket Plus'' stated that Akechi seemed to be a very "human" character and enjoyed his rivalry with Joker. Akechi was also voted #1 as the overall favorite character by attendees at Sega Festival 2016, with a consensus that he evoked "motherly feelings" from fans. Gita Jackson from ''
Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
'' noted that Akechi was a favorite among ''Persona 5'' fans due to the online reception of his inclusion in ''
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight''.
However, Chris Moyes from ''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'' regards Akechi as the "worst boy" of the series, describing him as having a "passive-aggressive attitude" and an "obsessional personality built upon narcissism and misplaced arrogance." In addition, Clayton Purdom from ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' found Akechi's character to be "air-dropped in from a kid's anime", and that he felt like a minor character due to "tipping the scales too far" between the "real-world darkness and over-the-top cheeriness" of the game. Pancakes also became an
Internet meme
An Internet meme, commonly known simply as a meme ( ), is an idea, behavior, style, or image that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. What is considered a meme may vary across different communities on the Internet ...
associated with Akechi.
''
Siliconera
The GAMURS Group, simply known as Gamurs, is an esports media and entertainment publisher. Established in December 2014, the group operates multiple brands focusing on the esports and entertainment news markets, including the websites: ''Dot Espo ...
'' and ''
Gamespot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' praised Akechi's characterization in ''Royal'' for providing more likable interactions with Joker. ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' shared similar comments in the handling of Akechi in ''Royal'', finding it superior than the original one.''
Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked Akechi and Joker's Showtime in 1st place, praising the special move for being filled with symbolism of their complicated but powerful relationship.
In his review of ''
Persona 5: The Animation'', Christopher Farris from ''
Anime News Network
Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
'' felt the anime fleshed out Akechi's character in contrast to the game, also stating that his presence in the story builds a "sense of escalation" due to his opposition towards the Phantom Thieves. He cited Akechi's rivalry with Joker as "dynamic" and felt that their discussions about morality were "cozy" in spite of their animosity. However, he felt that the revelations about Akechi's character motivation seemed "last minute."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akechi, Goro
Atlus characters
Characters designed by Shigenori Soejima
Fictional male detectives
Fictional gentleman thieves
Fictional double agents
Fictional henchmen in video games
Fictional Japanese people in anime and manga
Fictional Japanese people in video games
Fictional murderers
Male characters in video games
Persona 5 characters
Sega antagonists
Teenage characters in anime and manga
Teenage characters in video games
Video game bosses
Video game characters introduced in 2016
Video game characters who have mental powers
Vigilante characters in video games