Shuichi Akai

	Shuichi Akai
	Profile
Japanese name:	赤井秀一 ; (Akai Shūichi)
Age:	27?
Gender:	Male
Relatives:	Masumi Sera (younger sister); ??? (brother)
Occupation:	FBI Agent
Nicknames:	Shuu (Jodie); Dai-kun (Akemi); Akai-kun (James); Silver Bullet (The Boss & Vermouth); Shuu-nii (Masumi)
Aliases:	Rye; Dai Moroboshi; Subaru Okiya
	Statistics
First appearance:	Manga: File 287; Anime: Episode 230
Appearances:	Chapters: 97; Chapters: 4; Episodes: 80; Episodes: 2; Movies: 4; OVAs: 0; Specials: 1; Openings: 22; Closings: 4;
Keyhole number:	Volume 37
	Actors
Japanese voice:	Shuichi Ikeda

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Template:About

Shuichi Akai (赤井秀一 ,Akai Shūichi^?) is an FBI agent and a major figure in the battle against the Black Organization. He once assumed the identity of Dai Moroboshi (諸星大 ,Moroboshi Dai^?) and infiltrated the Organization, where he was given the codename Rye (ライ ^?). During this time he made enemies with Gin and became romantically involved with Akemi Miyano.

Background

Akai as "Dai Moroboshi" during his infiltration of the Black Organization.

Shuichi Akai is an American of Japanese descent and member of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation, on special assignment in Japan to capture Vermouth. His superior is James Black and his partner is Jodie Starling.^[2] He had infiltrated the Black Organization under the name Dai Moroboshi - and the codename "Rye" - as a mole^[3] and dated Akemi Miyano, one of their low-ranking members, to feed information to the FBI. In order to facilitate the latter, and later because he had genuinely developed feelings for Akemi, Akai saw himself forced to break up his then on-going relationship with Jodie.^[4] Later on, his cover in the Black Organization was accidentally blown by his colleague Andre Camel, and when Akemi was killed, he declared her murderer, Gin (with whom he seems to have had some tensions even before his exposure), his personal enemy.^[5]

Infiltration of the Black Organization

Five years prior to the current time-line, FBI agent Shuichi Akai infiltrated the Black Organization using the alias Dai Moroboshi as a mole and dated Akemi Miyano, one of their low-ranking members, in order to meet Shiho Miyano and use her influence to get into the Black Organization.^[6] Although at first he was simply using Akemi as a tool, they both fell in love with each other. Akai distinguished himself as an agent and two years prior to the current time-line received the codename Rye and was called to work under executive agent Gin. The FBI laid a trap hoping to capture Gin at a warehouse where the meeting was supposed to take place,^[6] but the Black Organization discovered Akai's true allegiance and Gin never appeared.^[7]

Personality

Akai is a tenacious but stoic agent. Even in personal matters, he remains cool, even detached, from anyone, but his redeeming value is a great sense of loyalty to anyone he knows. He is a skilled and relentless pursuer and detective, qualities which have labeled him the number one enemy of the Black Organization and earned him the nickname "Silver Bullet". He looks forward to opportunities to hunt the Black Organization down and get revenge for Akemi. While usually professional, he often acts independently of the FBI, and even his boss James Black has trouble getting ahold of him. Shuichi gets along well with Conan, who share many personality traits.

James Black says Akai is an introverted person who doesn't easily get close to people and he has become even more closed off since Akemi's death.^[8] He doesn't often say what he is thinking. Shuichi has an unhealthy tendency to prioritize his missions above the emotional wellbeing of his friends, coworkers, family, and love interests.^[9] Conflict between his missions and the interests of those he cares about has lead to significant sorrow for him^[10] and others.^[11]

Shuichi prefers to plan secretly, and will readily trick his friends and coworkers, even injuring them, if helps the success of his missions.^[12] Shuichi is often forgiven for these transgressions because his judgment is usually sound and his plans work out well.^[13] Shuichi's secret plans, while strategically robust in the short term, often cause emotional problems for others that he does not fully appreciate.^[14]

Even though he means well, Shuichi is notably clumsy at trying to comfort and connect with others. As Okiya, his technique to approach Haibara leaves her terrified of him, and repeated contact only intensifies her loathing. Despite his social awkwardness, Shuichi is not unempathetic; he gives Jodie some hope by leaving her a message in his own handwriting, and leaves her a very roundabout hint about his identity after knocking her down even though he cannot reveal the truth to her yet.

Appearance

Akai is a tall man of Japanese descent with short wavy hair. His trademark features, by which people close to him have identified him are his eyes which have permanent bags underneath them that make him appear sleep deprived. Other characters often describe him as evil eyed or having a sharp gaze. His eyes are blue in the manga (like every other character) and green in the anime. He and Masumi Sera presumably more closely resemble their mother then their father. The second trademark feature is his knit cap, which he is always shown wearing. When he was younger he had a grey fedora which Masumi now wears herself. Up to one year ago, he had very long waist length hair, which he cut after the death of Akemi Miyano "to freshen up." Akai is left-handed. He is a heavy smoker and his favorite drink is bourbon.

His outfit is a grey jacket on top of a collared black shirt, black pants, shoes, and his trademark black knit cap.

Abilities

Intelligence

Conan ft. Akai

Akai is capable of thinking on par with Conan. He once set up a sniper ambush at a nearby building, knowing that the Black Organization will come and try to kill Kogoro. He also mentioned that he knew that "making them think the FBI set up the transmitter was the priority."^[15]

Firearms and Sniping

File:A Scarlet Return-Shooting Shuichi.jpg

Akai aiming with a Glock

Akai, is the most capable sniper shown so far, to the point of shooting a small piece of gum out of Gin's hand from about 700 yards away, which is a lot more than the range of Black Organization's professional snipers Chianti and Korn. He also managed to get a shot on Gin from the same distance.^[16] Akai is good at handling shotguns as well; he accurately shot Vermouth from the hip faster than she could aim at him with her subcompact pistol. He is a sharpshooter with a handgun as well, capable of busting a moving car's tire from a speeding car with just a single shot.^[17]

He is seen to use Calvados' SPAS-12 shotgun when encountering Vermouth, Arctic Warfare Magnum sniper rifle when encountering Gin and Kusuda Rikumichi's Glock pistol when encountering Rei's subordinates.

Driving

Akai is a skilled driver. He can overtake many cars quickly in heavy traffic conditions and drift around a u-turn.^[18] He droves a Chevrolet C1500 where was bombed by Rena in later plot.

Martial Arts

Akai is also a highly proficient hand-to-hand combatant. Having extensive skill and knowledge of Jeet Kune Do, he taught his sister Sera much, who openly acknowledges him to still be much stronger than her.^[19]

Foods and Drinks

Jodie and Camel are shocked to learn that Akai can cook

He likes to have coffee^[20] and bourbon. He can also cook thanks to Kudo Yukiko.^[21]

Disguise

Akai is able to do a proper disguise thanks to Kudo Yukiko and equipment from Professor Agasa.

Appellations

Plot overview

Timeline

Main article: Shuichi Akai timeline

Speculation

Identity of Shuichi Akai's younger brother

Main article: Akai family's middle brother

Relationships analysis

Family & Friends

Akemi Miyano

Shuichi Akai and Akemi Miyano were lovers while he was infiltrating the Black Organization. Akai's original mission was to date Akemi Miyano in order to meet Shiho Miyano. Akai used Shiho's influence to gain rank in the Organization, intending to become trusted enough to meet with high level agents so the FBI could capture one for questioning. As James Black later recalls, although Akai's relationship with Akemi was merely a stepping stone, Akai actually fell in love with Akemi, and considered her his real girlfriend. Because of this he broke up with Jodie Starling.

The last text message Akemi had sent Shuichi, before her death.

Sometime later, Akemi develops the suspicion that Akai really wasn't who he claimed to be. After Akai's expulsion, he confirms that he is an FBI agent to her. To Akai's surprise, Akemi doesn't seemed surprised by this, so Akai asks her why she never said anything about her suspicions that she was being used by him before, and Akemi hints it is because she loves him. Initially, the Organization couldn't do anything about Akemi because they needed the loyalty of her sister, but two years later they decided that the risk of her contact with Akai was too much. They decided to create a situation where they could eliminate her by having her do a bank heist she was supposed to fail. Sometime near the day of the heist, Akemi sent Akai a long text message, asking him if he wants to be her real boyfriend when she is finally free from the Organization. After the heist, Akemi is killed by Gin, and it is unknown how Akai responded if at all. Akai treasures her final text message, and keeps it in his phone many months after Akemi's death. The message also contains a P.S. which has not been revealed yet.

How Akemi and Akai met in the manga is unknown, but in the anime, Shuichi Akai originally met Akemi by an intentional accident. She accidentally hit him with her car when he deliberately walked into the street in front of her in order to be hit by her.^[23] Akemi was concerned, and helped take him to the hospital, watching over him until he was better. When he woke up, he felt no anger over what she did, and even asked for her name, to which a very flustered Akemi replied, while he told her his fake name: Dai Moroboshi. After this they began dating.

Jodie Starling

While Jodie and Akai's relationship had been viewed as mere colleagues, it is revealed later on in the series that Jodie and Akai had dated before about 5 years prior. However, after Akai infiltrated the Black Organization under the alias of Dai Moroboshi, he started dating Akemi Miyano in hopes of using her to attain information about the Black Organization. Despite this, Akai ended up falling in love with Akemi, leading him to break up with Jodie, stating that, "To be able to love two women at the same time…it’s not that handy a personality."^[24] In spite of the break-up, Jodie still held strong feelings for Akai which never wavered as time passed and took his apparent death at Kir's hands especially hard, to the point of being reduced to tears.

James Black

James Black is the boss of FBI agents and Akai too.

Andre Camel

Andre Camel worked with Shuichi Akai before when he was an agent in the Black Organization. Camel was involved in the plan to capture Gin two years ago, but he gave away the plan of the FBI when he saw a member of the organization disguised as an old man. Because of this, Akai's identity became known to the Organization. However, Akai does not seem to bear a grudge against Camel but worked together well.

Ai Haibara

When Haibara first met Akai, she thought he was a member of the Black Organization. Akai seems to know of Haibara's identity. Haibara knows him as Dai Moroboshi, her sister's boyfriend who betrayed the Organization.^[25] Haibara should know Dai was a spy and FBI agent, after hearing an exchange between Bourbon and Kaitou Kid through a microphone^[26], but she does not know him by the name Shuichi Akai. He made a promise with Akemi to look after Haibara's welfare.^[27]

Conan Edogawa

Akai and Conan gets along well and are capable of thinking on par with one another. In the short time they have worked together, Akai has come to respect Conan's intellect and deductive skills and speaks to him professionally. He is also aware that Conan and Shinichi Kudo are really one and the same person ^[28]. There is further speculation amongst fans that Akai has figured out that Ai was formerly Sherry and (more than likely) learned about her research for the Black Organization and the two possible effects of APTX 4869.

Masumi Sera

Masumi Sera is Akai's younger sister.

Black Organization

Gin

Main article: Gin and Shuichi Akai

Shuichi Akai and Gin are rivals and hate one another. It is implied that they didn't get along even before Akai was exposed as an undercover FBI agent. Akai refers to Gin as "Koibito", which ironically means 'lover.' Gin killed Akai's love Akemi, so Akai thinks of Gin as his archenemy.

Bourbon

Shuichi Akai and Bourbon are stated to be enemies. It's been stated that Bourbon hated Akai more than Gin did. Bourbon believed himself to be the only one capable of killing Akai, and refused to believe that Akai was dead. Akai feels neutral toward Bourbon, saying that he is not someone that he wants as an enemy.

Character popularity

eBookJapan held a character popularity poll from April 12, 2011 to May 12, 2011 in which readers of Detective Conan (international included) could vote for their favorite character. Akai placed 12th in the poll with 53 votes out of the 5,883 that were cast.^[29]

In honor of the release of the 800th manga chapter, Shonen Sunday held a popularity poll/contest containing 91 Detective Conan characters to choose from. Akai placed 7th overall with 415 votes.^[30]

Name origin

Gosho Aoyama draws Akai as half of Char on his website

Akai's name comes from the Mobile Suit Gundam character Char Aznable, whose nickname was the "Red (Akai) Comet", and Char's voice actor Shuichi Ikeda (who is also Akai's voice actor). Additionally, his alias, Dai Moroboshi, comes from Char's real name, Casval Rem Deikun (sounds like Dai-kun in Japanese). Moroboshi can also mean falling star, another possible allusion to Red Comet.^[31]

Different looks

Shuichi's "Before" Appearance (Episode 259)

Shuichi's "Middle" Appearance (Episode 345)