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Higurashi When They Cry.
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Overview

Mamoru Akasaka (赤坂 衛 Akasaka Mamoru) is a police officer who comes to Hinamizawa in 1978 to investigate the kidnapping of a government official's son. He first appears in Himatsubushi.

Profile[]

He is a detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Safety Division.

After the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, he cooperates with Ooishi, who is working hard to solve the mystery, and visits Kakiuchi City to find out who is from Hinamizawa Village. He tells Natsumi and the others that he is from the "Okinomiya Bookstore".

He lost his wife, Yukie, five years ago, and now lives alone with his only daughter Miyuki.

(Translated from Entergram's Higurashi Hou website.)

Appearance[]

Akasaka has black hair and red eyes. He wears a suit and tie for work while his causal wear consists of a yellow jacket over a blue shirt and jeans.

Personality[]

A kind individual, Akasaka is very devoted to his wife Yukie and regrets having to leave her for work. He is also responsible, believing it important for people to do their political duty in voting. According to an interview, Akasaka subconsciously has a desire to be yelled at and does things that annoy people, especially if it's Yukie.[3]

In the future, Akasaka develops a serious and fearsome side to him as a result of his karate training. He becomes a staunch opponent against evil and injustice that is reflected in his actions.

Background[]

When he was younger, Akasaka had experience playing at mahjong parlors and became very good at the game before getting banned at a few places for raising the stakes so much.[4] Akasaka says he quit the game because Yukie got mad at him and because he was unlucky, but an interview instead suggests she merely told him to stop.[3] He eventually became a police officer.

In the worlds where Yukie and Rika die, Akasaka heavily blames himself for not heeding Rika's warning and failing to save them. He starts training in karate to remind himself of them.

Relationships[]

Role in the Story[]

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Question Arcs[]

Himatsubushi[]

Most of this arc is told through Akasaka's point of view in 1978. He first appears speaking to his wife Yukie, who is in the hospital preparing to give birth. Akasaka is urgently called to the government office concerning the kidnapping of Toshiki Inugai, the Minister of Construction's son and gets assigned to investigate the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance in Hinamizawa, which is fiercely protesting the government's dam project and has enough motive to perform the kidnapping. Akasaka then heads to Okinomiya to meet with some police officers there, including Kuraudo Ooishi. Akasaka learns from Ooishi about what the Defense Alliance is like and rumors of their shady dealings.

Akasaka heads to Hinamizawa under the guise of a tourist and meets with some villagers, including a young Rika Furude. Rika tags along with Akasaka on his tour and ominously tells him to return to Tokyo when the two are alone. Akasaka doesn't take her seriously and brushes it off as Rika just playing around.

HimatsubushiCG (5)

Akasaka goes to play mahjong with Ooishi and some other people, where he shows off his mahjong prowess. Afterwards, Akasaka has a meeting with his informant and obtains the minutes of a Defense Alliance meeting. He learns that they know about the kidnapping incident even though it should be confidential, and the Three Families may even be responsible for it. He also begins to think that Rika knew who he was all along.

Akasaka and Ooishi continue to investigate the kidnapping and come across a wallet dropped by Inugai that was found in an abandoned area, later checking it out and finding the kidnappers. Akasaka fights with one of them but winds up getting shot in the shoulder. The kidnappers soon run away but Inugai is rescued, and Akasaka heads to the Hinamizawa clinic to get his wound treated.

At night Akasaka tries to call his wife and see how she's doing, but every phone he tries to use has its wire cut, with Rika following him everywhere. Rika plays dumb when Akasaka determines her to be the one cutting the wires, and Rika takes him to the Furude Shrine for the Watanagashi Festival. As they overlook the village, Rika suddenly tells Akasaka that she will be killed in a few years and predicts the deaths and disappearances that will happen annually, ending with her own death in June of 1983. Akasaka ruminates on her predictions for a bit but leaves the village soon after, returning to Tokyo.

Akasaka reunites with Ooishi in Sapporo in 1985, where Ooishi moved to after his retirement. Akasaka reveals that Yukie died in 1978. While Akasaka was away, his wife accidentally fell down the stairs one night and died, although their daughter Miyuki was able to be born despite her mother's death. If Akasaka had gone back to Tokyo as Rika said, she wouldn't have died; Rika's cutting of the phone lines seemed like an attempt to keep Akasaka from breaking down upon hearing of Yukie's death that night.

They then talk about the Great Hinamizawa Disaster and how the village has been placed on lockdown for the foreseeable future. Akasaka learns that Rika's predictions have all come true and cries when he realizes that she was asking for help all those years ago. Akasaka and Ooishi swear to discover the truth behind the Disaster and write a book together about the annual deaths and disappearances, titling it "Higurashi - When They Cry."

This information is based on alternate scenes or routes in console ports and is not considered canon within the overall plot of the series.
In console versions from Sui onward, Miyuki accompanies her father on his trip to meet Ooishi, and he sees Rika in her.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai[]

Tsumihoroboshi[]

In the final TIP "The Demon's Script", Akasaka and Ooishi head to Hinamizawa in 1998 to investigate it, as the lockdown on the area has finally been lifted. They talk about how Miyo Takano's scrapbook and Rena Ryuugu's theory about alien parasites infesting the village might actually be true, as there are some inconsistencies with the JSDF's handling of the Disaster.

Minagoroshi[]

Akasaka makes his first appearance with a sprite. He visits Hinamizawa in 1983 and meets Ooishi and the club at a toy store in Okinomiya. He was on a trip with his wife and left his daughter with his parents. Akasaka mentions that when he first came in 1978, Rika warned him that something bad would happen if he didn't leave, and this time Akasaka heeded her warning. He returned to the Tokyo hospital soon after and learned that a janitor had slipped on the stairs Yukie normally used and got hurt. He thanks Rika for saving his wife and promises that with his newfound experience and strength, he'll repay her. Akasaka plans to stay in Hinamizawa until the Watanagashi Festival.

Rika asks Ooishi where Akasaka is later and he mentions that he's at a hot spring with his wife, very far from Hinamizawa. Akasaka will be back before the festival starts however, but Rika is still devastated; she believed Akasaka's appearance meant this would be a perfect world.

Akasaka attends the festival the next week and regrets not being around when Rika needed him. He leaves the village soon after.

Matsuribayashi[]

Akasaka meets rika matsuri manga

At the end of the Connecting Fragments section, a broken Fragment is discovered that originated from Himatsubushi's world. Inside this Fragment, long past 1983, Akasaka has become a skilled policeman and karate master. He takes down a diplomat and a gang that were planning to sell government secrets, and without any civilians being harmed. After the case, Akasaka goes to train at his dojo and ruminates on his failure to save Yukie and Rika all those years ago. He prays and wishes to go back to that day, and Rika answers him. While she can't send Akasaka back in time, she instead takes his skills and passes them on to the 1983 Akasaka in the new world of Matsuribayashi.

In 1983, Akasaka and the Tokyo police department begin an investigation into government corruption and how many institutes were illegally receiving funds. The case is transferred to another department however, which effectively cancels it. While gathering documents Akasaka glances at one of the named institutes receiving illegal funding, the Irie Clinic, and remembers that he visited the place back in 1978. He listened to Rika's warning to go back to Tokyo and called Yukie, telling her to be careful and saved her from an accident; Akasaka wanted to thank Rika but forgot with all the busy days that followed. Remembering that Rika's predicted time of death was also coming soon, Akasaka places a call to Okinomiya PD and talks with Ooishi.

Akasaka visits Hinamizawa and reunites with Ooishi. He learns about the annual deaths and disappearances, which all happened exactly as Rika predicted. Akasaka explains that Rika will be killed next and convinces Ooishi and company that everything she told him in 1978 came true so far. Akasaka and Ooishi go to talk with Rika the next day where Akasaka promises that he'll repay her for back then. Rika cries and buries herself in Akasaka's chest, happy that he's shown up in the final world.

Akasaka makes his acquaintances with Tomitake and Irie and reveals his knowledge of their involvement with the Tokyo organization and the Alphabet Project. The group thinks Takano to be the most likely candidate for wanting to kill Rika and plan to arrest her. Akasaka learns from Tomitake and Irie the purpose of the Mountain Dogs and how they monitor Rika's house through a wiretapping shack. As part of Rika's plan, Akasaka secretly stays at her house and pretends as though she's sick, to protect her from any intruders that might appear.

Akasaka learns from Irie about Takano's connection to the late Dr. Takano, the Emergency Manual, and that in order to defeat the Mountain Dogs, they'll need Tomitake to summon the Bloodhounds. Akasaka and Irie develop a phone-code system for secretly warning the other of any complications that may arise. He later learns of the 48-hour operation Rika's planned that involves faking her death.

Irie runs into trouble at the clinic and sends a code to Rika's house, informing Akasaka that he may be in danger now. Akasaka escapes Rika's house towards the Sonozaki house and attracts the attention of some Mountain Dogs. Akasaka evades his pursuers and gets his hands on a Mountain Dog outfit, disguising and later saving Rika when she gets captured at the Sonozaki house. Akasaka proclaims that after regretting it in countless worlds, he has finally remembered Rika's promise. He easily dispatches the surrounding Dogs and duels with Okonogi, who he learns was one of the kidnappers he fought five years ago. Okonogi and the Dogs are forced to retreat in the face of Akasaka's might.

Akasaka and co attack the clinic manga

Akasaka, Kasai, Irie and Shion head to the Irie Clinic to rescue Tomitake so he can call the Bloodhounds. They take out the first few guards and attempt to sneak into the security room when Akasaka and Kasai put out uniforms and pretend Shion and Irie are hostages, but the room guards catch on. An alarm sounds that threatens to lockdown the area and incapacitate the group through sneezing gas, but Kasai manages to break into the room and shut it off.

Though they've rescued Tomitake, they still need to escape the village to call the Bloodhounds, as the Mountain Dogs have cut off Hinamizawa's phone lines and they've blockaded the exits. Akasaka commandeers a van with everyone inside and successfully breaks through the blockade; Tomitake is taken to a phone booth where he successfully calls the Bloodhounds. Akasaka heads back to Hinamizawa because he feels he still hasn't kept Rika's promise, but the club has already defeated the rest of the Dogs and Takano.

Akasaka goes to have fun with everyone else at the festival and runs into his wife and daughter, who secretly followed him to the village.

Other Appearances[]

Higurashi: When They Cry - GOU and SOTSU[]

Nekodamashi and Kagurashi[]

For reasons unknown to her, Rika is forced to go through June 1983 again and dies in many more loops. In one of the loops she ends up in, Akasaka miraculously returns to Hinamizawa. Rika asks for his help and has him meet her at her shack, but for unknown reasons Akasaka succumbs to Hinamizawa Syndrome. He takes Rika hostage as Ooishi and the police surround the shack and call for his surrender. Akasaka thinks there are bugs crawling around in his skin and douses the room with gasoline, trying to burn them all. He scratches his neck in insanity as the shack explodes, with Rika setting off for the next loop.

In the final episode, Akasaka is seen practicing martial art in March 1987.

Onisarashi[]

Akasaka appears in this manga-exclusive arc to investigate Natsumi Kimiyoshi's family after the Great Hinamizawa Disaster.

Taraimawashi[]

Akasaka meets with Ooishi years after the Great Hinamizawa Disaster to interrogate Mion Sonozaki.

Kageboushi[]

Akasaka joins with Ooishi and Tomoe Minai is investigating strange incidents in Kakiuchi City shortly after the Great Hinamizawa Disaster.

Miotsukushi Ura[]

Akasaka and his family go on a trip to a hot springs, stopping in Kakiuchi on the way and meeting Tomoe.

Miotsukushi Omote[]

Trivia[]

  • Akasaka's first name "Mamoru" (衛) means "protect" or "defend". This is very telling of his role later in the answer arcs.
  • While Akasaka didn't have a sprite until Minagoroshi, a silhouette of him is shown in Page 43 of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Official Character Guide released before Tsumihoroboshi.
  • According to the afterword in volume 4 of Matsuribayashi's manga adaptation, Akasaka may have been written as a self-insert for Ryukishi07.[5]
    • In Himatsubushi, Akasaka and Ooishi co-author a book named Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.
  • Akasaka was intended to die in Himatsubushi.[6] It was originally planned for Himatsubushi's story to feature Akasaka not believing Rika's warnings and learning about Yukie's death before rescuing the Minister of Construction's grandson. After the rescue, Akasaka would lose the will to live, get drunk, and die from Hinamizawa Syndrome. After the final version of Himatsubushi, Ryukishi didn't intend on bringing back Akasaka for later chapters, but decided to do so after fan demand.[7]
  • Akasaka has a few nicknames in the Japanese fanbase:
    • He's called "Hot Springs" (温泉) due to him making a dramatic reappearance in Minagoroshi only to go to the hot springs and become useless.[8]
    • He's called "Lolisaka" (ロリ坂) and "Akasaka Lolita" (赤サ㌍タ) due to a perceived romantic attraction towards Rika.[9]
  • According to the profile on his card in the Shikaeshi-hen game, as a student Akasaka had the nickname "Mamoru of Baba" due to his mahjong skills.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 07th Expansion All Character Settings Collection
  2. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Mei
  3. 3.0 3.1 Higurashi Booster Book Interview
  4. Himatsubushi Day 2-3
  5. Festival Accompanying Arc Manga Volume 4 afterword
  6. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Famous Scene Investigation File 100
  7. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Matsuri Official Complete Guide page 99. Ryukishi07: "In the first place, during the plotting stage the flow was that Akasaka didn't believe Rika at all and continued with the investigation, and found out his wife Yukie died before he rescued the minister's grandson. And so, even though the incident is settled, Akasaka loses the will to live and collapses drunk in front of a sake vending machine in Hinamizawa. In that state, he'd die from terminal symptoms. That was the planned story. That was the truth behind Rika saying, "The chances of [Akasaka] leaving this village alive weren't very high." The original author was brimming with murderous energy, to say the least (laughs). Akasaka's survival went through many twists and turns while I was writing the scenario, and I didn't plan on including him in future chapters. Even so, there were many fans that said, "Surely the regretful Akasaka will do something." And so, in Minagoroshi-hen I decided to bring back Akasaka and went, "People might think everyone will be saved now that a hero like him is here."" (Translation by Omegabodega)
  8. Higurashi no Nakasekata Part 4, note by KEIYA
  9. 07th Expansion All Character Settings Collection Akasaka note
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