Akon

is the lieutenant and former 3rd Seat of the 12th Division, and Vice-President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

Appearance
Akon is a tall man with short, spiky black hair, which has a distinguished hairline running through it. He has three small horns protruding from his forehead. He wears a laboratory coat over the standard Shinigami shihakushō. 110 years ago, a much younger Akon had the appearance of a child, and did not have the three horns on his forehead, or a hairline.

Personality
Akon is generally a calm and collected man even in the most strenuous of situations. However, according to Hiyosu, Mayuri and Urahara are the only two people who can make him lose his cool. Additionally, he will direct the SRDI without his captain's authorization if necessary.

He was also friendly to Nemu, warmly referring to her as Mayuri's greatest masterpiece with a smile.

History
101 years ago, a young Akon acted as one of Mayuri Kurotsuchi's assistants in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. When the captain of the 9th Division, Kensei Muguruma, needed a Shinigami researcher to investigate the possibility that a pathogen is causing souls to break down, he sent Izaemon Tōdō to retrieve one. Upon receiving the news, Captain Kisuke Urahara decided to send the division's lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki. She complained about the assignment, asking why he does not give the assignment to somebody less important, such as Akon. Akon retorts that all she does is complain, and that she should just give up the lieutenant rank if she hates its duties so much. Hiyori attempts to kick his face for the remark, but he effortlessly avoids it.

When Nemu Kurotsuchi was a child, she told Akon that Mayuri did not call her by her name, surprising him. Upon learning that he was calling her Nemu, Akon believed that this was her name, but Nemu informed him that her real name was Nemuri Nanagō. After berating Nemu for asking him when he clearly does not know, Akon theorized that Mayuri was embarrassed and relayed what he had said about the Nemuri Project before clarifying that Mayuri would be embarrassed if Nemu realized that her growing up day by day is like living in a dream for him. Nemu asked him if Mayuri would be happy if she remained ignorant, but Akon claimed that she was Mayuri's masterpiece and that she would obviously evolve.

He, alongside his Captain Mayuri, Hiyosu and two other Shinigami, experimented on Quincy, including Sōken Ishida, Uryū's master and grandfather.

Soul Society arc
Akon arrives at the Research and Development Institute to deliver Rukia Kuchiki's Gigai to Hiyosu, so that they can study it. When one of his colleagues mentions that he cannot identify the Gigai's creator, another asks Akon if he built it. However, he remarks that he does not remember it at all. When he takes a closer look at it, he becomes startled, and comes to the conclusion that none of them, let alone someone in the Soul Society, could have designed it. One of his colleagues asks him why, to which he states that a Shinigami with the skill to create a Gigai of its kind would surely have been exiled from Soul Society.

Arrancar arc
When Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Llargo first come to the World of the Living, Akon enters the research room when his team, especially Rin Tsubokura, have detected the Reiatsu belonging to the Arrancar. He inquires as to what is happening before Hiyosu informs him that they have arrived, greatly shocking Akon. When Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez takes his group of Fracción and carries out another invasion, Akon helps to gain permission for those stationed there, Rangiku Matsumoto, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Renji Abarai, to lift the limiters placed on them to allow them to defeat their enemies.

Akon's team once again detects the arrival of Arrancar, ensuring that the limits can be lifted ad alerting the rest of Soul Society that Espada have once again invaded Karakura Town. When Akon's captain gives him the option of sending someone from his team to the World of the Living to do a survey on the Arrancar, he is shocked to see Rin volunteer for the job. Although surprised, he approves his request before giving him two molars to replace those Ikkaku Madarame lost during his battle with Edrad Liones. Akon later repaired Ikkaku's destroyed Bankai, but could not return it to its full strength.

Fake Karakura Town arc
Ten days after Aizen's defeat, a member of the Twelfth Division looks for Mayuri Kurotsuchi at the division's compound. However, Akon informs him that the captain has went off to Hueco Mundo again to carry on his research. When the Shinigami mentions that Rangiku Matsumoto has arrived to visit Momo Hinamori, who is receiving an organ regeneration treatment, Akon goes off to speak to her. However, by the time he gets there, Rangiku is already gone.

Gotei 13 Invading Army arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

The Thousand-Year Blood War arc
At the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, a Shinigami reports to third seat Akon that Hollows keep disappearing. He makes a comment on the barrier between Soul Society and the World of the Living, but is cut off by Akon. He sends the reporter away since his intel has already been reported. Akon informs the captain that it is the work of an unstated group. . Later, he informs Ryūnosuke Yuki of the infiltration by the Wandenreich and of Chōjirō Sasakibe's death. He subsequently attends a meeting of the captains where he delivers a report on the situation.

Seven minutes after the invasion of Soul Society by the Sternritter and Yhwach, Akon detects enemy Reiatsu in at least sixteen places, while Shinigami reiatsu is disappearing, probably due to battles. He supposes people of the Reiatsu Investigation Team died before being able to send information. He also notes that Izuru Kira's Reiatsu, along with other three seated officers in his team, has also vanished. While another researcher tells him that more Shinigami are dying in certain areas, Akon concluded over a thousand Shinigami have already been killed and that this is too much, and that there is no way they can win. When the Sternritter steal the Bankai of four captains, Akon orders a subordinate to contact Ichigo Kurosaki. When he comments about obtaining the captain's permission, Akon states that it will be hard to contact him while he is on the front lines and that he will take responsibility.

His colleagues attempted to contact Ichigo via his badge, only for them to realize that he's nowhere near it; upon closer inspection, they learn that his spiritual particles are coming from Hueco Mundo, baffling the staff as to why he might be there. Upon learning that Urahara is with Ichigo, Akon is instead connected with Urahara. After being annoyed by the former captain's usually nonchalant attitude towards the situation, Akon is shocked to learn that the Quincy has already invaded Hueco Mundo and that Ichigo is already fighting the enemies, prompting him to think that the substitute Shinigami may have foreseen the Quincy's attack before Soul Society did and now acting in response to the situation without their knowledge; he muses that Ichigo is "unpredictable". He is even more shocked that Ichigo is able to overwhelm one of the Quincy, who is unable to seal his Bankai. After the Quincy is defeated, Akon begins to inform Ichigo of the situation.

Akon provides details of the extensive casualties, number and description of the enemies and ability to steal Bankai to Ichigo. After the Gotei 13 is notified that Ichigo is coming to Soul Society, Akon comments that it's strange, saying that Ichigo's Reiatsu in the Garganta has vanished. Understanding that something had gone wrong, Akon orders his subordinates to send a team to investigate before the Research and Development Institute falls under attack from an enemy-controlled Jidanbō. Among the chaos, however, Akon is able to reopen the Garganta from within the Research and Development Institute before falling severely injured to the Sternritter, Shaz Domino. It's his actions that allow Ichigo to escape and continue fighting in Soul Society.

Later, Akon is treated for his injuries and begins to recover. He complains that his injuries still hurt, but he does not want to stay in bed all day. He finds out that his captain and lieutenant have been locked up in the captain's room all day, which alarms him. After noting that the surveillance bugs are shut off, which he states has never happened before, he switches on a camera he hid in his captain's room. When the camera switches on, he is shocked at what he is seeing and asks what the captain is making.

While the Seireitei is being consumed due to the Quincy's invasion, Akon comments on the whole area vanishing, wondering how such a thing was possible. Despite Hiyosu's protests, Akon remains certain that their instruments aren't lying to them, and before they can do anything the Research and Development Institute is consumed by the shadows and replaced with Quincy architecture. Appearing behind them, Askin Nakk Le Vaar explains the nature of the 'shadows', and reveals that by creating space within the shadows, the Wandenreich had always been in the Seireitei. Mayuri then appears from within a concealed room and confirms Askin's explanation, surprising Akon with his own bizarre clothing.

Akon later helps contact all the captains and lieutenants to tell them about the way to recover one's Bankai and protect it that Urahara discovered. The next day, after Urahara brings Ichigo and his friends to the 12th Division basement in order to return them to the Soul King Palace, Akon walks in and informs Urahara that his guest has arrived. Later, after most of the Gotei 13 depart for the Royal Realm, Akon notices that Kuna has discovered the remains of the Nemuri Project, which he proceeds to explain the history of.

Ten years after Yhwach's defeat, Akon has replaced Nemu as lieutenant of the 12th Division. After being informed by Hiyosu that Mayuri has gone off to investigate the reconstructed sectors, Akon decides to contact the captain himself, after noticing readings on the 12th Division's sensors nearly identical to those emitted by Yhwach ten years prior.

Powers & Abilities
High Spiritual Power: Being a lieutenant of the Gotei 13, Akon boasts a high spiritual energy.

Expert Scientist: Akon is an exceptional scientist, particularly in dealing with Gigai, as he constructs them for use by Shinigami being sent to the Human World. He is highly skilled in the field, being able to tell that Rukia's Gigai was of profound craftsmanship, well beyond the capabilities of his and any of his colleagues. He was able to further postulate that the scientist that did create it was most likely exiled from Soul Society.

Keen Intellect: As the Vice-President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, Akon possesses great intellect. During the invasion of the Wandenreich his keen analytical skills allowed him to realize that the Shinigami casualties would increase if he didn't act.

Appearances in Other Media

 * Akon is playable in Bleach: Brave Souls. In this form, Akon is a ranged character with the "Mind" Attribute and the "Hollow Killer" ability whose second and third Strong Attacks are melee while his Normal Attack has a chance to inflict Poison, his second Strong Attack has a chance to inflict Paralysis, and his third Strong Attack has a chance to inflict Burn. His unlockable skills are "Berserker +30%", "Bruiser +30%", "Devastation +30%", and "Sprinter +1", while his Soul Trait is "Crystal/Jewel drop +17%". Akon's special is, where Akon ignites a special bomb that inflicts immense damage to any enemy in the area-of-effect and sets them on fire.

Trivia

 * The theme song that Kubo chose for Akon is "Theme From Ernest Borgnine" by the artist Squarepusher from his album Feed Me Weird Things.
 * Akon was voted the 40th most popular character in the second character popularity poll, 33rd in the third, 32nd in the fourth, and 34th in the fifth.
 * Tite Kubo's sketches reveal that Akon can be seen in the Nest of Maggots, tinkering with something in the background.
 * At the request of Captain Jūshirō Ukitake, Akon and his staff produced a life-sized figure of Tōshirō Hitsugaya as a birthday gift.
 * He is shown smoking in omakes.
 * In chapter 498 in the Viz release of volume 56, Akon is mistakenly called a lieutenant.

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