Akutogawa Ryunosuke

Ryunosuke Akutagawa is a member of the Port Mafia and a former student of Dazai Osamu. He possesses the ability "Rashomon".

Akutagawa has a slender build and very pale skin. He often covers his face with his hand because he coughs. He has short, black hair. Two longer strands frame his face on the sides. Near the tips, the black changes to a dirty white color. His bangs are short and almost completely reveal his forehead. Akutagawa has deep-set, narrow eyes. He rarely smiles, which gives the impression of a perpetually gloomy person.

He is dressed in a long, three-layered shirt that flares out towards the bottom, which he wears over black, tapered trousers. Each layer has a wide cut, creating a "ruffled" effect. He wears a white jabot over the shirt collar. The shirt sleeves are lacy and visible beneath the sleeves of a long, black coat with a high, stand-up collar, which Akutagawa wears over the shirt. Because Akutagawa doesn't tie his belt, it constantly hangs down at the back and sides. He wears black, classic low-heeled shoes.

Akutagawa adheres to the "survival of the fittest" philosophy: he believes the weak must give way to the strong. As the Port Mafia's "Dog," he is willing to carry out brutal orders—including killing civilians and children—to further the organization's goals and his own interests. He is feared by both allies and enemies: Black Lizard subordinates obey him out of fear of his irascibility and intolerance for incompetence.

Akutagawa maintains aloofness with his superiors and subordinates, though his composure is fragile—his short temper sometimes interferes with his ability to complete assignments. His dark worldview was shaped by childhood: he grew up an orphan in the slums of Yokohama.

A turning point in Ryunosuke's life was his meeting with Dazai at age 14. Already ready to kill a group of illegal traders (they were responsible for the deaths of his comrades), he began to feel respect for someone. Despite his harsh training under Osamu, Akutagawa did not abandon his philosophy. Dazai's defection exacerbated his mental state: Ryunosuke still strives for his approval, but considers Dazai's current image shameful compared to his former reputation in the Mafia.

Akutagawa has his positive traits, too. He maintains a warm relationship with his younger sister, Gin, and helps her in every way. After Higuchi and the Lizards saved him, he apologized to Higuchi for the trouble they caused. Furthermore, Akutagawa rarely lies—he's honest, even if this honesty is often brutal and inappropriate.

Rashomon is Ryunosuke Akutagawa's ability to transform his cloak, as well as any other clothing, into space-consuming material. In addition to slicing through space, Rashomon's strips of fabric can transform into extremely sharp blades, which can be used to block attacks and then capture the target.

Gin is Akutagawa's younger sister and only living relative. The siblings grew up in the slums with eight other children and are the only survivors of a massacre that killed the other children.
It's quite possible they're on good terms. For example, Akutagawa waits for her at the laundry after Gin leaves on a long-term mission. Yet he finds some of her random behavior puzzling, like when she stops in the middle of the path to pet a cat.

Higuchi is part of Akutagawa's command team, acting as his assistant and bodyguard. She is extremely loyal to Ryunosuke and is always ready to fight alongside and for him. There are times when Akutagawa expresses a marked refusal to accept Higuchi's help.
Akutagawa treats Higuchi rather coldly. Consistent with his behavior, he often goes on missions alone, alienating not only his assistant but his entire team.[9] Akutagawa is often prone to fits of anger, especially when he makes mistakes. He can even slap and scold Higuchi.
However, Akutagawa is quite capable of showing other, softer sides to his character. While fighting an enemy, he instinctively saves Higuchi after he corners her. Later, Akutagawa apologizes to her for what he said after Ichiyo and the Black Lizards rescue him from his kidnappers.

What Higuchi calls Akutagawa - "Master", "Akutagawa-Senpai", "Senpai"
What Akutagawa calls Higuchi - "Higuchi", "Useless"

Like the others, Akutagawa is loyal to Mori as the Boss of the Port Mafia. Although Akutagawa often works alone, he has been entrusted with an entire command unit. Therefore, it can be assumed that he receives his orders directly from Mori.

Mori calls Akutagawa "Akutagawa-kun"
Akutagawa calls Mori "Boss"

At the age of fourteen, young Akutagawa met Dazai. The man promised to give him everything he desired, provided the youth joined the Port Mafia. But first, Akutagawa asked him one question: could Dazai give him a reason to live? The man took this as a yes and immediately gave the youth his black coat. Overwhelmed with emotion, Akutagawa cried and burst into tears at the same time. Dazai soon became his mentor.
As his subordinate, Akutagawa underwent horrific and brutal training, transforming him into a feared individual. Only by enduring Dazai's accusations does Ryunosuke crave his recognition. He often goes to extremes for the sole purpose of earning Dazai's praise. Even after Osamu left the Port Mafia, Akutagawa still strives for his approval, especially since his lung condition has limited his time.

But even after Akutagawa began to show hostility towards Dazai, threatening to kill him, he still continues to seek his former mentor's recognition whenever he gets the chance. He accepts almost any personal favor from Dazai, viewing it as an opportunity to prove himself.

What Dazai calls Akutagawa - "Akutagawa-kun", "Akutagawa"
How Akutagawa calls Dazai - "Dazai-san", "Dazai"

Ryunosuke's name means "dragon" and "son." It means "Son of the Dragon." He was named so because he was born in the year of the dragon.
The surname Akutogawa means "that which gives sharpness" and "river".