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Satoru Akefu
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“
Whomever it may be, they would be always better off without pursuing me...
”
—Satoru Akefu, JJL Chapter 97
Satoru Akefu (明負 悟, Akefu Satoru) is a major antagonist featured in the eighth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, JoJolion, and introduced in the "The Wonder of You" story arc.
Akefu is the head doctor of TG University Hospital, and presumed mastermind of the Locacaca Organization. He is an elusive figure with almost no public presence despite being in charge of a major institution of medicine.
It was theorized that Akefu was a Stand User but it is revealed that he is the Stand itself, which has yet to be given a name besides his alias. Akefu's power is to cause disaster to anyone who pursues him or works against him. He is linked to Tooru but the true nature of their relationship has yet to be precised.
Appearance
Head Doctor
Akefu is an elderly-looking man with a slightly stocky build, said to be 89 years old.[1] His arms and legs are noticeably slimmer than the rest of his body. He wears a dark-colored hat and suit, along with a lightly colored scarf with a pattern of irregular "-" shaped slits cut into it. He also wears dress shoes and uses a cane to walk.
Later in the story, Akefu is depicted as having a thin furrowed face with prominent cheekbones, sunken eyes, and a large nose. His most notable features are a beard styled into multiple short spikes and a monocle on his right eye. His hair is lightly colored and much thicker than what a human at his supposed age would have. Much like his subordinate Wu Tomoki, the hair on the sides of his head is stylized into many round shapes. The hair on the top of his head is much more natural, although appearing somewhat unkempt. His sideburns feature a similar pattern, but are shaven into rectangles instead.
Stand
The true form of Satoru Akefu is that of a Stand, apparently belonging to Tooru. It is an artificial humanoid Stand with a mostly black body. Akefu has a doll-like body, with a massive torso but thin, tubular arms. Each of its articulations, from the waist to the elbows, is a pivot joint. Its body is covered with light circular ridges evenly spaces. It also has a long curved blade at each wrist much like Kars.
Its head has a flattened ovoid shape, still black with the same ridges around its head. Moreover, it has a reverse U-shaped ridge framing its face and two pair of round mechanical eyes that are a throw back to Akefu's monocle. The eyes are decorated with a cog motif.
Personality
Akefu is a rather elusive figure despite holding an incredibly prestigious title. He demonstrates an antisocial behavior, completely ignoring Josuke Higashikata, Yasuho Hirose, and Rai Mamezuku, probably on purpose. As the head doctor of TG University Hospital, Akefu seems proud to present the Locacaca 6251 to an audience. He is also a professional and so the first thing he does with the journalist Taoka is to exchange business cards with him. Akefu is a calm individual because his automatic power allows him to get rid of any potential enemy before they can even harm him. Thus, when Taoka threatens to exposes the Locacaca Organization's illegal clinical trial, Akefu calmy points out how disaster may strike the journalist before leaving. Likewise, he calmly confronts Josuke and Rai when he is forced to go to the laboratory.
Akefu seems rather perceptive, as he sees through a trap Josuke has been laying for him.
Abilities
Personal
Akefu is shown to be unexpectedly nimble and fast for a man that uses a cane to walk and is also approaching his 90s, a fact which caused Rai to question the doctor's alleged age on multiple instances. During his debut, he was able to outrun three pursuers who were each a fraction of his age, and has since been shown appearing in locations (such as the Higashikata estate) quickly, without anybody noticing him approaching.
As a physician in charge of an entire hospital, it can be inferred that Akefu is knowledgeable on both general medical knowledge, as well as medicinal applications of the Locacaca fruit.
For reasons yet to be clarified, Satoru Akefu is connected to Tooru, who is aware of whatever Akefu sees.
Calamity Generation
Akefu's ability is an automatic one that functions at long range and is extremely dangerous because there is little defense against calamities.
Akefu's ability can be activated on any person who has looked at his back in an attempt to chase after or confront him or otherwise moves toward him. While Akefu's ability is active, targets will experience various instances of conflict which seemingly play out in the most devastating way imaginable. These calamities often involve an affected person repeatedly colliding with objects in their environment, resulting in far greater injury than is possible under normal circumstances. The ability's trigger is sensitive, as Mitsuba simply questioning the presence of Akefu was enough to activate it. The range of the ability is unknown, but it appears to be extremely large, as Josuke and Mamezuku were affected despite being nowhere near Akefu's whereabouts.
There is a strong correlation between the size of an object and how immediate and severe the injury will be upon impact. For example, while a discarded cigarette striking Josuke's hand resulted in it immediately piercing his palm, colliding with an umbrella stand caused a much more serious wound on Rai's leg, though with a noticeable delay between the collision and appearance of the injury. It seems that for collisions with larger objects, there's a waiting period in which the effects of this impact can be transferred to another person. A bystander was shown to suffer a sudden, fatal neck injury after coming into contact with Josuke's blood within moments of the latter being hit by a car during this Stand's attack. As stated by Mamezuku, the severity of the calamities caused by the Head Doctor to someone who is not pursuing him seem to function as a form of karma and are influenced by an individual's history. This is demonstrated when a convicted killer who caught a glimpse of Akefu's back received a calamity that resulted in a life-threatening wound, while Mamezuku's took the form of relatively harmless things, such as a light bulb bursting and maggots appearing in his uneaten food.[2]
File:Head Doctor Projected.png
Projection of the Head Doctor moving between two surfaces
Once a person has been targeted by Akefu, any attempt to pursue him will cause it to manifest and re-activate the ability, regardless of the target's distance. The threshold for re-activation is extremely sensitive. Akefu's ability was able to re-activate from Josuke merely intending to go after its user. It's also possible for Akefu to manually re-activate his ability on a target by finding them and having them look at him from behind, as demonstrated on Mitsuba Higashikata.
In JJL Chapter 94, Mitsuba describes that the Stand's ability causes unforeseen bad things to happen again and again when someone see Akefu's back, making them feel like misfortune is chasing them down. Rai Mamezuku theorizes that the head doctor everyone keeps seeing from the back is actually the Stand itself, and that the user is hiding. Moreover, he theorizes that the Stand is made of "calamity energy", whose power is directly related to the actions of the victim. For instance, Mamezuku's cellmate tried to stab Rai with a knife, but instead stabs himself because of the karmic retribution cast by the Stand.
Long-range Illusion Creation
In addition to this, Akefu is able to create illusions which can be sent after a specific target. Firstly Satoru can disguise itself and take on the appearance of a human, allowing him to interact with ordinary humans. Secondly, Akefu can create projections of himself. These projections are able to travel quickly between locations by phasing into and appearing on transparent surfaces, such as windows or picture frames. As a result, despite these illusions only being visible to the attack's designated target, they're able to be caught on camera. So far only people who have seen the Head Doctor in person have been targeted by these projections, though any individual who sees an image of Akefu will also be attacked.[2] Akefu can even phase through walls, although that is a basic power for Stands.
History
Background
As head doctor of TG University Hospital, Akefu seemingly oversees research on the Locacaca fruits and gives orders to fellow Rock Human doctors, such as Wu Tomoki, Urban Guerrilla, and Poor Tom. Due to his honorary position, he is stated to not be involved in any actual medical practice.[3]
Ozon Baby's Pressure
Akefu along with his colleague Wu Tomoki attempt to meet with Poor Tom to retrieve the grafted Locacaca branch. They disguise as ambulance drivers and arrive at the Higashikata orchard. However, they are tricked by Jobin and Tsurugi Higashikata into getting an ordinary pear branch from Poor Tom instead. They realize it was someone else other than Josuke and Poor Tom who lit the orchard on fire and that the other party now has the real Locacaca branch.[4]
The Wonder of You (The Miracle of Your Love)
Akefu is pursued by Josuke Higashikata, Yasuho Hirose, and Rai Mamezuku. Completely ignoring them, Akefu sends his Stand after the three and makes his getaway on a bus. He's later spotted by Mitsuba Higashikata at both her son's elementary school and on the property surrounding the Higashikata House.
Josuke and Mamezuku discover that Akefu is scheduled to give a lecture on regenerative medicine. Deciding to pursue him to that lecture causes Akefu's Stand to activate and attack them just as the rain begins to fall. Cornered by the rain and the police, Josuke decides to let the raindrops shoot through him and be brought to the hospital. Meanwhile, Akefu keeps stalking the Higashikata Family and his ability causes disaster after disaster for them, with Tsurugi's illness triggering at the same time.
On the day of the lecture, Akefu unveils his product, the Locacaca 6251, to the public. He presents his new medicine and its processes. Meanwhile, Josuke is again attacked by Akefu's ability and eventually revises his plans.
Endless Calamity
On the day of the harvest, Akefu is again seen by Mitsuba and Yasuho lurking near the Higashikata House but also by Rai Mamezuku just outside of the police station. At the Higashikata House, his ability causes a string of events that lead to the new Locacaca being exposed. As Jobin argues with Norisuke and eventually takes him out, Akefu finally takes action. He enters the Higashikata House and approaches the family. Mitsuba sees him passing by the door frame of the corridor outside of Tsurugi's room, pass through a computer screen, the glass panels of the bookcases, passing through the bathroom, the window near the bed, a frame, and then slip under the bedsheets. Jobin, warned of his presence by Mitsuba, summons his Stand Speed King and attacks him. Soon enough, Akefu's ability causes another calamity and Jobin is drained of his blood, his potted Locacaca rolling towards the door to the garage.
At the TG University Hospital, Akefu is scheduled to meet with a reporter from the science journal "Pangea Land", Taoka. However, Taoka shows Akefu footage of Holy Joestar-Kira, the secret Locacaca laboratory, and a sample of the fruit inside of a jar. Taoka accuses Akefu of conducting illegal human trials and is ready to pursue him. Akefu thus raises the possibility of the sample being a fake and theorizes that Taoka must have touched the fruit, and that some juice may have gotten into a wound on his hand. Akefu leaves Taoka, trusting his ability to kill the reporter for him, and goes towards Josuke. When he arrives at the laboratory, Akefu senses that something is amiss and doesn't step into the room. Instead, he deploys a Rock Insect named Dododo De Dadada and sics it on Josuke and Rai Mamezuku.
Chapters
Manga AppearancesChapters in order of appearance
- JoJolion Chapter 76: Ozon Baby's Pressure, Part 4 (Silhouette)
- JoJolion Chapter 83: The New Locacaca (Mentioned only)
- JoJolion Chapter 84: The Wonder of You, Part 1
- JoJolion Chapter 85: The Wonder of You, Part 2
- JoJolion Chapter 86: The Wonder of You, Part 3
- JoJolion Chapter 89: The Wonder of You, Part 6 (Flashback)
- JoJolion Chapter 90: The Wonder of You, Part 7 (Photo only)
- JoJolion Chapter 91: The Wonder of You, Part 8
- JoJolion Chapter 92: The Wonder of You, Part 9
- JoJolion Chapter 93: The Wonder of You, Part 10 (Mentioned only)
- JoJolion Chapter 94: The Wonder of You, Part 11
- JoJolion Chapter 95: The Wonder of You, Part 12
- JoJolion Chapter 96: Just Don't Move
- JoJolion Chapter 97: The Wonder of You, Part 14
- JoJolion Chapter 98: The Wonder of You, Part 15
Quotes
Quotes- “The head doctor... has no face. I've met him countless times. That's the kind of person he is. That's the kind of ability he has.”
- “Today! I, Satoru Akefu... have something to this place... for the sake of all of you out there. What I have in this case... "Locacaca 6251" (150 grams). This is both an implant-like tool I developed as well as a living regenerative substance! All that one must do is inject it inside the body under proper conditions and the affected area will transform to be as good as new! There is no need for cell cultivation or surgery! And therefore no risk of inflammation due to incompatibilities! Whether it's a broken knee or joint or brain tissue lost in a concussion, going beyond regeneration, it will bring about an 'exchange' for sound health!”—Satoru Akefu's lecture on regenerative medicine, JJL Chapter 92
- “I see... So you are pursuing me... I understand. So then, the lid of this jar, have you tried opening it? What I'm saying is... Simply looking at that jar from the outside, you wouldn't know for certain that what's inside it is a fruit, no...? Isn't that right? Through it certainly seems to be fragments of something... But looking from the outside, those may be a potato fragments... or perhaps onion fragments... It may not look like an onion... but that definitely looks like it could be a large mushroom! How can you be so definitive in saying what's inside that jar is a fruit?”—Satoru Akefu, JJL Chapter 97
- “I'm explaining the fact that you opened the jar. Because after you received that package, you opened the lid with your hands, you smelled it. And it's because it gave off the sweet and sout scent of a fruit... That you came into this room thinking it was a fruit. You got all excited thinking I've got an exclusive scoop here! didn't you?”—Satoru Akefu, JJL Chapter 97
Gallery
Akefu disguised as an ambulance driver
Akefu's first full appearance
Close up of Akefu's scarf
Akefu standing outside Tsurugi's school following the iron gate incident
Akefu near the Higashikata household
Akefu taking off his hat before the lecture
A photgraph of Akefu and Mitsuba Higashikata
Akefu walks onstage
Akefu prepares to begin the lecture
Akefu presents Locacaca 6251 to the audience
Akefu holds up a container of Locacaca 6251
Akefu announces that the development of Locacaca 6251 is close to reaching perfection
Akefu suddenly appears on a wall surrounding the Higashikata House, as seen on a security camera by Mitsuba Higashikata
Akefu's sudden appearance is noticed by Yasuho Hirose
Akefu notices Yasuho, turning towards her menacingly
Akefu jumps down from the wall
Akefu suddenly turns around
Akefu explains that the reporter opened the jar with the Locacaca
Appearing behind Josuke
- Satoru observes Mamesuku Rai and Jousuke.jpg
Satoru observes Mamesuku Rai and Jousuke
Satoru reveals his face to Mamezuku Rai and Jousuke
The tailpiece of JJL Chapter 85
The tailpiece of JJL Chapter 89
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 JoJolion Chapter 83: The New Locacaca
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 JoJolion Chapter 96: Just Don't Move
- ↑ JoJolion Chapter 84: The Wonder of You, Part 1
- ↑ JoJolion Chapter 76: Ozon Baby's Pressure, Part 4
