Akihiko Sanada

Akihiko Sanada is a recurring character in the Persona 3-related titles.

Appearances

 * Persona 3: Playable Character
 * Persona 3: FES: Playable Character
 * Persona -trinity soul-: Ayanagi Police Chief
 * Persona 3 Manga: Member of S.E.E.S.

Persona 3

 * Date of birth: 22nd September 1991
 * Zodiac: Virgo
 * Height: 175.5 cm
 * Blood Type: A
 * Initial Persona: Polydeuces
 * Ultimate Persona: Caesar
 * Weapons: Gloves & Knuckles
 * Arcana: Emperor

Akihiko Sanada is the captain of the Gekkoukan High School boxing team and, along with Mitsuru Kirijo and Shinjiro Aragaki, one of the original member of S.E.E.S.. He and Shiniro grew up in an orphanage together with Akihiko's little sister, Miki, who died in a fire that destroyed the orphanage. Devestated by her death and feeling powerless that he could not save her, Akihiko vowed to become stronger. He took up boxing so he could learn how to fight, becoming a champion student boxer in the process.

Shinjiro and Akihiko remained friends after Miki's death. However, an incident occured during an early S.E.E.S. mission which put a strain on Akihiko and Shinjiro's relationship. Shiniro's persona went bezerk while combating a shadow, killing an innocent bystander (Ken Amada's mother) in the process. Feeling guilty, Shinjiro immediately left S.E.E.S.. Akihiko used the incident as a springboard to focus even more on his strength and fighting the shadows. He began to criticise his friend for retreating when others needed his help. Throughout the game, Akihiko repeatedly tries to talk Shinjiro into joining S.E.E.S. again. When Ken Amada joins the party, Akihiko, along with the protagonist, forces Shinjiro to join.

During the events of the Strength and Fortune full moon battles, Akihiko is unsettled and distracted by the absence of Ken and Shinjiro. He later realizes the date: October 4th, the day Shinjiro's persona killed Ken's mother. He leaves the others in search of Ken and Shinjiro, finding them both behind Port Island Station along with Strega member Takaya Sakaki, who has interrupted Shinjiro and Ken's conversation and intends to kill them both. He has already shot Shinjiro and was aiming to shoot Ken; but Shinjiro stops Takaya from killing Ken by taking another bullet despite knowing that Ken has made a vow to kill him to avenge his mother's death. Shinjiro's last words are a request that Akihiko take care of Ken, and that his death is how things should be. Mourning the loss of his friend, Akihiko nonetheless finds himself amazed that Shinjiro could face death so bravely and vows to face difficulty head on. This resolution causes his persona to transform into into Ceasar. He is one of the first characters to express his determination to fight Nyx despite knowing she cannot be defeated.

Akihiko is depicted as a lone wolf who is popular among female students, who often follow him around school. He finds this irritating and will sometimes complain to the protagonist about it. He is eager to train and fight, to a fault. Early on in the game, when he is injured due to a fight with one of the twelve full moon shadows, he will repeatedly express interest in fighting despite being unable to. This draws criticism from Mitsuru, who views Akihiko's eagerness to fight as Akihiko treating their work as a game.

Persona 3: FES
Akihiko does not originally come to see the closing of the Dorm. He only arrives after Mitsuru calls him over, and he becomes trapped in the dorm with them. During the debate over how to use the keys to the past or the present, Akihiko chooses the present with the support of Ken Amada.
 * Initial Persona: Caesar

A door to Akihiko's past reveals how he was recruited to S.E.E.S. After a boxing match during his years as a middle school student, Mitsuru Kirijo approaches him with a gun (an Evoker) and offers him a new way of fighting.



Persona 3 Portable
Akihiko is a new Social Link in the game in the female protagonist's route. However, his Arcana has been changed from Emperor to  Star. The Social Link is initiated by talking to him on the 25th May with level 4 Charm or higher.

Persona -trinity soul-
Ten years after the events of Persona 3, Akihiko serves as an informant to Ryou Kanzato. Ryou is often seen talking to Akihiko about persona users and the Reverse cases on a cellphone. After Ryou disappears, Akihiko takes over as police chief. He reveals that he, Touru Inui, and Ryou Kanzato were part of some society that strives to not only cover up Persona phenomenon, but to prevent it from happening. Now an adult, Akihiko is no longer able to summon his Persona, with the exception of Ryou who took special drugs in order to summon his. Akihiko gathers Shin Kanzato, Megumi Kayano and Takuro Sakakiba to help him fight Marebito.

Battle Quotes

 * Polydeuces! (Summoning persona: Polydeuces)
 * Caesar! (Summoning persona: Caesar)
 * Did you see that, Shinji? (After the events with Shinjiro)
 * I've been waiting for this. (Prompting All-Out Attack)
 * OK, now! (During AOA)
 * Damn, I couldn't finish it off.
 * I can't lose to an underclassman. (While summoning Polydeuces)
 * Don't overdo it. (Healing an ally)
 * Nice timing! (Being healed by an ally)
 * Amazing as always! (After Mitsuru hits a weak/critical spot)
 * Good job (After Mitsuru hits a weak/critical spot)
 * Ok, everything's going according to plan. (Battle Won: Polydeuces)
 * We did it.
 * I've regained my honor. (Recovering from knockdown)
 * Holy Shit...(When Instantly knocked out by weakness)

Trivia

 * Akihiko's Persona, Polydeuces, is a something of a giveaway towards his connection with Shinjiro if looked at in small depth. Polydeuces - other than being a celestial body - is another name for Pollux, who is one of the Gemini Twins with the other being Castor, the latter of whom is the Persona for Shinjiro. Both of whom (Personas) share a similar physical stature, facial build, and focus on sheer strength.
 * Akihiko has a southpaw stance, but when using gloves the Protagonist uses an orthodox style.