A character’s name can tell you a lot about their personality. In a language like Japanese, this is especially true, with certain words forming the basis of their names. The meaning of one’s name can have a strong influence on their life and might even bring out certain expectations from that person. One common word is “Aki-” (秋), which means autumn. Autumn signifies a time of warmth and maturity, in my opinion. So in honor of a new season approaching, we’ve put together a list of our favorite “Aki-” anime characters, meaning that the word for autumn can be found in their name. In our opinion, these characters embody the essence of autumn.

Bryan:

Mio Akiyama (CV: Yoko Hikasa) – K-On!

My favorite character from one of my favorite series also happens to share the same birthday as me. Unfortunately for the shy left-handed bassist of the club, Mio is always the one who ends up picking up the slack. And trust me, there’s plenty of slack to be had. Despite suffering from stage fright, she’s brave enough to not only perform in front of a crowd but also sing lyrics that she writes herself, no matter how embarrassing they are. She’s even cool enough to have her own fanclub at the school (which is all-girls). I’d definitely join though.

Yukari Akiyama (CV: Ikumi Nakagami) – Girls und Panzer

I like how MyAnimeList describes her as a “tank otaku” because that’s pretty much what she is. She’s incredibly obsessed with anything tank-related and also serves the loader for Team Anko. She also looks up to Miho, the team captain, and does everything in her power to assist her. Yukari even goes as far as to sneak into an enemy’s school to videotape a strategy meeting. Her video editing’s not bad, but she could probably work on her spy skills, though. She’s also the daughter of hair salon owners, which might explain her stylish hair.

Daniel:

Akira Kogami (CV: Hiromi Konno) – Lucky Star

Oha lucky~! The ultra-energetic host of Lucky Channel, Akira is at first glance the shining example of a successful idol. She’s talented, has been in the industry since she was 3 years old, and has the cute looks. But underneath that sweet persona is a selfish, stuck-up, and cynical woman on the verge of suffering a career meltdown. All that at the tender age of 14, no less. Her personality switch can happen at a hat’s drop and her co-host Minoru Shirashi usually ends up taking the full force of her wrath. Her sudden outbursts and bitter musings about the life of a waning idol are an amusing commentary on showbiz and the hardships a lot of real-life idols face. Even so, her two-faced attitude is one of the best parts of the series and are an absolute riot to witness.

Rumiho “Faris Nyannyan” Akiha (CV: Halko Momoi) – Steins;Gate

Very few people know Rumiho’s actual name, preferring to use her nickname Faris Nyannyan in public and at work. This fiesty cat girl epitomizes the moe culture of Akihabara through her maid cafe May-Queen NyanNyan. She always has a habit of adding “-nyan” to the end of her sentences and has an imagination to match Okabe’s chuunibyou delusions.  But just like everyone in the show, she doesn’t come off as a one-dimensional character and does have some hidden depths. Behind her smiling exterior lies a tragic past, a burden that she has carried throughout her life. For a supporting character, her backstory is very heartfelt and makes her one of the more sympathetic characters in the series.

Duc:

Akihisa “Aki” Yoshii (CV: Hiro Shimono) – Baka to Test

Akihisa Yoshii is quite a main character, as he is a certified Class F idiot.  Although poor Akihisa can be very inept at times and ends up being the butt of several jokes, he is still one of my favorite characters.  He’s hilarious, kind-hearted, and enigmatic character that manages to synergize fairly well with the rest of the cast.  Along with this, Akihisa also sports a really awesome avatar with unique abilities for battles.  Compared to other main characters that are also known to be idiotic, Akihisa Yoshii is actually very likeable and tolerable.  He’s definitely one of my favorite characters from Baka to Test.

Akiho “Aki” Senomiya (CV: Yoshino Nanjo) – Robotics;Notes

She likes mechs and that’s all you need to know….just kidding.  Akiho Senomiya is certainly one of my favorite characters from Robotics;Notes due to her upbeat and energetic personality.  Her positive attitude is a great contrast to Kai, the main character, and makes them surprisingly fit as a duo.  Thanks to Akiho’s strong passion to fulfill her dream of building a real and fully-functional Gunvarrel, she assembles the main cast and keeps everyone together, despite the many hardships.  Overall, she is a very likable character and is one of the main reasons why I enjoyed watching the series.

Will:

Chouji Akimichi (CV: Kentarou Itou) – Naruto

Chouji is definitely a great character from Naruto. Having said that, I pretty much like most of the characters that aren’t Sasuke and Sakura. Chouji is a big guy like myself and his powers were fairly interesting. Characters that can grow should be able to do it to specific limbs because that is just the smartest use of their powers. His love of food is very relatable as well. I love meat, snacks, and meat snacks. It also doesn’t hurt that he is best friends with my favorite character from Naruto. Overall, Chouji is a great guy that has nice, but not ridiculous powers.

Agito Wanijima (CV: Ryoko Shiraishi) – Air Gear

For anyone that thinks Agito is not an “Aki” character, you obviously don’t know about Akito, his alternate personality. What is cool about this guy? He is the Fang King and a total badass. People that have watched or read Air Gear know that this guy is ridiculously powerful and the shark stuff is always cool. His character design is great and everything about him was pretty cool aside from the stuff that was thrown in at the end of the series. Having said that, I did not care for the last arc or so of Air Gear. Agito may not have been my favorite character in Air Gear, but that is because the series was full of great characters. It is a bit old now, so I definitely suggest that people try out the series if you haven’t already.