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- Mita isn't the kind of guy who gives up easily. We kept singing with him because we believed that about him. There was probably nothing we could've done if he had already decided to up and leave town... But he was still here.
- —Akito to Koutaro's friend in "Flame Passed On" second side story
Akitaro is the slash ship between Koutaro Mita and Akito Shinonome.
Canon[]
Koutaro and Akito are fellow musicians who are first shown interacting in Vivid BAD SQUAD's Main Story. They both are in the lineup for the event to surpass RAD WEEKEND, RAD BLAST, alongside the other members of Vivid BAD SQUAD, Arata Touno, and EVER. Akito and Koutaro both create music digitally, write lyrics, sing, rap, and dance. Having known of Akito since he first began pursuing music, Koutaro has witnessed all facets of Akito’s personality. Because of this, Akito trusts Koutaro with his past traumas and holds no qualms being his unfiltered self around him. While Koutaro’s initial inspirations for singing are RADder and his little brother it’s revealed that after practicing together so much Akito’s singing has become the light Koutaro chases after.
Main Story[]
Episode 4 of the Vivid BAD SQUAD main story is when Koutaro first appears. Koutaro casually approaches Akito and Touya following one of their performances as BAD DOGS, complimenting their set and pointing out how they’ve been giving it their all lately. Akito immediately drops his “nice guy” facade, as Koutaro is a familiar face, saying it’s only natural that they would be, given such pursuits were child’s play to Ken at their age. Touya agrees, saying they’ll need all the experience they can if they’re to surpass RAD WEEKEND. Koutaro laughs, saying they’ve been repeating such sentiments forever, but that the idea of anyone actually surpassing RAD WEEKEND is far-fetched. Akito sneers at him, saying that even if such a claim is crazy, it won’t deter their determination to do so. Koutaro is unphased by his grimace, telling Akito to calm down, as he knows as well as anyone how talented BAD DOGS are. Even so, he says nobody can compare with RAD WEEKEND and that Akito, having been there to see it as Koutaro had, should recognize that. He recalls the event and that RADder, the audience, and all other circumstances surrounding the event were perfect. Koutaro’s smile falls as he tells them that their show just now wasn’t even close. Akito clicks his tongue, telling him he knows as much, but that is exactly the reason they’re working so hard. Koutaro is reminded of An and the way she too has declared her intentions to surpass RAD WEEKEND and suggests Akito and Touya team up with her. Akito acknowledges An isn’t bad and that he’d be willing to team up with her but only if she has the talent and drive he deems to have the potential to follow through with their aspirations.
In episode 8 Koutaro appears again in the audience of another BAD DOGS performance. He clicks his tongue, frustrated at the audience discussing An after the show. Akito asks why Koutaro’s angered by that and Koutaro says that he’s sick of everyone talking about An all the time. He says Akito and Touya must be frustrated being compared to someone thriving off her father’s reputation given they’re performing in the same event soon. Touya begins to disagree but Akito interjects that he’s looking forward to the event as an opportunity to crush An and Kohane with their singing. Koutaro asks for clarification and Akito says he plans to show them what real talent is so they won’t carelessly declare they’ll surpass RAD WEEKEND anymore. Koutaro is delighted, saying it’s a great idea and that An will look incredibly immature by comparison. He alludes to aiding them in his own little way and Akito tells him not to interfere in their business, as it’s their problem to deal with. Casually, Koutaro tells them not to worry about him, as he won’t do anything “too bad.”
Episode 9 begins with Touya disagreeing with Akito’s desire to hurt An and Kohane’s egos and that their determination is the same as theirs. Akito reluctantly agrees to hear them out just this once. Touya is relieved. That’s when Koutaro appears, reverting the direction of the conversation by telling Akito and Touya to give Vivids a good thrashing. Akito is unamused by his comment and spares Koutaro no pleasantries, saying it’ll all depend on the fight An and Kohane put up. After Akito and Touya walk away, Koutaro talks to himself, pleased by the concept of An no longer riding her father’s coattails once they’re defeated by BAD DOGS. Deviously, he prepares to lend them his support.
When Kohane’s part begins in her performance with An, backstage Koutaro unplugs a cable, disconnecting the audio and halting the music and microphones. In the animated version of this scene from Journey to Bloom, the lights go out as well. Touya and Akito are as caught off guard as Kohane and An are, having been unaware of Koutaro’s ploy. Akito hurries backstage to see the cause of the problem. An continues singing despite the “equipment malfunction” but Kohane is unable to recollect herself. It’s clear that, despite doubting the achievability of Akito’s goal and being granted sparse niceties from him, that Koutaro is rooting for Akito, even to the point of putting others down and sabotaging them to win Akito’s favor.
Regardless of his intentions, upon discovering what Koutaro had done, Akito is furious with him. In the animated version of this scene from Journey to Bloom, Akito forcefully shoves Koutaro. Koutaro is surprised by their reaction, as to his understanding, Akito and Touya also wanted to ruin Kohane and An’s performance. Akito tells Koutaro not to dare lump them in with his pathetic jealousy and that he ruined the whole event. Koutaro defends himself, saying Akito was the one who said he was going to crush the Vivids so the only reason he cut the power was to help him.
Episode 10 begins where episode 9 left off, with An confronting Akito over cutting the power. Koutaro is surprised and runs off, not courageous enough to face the repercussions for his actions. Despite the fact it was Koutaro who pulled the cable and that Touya is about to tell An such, Akito instead takes credit for the stunt. Akito was likely taking this as an opportunity to express his disdain of Vivids half hearted claims to surpass RAD WEEKEND. Touya is shocked by Akito’s decision to do this, as it’s a lie and there’s no real reason for him to protect Koutaro’s reputation in this way, especially given Akito’s rather consistent annoyance towards him. Akito says that because Koutaro’s actions were motivated partially by his intentions to crush the Vivids that he felt himself to be responsible for them and that he hates giving excuses, despite the fact that rather than giving an excuse he’d only be exposing the truth.
Episode 15 is when Koutaro finally fesses up to his wrong doings to An and Kohane after running into them at the music store. An recognizes him as having “helped” Akito and Touya mess with the sound during their performance at the live house RED. Koutaro apologizes and clears Akito and Touya’s names. An is frustrated with him and Koutaro apologizes again. An asks why he would tell them now when he could have stayed quiet and let Akito take the blame. He explains that he initially thought An’s support was wholly because of her father being Ken but that seeing them perform made him realize he was wrong. He apologizes for a third time. An accepts his apology so long as he doesn’t repeat his mistake.
STRAY BAD DOG[]
In episode 5, Koutaro runs into Akito backstage during an event. Koutaro thinks about how Vivid BAD SQUAD and Arata have been garnering the most attention lately but that it won’t stop him from continuing to try. He’s shocked to see Akito, as Vivid BAD SQUAD isn’t scheduled to perform. Akito says it’s just him alone that day. Then, scowling, Akito points out to Koutaro that he’s apologized to Kohane and An about his actions in the main story but hasn’t said anything to Akito or Touya. Koutaro stutters before regretfully admitting that he doesn’t think he has the right to say anything to them until he’s gotten back on his own feet as a musician first. Akito sighs, seemingly disarmed by Koutaro’s meek reaction, and just tells him not to do it ever again.
In episode 6, Vivid BAD SQUAD is questioning Akito’s severe reaction to his loss to Arata, pushing himself far further than he typically would. Koutaro comes into WEEKEND GARAGE looking for Touya. An doesn’t recall Koutaro’s name, so this is when Koutaro is officially introduced as Koutaro Mita as opposed to just Musician. Koutaro tells An, Kohane, and Touya that he’s supposed to be in another event with Akito but he’s worried something is wrong. The event is supposed to be a battle event but Arata crashed it and Akito snapped. Koutaro says it’s like he’s reverted to his old self, back when BAD DOGS had just formed. Touya asks for him to elaborate, as Koutaro has known Akito for the longest of all of them. Koutaro continues, reminding Touya how rough they had it at the start due to the way both the audience and older musicians heckled them. Touya recalls how intensely Akito practiced but Koutaro tells him that, while that may have been how Touya saw it, in his eyes and in the eyes of everyone else, his efforts were far beyond the average hard-working person.
Day and night, even when Touya wasn’t around, Akito practiced until he couldn’t even physically sing. Koutaro wasn’t able to get much information out of Akito when he pressed him on it, but Koutaro correctly assumed Akito was doing it to keep up with Touya. Koutaro, still accurately reading Akito, says that Akito probably felt that Touya’s skills were far beyond his own because of his classical music background. Other musicians even went so far as to say that Akito was progressing from An, Touya, and Kohane’s talents rather than his own. An is outraged by such a claim and Touya recalls Akito demeaning himself in the last episode. Touya thanks Koutaro for coming to them and Koutaro takes them to the live house BROWN to see Akito. Even though Koutaro has known Akito longer than his teammates, he knows they have the deepest bond with him and was thus prepared to discard his pride and seek them out to help Akito in a way he can’t.
In episode 8 after Vivid BAD SQUAD faces off with Arata, Koutaro approaches them and Akito is surprised to see him. Koutaro shouts that he’s been there the whole time and that he was the one who told them about the event in the first place. Then he praises them, saying they were something else and that Akito looked a lot happier with the others too. Akito agrees, thanking Koutaro for bringing them there, and smiling at Koutaro for the first time.
Bout For Beside You[]
In the 1st episode of the event Koutaro runs up to Vivid BAD SQUAD, frantic to tell them about Arata battling against Taiga. This marks the second time Koutaro has immediately ran to tell Vivid BAD SQUAD about some important occurrence on Vivid Street. He again leads them to the live house the battle is taking place at. Akito and An immediately recognize Taiga whereas Koutaro, despite also having seen RAD WEEKEND, doesn’t.
THE POWER OF UNITY[]
This event is about Vivid BAD SQUAD assembling an event team. In episode 2 after practicing and discussing, Akito and Touya overhear Koutaro singing outside despite how late in the evening it is. Koutaro laments to himself about continuing to fail to hit a high note in the song he’s singing before noticing Akito and Touya’s presence. His mood brightens and he greets them, asking if they’re headed home. Akito affirms his suspicions before asking if Koutaro is still practicing, noting that he never sees Koutaro out this late. Confidently, Koutaro tells him that he is, as he’s been super stoked lately. Akito asks if the reason is because Koutaro is going to be in a big event soon. Bashfully, Koutaro admits that he isn’t. Tentatively he confesses it’s because of how locked in Vivid BAD SQUAD has been and that seeing them and Arata working so hard made him realize he should work harder. Akito and Touya are surprised and Koutaro continues, saying that surpassing RAD WEEKEND sounded totally impossible but that he’s begun to believe Vivid BAD SQUAD might be capable of it.
In the first exposure of Koutaro’s lacking confidence, he says that despite not being the greatest musician that everyone wants to be in a huge event at least once in their lives. Frustrated, he adds that it’s been on his mind despite not being as good as Akito and Touya. Akito is amused by this and Koutaro stutters, asking if it’s weird for him to think that way. Softly, Akito reassures him, then saying that it makes him their rival and that he should be prepared if they meet during a battle. Touya agrees, saying they’ll give it all they have. Koutaro is surprised at first but smiles and agrees. Akito wishes Koutaro good luck with his practice before they part ways and Koutaro thanks them, telling them to get home safe. It’s evident that following the events of STRAY BAD DOG that Koutaro’s relationship with Akito has progressed immensely. While he called Koutaro a pathetic coward in the main story, now he’s even willing to acknowledge him as a potential rival upon seeing that he’s going to put in the effort to improve. Akito smiles to himself as he and Touya walk home, saying that he never thought Koutaro would become as motivated as he has. Touya says that Akito seems happy. Akito says it’s because he’s seeing more and more people making surpassing RAD WEEKEND their goal.
After this they recruit Arata Touno and EVER, the band that Tatsuya Okazaki leads, for their prospective event. In episode 4 they’re contemplating what final performer they can add to their lineup but can’t think of anyone else who is equally determined to surpass RAD WEEKEND as their current choices are. Coincidentally, their conversation is interrupted by Koutaro cheering in excitement about having just won a singing battle. Akito sneers at his noisiness but asks what he’s up to. Koutaro scowls in return before growing smug and telling them he’d just been an event and that they should’ve been there to see him win. Akito reluctantly congratulates him and Koutaro grumbles, asking what happened to respecting your elders, despite him only being approximately a year older. After Kohane uncomfortably apologizes on Akito’s behalf, Koutaro asks what Vivid BAD SQUAD is up to. Touya tells him that they’re looking for another performer for their event and Koutaro is shocked to hear they’re putting on an event rather than entering an existing one. Akito says that they knew it was something they’d have to do one day if they were to ever surpass RAD WEEKEND. An completes his thought by saying that it’s why they’re gathering teams who are seriously pursuing that goal and asks if Koutaro knows any options, namely a solo act. Koutaro frowns and Akito asks what’s wrong. In a stern tone, Koutaro asks if he can be in their event. An repeats that they’re looking for people who are serious about surpassing RAD WEEKEND. Stammering, Koutaro insists that he’s serious too.
He repeats the fact that he still feels terrible about ruining the first event Kohane and An entered together but after seeing them all keep at their music he recognized he needed to do better. He practiced like crazy, entered into events, and before he knew it, he found himself with the same goal they had. Sternly, Akito asks if he’s serious. With confidence, Koutaro says he is. He knows he initially said it half-heartedly the last time he saw them but that RAD WEEKEND had just as big an impact on him as it did An and Akito. But that impact was so big that he was afraid to say anything about surpassing it. Now, his determination is strong enough for him to say that he is going to surpass it, not just say he wants to try, because he knows he’ll finally be able to have some pride in himself when he does.
Akito stares at him before saying that the event isn’t going to be some walk in the park, given it’ll be featuring Arata and EVER. Koutaro falters anxiously, admitting that he used to sing for no reason other than being somewhat good at it and that he’s currently struggling to keep up with them. There’s no way he can surpass RAD WEEKEND at his current capacity, but he still wants to try. Steeling himself, he shouts that he wants to chase after it in earnest like them and promises to put on a worthwhile performance. He begs to join them. Touya is the first to say he’s okay with Koutaro participating. An asks him to confirm that he is as serious as he says and Koutaro insists it’s true. Akito sighs before his expression softens and he recalls the last time they spoke being when Koutaro was practicing past eight at night. He was practicing all alone with all his might and he likely stayed out far later than that. Nodding, Akito tells Koutaro he’ll take his words to heart. Koutaro smiles at him, grateful. When Kohane and An agree on him joining, he gasps and cheers in excitement. He tells them he’s going to train for it and that they’ll all be blown away. Akito frowns, telling him they get it already. At the latter end of the episode, Vivid BAD SQUAD, Koutaro, EVER, and Arata are gathered at a music studio to do a full run through of their event setlist together. Akito asks if they’re ready for it and Koutaro is the first to reply, saying he warmed up his voice that morning.
Episode 5 continues where episode 4 left off at the music studio. Vivid BAD SQUAD, EVER, Koutaro, and Arata establish that the goal of their rehearsal is to create synergy. When Akito describes his reasoning behind this, Koutaro enthusiastically agrees, saying it sounds exciting. After EVER performs first, Koutaro apprehensively takes the spotlight. An tells him to relax because he looks really nervous and stiff. Akito thinks that he isn’t sure what Koutaro’s capable of but that they’ll just have to wait and see if their decision to accept him onto the team was the right one. When Koutaro behinds singing, Akito is caught off guard before continuing to listen and smiling, commenting that he isn’t bad. He thinks to himself that they won’t have to worry about Koutaro. When Koutaro finishes singing, he cheers and thanks them, their intended audience, for listening before passing off the stage to Arata. Following Arata is Vivid BAD SQUAD. Exasperated, Koutaro comments that they’re even better than before.
Once they’ve all had their turn, they begin to discuss what was lacking, as they didn’t feel the same power as RAD WEEKEND in their lineup. Akito wonders what they’re missing, wishing they had some hint to guide them in the right direction. Koutaro’s first assumption is that it’s his fault, anxiously asking if he’s holding them back. Tatsuya tells him he’s not so Arata proposes changing up their song choices, as his didn’t mesh well with Koutaro’s. Koutaro decides to think further on his MC work and Akito suggests Vivid BAD SQUAD change their song choice as well.
At the end of episode 7, Arata tells Koutaro and Tatsuya about Souma and his reasons for singing, prompting Akito to ask Tatsuya what made him start singing. After Tatsuya answers, An poses the same question to Koutaro. Koutaro says that when his little brother was born he decided he wanted to become a cool big brother which was around when he saw RAD WEEKEND. Akito smiles softly, listening to Koutaro declare he’ll perform like his little brother is there despite him being too young to come in person. Akito thinks that, while they haven’t gotten closer to the atmosphere of RAD WEEKEND, that their dynamics together and motivations are changing slightly.
Episode 8 takes place on the day of the event they’ve spent the past 7 chapters planning, “Break”. They all huddle together to talk before the show begins and Tatsuya regretfully points out that they still never came close to a performance akin to RAD WEEKEND. Koutaro says that the event itself will probably be good but trails off uncomfortably. Akito sternly reminds him not to give up before they’ve even started. Koutaro is surprised before Akito continues on to say that he believes all of them present are serious about what they’re doing. No matter the cost, they all want to surpass RAD WEEKEND. They have to turn this event into a stepping stone towards achieving that goal. By struggling together, they’ll definitely find another clue. Koutaro’s enthusiasm is fully rejuvenated by his speech, saying they should go all out all the way until the end.
EVER starts them off before Koutaro performs. He excitedly goads the audience on. Backstage, Akito says he has a feeling they’re getting closer to the atmosphere of RAD WEEKEND, even if they’re still far off. After Arata passes off the mic to Vivid BAD SQUAD, Koutaro continues his MC work, introducing them as their last act and calling for applause. After the show, Koutaro sighs, saying he’s completely out of gas after performing. As everyone takes a break to catch their breath, Akito asks them what they all thought about the event’s atmosphere. After Akito declares they took a big step forward, Kohane suggests they keep doing events together as a group. After An and Touya agree with her idea, Koutaro does too, saying the show they put on was super awesome. Once Akito, Tatsuya, and Arata have also accepted the plan, Akito immediately gets on to discussing what they should do for their next event. An and Koutaro excitedly cheer in agreement.
Walk on and on[]
At the end of episode 1, Vivid BAD SQUAD practice passionately, fueled by An’s enthusiasm after sharing some of her memories about Nagi in The Vivid Old Tale. Koutaro smiles watching them, commenting that they just keep getting better and better. Tatsuya praises them and Kohane says that she hopes they can keep it up going into their next event. Koutaro agrees, saying they should keep doing everything they can, but that for now they should take a break. Akito reluctantly agrees, saying they should get in a quick cooldown. During their break, they end up discussing more ideas on approaching RAD WEEKEND’s atmosphere, and Koutaro says that, while understanding that they’re missing pieces, is stumped on what to do to get closer. After a suggestion from Arata, they agree upon creating new songs all following a theme for their event in a month.
In episode 4, everyone is discussing their progress on their new songs. Koutaro says his is about half finished and promises to have it ready in time for the event. Akito asks what kind of song Koutaro is writing. Koutaro says it’s something that’ll really get the crowd going, as he wants to make everyone go nuts and blow the roof of the place, metaphorically. High energy pop adjacent music appears to be Koutaro’s strong point.
Episode 7 begins with Koutaro singing his new song. An says his song feels like him and is easy to listen to because he doesn’t overcomplicate things. Akito agrees, saying Koutaro’s song provides a nice contrast to EVER’s rock sound. Despite the fact they’re rehearsing outside at a park, Koutaro still improvises MC work at their imaginary audience during intentional gaps in his song intended for such.
In the first side story of An's "Nuanced Language" card, Akito shows An his current progress of their song, following the theme of "silence and action." An, using extensive onomatopoeia, suggests to further the theme by having the intro start quiet before exploding. Koutaro overhears them and joins the conversation. Akito allows Koutaro to hear the song too, to which Koutaro repeats An’s words, again using onomatopoeia. He tells Akito he should hold back less and Akito gets frustrated that they’re teaming up to tease him. Koutaro and An continue pestering him until Tatsuya and Arata show up and tell them to cut it out. Arata rephrases An and Koutaro’s suggestion in a more eloquent way that Akito agrees with. An points out that Akito listened to Arata’s suggestion but brushed off hers. Koutaro calls Akito a bully and Akito justifies himself by insisting Arata’s suggestion was different and that their teasing negated their commentary.
Find A Way Out[]
Episode 1 begins with Akito asking Koutaro if he’s heard anything from Arata and Koutaro says that Arata said they should get started and that he’ll be there soon. All of them clink glasses and cheers to their second successful event, JET. Koutaro says that, because WEEKEND GARAGE is closed and it’s just them inside, they should party like there’s no tomorrow. He asks if they know that their event’s been generating a lot of conversation. Akito thinks back to Vivid BAD SQUAD speaking during the beginning of JET and it’s revealed that they took the stage first during the event and that they were the ones passing the baton off to Koutaro. Koutaro is happy that their decision to switch Vivid BAD SQUAD and EVER’s placement in their line up order worked out well. Arata and Ken arrive and the conversation continues. Ken says one of their regulars said that the way they sang showed guts and that it was great to see them go all out. Koutaro is elated, asking if the others heard and that it was awesome. Ken tells them to do their best on their next event and Akito thanks him while Koutaro promises to and says that it means a lot coming from him. Softly, Koutaro comments that their event must’ve gone even better than they’d realized if Ken was willing to speak so positively on it. Akito says that they still need to aim higher and that they shouldn’t get complacent after a few victories. When it’s proposed by Arata that they host their next event at Crawl Green, Koutaro repeats the name in shock, as does Akito. Akito grimaces before hiding his discomfort.
Episode 2 starts where episode 1 left off, with Kohane asking why Crawl Green is considered a sacred live house. Koutaro answers that it’s where RADder debuted before rambling on about what he’s heard about said debut event. Koutaro says that every musician in the area, especially people who look up to RADder, see Crawl green as a holy site before diverting attention to Akito and asking for his agreement. Somewhat reserved, Akito agrees. He stays quietly apprehensive on the idea of performing there, flashing back to the last time he had done so solo. When asked if something is wrong, he says he’s all for it too, hiding his true hesitancy. Koutaro enthusiastically says he’s been wanting to for a really long time, as just like Akito, he greatly admires RADder. After their meeting, Akito heads out to do his usual physical training. While running, he continues to recall his past failure at Crawl Green and uses it as fuel to work harder.
In the third most section of episode 3 it’s revealed after the Unity Squad celebration and discussion Koutaro went to reserve a limited-edition transformation belt for his little brother as a Christmas present. As he’s headed home, he notices Akito out running. Without hesitation he calls out to him, excitedly waving him over. Akito stops running and walks over to talk, asking what Koutaro is doing out instead of going home. He tells Akito about reserving his little brother’s Christmas present. Noticing how sweaty Akito is, alarmed, he asks if Akito has been training the whole time since their gathering ended. Akito says that he has been, as he doesn’t want to waste even a second. Koutaro dejectedly says Akito’s name, looking worried, before noting that Akito never changes and suggests he takes the day off since they just had an after party. Akito refuses firmly, insisting he should be doing even more if he actually wants to surpass RAD WEEKEND and perform at Crawl Green. Koutaro listens to his justification in fascination before smiling and asking to join Akito in his run. Akito raises his eyebrows in surprise and Koutaro says that Akito is right and that he too should be doing more for their Crawl Green performance. Akito smiles and accepts.
The story cuts ahead to Koutaro coughing and panting, pleading for a break, clearly far behind Akito in terms of both speed, strength, and stamina. Still seemingly unphased by their workout, Akito allows for a break, and Koutaro meekly apologizes. Akito tells him not to worry as this was around when he’d have taken a break anyway and gives Koutaro a fresh water. Koutaro thanks him and downs it. Refreshed, he asks how Akito isn’t yet tired even after having run for a while. Akito reveals that he runs like this every day. Slouching, Koutaro calls his behavior unbelievable, but corrects himself because for as long as he’s known Akito he’s always had the same personality and drive. Akito asks how far back he’s remembering and that he didn’t expect to be a part of Koutaro’s life for as long as he has been. Koutaro chuckles and agrees. He says he felt relieved when Akito teamed up with Touya because before he did he would try and do everything by himself and thought with a partner Akito might be able to settle down a bit. Akito pensively agrees, saying that Koutaro is one of the only people who really knows what Akito was like at the beginning.
With episode 4, episode 5, and the beginning of episode 6 being Akito’s flashback to when he first began singing on Vivid Street, the traumatic event he suffered being humiliated at Crawl Green, and the way Ken comforted him afterwards, the story returns to present day, wherein Koutaro has been listening to Akito’s retelling. Given Koutaro and Akito’s long history together and the fact the rest of Unity Squad seemed oblivious to Akito’s past with Crawl Green, this is likely the first time Akito has ever entrusted these memories to another person. It’s clear that because Koutaro has already seen the level of opposition Akito was faced with when first starting out due to his vitriolic personality that he trusts him with information that would otherwise feel shameful to confess. Akito says that, because of what Ken said that day, he’s never going to quit no matter what anyone else says until they surpass RAD WEEKEND. Self conscious, Koutaro asks that if Akito still has work to do, where does that leave him, clearly holding Akito’s abilities in high regard. Reenergized by Akito’s story and vigor, Koutaro says they should keep running for a little longer and then sing together after that. Akito is surprised by Koutaro’s sudden revitalization and Koutaro says that Akito’s story gave him a second wind. Especially because he wants to surpass RAD WEEKEND with Akito. Akito is taken aback before smiling and agreeing.
As they’re about to resume running, they notice the musical group Sherpard attracting an audience after a show at Punch Drink. Shepard is the group of musicians who intentionally humiliated Akito at Crawl Green. They recognize him immediately, heckling him, and Koutaro is shocked to realize they’re the group from Akito’s story. Despite Akito’s clear determination, they continue to demean him and challenge him to sing right there. Akito scowls at them but they continue goading him on. Koutaro jumps in, saying their words aren’t true. He doesn’t hesitate to defend Akito, even when it's against a full band of adult musicians bullying him. Akito stops Koutaro from getting involved further, accepting Sherpard’s challenge. Koutaro anxiously watches their showdown, the only audience member on Akito’s side. As the crowd is convinced by Akito’s singing, Koutaro smiles, having believed in his abilities from the start. When they’re finished, Koutaro confidently insists that without a doubt Akito is the winner. Akito feels relieved that he’s grown enough to redeem himself of his past failure and show up the people who put him in that situation. But then he insults himself, frustrated he’d have the audacity to feel satisfied by such a small victory in the grand scheme of things. He compares himself to An, Kohane, Touya, Arata, Ken, and Taiga, refusing to acknowledge that it was his own abilities that brought him this victory and saying he needs to aim far higher than this. Akito walks away, frustrated despite winning, and leaves a confused Koutaro behind calling after him.
After a long conversation with Taiga in episode 7 that brings Akito to tears, in episode 8 Akito is found by the rest of Vivid BAD SQUAD. Reassured by Koutaro’s reaction to his story, Akito is able to tell An, Kohane, and Touya about what happened the last time he performed at Crawl Green. Finally, Koutaro is able to find Akito, having been searching for him after he ran away from Punch Drink. He sighs in relief at having found him but is surprised the rest of Vivid BAD SQUAD has joined him outside. Akito apologizes for ditching Koutaro after the battle after making him tag along for his training, despite the fact Koutaro was the one who insisted on participating. Koutaro tells Akito not to worry, given he’s more concerned with Akito’s wellbeing. He stops worrying when he sees that Akito’s mood appears lighter. Akito confirms that he’s feeling better and thanks Koutaro for his concern and they smile at each other. Koutaro is alarmed when Akito says he isn’t yet done training that night. Touya, An, and Kohane decide to join him in vocal training and An asks if Koutaro will too and, determined to keep up with the rest of them, he tags along too. They race to the cafe and Koutaro is exasperated to have to run again.
Kick It Up A Notch[]
Most of Koutaro’s dialogue in this event is directed at Kohane, as this event focuses on her, but in episode 8 when Vivid BAD SQUAD is about to take the stage for their third Unity Squad event RISE, Koutaro calls out to Akito. Koutaro, having been witness to Akito’s face off with Sherpard, tells him he’s got to do even better than he did then. Akito confidently replies that Koutaro knows he will. After the show, Akito and Koutaro agree upon being exhausted after giving it their all.
Light Up The Fire[]
In episode 3 Akito, Koutaro, and the rest of Unity Squad are forced to sing against Taiga after he reveals to them all Nagi’s passing. Akito tells the others that there’s no way they can run from this battle, even if the circumstances are incredibly unfair. Koutaro is the second performer Taiga forces into the spotlight and Koutaro is teary eyed from anxiety the moment he’s called upon. Stuttering, he insists he isn’t running either and is going to surpass RAD WEEKEND regardless of what Taiga had just told them. He says, mostly to reassure himself, that he isn’t scared and that he doesn’t have time to be scared. Koutaro starts to sing but is immediately insulted by the audience that’s formed. Taiga has him so terrified he can’t sing with even a fraction of the power he typically can. Akito shouts to him to relax and go at his own pace. Taiga doesn’t even let Koutaro finish singing, saying he was making people suffer listening to it. Arata and Vivid BAD SQUAD take on Taiga after him. It’s only An that’s able to make a difference against him. But everyone’s confidence crumbles even further hearing Taiga sing a RADder song. Koutaro starts to cry again as the audience disperses, silently pleading for them not to leave and lose hope in their team.
Episode 4 shows the members of Unity Squad nursing their broken hearts on Vivid Street past sunset. Arata is the first to throw in the towel. Then Tatsuya and the rest of EVER. Koutaro is shocked to watch them leave—the performers he believed in so wholeheartedly and worked so hard to keep up with. The groups that were recruited to Unity Squad, not like him, who pleaded to partake. Koutaro sobs, asking why this is happening, saying that the situation isn’t fair in the slightest. That this was the first real dream he ever had, cursing the fact such a dream had to be an impossibly hard one. Tears streaming down his face, he questions why he couldn’t sing when it mattered most—in defense of his friends and their shared dream. He asks why he’s such a stupid, spineless piece of garbage, clearly loathing himself for his failure. Akito sadly murmurs his name. All Koutaro can do is sob as they watch. He asks hoarsely if what Taiga meant was that they shouldn’t chase after dreams they can’t possibly achieve, clearly insinuating he doesn’t believe himself to be good enough to ever surpass RAD WEEKEND. He says that he’s been holding everyone back and that he knew such to be true the entire time. Despite all his hard work and the determination he showed, he never once believed himself to be of equal value to the rest of them. He clung to the way they were after the same dream as him. He scolds himself for not letting go of that hope despite its improbability and the burden he was on them. Koutaro softly apologizes twice, voice breaking. He runs away before they can stop him, breaking down in tears again. Akito grits his teeth in anger and despair before cussing and punching a fence in frustration.
On Your Feet[]
In episode 3 Vivid BAD SQUAD happen to run into Koutaro on Vivid Street. Akito calls out his name and runs up to him. Koutaro is shocked to see them and immediately wilts in reaction. He says Akito’s name with deep melancholy. Akito says that they haven’t seen Koutaro since that night with Taiga. Akito smiles nervously, asking if Koutaro got his text message. Koutaro lies rather blatantly, faking a smile and saying that he was going to reply but his phone broke. Koutaro’s smile falls, apologizing and trying to excuse himself. Akito asks him to wait and talk and An explains that after hearing the full story about Nagi from Ken that they decided to keep chasing after RAD WEEKEND. She wants Koutaro to hear the story as well and Touya and Kohane ask him to hear them out too. Koutaro mumbles that he can’t help them. He apologizes again, desperately fighting back tears and running away once again. Akito curses under his breath, scowling in frustration.
BURN MY SOUL[]
Episode 1 is from Koutaro’s perspective as he walks along Vivid Street. He sighs sadly, staring at his feet. Koutaro’s friend asks if he’s listening and he apologizes for spacing out, clearly still burdened by the events that happened there months ago. Koutaro’s friend asks if he wants to be in their event, as he hasn’t done a single one since Taiga crushed his dreams. Koutaro’s friend says it seems like a waste for a good singer like him to stop performing. Koutaro gently refuses, saying he needs more time to heal his mental scars. He apologizes and says he really appreciates being invited. Koutaro’s friend tells him not to apologize and to let them know if anything changes, as he’ll always be welcome. They leave to begin preparations. As soon as they’ve left, Koutaro drops his polite smile and becomes melancholy once again. He thinks back on that night, when Tatsuya and Arata left before him and Vivid BAD SQUAD’s reactions. He wonders what the others are doing, as he heard Ken was closing WEEKEND GARAGE temporarily. He overhears some other musicians talking as they walk past, saying they haven’t seen Ken or Vivid BAD SQUAD anywhere for quite some time. One replies that apparently Vivid BAD SQUAD broke up, having given up after Taiga’s cruel thrashing. Koutaro is taken aback before muttering that it’s not possible. They wouldn’t give up as easily as he did.
The owner of Crawl Green recognizes Koutaro and Koutaro nervously greets him. He’s shocked he remembered his name—the most forgettable of the bunch. The owner of Crawl Green points out that he would definitely remember his name after their event RISE. Koutaro smiles before again casting his eyes down at the mention of Taiga. The owner of Crawl Green says Koutaro must be tougher than he thought to have not vanished entirely as Arata and EVER have. Koutaro corrects him, saying he really isn’t. He smiles sadly as he admits that since that day he’s been spending less time on Vivid Street and that he was only there that day because his friends forced him, telling him to stop beating himself up. Koutaro has been avoiding singing ever since feeling that he failed Vivid BAD SQUAD being beaten down by Taiga. Koutaro fearfully asks if it’s true that Vivid BAD SQUAD has broken up and the owner of Crawl Green says that he’s pretty sure they’re still at it but that they may have started performing elsewhere. This is correct, as Ken has been taking them to distant live houses to train. Koutaro pales at this, thinking that they’ve given up on surpassing RAD WEEKEND even if they haven’t stopped singing. The owner of Crawl Green tentatively asks Koutaro if he’s not been speaking with them. Koutaro falters, shamefully recalling how he ran away from them during On Your Feet.
He sadly thinks about how the sparkle and excitement of Vivid Street is gone without Vivid BAD SQUAD. He can’t accept the idea Vivid BAD SQUAD would give up their dream of surpassing RAD WEEKEND because they were the ones telling him not to give up. But he wouldn’t blame them if they had given up after such a harrowing ordeal. Wincing, he urges himself to stop thinking about it. It’s no longer his business after running away as he had. He has no right to say anything to them after leaving without hearing them out. Then, Akito’s voice rings out as he tests his microphone. Breathlessly, Koutaro murmurs his name.
Episode 8 resumes the events of episode 1, with Akito performing on Vivid Street with the intent of reigniting the excitement and hope of their prospective audience. As he’s about to begin, he spots Koutaro in the crowd. Their eyes meet. Smiling, Akito wordlessly tells Koutaro to watch him closely. Akito reaffirms their goal to surpass RAD WEEKEND to the crowd and expresses his intent to show them how serious they are about it. Koutaro is greatly relieved to hear they haven’t given up. Koutaro is blown away by Akito’s singing and wonders just how much he had to practice to achieve such a performance. He murmurs that Akito got this good while no one was looking before quietly remembering Akito had been that way from the start. Everyone made fun of him for having a loud voice and nothing else, including Koutaro. No one thought he was special or had any talent. Koutaro thinks Akito works harder than anyone he knows and that he’s long since surpassed all his naysayers. Teary eyed, Koutaro realizes he’d come to really love the way Akito sang. Koutaro questions what’s different between him and Akito before answering his own question: no matter how hard he works, he’s still terrible because he doesn’t have any guts. And he ran and didn’t keep singing until the end as Akito has. Koutaro wants to learn how to sing like Akito. He doesn’t want to give up, even if he’s awful now. If he keeps trying, maybe someday he can reach Akito and sing with the power they did as a group. Koutaro thinks back to the pep talk Akito gave Unity Squad during their first event together, Break.
Akito finishes singing and promises that Vivid BAD SQUAD will surpass RAD WEEKEND at their next event at COL. Koutaro gasps in shock, wide eyed at Akito’s proclamations. Akito calls out, saying anyone who wants to surpass that night should join them for the ride. Given Akito noticed and silently addressed Koutaro at the beginning of his performance, it’s very likely these words are strongly directed towards him. Koutaro starts to yearn for it, to join them, before insisting that he can’t. He can’t go back after running away from them the first time. He doesn’t have the courage to face them. The owner of Crawl Green asks Koutaro if he’s going and Koutaro meekly says he isn’t. He doesn’t want to be a burden on them anymore. With tears in his eyes, Koutaro questions if this is the end of the line for him. Is he just going to keep running away? Be a terrible singer and a coward that’s full of regrets for the rest of his life? Akito’s face and voice flash through his mind. No. He doesn’t want to stay like this. He’s done giving up. He wants to take a hard look at the way he sings like Akito has.
Akito starts to walk away and Koutaro calls out to him, pleading for him to wait. Akito stops in surprise. Koutaro begs to come with him, begs for another chance to chase after their dream together. He knows he isn’t in a position to ask him for such a privilege, but he continues to beg anyway. He says he wants to learn how to sing like Akito. He wants to surpass RAD WEEKEND with Akito and the others. Sternly, Akito says that wanting to sing like him or with him isn’t enough. Koutaro winces and looks away, ready to retreat at the sign of rejection. Akito asks if he’s prepared to do whatever it takes to surpass that event and if he has the guts. Koutaro hesitates and asks himself if he does. After bracing himself, he insists that he does. He says he’s never running away again. Akito sighs before replying that it took him long enough to come around. He accepts him, saying they should do it together. Voice breaking, Koutaro thanks him. Akito says he doesn’t need to thank him. Koutaro keeps saying how terrible he is, but Akito thinks it isn’t true and that he knows how to sing with passion. They need him for their goal. A tear rolling down his face as he finally smiles, Akito agrees.
BREAK DOWN THE WALL[]
In the opening chapter, Koutaro competes at a live house alongside Vivid BAD SQUAD. Koutaro tells them to show the audience and their competitors what they've got and that he’ll do the same when it’s his turn after them. They reconvene at WEEKEND GARAGE afterwards and Koutaro laments that he can’t believe how good they’ve become, going toe-to-toe with amazing teams. Grinning, Akito reminds him that he also went all out. Bashfully, Koutaro admits that he feels he needs to at least match Vivid BAD SQUAD’s passion since he can't match their skill. He needs to do everything he can to catch back up after being out of commission for what appears to have been several months.
Whip Yourself into Shape![]
In episode 6 while An and Kohane are outside battling it out, Koutaro, Touya, and Akito encounter each other in Weekend Garage. They didn’t intend on having practice that day, and yet they all showed up out of habit anyway. Koutaro says he was getting antsy at home and that practicing there alleviates it. Because they’ve been told by Ken to give their throats a break, he suggests they practice for a bit and then go out somewhere together. Before they can, they notice the conflict outside. After seeing Tatsuya, Akito rushes outside and Koutaro and Touya chase after him.
In the first side story of Touya's "Fear That I've Felt" card, Kohane, Touya, and Koutaro go to a trendy cafe which serves strawberry coffee, a combination of Touya and Koutaro's favorite foods. When they return to WEEKEND GARAGE, drinks from the cafe in hand, after their break ends, Akito is immediately able to guess what Koutaro did for his order—swapping the dark chocolate chips for white chocolate chips. Koutaro is surprised but affirms his assumption. After Ken correctly guesses Touya’s order, Touya asks how they were able to guess his and Koutaro’s orders. Akito says it's because they've been to the cafe multiple times already and Ken says that Akito, An, and Kohane asked him to guess what Touya would order. Akito was able to guess Koutaro’s without any external input. This also suggests that, given his sweet tooth, Akito has done the same thing with his strawberry coffee when ordering it too.
Side Stories[]
Akito Shinonome - Newfound Enthusiasm[]
In the card art of the untrained version of this card, Koutaro is on the far left, watching and listening to Akito’s pep talk.
In the first side story of the card Touya states that Koutaro is very impressive given his task of taking the stage between EVER and Arata. After An agrees, Kohane mentions that while singing very well he’s also great at engaging the audience as an MC. Akito says that Kotaro has been thinking about how to give a performance that suits him while also acting as a bridge between performances. Akito smiles, saying “Seriously, when did he learn to do all this…?”
In the second side story of the card, while rewatching their team’s event performance, Koutaro is surprised to see the audience’s reaction to his singing. An says it must have felt good to experience that reaction to which Koutaro says, “I was way too nervous to remember!” Exasperated, Akito says, “People usually aren’t so honest…” While Akito recalls his own thoughts during Vivid BAD SQUAD’s performance, Koutaro is impressed by Akito’s ability to think rationally in the midst of performing and is in turn motivated to become capable of achieving the same level headedness. When the group finishes watching the footage and are about to begin discussing how they can improve upon it, Koutaro asks for the others to go easy on him because he’s the type who grows through praise. Akito smiles tauntingly and says he can’t wait to discuss Koutaro’s performance, egging him on. Koutaro hides behind Touya as Tatsuya and Arata join Akito in taunting him. Touya compares the way everyone is comfortable teasing Koutaro to achieving the synergy they’re working towards manifesting.
Akito Shinonome - How We Each Spend Our Days Off[]
In the first side story of the card, due to Touya’s workload, Akito is pushing himself harder in turn by coming to practice early. Koutaro is impressed but exasperated at their continuously more intensive efforts. Akito asks Tatsuya, Arata, and Koutaro how they spend their days off and Koutaro answers that he crashes and falls asleep whenever he’s tired but wakes up ready to sing. Akito scowls, as he was actually asking how they individually practice. Arata and Tatsuya back Koutaro up, emphasizing the importance of taking healthy breaks to refresh between practicing. Koutaro smiles smugly at Akito, insisting that resting is really important and that he isn’t crazy regardless of what Akito intended with his question. Crossing his arms, Akito says that the statement is less compelling when it comes from Koutaro. When Akito and Touya agree to rework their practice schedule when they’re done with the grind to complete their work for their upcoming songs, Koutaro smiles mischievously watching them. Akito asks what it is he wants to say after catching him staring. Koutaro says that despite Akito seeming prickly most of the time that he isn’t in actuality.
Akito Shinonome - The Reason For His Words[]
In the second side story of this card, Vivid BAD SQUAD, EVER, Arata, and Koutaro are eating together in Weekend Garage. Arata points out Akito’s ever present sweet tooth. Koutaro asks if the real reason Akito runs so much is because he eats so many sweets. Akito refutes this, saying he watches his portions, but not denying he eats sweets often.
Akito Shinonome - Strategy Meeting With Cheesecake[]
In the second side story of this card after completing their event at Crawl Green Akito steps away to speak with the owner of the live house while the others head off to their after party. After his conversation he comes outside to be met with everyone still waiting for him and Koutaro greeting him by asking what took him so long. Arata reminds Akito that they’re a team, so they weren’t just going to leave him behind, despite Koutaro’s whining about how hungry he is.
Akito Shinonome - Thirsting Wanderer[]
In the first side story of this card Akito is practicing singing in the Street SEKAI, but experiences repeated flashbacks to the events of Light Up The Fire. These flashbacks include when Koutaro degraded himself over his failure to defend himself from Taiga and when Koutaro apologized for being unable to maintain the determination necessary to continue working towards surpassing RAD WEEKEND. Akito is frustrated by his inability to push these memories from his mind, but reminds himself that, even if it’s starting from square one, they’ll bring the group back together again.
Akito Shinonome - Flame Passed On[]
In the second side story of this card Akito is approached by Koutaro’s friend. Koutaro’s friend compliments Akito on his performance from BURN MY SOUL before thanking him for helping Koutaro. It was Akito’s performance that gave Koutaro the push to start singing again because after their confrontation with Taiga in Light Up The Fire Koutaro was in a bad place mentally. Akito recalls how bad Koutaro looked during On Your Feet. Koutaro’s friend continues, saying it would’ve been a waste for Koutaro to stop singing because he’s talented and that he continuously invited Koutaro to participate in events but was turned down because Koutaro wasn’t emotionally ready. He says that with just one song Akito was able to pull Koutaro back onto his feet. Akito insists he doesn’t deserve all the credit for Koutaro’s revitalization. He says that Koutaro isn’t someone who gives up easily and that Vivid BAD SQUAD kept singing with him because they recognized that in him. If Koutaro had left Vivid Street as Arata had after their loss with Taiga there would not have been any way for them to reach out to him, but it was Koutaro who continued to linger there because he felt he had unfinished business as a musician. Akito also thanks Koutaro’s friend for inviting him out because they wouldn’t have run into him again had he not. Koutaro’s friend says he hopes that Koutaro and Vivid BAD SQUAD will achieve their goal of surpassing RAD WEEKEND and Akito assures him that they will.
Akito Shinonome - Unyielding Resolve[]
In the first side story of this card Vivid BAD SQUAD and Koutaro have just finished another singing competition with Vivid BAD SQUAD winning. Akito goes to talk to an old acquaintance. When he comes back, Koutaro points out that despite his stoicism Akito seems happy and wants to hear about what happened during his conversation. Akito brushes him off, but decides to cherish his feelings in the moment as fuel to keep working hard.
Akito Shinonome - I Won’t Miss It Next Time[]
In the second side story of this card Vivid BAD SQUAD and Koutaro have just participated in an event with EVER, their newly returned comrades. Akito is impressed by how well EVER did, given they’d supposedly stepped away from the music scene. He asks Tatsuya if they kept practicing following their face off with Taiga and Tatsuya says they would still do warm ups, as they couldn’t go cold turkey from music. Despite the fire inside them having never been fully extinguished, Tatsuya says that they couldn’t muster the nerve to face Vivid BAD SQUAD out of fear of holding them back, which is very reminiscent of Koutaro’s actions in On Your Feet. Koutaro says he understands and wishes he knew EVER felt the same way he did. Akito sighs, smiling sadly at them, before telling them they were welcome to come back whenever they liked and that there was no need for them to feel so guilty. Akito continues to speak with Tatsuya, saying that Vivid BAD SQUAD has improved a lot since Light Up The Fire and that they’re not letting anyone think for a second that they aren’t going to succeed in surpassing RAD WEEKEND. Koutaro is spellbound by his words. Akito smiles to himself, reminiscing on the times all of Unity Squad gathered in Weekend Garage to share a meal and discuss their event plans as he listens to Tatsuya, Touya, and Koutaro banter about what to have for dinner. Despite still lacking Arata from their lineup, Akito is happy that they have Koutaro and EVER back. Embarrassed to even admit it to himself, he acknowledges he likes it when they all hang out together. He knows it takes a lot of guts to get back up after getting knocked down as hard as they were, so he truly believes in Koutaro’s resolve and thinks they’ll be able to put on even better events now that he and EVER are back.
As Your Partner - Touya Aoyagi[]
In the second side story of this card Koutaro runs into Vivid BAD SQUAD after their practice. Koutaro points out that Akito is looking a lot better than he had recently and is back to his usual self. Touya apologizes for making Koutaro worry about Akito and assures him that things are now alright. Koutaro is glad to hear that but remarks that it’s been a long time since he last saw Akito look so frustrated and forlorn. An is surprised to hear that Koutaro has a long history with Akito like Touya does. Koutaro says that just like them he jumped into the music world right after seeing RAD WEEKEND. An asks Koutaro to tell them about how Akito was in the past when he first started music. Koutaro says that Akito hasn’t changed much since then, but the biggest difference is the way Akito used to go after people who made fun of him.
Because a lot of new musicians appeared after RAD WEEKEND some people would fight over where to play or what to sing, which resulted in a lot of new live houses opening in the area. Due to Akito standing out because of his inexperience and abrasiveness, older musicians targeted him and other younger musicians. Touya comments that Akito often attracted the worst of it and Koutaro adds the primary cause was because of Akito claiming he’d surpass RAD WEEKEND all on his own. Akito wouldn’t take their opposition sitting down and would fight back against them even though he was sorely outmatched. He’d get angry at people for bashing other’s dreams but at the same time get mad at people who claimed they’d surpass RAD WEEKEND without working towards it as aggressively as he was. An, Kohane, and Touya reaffirm their dedication to surpassing RAD WEEKEND matches Akito’s and Koutaro chimes in that he doesn’t intend to give up on it either.
Your Stomach Doesn’t Lie - Touya Aoyagi[]
In the first side story of this card, Touya comments that he had to contact Arata and Koutaro because they hadn’t yet sent him their set lists for their next event. Akito is frustrated, as the deadline is tomorrow, and says he’ll remind them if he happens to see them. Later in their conversation, Koutaro and Arata approach Vivid BAD SQUAD at the park. Koutaro happily greets them, but Akito glares at him, causing Koutaro to stutter and ask if they’d done something wrong. Arata correctly assumes it’s because of their set lists and Akito insists they cough them up already. Koutaro excuses himself by saying he had to make changes after their practice the day prior. Akito says they should begin practicing and Koutaro cheerfully asks if he can join in. Akito scoffs at him and Koutaro slouches and asks why Akito is still mad pitifully. Touya tells Akito to give it a rest so Akito relents and allows him and by extension Arata to join their practice.
Area Conversations[]
In an area conversation between Touya and Akito at Scramble Crossing Akito tells Touya that Arata had invited him to a pancake and parfait fair after Touya told Arata’s partner, Souma, that Akito’s favorite food is pancakes. Touya says food always tastes better when you’re with friends and that Koutaro also seemed interested so the four of them should go together, as it’s a good opportunity to get to know one another more. Akito relents, saying it’s fine just this once. It’s safe to infer that Akito, Touya, Arata, and Koutaro went to the pancake and parfait fair together.
In an area conversation between Touya, Akito, An, & Kohane on Main Street Touya points out to Akito about a diner having a sweets festival. Akito acknowledges it, saying that diner often is the first to do something when the seasons change. An calls him Mr. Sweet Tooth and Akito refutes her saying he doesn’t actively seek out such information and that he learns it all from Ena. Kohane and Touya point out that with Ena, Koutaro, and Arata, Akito has a lot of people around him who like sweets. An says that perhaps it's because birds of a feather flock together. Akito says it’s just a coincidence as it seems family members seem to have similar tastes, despite the fact that Arata and Koutaro aren’t related to him or each other.
Additional Content[]
In chapter 13 volume 1 of the Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat. Hatsune Miku Comic Anthology, Koutaro enters WEEKEND GARAGE while Kohane and Touya are practicing being servers at the cafe. Koutaro is apprehensive about being dragged into such a situation, but as soon as Akito utters the words "You're the only person we can ask," Koutaro puffs his chest and yields.
Quotes[]
- Koutaro – “I'm never running away! Not ever again! I wanna surpass that night! With you guys!”
- Akito – “Seriously, it took you long enough... Let's do it, together.”
- Koutaro – “Thanks, Akito...!”
- Akito – “You don't really need to thank me or anything. Also... You keep saying how you're so terrible, but that's not true. You know how to sing with passion. We're gonna need you for this. So, let's go surpass RAD WEEKEND together.”
- — BURN MY SOUL Episode 8 "Ignition"
- “Everyone used to make fun of him for only having a loud voice and nothing else. Including me. We didn't think he was special. Just another talentless, average joe. But he works harder than anyone I know, and he’s long since surpassed all his naysayers. I mean, now that I think about it, I had come to really like the way he sang.”
- — Koutaro about Akito in BURN MY SOUL Episode 8 "Ignition"
- Koutaro – “I still can't believe how good you guys have become. I mean, you went toe-to-toe with an amazing team like them.”
- Akito – “You say that, but try not to forget that you also went all out today.”
- Koutaro – “Well, I figure I at least need to match you guys for passion... Since I can't match your skill, and I need to do everything I can to catch back up to you after being out of action for so long.”
- Akito – “Yeah, we'll be counting on you.”
- — BREAK DOWN THE WALL Opening "The Wall"
- “It's just... You seem all prickly most of the time but you're really not deep down.”
- — Koutaro to Akito in the "How We Each Spend Our Days Off" first side story
Fanon[]
Akitaro is rivaled mainly by AkiToya as it is by far Akito’s most popular pairing. Overall, Akitaro is rare in popularity due to Akito having a large number of popular ships and Koutaro being a background character who doesn't appear outside Vivid BAD SQUAD focused events and side stories. However, following Akito's 4th focus event BURN MY SOUL, Akitaro has seen a steady increase in fans. The ship also has two notable variations, those being VBStaro or Polysquadtaro which is Polysquad plus Koutaro and AkiTouTaro, the ship between Akito, Touya and Koutaro. Even people who ship Akito with another character are often receptive to the idea of Koutaro having an unrequited crush on Akito based on his behavior.
In the Sanrio collaboration, Akito was paired with Badtz-Maru. Badtz-Maru has a friend named Hana-Maru, the optimist to his pessimist. For this reason, and the fact that the side characters such as Koutaro didn’t partake in the collaboration, the fandom has popularly assigned Hana-Maru as Koutaro's Sanrio associate. Other options considered for him have been Ichigo Man and The Strawberry King, due to his association with strawberries.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Koutaro/Akito tag on AO3
- Koutaro & Akito tag on AO3
- 彰洸 posts on Twitter
- 洸彰 posts on Twitter
- 三田彰 posts on Twitter
- Akitaro posts on Twitter
- Kouaki posts on Twitter
- Mitaaki posts on Twitter
- Kotaaki posts on Twitter
Trivia[]
- On Twitter, their ship is often referred to with the combinations of "🥞🍓" emojis, as pancakes are Akito's favorite food and strawberries are Koutaro's favorite food.
- Akito was 174 cm tall while Koutaro is approximately 180 cm based on his Live2D model, giving them a height difference of 6 cm. After the 3rd anniversary, Akito becomes 176 cm while Koutaro presumably remains 180 cm, narrowing the height gap down to 4 cm.
- While Akito and Koutaro's personalities differ massively, their interests in music and food align closely. Both are big eaters who love sweets.
- Koutaro has had two card cameos, both of which are in Akito's cards.
- Koutaro appears in the side stories of 6 Akito cards and is mentioned in 3 others, whereas he appears only 3 times in side stories of Touya cards, 3 times in side stories of An cards, and 4 times in side stories of Kohane cards.
Gallery[]
Fan Art[]
- All art in this section is fan made, and must be sourced back to the original artist. It also must have permission from the original artist to be posted here. If your art is here without your permission and you wish to have it taken down, please inform an admin, so that we may delete it.
Variations[]
- Akitoyataro — the ship between Akito, Koutaro, and Touya
- Polysquadtaro — the ship between Akito, Koutaro, Kohane, An, and Touya
