Shukichi Haneda, who holds the professional shogi title Taiko Meijin, stands as a prominent figure in the world of shogi. Born Shukichi Akai, he is the middle child of Tsutomu Akai and Mary Sera, placing him as brother to both Shuichi Akai and Masumi Sera. After a certain incident, potentially connected to his father’s death, he and his younger sister began using the surname Sera. Upon graduating high school, he adopted the surname Haneda out of admiration for the shogi player Kohji Haneda, though their relationship remains undefined. He currently lives in the Chateau Beika Condo. His personality blends a cheerful, occasionally immature demeanor, especially around former girlfriend Yumi Miyamoto, with a serious and calm composure during shogi matches, media engagements, and detective work. He expresses extreme confidence in his memorization skills, frequently declaring himself the world’s best. A core motivation is his patient, resolute drive to claim all seven major shogi titles to prove his worth to Yumi, whose influence over him is so profound that she acts as his muse, directly impacting his shogi performance. In appearance, he has dark brown hair that often sticks up at the back. He typically wears glasses, though removes them for shogi matches and interviews. His physical traits more closely resemble his father’s than those of his siblings. He favors casual, slouchy clothing such as jerseys, but dons traditional Japanese attire for shogi matches. His abilities are notable: a highly accomplished shogi professional, he has earned the Meijin title and once held all seven major titles simultaneously, though he currently retains six. He is renowned for exceptional memorization skills and demonstrates strong deductive and investigative capabilities, often consulted by his sister Masumi to verify her deductions. On one occasion, his reasoning in a case surpassed Conan Edogawa’s, allowing him to identify a culprit earlier. His relationship with Yumi Miyamoto is central to his narrative. They met a decade ago on a train when he fell asleep on her shoulder; she missed her stop to ensure he woke at his station. They dated until Yumi ended the relationship, citing his immaturity and her focus on becoming a police officer. At that time, he gave her an envelope, instructing her not to open it until he “collected all seven” shogi titles. Despite the breakup, he still considers her his girlfriend. Their relationship has seen ongoing developments, including a pre-match kiss for luck and a period of living together. Yumi initially did not know of his shogi fame, but eventually learned his profession. The envelope was later revealed to contain a marriage registration form, which became void after he lost a title. Yumi tore it up but encouraged him to continue his pursuit. His family connections remain significant. He maintains phone contact with his younger sister Masumi, who frequently calls for help solving cases. His relationship with older brother Shuichi is less detailed, though he has contacted him via text to request protection for Yumi when she was in danger—a request Shuichi accepted. During the events of "The Scarlet Bullet," he shows deep concern for Yumi’s safety when a serial killer targets policewomen in her department. He calls her frantically every ten minutes from a borrowed phone to check on her and ultimately seeks Shuichi’s assistance to ensure her protection. Other minor details include his relationships with high school classmates and a favorite phrase identical to one used by his brother.