Ryūnosuke Akutagawa serves as a central figure, introduced as a ruthless enforcer for the Port Mafia. His distinctive appearance features a slim build, pale skin, and choppy black hair accented by white-tipped bangs. Chronic lung issues originating from his impoverished childhood in Yokohama's slums frequently trigger coughing fits. He typically wears a long black coat over a white ruffled dress shirt and a jabot, though simpler attire like a black coat and tinted glasses appears during personal time with his sister. His personality embodies a harsh survival-of-the-fittest philosophy, convinced the weak deserve to perish. This manifests in extreme violence during missions and a detached, cold demeanor towards others. Despite this brutality, he maintains standards against unnecessary torture, favoring swift kills. Underlying this ruthlessness is a profound need for validation, especially from his former mentor Osamu Dazai, whose abandonment left deep feelings of inferiority. This fuels an intense, obsessive rivalry with Dazai’s new protégé, Atsushi Nakajima, whom he initially deems weak and undeserving. While largely antisocial, he demonstrates genuine care for his younger sister, Gin Akutagawa, assisting her without complaint. He also exhibits moments of honesty, apologizing to subordinates who incur risks on his behalf. Akutagawa wields the ability **Rashōmon**, manipulating his coat or other garments into a shadow-like beast for offense and defense. This versatile ability exhibits multiple forms: - **Agito (Jaws)**: Forms massive jaws for biting or crushing. - **Murakumo (Swarm)**: Extends into clawed appendages for physical strikes. - **Sawarabi (Budding Bracken)**: Summons ground-based spikes to impale opponents. - **Higanzakura (Early Blooming Cherry Blossom)**: Encases and lifts targets before exploding into piercing spikes. - **Spider Thread**: Creates razor-sharp webs for capture. - **Devoured Space**: Manipulates space to block attacks, requiring time for activation. - **Demonic Armor**: Wraps him in a protective exoskeleton. Rashōmon can consume virtually anything, including space. Akutagawa avoids bathing due to the vulnerability of being unable to manifest Rashōmon without clothing. His background reveals origins as an orphan in Yokohama's slums, struggling for survival alongside his sister Gin and other children. After criminal traders murdered his companions, he sought revenge but encountered Dazai, who had already killed the perpetrators. Dazai offered him a choice: join the Port Mafia as his subordinate or receive financial security. Driven by complex respect for Dazai and a desire for purpose, Akutagawa chose the mafia. He endured harsh training under Dazai but never earned approval, fostering deep-seated resentment and insecurity that shaped his later fixation on proving his worth, especially after Dazai defected. His character development centers on his evolving dynamic with Atsushi. Initially, he relentlessly pursues Atsushi to kill him and claim a bounty, seeking validation by proving superiority over Dazai’s new pupil. Their early encounters showcase Akutagawa’s contempt for Atsushi’s perceived weakness. However, witnessing Atsushi’s resilience, growth, and compassion—particularly during grief over his mentor’s death—gradually forces Akutagawa toward reluctant respect. This culminates in pragmatic alliances against common threats like Fitzgerald and Goncharov, demonstrating effective, if tense, cooperation. Akutagawa’s rigid worldview subtly shifts as he acknowledges Atsushi’s strength. A significant physical and psychological change occurs when he is turned into a vampire by Bram Stoker, altering his appearance with blackened sclerae and vein-like markings, though his core motivations persist. Trivia notes include his dislike of plants, dogs, baths, broad beans, and mandarins, alongside preferences for antiques, tea, and figs. His name, meaning "Son of the Dragon," references his birth year in the astrological year of the dragon, potentially inspiring Rashōmon’s draconic manifestations. He remains unaware the "frilly thing" on his collar is called a jabot. His character draws inspiration from the real-life Japanese author of the same name, who suffered mental and physical illness and died by suicide; parallels include the naming of his ability after the author’s story "Rashōmon" and shared themes of moral ambiguity and survival.