Akira Takezawa is introduced as the third-generation leader of the Hiratsuka Idaten Gang, a position he holds with a strict sense of duty and pride. His name carries meanings of warrior and brightness, which contrasts with the often dark and conflicted path he walks. He is first seen driving a black Toyota Mark II, a detail that fits his image as a serious and established gang leader.

Takezawa becomes a central figure in the story due to his relationship with a young woman named Fujisaki Shinomi. He is deeply infatuated with her, asking her to be his girlfriend and declaring that he would do anything for her. This devotion, however, is expressed through a possessive and controlling form of love, as he considers her his property after she gives him her virginity. For a time, Shinomi follows him devotedly, but her growing feelings for another person, Eikichi Onizuka, create a deep rift.

When Takezawa learns of Shinomi's crush on Eikichi, his initial reaction is one of jealous confrontation. He seeks out Eikichi, only to be reassured that Eikichi views Shinomi as a younger sister. Despite this, the situation festers within the Idaten gang, where rumors about Shinomi's infidelity begin to spread. Takezawa reacts violently to these rumors, beating his own gang members to silence them, and begs his friend Nakai to keep quiet about the truth, revealing a man torn between his personal feelings and his public image.

Takezawa’s primary motivation is to uphold the harsh, unforgiving rules of his gang, even when they conflict with his personal desires. When Shinomi officially breaks up with him and deserts the Idaten, he knows the severe consequences she faces. He finds her unconscious in the rain and takes her to the hospital, staying by her side as she recovers from pneumonia. This act of care is immediately followed by his cold acceptance of his duty as leader. When confronted by a former gang member, Takezawa insists he will follow the gang's rules, even for his own girl, and orders the Idaten to capture Shinomi for her punishment, which is to be gang-raped at a bowling alley.

His role in the story is that of an antagonist whose rigid adherence to a brutal code is challenged by the protagonist's different philosophy of strength and protection. As Takezawa waits outside the bowling alley for Eikichi to arrive, he explains that his actions are not personal but a duty he must perform as a leader. When the two fight, Eikichi proves to be far stronger, but Takezawa refuses to yield to his own gang when they try to interfere in the one-on-one duel. His key relationships are defined by this conflict. He is a respected leader to his gang, a possessive lover to Shinomi, and a rival to Eikichi, whose ideals he cannot understand but ultimately respects.

Takezawa’s development is the most dramatic aspect of his character. After being defeated and watching his orders be disobeyed, he holds Shinomi at knifepoint, then apologizes to everyone for the trouble. He admits that he was too soft to be a true gang leader, finally understanding the wisdom in Eikichi’s words about a real man taking care of his own woman. In a shocking act of self-punishment, he stabs himself in the stomach, declaring that this is how he will settle the matter, and asks Eikichi to take care of Shinomi.

Surviving his self-inflicted wound, Takezawa undergoes a profound change. When Shinomi finally realizes his deep love for her and asks what he wants, he only asks for a kiss. However, he ultimately breaks up with her, leaving a note on his hospital bed urging her to become more serious with her life. He then retires as the Idaten gang leader and leaves for Tokyo with his friend Nakai to find a regular job, abandoning the gangster life entirely. He later returns during a subsequent conflict, the Midnight Angel arc, to prevent his old gang from being used as pawns against Eikichi. His former subordinates still respect him so deeply that they refuse to follow their new leader's orders to attack him. He stays only to watch Eikichi's final fight, confident in the younger man's victory, having fully transitioned from a rival to a quiet, supportive observer. In terms of notable abilities, Takezawa is a capable fighter, but he is not in the same league as Eikichi, being repeatedly knocked down in their confrontation. His true strength lies in the fierce loyalty he commands from his gang and his capacity for drastic personal change.