"Well, because I'm a psychic, of course. Haha, I'm only joking. In truth, I'm a rookie detective."
—Goro Akechi, Persona 5
Goro Akechi is a playable character from Persona 5. He is touted by his fans and the media as the second coming of the detective prince (after the first appeared in Persona 4), and is investigating the mysterious Phantom Thieves of Hearts case sensationalizing Japan.
Appearance[]
Akechi has shaggy, neck length brown hair with bangs and reddish-brown eyes. He wears a tan peacoat with black buttons, striped black and white tie, black pants, black gloves and black loafers. His casual winter outfit consists of a white long sleeve shirt with flaps under a blue diamond sweater vest, beige pants and brown shoes.
In the Metaverse, Akechi's attire changes to black and dark blue striped outfit. In this form, he has several black studded belts strapped around his legs and arms, a short black cape and clawed gauntlets. He also wears a dark enclosed knight helmet, with a black mask resembling a sharp beak.
Personality[]
In public, Akechi appears to be well-mannered, friendly and charismatic. His achievement of being a university detective, coupled with his handsome features, makes him highly popular among the general public and he is commented to be "The Second Coming of the Detective Prince." His intelligence and smooth-talk earned him enough trust from the police to conduct his own investigation despite his young age.
In reality, this cheery disposition is merely a mask that hides his inner darkness, he is extremely violent, sadistic, and shows zero remorse towards those he kills in the Metaverse.
In the canon of Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal, he is Shido's right hand man, and his illegitimate child .Shido's abandonment resulted in Akechi developing a strong hatred for his father, to the point that he swore he would get revenge on Shido for ruining his life. His desire for revenge is so intense that he's willing to become a hitman for Shido, committing murders under his father's orders to fulfill his goal of ruining Shido when he is at the apex of his power. Ironically, despite being one of Shido's most useful assets, Shido doesn't treat him anything better than a disposable tool, and (implied by the Shadow Selves of Shido's nobility) a source of income and connections for him. Because Shido knew that he would turn against him and that he isn't easily fooled by outward loyalties, he had plans to dispose of him if he ever got his way.
Akechi lives alone in a city apartment. His main skill is reasoning, and he has a habit of getting lost in thought during conversations. His hobbies include cycling (specifically with a hybrid bicycle for easy turning in Tokyo), bouldering and playing fashionable games like darts. His guidebook profile also states that Akechi always makes sure to try out the latest popular dishes in order to use food as a conversation piece. Waiting in long lines for this does not bother him. He uses his cycling hobby to ride around town, gathering stories to utilize in conversation with adults. Since he spends a lot of time with adults, he has a reputation among Tokyo’s famous hidden stores and high class restaurants, although in truth he has little interest in the food’s flavor.