Aki Hayakawa
Public Safety Devil Hunter / Multi-Contract User
| Aki Hayakawa | |
|---|---|
| Japanese Name | 早川アキ |
| Species | Human |
| Affiliation | Public Safety Devil Hunters (Special Division 4) |
| Contracts | Fox Devil, Curse Devil, Future Devil |
| Weapon | Curse Sword (Nail Sword) |
| Height | 182 cm (6'0") |
| Age | 20 (at death) |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 |
| Status | Deceased |
Last updated: 2026-06-03
Aki Hayakawa Overview
Aki Hayakawa is a senior Public Safety Devil Hunter assigned to Special Division 4 and serves as Denji's handler and reluctant partner. A stoic and disciplined fighter, Aki is defined by his consuming hatred for the Gun Devil, which killed his family during the catastrophic Gun Devil Incident years before the main story. His entire career as a devil hunter is motivated by a single goal: to find and destroy the Gun Devil to protect the younger brother who survived the massacre.
Aki initially views Denji as an undisciplined nuisance who treats devil hunting as a game, but over the course of the series, the two develop a genuine bond. Living together with Denji and Power in a Public Safety-provided apartment, Aki reluctantly becomes the caretaker of two chaotic housemates, gradually rediscovering the family warmth he lost as a child. His arc is one of the series' most tragic: a man who sacrificed his lifespan piece by piece in pursuit of revenge, only to have that revenge weaponized against the very family he built.
Devil Contracts
Aki is notable for maintaining multiple devil contracts simultaneously, a rare and dangerous practice. His primary contract is with the Fox Devil, allowing him to summon the Fox Devil's head to devour enemies. The cost is a portion of his skin each time he summons her. When the Fox Devil refuses to fight the Katana Man due to fear of injury, Aki is forced to abandon this contract.
His second contract is with the Curse Devil, activated by stabbing a target three times with his specialized nail sword. The Curse Devil then crushes the target to death. The cost is a significant portion of his remaining lifespan each time he uses it. His third and final contract is with the Future Devil, obtained after the Future Devil voluntarily enters the contract out of a desire to witness Aki's tragic and painful death. This contract grants Aki limited precognition, allowing him to see a few seconds into the future during combat. The cost is simply the right to observe Aki's inevitable suffering.
Character Arc & the Gun Devil
Aki's entire arc builds toward the Gun Devil confrontation. Makima reveals the Gun Devil's location during the Gun Devil Arc, and Aki finally gets his chance for revenge. However, the encounter is devastating: the Gun Devil appears and decimates the assault team within seconds. Aki fires his Curse Sword, landing all three hits, but the Gun Devil is so massive and powerful that the ritual fails to kill it. His lifespan is nearly exhausted from all his contracts.
The Gun Devil, revealed to have been partially controlled by Makima all along, possesses Aki's body. Aki's consciousness blends with the Gun Devil, causing him to hallucinate a joyful snowball fight with Denji. In reality, he is moving through Tokyo killing civilians. When Denji confronts him, the real Aki is visible only in his tears. Denji is forced to kill what was once his closest friend, and Aki dies in the snow, seeing the family he always wanted in his final moments. His death is the series' emotional breaking point.
Combat Style
Unlike Denji's reckless hybrid combat, Aki fights with precision and discipline. His primary weapon is a standard katana, which he wields with expert training developed over years as a devil hunter. He supplements his swordsmanship with his contract abilities: the Fox Devil for overwhelming large enemies, the Curse Devil for guaranteed kills on high-value targets, and the Future Devil's precognition to dodge attacks before they are launched.
Aki also carries a standard handgun and demonstrates proficiency with firearms, unlike most devil hunters who rely solely on contracts. His Curse Sword (nail sword) is a specialized weapon designed specifically for the Curse Devil contract, capable of being thrust into targets at range. His greatest strength is tactical thinking: Aki consistently plans engagements, coordinates with teammates, and exploits devil vulnerabilities rather than relying on overwhelming force.
Relationships
Denji
What begins as forced cohabitation becomes a genuine brotherly bond. Aki teaches Denji discipline and consequence, while Denji teaches Aki to embrace the simple pleasures of life. Aki's death at Denji's hands is the defining tragedy of Part 1.
Power
Aki finds Power nearly unbearable as a housemate, but her chaotic presence fills the apartment with life. Her refusal to flush the toilet drives him to daily frustration, but her absence after her death leaves a silence he cannot fill.
Himeno
Aki's first partner in the devil hunters and the person closest to him. Himeno's death during the Eternity Devil Arc is the first major loss Aki experiences in the present timeline, and he carries guilt over her sacrifice for the remainder of his life.
Makima
Aki respects Makima as his superior and is drawn to her mysterious charisma. He never suspects that she has orchestrated every tragedy in his life from the Gun Devil Incident onward, using him as a tool to break Denji.
