Kanda Akio

Kanda Akio is the Ultimate Lifeguard. Prior to the events of the novel, he was in the process of being scouted for Hope's Peak Academy. He is bisexual.

## Appearance

Kanda dyes his hair brown and wears brown contacts to look as ordinary as possible. He wears his long hair up in a half bun. He wears his lifeguard uniform, a white shirt with the cross on it and red swim shorts. There isn’t anything remarkable about him.

## Personality

Kanda is a very chill person. He has a go with the flow type attitude, and will do whatever is popular or what everyone else is doing. He has no real personality of his own, as he’s terrified of standing out. He became a lifeguard because it was what all the other teenagers were doing, though he hates it. He loves to cook and bake and wishes he had more time to pursue that. His opinion easily changes depending on what everyone else around him thinks. He’s easily forgettable, and Hosoo admits to having forgotten him. He believes his own happiness doesn’t matter and that as long as he can fit in, he’ll be fine.

## Relationships

During the killing game show, Kanda doesn’t become particularly close to anyone until later chapters as the numbers thin. He prefers to be just another face in the crowd.

Shima Tokaji befriends him, and they hang out frequently throughout the course of the game show.

Other relationships of note include Saiki Umi and Hosoo Yushiro.

## Life

### Early life

In chapter four, Kanda tells Hosoo a little bit about his life before the game show. He remarks that he’s always done whatever everyone else does, going by what’s most popular. He says in chapter four that he can sing and play guitar because those were the most popular forms of music. His only real hobby is cooking and baking, which he keeps mostly to himself. He became a lifeguard since it was the most popular job around his school, though he dislikes it. He claims he gained his ultimate title through luck alone, telling Hosoo in chapter four that he was in the “right place at the right time”. He further remarks that “It’s like, everyone who ever starts drowning always does it around me.”

### The killing game show

#### Prologue

Waking up alongside fifteen other contestants, Kanda finds that he’s been kidnapped and forced to compete in a killing game show.

#### Chapter four

Kanda doesn’t truly stand out during the course of events until round four. During preparation for the memorial service, he makes food for the event, and also joins Shima in playing live music. Because he was in the kitchen, he was accused of being the killer, though it’s soon proven that it wasn’t him. He was able to identify the killer after encouragement and prodding from Hosoo and Shima.

#### Chapter five

During the fifth round, Kanda seems to be more relaxed around the survivors. He even takes on an active role in the investigation and trial, doing his best to figure things out. Despite his newfound determination, he still refers to the popular vote, going along with what the most people believe. At the end of the trial, he makes a promise with the others to end the killing game show. Saiki tells him that he’s allowed to form his own opinions, which takes him by surprise.