Brad Beams/Relationships

## South Sector

### Akira Otori

Akira and Brad are the poster characters for Helios Rising Heroes, and members of South Sector. Together, they sing the two opening songs: Rise Sunshine and Daybreak Horizon.

Akira and Brad started off on the wrong foot, with Brad stopping Akira from immaturely fighting Eclipse during his induction ceremony. From then on, the two struggled to see eye to eye; Brad would scold Akira for going against the status quo, such as when he ran off in Sunrise Colors, or for provoking a giant squid in Midsummer Survival Island, and Akira would get mad at Brad for constantly getting on his case despite Oscar being the one handling most of the rookies' training. Akira remained desperate to find a weakness of Brad's, even going so far as to assume he wears glasses because he's going blind due to old age, and would constantly shove his accomplishments in his mentor's face. However, after Brad's overflow backfired on him and he ended up in the hospital, Akira learned that when Brad was a rookie, he was just as reckless as Akira. Hearing how Brad had to be rescued by his teammates once helped Akira realize that he can't go about doing everything by himself, and needs to work on his teamwork, and he decided to cooperate with him. Although Akira still gets annoyed when Brad reprimands him, they have started to see eye-to-eye.

In The Great Gentleman's Ceremony, Brad takes Akira to buy his very own bespoke suit for an event. Akira's in a bad mood due to Marion berating him for calling himself a genius when he's not even close, so Brad takes him out to eat, and tells him that everyone starts from somewhere. On the day of the ceremony, Brad runs into some delinquents hanging around by the entrance, but Akira deals with them splendidly using the manners and etiquette Brad has him learn. Brad tells him that, although his tie got a little crooked from the confrontation, the suit suits him very nicely, which makes Akira over the moon, if a little caught off-guard.

From then on, Akira has started to properly listen to the instructions Brad gives him, and doesn't go out of his way to avoid him anymore. For example, whenever Brad talks about his plans to go driving or out to eat, Akira is quick to announce he wants in on the fun. Rather than wanting to prove him wrong, Akira now considers Brad someone he has to surpass. After learning that Brad had very good reception after starring on a New Year's TV special a few years ago in HAPPY NEW YEAR SHOW, Akira is very eager to hear Brad's opinion on his own special appearance. When Brad compliments the show, Akira stammers, but ultimately proclaims that there's no way Brad wouldn't like it. Due to their rocky start, Akira has a hard time believing that Brad would acknowledge him, so this becomes a fairly common pattern between them: Brad praises him, and Akira gets surprised.

In SNOW TRICK VACATION, Akira declares that he, Will, and Oscar can take care of all the preparations for Christmas League so that Brad can take some time off. Brad finds himself enjoying his vacation, acknowledging that Akira was right, and he does need to place more trust in his teammates. However, Akira ends up trapped in an avalanche, and Brad is ultimately the one to go rescue him, despite being on vacation. Akira feels immensely guilty for causing him trouble even though he said he could handle everything, but Brad reassures him that just because he's on break, he doesn't stop being a hero, and that Akira was right to help the kids, even if it means that Christmas League might have to be canceled. They manage to reach the massive stoat wreaking havoc at the base of the mountain, and Will and Oscar remark that they seem to be completely in sync with each other as they ski down.

It becomes abundantly clear just how attached Akira has grown to Brad in Memories for the Future, where all the major heroes lose their memories of the past year. Akira is taken aback when Brad asks him who he is, and remains depressed even as everyone else starts to wrap their heads around the situation. After it's hypothesized that reminiscing about past memories could bring back everyone's memories, Akira opens up about how although he hated Brad when they first met, he knows now that he was in the wrong and that Brad has taught him all sorts of things, and tells his mentor that he'll never forgive him if he asks who he is again. After getting his memory back, Brad reveals that he heard everything Akira said, and swears to never forget him again.