Akito Hijiri

* Uniform
* Lab Coat

## Portrayal

**Akito Hijiri** (ヒジリ アキト, *Hijiri Akito*) is a member of GUTS-Select. Having genius-level intellect, Akito designed and developed many of the items and equipment used by GUTS-Select, including the GUTS Sparklence and GUTS Hyper Keys. Valued for his uncommon talents by the chairman of the Sizuma Foundation, Mitsukuni Shizuma, Akito works as a genius engineer while attending the same high school as Mitsukuni's daughter, Yuna Shizuma, who he grew up with and has a slight crush on. He is considered to be Kengo Manaka's rival.

## History

### Pre-Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga

A genius at a young age, Akito helped his parents research the Ultra-Ancient ruins that were found on Earth. One day, Deathdrago attacked and killed Akito's parents, leading him to develop a grudge against it. Mitsukuni Shizuma invited Akito to live with him and his daughter Yuna Shizuma, and they bonded over time. [*Akito's Promise*] Ryuichi Tokioka, a researcher specializing in the Ultra-Ancient field, was Akito's teacher.

Some time later, Akito was assigned by Mitsukuni Shizuma to replicate the Ancient Sparklence found in the Ultra-Ancient Ruins for the Giant of Light who he knows will eventually awaken, creating the GUTS Sparklence as a result. Believing that he would inherit the Giant of Light's power, Akito pressed on with the job. He also invented the Nursedessei with Marluru at some point, after receiving data of a Nurse from an Alien Wild. However, it was never truly finished as they lacked and appropriate power source for it to be able to change into Battle Mode.

### Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga

In the present day, he learned that Kengo Manaka had the power to transform into Ultraman Trigger, and became jealous of him. At first, Akito was reluctant to cooperate with Kengo, but promised Mitsukuni that he would, and gave him the Power Type Key. [*Leap to the future*] He also gave Kengo the Sky Type Key, which he used during Gazort's attack. [*The Ultra-Ancient Light and Darkness*]

Akito was overcome with vengeance when Deathdrago went on a rampage in the modern day, attacking it by himself, only for him to be suspended for three days. However, Kengo managed to convince him to remember his promise to protect Yuna, which he does and saved her from Darrgon. [*Akito's Promise*]

When Absolute Diavolo and Absolute Tartarus appeared on the Earth, Ignis decided to contact Akito and give him data on them, secretly as "payment" for the prototype GUTS Sparklence and Kaiju Keys he stole. [*The Golden Threat*] With this data, Akito learned of the Absolutian Particles and how they could be used as a source of energy, leading to GUTS-Select employing Operation Dragon to absorb the Absolutian's energy to power the Nursedessei into Battle Mode, contributing in defeating him and thwarting the Absolutian invasion. [*Operation Dragon*]

Soon after, Ignis stole the prototype GUTS Sparklence that Akito had discarded and remodeled it so that he could transform into Trigger Dark, as well as creating the Kaiju Keys of Horoboros and Zaigorg using GUTS-Select's data on them through Akito's computer. [*Sneering Destruction*] Upon his second defeat, Ignis was surrounded and had his equipment confiscated by Akito. [*Raging Feast*] However, as Kengo was imprisoned inside Aboras' foam, Akito had no choice other than to turn to Ignis for help, having enough faith to set him free of his containment and gave him back the Black Sparklence, now modified so that he would not lose control of Trigger Dark's power. [*Demons Rampage Again*]

After many battles where he stood up for and protected his friends, Akito learned to sympathize with both Ignis and Darrgon after learning of their circumstances and even cheered for Ignis when he transformed into Trigger Dark to fight against Hudram. [*Last Game*] However, Akito had to take it upon himself to kill Darrgon when he came under the curse of darkness set upon him by Carmeara, using the Nursedessei with the Maxima Galaxium using the Ultraman Ribut Key to finish off Darrgon and granting his last wish to die in order not to hurt Yuna. [*My Friend*]

When Carmeara transformed into Megalothor after taking the Eternity Core's power, Yuna attempted to use its power to deal with Megalothor, even if it meant dying in the process just like Yuzare did 30 million years ago. However, Akito would not allow her to do so and told her that she would need to be around if she wanted everyone to smile, including herself. [*The Ruler of Shadows*] Carmeara caught onto GUTS-Select's plan to gather the Eternity Core's energy into the Nursedessei, and decided to unleash darkness that created copies of Darrgon and Hudram to disrupt the operation, forcing Akito to fight against the former to protect Yuna. After Carmeara's defeat, Akito made Kengo promise to come back someday just before he left to control the Eternity Core's unstable energy. He continued to look after the R'lyeh flower in Kengo's absence, which had bloomed after the battle against Megalothor. [*To The Ones Who Believe in Smiles/Pull The Trigger*]

### Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z

Two years after Kengo Manaka sacrificed himself to stabilize the Eternity Core, GUTS-Select had been busy dealing with monsters that had been rampaging for yet unknown reasons, until they managed to discover that the Leyrah cult had been causing these incidents by using devices to control monsters. A vision of Kengo, battered and exhausted, appeared to Yuna, alerting her that something bad was about to happen to him. GUTS-Select decided to cooperate on a plan to displace Kengo from the Eternity Core and stabilize it, so that Kengo would not die with the Eternity Core and endanger the world once more.

They agreed to use the energy of the Sun, fired at the Eternity Core by using the Sol satellite that the TPU had built. The Leyrah cultists attached devices they built to the pillars around the Eternity Core's entrance to change the sunlight's energy into a form of light that can be accepted by the Eternity Core, successfully managing to remove Kengo from it. However, in the process, his GUTS Hyper Keys scattered out and went missing. GUTS-Select threw a party for Kengo to celebrate his return.

After Haruki Natsukawa reappeared, GUTS-Select decided to look for the missing Trigger Hyper Keys, fearing that they may have gone under the Leyrah's possession. Kengo regained the Multi Type key form one of the cultists, and then fought Gazort and retrieved the Sky Type Key, while Yuna and Akito tracked the Power Type key to a haunted house, finding it inside a skull prop. They return it back to Trigger and allow him to Type Change, turning the tide of battle with Z's help. However, Z started to rampage because Celebro had possessed Haruki, shooting at GUTS-Select's new captain, Ryuichi Tokioka and defeating Trigger.

Kengo, Akito and Yuna track down the signal of Kengo's stolen GUTS Sparklence and Hyper Keys to the Eternity Core's entrance, finding the Leyrah cultists there being led by Tokioka, who was actually Zabil. He set up a barrier around them, preventing the trio from meddling with him as he gained the power to become Evil Trigger. Kengo decided to force his way through the barrier, but found himself repelled by it. Akito decided to help him and they both made it through, allowing Kengo to retake his devices and transform into Trigger again. Akito then met up with the rest of GUTS-Select, joining them in aiding Trigger, Trigger Dark and Z against Evil Trigger and Celebro.

As the battle against Evil Trigger raged on, Yuna decided to approach the Eternity Core and splinter a fragment from it like Yuzare did 30 million years ago, despite being aware of the risk. In the process, she sacrificed Yuzare's ring and the gateway tower, but granted Trigger the power to make a comeback, defeating Destrudos, who was summoned by Celebro after Haruki forced him out. Trigger, Trigger Dark and Ultraman Z then finish off Evil Trigger after he had gone mad and grew to giant size.

When the battle was over, Yuna watched as the Eternity Core's gateway tower crumbled, saying goodbye to Yuzare. GUTS-Select then witnessed Zabil dying, regaining his humanity as he disappeared into the light. After Z and Haruki recaptured Celebro and returned to their world, GUTS-Select threw another party for Kengo's return. [*Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z*]

## Personality

Possessing genius-level intelligence, Akito designed and developed the GUTS Sparklence along with the GUTS Hyper Keys and various other gadgets and vehicles used by GUTS-Select. Akito attends the same high school as Mitsukuni's daughter, Yuna, who he grew up with and has a slight crush on. He is protective of Yuna and respects the Chairman.

Akito scowls at others he finds annoying. Envious that Kengo was chose as the Giant of Light, he considers him a rival, though the two would eventually forge an unusual but close partnership, as they work together to uncover the mysteries behind Trigger's origins. However, he later gets over with his envy by accepting Kengo as his friend and eventually move on from his selfish desire.

## Abilities

* **Genius-Level Intelligence**: Akito possesses genius-level intelligence, having designed the Nursedessei and replicated the Ancient Sparklence despite only being a high school student.

## Behind the Scenes

### Portrayal

Akito is portrayed by **Shunya Kaneko** (金子隼也, *Kaneko Shun'ya*).

## Notes

* Akito is similar to Keigo Masaki from *Ultraman Tiga*, who was also a genius since his high school days and sought to become a Giant of Light through the use of technology.

## References

1. ↑ https://en.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/news/2611
2. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-5860