Awakusu-Kai

The **Awakusu-Kai** (a subsidiary of the Medei Group) are a moderately influential organization primarily based in Ikebukuro in the light novel series, *Durarara*, and the *Wonerland* series. Unlike other organizations like theirs, they allow their members to hold personal likes or dislikes of various practices (such as Akabayashi's dislike of drug dealing) instead of forcing them to comply with the organization's goals.

## Headquarters

The headquarters of the Awakusu-Kai have been described as an upscale office building with unmarked entrances which, though opened, are protected by roll-up doors. The interior is styled in a stereotypical "yakuza-like" fashion with luxury desks, picture frames, and black leather sofas. The office also has a shrine decorated with paper lanterns with pictures of the heads of Medei and Awakusu. However, with that being said, the interior of Awakusu-Kai looks no different from any other office.

## History

Not much is known about the actual history of the Awakusu other than that it has been around for several decades. They operate as an art gallery for their legal cover although that doesn't stop the media from detailing some their more obscure practices. As a yakuza group, most of their activities involve smuggling (usually weapons) as well as "rubbing people out" or capturing them. They also perform services for others if they are willing to pay the price, however, if they are intentionally misinformed about the job (much like with Yodogiri Jinnai) they will expect some form of compensation.

Concerning the conflicts surrounding the Dollars and the Yellow Scarves, the Awakusu have taken a passive role, seeing no benefit from getting involved in a fight between children.

The Awakusu have recently experienced rather turbulent times in the novel series. With the recent controversy over the transfer of power to Mikiya, the announcement of a merger with the Asuki group, as well as the ongoing search for Yodogiri Jinnai, the Awakusu have their work cut out for them. After the search for Akane and the search for the one who murdered the three Awakusu members was resolved, the organization devoted most of their efforts into locating Yodogiri Jinnai. However, their efforts have produced very little results.

## Members

* Dougen Awakusu (leader) (Deceased)
* Mikiya Awakusu (heir, new leader)
* Haruya Shiki (executive)
* Mizuki Akabayashi (executive; "Red Devil") (Deceased)
* Shu Aozaki (executive; "Blue Devil")
* Takaaki Kazamoto (executive)
* Kine (former)

## "Companies" Belonging to the Awakusu

* Mahoutou Co. Ltd. - Three "art galleries" run by Shiki as the legal representative with Mikiya Awakusu actually being the one in charge of the gallery. Half the revenue this company generates goes to Awakusu with the other half to Medei. It is also used as a cover for broad-daylight illegal transactions. The interior of one of the galleries is said to be minimalistic, clean and beautiful with a comfortable couch but with no paintings in sight. The simplicity of the office is so that it can either be easily abandoned or changed as quickly as possible. Another gallery selling non-licensed prints (notably ones by Karnard Straussburg of *Vamp!!* notoriety and Suzuhito Yasuda) at extravagant prices forcibly to unwary passers by was mentioned in Vol. 5 's "Connecting Chapter" but it is unknown if it was part of Mahoutou Co. Ltd..

## Role in the Wonderland Series

Daichi Hajime comes to Aya Otomo to kill Akabayashi because he is interfering with Project Heaven. She and the nightcomers put a curse on him and kill him. Now, Shiki and the rest of the men are looking into Tandeki and Rampo Biotech.

In the season premiere of *Black Swan Wonderland*, Mikiya's wife is attacked at a coffee by an unknown attacker. She ended up in the hospital. In *Edge of Wonderland*, they are the ones to figure out that Kita Morikawa and Itsuki Yukimura were running a ten-year long blackmail scheme on the whole country. Ran Izumii and Dougen become victims of the Dante Killer. Now, the Awakusu are going to have to work with the detective to track down the serial killer.

## Trivia

* Save for Aozaki and Mikiya, many of the high ranking members of the Awakusu are fans of Ruri Hijiribe.
* The merging of the Asuki Group with the Medei Group is a reference to the real-life merging of ASCII with MediaWorks (which sounds like Medei-Awakusu in Japanese, also the publisher of Dengeki Bunko) to make what is now known as ASCII Media Works.

## Source

* https://durarara.wikia.com/wiki/Awakusu-Kai