Akari (Japanese: ショウShō) is the female player character of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and acts as a friend character in the same game if the player chooses to play as her male counterpart, Rei. She is a member of the Galaxy Team's Survey Corps. Along with Rei, she's the only Trainer to use the Trainer classThe Survey Corps' (Japanese: ちょうさたいResearch Team).
She bears a striking resemblance to Dawn of the modern day, but the relationship between the two, if any, is unknown.
Terminology
Akari (Japanese: ショウShō) is the name given to her in her role as an NPC in the core series. It is also used to refer to the female player character in pre-release promotional media for Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This name is later used for the same character in Pokémon Masters EX. On the Pokémon Legends: Arceus website, she is called both the Main Character and protagonist when referring to her role as the player, not granting her any name, while mentioning her role as an NPC as Akari in the same instance.[4]
Internal default name data for the female player character in Pokémon Legends: Arceus refers to her as Dawn (Japanese: ヒカリHikari), the same name as the female player character for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The name is not used for the character in any other material, and the two are otherwise treated as separate entities.
In the core series games
As the protagonist
Website blurb:"As the protagonist of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus game, you’ll join the Galaxy Team as a member of the Survey Corps. Your goal will be to meet every species of Pokémon from every corner of the Hisui region as you work to complete the land’s first-ever Pokédex."
Akari finds herself in a strange void and is sent back in time to Hisui by Arceus, who tasks her with seeking out all Pokémon and transforms her smartphone into the Arc Phone. A stranger to the land and wearing odd clothes, she meets Professor Laventon who invites her to join the Galaxy Team Survey Corps of Jubilife Village as a way of obtaining food and shelter. The Survey Corps also wish to fill out the Pokédex, and so, after proving herself worthy through trials set by Captain Cyllene, Akari is admitted into their ranks.
As part of her duties, she is directed by Commander Kamado to seek out the recently frenzied noble Pokémon and quell their frenzy. After all of them are quelled, the rift in the sky that caused the frenzies expands even further. As such, Kamado banishes Akari from Jubilife Village out of suspicion. She follows the merchant Volo to meet with Cogita, where she heeds their guidance and seeks out the lake guardians in order to obtain the Red Chain. She allies with the leader of the Diamond Clan, Adaman, or the leader of the Pearl Clan, Irida, to have them aid her in her task. Though the Red Chain fails to work as originally planned, Akari is still able to catch Dialga, if she sided with Adaman, or Palkia, if she sided with Irida. The other, frenzied counterpart is later stopped by Akari with the use the Origin Ball crafted from remnants of the Red Chain, ultimately causing the rift to disappear.
Afterwards, Akari collects the Plates with Volo and Cogita's help. Once 17 of the 18 Plates have been collected, Akari meets with Volo atop Mount Coronet, where it is revealed that Volo's consorting with Giratina was the cause of the rift. He attacks Akari in an attempt to take the Plates for himself. After being defeated, he gives Akari the final Plate, the Spooky Plate, allowing her to obtain the Azure Flute.
Once Akari has completed the Pokédex, she returns to the summit of Mount Coronet and plays the Azure Flute, revealing a glowing stairway that leads her to the Hall of Origin, where Arceus challenges her. After being defeated, Arceus grants Akari a fragment of itself and the Legend Plate.
As a non-playable character
Website blurb:"A Survey Corps member who’s close to your age and has been with the Survey Corps for some time. The appearance you choose at the beginning of the game will determine whether Akari or Rei appears as your fellow team member."
Akari works as Professor Laventon's assistant, helping to teach the player how to catch Pokémon and how crafting works. Each time the player completes a mission, she joins the Professor and the player for some potato mochi. During the game's climax, she assists the Professor in crafting the Origin Ball.
In this game, Akari arrived on Pasio by traveling through a space-time rift. It has also been pointed out by multiple characters in the game, about the similarities between her and Dawn.
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Akari or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Akari's Pokémon Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
↑Akari: "I thought I’d send a photo of me and my Pokémon to my parents, just to show them that I’m all right. <Player>, why don’t you join us? I’d like to boast to them about my Survey Corps protégé!" (Pokémon Legends: Arceus)
