My friend on Tumblr wrote something in regard to Akito, her actions, and why she did them. I agree through-and-through, so I figured it would be beneficial to share it here. Also, this opinion is mainly directed towards the manga (which I highly recommend, by the way.)

**Spoiler Alert**

"Alright. Most readers probably hate Akito. And that’s reasonable; she does truly terrible things and really hurts a lot of people. She almost kills two people in the course of a series and abuses many others.

But (and let’s be clear here—this isn’t excusing her behavior) Akito is mentally ill. Akito was raised as a child constantly told “you are special, you are God.” And she was also told that her female body was disgusting, wrong, and to be hidden. Her mom put her through a whole host of shit.

She grew up with thirteen people positively attached to her, completely in tune with her every whim. When normal children got scolded and made to see the error of their ways when being mean to their friends, she was rewarded. Told her treatment was “normal” and “to be expected”—because she was their God; and as a god it was her right to treat them any way she wanted.

Do you remember the things you wanted as a child? However unreasonable, or detrimental to others. Maybe you wanted constant attention from your parents; I know I did. The point is, most children are taught that, no, they can’t have everything they want. They are shown that other people have feelings too; that other people get tired, or have other things they need to do. But Akito wasn’t. Whatever she wanted, no matter how much it hurt other people, she got it.

Imagine, if you will, a small child with absolute power over your life, your feelings, your decisions, your friends. You, and twelve other people. And you thirteen are the ONLY people she interacts with. She does not know “other” people. She does not ever go outside. She knows ONLY those that she controls, and she has no other interaction. Now, add onto that twenty years and the natural hormones and instincts of a teen and young adult’s body, but keep the brain of that child.

Oh, and add a heaping tablespoon of maternal abuse and physical illness.

There you’ve got Akito.

She is a child clinging to all she’s ever known. She’s desperate, she’s angry. She’s a toddler throwing a tantrum because she’s not allowed to play with her friends, but instead of kicking and screaming she’s using her adult body to stab and manipulate.

Now, think to the end of the manga. What happens? The thing keeping these thirteen people attached to her is… gone. They leave her. She is alone when she has never been alone before. She has no idea how to live in the world. She has nothing anymore.


Akito needs help. Therapy. A gradual immersion into the real world. A psychologist. Good friends like Tohru. She needs boundaries, and to be taught to recognize empathy." -January Sunflowers.