Akiko Kiyota
喜代田章子
Fortune-teller / female / 29 (actress: Nami Misaki)
A female fortune-teller who makes her living using her spiritual power to read the memories of people and objects. Managing Yumemi Salon, a fortune teller which provides tarot readings, sixth sense and dowsing services, in a section of a multi-tenant building, she also acts under the name "Mademoiselle Yumemi" on the internet.
Her power to read the residual emotions left by people in objects - "past sight" - is an effect of the power she has as an Offshoot born from Mother. After the night of the disappearances of all of the islanders on Yamijima 29 years ago, the first dove, Kanae, melts in the morning sunlight, vanishing into the sea (-6:00 "Rift"). Having lost her physical form, that which used to be Kanae (the core of Offshoot A) drifts about in the sea, surviving when it by chance clings parasitically to the foetuss (later Akiko Kiyota) being carried by a pregnant woman who falls from a cruise ship off the coast of Yamiima. At the same time as being the human Akiko Kiyota, she is also Kanae, an unawakened dove containing the essence of a dove (Offshoot A).
Akiko, who has been able to see all kinds of images by touching objects and people for as long as she can remember, lives by using her powers as a fortune teller (works in an office for a few years after graduating from junior college → after studying fortune-telling quits job → opens Yumemi Salon). Though like Ikuko she was once unsure what to do with her special ability, Akiko finds a way to make a living by helping people in trouble with her fortune-telling, and works hard for both herself and others. Since she has no business sense she makes a modest living, but as a hard-working person of character, Akiko's advice is taken by many people.
Also, the "dove's essence" inside of Akiko is that of Kanae, who has been strongly influenced by the human Yayoi Mikami, and for this reason Akiko is the dove closest to a human, the hardest one for Mother to influence. However, perhaps due to fate's cruel sense of humour, through her meeting with Ryuko Tagawa she and Ryuko become close friends (they meet when Akiko goes to the restaurant at which Ryuko works. Ryuko senses the essence of a dove inside Akiko, like her, and Akiko feels an inexplicable sense of familiarity towards her). One afternoon, Akiko learns the news of Ryuko's murder. Believing Abe's words - that the body is not Ryuko's, so she must still be alive - Akiko resolves to go to Yamijima and reveal the truth. This ends up catching her in the eddy of cause and effect.
The homepage for the fortune-telling shop "Yumemi Salon" owned by Akiko. The site's design is quite old-fashioned (and hard to read), showing Akiko's lack of business skils... But since it is completely on a reservation basis, she may have been a fortune teller who gained popularity through word of mouth (and the honesty Akiko shows in updating (although it doesn't stand out much) to say "I won't be here for a while" just before she heads for Yamijima is like Akiko).
It also contains fortune-telling tarot cards, so make sure you give it a go.
Perhaps to evade the gaze of the police searching for Abe, Akiko wears a strangely suspicious outfit. Having a different sense of values (?) to the average person is one of Akiko's charms.
Akiko is eaten away at by KanaeBy having flashbacks to the "night of the tragedy" from her strong memories, Akiko finally awakens as the dove Kanae. Her form also instantly changes.
"Intruder" (-29:04:06 / Tokyo / Yumemi Salon)
The reason that Akiko honestly believes the words of Abe, said on the TV news to be wanted for questioning as a suspect in the murder of Ryuko, is because her "power" tells her that Abe is not lying. Sensing something (the possibility of Ryuko being alive?) through dowsing, the two later head for Yamijima... This odd chain of events is "expected" for Akiko.
"Vision of the Past" (-1:00:01 / Yamijima / Aonoku Fishing Port)
The essence of Kanae sleeping within her awakens when Akiko visits the Reflected World Yamijima, and her synchronisation with Kanae gradually grows stronger (in the real world, while she can see ghosts she cannot synchronise with others). Since Akiko is Kanae, she can "see" Kanae and Shu's memories, and Kanae's recollections slowly take over her own mind.
"Wandering" (15:31:58 / Yamijima / Aonoku Settlement)
Following Kanae's memories, Akiko finally discovers the weapon that reveals the truth of that night. By seeing (experiencing) this incident, she feels a shocked fear that she may vanish. However, for Shu, and for Ryuko - to save people, Akiko decisively uses past vision. Notice the way her facial expression changes.
Q: Please explain why Kanae (Akiko) appears at the Singularity, and how she arrives at the decision to use the Annaki.
A: Since the motive for the actions of the awakaned Kanae (Akiko ver.) is focused on Shu, the medal causes Shu to appear, and Shu causes Kanae to appear. Also, Kanae stabs herself with the Annaki in order to wound Mother and save Shu. Since Kanae and Mother are the same being, at the time she did not "understand" it, but rather "decided" to do it.
Q: By looking at Sleep Walker, it appears as though Akiko and Ryuko's boyfriend Abe don't get on; how does Akiko view Abe?
A: Akiko has been to visit Ryuko at Kawai Apartments where she lives, which is how she meets Abe. Abe's mannerisms are easily misunderstood, so at the time Akiko thinks of him as a himo-o※. Because of this, Abe decides that Akiko is a loud, suspicious old woman and doesn't want to be around her. Though both are incorrect...
※ A man who depends on a woman to finance his lifestyle.
Q: At 15:00 "Wandering" on the link navigator she experiences the tragedy of 29 years ago, but doesn't awaken as Kanae until two hours later (17:00 "Awakening"), right? What was Akiko doing during this time?
A: By obtaining the bloody knife, Akiko experiences the tragedy in the past via a flashback. However, while Akiko sees a vision of the past a strange phenomenon occurs in which Akiko's image is reflected in a mirror. This is due to interference from the past that creates a special phenomenon (an overlap in spacetime and compaction of time).
Past
Born on 3 August 1976
The Day Before
-29:00 - Learns of Ryuko's murder at Yumemi Salon. Believing in the intruder Abe's innocence, decides to reveal the truth
-9:00 - Decides to go to Yamijima via dowsing. Heads for Yamijima with Abe
-8:00 - Forces way onto boat
-7:00 - Weather turns bad during voyage. Boat capsized by a violent wave
-6:00 -
-2:00 - Found by Abe, regains consciousness
-1:00 - Has a vision of the past by the bank. Sees an image of a girl and a young boy. Suddenly, a strange-sounding siren resounds
Other World
0:00 - Regains consciousness. Uses past visions to escape the housing complex. Searches for Abe using her new power, but just miss each other
5:00 - Mysterious (dove) memories begin to sprout inside her. Follows the memories and descends to the Netherworld
Return of the Dove
6:00 - Siren. Senses a connection between Yuri and Ryuko. Escapes from the Netherworld with Abe
9:00 - Takes a rest in a lit area
12:00 - Akiko and Abe are in fear of the real world reflected in a mirror image in the sky. As she uses her past visions to solve the mystery, someone's memories that are not her own manifest
14:00 - In order to follow the memories, leaves the sleeping Abe and begins her journey
15:00 - Meets the ghostly Shu and destroys the Yamibito Ryuhei
15:00 - Discovers the weapon that took Ryuhei's life. Through past visions, memories of a past that does not belong to her resurface
17:00 - Kanae awakens
22:00 - Sensing Shu's presence, heads for the Singularity. Wounds Kanae (= Mother)
23:00 - Kanae holds a young Shu to her chest and smiles. Having finally reunited, the two are swallowed up by the red sea