Subaru Okiya (沖矢 昴 ,Okiya Subaru?) claims to be engineering student, and currently resides in Shinichi Kudo's house next to Professor Agasa. From his first appearance, he was strongly hinted to be the Black Organization member Bourbon—however, Tooru Amuro was revealed to be Bourbon.[1] Subaru is in fact Shuichi Akai in disguise after faking his death with the help of Conan Edogawa and CIA Agent Hidemi Hondou.
Background
Subaru Okiya is a graduate student attending Tohto University to earn a doctorate degree in engineering. He originally lived at a boarding house, where the landlord's son nicknamed him "Red Man," after a firetruck, because he frequently saw him watering the plants. After the boarding house burned down in the Red, White, and Yellow Arson Case, Conan suggested he move into Shinichi's house, explaining to Agasa and Haibara that someone living in the house would help to hide his (Shinichi's) disappearance. When Haibara protested, Conan cheerfully responded that someone who loves Sherlock Holmes cannot be a bad person - much to Haibara's consternation.[2] Nevertheless, Conan decided to keep from Subaru which persons - specifically Ran - were closely connected to Shinichi.[3]
Subaru is left-handed and greatly admires the deductive power of Sherlock Holmes. He is also an excellent detective as he was able to solve several mysteries including the paper airplane case[4], the Ikkaku Rock case[5], and the 13 red shirts mystery.[6], although he seems to possess more of Mycroftian personality when it comes to cases. He is also shown to be calm in crisis situations and quite skilled at hand to hand combat, capable of knocking a knife out of someone's hand[7] and easily knocking out a kidnapper without so much as ruffling his clothing.[8] Subaru also knows how to enable the tracking function of Conan's glasses and that they track the detective boys' badges despite the fact Conan has never used the glasses in front of Subaru.[8]
Personality
Subaru is generally shown to be quiet and reserved, often seeming unfazed by normally stressful situations, such as when Ran attacked him while he was brushing his teeth, believing he had broken into Shinichi's house[9], or when a murderer grabbed Ayumi as a hostage.[7] He often tends to behave in a friendly and modest manner, smiling and rubbing the back of his head whenever someone compliments him or says anything about him. He enjoys cooking and seems ready and willing to help with various tasks. He doesn't mind interacting with the Detective Boys, is always polite to them, and listens to their theories during cases. He is often shown drinking bourbon whiskey.
Subaru becomes more serious while working on cases and enjoys revealing the truth to others similar to Conan. Sometimes he speaks mysteriously, leaving the meaning and intentions of what he said open to interpretation. Subaru has a more menacing side seen whenever he takes to the offensive or is intently focusing on something. In this frame of mind, Subaru triggers Haibara's Black Organization sense.
Attributes
Intelligence
Subaru is an intelligent character with observation and case solving abilities comparable to Conan's. On his first meeting with Sonoko and Ran, he correctly deduces they had been to the restaurant "Welcome Burger" and what they had to eat while they were there.[10] He tends to hold back to allow Conan or others to present their conclusions rather than take center stage himself.[11]
Black Organization aura
Subaru emits what Haibara describes as the aura of the Black Organization when he is intently focused on another person[12] or is acting as an aggressor.[13] Haibara only gets the feeling from him transiently.
Hand to hand combat
Subaru knows Jeet Kune Do. He demonstrates that he is skilled in hand to hand combat when he knocks away the knife a culprit had been using to hold Ayumi hostage with one hand and rescues her from the culprit's grasp in the same quick movement.[14] He also easily knocks out a kidnapper without so much as ruffling his clothing, although he later comes up with the excuse that he found the kidnapper passed out near the stairs, most likely from losing his footing.[8]
Subaru is also shown to possess great physical resilience: Upon their first encounter, Ran, mistaking Subaru for a burglar, kicked him straight in the jaw, but unlike her many other victims, that blow failed to knock him out instantly.
Hacking
Subaru Okiya hacked into Kogoro's computer to see what cases he had received from his website[15]. Later he hacked into Haibara's Phone and saw the message that Vermouth had sent her.[16]
Cooking
Subaru is a good cook,[17] although he describes his own cooking skills modestly
He often uses cooking as an excuse to gain access to Agasa's house, or get involved in cases with Haibara, Conan, and the Detective Boys in 542-543- He promised to cook the Detective Boys fish
He was able to gain access to Agasa's while Haibara was out by cooking food for the Professor
623) - His coverup for spying on Agasa's was that he wanted to bring over some extra curry
672-674) - Subaru probably heard via listening devices Conan had been kidnapped but Agasa's car was in for repairs, so he brought over some cream stew as an excuse to get involved
Stews and soups seem to be his specialty: Cream Stew, beef stew, curry, etc.
He also learned from Yukiko to be a very capable cook. This was meant to help better keep a low-profile as Subaru.[18] At the same time, he would often uses his dishes as an excuse to interject himself into cases at Professor Agasa's house.
Pain Tolerance
As Shuichi Akai, he arranged to be hit by Akemi Miyano's car, in order to meet her in order to infiltrate the Black Organization. He was hospitalized after the hit.
He may have known how to do it, with less damage to himself, but he was still hit by a moving car.
Driving
Shuichi is a skilled driver. He can overtake many cars quickly in heavy traffic conditions and drift around a U-turn.[19]
Disguise
Shuichi learned how to act and properly apply his Subaru disguise by himself thanks to Yukiko Kudo and equipment from Professor Agasa.[20]
Accordion
He apparently at one point held a part-time job playing the accordion, making decent money from it.[21]
Language
In addition to his native language, having worked in the United States as an FBI agent for a long time, Shuichi is also fluent in English, but he is half English.
Appellations
Plot overview
Timeline
Main article: Shuichi Akai timelineNon-canon plot overview
Dimensional Sniper (Movie: 18)
Subaru is first seen watching Agasa demonstrating his newest inventions to the detective boys from the Kudo resident. Later he is seen leaving the hospital, where Masumi Sera has been hospitalized. After that he is seen doing his own investigation into the sniper.
The Beika City Shopping Center Garbage Bin Mystery (Anime: 1002)
This episode is a pre-story to Movie 24.
The Scarlet Bullet (Movie: 24)
Subaru is first seen discussing with Conan about the kidnapping incident, which is similar to the WSG kidnapping incident that occurred in Boston, USA, 15 years ago. When Subaru chase a VIP from England who was kidnapped, he is seen been attack by Masumi and Mary. He remove his disguise as Subaru as the disguise is broken. He is also seen towards the end of the movie back into his car with his disguise, unknown that Mary hides in his’s car and points the gun to his head and threatens him and the FBI as they risked the life of an important VIP. After that, he smiles at her and reply her as she calls him brat.
Black Iron Submarine (Movie: 26)
Subaru informs Conan that an Europol agent is murdered and a Black Organization agent known as Pinga is making the move. Later, Conan tell Subaru about the submarine and ask him for help on how to deal with it.
Relationships analysis
Conan Edogawa
Conan trusts Subaru since he knows his real identity, and they maintain an amicable relationship. Conan easily lends Subaru the keys to his house.[2] Conan also trusts Subaru to help in cases that put him in close contact with both Ai Haibara and him, like switching out the gasoline in a container for water to solve a case,[37] or calling him to pick up everyone when Agasa’s car broke down.[38] Subaru respects Conan and his intelligence and they both can solve cases at about the same level. Conan tells Haibara he is trustworthy because he is a fellow Sherlock Holmes fan, much to her annoyance. Subaru is one of the few characters who knows Conan is Shinichi after confirming his earlier suspicions by listening to Conan make a phone call as Shinichi.
Hiroshi Agasa
Subaru and Agasa maintain a good relationship with one another. The professor often asks him for favors, like picking the detective boys up from a fishing trip. Agasa also lets Subaru come over and cook from time to time and he will make Agasa food to return the favor, like stir-fried onions and curry. Agasa also seems well informed about when Subaru has free time and is available for favors or when he is on the road.
Ai Haibara
Ai Haibara doesn't trust Subaru because he gives her the chills which she only gets from those who have been in the Black Organization. She hides from him behind Conan when they meet in person and avoids being alone in Agasa's house when he is around. On his part, Subaru is kind to Haibara and seems to look out for her.
Haibara's opinion changes, however after Subaru consoles her when Conan is being abducted by a culprit in a crime. It is revealed afterwards that this is because what he said was similar to what Shuichi Akai had once told her when he was the lover of Haibara's sister, Akemi Miyano. Because of this, Haibara gains trust in Subaru and starts calling him by his first name.[39]
Rei Furuya
They have not directly met, though Subaru has seen Rei Furuya many times. In most instances, Subaru is the one to notice Rei but avoids Rei seeing him for some reason. During the thirteen red shirts case, both Subaru and Rei (as Scar Akai) are present with the hostages. When Subaru is about to send his deductions about the bomber's identity to Kogoro's phone, he sees Rei, and before Rei can see him, disappears from the area. During the Conan Edogawa kidnapping case, Subaru leans out the door to shoot at the tires of the car Conan's in, but Rei's car passes by him, prompting Subaru to close the door to avoid Rei. At the end of the Bell Train Mystery arc, Subaru is shown observing Rei and Vermouth from a distance with a smirk, opening one of his eyes which looks like Shuichi's and giving a strong hint that he is Shuichi. If it is true then based on what has been said about Shuichi and Rei's relation, it's likely he sees Rei as an enemy, though not to the extent that Rei views him.
Masumi Sera
Masumi Sera is Shuichi Akai's younger sister. To avoid disclosing his identity, Subaru tried to avoid acting conspicuously in front of her. During the Mystery Train case, he carried the unconscious Masumi back to her room. As he was about to leave, Masumi mumbled 'Shuu-nii' in her sleep, and that made him smile. In the movie Dimensional Sniper he was seen leaving the hospital, where Masumi was hospitalized after getting shot, hinting that he was visiting her. While she was unconscious, he left a bouquet in her room, which Ran and Sonoko find. During the Antique Facet Case, when he realize Masumi showing suspicious movements around Agasa's house, he shows up and keep an eye on her. He realize that Masumi was trying to pressure Haibara. He ended up by interrupting her investigation to prevent Masumi get involved into dangerous situation.
Yukiko Kudo
Yukiko Kudo taught Subaru disguising and cooking. She would stop by every week to check on him.
Hints that Okiya was Akai
People who know Subaru's real identity
The only people aware of Subaru's identity as Shuichi Akai are Conan, Agasa who made the voice changing choker, Yukiko who came up with the disguise, Yusaku and the members of the FBI. Bourbon suspected Subaru for a while and finally confirmed it in episode "The Unsolved Cocktail Case". Kaito Kid also knows something is going on, after taking a photo of Subaru with his voice changing chocker showing, but probably doesn't care much due to its irrelevance to his life. Haibara and Masumi are also more suspicious about Subaru's secret identity.
Name origin
Subaru's name comes from Casval (キャスバル Kyasubaru → キヤスバル Kiyasubaru) Rem Deikun, the real name of Mobile Suit Gundam character Char Aznable, whom Shuichi Akai is also named after.
Quotes
“ If I had to choose, I'd say black because it is a color that covers things inside me that I don't want known. Well, I hate the color black for the same reason as well. „— File 623 page 7, Subaru Okiya responding to Inspector Yuminaga's question about what is his favorite color.
“ 0.12%... That would be the probability that a criminal will succeed in escaping. That's about 1 in every 1000 people; however, of those that fall under the devil's influence, many grow tired of leading a false life and living in fear. If we eliminate those who eventually surrender to the police and those that opt for suicide, the amount that do successfully escape amounts to nearly zero. Are you prepared to endure the feelings of loneliness and pressure as a result of your actions? „— File 666 page 14, Subaru Okiya speaking off the top of his head trying to provoke a culprit holding Ayumi hostage into turning his knife on him instead. It worked.
“ Although... I would like to serve that lot some hot and bitter coffee... that lot waiting so anxiously in the heat for their prey... „— File 703 page 5, Subaru Okiya talking to a waitress about the Black Organization staking out the Beika Department store.
“ Remember how there was a robbery at that bank? There was someone I knew in the footage from that robbery, so I was trying to find out if they use that bank. If that person uses it, they must live nearby. I was hoping to run into them.... Well, coincidentally they were also on this floor, but it turned out to be a look-alike, so I didn't say anything. I know that person from a long time ago, so there is no way I would mistake them with a look-alike. „— File 704 page 16, Subaru Okiya talking to Conan about his encounter with Scar Akai.
“ I’m not too keen on thieves. Well, thieves that steal physical objects I mean. As for thieves that steal lives well… „— Episode 887
In other languages
Language Given Name Family Name Japanese 昴 Subaru 沖矢 Okiya Arabic سوبارو Sūbāru أوكيا Ōkiya
Bahasa Indonesia Subaru Okiya Bahasa Melayu Subaru Okiya Catalan Subaru Okiya Chinese (Simplified) 昴 Mǎo 冲矢 Chōngshǐ French Subaru Okiya Italian Subaru Okiya Korean 수현 Soohyun 최 Choi Thai สึบารุ โอกิยะ Vietnamese Subaru Okiya Gallery
Trivia
- Subaru Okiya is left handed.[56]
- Subaru likes to drive on Namiki road by the Teimuzu River because the green trees and foliage are calming. He also likes to water plants for this reason.[57]
- Subaru's favorite color is black.[57]
- Subaru's Subaru 360 is depicted as white in the manga version. In the anime version, the car is colored red, which could be a hint about his real identity as Shuichi Akai.
- According to Super Digest Book 100+ Subaru disposed of Kid's Phone.
See also
- Characters
- Shuichi Akai
