Akechi Mitsuhide

Akechi Mitsuhide is one of the main characters of Battle Girls:Time Paradox. She is the first retainer of the warrior and Lord of Owari, Oda Nobunaga, whom she is very attached to. Her aim is to help Nobunaga retrieve all of the scattered Crimson Armour.

Background
Mitsuhide is the first retainer of Oda Nobunaga.The two first met when Oda asked for a challenge againist Mitsuhide, of course Oda won, but she complimented Akechi for the worthy attempt to out-do her.The very next day Akechi started to discover more about Nobunaga and her wish to conquer split Japan. Mitsuhide left behind her sheltered upbringing and began to work with Oda, eventually becoming her retainer. As she and Oda have known each other for several years, Mitsuhide grew romantic feelings, not just loyalty to Nobunaga.

Role
Mitsuhide serves as a prominent character in Battle Girls. She is mostly seen with Hideyoshi and Nobunaga throughout the series, helping Nobunaga to collect all the pieces of the Crimson Armour, through travelling and fighting people in order to win their parts of the armour. She met Hideyoshi for the very first time in episode 1 when she had just been transported to the Warring States. Hideyoshi greeted Akechi cheerfully mistaking her for Akerin her school friend. She then told Hideyoshi to stay back as there were enemies on hand that she had to deal with. After her failed attempts Lord Nobunaga managed to blast the enemies away using the 'Blade of Fury'.Ever since the first episode Akechi has proven to judge Hideyoshi very much. In episode 2, when she and Hideyoshi were forced in a competition together, Mitsuhide had advantage over Hideyoshi in all rounds except the last, when Hideyoshi fought Akechi back inspired by the art of Kung Fu and an ordinary Spear. Fortunate for Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi rather stupidly wacked her Spear on the floor instead of at Akechi. Therefore making Akechi the long-awaited winner.

In episode 9 of Battle Girls she rather jealously fed Nobunaga sake whilst in the Honnouji residence, as to gain the chance to steal the Crimson Armour for herself. However Nobunaga who had fell asleep after the drink of sake at long last awakened and rescued Mitsuhide, who accepted her wrong doings. After this episode Mitsuhide began to realise that she was important to Nobunaga and no matter what the two would always be together *Not in a romantic relationship, but a companionship*

In the last episode, she works with all the warriors who appeared in the series to defeat Tokugawa Ieyasu, a warrior who launched an attack after her wicked intentions, were enchanced after putting on the Crimson Armour.

Appearance
Mitsuhide is a young woman, of average height with a slim figure. She sports a fair complexion with dark blue eyes and short purple hair, she wears glasses, which is very unusual for a person in her time, she is much more slender and smaller than Nobunaga. She is most often addressed as "Akerin" by Hideyoshi as she bares a very similar appearance to her school friend Akerin. She usually wears a bra, cape, gloves, stockings, a skirt and traditional Japanese sandals. In one episode she wore a Kimono.

Personality
Mitsuhide is a smart, serious woman and a powerful fighter. Even though, Mitsuhide seems to have a confident and tough exterior, she deep down seems to be quite insecure.

She is very loyal to Nobunaga, very possessive of her, and harbours strong romantic feelings for her, that she is too shy to openly express, most of the characters (except perhaps Masamune) are unaware of Mitsuhide's feelings for Nobunaga. These romantic feelings were increased when Nobunaga rescued her from a fire and gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation. Though Mitsuhide did not see it as CPR but rather kissing, which she enjoyed very much.

Mitsuhide is not very fond of Hideyoshi and sees her as a nuisance. Her disdain of Hideyoshi becomes stronger, after her friendship with Oda Nobunaga develops. As she fears that Nobunaga, will forget about her. Mitsuhide,even blames Hideyoshi for problems, rather than take responsibility for her own actions.

Surprisingly, Mitsuhide has a phobia of scary stories, so much so that she is seen to wet her pants, when some of the characters tell scary stories at midnight in a forest.

Mitsuhide, in one episode, out of jealousy burnt down the Honnouji residence after giving Oda Nobunaga, sake to drink, in attempt to kill her, although Nobunaga and Hideyoshi escape safely from the burning residence, Nobunaga, not knowing Mitsuhide tried to kill her tells her that both of them are inseperable and will always be together, which makes Mitsuhide feel happier and back to her ordinary self.

Even though, Akechi isn't on friendly terms with Hideyoshi, she does deep down, care for her life. Akechi rescued her in the episode, Saigoku Maidens and called out to Hideyoshi, when she was stuck in her blazed drama stage and calling for help.

Powers
Mitsuhide despite her look is a powerful Samurai. She is very agile and quick and can launch giant sharp swords at enemies. In the episode, Sengoku Maidens she bravely battled againist Sengoku Three in order to rescue the helpless Hideyoshi.

Trivia
Her voice actress is Mai Nakahara in the game. In the anime she is voiced by Eri Kitamura.

She is named after the real Akechi Mitsuhide, a well known man in the Warring States era who later betrayed Oda Nobunaga.