Early Background[]
Akira once had a past with Shio Sakaki and Suzuki Hajime, in a case where he and Sakaki had a disputed victory and Sakaki sought him out at a local karate match to settle matters. Thus starts a series of long days in which he would challenge Sakaki, with their matches supervised by Hajime. Their battles would alternate, with Hongō occasionally gaining victory and Sakaki matching Hongō's victory record. When Hajime accompanies the two in their underground ventures, Hongō would adopt Sakaki's attacking stance to correct his overly careful fighting style. On one mission together, Hongō would take some bullets to save the hostages and Sakaki and Hajime would save them and take out the shooters. Hongō was hospitalized and was going to have to miss the karate tournament, so Sakaki decided to win it for him. However, Hongō woke up and left the hospital despite protests and fought in the tournament and won. When Hongō is called to challenge Sakaki and Hajime in a death match by Yami from a trap, he is at first reluctant to fight Hajime, but later comes to terms with his friend's wishes and easily dispatches him with a knife hand. He later fights Sakaki, cementing his 126th win and enabling him to join Yami. Years after joining Yami, he begins personally training three disciples, Seta, Hayami, and Sho Kano, with the later becoming his main disciple. A couple of years after this, Sho gets chosen as the sole successor of all ten members of the One Shadow Nine Fists, forcing Hongo to allow Sho to be trained by the other masters.
YOMI Saga[]
D of D Tournament Arc[]
Hongō is first seen calling Sho to his boat to meet Isshinsai Ogata inside a ship. He is later seen in a meeting with the other fists. Akira is then seen looking quietly at the female spy, with Sho toying around with her and letting her escape. He then berates Sho, telling him to stop playing around, and Sho reveals the disc he took from the spy. He is later seen overlooking at Sho's training. After Sho's death, he is seen angrily walking into the place where the other One Shadow Nine Fists meet, breaking the wall, casually shrugging off the people who are trying to stop him, and questioning the other Fists about Sho's death. Ogata's apology does little to appease Hongō, as the latter angrily attacks the ground, sending a fissure towards Diego Carlo and questioning if he did it, as Diego was in charge of the D of D. He later comments that One Shadow Nine Fists seem complete and asks Ogata for the location of Sho's body and receives the answer that the allied force have taken it. He then asks for details about Sho's death and is shocked when he heard Sho died protecting Miu. Cyril Rahman, Mikumo Kushinada, and Ro Jisei voice their confirmation of disapproving Sho as the suitable heir of their techniques, prompting an angry response from the Karate master.
Sakaki and Hongo Arc[]
Later, after defeating a group of martial artists, Hongō along with Seta and Hayami visit a village where Sho often went, to mourn his disciples' death. Upon noticing that Kenichi and Miu were also in the village, Hongō goes with Seta and Hayami to their location, allowing his disciples to attack them. After his disciples were defeated, he deduces the cause of Sho's death, easily evading Shigure and Apachi and eventually left, telling Kenichi to relay a message to Sakaki that they will settle things soon.
Sakaki vs Hongo
He is later seen training his disciples and then meeting up with Sakaki and commencing their final battle. Afterwards, he confronts Sakaki and the two begin their fight. During their fight, both would begin to remember when they first met and drove them to fight against each other. Several of the city buildings would be damaged in their fight and when both began to collapse from their injuries. When Kenichi tried to check on Sakaki, Junazard let out killing intent and made Hongō accidentally strike Kenichi and almost killed him, causing Miu to lose control of herself and strike Hongō out of anger. As he's about to strike Miu he sees Sho protecting her and stops himself. Miu was later taken by Junazad and Hongō and Sakaki agreed to fight Junazard to save Miu for interrupted their fight. As Junazard left, Hongō promised the Elder he would bring her back home and agreed to Sakaki's statement about their fight ending in a draw.
The Tidat Kingdom Arc[]
After healing his bad injuries, he got word where Junazard was and left out to find him. He arrived just in time to kill some of the men fighting Sakaki, much to Sakaki's anger for killing them. After the battle they travel together to find Kenichi and Miu and get revenge on Junazard. While Kenichi is desperately fighting to help bring Miu who was brainwashed by Junazard back to her senses, Sakaki and Hongo are going to rescue them. They meet Junazard who was on top of a tower waiting for someone to come up and fight him. Hongō took up the challenge and asked two things: whether it was true that one puts hands on his disciples, and whether one walks the path of the Gedou.
Their fight continues to go outside and onto the side of one of the towers. While Junazard has the advantage on the tower, once Hongō uses several kicks to force him back on his turf, he unleashes a powerful attack on Junazard. However, once Junazard takes a particular stance and fights seriously, Hongō now has to go on the defense. He's now forcing himself to throw himself to the ground to just barely dodges his attacks and not get caught. He even dislocated his right arm and left leg to escape Junazard's grip. Once Junazard unleashes his secret Silat technique, Hongō is attacked by it. Hongō broke out of it by flexing his muscles and, after Junazard insulted Sho by stating he's now dead, Hongō attacked furiously all around the area. Just as Junazard struck with his fingers, Hongō was able to counter by hitting his fingers in perfect accuracy and deal a powerful move on Junazard's face. However, Junazard dodged at the last second with his mask now destroyed. He acknowledged Hongō's skill in managing to destroy his mask, with Hongō shortly after releasing a flurry of attacks which allowed him to nearly hit Junazard with a thrust to the left eye. However, Junazard managed to inflict devastating damage on Hongō in return, after which he defeated Hongō with relative ease, commenting on the difference between their experience in battle. Just as Junazard boasted over his victory and set his sights on Sakaki, Hongō rises up and, with Junazard lowering his guard and his heart, Hongō strikes with his trump card: God Hand Inyou Kyokuha Nukite. However, Junazard was able to guess correctly that Hongō would use his injured right hand to deliver the blow and only damaged his left shoulder. He comments on how it's been so long since his blood had boiled so much and says farewell to Hongō and strikes him down in his stomach, causing him to cough up blood and his sunglasses to break and is pierced in the sides of his stomach. However, Hongō regains consciousness and prepares one final attack on Junazard who is unable to move with his hands inside Hongō's ribs. While preparing his last assault against Junazard, the Demon Fist God demands to know why he just doesn't die despite the wounds he's been given. Junazard strikes inside his orgons to cause more blood to rush out and stops Hongō from attacking but is shocked after realizing Hongō used the organ lifting technique and is tightening his muscles to keep Jenazad from moving his arms. Just as Junazard releases himself from Hongō believing him to cause Hongō to not be able to attack again, Hongō uses the God Hand Inyou Kyokuha Nukite again to keep Junazard from moving again while Junazard realizes that this whole time the battle was all preparation for him to use the same move on Junazard again. Hongō tells Junazard to do one final exchange with fists again and as Junazard grabs his right arm believing it to be the fake due to how damaged it is. Hongō however, kicks his own thrust to give it more of a boost revealing his injured right arm to be the final blow using his true ultimate move: God Hand Leg Wave Twist Thrust. This pierces through Junazard's chest finally defeating the Silat warrior who comments on Hongō's tenacity towards martial arts. Hongō admits that Junazad is stronger than him but states that victory is his. As Hongō takes his arm out of him Junazard laughs meanly admitting how the day he would actually be defeated would come and congratulates Hongō's victory. He asks if Hongō can come closer so he can see the face of the man who defeated him, but Hongō retreats back and Junazard laughs again commenting on Hongō's sharp senses since Junazard admits he has enough strength to drag Hongō down with him to Hell with a move strong enough to mortally wound him. Just as Miu regains consciousness and tries to attack Hongō, she instead rushes over to Junazard to stop the bleeding and try to save him, shocking both of them. As Junazard says his last words and dies, Hongō walks away telling Sakaki that his business with Junazard is done and is going back to Yami, but his heavy injuries cause him to almost fall over only to land leaning next to Sakaki's shoulder while Sakaki says he's not helping him but just feels like standing there for a while, surprising Hongō. However, Lona shouts out that the Tidat regular army has arrived and Hongō notes that now that their leader Junazard is dead they want to try to take the hegemony of the country and the two prepare to fight them.
As the elder and the presumed dead Radin Tidat Jihan arrive, Hongō tells Jihan he's free to avenge his master when he's ready but only when he grows up more. As Seta and Hayami arrive by helicopter, Sakaki tries to help him knowing he's lost consciousness with his body, but Hongō tells him to let go saying he still has to settle things with him and when Sakaki offers to do it now, Hongō merely chuckles and says to do it later. He then finally loses consciousness and passes out from his injuries. He is treated at the palace, but he refuses anesthesia and says he won't move at all as they treat his wounds. He leaves by helicopter but briefly looks back at Lona and leaves Tidat.
Return to Japan Arc[]
After returning back to Yami, Hongō would cause a meeting with the remaining Yami members about his death match with Junazard and the One Shadow and everyone else decided to agree that the incident is unquestionable and Hongō remained silent in the meeting.
The Eternal Sunset Arc[]
Hongo is later seen alongside all of the remaining Yami members standing greeting Seitarō Raigō and the rest of the Hachiou Executioner Blade members. He later rides in a helicopter with the others and, upon ariving at their location, are surrounded by the Ryozanpaku masters (minus Shigure and the Elder). When the masters fight together against the Yami masters, Hongo announces he will break their gap but is interrupted by Sougetsu stating they will rip them apart one by one. He is then seen together with the rest of Yami preparing to fight but are stopped when Akisame notes they have no killing intent and, when Honmaki arives to inform them of the Hachiou Executioner Blade members being at the dock and Ryozanpaku realizes it was a diversion. He later leaves with the others after Saiga gives them the message of the beginning of the Eternal Setting Sun.
He later invades another country with Mihai Știrbey. While Mihai takes care of the soldiers, Hongo invades the control room and states that those who relies on weapons dull their own fighting skills and kills the soldiers. He then informs Saiga of him having taken control of the command room and sends in more troops. Later, as Știrbey attempts to kill a woman and her child, Hongo intervenes and saves them both. As Știrbey chides him for letting them go since they were ordered to kill everyone, Hongo remains silent while giving an angry glare as the weapon's user walks away.
Later Hongo, alongside Mikumo, Sougetsu, Mildred, Edeltraft, Marmaduke, Știrbey, Raki, Agaard, Cyril, Rin, and Ogata all faced off later against the masters and allies of Ryozanpaku. When the Ryozanpaku masters begin to go on the offense, Hongo engages battle with them. After Edeltraft splits up the masters, Hongo approaches Sakaki and Apachai with Agaard and questions Sakaki whether they give up, to which Sakaki says they won't and will fight till the end and that his disciple has influenced him. However, Hongo stands down and allows Sakaki to fight Cyril on his own. This causes Știrbey to mock Hongo's sense of chivalry and intrudes on the fight between Sakaki and Cyril Rahman. After seeing Sakaki fight differently, Hongo realizes them fighting them is just a diversion and he runs to leave the battlefield to which Știrbey joins him.
He and Știrbey arrive at the base, but Știrbey shuts the doors behind him to prevent him from interfering. Before Știrbey's blade kills Kenichi, Akira breaks though the wall using Superhuman Fist, Twisting Penetrating Hand and stop Micheal from killing Kenichi, and started fight Akira saying that he always wants to take his head which has Hongo mention that's the first thing they can agree on. However, Akira was able to get the up hand in the fight killing Micheal by using Superhuman Fist-Mist Prison sending Micheal flying down, killing him. Hongo reaches into his pocket and takes out an earring belonging to Sho Kano, looking at it wordlessly. Hongo then watches Kenichi and Kajima's fight wistfully, reminiscing on his duels against Sakaki and saying that this battle is how a duel should be.
While Hongo is watching Kenichi and Kajimas fight, Nijimma decides to send a virus to Yamis missiles. While he is running to the control room, Saiga Furinji appears and asks Nijimma to hand the virus over. As soon as Nijimma freezes due to fear, Saiga tries to kill Nijimma with a strike which at that moment Akira Hongo intercepts the strike and Saiga remarks that he was expecting Akira to rebel against Yami.
Hongo stands off against the leader of One Shadow Nine Fists and the two masters exchange a series of blows. Saiga mocks Hongo's actions to protect Niijima as futile and Hongo lands a thrust on Saiga though he catches the attack between his fingers. Hongo remarks that even though it's their first-time exchanging hits he can feel the darkness within Saiga. Hongo takes a stance and prepares his technique as Saiga is surprised when is suddenly surrounded by Hongo on all sides and observes that Hongo intends to use both truth and lies to block Saiga's escape, choosing Saiga to determine where the real attack will come from based only on luck. Saiga responds by using a similar technique and the two masters clash. Saiga dodges past Hongo and comments that he was able to protect all of his vital points, but Saiga was able to win the battle of luck, as a rain of attacks lands on Hongo.
Hongo survives the attack but is unable to move, as Saiga also hit the karate master's pressure point. Saiga does not kill Hongo as he believes they will eventually come to an understanding, and he makes his way to kill Niijima. However, James Shiba shows up and saves him as Hongo is left immobile.
It turns out that Hongo was fighting Senzui disguised as Saiga which means that the leader of OSNF is infect Senzui all along and that both Hongo and Shiba were defeated by Senzui as opposed to Saiga.
As the missile is launched, the elder shows up. Hongo tells him to stop the missile to which the elder sees the sincerity in his eyes and trusts him. Hongo leaves after the whole ordeal is over.
Epilogue[]
In the Epilogue, Hongo returns to his home and has left Yami, now choosing to travel the world.