Whether you love to hate him or hate to love him, Crow is part of the Phantom Thieves, and as such, you'll need to devote some time to the Akechi Goro Confidant to progress the story.
In Persona 5, Akechi's Confidant ranked up automatically with the story, but it has had a huge makeover in Persona 5 Royal. Now, there are plenty of requirements to make note of while hanging out with the Detective Prince. Akechi isn't the easiest person to get along with. His hard childhood has meant he isn't easily trusting and can come off as rude. But no matter, Crow, his Mementos alias, is as much an important part of the team as anyone else.
Here's our review of the game on Nintendo Switch to help you choose how to play it next. You might find yourself questioning which Confidants to prioritise too, so check out our guide to make it easier, or which Palaces there are in the game. That includes Kaneshiro and his pesky codes.
Persona 5 Royal Akechi Confidant guide
From day one, Akechi Goro is a thorn in Joker and the Phantom Thieves' side. As much as he seems to mean well, his Confidant and story progression have a lot of requirements. We'll go through them here.
- Read more: Our AFK Arena tier list and Genshin Impact tier list
Any choices that aren't mentioned here all provide the same points for the Confidant rank, so don't have a specific best choice.
Rank 1
The first rank of Akechi's Confidant unlocks automatically in the story on June 10. From then on, you can start hanging out with him in your free time.
Rank 2
There are no special requirements with this rank. Here are the best dialogue choices to upgrade the Confidant rank as quickly as possible:
- "You always seem so busy"
- "I see a lot of things"
- "As rivals?"
Rank 3
This is where Akechi gets greedy in terms of what he needs from Joker. Rank three is locked until Joker's Charm and Knowledge skills are at rank three or above. Once you've done that, you can move on.
Here are the best responses to choose when they pop up:
- "Should've figured"
- "Wasn't it fun?"
Rank 4
There are no special requirements with this rank, and here are the best dialogue choices to upgrade the Confidant rank as quickly as possible:
- "Now, this is my kind of club"
- "Any recommendations?"
- "It's a great place"
- "I kinda get it"
Rank 5
There are no special requirements with this rank, and here are the best dialogue choices to upgrade the Confidant rank as quickly as possible:
- "Are you used to gunplay?"
- "You wanted to be a hero?"
Rank 6
Rank 6 is locked until September 3, and at this point, Akechi is found in Leblanc instead of Kichijoji.
- "A while, huh"
- "You've been through a lot"
- "Same"
- "I think you're right"
- "My bad, I guess"
Rank 7
Rank 7 is also locked until November 2. But to unlock it, you'll need Joker's Knowledge skill at to be at least rank 4 in order to talk to Akechi. Look out for the following dialogue:
- "That's why it's so fun"
- "I couldn't let myself lose"
- "You’re my rival" - Choose this to get Akechi's ultimate Persona.
- "We're rivals, aren't we?"
Rank 8
You will need to reach Rank 8 by November 17 to get the true ending of the game. Once you're past Rank 6 with him, you'll need to hang out with Akechi as much as possible. We recommend giving him gifts to up his rank quickly - these include the Silver bangle, Omni-vitamin, and electric toothbrush.
After you hit Rank 8, you'll need to fight Crow in Mementos in a one-on-one. This fight is deliberately hard, so equip your best Personas. You have three minutes to deplete as much health as you can. Once a third of Crow's health is gone, you'll be able to move on to the next part.
- "I definitely wouldn't lose"
- "Really hate losing, don't you?"
- "I accept" - Choose this after the battle to get Akechi's ultimate Persona.
Rank 9 and 10
The last two ranks will happen automatically, but after infiltrating Shido's palace, choose this option:
- "I want to keep our promise"
The third semester added in Royal has another pivotal dialogue choice with Akechi. February 2 will see Joker and Akechi meet up and discuss the situation at hand. Choose the following:
- "We're stopping Maruki"
This unlocks Akechi's third Persona transformation.
Akechi's Confidant rank rewards
While you're ranking up Akechi's Confidant, it will unlock some helpful rewards.
- Sleuthing Instinct - Rank 2
- Chance to reveal an affinity of an enemy at the start of a battle.
- Sleuthing Mastery - Rank 4
- Chance to reveal all affinities of an enemy at the start of a battle.
Akechi will also learn Harisen Recovery, Protect, and Endure, the same as all other Phantom Thieves, in order to assist Joker in battles.
When and where is Akechi available to hang out with in Persona 5 Royal?
Akechi is generally available at night, and not during the day. He is available all day on rainy days. Most hangouts with him will be in Kichijoji, especially at the Jazz Cafe, though you can go with him to the bathhouse or Leblanc in Yongen Jaya.
Hanging out with Akechi will also unlock the Shinagawa Aquarium, where Joker can take other Confidants, too.
Looking for a new game to dive into? Check out our list of the best free RPGs around, as well as some Genshin Impact codes, Tower of Fantasy codes, and a Wild Rift tier list.