Ryo Akiyama

Ryo Akiyama (秋山) is a fictional character who originated in the Digimon Adventure timeline and then retired into the Digimon Tamers timeline. He is the main protagonist in a series of Digimon games for the Wonderswan console.

He is partnered with in Brave Tamer (as Monodramon) and Digimon Tamers. Brave Tamer explains that his nemesis,, was the Digimon who was destined to be his partner, and it is implied that his later partnership between Monodramon is only possible due to his jogress with Milleniummon's final form, ZeedMilleniummon. Furthermore, in Digimon Adventure: Anode Tamer and Cathode Tamer, Ryo is briefly partnered with Tai Kamiya's. In Digimon Adventure 02: Tag Tamers and Digimon Adventure 02: D-1 Tamers he is partnered with Davis Motomiya's.

Appearance
Ryo has the appearance of an average young boy. He has lightly tanned skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. He wears white shoes with red accents, olive green pants, dark gray leggings, a blue-gray shirt, and ties a red bandanna around his collar. He also wears a metal shoulder guard on his right shoulder, a chrome and red gauntlet on his right forearm, and a beige glove on his left hand.

Due to his tanned skin, sparkling white teeth, and pleasant smile, Rika Nonaka sarcastically describes him to be releasing "the perfect sparkling aura".

Etymologies
Name used in many Digimon Wonderswan games, Japanese version of Digimon Tamers, and related materials. Also used in multiple dubs, including the American English.
 * Ryo Akiyama (秋山 遼)
 * Ja: Akiyama (秋山). A Japanese surname meaning "autumn mountain".
 * Ja: Ryo (遼). A masculine Japanese name meaning "distant".

Development
The final Wonderswan game to feature Ryo, Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer, serves as link in the chain that connects him to both the Adventure and Tamers series. It was decided that Ryo was to be included into Digimon Tamers because of his immense popularity at the time as the main character of many Digimon video games.

Even before Chiaki J. Konaka joined Tamers's writing team, Ryo was already destined to appear in the series, due to his popularity among Japanese fans. However, Konaka found it difficult to fit him in the series due to Tamers having a different continuity from Adventure and 02, and decided to let Genki Yoshimura handle his character development, as she was the screenwriter for Ryo's first episode. Due to being in a TV series, Konaka thought Ryo's priority should be heightened, and he should be given his own Partner Digimon, whose power, strength, and heroism would make Ryo all the more attractive, and considered for this role.

Ryo's inclusion in Tamers creates some plot inconsistencies, like the appearance of his parents within the Tamers continuity and the fact that he lives in that universe's Fukuoka, while in the Adventure universe he lives in Odaiba.

Digimon Adventure: Anode Tamer and Cathode Tamer
Ryo lives with his parents in Odaiba. On December 31, 1999, he is in a chatroom discussion in his father's computer about the Odaiba incident in August. A power failure happens, and appears in the computer screen, saying that Taichi "Tai" Kamiya and Yamato "Matt" Ishida were captured and begs for his help. A comes out of the computer screen and Agumon asks Ryo to touch it. Although he doesn't understand what's going on, he touches the device, and a light drags him into the. In the Digital World, Agumon tries to explain to Ryo that time was reverted, but is interrupted by an attacking Kuwagamon and Betamon.

After Agumon defeats both, Ryo and Agumon go to Gennai's house where Gennai tells Ryo about 's origins, and how he reverted time and ressurected, , , and. Agumon suggests he and Ryo start defeating the nearby less powerful enemies before taking directly on Millenniummon, and build an army. Ryo starts his journey by defeating the Digimon in a nearby cave and opening an obstacle. He then fights until clearing the next obstacle, and fights Devimon. After defeating Devimon, he rescues Mimi Tachikawa,, Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi, and. The two DigiDestined return to the Real World while Palmon and Tentomon join him.

Soon after, Gennai builds a teleporter so that Ryo can go to Server Continent and fight the remaining evil Digimon. Arriving in Server Continent, Ryo meets, who tells him he'll never defeat Etemon. Ryo fights in all nearby dungeons, eventually clearing the path to Etemon. After defeting Etemon, Ryo rescues Sora Takenouchi,, Takeru "T.K." Takaishi, and. Sora and T.K. return to the Real World, while Biyomon and Patamon join him. Ryo continues on his path clearing the following dungeons, and opens his path to Myotismon. After defeating Myotismon, Ryo rescues Kari Kamiya,, Joe Kido, , Matt, and. Kari, Joe, and Matt return to the Real World, while Gatomon, Gomamon, and Gabumon join Ryo. Ryo continues through the path open by Myotismon's defeat, and clears all the following dungeons, opening his path to Piedmon.

After defeating Piedmon, Ryo opens a path to the last dungeon, where he must once again fight Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon, and Piedmon. After defeating all four, he fights either or. Following that, he fights Millenniummon, and after defeating finally rescues Tai. Ryo remembers Agumon was never his Partner, and neither were the other Digimon with him. He tells goodbye to Tai and the DigiDestined's Digimon, but Agumon and Ryo promise to see each other again.

Back in the Real World, Ryo's mother finds him asleep in front of the computer, and finds it weird that the machine is on despite the blackout. Ryo's father arrives, and the three go see the New Year, while the parents notice their son's growth.

Digimon Adventure: Our War Game
On March 4, 2000, Ryo is in Turkey, where he watches the battle against.

Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer
Brave Tamer follows the cliffhanger ending of D-1 Tamers where Ryo and Millenniummon take a trip through time to, supposedly, the future. However, something went wrong and Ryo was catapulted into the past, where he met, who would become his partner. It is revealed that all Digital Worlds were created by the computer Atanasoff, the world's first Digital Computer upon his activation in the 1940s through support with ENIAC, the second computer to be activated, and that the Digital Worlds diverged into alternate realities overtime.

Ryo seeks the aid of fellow Tamers and DigiDestined to help to defeat. He does so with ENIAC's aid, though how ENIAC is able to traverse time and different realities is unknown. He has to save the Tamer/DigiDestined from the threat they are currently facing before they will give him their Digimon as thanks, just like during Anode Tamer. Ryo will alternatively save Tamers/DigiDestined while fending off Digimon that has sent to take over ENIAC's world. Millenniummon has also made clones of the Digimon Kaiser/Emperor and the respective leaders of Adventure, Adventure 02 and Tamers. It is believed that Ken in the Millenniummon's future had betrayed his friends thanks to the Dark Spores that Millenniummon planted in Tag Tamers. It is hinted by the game as some of the Boss Digimon Ryo battles are Armor Digivolutions of Wormmon. In one of the talks between, Ryo and ENIAC, it is revealed that does so so as to gain control of all realities and rid the future of the resistance he currently faces.

Ryo eventually confronts in the future, as ENIAC's last ditch attempt to save the world before Millenniummon can conquer it. Ryo learns then that Millenniummon is in fact his true partner. Monodramon and Millenniummon dispute over who shall remain Ryo's partner until the small dragon forces a jogress between himself and Millenniummon, after weakening the latter severely, resulting in a Digitama (or DigiEgg) that will one day hatch and digivolve into.

In the end, Ryo was given the option to either return to his world (Adventure) or go to the world of the Tamers. He chose to go to the Tamers' world, for reasons unknown. It is implied that he got his parents to the Tamer's world as well.

Digimon Tamers
As Ryo moved to the Tamers universe, through unspecified means, he went to live in that universe's Fukuoka.

In 2000 of the Tamers universe, he defeated Rika Nonaka in the Digimon Card Tournament. On the same night, in his way back to his hotel in Ueno, Ryo encountered a Digital Field, from where he heard an irritated, who was unable to digivolve, calling him to the other side and saying he needed a strong Tamer like him to get stronger. Ryo, surprised at the sight of a real Digimon, decided right away to go the, without considering how much worry his disappearance would cause to his father.

He made his first appearance in Tamers when Kenta, Kazu and Rika were cut off from the others while in the Digital World. He helps the Tamers battle Majiramon and uses the Goliath Card to make Cyberdramon huge, allowing him to destroy the Deva. Later, he would help the others escape to their world, and follow them as well. While in the Real World, Cyberdramon regressed into Monodramon, and apparently was freed from the violent virus he suffered from. He later bio-merged with Cyberdramon to become, and, as Justimon, he helped out in the battle against the D-Reaper. He fought ADR-06 unsuccesfully with Kazu and Guardromon's help, still losing even when MegaGargomon and Sakuyamon joined in. Finally, with the help of Antylamon, he destroyed the Agent after discovering its weakness. As thanks for Suzie and her partner's help, he gave her her first Modify Card. The next morning, Ryo left early and ran around the city scouting D-Reaper's activities, reappearing to save the Tamers from ADR-07, destroying it with Guardromon's help and then unsuccesfully battling ADR-08 with Gallantmon until Grani showed up. During the final battle, Ryo came up with the idea to have Sakuyamon send all of her energy into Justimon's Voltage Blade to try to destroy the Cable Reaper, but the plan failed, however the Digimon Sovereign dealt with that enemy for them. When everything was over, Ryo was saddened to see Cyberdramon go back to the Digital World.

Ryo showed up as during the  fight, after Rika, Henry, and Takato Biomerged with their Digimon. As Justimon, he appeared from the portal to the Digital World, but it is unknown what he was doing there. However, there are too many Parasimon to fight off and they were losing until Takato's determination to win caused Gallantmon to digivolve to Crimson Mode and destroy all the Parasimon with one shot. Afterwards, Ryo and Cyberdramon attended Rika's birthday party.

Cards
Ryo has at least five cards, three of which are powerful "Device" cards As a reward for 's help against the D-Reaper, he gives Suzie Wong his Radiant Form card.


 * Goliath
 * Avenging Knight
 * Red Card
 * Former
 * Radiant Form: Given to Suzie Wong.

Digimon Masters
Ryo was introduced as a usable Tamer on January 26, 2021.

Notes and references
Ryo Akiyama Akiyama Ryo