Aika Akiyama

Aika Akiyama is well known within the scientific community, under the full umbrella containing pseudo science and the real stuff. While the details of her studies are swathed in the deep mist of confidentiality agreements, this teenage scientist is notable for having the best results for supernatural behavior presented in normal people.

With both her private life deemed unworthy of comment in the face of the drastic 30% increase in ESP abilities in the adults (ages 18-45) present in her most famous case study and the study itself being under strict non-disclosure agreements, little about what made her famous is known other than the fact that she is famous and she does get results.

Countless articles have been published panning her as a fake scientist, a hoaxer, and a con artist using the money she’s been granted for nefarious means. “Real, decent” scientists hate her, and hate what her studies seem to imply about human potential. She’s been called irresponsible, encouraging children to jump off houses to see if they can fly, and been called a number of less professional things as well.

In every interview in which her credentials are called into question, particularly in relation to her age, she appears calm and collected, though commonly called “a little weird.” Her pursuit of casual gothic fashions has been called unprofessional, and many have called her a disgrace to her science.

However, many paranormal enthusiasts have her to thank for the uptick in faith in the supernatural in recent years. Due to her studies providing so-called “proof” that ESP can exist in humans, more and more people are willing to suspend their disbelief when supposed paranormalities occur in the daily.

Whether or not her studies are proven to be valid and well documented in time fails to matter in the face of her public recognition and the outpouring of grant money from curious and hopeful individuals. It is undoubtedly because of this that Hope’s Peak Academy has extended an invitation to the quirky psychologist.