Yoichi Asakawa
| Yoichi Asakawa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other Name(s) | 浅川 陽一 (Japanese) |
| Gender | Man |
| Role | Brilliant Marine Biologist |
| Origin | Japanese |
| DLC | CHAPTER 23: Sadako Rising |
| Voice Actor | Mirai Kawashima (The Monster Factory) |
| Cost | 500 Auric Cells  
|
| CharID | S30 |
Yoichi Asakawa (Japanese: 浅川 陽一) is one of 46 Survivors
currently featured in Dead by Daylight
.
He was introduced as the Survivor of CHAPTER 23: Sadako Rising, a Chapter DLC released on 8 March 2022.
He originates from the 1998 Horror movie, Ring (Japanese: リング, Ringu), but since he is a child in the movie, BHVR received permission to create their own aged-up adult re-envisioning of Yoichi for Dead by Daylight.
Overview
|
A marine biologist scarred by the haunting memories of his past encounter with Sadako, Yoichi Asakawa has stared into the depths of evil. Blessed with paranormal psychic abilities of his own, his bravery and unwavering resolve makes him a valuable ally against even the darkest forces. | 
|
Yoichi Asakawa is a brilliant marine biologist and psychic whose knowledge and abilities allow him to protect himself and assist others.
His personal Perks, Parental Guidance
, Empathic Connection
, and Boon: Dark Theory
, allow him to hide from Killers, call out to injured Survivors, and help others move faster.
Lore
As a child, Yoichi gained an interest in the supernatural from his father and mother when an inexplicable curse claimed both their lives. As an adult, Yoichi graduated with top honours in marine biology from a university in Tokyo, and, following in his father’s footsteps, became the youngest professor in the school’s history. But his career began to unravel when two of his students disappeared while doing research in Izu Oshima. The mere mention of Izu Oshima triggered painful memories from his past. Deep, hidden memories bubbled up from the murky, black depths of his subconscious. Blurred faces on images, twisted mouths, inexplicable deaths suddenly filled his mind. The shouts of people calling him a monster. And then… the monster… Sadako rose from the abyss to let him know the curse was not over. It would never be over.
With a cry, Yoichi shut his eyes and slowly released his fear. When he opened his eyes again, Sadako was gone, but something had returned. Something ominous and otherworldly. He could feel an unnerving presence near him, breathing deeply like the heaving sea. Was Sadako tormenting him? Was a spirit trying to warn him? Or was it something else? Something that consumed people. Something that made people disappear. Yoichi wasn’t sure. He had spent his life trying to understand his psychic abilities and the supernatural. His instincts told him the answers somehow lay with water. He had, after all, dedicated his life to studying intelligent life and unexplored realms within the ocean. Perhaps he needed to readjust his definition of intelligent. Or his definition of life.
Thirsting for truth, Yoichi entered a frenzy of research into the fringes of parapsychology, cryptozoology, theology, folk history. The more he expanded his field of expertise, the more he was ridiculed and ostracized. Once viewed as a brilliant young mind, Yoichi was now considered an eccentric and a liability. In mere months, the university terminated his position. Undeterred, Yoichi sought professorships at other schools, but no reputable college in Japan would take him. As a last resort he approached media outlets, and by some twist of fate, the company where his mother had worked at as a journalist offered to fund his research in exchange for articles and first publishing rights to his story.
During this difficult time, Yoichi's father returned to him—his spirit silently goading him to continue the course he had chosen. And so, working around the clock in his tiny Tokyo apartment, he allied himself with other researchers in the paranormal field. Within months, he came across a story that mirrored the disappearances of his students: four vloggers had mysteriously disappeared near a lighthouse in Scotland. With a great sense of urgency, Yoichi took the first flight he could to Glasgow. A professor at a local university had come to many of the same conclusions as he had nearly seventy years earlier when a film crew disappeared near the very same lighthouse. There was some kind of intelligence in the water—some kind of darkness calling from the sea like an ancient siren. As Yoichi examined the research, his father suddenly appeared to let him know he was on the right path.
Guided by his father, Yoichi chartered a fishing boat and headed toward a small cluster of islands known as the Seven Hunters. Darkness fell as they approached the isles. The lighthouse, now automated and controlled remotely, sputtered and winked out of existence like a dying star. The ocean began to stir violently, lightning flashed, and the fisherman begged Yoichi to turn back, but Yoichi refused. He was too close and would not be deterred. As they argued the ocean raged and tossed the ship high and low. Then one giant wave lifted the boat as high as a house and dashed it to pieces against dark, jagged rocks.
Yoichi didn’t remember much after that. He remembered falling into the water. He remembered swimming to the landing where he saw his father standing on the gallery of the lighthouse beckoning him. He remembered staggering through thick black fog as he climbed the stairs. He remembered the water level rising with every step until the frothing mouth of the raging ocean swallowed him whole.
Load-out
Unique Perks
Yoichi comes with 3 Perks
that are unique to him:
 |
Boon: Dark Theory | "Your obsessive study of the paranormal has given you unprecedented knowledge of other Realms and planes of existence."
Press and hold the Active Ability button on a Dull or Hex Totem to bless it and create a Boon Totem All Survivors benefit from the following effects when inside the Boon Totem's radius:
|
|---|---|---|
 |
Empathic Connection | "Your presence psychically projects itself to those in danger."
While other Survivors are in the Injured State
|
 |
Parental Guidance | "You have inherited the ability to hear the dead — and now the dead warn you of danger."
After stunning the Killer by any means, Parental Guidance triggers its effect:
|
Prestige
Prestiging Yoichi will automatically add Tier I of his Unique Perks to the inventories of all other Survivors and unlock the ability for their higher-tiered versions to spawn in their Bloodweb
.
Prestige Yoichi twice more to automatically add Tier II and Tier III respectively into the other Survivors' inventories.
Achievements
- Main article: Achievements
There is 1 Achievement related to Yoichi:
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Adept Yoichi | Playing as Yoichi Asakawa, escape a Trial using only his 3 Unique Perks: Parental Guidance, Empathic Connection, and Boon: Dark Theory |
Cosmetic Options
Players can choose from a variety of Cosmetic options to customise Yoichi:
Base Cosmetics
Default
| Icon | Name | Body | Rarity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yoichi Asakawa | 
|
Common | Gifted with extrasensory perception, Yoichi Asakawa narrowly survived the cursed videotape made by the powerful onryō Sadako. |
|
Yellow Raincoat | 
|
Common | He grew up obsessed by the study of abnormal marine life and became a talented marine scientist. |
|
Durable Trousers | 
|
Common | Pair of warm, woolen trousers for workdays spent outdoors examining samples taken directly from the sea. |
Prestige
| Icon | Name | Body | Rarity | Description | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bloody Yoichi |
|
Rare | Gifted with extrasensory perception, Yoichi Asakawa barely survived the lethal videotape made by the deadly onryō Sadako. | Prestige Level 6 Reward |
|
Blood-Spilled Raincoat |
|
Rare | Once a bright raincoat now smeared with blood. | Prestige Level 4 Reward |
|
Blood Dripping Trousers |
|
Rare | Pair of warm, woolen trousers soaked with blood and gore. | Prestige Level 5 Reward |
Perk Charms
| Prestige Level 7 Reward | Prestige Level 8 Reward | Prestige Level 9 Reward |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| A keepsake gained upon mastery of a particular skill. | ||
In-Game Store
Thumbnail
Contains
Name
Collection Name
Release Date
Price
 Description
He happened upon a journal from the 1950s, written by a navigator whose crew went missing.
1080
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 Piece
Name
Collection
The story felt strangely familiar. The navigator's journals told of string of islands brimming with supernatural energy.
 Piece
Name
Collection
Pages were torn from the journal, and the final entries were incomprehensible. Yoichi pored over his maps but couldn't find the mysterious islands.
 Piece
Name
Collection
The journal would not help him find his students, but it was further proof that he wasn't the only one tormented by the supernatural.
Thumbnail
Contains
Name
Collection Name
Release Date
Price
 Description
He sailed the high seas off the coast of Southern Japan in search of answers.
1200
⇓ Expand ⇓
 Piece
Name
Collection
Bright beanie to keep warm in the hauling winds off the coast.
400
 Piece
Name
Collection
A high-visibility jacket to stay safe and warm on the boat.
400
 Piece
Name
Collection
A loose pair of shorts that dries quickly and comes with many pockets to store different pieces of equipment.
400
Thumbnail
Contains
Name
Collection Name
Release Date
Price
Description
The clothing of an explorer-scientist searching for the putrid nectar of a flower that blooms only once a year.
1080
⇓ Expand ⇓
 Piece
Name
Collection
He wanted a hairstyle that was easy to take care of for his trip.
 Piece
Name
Collection
He tucked his jacket sleeves into his gloves to avoid contact with the putrid nectar.
 Piece
Name
Collection
Old-fashioned pants that are typically worn with high socks and leather shoes.
 Piece
Name
Collection
Don’t forget to call your loved ones this holiday season.
250
|
DLC
Yoichi is part of 1 DLC:
Trivia
- Yoichi is the only Survivor to not have their in-game portrait on display on the official website.
Character Creation
- Yoichi is an adult re-envisioning by the Developers at BHVR of the child Yoichi from "The Ring"[1].
- Ringu licence-holder Kadokawa allowed BHVR to create new Lore for Yoichi that did not exist in the original franchise.
- BHVR wished to ensure that the re-envisioned Yoichi would go into a science field, like his father.
- Since Yoichi knows that Sadako might be living in the water in the open sea on the coast, they oriented him towards studies related to the ocean.
- Yoichi's background lore, traits, looks, and personality were created based on the events of the story of what happened to his parents.
- BHVR imagined a mix of both his father and mother in terms of looks, as they could be seen in the 1998 movie.
- BHVR confirmed that the 1998 movie and its sequel, were their only source of inspiration for the creation of CHAPTER 23: Sadako Rising and its content, the novel from 1991 had no influence on it and any aspects from it are considered non-cannon for Dead by Daylight[2].
Lore
- The island of Izu Ōshima (伊豆大島) mentioned in Yoichi's lore is a real volcanic island in the Izu archipelago situated 14 miles east of the Izu Peninsula and 63 miles off Tokyo Bay. It is the largest and closest of Tokyo's outlying islands.
- Likewise, the term Seven Hunters refers to the Flannan Isles, a small island group in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, located 20 miles west of the Isle of Lewis.
- The lighthouse mentioned in Yoichi's lore is also a real structure located on Eilean Mòr, one of the islands of the archipelago, known for the mysterious disappearance of its keepers around 1900.[3]
Name
- The name Yoichi (陽一) consists of the characters yō (陽), meaning "sun", "positive" or "open"[4], and ichi (一), meaning "one"[5].
- The last name Asakawa (浅川) consists of the characters asa (浅), meaning "shallow"[6], and kawa (川), meaning "river"[7].
References
- ↑ https://www.theloadout.com/dead-by-daylight/yoichi The Loadout Interview with Dave Richard. Online article. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/deadbydaylight/comments/1i59o22/bhvr_support_confirms_that_the_sadako_rising/ BHVR Support Confirming the Source Material for CHAPTER 23: Sadako Rising. Reddit thread. Retrieved 20 January 2025
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannan_Isles_Lighthouse#1900_crew_disappearance
- ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/陽#Kanji Kanji Character 'Yo'. Wiktionary.
- ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/一#Kanji Kanji Character 'Ichi'. Wiktionary.
- ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/浅#Kanji Kanji Character 'Asa'. Wiktionary.
- ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/川#Kanji Kanji Character 'Kawa'. Wiktionary.
Gallery
In-game assets
Yoichi Asakawa
Yoichi Asakawa (Portrait render)
Yoichi Asakawa (Background image)
Old assets
Yoichi Asakawa's previous portrait
Concept arts
'Vigo's Scientist' Concept Art
