Akane (茜) is from the Japanese name for the *madder* plant (Rubia tinctorum) — whose roots have been used since antiquity to produce a deep red-orange dye used for samurai banners and the traditional kimono. **In Japanese poetry, *akane-iro* ("madder color") describes the brilliant red of sunsets and dawn — making the name evoke the color of the sky at the day's edge**. **A top-100 Japanese baby name for girls in the 2000s-2010s**. **Akane Yamaguchi (born 1997)** — **Japanese badminton player; 2024 BWF World Tour Finals champion; six-time All Japan Champion**. **Akane Tendō** is the lead female character in the *Ranma ½* manga and anime (1987-1996). **Akane Sakurada** — Japanese mathematician and 2014 IMO Gold Medalist. **Akane Yamaguchi (politician)** — Member of the Japanese House of Representatives. **"Akane"** also appears in Persona 5 Strikers (2020) and in numerous J-pop songs.
Featured throughout Japanese poetry and visual culture.
Akane reduces to five — the number of madder red.