Ako Atarashi is a first-year high school student at Achiga Girls' Academy in Nara Prefecture and a protagonist in the spin-off manga "Saki Achiga-hen episode of side-A". She is an elementary school friend of Shizuno Takakamo and Nodoka Haramura. She was the third best player in Achiga's mahjong club as an elementary school student. When the club disbanded, she attended a different middle school in order to continue playing and intended on entering mahjong powerhouse Bansei High School. When Shizuno re-established the club, she decided to return to the school.
Ako likes to play fast and has a good sense for the flow of the game. Ako is the most skilled player on the Achiga team but is overlooked because of the upperclassmen's special abilites.
