Azami: Everything We Know About Rainbow Six Siege's New Operator

As part of the recent "Demon Veil" update, "Rainbow Six Siege" has added tons of new goodies for its player base to enjoy. As the 24th expansion since the base game's release, these new additions range from changes to gameplay, a whole new map to battle through, and a new Operator named Azami, the second Japanese character to join the ranks of the Operators in "Rainbow Six Siege" since Hibana.

From her striking costuming to her deadly accuracy, there's a lot for players to like about Azami already, but some people may still be trying to get a handle on her backstory and how she plays. While Azami can be equipped with many of the same tools as other Defender Operators, such as barbed wire and a deployable shield, it's her player-specific gadget, the Kiba Barrier, that sets her apart from others of her ilk and could very well make her a must-have for any defending team. Here's everything we know about Azami.

In "Rainbow Six Siege," each Operator is exclusive to either offense or defense. Azami is the latter. What makes her character extra special, however, is the fact that she is equipped to erase threats above the defending team, as opposed to exclusively being able to fortify horizontally. 

"Azami is a total game-changer, literally," game designer Dominic Clement explained. "For the first time ever, the Defenders can actually protect themselves from vertical play, which is something that was never possible before. If you had a Buck or a Sledge right above you making holes on the floor, you were kind of, you know, in panic and you had to run away, you had to get out of there. There wasn't really anything you can do. But now, you can."

This tactic is achieved by using Azami's modified kunai Kiba Barrier, a circular bulletproof surface that can be fired anywhere from the ground to the ceiling. The barrier initially starts out as a gas before almost instantaneously transforming into a rock solid surface, patching up holes. Given her skillset, it's probably best to camp the objective while using Azami. Your team's victory could very much depend on having someone with her abilities close by to provide assistance. 

A key component to Azami's signature look is her work suit and attire. According to "Rainbow Six Siege" creative director Alexander Karpazis, Azami's visual identity was inspired by that of the Security Police, which is essentially Japan's equivalent to America's Secret Service. "[The Security Police are] bodyguards that protect VIPs that are both domestic and international," Karpazis explained in Ubisoft's season teaser. "Azami is actually in the private sector, so we wanted to take a bit of liberty with her outfit [to] make sure she can express that kind of duality of her nature[.]"

This is also reflected in the character's backstory, in which Azami initially began as a motorcycle officer before quickly ascending to the Security Police's ranks. However, due to her violent nature and tendency to lash out, Azami eventually became disillusioned with the Security Police and went into the private sector as a personal bodyguard.