In recent years, one theory has had it that he was a different person from Mitsuharu AKECHI with confusing achievements and the other theory has had it that Mitsuharu AKECHI was a fictitious person created based on Hidemitsu.
近年では明智光春とは事跡の混同した別人とする説や、明智光春が秀満を基にして作られた架空の人物とする説が浮上している。