I had heard/read during development, there was a romance option that was meant to be?? I can tell it bled into the "remainder" that stayed with the game.
Yosuke is probably the most relatable character to me in all of fiction -store son manger that works -bored of everything -scared of isolation -girl that pretends to like him I don't think I'm ever finding a character more relatable then that
If I could summarise Yosuke in a sort of "memey" way? "He like me fr" XD And true! There's likely others, but in this kind of setting and story that P4 provides, Yosuke feels about as normal as is possible. It's special, in a way.
Great video, man. Yosuke is my favorite "best friend" character from p3 - p5, and honestly one of my favorite persona characters in general. Glad to see him get a well made video like this.
I see you Triforce Magician 👀 But in all seriousness, thank you! And when I tell you I did all I could to make sure this was a true tribute for my boi, my goodness. I always had that nagging idea that Yosuke, without Narukami, was the main character of P4. So I'm happy to see the appreciation!
I'm so happy people finally see Yosuke for everything he is. It's ironic that people belittle him to be problematic when he absolutely cares for everyone in the cast and is the driving force behind the game to begin with.
How I felt! Without Mr. Protagonist, Yosuke is and has been the one that pushes the story at a personal character level. There's no Investigation Team without him, in my opinion. Not to mention being a punching bag for a good chunk of the time (looks at Ryuji).
I'm a Ryuji guy foremost, but Yosuke ties with him in my book. I always liked the social links that felt "realistic", y'know? Like these are character with quirks, sure, but the chemistry with the main protag just felt natural and legitimate.
Fantastic video, exceptional quality. Yosuke honestly reminds me a lot of Junpei since both of them have a lot of those same qualities in wanting more out of there lives and wanting things that the main characters have but eventually reconciling that being the heart and soul of the team is just as important as being the hero, they event have romance subplots mixed in with their character arcs! I feel like a lot of the subtext surrounding Yosuke tends to neglected or missed entirely due to certain "comments" he makes during the game (I'm pretty sure we're all aware of what they are) but he's genuinely a guy that can be down on his luck trying to uplift the mood, definitely a favorite within P4
I was actually uncertain whether to really dive into those "certain" comments as you mentioned. I feel though all of the Investigation Team suffer from certain moments of those particular type. Just comes with the youth of the group I suppose. And I liked that you mentioned Junpei! I feel that Junpei (and Ryuji to an extent) and really likely any "Bro" character moving forward will always have those peculiar traits and bonds with the party and the main character. They might feel the same in a sense that they share these traits, but ultimately, it's what makes them so special to the casts they're part of. Appreciate the comment!
@@expychristian I've played this game on my own first multiple times with Yosuke as my favourite character before watching multiple playthroughs of persona 4 Golden by streamers i like and it made me notice, a common thing they all take note on *are* the "certain" comments" from Yosuke that make him go from their favourite character to their least in a matter of seconds, and its really a shame to see because there are so many good parts to his character, as your video mentions. And I completely understand why you wouldn't be sure on highlighting that in a video that's a love letter to him. But at the same time, its definitely something that people should take notice of and not brush it off as youth(NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE BRUSHING IT OFF AS YOUTH IM NOT A HATER), maybe in another video(in general doesn't have to be made by you) as the game was ported to steam for cheap, making it extremely accessible to newer youths, and p4 remake leak rumors hyping up the game again, new youths may find Yosuke's insecurity of gender roles, specifically in the romantic sense, a normal thing and not question it. Especially since persona writers like to write about it in a comedic sense and treat it like a joke(like the gay dudes in persona 5, or yosuke's constant remarks to kanji).
@expychristian ANYWAYS SORRY FOR THE YAP SESH I REALLY LIKE UR VIDEO IT WAS AWESOME and i think atlus is moving in a better direction anyways, like with operation babe hunt in p3 and p3reload, they switched out the script of the lady with the chin hair and the punchline being that she "wasnt a girl" with the lady who was a massive salesperson tryna get them to buy stuff
@legendoffarts I don't justify it nor do I promote it. It's definitely not Atlus' best option to cover such a topic, that's for sure. I'd say it's a product of its time. Not so much because of bigotry or what not, just a level of "not knowing better." Which is strange because Kanji and Naoto are excellently written as well. I don't know, to be honest. Do appreciate you taking it in stride and rolling with the hits. I didn't particularly enjoy those kinds of moments across Persona either (don't get me started on p5). But it's good that we can recognize that it's not optimal behaviour, regardless of age and representation. And yeah, I ought to get P4 on Steam soon! Thank you for mentioning and thank you for your support!
@@expychristianNo thank you for the video, I really enjoyed how you went into depth with Yosuke, and Im glad you went through your way to dive deep into other forms of media like the manga, your editing was incredible and very entertaining to watch!
god this is an absolutely incredible essay. Yosuke is literally my favourite character ever, i genuinely really enjoy his writing despite his issues. hope this blows up lol, phenomenal video dude.
Man am I late to responding, but thank you! Doing my best. I definitely tried to tackle him in an open-ended way. I like how he was written, but it is just unfortunate that there's those glaring issues, as you mentioned. Product of its time, though Atlus hasn't missed with questionable writing decisions for some of their characters. Nonetheless, I appreciate what Yosuke has brought to the table.
EX.ACTLY. I believe that if Narukami wasn't the leader archetype nor the main character, Yosuke would've been the one leading the way. The plot literally leaned so much into his character arc, it's hard to imagine him NOT being candidate for main character.
Great video! I've really been getting into Persona 4 lately, wkth rumors of a 4 remake. This game has by far my favorite cast of characters in any fictional story. Yosuke, Kanji, Rise, they're all done masterfully and their arcs, are done with expert precision. Great video
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the journey. I got into Persona through Persona 4 as well! It always had that "chill" vibe that really fits its cast, story, and setting all at once. It's hard to explain, but the best I can say is that it does help put everyone's stories into perspective with the overall plot. Nonetheless, thank you for the comment!
I feel like we could have gotten a more in-depth personality of Yosuke if Atlus just stuck to the original with the romance arc vision of the character and not have followed the beta testers. I'm glad that we finally got a complete arc for Yosuke in area, but it really feels at least to me like his character kinda dies mid to late game. In place of the sextual humor and comedic bits which I wouldn't mind as much if we saw more into his feelings of isolation and if he got called out for his shitty behavior more like Junpei with the train and bath house (it also doesn't help that he's the earliest shadow so he kinda just doesn't get some time to put fully in his arc like other characters). All in all, though amazing video, I love it when people analyze more obscure character arcs that don't get the lime light in the persona games Yosuke to me is definitely one of my more reliable characters especially to me with the "not really having a place in the friend group" Image, I have definitely had that feeling of being left in the dust while your friends become more than you could ever be.
A lot of what you said is part of the reason I wanted to cover Yosuke in particular. And though I do agree that his character does "die" throughout the story, it's sort of expected, if you may?? Most of the story inevitably circles back to Narukami and the social links start to distance themselves away as they progress because the focus turns to those characters and how they're affected by the plot, rather than addressing the plot itself. Yosuke still gets his development, but yes, it does taper off. It's fortunate Arena chose to incorporate his story to be "canon", which is roughly what brings his story full circle. And yeah! Amen to that, I love covering obscure/overlooked characters with a lot of potential. Yosuke is popular, relatively, but it's his themes that make him peculiar compared to the rest of the group, many of whom fit typical archetypes that are immediately domineering across the group. Still, he's my dude. At the very least, he's got relatability going for him, which stands out in the kind of story Persona tells.
@@expychristian Haha ya “die” was way to strong of a word I definitely feel like you said the he tapers off from the story though while like I said in my edit that we don't really get a end to it like we do with Junpei and we don’t really see that side of him again other than in his social link (I can't comment on P5 or any other of the Persona “bro”characters as I haven't played them) arena really went out of its way to finish out the arc in a great way. P.s. sorry for the edit when I feel like I need to correct myself I go back and change wording it tends to mess people up when making response.
@gridenboat Hey, I appreciate the earnest correction! Lots of what we mean gets lost in transition. I feel that way sometimes as well, haha. I'll say this: Persona 5's "bro" is definitely one of my personal favorites and he definitely deserves a lot more credit than I feel he gets. That's as much as I'll say, but I do think P5 and it's Royal expansion deserve some attention, even if it is the "mainstream" one that many people have played. I also think that's why Arena focused on Yosuke, because of all of the Investigation Team to be affected the most by the plot, besides Narukami, it's Yosuke. So I was thankful to see it conclude favorably for him.
Yosuke is for sure one of my favorite characters, but not gonna lie... He has some bad moments during the middle part of the game. He started so well, being quite smart about the casem backing you up on everything, and being very good in handling the situation... But then after saving Kanji, he becomes a horny boy.
Unfortunately, yeah. Can't seem to escape his own teenage impulses, eh? If I recall too, the Magician Arcana characters in Persona basically shares these kinds of characteristics and personality traits. Obviously not in complete excess, but it's definitely present often. Morgana comes to mind, as does Junpei in certain moments. Not to mention that Persona, for some reason, likes to have these questionable moments appear often and go unaddressed for the rest of the game. If it's meant to solidify that these characters are awkward teenagers, then I really hope they can come up with something more interesting and less jarring. I do think Yosuke still continues to be intelligible and supportive, it's just that other characters (namely Naoto) meld into that role more prominently as the story gets more and more intense. I've found that a lot of the earlier-game characters in Persona start to fall behind when more people are introduced. They're still there and certainly you have had a better relationship with them because they've been with you for a while, but then these characters seem more intriguing and offer more. Maybe that's just me, though.
Definitely gonna check out the rest of your channel dude, this feels like something from a much bigger channel! The editing, mic quality, not to mention the actual subject of the video itself, were just incredible. Also just really pumped to see Yosuke get a video, as I feel like he's really underrated in the discussion o characters from P4 and Persona in general. I really appreciate how much you talked about his story in the arena manga, as it offers a lot more for Yosuke character-wise than most people realize.
Thank you for your support! I do my best, haha. And I'll say this: I've gotten better over time since starting XD I'm always trying to find ways to expand my repertoire, creativity, voice-acting, etc. And as you mentioned, the subject matter; always trying to find what indirect story is being told between the lines. So thank you, truly. But I liked that you also touched upon that discourse of Yosuke. I joke sometimes with friends that without Narukami being the default "leader", Yosuke is the main character of Persona 4. He's got more gravity within the plot and party than I feel is recognized. I'm grateful you recognize that too! Yosuke is the 🐐 And the Arena Manga solidified that for sure! I'm biased just because it's given my boy the time to really shine, haha.
The most perfectly timed video! I just got back into persona and finally went back and finished persona 4. Yosuke went from being a character I didn’t think much about/actively disliked to now being my 2nd favorite persona character in the franchise (just behind Ryuji). Im so happy you made this video bc now I get to bask in more Yosuke/persona content! You really the nail on the head on why he’s so special not just to the narrative but to fans
Happy to provide! I, too, was a bit iffy on Yosuke (and really everyone in the cast beside Narukami) when I was introduced to Persona 4. So in hindsight, this is also something of a maturation for me, as I (like you and many other fans) have come to appreciate the value that Yosuke brings to the game's story and cast. Ryuji is also my guy. Don't get me wrong. But Yosuke is just... different. Y'know? Thank you for your comment! Here's to more of this, eh?
What a beautiful love letter to this very special character. Your analysis was really thought-provoking and offered a great perspective on how to view Yosuke and his struggles. Your video edits and all that just made this experience even better. I appreciate all the effort put into this!
Man, I think ive finally found my favorite Video essay man, guy, thing. Most video essays I have seen are un thought provoking, usually just summarizing the story and coming to the same exact conclusion that the game or movie were already moving towards. You on the other hand have incredible depth in your assays and kept me interested for the entire video, very very well done.
Thank you. I appreciate the thorough reply! I do my best to make the topic less about me just recapping what happened and more about the unspoken lessons and principles we can take from the various moments and themes that these games/media try to communicate. I always wanna try and get better, be it in writing, editing, voice-acting, etc and I hope my content reflects that, in a way, especially after having done this for a year, haha Appreciate your support! I hope you find the rest of the channel enjoyable!
I feel like yosuke should have more potential and I wanna try to understand his personality/social link but only just looking at persona 4 golden makes my head hurt when at the very beginning was serious/understanding/empathetic and knew how to figure problems bit by bit…however he falls in my eyes what felt like in the middle/end game, yes he still tries his hardest to find the killer who killed the love of his life but in between those moments he gives off a very toxic vibe to kanji and makes the same perv jokes to every single in the main group. I appreciate him more in dancing night and even in arena! Overall I’m conflicted with Yosuke, I want him to be the best “best friend partner” to Yu narakumi but…I don’t know
I get it! Yosuke is definitely not for everyone. I actually was a little hesitant as well when I was doing my writing and whatnot. I personally just believe it comes down to the specific character type that he fulfills (The Magician Arcana) and also just his age. Like there's certain points where everyone acts up irrationally (even Narukami if you so decide), because it can slip under our radar that these characters are high schoolers. He's got the potential just as much as he has his own flaws in character and personality. And I believe that's part of why he's so unique (along with other "side/bro" characters like Junpei and Ryuji). I also feel it's to help ground you, the main character, in order to really shine as the "chosen one", if you may. It's why YOU make the big decisions using the input of the others, like Yosuke. That doesn't detract from their own uniqueness and individual merit, but it all comes together with you, the main protagonist, as the figurehead.
@@expychristian yeah I can definitely see that, but just to end it here because I don’t wanna take to much of your time. I just got extremely annoyed with that whole tent scene with kanji and that scene with teddie around end game, when he pours his heart out to the group about his origins [Even if it’s pretty obvious] Yosuke just throwing him under and discrediting teddies moment hurt. but you did help me see him in a different light which gives him a bump in my tier list
@user-jd6ec8lh8o Oh no worries! Some good discourse is swell in my book. I don't object nor deny his behavior, nor is justifiable. It's simply just how he can be, though I do appreciate that the writers didn't completely shaft him and the others and wrote them to be more understanding while still playing to their imperfections as their group dynamic developed. But still, happy to help! Hope you can continue to enjoy Persona and its many characters!
We like Yosuke in these parts. Does it mean he's perfect? Absolutely not. But hey, since when has anyone besides the main protagonist tried to be perfect, eh? Especially in Persona.
'ppreciate it! Happy to help, happy to provide! I fancy making my content entertaining and as insightful as is possible to the best of my ability. Thank you very much.
great video! loved it and it was super through it reminds me why i love yosuke so much despite his flaws also! i don't know if this was a intentional mistake but around the 20:20 mark, you called Nametame "Madarame" both in voice and text
Yosuke Hanamura is a character I hate. He's a character of... halves, or maybe quarters. In the first and last quarter of the game, he is a brilliant character, and deserves all of the love that goes his way. He is at his best. In his social link, he's an insightful, nuanced character who has a wonderful heart and personality. He is the real chain that links the whole party together and helps solve the mystery. In the middle half? He is at his worst. He's a pervert, he's a homophobe, he's a bully, he's an idiot, he's just... outside of the major story cutscenes, intolerable to me. My issue is that the game and the characters do not treat it as if he's wrong, or if he's doing anything wrong. The attitudes and culture of the time are to blame. The game doesn't let you call him out either, because it thinks it's harmless. There is no moment where he comes to terms with his actions, or treatment of Kanji. It doesn't have a deeper meaning. It's uncritical, it's insincere, it's shallow. It's all the opposite of everything I like and value about Yosuke Hanamura. I simply can't tolerate someone so suddenly filled with ignorance, who hurts and demeans his best friends without any real reflection. I've found that nowadays, straight men tend to really connect with Yosuke through the whole game, but that other groups just... do not. Women tend to be very put off by his treatment of Chie, Yukiko, and Rise, while LGBTQ+ folk are very put off by his treatment of Kanji and Naoto. I don't intend to get political, it's not my intent, and it's not always how it goes. Just something I've heavily noticed it when streamers play the game nowadays. Ultimately, he's disappointing to me. When the game gets back to taking him seriously, it's nearing the end and I simply can't forgive him. I know people see him very differently. They think his actions are pretty mild, friendly ribbing, funny, "just how teenagers are". I don't, and can't.
I'll say this: I do appreciate you covering both halves of Yosuke. Even I can admit there's plenty of times in P4, even going into P5 and P3, where someone like Yosuke "acts up", and you can't really do anything about it. Sure, the other characters give a vibe check, but it'd be nice to also give that kind of power to the player (the one who solidifies these bonds to begin with) in order break down what is wrong when said person acts up, not just Yosuke. It's ignorant, and yet for some reason, Persona continues to include moments that go, as you said, unaddressed when it's clearly not good at a sort of characteristic level nor does it contribute to the party dynamic in a good way. It's a shame, really. Appreciate the honesty, mate.
As a woman I disagree as I absolutely love Yosuke and I know of others who do, too. Doesn't mean I wouldn't want to punch him for some of the stuff he says/does (someone said "you aren't a true Yosuke-fan if you don't love and hate him at the same time). Also it's not entirely true that there is no moment where he comes to terms with his actions regarding Kanji. As someone who was way too obsessed with this game, there's like a little mini-arc when you re-visit Kanji's dungeon during different points of the game where he goes from super-uncomfortable to "no I shouldn't say anything. Discrimination is bad" to being at peace there. It's a pity that this isn't in the main storyline, but it is there.
Yosuke is greatly misunderstood as a whole. Persona 4 discourse tends to portray all the characters in a unidimensional level, the criticism is valid nonetheless. Yosuke surfaces up as a well flashed depiction of depression and what come to people whose safenet, at first, is unstable. His demeanor usualy would push people away of thinking less of him, thats his persona: Jiraiya - brash, enjoyful and young (as his Magician arcana too). However theres not only the Yosuke we come to perceive, having no direct relation to the shadow, the ego becomes a source to identfy Yosuke's low steem, envy and selfishness as well his love and care to others around (and especially to his aibou). I cant come to compare Yosuke to others in the "persona bro archetype", since he has an uncondicional trust in Narukami - the anime shows that he is willing to take more than a (single) deathblow to save the Hero, as you said, he's the saver, not a savior, but a saver. He doesnt have to be a protag, hes his own thing.
Thank you! I do my best, and I, especially with this one, low-key, wanted to shorten it, but I just rolled with the topic and did what I could to make things interesting beyond just me speaking. Glad to hear it, good fellow! Hopefully I can continue to provide, haha. Also cute dog pfp!
@loginlamb1625 I did one before this video! I covered Labrys from Persona 4: Arena. Watch here: ua-cam.com/video/PP4zqHybdIM/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared As for more Persona, absolutely! I'll say this, though: I cover A LOT across lots of things. I was actually going to cover Persona 3 before switching over to Persona 4 and Yosuke. And I was even thinking of covering Adachi at some point, but moreso covering him alongside similar characters. I don't know! I guess we'll see, haha. Thank you for support, nonetheless. Glad you enjoyed the video and happy to provide!
@@expychristian Nah, don't worry about being late. I just think your videos, inspite of having long waits inbetween, are of very high quality, and its channels like these that make me want to take a shot at making something of my own. No idea what the future holds, but I wish you luck.
@@memorableman3709 Appreciate it nonetheless. I try to get stuff done sooner, but more or less it turns out to be a monthly endeavour, haha. And hey, if anything, let my and other channels serve as a testament that you can also put out quality of your own make. It's an adventure on its own and it, at least for me, opens your eyes to the production side of content creation.
Haha, probably not. Bro fights demons and monsters like it's normal. And as Arena showed, he actually can keep up with opponents that have more coordinated battle tactics and experience. Plus, it'd just be awkward to try and engage in what is essentially a 1v1 by the river xd
For future reference Ah-puh-latch-in, or if you insist on mispronouncing it at least go for the common mispronunciation Ah-puh-lay-shin. Not Ah-puh-luck-ee-un or however you pronounced it.
Well, from what I've seen with the rest of the Persona 4 cast, he's certainly the one trying to keep everyone focused on the task the most often, besides the main character of course, and up until Naoto joins in. He's the "weakest link" in that he really has nothing else to provide (that's literally his social link story), but I'd like to think that he takes this in stride and does his best regardless because he knows it's for the right reason(s). Although, if Arena really showed anything, that boy can brawl if he needs to.
@@kelbingus2251man I so wanted this to be a thing. I felt like the “initial denial before eventually realizing that love is love and he is simply IN love” would’ve been sooooooo good.
For the love of god, atlus! LET US ROMANCE YOSUKE!!!
I had heard/read during development, there was a romance option that was meant to be?? I can tell it bled into the "remainder" that stayed with the game.
Atlus is scared of success
@69hahafunny I suppose that could be said. But hey, who knows?
@@expychristianhiding in private’s analysis of yosuke has a great bit regarding the scrapped romance line!
Yosuke is probably the most relatable character to me in all of fiction -store son manger that works -bored of everything
-scared of isolation
-girl that pretends to like him
I don't think I'm ever finding a character more relatable then that
If I could summarise Yosuke in a sort of "memey" way?
"He like me fr" XD
And true! There's likely others, but in this kind of setting and story that P4 provides, Yosuke feels about as normal as is possible. It's special, in a way.
Great video, man. Yosuke is my favorite "best friend" character from p3 - p5, and honestly one of my favorite persona characters in general. Glad to see him get a well made video like this.
I see you Triforce Magician 👀
But in all seriousness, thank you! And when I tell you I did all I could to make sure this was a true tribute for my boi, my goodness.
I always had that nagging idea that Yosuke, without Narukami, was the main character of P4. So I'm happy to see the appreciation!
I'm so happy people finally see Yosuke for everything he is. It's ironic that people belittle him to be problematic when he absolutely cares for everyone in the cast and is the driving force behind the game to begin with.
How I felt! Without Mr. Protagonist, Yosuke is and has been the one that pushes the story at a personal character level. There's no Investigation Team without him, in my opinion. Not to mention being a punching bag for a good chunk of the time (looks at Ryuji).
Damn hope he feels the same way about you
A YOSUKE VIDEO?! I LOVE YOSUKE
This was my exact reaction
Happy to provide! @sarapoda
You know I had to do it to 'em.
He's also grown on me since my first exposure to Persona, starting with P4 the Animation.
Out of all the bro characters in the series I would really want to hang out with Yosuke the most
I'm a Ryuji guy foremost, but Yosuke ties with him in my book. I always liked the social links that felt "realistic", y'know? Like these are character with quirks, sure, but the chemistry with the main protag just felt natural and legitimate.
Fantastic video, exceptional quality. Yosuke honestly reminds me a lot of Junpei since both of them have a lot of those same qualities in wanting more out of there lives and wanting things that the main characters have but eventually reconciling that being the heart and soul of the team is just as important as being the hero, they event have romance subplots mixed in with their character arcs! I feel like a lot of the subtext surrounding Yosuke tends to neglected or missed entirely due to certain "comments" he makes during the game (I'm pretty sure we're all aware of what they are) but he's genuinely a guy that can be down on his luck trying to uplift the mood, definitely a favorite within P4
I was actually uncertain whether to really dive into those "certain" comments as you mentioned. I feel though all of the Investigation Team suffer from certain moments of those particular type. Just comes with the youth of the group I suppose.
And I liked that you mentioned Junpei! I feel that Junpei (and Ryuji to an extent) and really likely any "Bro" character moving forward will always have those peculiar traits and bonds with the party and the main character. They might feel the same in a sense that they share these traits, but ultimately, it's what makes them so special to the casts they're part of. Appreciate the comment!
@@expychristian I've played this game on my own first multiple times with Yosuke as my favourite character before watching multiple playthroughs of persona 4 Golden by streamers i like and it made me notice, a common thing they all take note on *are* the "certain" comments" from Yosuke that make him go from their favourite character to their least in a matter of seconds, and its really a shame to see because there are so many good parts to his character, as your video mentions. And I completely understand why you wouldn't be sure on highlighting that in a video that's a love letter to him. But at the same time, its definitely something that people should take notice of and not brush it off as youth(NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE BRUSHING IT OFF AS YOUTH IM NOT A HATER), maybe in another video(in general doesn't have to be made by you) as the game was ported to steam for cheap, making it extremely accessible to newer youths, and p4 remake leak rumors hyping up the game again, new youths may find Yosuke's insecurity of gender roles, specifically in the romantic sense, a normal thing and not question it. Especially since persona writers like to write about it in a comedic sense and treat it like a joke(like the gay dudes in persona 5, or yosuke's constant remarks to kanji).
@expychristian ANYWAYS SORRY FOR THE YAP SESH I REALLY LIKE UR VIDEO IT WAS AWESOME and i think atlus is moving in a better direction anyways, like with operation babe hunt in p3 and p3reload, they switched out the script of the lady with the chin hair and the punchline being that she "wasnt a girl" with the lady who was a massive salesperson tryna get them to buy stuff
@legendoffarts I don't justify it nor do I promote it. It's definitely not Atlus' best option to cover such a topic, that's for sure. I'd say it's a product of its time. Not so much because of bigotry or what not, just a level of "not knowing better." Which is strange because Kanji and Naoto are excellently written as well. I don't know, to be honest.
Do appreciate you taking it in stride and rolling with the hits. I didn't particularly enjoy those kinds of moments across Persona either (don't get me started on p5). But it's good that we can recognize that it's not optimal behaviour, regardless of age and representation.
And yeah, I ought to get P4 on Steam soon! Thank you for mentioning and thank you for your support!
@@expychristianNo thank you for the video, I really enjoyed how you went into depth with Yosuke, and Im glad you went through your way to dive deep into other forms of media like the manga, your editing was incredible and very entertaining to watch!
god this is an absolutely incredible essay. Yosuke is literally my favourite character ever, i genuinely really enjoy his writing despite his issues. hope this blows up lol, phenomenal video dude.
Man am I late to responding, but thank you! Doing my best. I definitely tried to tackle him in an open-ended way. I like how he was written, but it is just unfortunate that there's those glaring issues, as you mentioned. Product of its time, though Atlus hasn't missed with questionable writing decisions for some of their characters. Nonetheless, I appreciate what Yosuke has brought to the table.
i feel like yosuke is what would happen if atlus let yu have a speaking role and personality instead of being a self insert and it works wonders
EX.ACTLY. I believe that if Narukami wasn't the leader archetype nor the main character, Yosuke would've been the one leading the way. The plot literally leaned so much into his character arc, it's hard to imagine him NOT being candidate for main character.
Great video! I've really been getting into Persona 4 lately, wkth rumors of a 4 remake. This game has by far my favorite cast of characters in any fictional story. Yosuke, Kanji, Rise, they're all done masterfully and their arcs, are done with expert precision. Great video
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the journey. I got into Persona through Persona 4 as well! It always had that "chill" vibe that really fits its cast, story, and setting all at once. It's hard to explain, but the best I can say is that it does help put everyone's stories into perspective with the overall plot. Nonetheless, thank you for the comment!
I feel like we could have gotten a more in-depth personality of Yosuke if Atlus just stuck to the original with the romance arc vision of the character and not have followed the beta testers. I'm glad that we finally got a complete arc for Yosuke in area, but it really feels at least to me like his character kinda dies mid to late game. In place of the sextual humor and comedic bits which I wouldn't mind as much if we saw more into his feelings of isolation and if he got called out for his shitty behavior more like Junpei with the train and bath house (it also doesn't help that he's the earliest shadow so he kinda just doesn't get some time to put fully in his arc like other characters). All in all, though amazing video, I love it when people analyze more obscure character arcs that don't get the lime light in the persona games Yosuke to me is definitely one of my more reliable characters especially to me with the "not really having a place in the friend group" Image, I have definitely had that feeling of being left in the dust while your friends become more than you could ever be.
A lot of what you said is part of the reason I wanted to cover Yosuke in particular. And though I do agree that his character does "die" throughout the story, it's sort of expected, if you may?? Most of the story inevitably circles back to Narukami and the social links start to distance themselves away as they progress because the focus turns to those characters and how they're affected by the plot, rather than addressing the plot itself. Yosuke still gets his development, but yes, it does taper off. It's fortunate Arena chose to incorporate his story to be "canon", which is roughly what brings his story full circle.
And yeah! Amen to that, I love covering obscure/overlooked characters with a lot of potential. Yosuke is popular, relatively, but it's his themes that make him peculiar compared to the rest of the group, many of whom fit typical archetypes that are immediately domineering across the group. Still, he's my dude. At the very least, he's got relatability going for him, which stands out in the kind of story Persona tells.
@@expychristian Haha ya “die” was way to strong of a word I definitely feel like you said the he tapers off from the story though while like I said in my edit that we don't really get a end to it like we do with Junpei and we don’t really see that side of him again other than in his social link (I can't comment on P5 or any other of the Persona “bro”characters as I haven't played them) arena really went out of its way to finish out the arc in a great way. P.s. sorry for the edit when I feel like I need to correct myself I go back and change wording it tends to mess people up when making response.
@gridenboat Hey, I appreciate the earnest correction! Lots of what we mean gets lost in transition. I feel that way sometimes as well, haha.
I'll say this: Persona 5's "bro" is definitely one of my personal favorites and he definitely deserves a lot more credit than I feel he gets. That's as much as I'll say, but I do think P5 and it's Royal expansion deserve some attention, even if it is the "mainstream" one that many people have played.
I also think that's why Arena focused on Yosuke, because of all of the Investigation Team to be affected the most by the plot, besides Narukami, it's Yosuke. So I was thankful to see it conclude favorably for him.
Yosuke is for sure one of my favorite characters, but not gonna lie... He has some bad moments during the middle part of the game.
He started so well, being quite smart about the casem backing you up on everything, and being very good in handling the situation... But then after saving Kanji, he becomes a horny boy.
Unfortunately, yeah. Can't seem to escape his own teenage impulses, eh? If I recall too, the Magician Arcana characters in Persona basically shares these kinds of characteristics and personality traits. Obviously not in complete excess, but it's definitely present often. Morgana comes to mind, as does Junpei in certain moments. Not to mention that Persona, for some reason, likes to have these questionable moments appear often and go unaddressed for the rest of the game. If it's meant to solidify that these characters are awkward teenagers, then I really hope they can come up with something more interesting and less jarring.
I do think Yosuke still continues to be intelligible and supportive, it's just that other characters (namely Naoto) meld into that role more prominently as the story gets more and more intense.
I've found that a lot of the earlier-game characters in Persona start to fall behind when more people are introduced. They're still there and certainly you have had a better relationship with them because they've been with you for a while, but then these characters seem more intriguing and offer more. Maybe that's just me, though.
Definitely gonna check out the rest of your channel dude, this feels like something from a much bigger channel! The editing, mic quality, not to mention the actual subject of the video itself, were just incredible. Also just really pumped to see Yosuke get a video, as I feel like he's really underrated in the discussion o characters from P4 and Persona in general. I really appreciate how much you talked about his story in the arena manga, as it offers a lot more for Yosuke character-wise than most people realize.
Thank you for your support! I do my best, haha. And I'll say this: I've gotten better over time since starting XD
I'm always trying to find ways to expand my repertoire, creativity, voice-acting, etc. And as you mentioned, the subject matter; always trying to find what indirect story is being told between the lines. So thank you, truly.
But I liked that you also touched upon that discourse of Yosuke. I joke sometimes with friends that without Narukami being the default "leader", Yosuke is the main character of Persona 4. He's got more gravity within the plot and party than I feel is recognized. I'm grateful you recognize that too! Yosuke is the 🐐
And the Arena Manga solidified that for sure! I'm biased just because it's given my boy the time to really shine, haha.
The most perfectly timed video! I just got back into persona and finally went back and finished persona 4. Yosuke went from being a character I didn’t think much about/actively disliked to now being my 2nd favorite persona character in the franchise (just behind Ryuji). Im so happy you made this video bc now I get to bask in more Yosuke/persona content! You really the nail on the head on why he’s so special not just to the narrative but to fans
Happy to provide! I, too, was a bit iffy on Yosuke (and really everyone in the cast beside Narukami) when I was introduced to Persona 4. So in hindsight, this is also something of a maturation for me, as I (like you and many other fans) have come to appreciate the value that Yosuke brings to the game's story and cast. Ryuji is also my guy. Don't get me wrong. But Yosuke is just... different. Y'know?
Thank you for your comment! Here's to more of this, eh?
What a beautiful love letter to this very special character. Your analysis was really thought-provoking and offered a great perspective on how to view Yosuke and his struggles. Your video edits and all that just made this experience even better. I appreciate all the effort put into this!
Man, I think ive finally found my favorite Video essay man, guy, thing. Most video essays I have seen are un thought provoking, usually just summarizing the story and coming to the same exact conclusion that the game or movie were already moving towards. You on the other hand have incredible depth in your assays and kept me interested for the entire video, very very well done.
Thank you. I appreciate the thorough reply! I do my best to make the topic less about me just recapping what happened and more about the unspoken lessons and principles we can take from the various moments and themes that these games/media try to communicate. I always wanna try and get better, be it in writing, editing, voice-acting, etc and I hope my content reflects that, in a way, especially after having done this for a year, haha
Appreciate your support! I hope you find the rest of the channel enjoyable!
I feel like yosuke should have more potential and I wanna try to understand his personality/social link but only just looking at persona 4 golden makes my head hurt when at the very beginning was serious/understanding/empathetic and knew how to figure problems bit by bit…however he falls in my eyes what felt like in the middle/end game, yes he still tries his hardest to find the killer who killed the love of his life but in between those moments he gives off a very toxic vibe to kanji and makes the same perv jokes to every single in the main group. I appreciate him more in dancing night and even in arena! Overall I’m conflicted with Yosuke, I want him to be the best “best friend partner” to Yu narakumi but…I don’t know
I get it! Yosuke is definitely not for everyone. I actually was a little hesitant as well when I was doing my writing and whatnot. I personally just believe it comes down to the specific character type that he fulfills (The Magician Arcana) and also just his age. Like there's certain points where everyone acts up irrationally (even Narukami if you so decide), because it can slip under our radar that these characters are high schoolers. He's got the potential just as much as he has his own flaws in character and personality. And I believe that's part of why he's so unique (along with other "side/bro" characters like Junpei and Ryuji). I also feel it's to help ground you, the main character, in order to really shine as the "chosen one", if you may. It's why YOU make the big decisions using the input of the others, like Yosuke. That doesn't detract from their own uniqueness and individual merit, but it all comes together with you, the main protagonist, as the figurehead.
@@expychristian yeah I can definitely see that, but just to end it here because I don’t wanna take to much of your time. I just got extremely annoyed with that whole tent scene with kanji and that scene with teddie around end game, when he pours his heart out to the group about his origins [Even if it’s pretty obvious] Yosuke just throwing him under and discrediting teddies moment hurt. but you did help me see him in a different light which gives him a bump in my tier list
@user-jd6ec8lh8o Oh no worries! Some good discourse is swell in my book. I don't object nor deny his behavior, nor is justifiable. It's simply just how he can be, though I do appreciate that the writers didn't completely shaft him and the others and wrote them to be more understanding while still playing to their imperfections as their group dynamic developed. But still, happy to help! Hope you can continue to enjoy Persona and its many characters!
He’s my love of my life I love Yosuke😔😔😔💖💖💖💖
We like Yosuke in these parts. Does it mean he's perfect? Absolutely not. But hey, since when has anyone besides the main protagonist tried to be perfect, eh? Especially in Persona.
Excelent video about my favorite character of the persona series, thank you
No worries! Glad you were able to enjoy it! He's one of my top ten favourites in Persona, that's for certain.
I need him.
I miss him every day
This videos is so perfect I learnt sm from it!! He’s so relatable and this video couldn’t have come up at a better time, it’s also so well done!! 🤍🤍
'ppreciate it! Happy to help, happy to provide! I fancy making my content entertaining and as insightful as is possible to the best of my ability. Thank you very much.
Yosuke Hanamura? More like..... Brosuke Chadamura
That's my guy you feel?
great video! loved it and it was super through
it reminds me why i love yosuke so much despite his flaws
also!
i don't know if this was a intentional mistake but around the 20:20 mark, you called Nametame "Madarame" both in voice and text
Thank you! And yeah, that's my fault. I got the names mixed up in writing, though the characters I remembered were different.
Yosuke Hanamura is a character I hate. He's a character of... halves, or maybe quarters.
In the first and last quarter of the game, he is a brilliant character, and deserves all of the love that goes his way. He is at his best.
In his social link, he's an insightful, nuanced character who has a wonderful heart and personality.
He is the real chain that links the whole party together and helps solve the mystery.
In the middle half? He is at his worst.
He's a pervert, he's a homophobe, he's a bully, he's an idiot, he's just... outside of the major story cutscenes, intolerable to me.
My issue is that the game and the characters do not treat it as if he's wrong, or if he's doing anything wrong. The attitudes and culture of the time are to blame.
The game doesn't let you call him out either, because it thinks it's harmless. There is no moment where he comes to terms with his actions, or treatment of Kanji.
It doesn't have a deeper meaning. It's uncritical, it's insincere, it's shallow. It's all the opposite of everything I like and value about Yosuke Hanamura.
I simply can't tolerate someone so suddenly filled with ignorance, who hurts and demeans his best friends without any real reflection.
I've found that nowadays, straight men tend to really connect with Yosuke through the whole game, but that other groups just... do not.
Women tend to be very put off by his treatment of Chie, Yukiko, and Rise, while LGBTQ+ folk are very put off by his treatment of Kanji and Naoto.
I don't intend to get political, it's not my intent, and it's not always how it goes. Just something I've heavily noticed it when streamers play the game nowadays.
Ultimately, he's disappointing to me. When the game gets back to taking him seriously, it's nearing the end and I simply can't forgive him.
I know people see him very differently. They think his actions are pretty mild, friendly ribbing, funny, "just how teenagers are".
I don't, and can't.
I know a lot of women and LGBTQ+ people who would disagree with you lol
I'll say this: I do appreciate you covering both halves of Yosuke. Even I can admit there's plenty of times in P4, even going into P5 and P3, where someone like Yosuke "acts up", and you can't really do anything about it. Sure, the other characters give a vibe check, but it'd be nice to also give that kind of power to the player (the one who solidifies these bonds to begin with) in order break down what is wrong when said person acts up, not just Yosuke. It's ignorant, and yet for some reason, Persona continues to include moments that go, as you said, unaddressed when it's clearly not good at a sort of characteristic level nor does it contribute to the party dynamic in a good way. It's a shame, really. Appreciate the honesty, mate.
As a woman I disagree as I absolutely love Yosuke and I know of others who do, too. Doesn't mean I wouldn't want to punch him for some of the stuff he says/does (someone said "you aren't a true Yosuke-fan if you don't love and hate him at the same time).
Also it's not entirely true that there is no moment where he comes to terms with his actions regarding Kanji. As someone who was way too obsessed with this game, there's like a little mini-arc when you re-visit Kanji's dungeon during different points of the game where he goes from super-uncomfortable to "no I shouldn't say anything. Discrimination is bad" to being at peace there. It's a pity that this isn't in the main storyline, but it is there.
Yosuke is greatly misunderstood as a whole. Persona 4 discourse tends to portray all the characters in a unidimensional level, the criticism is valid nonetheless. Yosuke surfaces up as a well flashed depiction of depression and what come to people whose safenet, at first, is unstable. His demeanor usualy would push people away of thinking less of him, thats his persona: Jiraiya - brash, enjoyful and young (as his Magician arcana too). However theres not only the Yosuke we come to perceive, having no direct relation to the shadow, the ego becomes a source to identfy Yosuke's low steem, envy and selfishness as well his love and care to others around (and especially to his aibou). I cant come to compare Yosuke to others in the "persona bro archetype", since he has an uncondicional trust in Narukami - the anime shows that he is willing to take more than a (single) deathblow to save the Hero, as you said, he's the saver, not a savior, but a saver. He doesnt have to be a protag, hes his own thing.
Just found your channel today. Its been a while since I've watched a whole video essay. Super underrated. Keep it up!
Thank you! I do my best, and I, especially with this one, low-key, wanted to shorten it, but I just rolled with the topic and did what I could to make things interesting beyond just me speaking. Glad to hear it, good fellow! Hopefully I can continue to provide, haha. Also cute dog pfp!
@@expychristian I was wondering if I can expect more Persona character analysis in the future? I really like your takes and Im curious to see more!
@loginlamb1625 I did one before this video! I covered Labrys from Persona 4: Arena. Watch here: ua-cam.com/video/PP4zqHybdIM/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
As for more Persona, absolutely! I'll say this, though: I cover A LOT across lots of things. I was actually going to cover Persona 3 before switching over to Persona 4 and Yosuke. And I was even thinking of covering Adachi at some point, but moreso covering him alongside similar characters. I don't know! I guess we'll see, haha. Thank you for support, nonetheless. Glad you enjoyed the video and happy to provide!
@@expychristian Of course! I love these types of videos and you have my full support for the future 😁😁
You really deserve more subs, man.
Late to respond, but thank you! I'm doing my best haha. Who knows what the future holds?
@@expychristian Nah, don't worry about being late. I just think your videos, inspite of having long waits inbetween, are of very high quality, and its channels like these that make me want to take a shot at making something of my own. No idea what the future holds, but I wish you luck.
@@memorableman3709 Appreciate it nonetheless. I try to get stuff done sooner, but more or less it turns out to be a monthly endeavour, haha. And hey, if anything, let my and other channels serve as a testament that you can also put out quality of your own make. It's an adventure on its own and it, at least for me, opens your eyes to the production side of content creation.
Fr
Thank you, Mudkip from Pokémon: Mystery Dungeon!
Madarame? That's Namatame. Madarame is the painter from P5 who is connected to Yusuke.
My fault, I mixed it up mid-recording XD
Good video but lets talk about the elephant in the room. Could YOU beat yosuke hanamura in a fight?
Haha, probably not. Bro fights demons and monsters like it's normal. And as Arena showed, he actually can keep up with opponents that have more coordinated battle tactics and experience.
Plus, it'd just be awkward to try and engage in what is essentially a 1v1 by the river xd
20:32 uhh u mean namatame…??
Yup! Mixed the names up by accident during editing and recording, oops
he's the worst best friend in any persona game just because he does not help you hook up with a teacher like junpei in three or ryuji in five.
To each their own, I suppose? 🤷♂️
For future reference Ah-puh-latch-in, or if you insist on mispronouncing it at least go for the common mispronunciation Ah-puh-lay-shin. Not Ah-puh-luck-ee-un or however you pronounced it.
I'm sorry, what word was this for? I'm genuinely curious as to what I mispronounced.
@@expychristian Appalachian
@@DrPapillon Oh my bad. That's on me, I thought this and that, but hey! Happy to be corrected.
in a nutshell, Yosuke is the weakest link friend who doesn't know it yet (or does know and being a good sport about it)😭😭
ref: ua-cam.com/video/yLFOCBd538s/v-deo.html
Well, from what I've seen with the rest of the Persona 4 cast, he's certainly the one trying to keep everyone focused on the task the most often, besides the main character of course, and up until Naoto joins in. He's the "weakest link" in that he really has nothing else to provide (that's literally his social link story), but I'd like to think that he takes this in stride and does his best regardless because he knows it's for the right reason(s). Although, if Arena really showed anything, that boy can brawl if he needs to.
Yosuke be like: 🏳️🌈🚫🚫🚫
Yosuke being homophobic like he didn't have a romance route that got cut last minute
@@kelbingus2251 He doesn’t like to talk about that…
@@kelbingus2251man I so wanted this to be a thing. I felt like the “initial denial before eventually realizing that love is love and he is simply IN love” would’ve been sooooooo good.
@@sarapoda homophobia ruins everything again😔