Something I really dig about the 3rd semester is that it feels almost like the game has “grown up.” Vanilla P5 had very picaresque, rebellious themes that a lot of teenagers (like myself when the game came out) could identify with, it felt like the personification of teen spirit. Whereas this new semester and story has a far more adult tone, where the characters need to actually make mature and critical decisions instead of just simply “beating the bad guys.” Adulthood has responsibilities, and the Phantom Thieves choose to accept that responsibility and fight against a reality that, for all intents and purposes, would massively benefit them. The fact that nearly all the Phantom Thieves move away to pursue their own goals really solidifies this. P5 captured the fiery essence of teenage rebellion and spirit, while P5R captured the essence of growing up, and the bittersweet yet beautiful transition to adulthood.
*SPOILER* An example? When infiltrating the palace, Ryuji finds out that Shido was involved in messing things up for Maruki, he starts to get angry, but then he says "Now's not the time to get pissed off about that." This is RYUJI we're talking about, people!
Something I really digged about Royal is it shows the culmination of the characters development from a couple of rebellious teens to genuine heroes looking forward and not back-- especially in the final confrontation with Maruki where each one of them solidified their own stance and how they choose to live their lives on their own without running away.
I saw a comment in a video that I think summarized the concepts of P5 and P5R really well: P5: If you have the will, you can change the future. P5R:...but not the past.
Third Semester is probably one of the best additions to any of the modern persona games. It’s even getting praise from the old persona fans and even SMT fans. Bringing peace to all.
“Persona 5: Royal is brilliant” Thank you, oh wise Kamen. What more knowledge shall you give to us? That the earth orbits the sun? And the sky is blue? And we need water to live?
My favorite thing about Royal is that it addresses a lot of unwarranted criticism that the base game got by almost screaming to those people that they didn't understand the message and here's why. I remember tons of people complaining that the Phantom Thieves weren't doing enough and should be making a bigger impact without understanding that if they did so then they would be taking away other's freedom. You know, freedom? The main theme of the entire game!
Lmao. Yea it doesn't necessarily mean it's evil either. I mean this game gives a good gilimpse into a utpoic modern society and it's good hearted. I mean, it's not political in anyway but I find that utpoia's present an interesting philosophical questions. Although this game really only tackled the moral question of forcing it and wether or not trying to save people like that is inherently bad. Especially because maruki isn't a bad man himself. But I like pondering this sorta stuff about utopias and good intentions.
It also answers that complaint a lot of people seemed to have that "but it makes no sense to argue if the PT are doing the right thing! The bad guys need to change!" for basically the same reason. 3rd semester fits like a glove in P5 canon
But the phantom theives are taking way people's freedom by forcing them to change hearts, yusuke says in the final palace that the phantom theives are no different than the chalice because they force people to change regardless of how the individual feels
Also, dayum, I didn’t catch that Sojiro referenced *censored’s* death long before the third semester, so you’ve definitely got a keen eye. Just goes to show how adept Atlus can be at foreshadowing.
Frr. I just started replaying and caught onto that and I was like. Holy shit. They really throw everything at you in the beginning but we just don’t realize it the first time (I also noticed Maruki walking by after we leave Kamoshida’s palace)
Another detail like that was when you go to the station together with Sumi in that rainy day. She gets a call from her father and explains to you that he offered to go pick her up since it was raining, she even says: "a bit over protective, don't you think?". Of course you already know why he wanted to pick her up on a rainy day, right?
The man said it but I will repeat it. This game ain't perfect, but it does a freaking amazing job at being... amazing. I have zero regrets for buying it at full price, simply days later after finishing the original Persona 5. Top tier new tracks, the extra stuff they added are pretty cool and the new content is awesome! Simply one of the best JRPGs in my opinion (Obviously Nocturne continues being my all time favorite JRPG, because I'm a fucking masochist and the style the game has still makes me fall in love with it) that still makes me cry. I want to hug Akechi, Kasumi is a cupcake and Maruki is my freaking dad. Thank you, Atlus, for the game and thank you, Karma, for the video.
There's a line I only got 1 time in Mementos in the 3rd semester where Akechi says (something along the lines of) "I never want to hear the word pancakes ever again" I REALLY hope it was added specifically because of the meme and not because it's what got him found out.
It was definitly the meme, It gotten so popular from the og p5 that even the official voice actor of akechi kept joking about it and so did the other va's so im pretty sure they wanted it to be in the game by asking the devs which is so cool.
Third semester is one psychological story. I honestly keep remembering my stepdad whenever I play a Persona game, because I told him about Persona 3 and if I could play it. He said "When you're old enough to understand." Sadly he passed away before we could play one together. Losing him made me feel that the only person who tried to understand me. After that I really couldn't feel anything for awhile, everytime someone tried complementing me, I pushed them away and threatened them like trash and useless beings in my life, which included friends and family. I honestly felt that the only escape was to just end my life. When did try I pretty much had a meltdown on myself calling myself words as selfish, a bastard, and the demon worst than Satan while beating myself up. When my mom's boyfriend wanted to confront me I felt he just wanted to replace him, but he and others healed something I felt could be fixed. But all of them made me have a smile and finally learned that, life is short already short why end it before the best part is over. Although both stepdads are gone(both died for different reasons) I don't want to die, I want to live a future the could have and will see.
That my good friend is what I like to refer to as 'the courage to be a better person' it's not easy to fight, claw, and scramble to climb out of your hole but when you do it feels like a weight is removed from you, everything seems more vibrant, more alive, everything feels more alive, and though I myself am hollow to an extent I feel that that allows me in a sense to better appreciate how wonderful the world can be at times. Don't get me wrong at times it sucks harder than disney pushing out those lion king movies but for every bit of hardship I can guarantee you somewhere down the line you'll find something absolutely wonderful I just know it.
There is an unused cutscene of Royal which shows Yusuke's mother's death and how Madarame refused to help her. It was suposse to trigger when you collected one of the Will seeds in his palace. Wouldn't it be cool if each will seed showed how each palace owner came to be how they are?
I always interpreted Maruki reaching for the snowflake in the end to symbolize him still trying to desperately reach for that perfect, beautiful world in his dreams, crystalized and given form. Only to then grasp it and turn it around in his palm to reveal it's nothing but plain water in the end. No matter how perfect or painless a world he invisioned, in reality, it's nothing but a lie he kept telling himself and only now fully sees the truth.
Oziach yeah dude. I remember your rant you posted about p5r. Honestly opened my eyes to how bad that game was. The animation was in point and the transitions were seamless for the video.
Seing you in this video was awesome.This is defenely my favourite part of video and make this part justice.Overall great job for you and Manga and looking foward to see what comes next.
So... The third semester and Maruki are incredibly important to me. I basically blitzed through Royal when it came out over here, and beat it by mid April. Maruki tugged at my heartsrings, Akechi tugged at my heart strings, Sumire did so too. I didn't want to have to choose between Maruki's reality and actual reality... But I did. I chose to strive through pain and fought Maruki. It was an incredible story that definitely made me cry. 10 days later my dad died in front of me from a heart attack. And through everything that I went through, that my family went through. It would have been so easy for me to despair, to go... Basically vegetative. Every step of the way since though, any time I've been sad or scared for the future, I reminded myself that I'd made my decisions already. So... In a way, Maruki helped me. He made me face those sorts of feelings before I possibly could've been expected to apply them. Persona 5 is a great game on its own, but Royal and the third semester are probably the single most important gaming experience I've ever had. Thank you for the analysis Kamen. It means a lot to hear other people gushing about this game.
My dad died a few months before I ever got the game and I didn't have a way to cope until finishing this game. It gave me the idea that I could recover and didnt have to wallow in my own despair. It's been a year now since he's passed, I'm on my 3rd playthrough of the game, going for the 100% run, and Sophomore years been going well. Love ya dad, and also, hope everyone who sees this is doing well and recovers from there own issues
SMT fans might hate me for this but I think Persona 5 Royal is a 10/10 game. A lot of people get mad if you praise modern Persona but I think that this game is perfect in both gameplay and storytelling.
P5R is my favorite game of all time. But it's not perfect, however being 10/10 doesn't mean perfection but rather excelling at nearly everything you do with few missteps, and that's P5R to me. Not perfect, but still a masterpiece
For a series so full of quality as the perosna/SMT games, I never understood how defensive and aggressive everyone gets, to the point that they need to bash other games to make their favorites seem better. I guarantee that when SMTV comes out, the smt fanbase will break into a civil war
I like how they improved Akechi in Royal. In vanilla P5 he felt like wasted potential to draw more parallels with Joker. But in Royal you actively have to decide to interact with him, and the new confidant scenes help make his character more tragic in some way. Even when you already know he's the traitor, these scenes just hit harder because It's like a glimpse into how they could've been genuine friends under different circumstances.
It's because he doesn't feel like he's in service of the plot anymore. The main problem with vanilla Akechi was that he was a vehicle to plot progression. Even though he was interesting, even though his motives made sense, he only seemed to exist when the plot needed him. But Royal's confidant make him a real character, and not only makes his death more meaningful to us, it makes it more meaningful to the PTs.
As much I love Royal, i do wish they kept the cutscenes that were planned for the game. The scenes that would have explained why Kamoshida and Madarame were the way they were. And the scene with Akechi
Yeah, despite loving all of these game’s additions and definitely not taking them for granted, if there’s one *small* thing I wish P5R also included, it’s flashbacks of each palace’s rulers life after collecting all their Will Seeds. It’d not only allow you to understand how they became who they are better, but give more incentive to get them as well.
I disagree Most of the palace owner's back stories are actually shown in the story Madarame wasn't getting the money needed to become an artist Mafia guy was getting bullied for being "too weak" Futaba's and Maruki's story is woved into the palace so no Yaldo simply comes from the desire for humans to be trapped Only 2 out of the 8 palaces "need" a backstory and one of the two is just to show the player how bad does someone's distortion cause them to be (guess which of the two that is) While I do think it is an ok idea, I don't think it would work for most of the palace as the player themselves tend to find out the story pretty easy As for Akechi, they most likely wanted to keep it open book. We have no idea what Akechi is doing (or we didn't) so it would have been a nice surprise to see what he was doing after P5S (since he isn't in Scramble oof)
Unknown Redacted I disagree with you. We don’t know what events led to the situations of the palace owners. Sure we know Madarame needed money, but what events drove him to that and became the man who used even the child he took in for monetary gain. We don’t know what happened to Kaneshiro that put him into the mafia and led him down the path of becoming the ruthless boss we see him as, we just know he got pushed around. Yaldabaoth isn’t a palace ruler, so much as he is a false god humans made up for order (like how Futaba’s mother was the sphinx) For the other two, it doesn’t matter how evil they are, I’d like to know more about them. What made Shido the prideful man who thought he was the one above all in Japan. What made Kamoshida the perverted angry ex-Olympic athlete that we see as a volleyball coach. There’s always more to a story than “not enough money” as something had to have happened. Let’s look at how they handled Okumura. We knew what happened to him. As at the end of the palace, Haru explains that before him the family company wasn’t doing well at all. Her grandfather was also not very wise, and lended money out without worrying about people paying him back, causing debt collectors to be a constant presence. So Okumura decided that he would make sure his family would have the money and nice things he always wanted as a child. That original cause turned into the unholy greed that, to him, justified the abuse of employees and using Shido and Akechi as a means to kill off opponents. If they did that for every palace owner, it would be much better.
@@poolturtle5772 we don’t need to know what events led them to the way they were because those events don’t matter and shouldn’t matter. Just the knowing that there was a reason is more than enough even though none of it went explored. It’s why Akechi is such a bad character. Because people excuse his actions simply because they went deeper with his sob story
I agree heavily, P5R is an absolute masterpiece and you basically covered everything on why I love the 3rd semester. I also love how they made Akechi a better fleshed out character and made his relationship with Joker/Akira more special. Kasumi's story is also very well written, however, I agree that Maruki is one of the best antagonists of the persona series. They made his arc really special and close to many, including myself. I still believe Adachi is the best in regards to the villain category, however, I do agree that the 3rd semester was done beautifully. I would love to see a video sometime with your opinion regarding Adachi. I absolutely love his character and even if he's a asshole, I really understand him on a personal level and I think you doing a video on him would be awesome. Just a suggestion though
I feel sorry for everyone who passed on this game for some reason or another. This game, its characters, and its message... they'll stick with me forever. Maruki is my favorite antagonist of all time and Akechi officially claimed a spot as one of my favorite characters ever.
It's hard for me to consider him a villain, I was genuinely torn during the 3rd Semester because of his beliefs and because I really liked him. Like, the answer itself is an easy one to make but at the same time it deals with an idea I've wrestled with long before P5R. Man, that entire finale was amazing imo, you could feel the desperation in Maruki refusing to give up. The fights weren't hard but they succeeded in making it feel like things were desperate, imo.
The entire tone shift in January really caught me off guard, much like how Persona 3 did. The one thing that just made me put my controller down for a few minutes was when Okumura said "my daughter's happiness is my own after all." The line wasn't even voiced and most players probably didn't spend too much time thinking about it but that really hit me on the inside, because you know... Okumura would never say that about Haru...
In the end, destroying Maruki ambition and stealing his heart has torned me apart, and that's why I love it so much. I knew his actions weren't evil, and it would probably make a better world in the end, but it just didn't feel right. Pain is a part of life, even if it hurts. And still, I could not stop crying as I crushed a genuine wish to make humanity better. The third semester brought a new life to Persona 5, and, in doing so, it made this game much more special to me.
I haven’t played the last of us. The 2nd from what I saw makes you second guess yourself with the whole Abby thing because she killed Joel. To some it does and others it doesn’t. This game does it right. The whole time you are meant to second guessed yourself even though you know it’s bad. Leading up to taking down Maruki, I didn’t want to go through with it. This guy was my friend and I understood where he was coming from. That’s how you create a perfect antagonist.
I went crazy with planning my confidant and stat rank ups so when January came about I had so much free time. That I only had to finish Sumire and get everyone's 3rd tier.
@@darkstorm2579 I did do guides for the confidant answers and how many points are between each rank up for the stats but thats about it. I'd already had two play throughs on p5 so I knew not to waste time. Royal though does give u a lot of help with the new days that arent sleep locked and the extra stuff you can do in LeBlanc. I do admit I was worried I wouldn't be able to get Akechi maxed as it took forever for my Knowledge to max out. But I was able to get him with time to spare
@@roxan_1314 I was worried that I wouldn't be able to max everyone out because I messed up a bit while following the guide but I had a lot of free time in November and December, so I was able to finish everyone's Confidants and max out my social stats.
@@darkstorm2579 Haru was the last one I finished and I maxed her out the day before you have to go to the Depths. Well actually Sumire was the last I finished in January but of everyone else Haru was the last
A few things before I get into the gushing: 1. 4:07 I recognize that oinka video any day, don't think you can pull one on me >:P 2. You don't _need_ to max Akechi to get third semester (though you do need it to get his third persona and a certain version of the post-credits scene). That said, I think doing so makes for the optimal version of the story and I totally get why the misconception exists, since Joker grieving for him is hard-coded into third semester and his confidant is the main thing that establishes their relationship. 3. If you're familiar with how actual counseling works, Maruki is actually quite bad at his job to the point where I seriously wonder how he got licensed. For more on this see ThoughtBubble's series analyzing each teammate's sessions with him (he's a psych student and it shows), but the most glaring failure is Sumire: throughout third semester and the second half of her confidant, Sumire is shown to have deep-seated feelings of inadequacy, devaluing herself and idealizing her sister to the point of thinking Kasumi would've been totally fine if their positions were reversed. Instead of addressing those self-destructive feelings, _the same feelings that led to Kasumi's death in the first place,_ he chooses to enable them by altering her mind so that "Sumire" has perished and her impossibly perfect version of Kasumi is walking around with no issues. Even with only one year of high school psych under my belt, I distinctly remember how deeply upsetting it was to watch: a girl who loathes herself to the point of _begging_ for personality death is "cured" with...personality death, and neither of them see anything wrong with this until you and the gang personally drag her kicking and screaming out of her own personal hell. And now for my take: A lot of works make use of the 'lotus eater machine' trope (to use the tvtropes name), and it's almost always taken as a given that leaving it is the right decision. Usually though, when it appears, the justification for leaving is that it's clearly unsustainable, or a trap to stall the heroes while the villain does something unmistakably reprehensible. P5R is the first work I've seen that frames the artificial paradise as wrong _in itself._ While I tend to cringe when someone on reddit goes 'Maruki did nothing wrong unironically' (some clowns didn't watch the deadline ending and it shows), I totally get the man's worldview. I think a lot of people misguidedly regard hardship as being justified by potential growth, rather than growth being a necessary response to hardship, and while that's valid in some cases, not all hardship is created equal; being art blocked and struggling to crawl out of it is a very different animal from being abused by your mentor/adoptive father and needing to redefine your worldview outside of those deadening confines. 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' doesn't apply when something...actually does kill you. If his reviving the dead wasn't contingent on the warping of other people, I'd honestly find it hard to call that a bad thing. However, Maruki is not a perfect arbiter of how things should be. Again, Sumire. He treats all difficulty with the same weight (there's two students at your school who are perpetually fretting over exams until one day they start conveniently acing everything with no effort), he's prone to surface-level fixes (Sumire...again), and he has a shaky grasp on the value of people's autonomy, as shown by his willingness to warp people and their lives into unrecognizability (Ushimaru + Yusuke's artblocked friend) and his 'but ACKSHUALLY' response when the gang tells him they didn't ask for his meddling (while he's not entirely off the mark...yikes). There probably never can be a perfect arbiter who could be trusted with such complete control over others' fates, which is why people need to be allowed to help themselves on their own power. I'm with Akechi when he says it wouldn't be a worthwhile existence for the dead either, as they don't *really* get a new lease on life so much as just become props in someone else's vision of how things should be. To accept the life Maruki offers you is to reject the value of the life you _did_ live, a life where _you_ shaped yourself and the world around you. It postulates that an imperfect existence and a worthwhile one are incompatible, when the challenge of living is to love and value it _despite_ how shitty the world can often be. We in the real world can never magick away all our suffering and mistakes, but to say our lives are devalued because of those things improves nothing and is only an expression of nihilism. It's very P3, and I couldn't stop comparing it thematically to the point where in some ways third semester feels more in line with _that_ game than vanilla P5.
To be fair, his failure as a counselor was meant to be a hint as to what he is and his goals- instead of working through their pain, he actively encouraged them to try their best to ignore it, to entertain the idea of what you want with as little pain as possible. Now, what did he do during the new year?
Something i noticed for the first time while watching this footage, spoilers btw, when maruki starts to fall after you and him fight, his glasses fall off before you catch him. The lenses he had seen the world through were gone, as hehad to look at everything differently. The first of which, was you, joker, the one who has been defying maruki this entire time. He finally starts to see it your way, because his vision isn't distorted.
Also, count this as a confession and successful change of heart, his last words before reality reverted: Your eyes are… as bright and honest as ever, you keep your head up, no matter what. I must have always been… afraid. Afraid you and I wouldn’t wish for the same reality.
Royal made Akechi one of my favorite characters in gaming, period. I connect with him in a lot of ways. The only persona characters who even get close to Akechi in my book is Joker, Yu Narukami, and Kotone Shiome, and that's just cause they are protagonists who are all bad ass in their own ways, and I connected with them as I played. And as for Maruki: he was a much needed change of pace in the story. He filled a niche I didn't even realize needed filling.
God I loved this game it’s something I really needed after 2019 and the revile of my abusive mother her death opined my eyes to just how much I didn’t have a life outside of another’s desire so yes that semester hit like a blonde with a steamroller
Okay I just want to see some kind of communication between Adachi and Maruki. One wants to erase whole world because of loneliness (and pain at some point). And the other want to rewrite the world because of the same reasons but not for himself but for others. That's so interesting. Like... Ultimate hate and egoism against ultimate care and altruism. Not sure that I got my point fully here but still.
P5R is a masterpiece. Though, I feel like we meed more PT interactions without them being PTs. I want to know your opinion this, but I feel like the members have limited time with each other and how they interact compared to like the SEES and Investigation Team (bear in mind, I have limited interactions with those respective games). Like I'm a sucker for funny moments. Here's hoping Scramble gets an English localization.
I think the one biggest missed opportunity of Royal and the Third Semester was to have had Rumi snap out of her own false reality after Maruki's defeat, but like Sumire ends up having had the time to better process her past and be able to move forward on her own, afterward. That would also allow her to remember Maruki and seek him out to reassure him. Even if they don't end up getting back together, Maruki deserved that much closure.
Never has an antagonist made me question if what I was doing was wrong. Especially hearing the desperation from Sumire after Joker chooses to reject Maruki's reality. That hit me hard.
So I knew this was a man of culture based off the first 10 min of the video. But then, he went further beyond and spent Christmas with Haru. This man truly know what’s up
The main reason I love persona 5 is because my whole life I dealt with the corruption of the world with my education being messed with, people using me a their tool and if I’m not need to toss me away like trash, and with my brother recent death, which the police didn’t even investigate. It makes me believe I can do something, It reminds me that I can’t just stand around while others people are causing people pain.
I can't stress enough how this game changed my life. I had no goals in life but after I played this game I became motivated to change myself for the better and even go study for psychology! I could talk about how great this game is and never get bored of doing it. I will never forget the great time I had with the game, time passed in a blink of an eye. I spent 100€ for this game but what it gave me was priceless. I know that no one will ever see this comment but I this was my chance to express how I feel about this masterpiece.
Something I never really thought about until I played Royal was how Persona 5 focuses on growth through adversity. The base game also features this, but Sumire is the character that made me realize this, and despite your thesis, I think the game acknowledges that in the "real word," there is room for aspects of Maruki's philosophy and that of the PTs. Sumire, by her own admisssion, tells Joker that had it not been for Maruki, she would have never found the strength to carry on. I think Futaba is also like this - a person that needed a miracle to even have the strength needed to go through life. But with Sumire, we see the effects of both Maruki's philosophy and that of the PTs in effect; she finds the strength to continue living as Kasumi, but her personal development is stunted once she has outgrown that Persona. Maruki's "miracle" gets her back up on her feet and makes her feel ready to live again, but when confronted with the reality that Kasumi died saving her, she reaches a low that she would have never gotten over by herself, she needed Joker and the rest of the PTs to yet again find her footing as Sumire, face her challenges, and overcome them. It was a great touch that Kasumi says that society could grow weak and complacent if they relied too much on the PTs, and I'm sad that we never know if those are what she thinks are Kasumi's thoughts, or if they're her own, but just as society has to learn to deal with things without the PTs, so does the world have to deal with things without Maruki's guidance. This is a point I've rarely seen brought up, but I think that in the end, Maruki may have ended helping more people than depriving others of personal growth; think of the people that are just living life one day, and the next they find out they have a horrible disease. 2020 has made me appreciate my health a lot, so maybe that's why I'm more sympathetic to him. But whatever the case, I think the game makes the case that a person sometimes needs a miracle, or luck, or whatever you want to call it, to find the strength to live life. All the PTs needed their Persona powers to awaken, they need their network of friends. They overcome adversity yes, but like with anything, I think there is a limitation to willpower. You mentioned overcoming some very dark times yourself, but I think that in real life, humans do have a breaking point. I think you hit a very low point in your life, but at times, only a miracle can help you get by.
First, let me say, I'm sorry for your loss. I feel that. It has been 13 years now since I lost an important person, and it still hurts every year. I was extremely thankful for Royal to have taken a mature look on these topics. And even though some games make me tear up, I usually don't really cry. But Royal? Man, I bawled at several points in the game. It felt personal, and like a journey that was my own alongside the kids.
One of my favorite things that is never out right stated though highly implied about Maruki is that through his grief he searched for ways to handle it and came across Mormonism, I have a whole reddit thread that goes in depth about this if anyone wants my proof, and after learning how the core concept of the religion is that you can be together with those you love through eternity even after death he did a deep dive into the religion. It's here he starts to realize that the power he has been granted can be used to create such an idea and through that his Messiah complex forms. I got examples of this from Maruki's ideology to his palace to the outfits he wears in the Metaverse. Edit: Forgot to add the great irony in the fact that Mormonism has a large focus on agency and freedom of choice in how one lives their life.
Before talking about my favorite part of Royal I wanna say why I and many other people like Kamoshida over many other palace rulers. Mostly because unlike the other ones he is the most present one. We have animated cutscenes with both him and his shadow self, his authority over the school is something we see through basically every npc and we are forced to live with him, hell we can even talk to him if we so desire. At least for me, he felt much more pressuring than Mr.Mafia Dude, Darth Burger Lord and Madarame. Ok, moving on! My favorite part of the game as a whole? Akechi. The third semester clearly wanted to show us the good, the true good inside this ruthless guy. But why do I like this boy so much? Weeeeeeell - Unlike many other edgelords in media, Akechi... Is not a complete edgelord. Yes he doesn't really care about the Phantoms except for Joker, yes he calls them "Absolute fools" but he will never be like "Tisk tisk I don't have the time to hang out with you" or "hmp, I am not talking to my team." On the contrary he is the one who wants to cooperate, will often start conversation and he is visibly hurt by the fact that the thieves doesn't want him around. Sure it is cool to see some badass character giving one line that has many meanings, but it's refreshing to see the Dark Rival trope being open about their feelings and thoughts. - His overall relationship with Joker and how Royal changes even the smallest detail. While I didn't play the original P5 I digged on it a little thanks to this wonderful red website. In the base game, just before the boss fight, he becomes a typical villain "that will show his true power" and blah blah blah. But here? His "fun little idea" is about finishing what he started with Joker, making it much more personal for them and for the player. Not only that but in the third semester, Akechi shows signs of great trust in Joker. He is deeply, deeply dissapointed and wounded if we accept Maruki's world and most of all, he doesn't care about showing his true self. On a lesser scale, this is what happens in real life to some people. It's easy to show a perfect mask of ourselves, while it's much harder to show our true feelings and flaws. Akechi showing his more brutal and blunt side means that he feels comfortable enough around Joker, that he truly considers him a friend. - How admirable he is. Yes, Black Mask, the most batshit insane boss in the game shows a truly admirable side in the last part of the game. Why? Well, let's think about what the thieves do. All of them, including Joker, had some doubts about stopping Maruki before realizing that they truly want to. Cool, right? They will embrace their life and issues. But what about Akechi? This guy has everything to lose. Not just his public image or happiness, but his whole life. There is a very real chance that he will die after the new reality gets destroyed. And he doesn't care. He always hated being manipulated, he wanted to make his own choices and if refusing a reality where someone has plans for him will end his life, Akechi will go and die as a free man, with unmatched will and resolution. And I... I am conflicted about his fate. Part of me wishes that Akechi survived and will be present in future games because he deserves a second chance, but another part of me wishes that he... Stayed dead. That is what makes sense for his character, to be remembered as the young man who stayed true to his ideals and proudly faced death with no remorse whatsoever. My only grip with 3rd Semester Akechi is how... Underwhelming he is as a playable character. He doesn't have boost or amp skills so he is basically a weaker Ryuji/Yusuke who cannot inflict status to the enemeis. Almighty Boost/Amp would have been perfect for him! I mean he is Black Mask for crying out loud, the one that is stated to be far, far more powerful than all of us. C'mon Atlus...
My personal head canon about the balancing issue for Akechi’s abilities are that Joker and the PT’s went through such a power scaling boom in Mementos Depths that they reached or even surpassed his strength rendering him an average party member.
Third semester's Akechi is not even real. He died in Shido's Palace. He is just a creation made from Joker and Maruki's cognition about him. His confidant is IMO the best addition to the game, but his part in the last section of the game is pretty much what Joker would have wanted him to be. As for his gameplay power level... That is to not overpower the rest of the game although he has elemental advantage against most enemies in the first stage of the dungeon, right unti you get Sumire to take that space.
@@lokasocba This cognitive Akechi thing is so bullshit, everyone who says that never payed attention to the story. Regardless of whenever Akechi truly died on Shido's palace (it varies if you get the post credit scene or not) in the original reality, what happens in third semester is not fake because Maruki's world is effectively real. Wakaba and Okumura are said to be real, they never died. Just like Akechi, they are not copies with memories of the original people, they're the original people. Not overpower the rest of the game you say? That doesn't mean making Akechi, the one who outclassed six experienced Persona users and an even stronger wild card, so weak in comparison to said six character. One thing is to balance him, another thing is to negate him good damage options. He's the only one who doesn't get Boost/Amp skills for seemingly no reason.
@@maverick5169 That "cognitive bullshit" is the base of Maruki's power. The change in reality is given because everyone perceives the world as Maruki and themselves want it. Even in the new world, Sumire's parents call her "Sumire" and that's why Joker perceives a glitch when he meets his father.
There is actually cut content where you can see Kamoshida, Maderame, and Okumura’s pasts and why they became the way they were similar to Maruki’s VHS tapes
I loved your commentary at the end felt so heartfelt and sincere it made me shed some tears. Thank you for you both sharing your thoughts about this part of the game, truly amazing yet it ends so quickly.
There’s a reason why people want the game to go multiplatform. I mean if Persona 4 Golden could get a port on Steam that did well, I don’t see why they shouldn’t do a port of Persona 5 Royal for the Switch and PC since it could do really well. Also if it did get a ports to other systems I could see these be costumes exclusive to the ports. Switch Ren - Mario Morgana - Yoshi Ryuji - Luigi Ann - Peach/Daisy Yusuke - Waluigi Makoto - Daisy/Peach Futaba - Rosalina Haru - Wario Goro - Popple Kasumi - Pauline PC Ren - Soldier Morgana - Medic Ryuji - Scout Ann - Pyro Yusuke - Sniper Makoto - Heavy Futaba - Engineer Haru - Demoman Goro - Spy Kasumi - Miss Pauling
Probably because P5 port would be much more difficult to make than P4 one. They might have something else to put efforts in that will be more profitable. It's buisness
What really made the battle against Maruki hurt for me was that the basis of his argument is correct. Sometimes, the world does unjustly put far more pain on an individual than they can handle, resulting in a total shutdown as we saw with his girlfriend. If he had been talked to in time, and trained, his power could be used with a more personal and discriminating touch to help people who have become too traumatized to be able to overcome their pain. Hell, he could’ve even had his own spinoff operation going where he can change the hearts of victims of pain like Futaba so that they can have the tools to move forward, and even collaborate with the Phantom Thieves for individuals like Sae who were victims that became antagonistic in response to pain. It’s such an impactful fight to me because it could have been avoided and led to so much more for everyone.
The third semester breaks my heart and really talks to me on a personal level for one reason. I've been bed bound on and off since 2013, full time since 2015 due to suffering from chronic centeral sensitization, basically CS prior trauma (both physical and mental) has 'caused my body to retaliate in the form of dealing with chronic pain that is both hyper sensitive to both motion and touch. The reason the third semester really speaks to me is because if I was given the oppertunity to escape my CS in the form of maruki's reality. I couldn't look you in the eyes and say I wouldn't be swayed by his offer, given the oppertunity to run from this pain. I honestly think I'd take it
You aren't wrong for saying yes to that offer, It's a dilemma because both are morally right! Hell, I'd take the offer too! It's just which ideal you believe in at the end of the day in this one little dilemma: If you had the power to rewrite reality, Would you use it to fix people's problems and overall make them happier but deny what growth would have happened before leaving some feeling empty or incomplete even with the help or would you refuse to use it to allow people to experience such problems and grow as people but condemn those who can't to a certainly terrible fate? Both have big consequences, Both choices aren't wrong. If you believe in either Ideal, You aren't wrong.
On the faith thing, yaldabaoth isn't god , but a demiurge, even the so called "angels" aren't the real thing , but Twisted shadows, i don't thing atlus has something against chirstianity like some coments that i've heard people speak
Yeah, even in SMT4A which while butchering the original 4's conflict to force Neutral as the only valid path, they went out of their way to specify more than any other SMT that YHVH is a corrupted avatar of God and not the actual being who is known as the Great Will/Axiom. I think where the Atlus hates Christianity misconception comes from, coupled with the misconception YHVH is God, is Law is assumed to be all about blind obedience to YHVH and a loss of free will, even though in all but one game that isn't the case, instead it being about Utilitarianism. (Law characters also always turn on YHVH if he deviates from what Law wants) In the one game that actually was the case, (SJ) Chaos also took away free will and in the remake it was revealed that Law's change in behavior was due to a new female entity that was also responsible for imprisoning YHVH, who is good in this version, in the new game +. (fittingly he takes Demiurge's form)
Great video as always Kamen! And I also wouldn’t be truthful if I said that last portion of the video didn’t give me major feels... Anyways, after beating P5R last summer, I was truly blown away in the third semester. Especially since I didn’t really have high expectations going into it, as I feel like Atlus’s handled new story content (Persona 3 FES with The Answer) or characters (Persona 4 Golden with Marie) rather poorly in their “definitive” versions of their games. And yet Royal delivers in spades with the third semester, which adds a complex moral dilemma, something that I felt was sorely lacking from the base game. It brings the question that if you could erase or forget all the pain and loss you’ve endured, would you choose to do so? And despite not accepting Maruki’s reality either, as our hardships make us stronger and define who we are (such as the lack of a father figure in my life while growing up), I’ll admit that there are people close to me that I’ll have to come to terms with losing one day, despite being almost terrified at the thought. And I’d be lying if I’d say I wouldn’t want a magical reset button once that day inevitably comes. But moving on, Maruki is by far my favorite Persona antagonist due to how real and relatable he feels. Ad a great as a villain as Adachi is, Maruki feels like the natural evolution to him since despite also wishing for humanity to be blind to the truth and live in woeful ignorance, his actions come from a place of warmth and compassion rather than hatred and apathy. As for the flexible redhead herself, Kasumi, I didn’t initially think much of her, but MAN, the third semester truly twisted my perspective of her in a way that I haven’t felt with any fictional character beforehand. Her fight was definitely painful since she decided to harm her own senpai that she looks up to just to remain in blissful ignorance, which just shows how strong her pain is. And yet it’s in confronting said pain and not deciding to be Sumire or live as Kasumi, but combine both their aspects to be the best version of herself she can be, that undoubtedly made her my favorite female P5 character. Well, second favorite, since Futaba still exists. And last but definitely not least, P5R actually improved one of P5’s most glaring issues, that being how Akechi’s character arc was severely rushed. But now with his reworked confidant and role in the third semester, you get to know him as a character far more, and I especially love and respect how he rejects Maruki’s reality despite benefiting from it the most because he not only no longer wants to have his life dictated by others, but is no longer ashamed of hiding who he truly is as well. Anyways, I’ve rambled on long enough lol. In the end, P5R’s third semester is some of the best Persona story content we’ve gotten in a *long* while, and definitely makes me more than excited for what Atlus has in store for an inevitable Persona 6. (Also, slight correction, but you actually don’t need to finish Akechi’s confidant to get the third semester. Or Kasumi’s, even. Really, all you need to do is max out Maruki’s confidant. But maxing out Akechi’s does add a bonus scene in the ending, along with being the only way to unlock his third tier Persona, Hereward.)
Good analysis! The only point I would have added is how the "true" ending (where joker goes home) changes. To be clear, I think the way the original way the game ended perfectly. After everything those kids went through, I'm glad they were able to go on a nice road trip. And there's honestly something kinda magical about being young and going on a road trip. You feel like you're a rebel taking on the world, and given that the thieves aren't literally doing that anymore, it's nice to convey that the spirit of rebellion is still with them. Plus, I love the way it incorporates the opening theme song by having it play on the radio, but that's neither here nor there. When I first saw the new ending, I honestly felt a bit off. It wasn't nearly as happy with the characters saying goodbye earlier, and they even do a little tease about Akechi being alive maybe that felt a little sequel-baity. But when I saw the other ending where you choose to live in the altered reality, it all clicked. The new ending wouldn't have worked if it was just as happy; it has to be bitter sweet. Fighting Maruki does not feel triumphant; it feels like you're making the tough choice to deal with the harsh real world. One where people do drift away, and where the future is mysterious. In that sense, I look back at the Akechi tease and think that the ambiguity is the point. We will never know if he's truly alive or not because the future is uncertain. Just as we don't know if Joker truly saw his mask, or if it was his imagination. I also like how in the credits, none of the scenes with our characters show them being super successful (again, to contrast the altered reality ending). We see Ann grab a fashion magazine and instinctively assume she's going to turn a page to see herself in there, but no. Every character is struggling, but still preparing to move on no matter how difficult. Anyhoo, the point is it's all great; and if I had one nitpick, it's that they don't incorporate "colours flying high" as smoothly in the ending as they did with "Wake up/Get Out there"
To be fair, there is no correct choice. Both the "real" world and Maruki's world are flawed. If you agree with Maruki, you lose some part of yourself, namely that which was won through enduring hardships. If you reject his world, you open yourself up to suffering and as he correctly says, sometimes the world is so unjust that there's no way out, no path to growth. After all, that's why people commit suicide.
@kollie79 It's reality manipulation, Reality was changed so events didn't happen to where they were brought back to life. While they may not be your version as you know them they are 100% people and killing them would still just kill a person This argument is like wishing to kill everyone in a different dimension because they aren't your version of people. They might be different but due to it being something as grand as reality manipulation they are very much real. Alongside that Free Will is still a thing as we see from the fact that the Third Semester still happens and everyone isn't just mindless showing that people both new and not aren't just 2D Husks of themselves like in the Yaldie ending.
@kollie79 It. isn't. hypnosis. They literally describe it as reality manipulation when talking about it, He used Yaldie's power to completely change and warp reality as to how he sees fit. It isn't some illusion, He made it real with his power until it was destroyed. All of his changes became real until they were wiped away by the Thieves so yes it's indisputable that they are still people. It's EXTREMELY simple: Due to Maruki rewriting reality they never died, They exist in his reality and are subsequently erased and killed by the Thieves upon destroying Maruki's reality. The only reason people say it's some illusion and falsehood is because they don't understand what the hell reality manipulation is lol. If it's reality manipulation then congrats: It's reality until whoever changed it is stopped. Everything in it really happened and it's not some illusion, It's reality manipulation. So if you kill someone in another reality even if they were dead beforehand and exist in that reality, You kill them again. It's literally indesputable lol Also weather or not they realized it, Their actions led to them being erased killing them in a different reality. I thought the game was a bit foolish for not bringing it up especially when it's the lives of others existing again that they just sorta ignore as a whole. Either way they still have a body count weather they mean it or not because of that which I personally dislike because of it.
@kollie79 A plot point that doesn't exist? Two people were brought back to life, You'd think they'd care a fucking smidge about them lol Reality manipulation and hypnosis are two different things. The difference being one was literally changed so they did experience those memories in their life which contradicted with their prior thoughts which was why they refused while hypnosis is hypnosis, Something they actually didn't experience Also Maruki was the one who brought them back to life using his powers, Who were the ones who destroyed it? The Phantom Thieves. They killed them inadvertently, It's an unavoidable fact because it's reality manipulation. Maruki isn't the reason they died again, It would be if he stopped the reality change but no he didn't it was the Thieves lol. Also he kept free will and he knew full well of this talking to Joker and Co, He didn't act surprised they broke out of something because he still knew they had free will, Not once is he surprised by them questioning shit.
@kollie79 Maruki doesn't because to him it's a job well done. You'd think though that the people heavily tied to them would though lol Also he did essentially bring them back. He used reality manipulation to make it so they weren't killed, It was as simple as that. He brought 'em back. He wasn't as guilty of their deaths for literally stopping their death through reality manipulation as the Phantom Thieves destroying what he did and undoing that killing them again, That's some huge mental gymnastics there lol. Also when was that? Last I checked in every encounter he respects and even understands why they'd think differently to him but urges them to see his way.
I appreciate how one of the questions in school in P5 is about chronokinesis, and one of the answers is literally 'the world' then, well, just look maruki's helmet
I went into this agreeing with Maruki but now I'm just so 50/50, the thing is yes they developed from their pain. But, there are people who literally don't get that chance, some are born just to die at a young age or end up with mental illnesses that are impossible to overcome through will. I think, I would prefer some place in the center. Like, the most terrible tragedies are gone but you aren't just given a world of complete happiness, there's still room for growth. But of course that's not an option
i played original Persona 5 back in the first release, love it a lot when p5r announced, i'm not that rush to play it since i already know the story and think probably only some extra little addition, boy i was wrong, i'm glad i gave a try on P5R, it feels like a complete different experience and makes me love Persona 5 even more.. Maruki hands down becoming my most favorite antagonist in all persona series..
God i love maruki and everything he stands for you can just feel how he is just someone who has the best for everyone in mind and while he us opposing you the entire time you can understand him and his view and might want to try to accept it he also while opposing you only does it because he thinks he can help you and wants to help you so even trying to gibe you many chances of joining him
I get your points that the phantom thieves wanted to team up with akechi to keep an eye on him and because they could sympathize with him but...akechi murdered multiple people, showed no remorse for said murders and was clearly just a bit psychotic. He also has a power that lets him murder people without leaving any evidence and just tried to murder them. Oh and he only murdered people for a convoluted revenge plot against his father and hes the only reason shido got as far as he did. Rather than wanting him to join them they should've been debating whether to off him or not. As for them showing sympathy to akechi that's fair to an extent but they go as far as treating him like a hero after he dies. And the game goes out of it's way to excuse akechi for his actions and place all of the blame on shido which is a bit ridiculous in my opinion. TL:DR I get what the game wants you to think. I just disagree with the game and think that akechi should've been held responsible for his actions
This game has become an important part of my life. The Persona series intrigued by interest with 5. And it's the best decisions I've ever made! Right now I just can't see how Persona 6 can ever top the popularity and importance that is P5
I’m glad I played this game as a senior in high school , I felt a deep connection to some of the issues these character have as teens that might’ve made me feel different had I’d been a little older
They're pretty different imo. While they both mention getting rid of a world of pain that's about their only similarity as much as this vid actually tries to say otherwise. Adachi isn't out for the betterment of others in saying that nor would what he would do help others, He simply wants to wipe away the world and kill everyone with the Shadow World just because he hates it and everyone in it for what happened to him and also because he could. He is then stopped by those willing to save others and show that there is good in the world. Maruki on the other hand? He legitimately does try to make a change and is morally about as good as the Phantom Thieves are. He ends up getting the power of reality manipulation after Yaldie is defeated and uses it to try and make things better for everyone, A completely selfless act which is something that I doubt many would do if given such an almighty power. This doesn't line up with the Phantom Thieves' Ideals so they fight. Both sides of the argument are equally valid, Either choice you pick you either get an antagonist in the form of Maruki or in the form of the Thieves. Neither side are Villains. Either way though in the true ending he is stopped and everything he worked towards is destroyed changing reality back to as it was leaving him broken and much worse off than he was before the Third Semester but not sorrowful about being stopped as at the end of the day he was convinced and the Thieves' Ideals win. Adachi is a Villain, Maruki isn't a Villain but an antagonist due to clashing Ideals
@@voltaalta1307 Yeah. That's what I meant. Like MangaKamen said, Maruki is an antagonist. I was essentially saying that Maruki saw Adachi's idea and went, "But what if it helped people...".
I loved this video, and i agree on all points except for one. You mentioned that the reality was forced upon the phantom thieves, but i feel like thats debatable. If i remember correctly, the only reason why Maruki got the power to change reality is because the phantom thieves deep down wanted that escape, to be happy. At the very least i think thats arguable a subconscious decision.
Oh my.... I love this. Two reasons, well... three... so one seeing a familiar face that I was not expecting, Oziach! But also the entire point of this video. It's something I've also thought a lot about. Another point brought up earlier in the game that I think also benefits the deep impact is the belief that Kasumi has early on about the thieves, believing that your deeds will only weaken humanity and make them not think for themselves. It true. Look at the final dungeon before Yaldebaoth. Every person you speak to has given up on trying, content to let things end and let Yaldebaoth win. Your group is now the only ones fighting back. You brought this about, and then you are forced to make it right. It's both horrifying that she was right and also so satisfying to see that thought break as well. Then comes that choice, with Maruki, if you did everything that triggers the third semester anyway. The entire game brings up so many deep messages and strong emotions that I will probably never grow tired of playing it. Thanks for the amazing vid. Keep up the good work.
Ugh, now I feel like a stalker or something. i just love debate. Maruki's intentions aren't selfish. A good indicator of intention is the point where their facade begins to crack. When it comes to characters with savior complexes, often they will become frustrated when challenged in any way; this is how you know their intention is rooted in a feeling of superiority. The context of their frustration is key. The one and only time Maruki is truly frustrated instead of just disappointed is when he admits to having given up *everything* in his pursuit of his goal. He sacrificed his own happiness to the point the only thing that motivated him was seeing it to fruition, not because it made him happy but because he felt obligated. He never explicitly says he felt obligated either, it is implied, not using it as an excuse unlike so many characters who proudly boast about being "chosen by the gods." He would gladly give his life to see it through. It's the most sympathetic interpretation of a savior complex I've probably seen.
MangaKamen: Maruki isn't a Villain, he is an Antagonist Alsi MangaKamen: *Makes Maruki is the Greatest Persona Villain video and says that he is not an antagonist*
Am I only one who noticed that when summoning his persona, Maruki didn't take off his mask like the rest of the thieves? Edit: And, for those who say the Phantom Thieves personas are basically a "deus ex machina", well, you missed the point. Here's the thing, to me at least, especially in this game, the power of persona isn't strictly a power the main characters can have, it's a power that anyone can have, it just depends if you have the strength or will to awaken and use it. I mean, the characters are in reality, normal people, but the found the strength to fight back and earned their personas to fight back. The only exceptions being Akechi and Maruki, sort of... In that I mean they awakened them differently. Instead of finding the strength to confront harsh reality, for Akechi he was granted the power by the God of Control to be used as a puppet, and for Maruki, his inability to accept said harsh reality, along with his anger, is what awakened it and gave us an example of a persona being awakened by the wrong reasons.
Sometimes I never wish I walked into a specific bar on November 4th, 2009 at 7:55pm and sat down next to someone who would (I'm going to hold back some words here) "become the man in my nightmares even years after I managed to leave him." But if that never happened, I wouldn't be who I am now, and I don't think I'd have become as strong as I am in response to what he did to me. Nor would I have learned so much compassion, met so many influential people, and learned Muai Thai had I not survived what happened.
11:28 automatic thumbs up and sub Persona 5 Royal is my favorite game, during the stressful times of being an essential worker during COVID-19, it gave me something to look forward to every day. Waking up early due to stress didn't matter because suddenly I could boot up my PS4 and make it further in Palaces and hang out with my in-game homies. It's a beautiful game and I want to get as many people as I can to play it.
Something I really dig about the 3rd semester is that it feels almost like the game has “grown up.” Vanilla P5 had very picaresque, rebellious themes that a lot of teenagers (like myself when the game came out) could identify with, it felt like the personification of teen spirit. Whereas this new semester and story has a far more adult tone, where the characters need to actually make mature and critical decisions instead of just simply “beating the bad guys.” Adulthood has responsibilities, and the Phantom Thieves choose to accept that responsibility and fight against a reality that, for all intents and purposes, would massively benefit them. The fact that nearly all the Phantom Thieves move away to pursue their own goals really solidifies this. P5 captured the fiery essence of teenage rebellion and spirit, while P5R captured the essence of growing up, and the bittersweet yet beautiful transition to adulthood.
Perfectly worded.
I have been thinking the same thing but didn't know how to say it
*SPOILER*
An example? When infiltrating the palace, Ryuji finds out that Shido was involved in messing things up for Maruki, he starts to get angry, but then he says "Now's not the time to get pissed off about that."
This is RYUJI we're talking about, people!
Something I really digged about Royal is it shows the culmination of the characters development from a couple of rebellious teens to genuine heroes looking forward and not back-- especially in the final confrontation with Maruki where each one of them solidified their own stance and how they choose to live their lives on their own without running away.
@@dripgodragna4266 Even when it hurts like hell. And yes, that is a PS4 Spider-Man reference.
Persona 5 : steals my heart
Me : nothing can top this
Persona 5 royal : wanna see me do it again ?
I sold my kidney to buy this game. Persona 5 stole my heart, persona 5r stole my kidney
And P4G melted your heart lol
ATLUS with Persona 5: Wanna see me make the best JRPG of all time?
ATLUS with P5: Wanna see me do it again?
@@lildrawhub1025man you're fucking exaggerating persona 5 is one of the worst megaten
@@ofilosofoouumfumante5655
Boomer shu up
I saw a comment in a video that I think summarized the concepts of P5 and P5R really well:
P5: If you have the will, you can change the future.
P5R:...but not the past.
P5 is about the justice and conviction of the situation, p5r is about the suffering and growth of the situation.
Third Semester is probably one of the best additions to any of the modern persona games. It’s even getting praise from the old persona fans and even SMT fans. Bringing peace to all.
Because it helps the narrative, compared to the base P5.
Not all sadly. I see people saying that Maruki's palace is exactly like Persona 1.
@@Yugi3344
That's BS. Wish fulfillment plots isn't unique to P1.
Not all smt fans hate persona in fact I love both series and the franchise as a whole
@@wolfied.s.t1890 agreed
“Persona 5: Royal is brilliant”
Thank you, oh wise Kamen. What more knowledge shall you give to us? That the earth orbits the sun? And the sky is blue? And we need water to live?
lol
Don't you mean air?
watcher ofmemelords no, I mean water. Hydration is a necessity:
@@poolturtle5772 Water literally would not exist without air. It has an oxygen molecule.
mattwo7 Okay, But I’m still correct. You need water.
My favorite thing about Royal is that it addresses a lot of unwarranted criticism that the base game got by almost screaming to those people that they didn't understand the message and here's why. I remember tons of people complaining that the Phantom Thieves weren't doing enough and should be making a bigger impact without understanding that if they did so then they would be taking away other's freedom. You know, freedom? The main theme of the entire game!
Lmao. Yea it doesn't necessarily mean it's evil either. I mean this game gives a good gilimpse into a utpoic modern society and it's good hearted. I mean, it's not political in anyway but I find that utpoia's present an interesting philosophical questions. Although this game really only tackled the moral question of forcing it and wether or not trying to save people like that is inherently bad. Especially because maruki isn't a bad man himself. But I like pondering this sorta stuff about utopias and good intentions.
It also answers that complaint a lot of people seemed to have that "but it makes no sense to argue if the PT are doing the right thing! The bad guys need to change!" for basically the same reason. 3rd semester fits like a glove in P5 canon
But the phantom theives are taking way people's freedom by forcing them to change hearts, yusuke says in the final palace that the phantom theives are no different than the chalice because they force people to change regardless of how the individual feels
@@benjoman8252 And that's why they stop doing it and get rid of the metaverse.
The phantom thieves were meant to steal hearts in the whole world katsura hashino changed the story for last minute and that's why
Also, dayum, I didn’t catch that Sojiro referenced *censored’s* death long before the third semester, so you’ve definitely got a keen eye. Just goes to show how adept Atlus can be at foreshadowing.
Also Maruki catching a glimpse of the PTs escaping Kamoshida’s palace on treasure day.
I didn't catch that Sojiro detail until my second playthrough. It was pretty cool.
I got it my first playthrough i knew it would be like the sister of the new girl but that twist tho I could have never imagined it
Frr. I just started replaying and caught onto that and I was like. Holy shit. They really throw everything at you in the beginning but we just don’t realize it the first time (I also noticed Maruki walking by after we leave Kamoshida’s palace)
Another detail like that was when you go to the station together with Sumi in that rainy day. She gets a call from her father and explains to you that he offered to go pick her up since it was raining, she even says: "a bit over protective, don't you think?". Of course you already know why he wanted to pick her up on a rainy day, right?
The man said it but I will repeat it. This game ain't perfect, but it does a freaking amazing job at being... amazing. I have zero regrets for buying it at full price, simply days later after finishing the original Persona 5. Top tier new tracks, the extra stuff they added are pretty cool and the new content is awesome! Simply one of the best JRPGs in my opinion (Obviously Nocturne continues being my all time favorite JRPG, because I'm a fucking masochist and the style the game has still makes me fall in love with it) that still makes me cry.
I want to hug Akechi, Kasumi is a cupcake and Maruki is my freaking dad. Thank you, Atlus, for the game and thank you, Karma, for the video.
No. No hugs.
@@goroakechi6126 *You can't stop me for wanting to hug you, pancake boi*
Igor Alencar
*LEAVE ME ALONE, ISN’T SHIPPING ME WITH JOKER ENOUGH FOR YOU ASSHOLES?!?*
Goro Akechi no my dear Persona User, you must be shipped with everyone
Phil Lemon
‘Everyone’ implies you want to ship me with Futaba as well...And that’s another person to kill on my list.
There's a line I only got 1 time in Mementos in the 3rd semester where Akechi says (something along the lines of) "I never want to hear the word pancakes ever again"
I REALLY hope it was added specifically because of the meme and not because it's what got him found out.
It was definitly the meme, It gotten so popular from the og p5 that even the official voice actor of akechi kept joking about it and so did the other va's so im pretty sure they wanted it to be in the game by asking the devs which is so cool.
Wait... The reason it got memed is *because* that's the way he got found out.
The 2 things are inseparable. The meme didn't come from nowhere.
@@AtrumDelorox 🥞
Persona 5 Royal is a treasure in my book
So if we steal it will that make atlus's palace disappear?
watcher ofmemelords Maybe or mine...
Ohh yeah same here I love persona 5 very much but I am still stuck with Okumura boss fight its impossible
@@jessicajohnson2412 imagine getting stuck on the old okumera palace.
@@watcherofmemelords7967 no that’s a fact
Third semester is one psychological story. I honestly keep remembering my stepdad whenever I play a Persona game, because I told him about Persona 3 and if I could play it. He said "When you're old enough to understand." Sadly he passed away before we could play one together. Losing him made me feel that the only person who tried to understand me. After that I really couldn't feel anything for awhile, everytime someone tried complementing me, I pushed them away and threatened them like trash and useless beings in my life, which included friends and family. I honestly felt that the only escape was to just end my life. When did try I pretty much had a meltdown on myself calling myself words as selfish, a bastard, and the demon worst than Satan while beating myself up. When my mom's boyfriend wanted to confront me I felt he just wanted to replace him, but he and others healed something I felt could be fixed. But all of them made me have a smile and finally learned that, life is short already short why end it before the best part is over. Although both stepdads are gone(both died for different reasons) I don't want to die, I want to live a future the could have and will see.
That my good friend is what I like to refer to as 'the courage to be a better person' it's not easy to fight, claw, and scramble to climb out of your hole but when you do it feels like a weight is removed from you, everything seems more vibrant, more alive, everything feels more alive, and though I myself am hollow to an extent I feel that that allows me in a sense to better appreciate how wonderful the world can be at times. Don't get me wrong at times it sucks harder than disney pushing out those lion king movies but for every bit of hardship I can guarantee you somewhere down the line you'll find something absolutely wonderful I just know it.
@@watcherofmemelords7967 Thank you, this is worth more than any gemstone in the world
Ok, but. Maruki is right and we are all wrong for one reason!
He saves the old dog!
There is an unused cutscene of Royal which shows Yusuke's mother's death and how Madarame refused to help her. It was suposse to trigger when you collected one of the Will seeds in his palace.
Wouldn't it be cool if each will seed showed how each palace owner came to be how they are?
I always interpreted Maruki reaching for the snowflake in the end to symbolize him still trying to desperately reach for that perfect, beautiful world in his dreams, crystalized and given form. Only to then grasp it and turn it around in his palm to reveal it's nothing but plain water in the end. No matter how perfect or painless a world he invisioned, in reality, it's nothing but a lie he kept telling himself and only now fully sees the truth.
Imagine liking Persona 5 Royal. Couldn't be me.
...wait.
Oziach yeah dude. I remember your rant you posted about p5r. Honestly opened my eyes to how bad that game was. The animation was in point and the transitions were seamless for the video.
It was so cool seeing you in this video. I love your content, man.
@@homophobesblowcock3297 ❤
Seing you in this video was awesome.This is defenely my favourite part of video and make this part justice.Overall great job for you and Manga and looking foward to see what comes next.
Ahh, the best boi content creators in 1 comment section
So...
The third semester and Maruki are incredibly important to me. I basically blitzed through Royal when it came out over here, and beat it by mid April. Maruki tugged at my heartsrings, Akechi tugged at my heart strings, Sumire did so too. I didn't want to have to choose between Maruki's reality and actual reality... But I did. I chose to strive through pain and fought Maruki. It was an incredible story that definitely made me cry.
10 days later my dad died in front of me from a heart attack. And through everything that I went through, that my family went through. It would have been so easy for me to despair, to go... Basically vegetative. Every step of the way since though, any time I've been sad or scared for the future, I reminded myself that I'd made my decisions already.
So... In a way, Maruki helped me. He made me face those sorts of feelings before I possibly could've been expected to apply them. Persona 5 is a great game on its own, but Royal and the third semester are probably the single most important gaming experience I've ever had.
Thank you for the analysis Kamen. It means a lot to hear other people gushing about this game.
I'm so sorry to hear that, glad to know that you're doing well now
I’m also sorry to hear that, take care of yourself.
Sorry for your loss, hang in there and may your father Rest In Peace
My dad died a few months before I ever got the game and I didn't have a way to cope until finishing this game. It gave me the idea that I could recover and didnt have to wallow in my own despair. It's been a year now since he's passed, I'm on my 3rd playthrough of the game, going for the 100% run, and Sophomore years been going well. Love ya dad, and also, hope everyone who sees this is doing well and recovers from there own issues
SMT fans might hate me for this but I think Persona 5 Royal is a 10/10 game. A lot of people get mad if you praise modern Persona but I think that this game is perfect in both gameplay and storytelling.
Yeah, but screw them
P5R is my favorite game of all time. But it's not perfect, however being 10/10 doesn't mean perfection but rather excelling at nearly everything you do with few missteps, and that's P5R to me. Not perfect, but still a masterpiece
For a series so full of quality as the perosna/SMT games, I never understood how defensive and aggressive everyone gets, to the point that they need to bash other games to make their favorites seem better. I guarantee that when SMTV comes out, the smt fanbase will break into a civil war
It's my favorite Megaten game too, and I still love mainline. Ignore all the negativity.
@@salsamonkey65 ikr, they can coexist
I like how they improved Akechi in Royal. In vanilla P5 he felt like wasted potential to draw more parallels with Joker. But in Royal you actively have to decide to interact with him, and the new confidant scenes help make his character more tragic in some way.
Even when you already know he's the traitor, these scenes just hit harder because It's like a glimpse into how they could've been genuine friends under different circumstances.
It's because he doesn't feel like he's in service of the plot anymore. The main problem with vanilla Akechi was that he was a vehicle to plot progression. Even though he was interesting, even though his motives made sense, he only seemed to exist when the plot needed him. But Royal's confidant make him a real character, and not only makes his death more meaningful to us, it makes it more meaningful to the PTs.
‘I believe’ is like a fusion of last surprise, take over, and life will change
As much I love Royal, i do wish they kept the cutscenes that were planned for the game. The scenes that would have explained why Kamoshida and Madarame were the way they were. And the scene with Akechi
I would’ve loved to know why they are the way they are
Yeah, despite loving all of these game’s additions and definitely not taking them for granted, if there’s one *small* thing I wish P5R also included, it’s flashbacks of each palace’s rulers life after collecting all their Will Seeds. It’d not only allow you to understand how they became who they are better, but give more incentive to get them as well.
I disagree
Most of the palace owner's back stories are actually shown in the story
Madarame wasn't getting the money needed to become an artist
Mafia guy was getting bullied for being "too weak"
Futaba's and Maruki's story is woved into the palace so no
Yaldo simply comes from the desire for humans to be trapped
Only 2 out of the 8 palaces "need" a backstory and one of the two is just to show the player how bad does someone's distortion cause them to be (guess which of the two that is)
While I do think it is an ok idea, I don't think it would work for most of the palace as the player themselves tend to find out the story pretty easy
As for Akechi, they most likely wanted to keep it open book. We have no idea what Akechi is doing (or we didn't) so it would have been a nice surprise to see what he was doing after P5S (since he isn't in Scramble oof)
Unknown Redacted I disagree with you. We don’t know what events led to the situations of the palace owners. Sure we know Madarame needed money, but what events drove him to that and became the man who used even the child he took in for monetary gain.
We don’t know what happened to Kaneshiro that put him into the mafia and led him down the path of becoming the ruthless boss we see him as, we just know he got pushed around.
Yaldabaoth isn’t a palace ruler, so much as he is a false god humans made up for order (like how Futaba’s mother was the sphinx)
For the other two, it doesn’t matter how evil they are, I’d like to know more about them. What made Shido the prideful man who thought he was the one above all in Japan. What made Kamoshida the perverted angry ex-Olympic athlete that we see as a volleyball coach. There’s always more to a story than “not enough money” as something had to have happened.
Let’s look at how they handled Okumura. We knew what happened to him. As at the end of the palace, Haru explains that before him the family company wasn’t doing well at all. Her grandfather was also not very wise, and lended money out without worrying about people paying him back, causing debt collectors to be a constant presence. So Okumura decided that he would make sure his family would have the money and nice things he always wanted as a child. That original cause turned into the unholy greed that, to him, justified the abuse of employees and using Shido and Akechi as a means to kill off opponents. If they did that for every palace owner, it would be much better.
@@poolturtle5772 we don’t need to know what events led them to the way they were because those events don’t matter and shouldn’t matter. Just the knowing that there was a reason is more than enough even though none of it went explored. It’s why Akechi is such a bad character. Because people excuse his actions simply because they went deeper with his sob story
The thumbnail features Maruki so I can already tell you’ve got good taste.
I agree heavily, P5R is an absolute masterpiece and you basically covered everything on why I love the 3rd semester. I also love how they made Akechi a better fleshed out character and made his relationship with Joker/Akira more special. Kasumi's story is also very well written, however, I agree that Maruki is one of the best antagonists of the persona series. They made his arc really special and close to many, including myself. I still believe Adachi is the best in regards to the villain category, however, I do agree that the 3rd semester was done beautifully. I would love to see a video sometime with your opinion regarding Adachi. I absolutely love his character and even if he's a asshole, I really understand him on a personal level and I think you doing a video on him would be awesome. Just a suggestion though
I feel sorry for everyone who passed on this game for some reason or another. This game, its characters, and its message... they'll stick with me forever. Maruki is my favorite antagonist of all time and Akechi officially claimed a spot as one of my favorite characters ever.
Same. Maruki is amazing
It's hard for me to consider him a villain, I was genuinely torn during the 3rd Semester because of his beliefs and because I really liked him. Like, the answer itself is an easy one to make but at the same time it deals with an idea I've wrestled with long before P5R.
Man, that entire finale was amazing imo, you could feel the desperation in Maruki refusing to give up. The fights weren't hard but they succeeded in making it feel like things were desperate, imo.
Fox Die he’s an antagonist, but not a villain.
You idiots don't know what a good villain is.
yungbreezy36 Bruh. As someone who’s seen a lot of crappy and well written villains, I can confidently say Maruki is a good antagonist.
The entire tone shift in January really caught me off guard, much like how Persona 3 did.
The one thing that just made me put my controller down for a few minutes was when Okumura said "my daughter's happiness is my own after all." The line wasn't even voiced and most players probably didn't spend too much time thinking about it but that really hit me on the inside, because you know... Okumura would never say that about Haru...
Adam Kadmon can be summed up in one sentence.AND HERE COMES A GIANT FIST!!!
Nooo
Or: *One Puuuuuuuunch!!!*
I wonder if a fall from this height would be enough to kill me 😑
I just hear Pfiell und Bogen, personally XD
PATRICK NOOOO
I love Jokers last badass one liner. “Checkmate”
I lost it with this scene 😂
My favourite moment in the game 🔥
That one was great, but I'll still always love "...Begone."
In the end, destroying Maruki ambition and stealing his heart has torned me apart, and that's why I love it so much. I knew his actions weren't evil, and it would probably make a better world in the end, but it just didn't feel right. Pain is a part of life, even if it hurts. And still, I could not stop crying as I crushed a genuine wish to make humanity better. The third semester brought a new life to Persona 5, and, in doing so, it made this game much more special to me.
This game is pretty much the antithesis of TLOU2, and I love how it took risks WITHOUT going too far or having no light whatsoever.
And without stamping all over the themes and characters of the first game as well. If anything, Royal instead enhances and compliments them.
@@amirgarcia547 Exactly.
I haven’t played the last of us. The 2nd from what I saw makes you second guess yourself with the whole Abby thing because she killed Joel. To some it does and others it doesn’t. This game does it right. The whole time you are meant to second guessed yourself even though you know it’s bad. Leading up to taking down Maruki, I didn’t want to go through with it. This guy was my friend and I understood where he was coming from. That’s how you create a perfect antagonist.
@@joegardner851 Except, no, the game wants you to like Abby, despite what she's done.
ChiefMedicPururu I meant to say that. To me they force you to like her but it doesn’t work
3rd semester feels like a truly different game, and so fully realized I love it so much
The hardest truth an ideal hero has to face is that YOU CAN’T SAVE EVERYONE!
I went crazy with planning my confidant and stat rank ups so when January came about I had so much free time. That I only had to finish Sumire and get everyone's 3rd tier.
Same
I used a guide for my first playthrough so I could max everyone out.
@@darkstorm2579 I did do guides for the confidant answers and how many points are between each rank up for the stats but thats about it. I'd already had two play throughs on p5 so I knew not to waste time. Royal though does give u a lot of help with the new days that arent sleep locked and the extra stuff you can do in LeBlanc. I do admit I was worried I wouldn't be able to get Akechi maxed as it took forever for my Knowledge to max out. But I was able to get him with time to spare
@@roxan_1314 I was worried that I wouldn't be able to max everyone out because I messed up a bit while following the guide but I had a lot of free time in November and December, so I was able to finish everyone's Confidants and max out my social stats.
@@darkstorm2579 Haru was the last one I finished and I maxed her out the day before you have to go to the Depths. Well actually Sumire was the last I finished in January but of everyone else Haru was the last
Maruki: Councilor Confidant
Me: *somethin’s wrong, I can feel it-*
Yeah. In the first scene he shows up you can tell he will be the new game's boss.
A few things before I get into the gushing:
1. 4:07 I recognize that oinka video any day, don't think you can pull one on me >:P
2. You don't _need_ to max Akechi to get third semester (though you do need it to get his third persona and a certain version of the post-credits scene). That said, I think doing so makes for the optimal version of the story and I totally get why the misconception exists, since Joker grieving for him is hard-coded into third semester and his confidant is the main thing that establishes their relationship.
3. If you're familiar with how actual counseling works, Maruki is actually quite bad at his job to the point where I seriously wonder how he got licensed. For more on this see ThoughtBubble's series analyzing each teammate's sessions with him (he's a psych student and it shows), but the most glaring failure is Sumire: throughout third semester and the second half of her confidant, Sumire is shown to have deep-seated feelings of inadequacy, devaluing herself and idealizing her sister to the point of thinking Kasumi would've been totally fine if their positions were reversed. Instead of addressing those self-destructive feelings, _the same feelings that led to Kasumi's death in the first place,_ he chooses to enable them by altering her mind so that "Sumire" has perished and her impossibly perfect version of Kasumi is walking around with no issues. Even with only one year of high school psych under my belt, I distinctly remember how deeply upsetting it was to watch: a girl who loathes herself to the point of _begging_ for personality death is "cured" with...personality death, and neither of them see anything wrong with this until you and the gang personally drag her kicking and screaming out of her own personal hell.
And now for my take: A lot of works make use of the 'lotus eater machine' trope (to use the tvtropes name), and it's almost always taken as a given that leaving it is the right decision. Usually though, when it appears, the justification for leaving is that it's clearly unsustainable, or a trap to stall the heroes while the villain does something unmistakably reprehensible. P5R is the first work I've seen that frames the artificial paradise as wrong _in itself._ While I tend to cringe when someone on reddit goes 'Maruki did nothing wrong unironically' (some clowns didn't watch the deadline ending and it shows), I totally get the man's worldview. I think a lot of people misguidedly regard hardship as being justified by potential growth, rather than growth being a necessary response to hardship, and while that's valid in some cases, not all hardship is created equal; being art blocked and struggling to crawl out of it is a very different animal from being abused by your mentor/adoptive father and needing to redefine your worldview outside of those deadening confines. 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' doesn't apply when something...actually does kill you. If his reviving the dead wasn't contingent on the warping of other people, I'd honestly find it hard to call that a bad thing.
However, Maruki is not a perfect arbiter of how things should be. Again, Sumire. He treats all difficulty with the same weight (there's two students at your school who are perpetually fretting over exams until one day they start conveniently acing everything with no effort), he's prone to surface-level fixes (Sumire...again), and he has a shaky grasp on the value of people's autonomy, as shown by his willingness to warp people and their lives into unrecognizability (Ushimaru + Yusuke's artblocked friend) and his 'but ACKSHUALLY' response when the gang tells him they didn't ask for his meddling (while he's not entirely off the mark...yikes). There probably never can be a perfect arbiter who could be trusted with such complete control over others' fates, which is why people need to be allowed to help themselves on their own power. I'm with Akechi when he says it wouldn't be a worthwhile existence for the dead either, as they don't *really* get a new lease on life so much as just become props in someone else's vision of how things should be.
To accept the life Maruki offers you is to reject the value of the life you _did_ live, a life where _you_ shaped yourself and the world around you. It postulates that an imperfect existence and a worthwhile one are incompatible, when the challenge of living is to love and value it _despite_ how shitty the world can often be. We in the real world can never magick away all our suffering and mistakes, but to say our lives are devalued because of those things improves nothing and is only an expression of nihilism. It's very P3, and I couldn't stop comparing it thematically to the point where in some ways third semester feels more in line with _that_ game than vanilla P5.
To be fair, his failure as a counselor was meant to be a hint as to what he is and his goals- instead of working through their pain, he actively encouraged them to try their best to ignore it, to entertain the idea of what you want with as little pain as possible.
Now, what did he do during the new year?
I got to have another date with Takemi so that's enough for me to say that this game is a masterpiece
Something i noticed for the first time while watching this footage, spoilers btw, when maruki starts to fall after you and him fight, his glasses fall off before you catch him. The lenses he had seen the world through were gone, as hehad to look at everything differently. The first of which, was you, joker, the one who has been defying maruki this entire time. He finally starts to see it your way, because his vision isn't distorted.
Yep also cool flip of what the glasses do in Persona 4 as well.
Fun callbacks in Maruki’s palace.
Also, count this as a confession and successful change of heart, his last words before reality reverted:
Your eyes are… as bright and honest as ever, you keep your head up, no matter what.
I must have always been… afraid. Afraid you and I wouldn’t wish for the same reality.
Royal made Akechi one of my favorite characters in gaming, period. I connect with him in a lot of ways. The only persona characters who even get close to Akechi in my book is Joker, Yu Narukami, and Kotone Shiome, and that's just cause they are protagonists who are all bad ass in their own ways, and I connected with them as I played. And as for Maruki: he was a much needed change of pace in the story. He filled a niche I didn't even realize needed filling.
God I loved this game it’s something I really needed after 2019 and the revile of my abusive mother her death opined my eyes to just how much I didn’t have a life outside of another’s desire so yes that semester hit like a blonde with a steamroller
Okay I just want to see some kind of communication between Adachi and Maruki. One wants to erase whole world because of loneliness (and pain at some point). And the other want to rewrite the world because of the same reasons but not for himself but for others. That's so interesting. Like... Ultimate hate and egoism against ultimate care and altruism. Not sure that I got my point fully here but still.
P5R is a masterpiece.
Though, I feel like we meed more PT interactions without them being PTs. I want to know your opinion this, but I feel like the members have limited time with each other and how they interact compared to like the SEES and Investigation Team (bear in mind, I have limited interactions with those respective games). Like I'm a sucker for funny moments. Here's hoping Scramble gets an English localization.
It will
I think its confirmed
It’s confirmed P5S is coming, we just don’t know when
That one guy Probably going to be an early launch title for Ps5
SoulsFanatic 2020 I doubt it since it was already released on PS4 (as well as Switch) in Japan, but I can see there being a PS5 version later on.
I think the one biggest missed opportunity of Royal and the Third Semester was to have had Rumi snap out of her own false reality after Maruki's defeat, but like Sumire ends up having had the time to better process her past and be able to move forward on her own, afterward. That would also allow her to remember Maruki and seek him out to reassure him. Even if they don't end up getting back together, Maruki deserved that much closure.
Favorite game of all time. That final boss made me feel things, man.
Never has an antagonist made me question if what I was doing was wrong. Especially hearing the desperation from Sumire after Joker chooses to reject Maruki's reality. That hit me hard.
So I knew this was a man of culture based off the first 10 min of the video. But then, he went further beyond and spent Christmas with Haru. This man truly know what’s up
The main reason I love persona 5 is because my whole life I dealt with the corruption of the world with my education being messed with, people using me a their tool and if I’m not need to toss me away like trash, and with my brother recent death, which the police didn’t even investigate. It makes me believe I can do something, It reminds me that I can’t just stand around while others people are causing people pain.
You're a better man than I Kamen. Even 14 years later, I'd gladly take marukis reality. Losing a child is...soul crushing
I’m sorry for your loss, may your child RIP
@@sergiosalazar8702 Thank you very much. I appreciate it
I can't stress enough how this game changed my life. I had no goals in life but after I played this game I became motivated to change myself for the better and even go study for psychology! I could talk about how great this game is and never get bored of doing it. I will never forget the great time I had with the game, time passed in a blink of an eye. I spent 100€ for this game but what it gave me was priceless. I know that no one will ever see this comment but I this was my chance to express how I feel about this masterpiece.
Something I never really thought about until I played Royal was how Persona 5 focuses on growth through adversity. The base game also features this, but Sumire is the character that made me realize this, and despite your thesis, I think the game acknowledges that in the "real word," there is room for aspects of Maruki's philosophy and that of the PTs. Sumire, by her own admisssion, tells Joker that had it not been for Maruki, she would have never found the strength to carry on. I think Futaba is also like this - a person that needed a miracle to even have the strength needed to go through life. But with Sumire, we see the effects of both Maruki's philosophy and that of the PTs in effect; she finds the strength to continue living as Kasumi, but her personal development is stunted once she has outgrown that Persona. Maruki's "miracle" gets her back up on her feet and makes her feel ready to live again, but when confronted with the reality that Kasumi died saving her, she reaches a low that she would have never gotten over by herself, she needed Joker and the rest of the PTs to yet again find her footing as Sumire, face her challenges, and overcome them. It was a great touch that Kasumi says that society could grow weak and complacent if they relied too much on the PTs, and I'm sad that we never know if those are what she thinks are Kasumi's thoughts, or if they're her own, but just as society has to learn to deal with things without the PTs, so does the world have to deal with things without Maruki's guidance. This is a point I've rarely seen brought up, but I think that in the end, Maruki may have ended helping more people than depriving others of personal growth; think of the people that are just living life one day, and the next they find out they have a horrible disease. 2020 has made me appreciate my health a lot, so maybe that's why I'm more sympathetic to him. But whatever the case, I think the game makes the case that a person sometimes needs a miracle, or luck, or whatever you want to call it, to find the strength to live life. All the PTs needed their Persona powers to awaken, they need their network of friends. They overcome adversity yes, but like with anything, I think there is a limitation to willpower. You mentioned overcoming some very dark times yourself, but I think that in real life, humans do have a breaking point. I think you hit a very low point in your life, but at times, only a miracle can help you get by.
First, let me say, I'm sorry for your loss.
I feel that. It has been 13 years now since I lost an important person, and it still hurts every year. I was extremely thankful for Royal to have taken a mature look on these topics. And even though some games make me tear up, I usually don't really cry. But Royal? Man, I bawled at several points in the game. It felt personal, and like a journey that was my own alongside the kids.
One of my favorite things that is never out right stated though highly implied about Maruki is that through his grief he searched for ways to handle it and came across Mormonism, I have a whole reddit thread that goes in depth about this if anyone wants my proof, and after learning how the core concept of the religion is that you can be together with those you love through eternity even after death he did a deep dive into the religion. It's here he starts to realize that the power he has been granted can be used to create such an idea and through that his Messiah complex forms. I got examples of this from Maruki's ideology to his palace to the outfits he wears in the Metaverse. Edit: Forgot to add the great irony in the fact that Mormonism has a large focus on agency and freedom of choice in how one lives their life.
Please show me iy
Ooh, could you show me this?
Before talking about my favorite part of Royal I wanna say why I and many other people like Kamoshida over many other palace rulers. Mostly because unlike the other ones he is the most present one. We have animated cutscenes with both him and his shadow self, his authority over the school is something we see through basically every npc and we are forced to live with him, hell we can even talk to him if we so desire. At least for me, he felt much more pressuring than Mr.Mafia Dude, Darth Burger Lord and Madarame. Ok, moving on!
My favorite part of the game as a whole? Akechi. The third semester clearly wanted to show us the good, the true good inside this ruthless guy. But why do I like this boy so much? Weeeeeeell
- Unlike many other edgelords in media, Akechi... Is not a complete edgelord. Yes he doesn't really care about the Phantoms except for Joker, yes he calls them "Absolute fools" but he will never be like "Tisk tisk I don't have the time to hang out with you" or "hmp, I am not talking to my team." On the contrary he is the one who wants to cooperate, will often start conversation and he is visibly hurt by the fact that the thieves doesn't want him around. Sure it is cool to see some badass character giving one line that has many meanings, but it's refreshing to see the Dark Rival trope being open about their feelings and thoughts.
- His overall relationship with Joker and how Royal changes even the smallest detail. While I didn't play the original P5 I digged on it a little thanks to this wonderful red website. In the base game, just before the boss fight, he becomes a typical villain "that will show his true power" and blah blah blah. But here? His "fun little idea" is about finishing what he started with Joker, making it much more personal for them and for the player. Not only that but in the third semester, Akechi shows signs of great trust in Joker. He is deeply, deeply dissapointed and wounded if we accept Maruki's world and most of all, he doesn't care about showing his true self. On a lesser scale, this is what happens in real life to some people. It's easy to show a perfect mask of ourselves, while it's much harder to show our true feelings and flaws. Akechi showing his more brutal and blunt side means that he feels comfortable enough around Joker, that he truly considers him a friend.
- How admirable he is. Yes, Black Mask, the most batshit insane boss in the game shows a truly admirable side in the last part of the game. Why? Well, let's think about what the thieves do. All of them, including Joker, had some doubts about stopping Maruki before realizing that they truly want to. Cool, right? They will embrace their life and issues. But what about Akechi? This guy has everything to lose. Not just his public image or happiness, but his whole life. There is a very real chance that he will die after the new reality gets destroyed. And he doesn't care. He always hated being manipulated, he wanted to make his own choices and if refusing a reality where someone has plans for him will end his life, Akechi will go and die as a free man, with unmatched will and resolution. And I... I am conflicted about his fate. Part of me wishes that Akechi survived and will be present in future games because he deserves a second chance, but another part of me wishes that he... Stayed dead. That is what makes sense for his character, to be remembered as the young man who stayed true to his ideals and proudly faced death with no remorse whatsoever.
My only grip with 3rd Semester Akechi is how... Underwhelming he is as a playable character. He doesn't have boost or amp skills so he is basically a weaker Ryuji/Yusuke who cannot inflict status to the enemeis. Almighty Boost/Amp would have been perfect for him! I mean he is Black Mask for crying out loud, the one that is stated to be far, far more powerful than all of us. C'mon Atlus...
My personal head canon about the balancing issue for Akechi’s abilities are that Joker and the PT’s went through such a power scaling boom in Mementos Depths that they reached or even surpassed his strength rendering him an average party member.
@@phillemon7664
I don't buy that since KaSumire starts at level 75, as high as Akechi
Third semester's Akechi is not even real. He died in Shido's Palace. He is just a creation made from Joker and Maruki's cognition about him. His confidant is IMO the best addition to the game, but his part in the last section of the game is pretty much what Joker would have wanted him to be.
As for his gameplay power level... That is to not overpower the rest of the game although he has elemental advantage against most enemies in the first stage of the dungeon, right unti you get Sumire to take that space.
@@lokasocba
This cognitive Akechi thing is so bullshit, everyone who says that never payed attention to the story. Regardless of whenever Akechi truly died on Shido's palace (it varies if you get the post credit scene or not) in the original reality, what happens in third semester is not fake because Maruki's world is effectively real. Wakaba and Okumura are said to be real, they never died. Just like Akechi, they are not copies with memories of the original people, they're the original people.
Not overpower the rest of the game you say? That doesn't mean making Akechi, the one who outclassed six experienced Persona users and an even stronger wild card, so weak in comparison to said six character. One thing is to balance him, another thing is to negate him good damage options. He's the only one who doesn't get Boost/Amp skills for seemingly no reason.
@@maverick5169 That "cognitive bullshit" is the base of Maruki's power. The change in reality is given because everyone perceives the world as Maruki and themselves want it. Even in the new world, Sumire's parents call her "Sumire" and that's why Joker perceives a glitch when he meets his father.
17:12 Hillarious how he didn't play Akechi's voice line. I know it doesn't tie back to his previous statement, but it's hilarious
There is actually cut content where you can see Kamoshida, Maderame, and Okumura’s pasts and why they became the way they were similar to Maruki’s VHS tapes
honestly i had to debate with myself for a month to figure out if i really wanted to fight maruki or not
I fought him, to obtain the true ending.
I loved your commentary at the end felt so heartfelt and sincere it made me shed some tears. Thank you for you both sharing your thoughts about this part of the game, truly amazing yet it ends so quickly.
There’s a reason why people want the game to go multiplatform. I mean if Persona 4 Golden could get a port on Steam that did well, I don’t see why they shouldn’t do a port of Persona 5 Royal for the Switch and PC since it could do really well.
Also if it did get a ports to other systems I could see these be costumes exclusive to the ports.
Switch
Ren - Mario
Morgana - Yoshi
Ryuji - Luigi
Ann - Peach/Daisy
Yusuke - Waluigi
Makoto - Daisy/Peach
Futaba - Rosalina
Haru - Wario
Goro - Popple
Kasumi - Pauline
PC
Ren - Soldier
Morgana - Medic
Ryuji - Scout
Ann - Pyro
Yusuke - Sniper
Makoto - Heavy
Futaba - Engineer
Haru - Demoman
Goro - Spy
Kasumi - Miss Pauling
Akechi being the SPY is a bit... on the nose, wouldn’t you agree?
Poolturtle I know but I think we needed all 9 classes from Team Fortress 2.
MisterZygarde64 we did, just find it interesting how it turned out.
Also Ryuji is, in fact, the scout.
Wouldn't it make more sense if Haru was one of the princesses considering her persona and social status?🤔
Probably because P5 port would be much more difficult to make than P4 one. They might have something else to put efforts in that will be more profitable. It's buisness
What really made the battle against Maruki hurt for me was that the basis of his argument is correct. Sometimes, the world does unjustly put far more pain on an individual than they can handle, resulting in a total shutdown as we saw with his girlfriend. If he had been talked to in time, and trained, his power could be used with a more personal and discriminating touch to help people who have become too traumatized to be able to overcome their pain. Hell, he could’ve even had his own spinoff operation going where he can change the hearts of victims of pain like Futaba so that they can have the tools to move forward, and even collaborate with the Phantom Thieves for individuals like Sae who were victims that became antagonistic in response to pain. It’s such an impactful fight to me because it could have been avoided and led to so much more for everyone.
The third semester breaks my heart and really talks to me on a personal level for one reason. I've been bed bound on and off since 2013, full time since 2015 due to suffering from chronic centeral sensitization, basically CS prior trauma (both physical and mental) has 'caused my body to retaliate in the form of dealing with chronic pain that is both hyper sensitive to both motion and touch. The reason the third semester really speaks to me is because if I was given the oppertunity to escape my CS in the form of maruki's reality. I couldn't look you in the eyes and say I wouldn't be swayed by his offer, given the oppertunity to run from this pain. I honestly think I'd take it
You aren't wrong for saying yes to that offer, It's a dilemma because both are morally right! Hell, I'd take the offer too! It's just which ideal you believe in at the end of the day in this one little dilemma:
If you had the power to rewrite reality, Would you use it to fix people's problems and overall make them happier but deny what growth would have happened before leaving some feeling empty or incomplete even with the help or would you refuse to use it to allow people to experience such problems and grow as people but condemn those who can't to a certainly terrible fate?
Both have big consequences, Both choices aren't wrong. If you believe in either Ideal, You aren't wrong.
On the faith thing, yaldabaoth isn't god , but a demiurge, even the so called "angels" aren't the real thing , but Twisted shadows, i don't thing atlus has something against chirstianity like some coments that i've heard people speak
Yeah, even in SMT4A which while butchering the original 4's conflict to force Neutral as the only valid path, they went out of their way to specify more than any other SMT that YHVH is a corrupted avatar of God and not the actual being who is known as the Great Will/Axiom. I think where the Atlus hates Christianity misconception comes from, coupled with the misconception YHVH is God, is Law is assumed to be all about blind obedience to YHVH and a loss of free will, even though in all but one game that isn't the case, instead it being about Utilitarianism. (Law characters also always turn on YHVH if he deviates from what Law wants) In the one game that actually was the case, (SJ) Chaos also took away free will and in the remake it was revealed that Law's change in behavior was due to a new female entity that was also responsible for imprisoning YHVH, who is good in this version, in the new game +. (fittingly he takes Demiurge's form)
Maruki weirdly reminds me of Dr Bright from the SCP universe. Like I knew there was something really weird about him but he acts like he's fine
Don’t need a video telling me why this game is amazing but I’ll still watch anyway
I kind of wish the third semester was just joker, akechi, and kasumi tbh
Great video as always Kamen! And I also wouldn’t be truthful if I said that last portion of the video didn’t give me major feels...
Anyways, after beating P5R last summer, I was truly blown away in the third semester. Especially since I didn’t really have high expectations going into it, as I feel like Atlus’s handled new story content (Persona 3 FES with The Answer) or characters (Persona 4 Golden with Marie) rather poorly in their “definitive” versions of their games. And yet Royal delivers in spades with the third semester, which adds a complex moral dilemma, something that I felt was sorely lacking from the base game. It brings the question that if you could erase or forget all the pain and loss you’ve endured, would you choose to do so? And despite not accepting Maruki’s reality either, as our hardships make us stronger and define who we are (such as the lack of a father figure in my life while growing up), I’ll admit that there are people close to me that I’ll have to come to terms with losing one day, despite being almost terrified at the thought. And I’d be lying if I’d say I wouldn’t want a magical reset button once that day inevitably comes.
But moving on, Maruki is by far my favorite Persona antagonist due to how real and relatable he feels. Ad a great as a villain as Adachi is, Maruki feels like the natural evolution to him since despite also wishing for humanity to be blind to the truth and live in woeful ignorance, his actions come from a place of warmth and compassion rather than hatred and apathy. As for the flexible redhead herself, Kasumi, I didn’t initially think much of her, but MAN, the third semester truly twisted my perspective of her in a way that I haven’t felt with any fictional character beforehand. Her fight was definitely painful since she decided to harm her own senpai that she looks up to just to remain in blissful ignorance, which just shows how strong her pain is. And yet it’s in confronting said pain and not deciding to be Sumire or live as Kasumi, but combine both their aspects to be the best version of herself she can be, that undoubtedly made her my favorite female P5 character. Well, second favorite, since Futaba still exists.
And last but definitely not least, P5R actually improved one of P5’s most glaring issues, that being how Akechi’s character arc was severely rushed. But now with his reworked confidant and role in the third semester, you get to know him as a character far more, and I especially love and respect how he rejects Maruki’s reality despite benefiting from it the most because he not only no longer wants to have his life dictated by others, but is no longer ashamed of hiding who he truly is as well.
Anyways, I’ve rambled on long enough lol. In the end, P5R’s third semester is some of the best Persona story content we’ve gotten in a *long* while, and definitely makes me more than excited for what Atlus has in store for an inevitable Persona 6.
(Also, slight correction, but you actually don’t need to finish Akechi’s confidant to get the third semester. Or Kasumi’s, even. Really, all you need to do is max out Maruki’s confidant. But maxing out Akechi’s does add a bonus scene in the ending, along with being the only way to unlock his third tier Persona, Hereward.)
Also, the palace is just really good from a game-play perspective.
Bruhhh I’m playing through P4G for the first time rn and that spoiler came out of nowhere.
Pain.
The sad thing is for akechi to slip up like that he must have actually well and truly enjoyed pancakes
*Wakaba appears*
Pirates: You're supposed to be dead!
Maruki: The reports of her death have been greatly exaggerated
Good analysis! The only point I would have added is how the "true" ending (where joker goes home) changes. To be clear, I think the way the original way the game ended perfectly. After everything those kids went through, I'm glad they were able to go on a nice road trip. And there's honestly something kinda magical about being young and going on a road trip. You feel like you're a rebel taking on the world, and given that the thieves aren't literally doing that anymore, it's nice to convey that the spirit of rebellion is still with them. Plus, I love the way it incorporates the opening theme song by having it play on the radio, but that's neither here nor there.
When I first saw the new ending, I honestly felt a bit off. It wasn't nearly as happy with the characters saying goodbye earlier, and they even do a little tease about Akechi being alive maybe that felt a little sequel-baity. But when I saw the other ending where you choose to live in the altered reality, it all clicked. The new ending wouldn't have worked if it was just as happy; it has to be bitter sweet. Fighting Maruki does not feel triumphant; it feels like you're making the tough choice to deal with the harsh real world. One where people do drift away, and where the future is mysterious. In that sense, I look back at the Akechi tease and think that the ambiguity is the point. We will never know if he's truly alive or not because the future is uncertain. Just as we don't know if Joker truly saw his mask, or if it was his imagination. I also like how in the credits, none of the scenes with our characters show them being super successful (again, to contrast the altered reality ending). We see Ann grab a fashion magazine and instinctively assume she's going to turn a page to see herself in there, but no. Every character is struggling, but still preparing to move on no matter how difficult.
Anyhoo, the point is it's all great; and if I had one nitpick, it's that they don't incorporate "colours flying high" as smoothly in the ending as they did with "Wake up/Get Out there"
To be fair, there is no correct choice. Both the "real" world and Maruki's world are flawed. If you agree with Maruki, you lose some part of yourself, namely that which was won through enduring hardships. If you reject his world, you open yourself up to suffering and as he correctly says, sometimes the world is so unjust that there's no way out, no path to growth. After all, that's why people commit suicide.
I want to add on too that if you choose to reject his world you willingly kill Wakaba and Okumura again. It gives the Thieves a body count.
@kollie79 It's reality manipulation, Reality was changed so events didn't happen to where they were brought back to life. While they may not be your version as you know them they are 100% people and killing them would still just kill a person
This argument is like wishing to kill everyone in a different dimension because they aren't your version of people. They might be different but due to it being something as grand as reality manipulation they are very much real.
Alongside that Free Will is still a thing as we see from the fact that the Third Semester still happens and everyone isn't just mindless showing that people both new and not aren't just 2D Husks of themselves like in the Yaldie ending.
@kollie79 It. isn't. hypnosis. They literally describe it as reality manipulation when talking about it, He used Yaldie's power to completely change and warp reality as to how he sees fit. It isn't some illusion, He made it real with his power until it was destroyed. All of his changes became real until they were wiped away by the Thieves so yes it's indisputable that they are still people. It's EXTREMELY simple: Due to Maruki rewriting reality they never died, They exist in his reality and are subsequently erased and killed by the Thieves upon destroying Maruki's reality. The only reason people say it's some illusion and falsehood is because they don't understand what the hell reality manipulation is lol. If it's reality manipulation then congrats: It's reality until whoever changed it is stopped. Everything in it really happened and it's not some illusion, It's reality manipulation. So if you kill someone in another reality even if they were dead beforehand and exist in that reality, You kill them again. It's literally indesputable lol
Also weather or not they realized it, Their actions led to them being erased killing them in a different reality. I thought the game was a bit foolish for not bringing it up especially when it's the lives of others existing again that they just sorta ignore as a whole. Either way they still have a body count weather they mean it or not because of that which I personally dislike because of it.
@kollie79 A plot point that doesn't exist? Two people were brought back to life, You'd think they'd care a fucking smidge about them lol
Reality manipulation and hypnosis are two different things. The difference being one was literally changed so they did experience those memories in their life which contradicted with their prior thoughts which was why they refused while hypnosis is hypnosis, Something they actually didn't experience
Also Maruki was the one who brought them back to life using his powers, Who were the ones who destroyed it? The Phantom Thieves. They killed them inadvertently, It's an unavoidable fact because it's reality manipulation. Maruki isn't the reason they died again, It would be if he stopped the reality change but no he didn't it was the Thieves lol.
Also he kept free will and he knew full well of this talking to Joker and Co, He didn't act surprised they broke out of something because he still knew they had free will, Not once is he surprised by them questioning shit.
@kollie79 Maruki doesn't because to him it's a job well done. You'd think though that the people heavily tied to them would though lol
Also he did essentially bring them back. He used reality manipulation to make it so they weren't killed, It was as simple as that. He brought 'em back. He wasn't as guilty of their deaths for literally stopping their death through reality manipulation as the Phantom Thieves destroying what he did and undoing that killing them again, That's some huge mental gymnastics there lol.
Also when was that? Last I checked in every encounter he respects and even understands why they'd think differently to him but urges them to see his way.
I appreciate how one of the questions in school in P5 is about chronokinesis, and one of the answers is literally 'the world'
then, well, just look maruki's helmet
I went into this agreeing with Maruki but now I'm just so 50/50, the thing is yes they developed from their pain. But, there are people who literally don't get that chance, some are born just to die at a young age or end up with mental illnesses that are impossible to overcome through will. I think, I would prefer some place in the center. Like, the most terrible tragedies are gone but you aren't just given a world of complete happiness, there's still room for growth. But of course that's not an option
i played original Persona 5 back in the first release, love it a lot
when p5r announced, i'm not that rush to play it since i already know the story and think probably only some extra little addition, boy i was wrong, i'm glad i gave a try on P5R, it feels like a complete different experience and makes me love Persona 5 even more..
Maruki hands down becoming my most favorite antagonist in all persona series..
When I actually played through the third semester, I almost cried.
And I gasped during the post credits scene. Did Akechi actually survive?
God i love maruki and everything he stands for you can just feel how he is just someone who has the best for everyone in mind and while he us opposing you the entire time you can understand him and his view and might want to try to accept it he also while opposing you only does it because he thinks he can help you and wants to help you so even trying to gibe you many chances of joining him
I get your points that the phantom thieves wanted to team up with akechi to keep an eye on him and because they could sympathize with him but...akechi murdered multiple people, showed no remorse for said murders and was clearly just a bit psychotic. He also has a power that lets him murder people without leaving any evidence and just tried to murder them. Oh and he only murdered people for a convoluted revenge plot against his father and hes the only reason shido got as far as he did. Rather than wanting him to join them they should've been debating whether to off him or not. As for them showing sympathy to akechi that's fair to an extent but they go as far as treating him like a hero after he dies. And the game goes out of it's way to excuse akechi for his actions and place all of the blame on shido which is a bit ridiculous in my opinion.
TL:DR
I get what the game wants you to think. I just disagree with the game and think that akechi should've been held responsible for his actions
This game has become an important part of my life. The Persona series intrigued by interest with 5. And it's the best decisions I've ever made! Right now I just can't see how Persona 6 can ever top the popularity and importance that is P5
Your editing is so entertaining
I’m so glad I found this channel
*dates Haru*
*The Church of Haru liked that*
There is no wrong waifu to spend Christmas with...But Haru is slightly more right than the others.
I mean the very last last 4 battle made me cry a tiny bit he was working hard and trying to protect his ideas
I've never cried on a video game in my entire life and P5R hits me like an anvil
I’m glad I played this game as a senior in high school , I felt a deep connection to some of the issues these character have as teens that might’ve made me feel different had I’d been a little older
That feeling when you realize Adachi is villain Maruki.
Maruki is a villain. Relatable and kind but a villain nonetheless
They're pretty different imo. While they both mention getting rid of a world of pain that's about their only similarity as much as this vid actually tries to say otherwise. Adachi isn't out for the betterment of others in saying that nor would what he would do help others, He simply wants to wipe away the world and kill everyone with the Shadow World just because he hates it and everyone in it for what happened to him and also because he could. He is then stopped by those willing to save others and show that there is good in the world.
Maruki on the other hand? He legitimately does try to make a change and is morally about as good as the Phantom Thieves are. He ends up getting the power of reality manipulation after Yaldie is defeated and uses it to try and make things better for everyone, A completely selfless act which is something that I doubt many would do if given such an almighty power. This doesn't line up with the Phantom Thieves' Ideals so they fight. Both sides of the argument are equally valid, Either choice you pick you either get an antagonist in the form of Maruki or in the form of the Thieves. Neither side are Villains. Either way though in the true ending he is stopped and everything he worked towards is destroyed changing reality back to as it was leaving him broken and much worse off than he was before the Third Semester but not sorrowful about being stopped as at the end of the day he was convinced and the Thieves' Ideals win.
Adachi is a Villain, Maruki isn't a Villain but an antagonist due to clashing Ideals
@@voltaalta1307 Yeah. That's what I meant. Like MangaKamen said, Maruki is an antagonist. I was essentially saying that Maruki saw Adachi's idea and went, "But what if it helped people...".
@@xiniti8185 Oh I think Kamen said he was a Villain rather than an Antagonist last I checked but yeah I get what you mean
@@voltaalta1307 oof. well, selective hearing is an asshole for real tho.
Trust me, my friend, you didn't even dip your toe into what's _actually_ known as music theory.
I loved this video, and i agree on all points except for one.
You mentioned that the reality was forced upon the phantom thieves, but i feel like thats debatable. If i remember correctly, the only reason why Maruki got the power to change reality is because the phantom thieves deep down wanted that escape, to be happy. At the very least i think thats arguable a subconscious decision.
I also noticed that when you walk around the real world in the third semester that most of the people walking around are always smiling.
I like to call this video “Persona 5 Royal: Style AND substance"
It improved mona, my baby boi
I noticed you conspicuously cut Akechi's response to Maruki during the final battle even though it's the best one.
Oh my.... I love this. Two reasons, well... three... so one seeing a familiar face that I was not expecting, Oziach! But also the entire point of this video. It's something I've also thought a lot about. Another point brought up earlier in the game that I think also benefits the deep impact is the belief that Kasumi has early on about the thieves, believing that your deeds will only weaken humanity and make them not think for themselves. It true. Look at the final dungeon before Yaldebaoth. Every person you speak to has given up on trying, content to let things end and let Yaldebaoth win. Your group is now the only ones fighting back. You brought this about, and then you are forced to make it right. It's both horrifying that she was right and also so satisfying to see that thought break as well. Then comes that choice, with Maruki, if you did everything that triggers the third semester anyway. The entire game brings up so many deep messages and strong emotions that I will probably never grow tired of playing it. Thanks for the amazing vid. Keep up the good work.
Ugh, now I feel like a stalker or something. i just love debate.
Maruki's intentions aren't selfish. A good indicator of intention is the point where their facade begins to crack. When it comes to characters with savior complexes, often they will become frustrated when challenged in any way; this is how you know their intention is rooted in a feeling of superiority.
The context of their frustration is key. The one and only time Maruki is truly frustrated instead of just disappointed is when he admits to having given up *everything* in his pursuit of his goal. He sacrificed his own happiness to the point the only thing that motivated him was seeing it to fruition, not because it made him happy but because he felt obligated. He never explicitly says he felt obligated either, it is implied, not using it as an excuse unlike so many characters who proudly boast about being "chosen by the gods." He would gladly give his life to see it through. It's the most sympathetic interpretation of a savior complex I've probably seen.
The 3rd semester hit some if the highest highs I've experienced in over thirty years of gaming.
MangaKamen: Maruki isn't a Villain, he is an Antagonist
Alsi MangaKamen: *Makes Maruki is the Greatest Persona Villain video and says that he is not an antagonist*
Gee, it's almost like 3 years a person can change an opinion.
In other news, water is wet
This game is so incredibly good that right now im on my 5th goddamn playthrough.
I don’t think we needed a 40 minute video. We KNOW Persona 5 Royal is Brilliant.
Am I only one who noticed that when summoning his persona, Maruki didn't take off his mask like the rest of the thieves?
Edit: And, for those who say the Phantom Thieves personas are basically a "deus ex machina", well, you missed the point. Here's the thing, to me at least, especially in this game, the power of persona isn't strictly a power the main characters can have, it's a power that anyone can have, it just depends if you have the strength or will to awaken and use it. I mean, the characters are in reality, normal people, but the found the strength to fight back and earned their personas to fight back.
The only exceptions being Akechi and Maruki, sort of... In that I mean they awakened them differently. Instead of finding the strength to confront harsh reality, for Akechi he was granted the power by the God of Control to be used as a puppet, and for Maruki, his inability to accept said harsh reality, along with his anger, is what awakened it and gave us an example of a persona being awakened by the wrong reasons.
In P5 all personas are a manifestation of a rebellious will, it's just that Akechi and Maruki have different ideas of rebellion.
Sometimes I never wish I walked into a specific bar on November 4th, 2009 at 7:55pm and sat down next to someone who would (I'm going to hold back some words here) "become the man in my nightmares even years after I managed to leave him." But if that never happened, I wouldn't be who I am now, and I don't think I'd have become as strong as I am in response to what he did to me. Nor would I have learned so much compassion, met so many influential people, and learned Muai Thai had I not survived what happened.
Haru ...a true man of culture
The senpai bit had me laughing my ass off! That was fucking hilarious man! XD
11:28 automatic thumbs up and sub
Persona 5 Royal is my favorite game, during the stressful times of being an essential worker during COVID-19, it gave me something to look forward to every day. Waking up early due to stress didn't matter because suddenly I could boot up my PS4 and make it further in Palaces and hang out with my in-game homies. It's a beautiful game and I want to get as many people as I can to play it.
Akechi will forever & always be BEST BOI.