oozey mess
YOU ARE THE REASON
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tannertan36
we're not kids anymore.
@theartofmadeline
Today's Document
Jules of Nature
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
RMH
pixel skylines
Sweet Seals For You, Always
Origami Around
Mike Driver
One Nice Bug Per Day
Kaledo Art
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KIROKAZE
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let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
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@harupollen
😺みにゃさんこんにちにゃ🤤
I am an intersectional feminist
You will enjoy my account if you like low quality Samsung Notes sketches/illustrations and obscure manga (and looking at men)
Deeply entrenched in Japanese meme culture
Also big into food research as a hobby, both scientific and socio-political facets of it.
DNI: proshippers/anyone who thinks sexualising children in any form is OK, racists and zionists, sexists, LGBTQIA+phobes, abuse apologists/glorifiers
Akechi attempting theft 😼
WHAT KIND OF REALITY IS THIS??!!
(it's worse because this was the very first "falling in love" on my island... Akechi...dw tho I told him he was just imagining things)
My gay freakass tomodachis 🥹
Akechi gets vibrated by local man to get out of a rut
Haru? and Shid.
I always see a lot of discourse surrounding Goro Akechi, and that’s mostly fine because he is a very morally gray character, but it surprises me how so many takes contradict or even ignore direct quotes from the game. (A popular example that I see is people claiming that Goro wants to kill Shido, when he never outright says so)
I think these misunderstandings happen because Akechi’s plot is scattered around the game and only mentioned superficially, and this is why I am making a thread showing all the important plot points surrounding Akechi’s motives in linear order along with screenshots.
This way, if you ever want to discuss Akechi, at least you can have your facts right:
First, Akechi got his powers from Yaldabaoth two and a half years ago, when he was 15. He was an orphan who had wanted to get revenge on his father all his life, so he thought that those powers were a sign. And so, to prove himself to Shido, he made two of his political opponents psychotic. He didn’t kill them, and he still hadn’t killed anyone before that as well.
At this point it’s a mystery whether Goro knew if he could kill in the metaverse or not, but from the start we can see how he only offered his psychotic powers. Shido, who knew about the cognitive research, then instructed him to kill Wakaba, and Goro did just that.
In game, Shido says that he was the one who taught Akechi how to properly use his powers, so it’s likely that he was the one to instruct Akechi on how to actually murder in the metaverse.
(By that time, Akechi didn’t know about the changing of hearts, so a reason as of why he never contemplated on changing Shido’s heart could have been because he didn’t know it was even possible. He thought that those mystic powers could only be used for evil.)
Now, a big part of the discourse surrounding Akechi is whether he was controlled or not when he decided to follow orders and kill all those people.
In game, Shadow Shido states that he controlled him by offering praise. Shido knew about Goro’s plan: he knew that he was his son, that he wanted to be acknowledged, and that he wanted to trap him. He literally knew everything and used praise to his benefit.
Akechi never suspected a single thing about that.
He thought that he was outsmarting everyone when, in reality, he did just as Shido wanted. That doesn’t make him any less guilty, but the game wants you to know and puts clear emphasis that Akechi was emotionally manipulated.
and he could, and should have said no, yeah, but due to his story of being abandoned and unloved, words of praise coming from his father were something that Akechi was weak against, specially since his plan was also about getting that acknowledgment, which brings us to…
Akechi’s revenge plan, which is a bit of a mess since people seem to think that he wants to murder Shido:
He doesn’t. He wanted to become so indispensable to him that when Shido became first minister, Goro could say “Well, you got here thanks to me, the son you abandoned, don’t you regret leaving me? You are nothing without me.”
After that, he also says that he will make Shido’s life a living hell. The meaning of this is never explained, but LIVING hell pretty much means that Akechi didn’t plan on killing him.
The thing is, the concept of Goro’s plan is incredibly childish and it doesn’t work, but despite that, it still makes sense from his point of view because it was initially created by a lonely, deeply insecure and revengeful 15 year old orphan who wanted to prove that his existence wasn’t a mistake.
Akechi’s plan would have never worked because Shido never cared about him, quite the contrary, so it was doomed to fail from the start.
Akechi is very smart, and he should have seen how wrong everything was, but he was so completely blinded by praise and by the need of feeling useful to the point that he even agreed to become his dad’s hitman.
For a normal character, this would be unthinkable, but Akechi’s background makes him the perfect target to fall into that kind of pit. He can be as smart as he wants, but emotionally he is very weak and easily manipulable. (Again, I’m not excusing his actions, but I believe that the game made a good job in giving Goro a background that could explain why he did something so terrible that no one else would be capable of)
And so, Akechi blindly and stubbornly believes in his plan until Cognitive Akechi tells him that Shido planned to kill him from the start. That’s when Akechi’s whole world falls apart and when he finally realizes that he had been a puppet from the very beginning.
He was so desperate that he couldn’t conceive the possibility of Shido betraying him. Shido’s own cognition had to spell it out to him for Akechi to finally open his eyes. That’s when he sees the whole picture and decides to sacrifice himself and ask the thieves to change Shido’s heart.
This is what he should have done from the start, but he was too blinded to see it because he was alone and had no support, and Shido acted like he cared.
Also, If Akechi had only cared about revenge, he could have taken Shido down a long time ago, he is not stupid, his problem came when he decided that he also wanted to be acknowledged, because that’s when he had to start doing what Shido wanted (aka killing people) to get on his good side.
Revenge and acknowledgment are closely tied to Akechi’s character and both make him what he is and what he has done.
After this, you can still have a good or bad opinion on Akechi as a character, but I hope that these screenshots shed some light on Goro’s most common misconceptions.
A while ago, I made a post going into parts of the missable Sae Palace arc text messages, such as these:
However, that post neglected to include a full transcript. I have since transcribed all of these texts, which occur on 10/30, 11/3, 11/7, and 11/11. You must not infiltrate Sae's Palace until after these dates in order to get these.
Transcripts below the cut! Crossposted to the P5 sub.
Omg yes, the reason I don't read much Shuake fic is everyone seemed to settle into "the third semester is Goro's TRUE self" and I don't think that's accurate. We only see him in situations where he's under duress or still being manipulated or has a mask up. Third sem he still has a mask up because he doesn't want Akira to falter and chose the fake reality. I completely disagree it's how Goro always is and always will be, and fandom just reduces him to that so :|
Oh I feel that sm actually
Like I'm currently reviewing all of my Goro writing because,, we see so little of his honest self I'm never sure that what I'm writing is accurate.
I often like to think that Goro's speech on choosing your own path and moving on from mistakes is very aimed towards Ren. Deep down, Goro probably knows Ren did miss/mourn him (his self loathing just won't admit it). I feel like Goro really is trying his best to seem rude and manic so that Ren won't grieve him again, if that makes sense.
Other than that, Goro probably hates being used as leverage by Maruki against Ren, and that's just another source of stress...
Give this boy a break!!....
Then again, everyone always lies to everyone to some degree, the only person who will honestly know Goro to his fullest is himself. In some way, he'll always have on a mask, just like any other character. The concept itself of a "true self" is a very weird one tbh,,
The Black Mask and Detective Prince act are both lies but that mean something in context. Prince act is when he really needed to bring people closer, Black Mask is when he wanted to push people away.
Anyways I ramble too much my bad,,,
Now i cant stop thinking about it. Especially this sprite
When looking at it I can never tell if it's the honesty beneath it all or unspoken rage
Fun fact! In the anime's artbook, in Goro's pages, they took this sprite as a reference to draw this! (im basically sure of that)
When I think of honest Goro, I instantly think of those two images tbh. Kinda innexpressive lil guy.
I officially love you for pointing this out, and I've just been back into my chatlogs to find this image. The sprite at the end of the engine room, when the PTs ask Akechi to go with them and he feels emotions (watch him! listen to him! look at what he's saying!) is the same sprite that he uses to shoot Ren in the interrogation room.
It's the same sprite with the mask overlaid and some cuts and bruises. It's eerie as fuck, but it's also feeling something.
This is the "having an unnameable emotion" face. He uses it at those moments because he is feeling something he can't recognise; Akechi is all about repression. The interrogation room is not a good experience for Akechi, even though he gloats, even though he smiles—he is going through the motions of his victory and doesn't realise it's not enough. Like, compare him to his trope daddy, Light Yagami—the game interrogation room scene (because I dunno who the guy in the anime scene was, but they aren't the same guy) is not what triumph looks like.
Compare it to the matching sprite for Cognitive Akechi:
Cognitive Akechi is dead-eyed and contemptuous. He is genuinely feeling nothing; he exists to do the captain's bidding. His face is genuinely empty; he has none of the repressed emotion around the eyes that real Akechi demonstrates.
This is so everything. I don't know what to add. It makes sense it just does.
Honestly mb for saying "kinda innexpressive lil guy" because I used the wrong words. He is feeling something but since he doesn't know what, he doesn't know how to express it.
I have a friend who finished royal like a month after its release and ever since has never played again, and his interpretation of Goro really hurts me because,,,no,,,, (he's the type of person to believe the interrogation room was a good experience for Goro)
I can't begin to imagine Goro's train of thoughts in the interrogation room...mustve been such a mess of denial and confusion.
I can't get over the level of detail in P5 ....
Tbh, I hadnt found the real world version all so simply because I got spoiled the whole plot and was completely unable to continue playing when getting to Sae's palace.
Honestly, I think Akechi believes he enjoys the interrogation room, because it's the culmination of the grand arch-rivalry that he's fitted all his feelings for Joker into. He's won, and that covers a hell of a lot of ground for our boy.
But you only have to look at him—not just in the cutscene but in the corridor afterwards, and in the way that as soon as 11/21 his TV appearances get so much more grandiose, like he's compensating—to see that it was traumatic for him. Even if he can't admit or recognise the trauma.
I don't quite understand it when people talk about the interrogation room as Akechi shooting Joker with a maniacal grin. Engine room Akechi brings the maniacal grin, sure—right at the start, once they're past the "if only it would be friends with me" stage. And yeah, he has the benefit of his mask, which allows him to show off and act out.
But interrogation room Akechi is so weirdly restrained, for what's supposed to be maniacal anime gloating. He gloats; he shoots him; he's delighted; he chuckles on his way out the door. It's spooky. It's ugly. But it's so... lacking? And sometimes he seems like his emotions are on a time delay.
I always wonder if he's on Valium, tbh.
Another No More What Ifs Analysis
Okay, so... between wanting to analyze this and Our Light, and the kpop posts that I'll be doing that overlap with this. This blog will turn into Persona Music Analysis hour. Long post. Heavy spoilers for P5R, Proof of Justice, and Mementos Mission. BEGIN!
Let's begin with some context for the song. I think this is crucial to understanding why it is associated with Akechi's character. If you're familiar with this, you can skip to the lyrical analysis! The best analogy is that Beneath the Mask is to Akira as NMWI is to Akechi, in my opinion. Proof of Justice was an OVA released with the P5 anime (in May 2019) a couple months before the release of Persona 5 Royal in Japan (October of the same year). This OVA is centered around the relationship between Akira and Akechi. Specifically, Akira's grieving process as he goes through the places where they used to meet to find clues about the phrase "Proof of Justice" which was written in the Leblanc crossword. The Jazz Jin, as noted by Muhen here, is a place where Akechi would typically go alone. He also notes in confidant rank 4 that it wasn't necessarily a place that he was keeping secret, but that he never brought people around there since it was his personal space to reflect. As we'll examine, the content of the lyrics is too specific to not be related to the story, and there aren't any other characters or themes I could think are as associated with the song as Goro Akechi. Just wanted to clear this up first, as for some it's not entirely clear why the song is specifically Akechi's (since it's not explicitly stated, and the lyrics are hard to catch while you're playing through normally).
Lyrical Analysis
people come and they go some people may stay with you though I am all alone tonight and I kept on asking myself questions
The very first line is one of the easiest to dissect. Goro, since the death of his mother, has had few stable figures in his life, whether it is his parents, family, or friends. This also extends to his line of work as a celebrity detective, as he is kept so busy that there are very few people he sees on a regular basis, at all. He notes in the second confidant rank (if you choose to ask if he has no friends) that he doesn't have people that he chooses to spend time with. [I chose this option on my last play through and remember it but I can't find the dialogue anywhere].
The doubt that grows in this verse comes from the second line. He is taken by surprise that there is someone he is giving thought to for more than a couple seconds at time. Someone he is... to some degree choosing to spend time with even though he is doing it for the mission. At first, to investigate the Phantom Thieves identity to prevent them from interfering in his revenge plot, and then to lure Akira into a death trap. Tying it back to the first line analysis with the third and fourth line, this dissonance has put the first example of his doubt in this song.
Conceited I was at time I never really doubted myself But tonight got me thinking about it all if I am the fool or what not
There is a self-awareness that Goro always has about his personas (in the metaphorical sense). Goro kind of knows that he's arrogant and it was not ever something that bothered him. Even his character flaws will not get in the way of his plan, even if those flaws are just his humanity peeking through. There's a longing in Lyn's delivery of the last two lines here. He's stumped as to why he feels this way and the inner conflict makes him pause more than he is comfortable with.
"If I am the fool or what not." This line, is literally perfect, the double meaning is just ugh! We'll see this idea again near the end of the song, but I want to take an opportunity to talk about it now. For two years, Goro was the only Persona-user he knew, so he had no reason to believe anyone would ever stand a chance against him. Not only is he angered at himself for allowing Akira to get close to him and cause these doubts but he's also questioning what his role was.
I do not regret with my choices I'm rather proud ooh I know I won't change anything because I can only be me so
I had already written parts of this analysis like two months ago but I saw a post written by @vashtijoy here on how Mementos mission has a sneaky reference to this song. So check that out! It's something I never noticed.
Before Shido's palace, there's an acceptance of the circumstances in this line, that he has to do it regardless of what he may think because he has a goal. Throughout the third semester, we see an Akechi that is alive and tried to deal with the consequences of his actions before Maruki took that opportunity away from him. But he does not show remorse for what he did, that it was the only path he could have chosen with the information he knew.
How can I be so sure? at a crossroads I'm afraid too But I can't let fear get the best of me Someone once said burn my dread babe
This verse... this verse makes me wanna cry. I cannot even lie to you. The direct statement that there is fear behind the fact that he doesn't want to kill Akira and the acknowledgement in the last two lines that one of them has to end up dead. That he is also acknowledging that Akira must also be fearful, by playing with fire through continuing to lead the Phantom Thieves. The doubt is consuming him in this verse. The crossroad offers two choices, one where he sacrifices himself for Akira and one where Akira no longer is with him. The reference to Persona 3 really carries the weight here with this theory. I would explain more but I only spoiler tagged for P5R so we move.
Who knows what tomorrow holds? just wanna live my life the way I want what fills up my soul is passionate music that makes me want to sing
The first line, to me, reads that he's given up on allowing himself to think if there's another way to resolve his doubts. That there's another path where neither of them die and that it can't exist. He wants to live freely, which is what he thinks is assured once his revenge plan is complete. In another world, maybe it was one where both of them could be together without this chasing them. The last two lines I don't have a particular opinion about, but I think they add to the fact that Goro has given up entertaining other possibilities.
my story will be starring me just like yours ooh ooh who knows when will it end what matters most is how you bring joy to life so
I think about confidant rank 8. It feels written all over this line, and we come back to an idea that was present with "If I am the fool or what not." I think there's a bit of that 'hatred' that he talks about, that he's resentful that Akira story will end differently than his own. He's waiting for the day to come and resolves by centering himself, that once his goal is achieved, that he will achieve joy for the first time in his life. Refusing to acknowledge that Akira was showing him companionship that brought him happiness for one last time.
The Theme of Doubt
One of the things I have had trouble defining is what the doubt Goro is referring to is, or why the doubt is there. It's one of the things that is left in the air. Speculating here a little more than I usually will try to: the doubt stems from the fact that Goro is enjoying his time with the protagonist and is unsure what that means. In terms of what he is doubting, I'm not sure, I don't think he is referring to his plan, but rather the fact that Akira is caught up in it at all. His resolve to complete his plan never changes, but he wishes he could choose to leave him out of this. This tracks with a line stated by the SIU director which implies that some of the cruel actions carried out by the conspiracy/antisocial force by Akechi are not entirely his idea. He still carries them out without hesitation, but he never thinks of them himself. One of the reasons I wrote out this analysis was to see if there were any opinions on what this part of the song meant since I have trouble wrapping my head around it myself.
Goro, in base game and third semester, never shows any form of doubt or regret to the protagonist directly, only brief flickers and implications from dialogue. But this song is layered with it and bashes you in by telling you that it is what he is struggling with most when it comes to executing his plan. It's what nags at me even though I've tried to analyze this song a couple of times on my own.
IN CONCLUSION: I obviously hate goro akechi. (lying is fun)
He's done with Ren
The Flower Meanings behind each P5R Flower Keychain Merch
After pre-ordering the P5R flower keychain merch, I decided delve into the flower meanings that each PT character is associated with in the new flower keychain merch.
I’m going to research into the Hanakotoba (花言葉) meaning of these flowers, the English meanings, and the relevant flower essences to hopefully get the right information. Then I’ll try to connect how they relate to the characters. Understand that what I’ll say may not be 100% right, because this is my own interpretation.
The flower meanings I gotten are based on the Japanese websites and English websites that I looked into. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY LONG POST so please excuse any potential grammar mistakes I may have made.
If I ever have time, I might make separate posts for each Phantom Thief regarding the history, folklore and meta of their flowers.
Ren Amamiya - Red China Asters & White Daisies
China Asters are called 蝦夷菊 (Ezogiku) or in Katakana, エゾギク in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) China Asters in general mean:
追憶 (Recollection)
私はあなたを想うでしょう (I will think of you)
変化 (Change / Shapeshift)
信じる恋 (Believing in Love)
貞節 (Fidelity)
And Red China Asters in particular mean:
変化を好む (I prefer change)
The English meaning of these Asters are:
Patience
Elegance
Daintiness (Gentle and Kind personality)
Afterthought (Remembering someone who is no longer with you / Thinking if things should have happened differently)
Love of variety
And the Red color in an Aster is the color of passion that expresses strong emotions towards these meanings.
So basically China Asters mean Change and Recollection (Remembering something/someone), and “私はあなたを想うでしょう (I will think of you)”.
Note: There are 2 different classifications of Aster flowers. One is the Shion (シオン) Aster. The other is the China (エゾギク) Aster. There is no such thing as a red Shion Aster. China Asters on the other hand, comes with a variety of colors including red. Therefore, the red asters are China Asters.
Shion Asters tend to have the meaning: “君を忘れない (I won’t forget you)”. China Asters tend to have a similar meaning which is: “私はあなたを想うでしょう (I will think of you)”. This indicates remembering someone who is no longer with you, or when they are far away and separated from you. It seems that Asters in general involve remembering someone and not wanting to forget them.
How this connects to Ren:
Since Red Asters in particular mean “change”, I think this refers to how Ren is a “shapeshifter” (from the Beneath the Mask song), since he is a WildCard user who uses different personas and masks. I think the “変化を好む (I prefer change) ” meaning refers to how Ren wanted to reform society as a Phantom Thief.
China Asters in general also mean “recollection”, I think this refers to what happened between Ren and Akechi. Ren deeply regretted how he wasn’t able to save Akechi in the engine room and wanted things to happen differently between them (Like peacefully playing chess with Akechi in his room in the “Bad Ending”). For Akechi to be present and by his side…that was his wish in the dream world. This can also refer to how Akechi said “If only we had met a few years earlier…”. Recollection is also connected to the "私はあなたを想うでしょう (I will think of you)” meaning. Ren still remembers his promise with Akechi, even after the dream world ended. Akechi was separated from him twice but Ren still carries Akechi’s glove with him, thinking of him.
The meaning of these flowers are probably connected to the meaning of Akechi’s Forget-Me-Nots that I will mention later in this post.
Daisies are called 雛菊 (Hinagiku) or just デイジー (Daisy) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Daisies in general mean:
純潔 (Innocence / Purity)
美人 (Beautiful person)
平和 (Peace / Harmony)
希望 (Hope)
And White Daisies in particular mean:
無邪気 (Innocent)
The English meanings of these Daisies are:
Innocence
New Beginnings
Purity
Harmony
If the Daisy color is White then that specifically means “Innocence” and “Purity”.
How this connects to Ren:
Ren has his own sense of justice and righteousness, and he believes that what he’s doing is for the greater good. He is the Trickster who brings hope and drives away ruin. Shido falsely accused Ren of assault even though Ren’s innocent. He gotten a criminal record even though he is innocent. Ren started off as a misunderstood hero… and yeah I guess Ren is pretty good-looking too “美人 (Beautiful person)” lol.
Ryuji Sakamoto - Sunflowers & Red Ace Hydrangeas
Sunflowers are called 向日葵 (Himawari) or in katakana ヒマワリ in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Sunflowers mean:
私はあなただけを見つめる (I only have my eyes on you)
あなたを幸福にする (I will make you happy)
崇拝 (Admiration / Adoration)
光輝 (Brightness)
あなたは素晴らしい (You are amazing)
偽りの富 (False Riches)
The English meanings of these Sunflowers are:
Adoration
Faithfulness
Loyalty
Joy & Happiness
So basically Sunflowers mean admiring someone or adoring someone and it also means happiness.
How this connects to Ryuji:
Ryuji is Ren’s best friend, and he also greatly admires Ren for being the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Ryuji is also the type of guy who is loud, cheerful, and optimistic. This can connect to brightness and happiness.
Hydrangeas are called 紫陽花 (Ajisai) or in katakana アジサイ in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Hydrangeas mean:
高慢 (Boastfulness / Arrogance)
冷酷 (Ruthlessness / Cold-Hearted)
謝罪 (Apology)
The English meanings of Hydrangeas are:
Gratitude
Honest Emotions
Vanity
Boastfulness
Desire for forgiveness
Regret
In Japan, Hydrangeas are usually used to express apology for bad behavior. That’s why negative words like 冷酷 (Ruthlessness / Cold-Hearted) and 高慢 (Boastfulness / Arrogance) are associated with it. It’s to apologize for behaving like that.
How this connects to Ryuji:
Ryuji is a delinquent and a troublemaker. However, he’s also the type to apologize for the things he messed up on. One example is Ryuji feeling sorry for his mother because attacking Kamoshida ruined his chances of making things easier for her (like getting an athletic scholarship). Another example is the 3rd Semester where he deeply apologizes to Ren for abandoning him to enjoy the dream world. For 高慢 (Boastfulness / Arrogance), Ryuji wanted to have more fame and recognition as the Phantom Thieves were becoming more popular, but that was until the Okumura incident.
Ann Takamaki - Red Roses & Strawberry Blossoms
“A Beautiful Rose has thorns!” - Ann
Roses are called 薔薇 (Bara) or they can be just called ローズ (Rose) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Roses in general mean:
愛 (Love)
美 (Beauty)
And Red Roses in particular mean:
あなたを愛してます (I love you)
愛情 (Love / Affection)
美 (Beauty)
情熱 (Passion)
熱烈な恋 (Passionate Love)
The English meanings of Red Roses are pretty much the same: Passionate Love, Romance, and Beauty. Roses are the most well-known flowers across the world.
How this connects to Ann:
Ann is associated with the Lovers Arcana. Ann’s phantom thief attire is also associated around the themes of beauty, lust, and love. This is because her Persona is Carmen, who is a Femme Fatale (An attractive and seductive woman, especially one who is likely to cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her). Like what Ann said in battle: “A Beautiful Rose has thorns!“
Strawberries are called 苺 (Ichigo) in Japan.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Strawberry Blossoms mean:
尊重と愛情 (Love and Respect)
幸福な家庭 (Happy Family)
あなたは私を喜ばせる (You please me)
先見の明 (Foresight)
完全なる善 (Perfect Goodness)
The English meanings of Strawberry Blossoms are:
Perfection
Righteousness
Spring / Rebirth
So basically Strawberry Blossoms mean perfection, love, and righteousness.
The essence of a Strawberry Blossom can help those who are going through a mental loop of fear and anxiety. For people who are worrying themselves to exhaustion and tears.
How this connects to Ann:
Ann is very kind, compassionate, and also cheerful when she’s with the Phantom Thieves. When it comes to “righteousness“, Ann has moral values and tends to reflect on whether her’s or the PT’s actions are right or wrong. She also has a strong desire to help those in need. I think “perfection” connects to how Ann is confidant about her physical appearance, but she also wants to be mentally strong and confidant like the female villains she watched.
The essence of a Strawberry Blossom (a mental loop of fear and anxiety) could connect to what Ann was going through during the Kamoshida arc. She worries a lot about Shiho, and was unfortunately put into a situation where she had to deal with Kamoshida’s threats and sexual harassment. This is because she feared that Shiho would lose her position in the volleyball team. This situation was so stressful that she suddenly had to talk to Ren about it at the station.
Yusuke Kitagawa - Nemophilas & Lily of the Valleys
Nemophilas (aka Baby Blue Eyes) are called 瑠璃唐草 (Rurikarakusa) or just ネモフィラ (Nemophila) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Nemophilas mean:
どこでも成功 (Success everywhere)
あなたを許す (I forgive you)
可憐 (Sweet)
The English meanings of Nemophilas are pretty much the same: Victory and Success.
However…
Nemophilas have essences for anyone who during their childhood, had lack of support from their father figure or had issues with their father figure.
How this connects to Yusuke:
Sure the “success” meaning could probably connect to Yusuke trying to succeed his art career, but I think the Nemophila essence meaning connects to him more. Yusuke did have a father figure in his childhood who is Madarame. Madarame adopted him shortly after his mother’s death. He became corrupted by his distorted desires and treated Yusuke as a tool to help bolster his fame and riches. Yusuke had issues with Madarame‘s abuse and eventually fought against him in the Metaverse.
However Yusuke still have this conflicting case of Stockholm Syndrome towards Madarame and it shows during the 3rd semester. In the dream world, part of Yusuke’s wish was to have Madarame be a supporting and sincere father figure towards him. This can connect to the Nemophila meaning of “feeling supported and loved, especially by male figures”.
One of the birth flower dates for Nemophilas is January 28th, which is Yusuke’s birthday. So these flowers are REALLY for Yusuke!
Lily of the Valleys are called 鈴蘭 (Suzuran) or in katakana スズラン in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Lily of the Valleys mean:
再び幸せが訪れる (Return of Happiness)
純粋 (Purity)
謙遜 (Modesty)
優しさ (Kindness)
The English meanings of Lily of the Valleys are:
Motherhood
Womanhood
Purity
Sweetness
Return of Happiness
You made my life complete
So basically the Lily of the Valley flowers mean “Return of Happiness” but it could also mean “Motherhood”, because this flower is considered to be the perfect flower for the month of May, and Mother’s Day takes place in May. On May 1st, it is a custom to give a loved one Lily of the Valleys.
Lily of the Valley also has essences for those who are yearning or desiring relationships that are unattainable.
How this connects to Yusuke:
The “再び幸せが訪れる (Return of Happiness)“ meaning could refer to Yusuke becoming part of the Phantom Thieves and obtaining new friends. The PTs saved him from Madarame. Note that Yusuke first met the Phantom Thieves on the month of May, and Lily of the Valleys are heavily associated with that month.
I think this also relates to the Sayuri painting. The true form of the Sayuri painting expresses motherhood. The woman in the painting is holding a baby. Yusuke’s mother created this painting of herself happily holding her newborn son in her arms. “Yearning for relationships that are unattainable” could probably refer to how Yusuke deep down yearn for parental love. His biological parents aren’t present in his life and Madarame is a corrupted father figure. I mentioned before that part of Yusuke’s wish in the dream world was to have Madarame be a supporting and sincere father figure towards him.
Makoto Niijima - Canterbury Bells & Pink Tree Peonies
Canterbury Bells (aka Bellflowers), are called カンパニュラ (Campanula) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Canterbury Bells mean:
感謝 (Gratitude)
誠実 (Sincerity)
節操 (Loyalty)
思いを告げる (Telling your Thoughts)
共感 (Sympathy)
The English meanings of Canterbury Bells are:
Gratitude
Humility
Everlasting Love
So basically Canterbury bells mean “Gratitude” and “Telling your Thoughts”.
The essence of Canterbury Bells are for those who are stressed and cannot think for themselves. Canterbury Bells can help clear their minds so that they can stand up for themselves and make their own decisions.
How this connects to Makoto:
Before she joined the Phantom Thieves, Makoto was considered to be an obedient “good girl type of pushover” who followed the rules and couldn’t make her own decisions. During the Kaneshiro arc, so many things were happening to her at once such as the Principal giving her a difficult task, Sae getting angry at her during dinner, and Goro calling her a pushover. All of this really stressed her because her obedience is suffocating her. This connects to the “思いを告げる (Telling your Thoughts)“ meaning because it wasn’t until she entered Kaneshiro’s palace that she was finally able to speak her mind and stand up for herself.
One of the birth flower dates for Canterbury Bells is April 23rd, which is Makoto’s birthday. So these flowers are REALLY for Makoto!
Tree Peonies are called 牡丹 (Botan) or in katakana ボタン in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Tree Peonies mean:
王者の風格 (Personality of a King)
富貴 (Wealth and Honor)
はにかみ (Bashfulness)
恥じらい (Shyness)
思いやり (Compassion)
The English meanings of Tree Peonies are:
Good Fortune
Bravery
Honor
Nobility
In Japan, Tree Peonies are well-respected and known to be called the “King of Flowers” (花の王様) or the “King of a Hundred Flowers” (百花の王). The reason why they’re called that is because back in history, Tree Peonies were used to decorate throne rooms and royal palaces. That’s why Tree Peonies tend to have meanings relating to royalty and honor.
The essence of Peonies are for those who are overworking themselves and trying to work hard for everything.
How this connects to Makoto:
Makoto’s code name is “Queen”, because of her bossy and strict personality. This also connects to the “王者の風格 (Personality of a King)“ meaning. Makoto’s bossy personality can be a King-like trait. Also a Queen is just a royal female version of a King. Makoto also worked hard to keep her grades in check and studied a lot in order to go to a good college. This could connect to the Peony essence for trying to work hard for everything. Makoto also drove a lot in P5 Strikers and exhausted herself from it. This could mean that Makoto is also the type to overwork herself.
The “はにかみ (Bashfulness)” meaning could probably connect to how Makoto has vulnerable or cute sides to her. She is scared of paranormal activity and have cute buchimaru merch in her room.
Futaba Sakura - Dandelions & Red Carnations
Dandelions are called 蒲公英 (Tanpopo) or in katakana タンポポ in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Dandelions mean:
愛の神託 (Oracle of Love)
神託 (Oracle)
真心の愛 (Sincere Love)
幸福 (Happiness)
別離 (Separation)
The English meanings of Dandelions are:
Happiness
Joy
Youthful Thoughts
Dandelions are known to be a fortune-telling flower which is why words like “神託 (Oracle)” are associated with it. It seems like Dandelions also mean “Happiness” but also “Separation”.
How this connects to Futaba:
Obviously Futaba’s code name is “Oracle”, so all of the “神託 (Oracle)” and “愛の神託 (Oracle of Love)“ meanings of this flower connects to her. The “別離 (Separation)“ meaning could refer to how Futaba is separated from her mother because her mother died. The “幸福 (Happiness)“ meaning probably refers to how Futaba became happy again and gained new friends after the Phantom Thieves saved her.
One of the birth flower dates for Dandelions is February 19th, which is Futaba’s birthday. So these flowers are REALLY for Futaba!
Carnations are called カーネーション (Carnation) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Carnations in general mean:
無垢で深い愛 (Innocent and Deep Love)
魅惑 (Fascination)
愛情 (Affection)
And Red Carnations in particular mean:
母への愛 (A Mother’s Love)
The English meanings of Carnations are:
Admiration
Love and Affection
Fascination
Distinction
Carnations are known to symbolize Mother’s Day which is why “母への愛 (A Mother’s Love)“ is associated with it. The Red color of that flower in particular are used the most for Mother’s Day.
How this connects to Futaba:
Futaba loves her mother (Wakaba) a lot and she also misses her mother a lot. The whole Futaba Palace arc was about Futaba struggling to overcome her mother’s death. She later realized in her Palace that her mother doesn’t hate her and still loves her. This connects to the “母への愛 (A Mother’s Love)“ meaning. Futaba deep down still hasn’t overcome her mother’s death and it shows in the 3rd semester. Futaba’s wish in the dream world was to have Wakaba still alive. Futaba knew it wasn’t real early on, but she still rolled with it anyway because “If I got to see my mom again, then it was okay…”. She eventually apologized to Ren for this though.
Haru Okumura - Pink Roses & Hypericum Berries
As you already know, in Hanakotoba (花言葉) Roses in general mean:
愛 (Love)
美 (Beauty)
But Pink Roses in particular mean:
しとやか (Graceful / Ladylike)
上品 (Elegant)
可愛い人 (Cute person)
美しい少女 (Beautiful Girl)
誓い (Oath of Love)
感銘 (Deep Impression)
The English meanings of Pink Roses are:
Gratitude
Grace
Joy
Gentleness
Ann’s Red Roses represent passionate love and romance. Haru’s Pink Roses on the other hand, have a different meaning. Pink Roses are more associated with beauty and grace.
How this connects to Haru:
Haru is the “Beauty Thief”, and is associated with the themes of classy elegance, beauty and grace. This is because her Persona is Milady, who is a sophisticated and elegant woman. It’s also because Haru is rich. Haru is familiar with what it’s like to live in a high-class lifestyle.
Hypericum are called ヒペリカム (Hypericum) in Japanese
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Hypericums mean:
きらめき (Sparkle)
悲しみは続かない (Sadness that doesn’t last)
The English meanings of Hypericums are:
Cheerfulness
Inspiration
Antidepressant
Hypericums are usually given to those who are grieving or lost a loved one. They are also known to relieve depression, because the medicine that uses this plant are antidepressants. Hypericums are also used to drive away devils, witches, sorcery, and misfortune. This is the reason why Hypericums have “悲しみは続かない (Sadness that doesn’t last)” as its meaning.
How this connects to Haru:
I think this is connected to how Haru lost her father and she was really sad about it. Hypericums are for those “who are grieving or lost a loved one“. The meaning of “driving away devils, witches, sorcery, and misfortune“ could refer to how Haru had to fight against her father in the Metaverse in order to stop his corruption and save anyone (and herself) who were affected by his distorted desires. Even after the Okumura arc, she still grieved about her father to the point that her wish in the dream world was to have her father alive again.
The “悲しみは続かない (Sadness that doesn’t last)“ meaning could refer to Haru joining the Phantom Thieves and not being sad anymore. Her new friends relieved her depression.
Sumire Yoshizawa - Baby’s Breaths & Blue Star Milkweeds
Baby’s Breaths (aka Gypsophilas) are called かすみ草 (Kasumisou) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Baby’s Breaths mean:
清らかな心 (Pure Heart)
無邪気 (Innocence)
親切 (Kindness)
幸福 (Happiness)
永遠の愛 (Everlasting Love)
The English meanings of Baby’s Breaths are:
Everlasting Love
Newborn babies
Innocence
Holy Spirit
Unity
So basically Baby’s Breath mean “Innocence”, “Purity”, and “Everlasting Love”.
How this connects to Sumire:
The name of the flower. In Japanese, Baby’s Breaths are called “Kasumi” (かすみ) in hiragana. The name of Sumire’s twin sister is also in hiragana: かすみ 芳澤 (Kasumi Yoshizawa). It appears that Kasumi is named after the Baby’s Breath flower. Sumire on the other hand, is named after Violets, and Violets are called すみれ草 (Sumiresou). What is the Hanakotoba meaning of Violets? “白昼夢 (Daydreaming)” and “あなたのことで頭がいっぱい (You Occupy my Thoughts)”.
Kasumi = Baby’s Breaths (Innocence, Pure Heart)
Sumire = Violets (Daydreaming, You Occupy my Thoughts)
Sumire was the first to be affected by Maruki’s power. Her cognition was changed, causing her to believe that she’s Kasumi. This is connected to the “白昼夢 (Daydreaming)” meaning. During her time being Kasumi, she was completely oblivious that she’s not Kasumi. This could connect to the “Innocence” meaning.
It’s also the reason why the Sumire keychain have Baby’s Breaths flowers instead of Violets. This is the Sumire that thinks she’s Kasumi.
The “永遠の愛 (Everlasting Love)“ meaning could probably refer to the bond between the two sisters.
The Blue Star Milkweeds (aka Tweedias) are called ブルースター (BlueStars) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) BlueStars mean:
幸福な愛 (Happy Love)
虹あう心 (Rainbow Hearts)
信じあう心 (Hearts that believe in each other)
The English meaning of BlueStars are:
Faithful Affection
BlueStars are one of the common flowers that are used in weddings in a bride’s bouquet. I guess that’s why meanings like “幸福な愛 (Happy Love)“ and “信じあう心 (Hearts that believe in each other)” are associated with it.
The essence of BlueStars are associated with dream and reality. It helps balance the ability to daydream with the need to keep one foot fully grounded in reality.
How this connects to Sumire:
Sumire’s 3rd tier Persona Ella, represents Cinderella during her wedding day. The blue color of the BlueStars could also refer to the color of Sumire’s 1st Persona, Cendrillon.
But the essence of BlueStars seem to connect to her more. Regarding the Inharmonious Expression, Sumire wasn’t able to accept reality at first, and wanted to stay being Kasumi in the dream world. This could connect to her lack of ability to move forward and her inability to travel to another dimension (Reality). Then during her time in the 3rd semester with the Phantom Thieves and Akechi, Sumire eventually gained the courage to accept herself. She was finally able to keep one foot fully grounded in reality.
Goro Akechi - Lobelias & Pink Forget-Me-Nots
Lobelias are called ロベリア (Lobelia) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Lobelias mean:
悪意 (Malevolence / Evil Intentions)
謙遜 (Modesty)
いつも愛らしい (Always Charming)
嫌い (Hate)
The English meanings of Lobelias are:
Distinction
Malevolence
Arrogance
So basically Lobelias symbolizes “Malevolence”. The reason why Lobelias have these negative meanings is because even though these flowers look pretty, they are really toxic flowers that can kill you.
How this connects to Goro:
Goro’s true nature is full of malevolence and hate. He had caused psychotic breakdowns, had killed some people, and had attempted to betray the Phantom Thieves and kill Ren. His hatred comes from his desire for revenge against Shido, because Shido is the one who ruined his life as well as his mother’s. The 3rd semester showed this side of him even more. He is more ruthless, vulgar, aggressive, and wildly feral especially towards shadows. He takes great pleasure in killing them. Goro can also make himself go berserk by using “Call of Chaos” on himself.
Goro being a murderer and taking pleasure in killing things can connect to how the Lobelia flowers are really toxic and can kill you.
The “いつも愛らしい (Always Charming)” meaning could refer to how Goro is still pretty and charming despite showing is feral side. Like come on, look at this baby face:
Forget-Me-Nots are called 忘れな草 (Wasurenakusa) in Japanese.
In Hanakotoba (花言葉) Forget-Me-Nots in general mean:
真実の愛 (True Love)
私を忘れないで (Don’t forget me)
思い出 (Memories)
And Pink Forget-Me-Nots in particular mean:
真実の友情 (True Friendship)
The English meanings of Forget-Me-Nots are:
Don’t forget me
Remembrance
True Love
Eternal Love
Desperate Love
Memory of a dead person
The meanings of “True Love” and “Don’t Forget Me” came from legends of tragic romances in medieval times.
The essence of Forget-Me-Nots are for those who never fully resolved their isolation and abandonment issues after experiencing the death of an important family member or friend during childhood.
How this connects to Goro:
The “私を忘れないで (Don’t forget me)” and “Remembrance” meanings refers to what happened between Goro and Ren. Goro made a promise with Ren and gave Ren one of his gloves. But then Goro “died” in the Engine Room and Ren was devastated about it. Ren still kept the glove that Goro gave him and remembers him from it. This can also relate to the meaning of the China Asters that Ren is associated with: "私はあなたを想うでしょう (I will think of you)”, and also relates to “Memory of a dead person”.
The “真実の友情 (True Friendship)” meaning from the Pink Forget-Me-Nots in particular could refer to how in P5R, Goro now has a manual confidant. Ren is able to have an “open and honest relationship” with Goro because of this.
The essence of Forget-Me-Nots also relates to Goro. Goro does indeed have isolation and abandonment issues. He mentioned how he’s an unwanted bastard child, and in the engine room he mentioned how he wanted to be loved. He also deep down wanted to be acknowledged by Shido since Shido is his only biological link. Shido of course took advantage of that. All of this is because during Goro’s childhood, his mother committed suicide, leaving him feeling alone and unwanted. The death of an important family member.
For the ShuAke fans:
Since Forget-Me-Nots gotten their name from tragic romances, this can connect to how ShuAke is a tragic and angsty romance as well. Since they have an “open and honest relationship”, their “真実の友情 (True Friendship)” can turn into “真実の愛 (True Love)” as the story progresses. Also… their flowers communicated to each other like:
Goro: 私を忘れないで (Don’t forget me)
Ren: 私はあなたを想うでしょう。 君を忘れない (I will think of you. I won’t forget you)
———————————————
Whew…. I gotta say, making this post has made me learn a lot about flowers and the flower language. Thanks to this new knowledge, I will consider using the meaning of flowers in my future video projects from now on. Making this post also made me delve into the meta of the other Phantom Thieves and I began to like them more because of it.
Like I said, my interpretations aren’t 100% correct, so make what you will with this knowledge.
You’re welcome 👋
akechi's entire life is built around getting other people to like him to such an extreme degree that he really has no identity of his own. everything, down to the minutiae of his hobbies, what he eats, how he dresses, how he stands, it's all in service of that same goal.
because he was brought up under the weight of so much societal shame and personal rejection with absolutely no reprieve or chance to see himself as anything other than a worthless, unlovable burden that shouldn't exist. and then he's suddenly given this otherworldly power, and with it, the chance to be... something. literally anything other than what he is. special.
but he doesn't have any real power. he's vulnerable and easy to exploit, because of a multitude of social factors and also this craving for praise, attention, acknowledgement. and he's thrust into the spotlight and made a celebrity as a teenager, something that is infamously terrible for anyone's mental health, and he has literally no support system at all, no one who can prepare and protect him from being famous.
he goes from a lifetime of being told he's worthless, he's a burden, he's a curse, to suddenly being adored by who-knows-how-many people he's never even met, told he's smart and handsome and important. how do you reconcile that? he didn't, he just once again became what other people said he was. he became perfect. but his prior self-image didn't go away, of course not, but if he wants to feel good for once and bask in the newfound euphoria of finally being wanted, he has to suppress all the shameful, ugly feelings and parts of himself. something that is impossible to do when you are also being manipulated into killing people and ruining lives on a regular basis.
when we meet him, his self-image is unstable, and entirely reliant on how people saw him. there's no consistency because no one really knows or loves him, he has no personal connections. that's why he tells joker his past after medjed, when the media hates him, because he can't maintain his perfect self-image to feel okay and is confronted by the one person he knows who actually wants to spend time with him and might like him personally.
that's why he has two personas, why they each have a different outfit, and why they're so far removed from each other that it hurts for him to switch between them. robin hood is the idealized, perfect akechi, the person he's wanted to be since he was a kid playing hero with a toy gun, that he really thinks he is as long as that's how others around him treat him. loki is how he sees himself beneath all that, as an evil, crude monster, a mystery even to him. but they're both him, and that's really important. and when he can reconcile these two extremes, when he's ready to try to move on to form a healthier view of himself, they fuse to form hereward, who is importantly named for a historical figure who may have inspired the robin hood stories. because while akechi isn't a pure hero of justice, he's not a monster, either.
This this this.
Akechi 誰かに望まれる為に、成績や大人の評判に徹底的にこだわり抜いた!! I was extremely particular about my life, my grades, my public image, so someone would want me around! [lit. in order [for me] to be wanted by somebody, I concentrated obsessively and exhaustively on my grades and my reputation with adults!] I put everything I had into school, into how adults saw me! So someone would want me!
He's not talking about who he is now, here. He's talking about the child he was. A child who thought only of how he could be wanted, of how he could be loved. Who built his whole personality and his life around that goal. Who never succeeded at any of that—until he found Shido. Who was more than prepared to pat him on the head and make him useful, and make him somebody. Remember: if you can't have good love, then you will have bad.
This is the real truth of Akechi's plan. This is why he doesn't leave. This is why he doesn't just kill Shido, besides the fairly obvious fact that he isn't by nature a killer. This is why complaints like "but it's a stupid plan" will always, inevitably, miss the point; if you think Akechi's work for Shido is just about revenge, then you don't get it.
Given all of this, it seems to me that, yeah, the Detective Prince manner is not new. This is who he always was. This is who he believed he had to be, to be in any way worthwhile. And so, when he awakens, what does he find?—he finds the darkness in himself that he must have struggled with for so long. Because who'll ever love a boy who's obsessed with revenge, who blames others? Who's poisoned and dead and toxic inside?
He awakens to acceptance of the darkness that's all he's been left with, and to two personas, both equally real. One for the way others view him, which he still in large part believes is important, and one for the person he believes he truly is inside. But the pleasant boy manner is just as much (or even more) a part of him; it is not really an act. As he says in deleted chats, it's just a question of which mask he wears:
Akechi 僕は別に二重人格 ってわけじゃない。ただ、仮面を使い分けてる だけだ。 boku wa betsu ni nijuu jinkaku tte wake ja nai. tada, kamen o tsukaiwaketeru dake da It’s not that I have split personalities or anything—I simply choose which of my masks to wear.
使い分ける tsukaiwakeru means, specifically, to use different things for different purposes. So sometimes he's the pleasant boy, and sometimes he's... not so pleasant. It depends who he needs to be. And even those masks have other masks within them, if you look.
So, as Makoto asks, who's the real Goro Akechi? Yes, is the answer.
Incidentally, I think this question of "is it an act" comes up in Sae's Palace with the others. Watch them, and it seems like they often forget Akechi isn't really one of them—Ann especially does this. Why is her acting suddenly so good? Because she isn't acting; she's being. She really believes Akechi may be like them at the core. She kind of wishes he could be one of the team for real—the same way he does.
I always see a lot of discourse surrounding Goro Akechi, and that’s mostly fine because he is a very morally gray character, but it surprises me how so many takes contradict or even ignore direct quotes from the game. (A popular example that I see is people claiming that Goro wants to kill Shido, when he never outright says so)
I think these misunderstandings happen because Akechi’s plot is scattered around the game and only mentioned superficially, and this is why I am making a thread showing all the important plot points surrounding Akechi’s motives in linear order along with screenshots.
This way, if you ever want to discuss Akechi, at least you can have your facts right:
First, Akechi got his powers from Yaldabaoth two and a half years ago, when he was 15. He was an orphan who had wanted to get revenge on his father all his life, so he thought that those powers were a sign. And so, to prove himself to Shido, he made two of his political opponents psychotic. He didn’t kill them, and he still hadn’t killed anyone before that as well.
At this point it’s a mystery whether Goro knew if he could kill in the metaverse or not, but from the start we can see how he only offered his psychotic powers. Shido, who knew about the cognitive research, then instructed him to kill Wakaba, and Goro did just that.
In game, Shido says that he was the one who taught Akechi how to properly use his powers, so it’s likely that he was the one to instruct Akechi on how to actually murder in the metaverse.
(By that time, Akechi didn’t know about the changing of hearts, so a reason as of why he never contemplated on changing Shido’s heart could have been because he didn’t know it was even possible. He thought that those mystic powers could only be used for evil.)
Now, a big part of the discourse surrounding Akechi is whether he was controlled or not when he decided to follow orders and kill all those people.
In game, Shadow Shido states that he controlled him by offering praise. Shido knew about Goro’s plan: he knew that he was his son, that he wanted to be acknowledged, and that he wanted to trap him. He literally knew everything and used praise to his benefit.
Akechi never suspected a single thing about that.
He thought that he was outsmarting everyone when, in reality, he did just as Shido wanted. That doesn’t make him any less guilty, but the game wants you to know and puts clear emphasis that Akechi was emotionally manipulated.
and he could, and should have said no, yeah, but due to his story of being abandoned and unloved, words of praise coming from his father were something that Akechi was weak against, specially since his plan was also about getting that acknowledgment, which brings us to…
Akechi’s revenge plan, which is a bit of a mess since people seem to think that he wants to murder Shido:
He doesn’t. He wanted to become so indispensable to him that when Shido became first minister, Goro could say “Well, you got here thanks to me, the son you abandoned, don’t you regret leaving me? You are nothing without me.”
After that, he also says that he will make Shido’s life a living hell. The meaning of this is never explained, but LIVING hell pretty much means that Akechi didn’t plan on killing him.
The thing is, the concept of Goro’s plan is incredibly childish and it doesn’t work, but despite that, it still makes sense from his point of view because it was initially created by a lonely, deeply insecure and revengeful 15 year old orphan who wanted to prove that his existence wasn’t a mistake.
Akechi’s plan would have never worked because Shido never cared about him, quite the contrary, so it was doomed to fail from the start.
Akechi is very smart, and he should have seen how wrong everything was, but he was so completely blinded by praise and by the need of feeling useful to the point that he even agreed to become his dad’s hitman.
For a normal character, this would be unthinkable, but Akechi’s background makes him the perfect target to fall into that kind of pit. He can be as smart as he wants, but emotionally he is very weak and easily manipulable. (Again, I’m not excusing his actions, but I believe that the game made a good job in giving Goro a background that could explain why he did something so terrible that no one else would be capable of)
And so, Akechi blindly and stubbornly believes in his plan until Cognitive Akechi tells him that Shido planned to kill him from the start. That’s when Akechi’s whole world falls apart and when he finally realizes that he had been a puppet from the very beginning.
He was so desperate that he couldn’t conceive the possibility of Shido betraying him. Shido’s own cognition had to spell it out to him for Akechi to finally open his eyes. That’s when he sees the whole picture and decides to sacrifice himself and ask the thieves to change Shido’s heart.
This is what he should have done from the start, but he was too blinded to see it because he was alone and had no support, and Shido acted like he cared.
Also, If Akechi had only cared about revenge, he could have taken Shido down a long time ago, he is not stupid, his problem came when he decided that he also wanted to be acknowledged, because that’s when he had to start doing what Shido wanted (aka killing people) to get on his good side.
Revenge and acknowledgment are closely tied to Akechi’s character and both make him what he is and what he has done.
After this, you can still have a good or bad opinion on Akechi as a character, but I hope that these screenshots shed some light on Goro’s most common misconceptions.
Omg yes, the reason I don't read much Shuake fic is everyone seemed to settle into "the third semester is Goro's TRUE self" and I don't think that's accurate. We only see him in situations where he's under duress or still being manipulated or has a mask up. Third sem he still has a mask up because he doesn't want Akira to falter and chose the fake reality. I completely disagree it's how Goro always is and always will be, and fandom just reduces him to that so :|
Oh I feel that sm actually
Like I'm currently reviewing all of my Goro writing because,, we see so little of his honest self I'm never sure that what I'm writing is accurate.
I often like to think that Goro's speech on choosing your own path and moving on from mistakes is very aimed towards Ren. Deep down, Goro probably knows Ren did miss/mourn him (his self loathing just won't admit it). I feel like Goro really is trying his best to seem rude and manic so that Ren won't grieve him again, if that makes sense.
Other than that, Goro probably hates being used as leverage by Maruki against Ren, and that's just another source of stress...
Give this boy a break!!....
Then again, everyone always lies to everyone to some degree, the only person who will honestly know Goro to his fullest is himself. In some way, he'll always have on a mask, just like any other character. The concept itself of a "true self" is a very weird one tbh,,
The Black Mask and Detective Prince act are both lies but that mean something in context. Prince act is when he really needed to bring people closer, Black Mask is when he wanted to push people away.
Anyways I ramble too much my bad,,,
Now i cant stop thinking about it. Especially this sprite
When looking at it I can never tell if it's the honesty beneath it all or unspoken rage
Fun fact! In the anime's artbook, in Goro's pages, they took this sprite as a reference to draw this! (im basically sure of that)
When I think of honest Goro, I instantly think of those two images tbh. Kinda innexpressive lil guy.
I officially love you for pointing this out, and I've just been back into my chatlogs to find this image. The sprite at the end of the engine room, when the PTs ask Akechi to go with them and he feels emotions (watch him! listen to him! look at what he's saying!) is the same sprite that he uses to shoot Ren in the interrogation room.
It's the same sprite with the mask overlaid and some cuts and bruises. It's eerie as fuck, but it's also feeling something.
This is the "having an unnameable emotion" face. He uses it at those moments because he is feeling something he can't recognise; Akechi is all about repression. The interrogation room is not a good experience for Akechi, even though he gloats, even though he smiles—he is going through the motions of his victory and doesn't realise it's not enough. Like, compare him to his trope daddy, Light Yagami—the game interrogation room scene (because I dunno who the guy in the anime scene was, but they aren't the same guy) is not what triumph looks like.
Compare it to the matching sprite for Cognitive Akechi:
Cognitive Akechi is dead-eyed and contemptuous. He is genuinely feeling nothing; he exists to do the captain's bidding. His face is genuinely empty; he has none of the repressed emotion around the eyes that real Akechi demonstrates.
This is so everything. I don't know what to add. It makes sense it just does.
Honestly mb for saying "kinda innexpressive lil guy" because I used the wrong words. He is feeling something but since he doesn't know what, he doesn't know how to express it.
I have a friend who finished royal like a month after its release and ever since has never played again, and his interpretation of Goro really hurts me because,,,no,,,, (he's the type of person to believe the interrogation room was a good experience for Goro)
I can't begin to imagine Goro's train of thoughts in the interrogation room...mustve been such a mess of denial and confusion.
I can't get over the level of detail in P5 ....
Tbh, I hadnt found the real world version all so simply because I got spoiled the whole plot and was completely unable to continue playing when getting to Sae's palace.
Honestly, I think Akechi believes he enjoys the interrogation room, because it's the culmination of the grand arch-rivalry that he's fitted all his feelings for Joker into. He's won, and that covers a hell of a lot of ground for our boy.
But you only have to look at him—not just in the cutscene but in the corridor afterwards, and in the way that as soon as 11/21 his TV appearances get so much more grandiose, like he's compensating—to see that it was traumatic for him. Even if he can't admit or recognise the trauma.
I don't quite understand it when people talk about the interrogation room as Akechi shooting Joker with a maniacal grin. Engine room Akechi brings the maniacal grin, sure—right at the start, once they're past the "if only it would be friends with me" stage. And yeah, he has the benefit of his mask, which allows him to show off and act out.
But interrogation room Akechi is so weirdly restrained, for what's supposed to be maniacal anime gloating. He gloats; he shoots him; he's delighted; he chuckles on his way out the door. It's spooky. It's ugly. But it's so... lacking? And sometimes he seems like his emotions are on a time delay.
I always wonder if he's on Valium, tbh.
Some new Akechi trivia
Last year, there was a P5R fanbook called Persona 5: Mementos Reports that was released in March 2021. In this fanbook, the P5 devs answered some interview questions. Some of the questions they answered are related to Goro Akechi.
So, this post is just going to highlight the Goro-related questions that the devs answered! 😊🥞
This image of Goro is also from the fanbook:
So Goro doesn’t keep a gun in his case lol. He usually puts school supplies, water, snacks, sweets, and cosmetics in there. Haha, I can imagine Goro applying cosmetics in the public bathrooms all the time to stay pretty.
It turns out that Goro chooses to wear argyle not because he likes it. He purposely did it for his Detective Prince image. He knows that Naoto wears argyle somehow and got inspiration from that.
Goro lives in a condo. A condo is like an apartment BUT you pay mortgage for it and own the property. So Goro owns a condo space at this young age?
I doubt that he bought it. According to Japanese law, you are not allowed to buy a home until you are 20. So I bet Shido bought and owned that condo space for Goro to live in as part of their deal.
Also… Goro only keeps a minimum amount of furniture in his condo. LOL I can only think of that “Male living space” meme. 😂 I like to joke that Goro’s condo look something like this:
A bike designed for beginners? So Goro is not advanced at cycling yet huh? xD
So Goro can handle spicy food to an average extent. Due to his competitive nature, he probably did knew that he was going to eat the red takoyaki and tried to be a show off in front of the PTs lol
Or maybe he was trying to impress his crush *coughs* Joker *coughs* but failed lol
Oh that’s interesting. The struggles of being left-handed 😔
OKAY GUYS ENOUGH OF THE “WHICH PERSONA COMES FIRST?” THEORIES!
The devs said that Akechi awakened both of his Personas at the SAME TIME. Damn that must have been REALLY painful. Probably the most painful awakening of them all. He must have felt his head splitting in two. 😭😭😭 Poor Goro, he can’t catch a break in his life.
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And that’s all of the Goro-related questions that the devs answered in that fanbook! Now you can go wild with this canon information lol.
*whispers loudly into hands* Maruki was based on a literal cult leader in Japan called Happy Science with incredibly right-wing, nationalistic views as well as “health and harmony” (re: brainwashing), and Goro Akechi knew that his whole MO was unhealthy predatory bullshit and fucking hated him accordingly, please recognize this
Maruki and Shido are meant to be mirrors of each other, with Shido being honest about his selfishness for taking over Japan, and Maruki deluding himself and others into believing his goals are for everyone’s benefit. Goro is to Shido as Ren is to Maruki–they are both boys kept under their thumb and unwillingly dragged into these men’s machinations. Please recognize this.
You have to advance Maruki’s Confidant in order to secure the third semester–which means that, like Goro was to Shido, the player has no choice but to get involved with this man because the devs wanted you to see the mirrored themes in their behavior and further sympathize with Goro’s position.
(ty to @cincosechzehn for bringing this to my attention)
Let’s remember too that Maruki, like Shido, was more than happy to throw out the kid if he no longer was useful. In the bad end, Ren is put to sleep. More benevolent than Shido? Imo, hardly - he’ll eventually die, too, like Shido wanted for Goro.
Happy Science is still an active cult today, and they have released several anime about their beliefs. They believe in a “God of the Earth” known as El-Cantare. In the anime, El-Cantare looks like this:
Huh, that looks kind of similar to–
The guy who thought he was going to create Heaven on earth.
This seems to be making the rounds again, and I’m not going to bother looking at the notes considering this fandom has a preponderance of emotionally kneejerk teenagers and really immature young adults in their early 20s who have dogpiled me in the past.
I want to say that I think Maruki is an incredibly compelling villain simply because he makes the player feel compassion for, or at the very least understand why, he felt the NEED to do what he did. That’s a mark of good writing, when something creates complicated feelings instead of the utter tripe of a stark binary. The writers clearly understood this too–why else use Happy Science as inspiration and make him use Sumire as a continuous guinea pig AS WELL AS make him a genuinely caring, slightly naive, relentlessly devoted man? All these traits can, when taken to extremes, be unhealthy and hurtful (caring to controlling, naive to stubborn and willful ignorance, devotion to obsession) and gee, what were Persona 5’s villains afflicted by again? Oh that’s right: distorted desires.
Maruki is greatly written and did horrible things. Please understand this. There’s nothing wrong with him or liking him despite these things, or even because of them. He isn’t real, after all.
