Ryuji Sakamoto is the GAYEST "straight" person I have ever seen
Ryuji is NOT straight. Like. Bro is one of the most blatantly oblivious queer characters in the universe and the Metaverse combined.
I'm about 95 hours into Persona 5 Royal and the amount of gay shit that has come out Ryuji's mouth unprompted is DIABOLICAL. So I've scrubbed through YouTube playthroughs and combed the internet to get screenshots of the most notable times that he has said insane gay shit that no one asked for.
THIS IS ALL CANON BTW 💅
hee hee ;)
Starting with...
DOME TOWN
When you hang out with Ryuji in the game to level up his social link, you can choose the option to 'go somewhere fun', and one of the first times I did that, I was honestly just trying to see what kind of funny things he'd say based on where I took him, cuz he's my favorite character and he's so goofy and stupid and Max's voice acting is PEAK and tbh I just wanted more of my shitty favorite character Ryuji. He's such a fucking dumbass (affectionate)
Anyway, but Dome Town is apparently a place that is mostly populated by couples, so I took him there. Heehee.
Uh huh? Yeah? What do YOU think they're all thinking of you guys? Can't two guys just hang out as friends at an amusement park? Apparently not in RYUJI'S head.
This is one of the first instances in the game of Ryuji jumping to gay conclusions, although this one's a biiiit less out of pocket since they are surrounded by couples and it's a TAD more natural for his brain to go there. I guess. I suppose.
But just WAIT
Heehee
MOVING ON 🏴☠️
THE HAWAII TRIP
Ah yes, the Hawaii trip. Perfect fuel for uh SHIPPING
Okay *ahem* anyway
The Hawaii trip that the Shujin kids take spans over multiple in-game days, and it's basically just kinda a reprieve from the fighting and Palaces and a nice rest from the emotionally taxing story, since the trip takes place after Futaba's Palace but before Okumura's arc begins. This segment of the game is FULL of dorky shenanigans and goofy interactions, you get to basically just see all the characters messing around having fun, shopping, chilling on the beach, gossiping, it's honestly SUCH a joy and I can't wait to play it again in my next playthrough.
But THIS is when it STARTS HEEHEEHEE
All right so in the beginning of the trip, when they FIRST get to Hawaii, they're milling about in the airport trying to figure out housing arrangements. Ryuji, without missing a BEAT, turns to Ren and is like "I WANNA ROOM WITH THIS GUY" with the biggest fucking smile on his face and then gets all pouty and sad when he's told he can't:
Bruh he's a sad little puppy dog when he's told he can't room with his crush *coughcough AHEM* best friend
AND THENNNN
Mishima asks if he can stay with Ren, to which you can give multiple different answers.
The one I picked when I played was the "why are you asking?" one. Because I don't mind Mishima and I took it as a "Why are you asking? Sure, you don't have to ask. Come along." That kind of thing. Also, Mishima is obsessed with the Phantom Thieves, so of course he'd want to hang out with their leader.
BUT BRUH RYUJIIIII
Ryuji deadass turns to Mishima and goes:
ARE YOU PLAYING
FOR THE OTHER TEAM???
Hello???????
You may as well have just said "yo man are you gay?"
And bro Mishima is just like
And that's what's hilarious to me– NO ONE was thinking that. NO ONE was thinking anywhere NEAR there, NO ONE was even on the same BEACH as a gay connotation
But RYUJI is, apparently, his brain went immediately to dis boi is ✨homosexual✨
But THAT'S NOT ALL FOR THE HAWAII TRIP
Later on that night, when all the students are supposed to have settled down for the night, Mishima is talking to Ren about the Phantom Thieves or something probably, and someone knocks on the door. RYUJI comes in and is complaining about how his roommate brought his girlfriend over their room and he immediately hightailed it over to Ren's room.
Ryuji announces that he's gonna sleep in their room that night. He doesn't even ASK, he just STATES it.
ENTER FANFIC TROPE
HAHAHAHA
And what's so funny is that this is only a few scenes after Ryuji was INCREDIBLY determined room with Ren. His best friend. And Ryuji doesn't know Mishima well at all, so. If there were only two beds and he had to sleep with one of them...you KNOW he wouldn't want to sleep with Mishima.
...Ryuji would probably brush it off as a 'dude sleepover', then be gay panicking at 1am while watching Ren sleep and freaking himself out bc he doesn't know why Ren's baby sleeping face makes his heart pound. Then blame it on global warming or some shit
And the last thing about the Hawaii trip, Ann comes in later too because something similar happened to her, then they all spend the evening talking about what they want in a partner. Ann SINGLES RYUJI OUT and asks him what kind of person he likes, and she literally says TIME TO COME CLEAN
Come clean about WHAT?? Ryuji is VERY outwardly energetic about what kinds of girls he likes. He is pretty much constantly talking about wanting a girlfriend and thinking girls are hot and especially rambling on about their hot bodies are and shit. Honestly, they're the most superficial answers ever. Boring as hell. But he's ALWAYS talking about wanting a hot girl, mostly for popularity points or something.
In fact, he does it SO MUCH that I think it's definitely an unconscious act or a front brought on by internalized compulsory heteronormativity. He probably wouldn't even know what that term means.
He's the kind of guy to say 'I'm not gay!!!' then ogle at his dude best friend at the gym for like 10 minutes and blame his blush on working out really hard
THE SCHOOL FESTIVAL
In late October, Shujin Academy holds a really nice school festival with lots of fun character moments, a beautiful cutscene of Kasumi dancing, and some funny Ryuji/Mishima/Ren moments.
AND ALSO ONE OF THE MOST BLATANT GAY THINGS IN THE GAME
So at different points in the festival, they have kind of an open mic confession/secret thing, where different students can come up and say things to make the night more interesting and maybe add a little public embarrassment to the night. IDK it's a fun time.
Anyway.
Ryuji gets called on at random, and when he gets up the stage, he has really bad stage fright and is actively freaking out when Ren blurts out something random to divert the attention away from Ryuji and save his ass.
As a result, Ren is pulled up on the stage, and you are given three choices of what to share to the student body:
Of course you gotta give the juicy details, so I picked 'there's someone I like!' (so enthusiastic with that exclamation mark, like damn calm down romeo)
As a result, you're given a pretty extensive list of your Phantom Thief teammates and you can pick any of them. All of them are basically confessing that you're in LOVE with whoever you pick. Like. ROMANTICALLY. Because this is WITHIN THE CONTEXT of a CRUSH, not platonic love.
HAHAHA THIS IS CANON WHATTT
I was on FaceTime with my best friend at the time and I had him experiencing this moment with me too, with the camera flipped and everything. It was a canon event he had to witness with me, a necessary indoctrination. I gotta rope my bff into the gay shipping shenanigans because my ADHD wouldn't allow me to NOT share this moment with him.
Anyway, when you click that option, Ryuji pulls out his phone and texts Ren, asking him what he's gonna say. And when you tell him...
I DON'T NEED THAT LABEL ON ME???
You mean GAYYY???
Bruh it's so blatant it's hilarious
And then after the school festival, Ryuji and Ren are talking and Ryuji gets REALLY close to Ren, thanks him for saving him back there, and gives him a hot dog that's listed as an item as 'Ryuji Dog.'
Uh huh. Ryuji dog. Sure.
Ryuji's always givin him shit I swear
OH OH AND what's really fucking funny and telling is that in this scene, whether or not you have your confidant rank maxed out with Ryuji (I had his confidant maxed out at this point), when you tell him through text what you're gonna say, what audio do you hear? THE SOUND EFFECT OF THE CONFIDANT LEVEL UP.
...So Ryuji liked that shit.
I know what you are.
............gay boy.
NEXT
DANCING IN STARLIGHT DIALOGUE
In the dancing spin-off game called Dancing In Starlight (that IS canon), there dialogue cutscenes. I don't know much about the game, I kind of just stumbled upon this YouTube video and it was the funniest shit I'd ever seen so I immediately screenshotted some of it for this post.
Yusuke and Ryuji are basically talking about what kind of girl they like. This is the fuckin exchange. Enter once again Ryuji making every gay in his head
PFFFF BRO, YOU KNOW YUSUKE, YUSUKE SAYS OUT OF POCKET SHIT LIKE THAT
NO ONE IS THINKING THESE THINGS BUT YOU RYUJI
When Yusuke was asked what his preferred type of woman was, he didn't say 'no women' or anything like that, he just said 'I have none.' Meaning he doesn't have a preferred type, not that he doesn't like women.
But RYUJI is the one that's like oh you don't have a preferred type of woman? BROTHER MUST BE ✨HOMSEXUAL✨
HMMM ok Ryuji suuuuuurree
MOVING ON
Also in Dancing In Starlight, there's another video I found recently where Ryuji and the other boys are talking about romance experience, girlfriends, whatever. So, similar topic. When it pans over to Ryuji, he gives his normal superficial answer when it comes to girls, then he's pressured to give a more detailed answer that's less boring/stupid, and Ryuji deadass comes up with:
UH- EXCUSE ME
YOU MEAN THIS GUY?????
"Shy?" Especially early on in the game, Ryuji repeatedly comments on how quiet and soft-spoken Ren is.
"Bookie?" Ren can study at Sojiro's, at school, frequently, and I'm pretty sure Makoto or Ann or maybe BOTH can comment on the fact that Ren studies hard.
"With glasses?"
...Bro just described Ren.
And finally...
Probably the most direct thing in my opinion:
MORGANA'S GENDER CONVERSATION
Heehee. What could this beeeeee HAHA
*ahem*
Earlier on in the game, after Kamoshida's Palace but before Madarame's arc, Morgana introduces the gang to Mementos. He also reveals he can turn into a bus, and then later on in the day, they're all in Shibuya Square, discussing their missions and whatnot.
Ann asks Morgana if he's a boy or girl. Which, first of all, I find really funny, because up until that point, I thought that Morgana was a girl. He is voiced by a girl, and I'd been confused about Morgana's gender through the game thus far. I thought it was funny that the game was essentially clarifying Morgana's gender since I'm guessing they thought it would be confusing for some people.
Then, Ren is able to give one of three answers. Heehee. The three genders.
BOY
GIRL
CAR
But anyway, when I played this part, I answered what I'd honestly thought, which was girl. So, I picked 'gotta go girl.'
TO WHICH RYUJI RANDOMLY RESPONDS:
UM. UMMM. HELLO???
Okay okay okay hold up there ryuji 'you make me feel free' sakamoto
So........ok Ryuji lemmie break this down for your repressed gay ass, if Morgana is indeed a girl, then you don't wanna be anything more than friends? Because you aren't interested in being more than friends with girls? Because you'd rather be more than friends AHEM boyfriends withhhhh another gender? BECAUSE YOU'RE A ✨HOMOSEXUAL✨ BABYYYY
Combine AAAALLLLL of this with the fact that he is consistently VERY openly affectionate towards Ren, both physically and emotionally. He regularly is shown being very vulnerable with him, in a way he never is with any other characters, he stands up for Ren in so many situations (he tells Makoto that Ren is a stand up guy right in front of him, Ryuji basically orders Shido to apologize to Ren after they defeat him), and he is the EASIEST social link to max out. Ryuji likes Ren SO MUCH that there are absolutely ZERO obstacles to maxing out his confidant rank. He is smitten from the day they meet.
No to mention bro literally has a shirt in the game that he wears FREQUENTLY that says "NO MO' RULES"
Which, okay sure, it's supposed to say 'no more rules', but uh. That's a *cough* a very sus way to write it. And from certain angles it looks like it says somethin' else...........
It's so fucking funny. The closet is glass. It's SO glass.
Honestly I relate to Ryuji a lot in this way lol. I went to college for the second time a little over two years ago and my friend group quickly formed. They were ALL queer people, and I was the 'boring straight person' that they were letting hang out with them. I was honored that they were letting me hang out with them because I was the uninteresting straight person. Little did I know that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM thought and theorized that I was queer, some of them from the day they met me, and they all unanimously didn't say anything because '[he] has to figure it out on [his] own.' Now, almost two years later, I am a bisexual trans man. Gay/queer as FUCK.
