WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS OF TOPICS YOU MAY FIND OFFENSIVE. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
STRENGTH
Strength is the 9th card of the Major Arcana is ruled by the star sign Leo, as evidenced by the lion in the artwork. It is Designated 8
A Woman Attempts to open the jaws of a lion with her bare hands, An Act which not only requires physical strength, But the Courage to do it, and the Fortitude to carry it out.
This card means Strength in all its forms: physical strength, Courage, Honesty, Willpower and Fairplay. If used to Inquire about illness, this is usually the card sought after for quick recovery.
For a single person this card represents, it's usually someone who Job requires working with natural items of some manner, or someone Born under Leo.
Ready to throwdown in this Five-way (PAUSE!) Are Yuko Nishiwaki, Persona 3's Sports teams manager, Kou Ichijo, the Basketball team route, Daisuke Nagasei, Persona 4's Soccer Route, Justine and Caroline, Persona 5's Petite Prison Guards. And finally Karin Kanzuki Heir to the Kanzuki Fortune and Kanzuki-Ryu Fighting Style!
Yuko Nishiwaki
We met Yuko last time as part of Kazushi's Social Link last month. Yuko is the manager of whatever team you join. If you choose to talk to her after training, you'll start her social link by ending up in The Cafe at the mall.
Despite being a great Manager for 3 different sports teams, Yuko doesn't seem to be motivated in any other aspect of her life, she's unmotivated at school and binge eats junk since her metabolism is so high, after all teenage years is all about fun, right?
However that Attitude trickles down, as she is constantly pranked and made to play nursemaid to the immature sports teams, But she is actually targeted by a girl holding a Grudge for "stealing her man", in truth, he was two timing them both!
One day in the mall, Minato and Yuko are bumped into by 4 young kids in the 4th grade who live in her building. They were moved off the park by bigger kids, and they mocked them saying they will let them play if they beat them in a race. Angered by the bullying, Yuko takes it upon herself to teach the kids all she knows. Soon the Kids Challenge the 6th Graders. Winning 2 and losing 2 races, it's a tie. But the older kids start showing some respect.
After Coaching the kids it seems Yuko's motherly instincts have kicked in and she really does entertain the idea of being a mother, but she sees sense and wants to a professional Athletic Manager, and it inspired her to do better academically.
Yuko goes from being the unmotivated girl to someone with the convictions to do what's right, though the gum prank was a thread that went nowhere, Yuko gets a point for being the both the straight and inverted meanings of the card's aspects!
Kou Ichijo (Basketball Route)
In Persona 4, If you join the sports teams, you have two choices. Basketball or soccer and you can befriend one of two best friends each with their own story. If you choose the Basketball team, you will follow the story of adopted Rich Kid, Kou.
Daisuke tells Yu that Kou has being living on a side house on his parents estate. You see, his family are traditionalists, and don't approve of him playing Basketball. After Rich Bitch Ai Ebihara blags her way to become sports team manager (More on her when we cover the Moon!), Kou tells his friends he is indeed adopted, Due to his Matriarchal Grandmother wanting an heir and not seeing the Ichijo name die out with her son. But two years ago his mother gave birth to a daughter, so the line of succession is in question.
The week after, Kou doesn't show up to practice. You find him on the school roof, Lying there, Depressed. He stood up to his parents and they gave him his blessing, but he was at practice earlier and played, but something was off, he feels like his family doesn't need him, now they have a blood heir. And it's not because she is a baby, they are literally having tutors for 2 year old Shisiko! So Kou has an identity crisis, So Daisuke has a plan to cheer his friend up: a basketball match for Kou to compete in.
Despite the close game, the team loses. All that good will is lost on Kou, it only makes him feel more worthless. So he plans on going to the orphanage for information on his birth mother.
He learns both parents died of Illness when he was 6 month old, he's sad but feels better learning the truth except the rushed nature of the writing and the cleanliness of the letter can only mean it was written RECENTLY! This would cause others to react angrily at a lie like this, but Kou feels that for someone to do this, someone must really care!
So Kou confronted his parents and Grandmother and after a shouting match, they comforted their son. Returning to Basketball Kou feels like he found himself.
Kou's Story is about having the courage to stand up, and the Fortitude to keep on it, even though he felt like he lost everything, though gathering that courage once more he found himself. In the Story that is all about "Reaching Out to The Truth", this story runs a good parallel to Everyone else's Struggle with their true selves.
Daisuke Nagasei (SOCCER ROUTE)
If you join the soccer team, Don't expect an easy go at it. In fact the boys from Rural Inaba, Don't take too kindly of Big City folk joining their team. Luckily, you have Captain Daisuke watching your back, Especially when they lump cleaning duty on Yu. So to prove a point he helps You clean up, and offers to train you in secret, even if he acts like a jerk to some girls.
After Ai becomes the Soccer manager in this timeline, the others ask if he finds Ai Attractive. This leads to some light teasing that he takes to heart.
It's Match day and Yu is the star player, with Daisuke feeling proud he's part of the team. But the next day at practice, Daisuke is off his game and Kou is worried his breakup is getting him down, So when Kou arranges a blind date, Daisuke storms off. Kou argues but he's right, Daisuke needs to move on. He's being noticing his ex has being coming to practice, but after apologizing for not being as tentative as she was, only to find out she was not here for him but another player she's now dating.
Like Kou, the story of Daisuke is about negativity and identity at odds with each other, the difference is one needed Courage to deal with his problems, the other needed Honesty to deal with his. Turns out he is not gay, he does fancy a girl: Chie!
Justine, Caroline and *Spoiler Character
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| Left, Caroline, And Justine, right. |
One Constant in the World of Persona is the Velvet Room, A world Between Reality and Dreams. Only those who had Signed a Contract can enter and everytime, the room had changed to suit the situation the hero was in.
For Minato Yuki, his room was a freefalling elevator for his descent to Earth.
For Yu Nurakami, It was a limousine, driving towards the truth
And for Ren Amamiya, For his feelings of being trapped for a crime he didn't commit, his velvet Room was a prison, his clothes become a jumpsuit, Igor poses as his warden and as always Igor is aided, but this time with not one, but two attendants. Twin girls, the Passive Justine and The aggressive Caroline, there is also a voice that steers Joker to trust Igor in the first place, a gentle girl's voice from a blue butterfly.
Like their Velvet Room Counterparts, your Wardens want you for a Fetch Quest for Personas they will use to kick your ass in 100 times In an optional boss battle, but while Margaret's Added nothing to the story, there is something to be earned here: The Truth.
As the list goes on, our Twin Wardens question their duties, the list of quests and even their Master, the letters on their Caps combined, they tell the true story: OXYMORON. They shouldn't exist!
It's when the Defeat of Councilmen Shido happens When "Igor" reveals his plan, Humanity has forsaken the leader he has chosen so instead, He, The False God Of Control Yaldaboath, will lead Humanity exactly as he planned. Sealing The real Igor in the Holy grail and using the Guillotine to sever the soul of the Velvet Attendant who saw everything into the twins and losing her memories. The same device had being used ironically to fuse Personas together. So Joker fuses them together into the original form the voice from the butterfly.
Lavenza.
Despite her Memory restored, Joker may now be tempted to join the False God as his Ringer in his wager against Igor. He offers his trickster to restore the world before his invasion, the same corrupt stagnant world, now filled with humans with no free will except him, he can do all he wants without consequence and if you refuse the Game continues. Lavenza Shocked the Trickster, tricked his Master. She reveals the Prison contains the rest of the phantom thieves, Rescue them, then Humanity.
As Self Aware Non Human Magical beings, The Twins themselves know they are are Joker's Strength Social Link. They Realise that to find the truth that they need the Fortitude to go through with it!
Personality wise, they are good Cop and Bad Cop with Caroline really enjoying kicking Joker up the arse into the Velvet Room!
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| "SHE DID KICK ME UP THE ARSE!" |
Lavenza is very formal, a more refined version of Justine.
In the Extended Sequel, The Royal, you can bring them on play dates and date Lavenza, (Relax, she's just Small! If the twins are the sum of her parts, it stands to reason, she is double their age!)
Karin Kanzuki
"Always Win at Everything"
The Family Motto of the wealthy Kanzuki family. Whatever it is Mr Kanzuki does, he has Amassed a great deal of Fortune, enough for a Mansion with servants on hand, a private holiday Island and, just for kicks, a space Colony. But not only are they a big deal in the world of Finance, But in Martial Arts, with her family having their own style, and dojo for Kanzuki-Ryu.
Originally a character from Sakura's Slice of life manga, (more on her when we cover the Sun.) Karin one day bumped into Sakura. (Actually the latter bumped into the former, being late for school and bumped into Karin.) Besmirched by a commoner, Karin Challenged her to fight.
Are you sure her name isn't really Karen?
Sakura agreed, and Karin lost!
100 years of Tradition, beaten by a fangirl's unrefined, childish play- acting of Ryu's moves.
In her mind, Sakura had caused her family name a great Indignity, Never mind Shadaloo sending their men to rough up students of dojos to intimidate them out of joining the tournament. Catching up with Sakura, she bet her rival.
That did happen.
Then she killed Bison with a Satellite Death Laser her father's company owns.
WE NOW KNOW CANONICALLY, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN!
After that, Karin new found Respect blossomed into Friendship. By the Events of Street fighter 5, it's her who is financing the tournament, it's in fact a ploy to drive out members of Shadaloo who sent chess pieces that are activation keys for a deadly space weapons called the dark sun.
Unfortunately, her Recruitment drive would trigger another evil, An ancient Aztec Entity called Necalli, a clay statue that comes to life when strong fighters' souls convene in one place.
How is Karin Supposed to Represent Strength?
She's not Physical Strength, since not only is she a 5 foot teenager, but her style is Similar to Akijitsu a style of gentle Counters and swift movements, not Displays of power.
She's not Courageous, she's not taking the fight to Shadaloo, she's hiding behind her chequebook, recruiting fighters.
She may have been Fortitude, But she if she was she would have known about and fought Necalli herself.
No She's Strength because the woman in the original artwork is blonde. That's it.
And before you say "But she has Wealth and Influence!" Doesn't that count?"
In the Tarot's Minor Arcana are 2 suits, The coin suit which deals in Wealth and the sword suit which deals in Influence. So the Tarot for milliena have made the point that Strength, influence, and wealth are separate things.
For once, Street fighter doesn't get a first round point.
Yoko-1
Kou-1
Daisuke-1
The twins-1
Karin-0
ROUND 2-PERKS
You have to join a sports team to get befriend Yuko. If you hadn't already, you unlock the Cargill Cafe, where Le Specialtae Le Maison is Collegen Coffee, a drink that raises your charm attribute. Finishing the Social link will gift you the kids Thank you letters, Proof that you can fuse for Siegfried.
From 4 onward the final Fusion for Strength is now Zaou Gongen. Choosing either team will increase the same amount of Diligence, but Soccer will grant you one Understanding point. Each Sport meets on Alternating days of the non-sports clubs (more on both in when we cover the Sun). Both sports teams unlock Ai as your Moon Social Link. You'll either get at the Max level, Kou's Adoption Letter, or Daisuke's Wire Brush as proof of Succeeding.
The Option to start the Twins Social link happens when you start the 2nd Palace, the Museum of Vanity and must be finished before Defeating Shido. All their Abilities are Prison themed, Group Guillotine will let you use 3 material for persona fusing before it upgrades to Guillotine Booster. Lockdown will toughen up a weakness before it's upgraded to Isolation, but at Max level you get Special Treatment, you can pay money to fuse for Higher Level Personas. Her token for completion is the Cell Key.
Karin has let Ryu stay at her Mansion for free in return of being her sparing partner. In return she has given him clothes to blend into society.
Yoko-2
Kou-2
Daisuke-2
The Twins-2
Karin-1
ROUND 3-INFLUENCE ON THE HERO AND HIS WORLD
Like all side Characters for persona 3. Yuko will constantly call you to hang out with you after school. Once again, you can only befriend her by joining a sports team and even then, it's optional.
For Brevity, all the side characters lend their support to the others in the investigation team to cheer on Yu when it seems Izunami has killed him. But only if you complete the link you choose.
For Clarity on the true story, it's Imperative you do the twins challenge, before the Qlipoth world level. Being a major part of the story, Both Twins are a high part in your "rehabilitation" even if they too are manipulated.
Karin has great respect for Ryu. In her Recruitment drive she seems to be always a day late to his last whereabouts, but is happy to see him when he fights to remove Necalli from her Estate. Ryu enjoys her confidence.
Yoko-2
Kou-2
Daisuke-2
The Twins-3
Karin-2
THE HERMIT
The Hermit is the 10th card, Designated 9 and ruled by the Zodiac sign Virgo.
In a foggy cleaning, Our Fool after years of living a life of Love, Work and everything from the Material Plain, has looked over his past and realized there is more to life than this, even with his time now being short.
Donning a Monk's Habit and Arming himself a staff for Stability and a lantern to light the way, the Old Fool has turned to Solitude and Introspection to learn the Mysteries of the Greater Universe.
The card means solitude and Introspection, not also Patience, Old Age, and the experience that comes with age. The staff and Lantern also have deeper meaning of Caution and Prudence: Sudden, impetuous actions will only result in folly. A Realization that the world changes in time as do it's people. There is always something new to learn.
Inverted, the meaning is impatience, loneliness and Stubbornness. It's also a warning not to ignore advice from older people.
Uncomfortably grouped together are our 4 hermits "Maya", an avatar of an Online game,A fox living in Inaba's Temple, Futaba "Oracle" Sakura, and Oro Streetfighter's Century old Master.
"Maya"
On a free day Between Missions, Junpei (who we will cover as part of Judgement!) Gives you a CD-ROM of the game "Innocent Sin" (a reference to persona 2). Booting up the game, Minato soon joins the forum, you take the name Tatsuya and soon meets an avatar called Maya. (The names being a further reference to the love interest in both Persona 2 games!)
As you continue to talk to "Maya", you learn more and more to guess who she is. It's Actually someone you know. She tells you her mother wants her to marry and how she spends weekends flat out drunk in the mall. So it can't be anyone of your school friends.
It's one of your teachers and she is confiding in you about work. All the time in text Speech.
After Spilling the Tea on the Staff and an effeminate businessman, Maya let's out she fancies a student.
YOU!
She even tells "Tatsuya" (You) she plans on seducing "that Orphan Student" (still you!)in real life. Innocent Sin's server is being shut down and Maya wants to save the game, but reconsider when she sobers up and reads her log. So she's going to let the game die, but before it does, she leaves you with a screenshot message admitting her love to you, this is your key item for Fusion.
But it's not the end. If you figure out Maya is Your Homeroom teacher, Ms Torumi, you can confront her and after the embarrassing revelation, she does thank you for making her a more reliable teacher, but she is embarrassed about it still.
"Maya" is the Straight, Inverted and Face Value all at once, she's a game Avatar of a single woman who spends the free time being Ignorant and Obstinate, while at work, looks poised and prudent.
The Fox
Persona is of course, a Japanese Game with Elements of Japanese life. You'll eat Takoyaki, you'll cram the train to School, you may even fight with, or against, Shinto Gods!
And it's that Spiritual Aspect we cover today.
To keep it Brief, There are Temples to fox gods called Inari who use real foxes as their proxies. These creatures would grant Blessings and wishes to those who worship them and care for their Foxes. The temple monks would offer food, wash and care for these foxes, but these shrines need Monetary offerings to do so. This comes In a box that Wishes can be written and placed in. These writing materials are called "Ema".
So with that as a primer, let's begin.
By gaining enough courage to enter the Dilapidated Shrine, you encounter a Fox, not a wild one, as it has a apron or bib around it's neck. In its mouth which he drops In front of Yu, is an Ema of a wish from a young boy, wishing his Grandfather's legs get better, he also gives Yu a leaf.
Said old man is the Shrine's Caretaker he sees the ema and the leaf, which he recognises as a herbal cure for pain. He rubs it on himself and feels better, offering money before running off. Yu wonders if the leaves the fox found will be useful healing items in the TV World, it seems the fox understands and will turn up in the TV World as a shopkeeper, Provided it had Human help to solve any ema written in the prayer-box.
Your Quests of playing Matchmaker, helping a dieter with her Cravings, Finding a lost dog, Helping a boy make friends, make toy models for a shopkeeper down in his luck, give Public Speaking lessons, help a man overcome his fear of cats, Returning a Wallet and fishing a Giant Catfish all require Patience and Experience. You will be given the runaround, but it will be worth it when I get to perks.
Futaba Sakura
During Sae Najima's interrogation of the Arrested Phantom Thief leader, Ren "Joker" Amamiya, she heard of all his exploits, how he was framed for assault when in fact he broke one up, to velvet rooms, to talking cats, to how even Sae's own sister was a Phantom Thief. This lead to the fourth heist. After the Castle of Lust, the Museum of Vanity, and the Vault of Greed, she wanted to know about their fourth target.
The Hacker for the Terrorist Cell Medjed, Ali Baba.
Unlike the 3 bosses before them, Ali Baba confronted Ren First. Given that Ren can traverse to the Cognitive world via app. It was only a matter of time, said app would pique the Hacker's interest.
However "he" would have more of a personal reason to know of the Cognitive technologies.
Ali Baba had Bugged the Leblanc Cafe and learned of the Phantom Thieves. And planned to flood their identity on news media social if His demands aren't met. He claims to be going against Medjed and wants the Phantom Thieves to steal his heart.
However, Joker makes it known they can only target people whose names are known. However Makoto figures out that to plant a bug in the cafe, you must have intimate knowledge of the opening and closing times. Sojiro does mention that he found it very strange his Agoraphobic Daughter came here for her Dinner.
So The heroes break into the Sojiro Household to meet her in person.
Futaba is....a mess when we meet her first.
A trauma caused by seeing her Mother ran over by a car and the guilt it caused, has manifested into Agoraphobia, weak Social skills, and visual and Auditory Hallucinations of her family calling her a murderer, tasked in helping his Carer's daughter, Ren leads the Phantom Thieves into Futaba's Cognition for a Agoraphobic hacker
An Air Conditioned Pyramid.
The tomb of Sloth.
Inside there is a Shadow Futaba in with you, but unlike the others she is not the boss, she leads the Phantoms to puzzles to the treasure to memories that had since been tampered by her Greedy Family. (Refer to Sojiro's Story in Part 3)
We learn what happened. We are made to believe that Futaba as a girl threw a tantrum about eating out while her Mother did research on cognitive science. In truth she was targeted for murder by the government, under orders by Councilman Shido.
In the real world, unlocking the puzzles, made the real Futaba Question her mental state, her mind causing the Hallucinations to worsen, causing a Cognitive Wakaba as an angry Sphinx to attack the Pyramid
Futaba sees Joker left his phone behind and she, like others who joined the original trio would find herself in the Cognitive world, shouted out at by Wakaba for killing her. Shadow Futaba would tell her to stop remembering her mother as a tyrant and remember the truth. She has an awakening, and her Shadow becomes a Persona, an UFO named for the book said to restore life, Necronomicron.
To suit Futaba's skills as a hacker, Necronomicron is a support Persona, making Futaba a Navigator who can literally Hack perception. In her first outing creating a ballista from nothing to down the flying beast and take away Wakaba's Air Supremacy. After defeating the Sphinx, the now 7 heroes return to reality to see Futaba faint on her bed, but she's fine, Sojiro says she's crashed from lack of sugar.
After a celebration at the Beach, including how The hacker is "Beautiful after all", her Social Link is about her trying to cure herself of her long inflicted agoraphobia, Being a gamer she wants to meet in an electronics store but she has a panic attack that only leads to a police officer to think she is a missing child. She wants Joker to help her, she feels calm when Ren is around .
Sojiro wants his daughter to return to school, something she want to do also, so she writes a promise List of things to get better at before the new term starts next year.
This includes shopping for a game during a sale, and having Makoto escort you and her around school, which brings up painful memories of when she was in elementary school, she was bullied for her very high IQ and strange behaviour. Her next challenge is to talk to a stranger, leading her to insult Mishima (more on him in the essay covering the Moon) However she does have one friend, from that time, a girl named Kana, who frequently emails Futuba. But she's on trouble, to pay off a gambling debt, Kana's parents make her pose for Underage Porn online. So Futaba requests a mission to change her parents hearts. After you defeat them, Kana and Futaba are happy their lives are given back to them, with Futuba gaining back the confidence to head outside. There is only one promise left one she may never keep, Get over Joker when he leaves for home!
On face Value, Futaba is the Hermit, Just by being an Agoraphobe alone, But for a party member, there needs to be more than just face value, And that is in her quest to fulfil her promise List, shows her Prudence and Greater Vision Aspects of the card. Before the transformation, Alibaba is the loneliness inversion (Since we learn there is no Medjed, it was only her) dealing with Fear and Social Anxiety, By Yourself, also requires Patience and Introspection. One of Video games greatest characters deserves a point.
Oro
Let's face it, it's a small wonder that Scrubs like Dan Hibiki can even compete in the Street Fighter Tournament when you compare the competition.
You have men who can pile-drive bears, Boxers who can punch elephants to death with one punch, Villains who split Ayer's Rock in Half, by simply running at it and Masters who can Sleep off Being Murdered!
But none can compare to 140 years young Master Oro.
Oro is so powerful, that to make it a fair fight for his opponent, he fights with one hand tied behind his back, or while holding his trusted Tortoise.
Shunning the world for decades to unlock the mysteries of the Universe, Oro would avoid Human Contact, moving from Japan to a cave in the Amazon Rainforest. Wearing nothing but the hammock he sleeps in, Oro Strikes an interesting look, resembling a wizened Sage or a demonic Bird. Detached from company, Oro would refine his art to the point past his self-placed handicap, and even beyond human limits: he can lift an opponent with only one arm, he can double jump and he can use telekinesis with Tengu Stone, pulling anything not nailed down as Projectiles.
After years of Seclusion, Oro would sense Ryu's, Gill's Akuma's and Bison's power all the way from Brazil. Hoping to pass on his experience, only to be saddened that all but Ryu were twisted by evil, taking more offence from Akuma, who even would call himself "a Master of Fists" in front of the Hermit. The two fought to a draw, Which only infuriated Akuma, that his opponent only fight him with just one arm. As he sat on a plane headed for home, Oro Decided to train Ryu the next time they meet, The only problem, Ryu is afraid of Oro.
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| As in, he literally sat on a plane home to Brazil! |
Oro is back for Street Fighter 5, being Told a Vision by Rose, but messaged half-heartedly by Menat, but he knew himself of the death of Bison because he sensed it. Rose herself would visit the master, Worried about why she is she still alive, if Bison's and her lives are bound. And why is she so shocked that G doesn't have a soul. It was visiting Dhalsim in India for Meditation, Oro told the yogi what he could sense, Bison's Death did not destroy the Negative Psycho power, it only now permeates the world with negative energy enough for G's Message to be construed as Benign. Looking at the stars, the two elderly Fighters know that between them, they've seen enough evil, but they know that the world is full of good people and strong fighters who will finish the fight if they can't.
Like Futaba, Oro is the Hermit in face value, but there is more, in fights against prideful opponents he tells them he was once like them, what happened in the past may be the reason he adopted the hermatic lifestyle, was bad enough for him to fight with restraint for the rest of his life, having to be introspective for the rest of his life. At his advanced age, Oro is looking for a successor and given that 5 follows the events of 3, and 6 will on, so will we see Oro pass on his Senjitsu to the New Generation?
Maya-1
Fox-1
Futaba-1
Oro-1
ROUND 2-PERKS
Not as Maya, but Ms Torumi, like all your teachers will ask you questions during your school hours. Which will raise your Academic Attributes. Her key item is the Screenshot to fuse for Amhamahiki.
The Fox can allow you to heal without using items in the entrance hub of the TV World, since there is no Shopkeepers there, but his services are expensive, but completing an Ema will give you a discount up to nine times. But these are the most labour insensitive trials in the game. You need High levels of Understanding, Expression and Diligence to do most. To help your dieter, you need Chie to give you Meat Gum. You need to order something from the shopping channel on Sunday for a sticker, only for the Friendless Boy to ask for Stickers Kids Like, so you need to ask Nanako. (For reasons I will get to in the next essay, you cannot complete this after the final kidnapping.) To help the man afraid of cats, you need a fish to tempt a cat, so you need a fishing rod and insects as bait to catch a goldfish. Luckily the old man at the river bank who gives you his rod, is the same who wants to see the Guardian and the sea Guardian caught before he dies.
To get the true ending you must have max Expression to understand animals. When you return the temple is now renovated, with a Building Foreman tell you they will chase you off like that fox. However at max Expression you will meet her (Yes, he was a she after all.) And to thank you, she and her cubs give you an ema of gratitude to fuse for the new ultimate, Ongyo-Ki. At random days you can pet the Fox for costumes, a traditional Chinese Dress and Tracksuit for Chie, a Vigilante costume for Kanji, and an One Piece reference for Teddy.
You need at least Level 3 Kindness to help Futaba with her mental health, as well as complete her Mission "She is Only a Meal Ticket". As a Navigator, her Persona gains Support moves, starting with Moral Support which casts Healing magic, Mementos Scan, position hack, which may start a battle with weakened enemies, active support, which will heals SP, Treasure Reboot, which may respawn loot after battle, Emergency Shift, which can allow you to switch to dead teammates during battle and final guard, the Navigator's archetypical "Take One For The Team" Defensive Move. Her Key Item is not just Joker her real item is the same Promise list.
As of Current Canon, Ryu has just met Oro.
They have trained without noticing one another, With Ryu stating in the same ending that The Old master frightens him. Their training is yet to begin, so I cannot reward any points for perks just yet.
Maya-2
Fox-2
Futuba-2
Oro-1
ROUND 3-INFLUENCE ON THE HERO AND HIS WORLD
The Maya Social Link is completely optional, and even without it, Ms Torumi never Deviates from being your teacher.
Given the crazy situation they are in, no-one on the Investigation team bats an eyelid on how a fox got into the TV world.
Futaba is an endearing, funny and cheeky girl, who speaks solely in gaming terms, but it's her awkwardness that makes her endearing. She refers to Joker as her "Key Item" and feels calm when she is in his presence. When it becomes love, her reaction is priceless! Gameplay wise, this translates into Futaba coming in clutch, since Moral and Active Support are not once per battle, sometimes a boost is all you need.
Because Oro has being in hiding, he has only revealed himself to those with spiritual powers..as of Street Fighter 5, we have reached the end of what we currently know. With Ryu only starting to learn under Oro's tutelage.
Maya-2
Fox-2
Futaba-3
Oro-1
The winner is Futaba.
I'll return in July, for the next 2 cards. We will reach halfway, when we cover the Wheel of Fortune and Justice cards.
