Temperance is the 15th card of the Traditional Tarot and is Powered by Sagittarius and Designated 14.
An Angel Stands in a field with a Fiery Halo and 2 Pitchers in her Hands, pouring one from the Other, In a Demonstration to The Hermit on the Secret to life he spent years on discovering: Moderation. But to learn it now means that the Hermit's life Grows Short!
The Temperance means Mixture, Compromise and Harmony between Opposing Factors, As Referenced by the Angel who is Balancing the Four Elements.
The Field is Earthy, The Wings, Airy, The water jugs and the Fiery halo, all opposing but in Balance.
Reversed, it means discord, distraction, volatility and domestic Strife.
Back to the Straight meaning, it can also mean the Compromise of the Known and Unknown: the flow of Imagination into Reality, Much like the Angelic Presence into the Material plain.
In Reference to a single Person, it's someone whose personality is personable or less broadly someone who is born under Sagittarius!
Getting their Measurements jotted down are Andre Laurent Jean "Bebe" Geraux, Eri Minami, A woman struggling with raising a son not hers, Sadayo "Becky" Kawakami and Code Name Crimson Viper, S.I.N's Superstar Scientist
ROUND 1 BACKSTORY AND INSPIRATION
BEBE
We are back in the Beginning of the school term in Persona 3 and everyone's favourite Blue haired Human Door Minato has to choose a School club for after-school.
But what if you don't choose sports or art or Student Council?
What if you made up a number in a single member club to stop it being closed down?
And so Minato can join the Fashion Club with Leader and only other Member, Andre Laurent Jean Geraux, But that's too long, So all his Friends call him, Bebe! Which he wishes he had in Japan since coming here, but you are a good place to start!
Bebe is a Foreign exchange Student from France living with his Aunt and is Enamored with Japanese Culture, so in love he plans for a school project to create a Kimono, Despite the Expensive Cloth and Laborious Work it would be for a Student.
However things take a turn for the worse, Bebe's Aunt Dies Suddenly and his Uncle who didn't want his Nephew to leave France has come to live with him, but only to collect him as soon as the red tape of the Student Visa is Cleared. But Bebe is Determined that he can use his Kimono to convince his Uncle to let him return to Japan, one day!
AND THAT'S ABOUT IT!
Keep in mind in Persona 3 the Social Links were a new Mechanic and while the 1st batch either set the standard, we also have ones like this. Despite being flat, this does gets a point for card meaning.
The Temperance of two different cultures and the Imagination into Reality of a Kimono he is making, also the Inversion is represented by the Domestic Conflict between Bebe and his uncle following his Aunt's death. Will Bebe Succeed, Sadly we will never know, and if there is An Anime or Manga that proves Otherwise, sorry but we are covering the Games only!
Eri Minami
The Second of 4 Social links that can be Created by taking after school Jobs to max out an Attribute, But if you Don't have the Diligence to be an Orderly, maybe you have Rank 3 Understanding to work at a Daycare Centre
One day, all but one Child is picked up after Hours, A Boy named Yuta, So you Track down his Mother, Eri Minami
"Mother" is pushing it, Not only because she is a Newly Married Woman coming out of being the Paramore of an Affair, but as you speak to her she had no idea on how to be a mother, not Completely out of Ineptitude, But out of Selfishness.
Eri Explains that after agreeing to Marriage, she learned to late about his son and his promotion to work in China for a year, without him, Eri and Yuta are at odds with each other due to this new Existence.
Not helped that Yuta's Frustrations are starting to come out in School as Aggression and Eri is not aware as she is Spending times watching and going to Televangelist shows, that are on at the same time as the cartoons. With Yuta not able to play along, it affects his popularity, so Yu Clues Eri in, when she tries to buy a Present for him and it raises his standing in Daycare. One day Yuta's teacher meets Eri after work and Brings up concerns about his Behaviour. You call Eri out on it! And she starts to cry, which causes Yuta to punch Yu for Upsetting "His Mom"
While she is Angry, she does feel better that Yuta called her Mother. They have a lot to work on but hopefully They'll be a family when her Husband returns.
You know if it wasn't for the Perks I don't think anyone would do this rather forgettable Social link, as for the card meaning it's Compromise and Domestic Strife Again. Eri is an Absolute Idiot who who maybe worshipping a Cult to one of the False Gods as she harps on about being told not to feel guilty because free will is a lie! And it's affecting her Son, so he sought attention- BAD attention by roughhousing that is getting worse and worse, Also to get Eri to open up you must telling her when she asks about your Job that "you hate Kids!" This gets her to open up because at the time she saw kids as something cutting into her free time. She gets better but DAHM! Is it ever a Horse being Lead to Water!
Sadayo Kawakami
You don't know how it got there, or how Ryuji Even Kept it a Secret but one day Ryuji was Excited about something he Found on his locker.
A leaflet for an Adult Maid Service.
So Ryuji, Joker and Mishima make a Pact, they will Rent a Room in a nearby hotel, Call the number and Become Men that night!
Oh please!
This is Persona, the franchise that has being telling the same "Double Booked Hot Springs Session" joke if you could call it that for 15 years! Of course there is hijinks!
So Mishima and Ryuji chicken out at the last minute when the Maid turns up and though you had two options to lie about your age to "Becky", either way she knows you're underage, Which causes Ryuji and Mishima to cry out in the next room, and she knows that not only are they underage too, but by name!
Yes Indeed!
"Becky" is Your Homeroom teacher, Miss Kawakami!
Naturally, She's Annoyed that not only her students have called that number, but requested her specifically, makes her think she is being set up by the other English Teacher, Ms Chouno. The next Day you confront them both, when Ms Chouno, keeps prying into why Sadayo keeps leaving work early, only for you to help her out by claiming tutoring!
Sadayo thanks you, But Realizes you may use Blackmail on her so she blackmails you first! But She needs to explain herself, but can only do so after School.....at her other job! But she'll make it worth your while.... she's just not going to sleep with you!
So she explains that she's Doing every job under the sun, Because her sister is sick ... But then she gets a phonecall that mentions transfers and Threats so that's a lie. The Truth is She IS being Blackmailed, by the Family of a former Student
A few years back, Kawakami was the tutor to a Truant and Problem child, called Taiki Takase, But When she got to know him more, she learned that he wasn't playing truant, he was made to work several jobs at School Hours to pay for the Extravagant lives his Guardians was accustomed to. When they Complained that she was not doing a good job in reality it was cutting into time he should be at another job, she was threatened with firing, But incognito she was still tutoring him, until he died in a Traffic accident. And now his family are asking for money than what she is paid as a teacher!
That is until they find out that she is a maid, When her Cold and general bad health catches up to her and she faints, making those who saw her call the Hospital. So Joker asks her for their full names, in case their Shadows turn up in Mementos, which they do , sure enough if you defeat their Shadows, Oberon and Titania, they have the change of heart, which causes the Debt to be written off, which means Sadayo can quit her maid service job!
Like all the Female confidants you can Romance you teacher, But she is worried that they will be caught, However she is thankful that she has you in her life, whether as your friends or lovers, but more importantly, your teacher!
This time we have the Mixture aspect of the Card. Especially two very different professions. There is also the Harmony aspect, or at least an attempt to appease the Takase Family peacefully! Unlike Mr Torumi in persona 3 she doesn't deny who you are after, giving that you can Romance her, but she remains professional about it at work!
Crimson Viper
For the long Awaited Sequel Street fighter IV, Capcom held a Focus Group of fans to create a Community fighter with the Synopsis given-Crimson Viper is a CIA agent, uncover as a S.I.N operative, who is a single Mother.
A lot of ideas were thrust to the art Department but the ones that stuck were
- She would be representing the then lacking Latino Demographic.
- She would Be a fighter who uses Spy Technology to manipulate Lightning and fire, but they would be Pragmatically on her person and not have it be a gun!
- While she would be attractive, she would have Heavy Makeup on her to cover the Rigours of long hours and sleepless nights.
And Most important of all, if she's Mommy, she has to have BIG MOMMY MILKERS!
And with All that Valuable data, Crimson Viper was Created, A CIA agent uncover as a Scientist for the Shadaloo Intelligence Network. (S.I.N) Put into an R+D Department working on a Covert Battlesuit Division. This is the same Battlesuit she wears in game, Telling Seth that only she can use the suit to its full capabilities. If she is entered into the Tournament and wins. She wants in on the B.L.E.C.E Project.
We haven't really covered The Events of Street fighter IV, and given that of all the characters introduced in that game, Only Viper got an artwork in the 30 year Anniversary artbook, So let's talk about it!
Shadaloo and it's Intelligence Network Splintered when the Burning Liquid Explosion Cell Expansion Project (BLECE), A Gene Altering WMD, created it's only Successful Guinea pig. The 18th Test Subject and as such given a name beginning with S, Seth.
Seth, A Modified Clone of Bison, Powered by the Tanden Engine, that spinning Ying Yang symbol in his Chest, claimed superiority over his predecessor, and boasted to be the Perfect blend of Technology and Biology. Planning to obtain perfection by Using the Tanden Engine's power to absorb energy from fighters to steal their moves. But his real plan was to capture enough Chi Wielding Fighters to power and perfect a Worldwide BLECE bomb that would turn all those caught in it into perfect clones of Seth and extensions of his will.
We know that didn't happen, Seth was Defeated by Ryu, the S.I.N. Lab was Destroyed, the other BLECE pods were engulfed in Lava, Juri betrayed him, and his body deactivated by Rolento.
But back to Viper, she was called to action when the Powers-That-Be called her to report that her fellow operates have being killed by S.I.N. So she had been put on The Investigation, Not knowing Interpol and M.I.6 Had sent Chun Li and Cammy respectively to carry out their investigations into Seth. So Both had to be Defeated So Neither could find out the truth.
She was also tasked in Recruiting a Civilian Fighter with no ties to S.I.N, Shadoloo or Any Law Enforcement....But Unfortunately the CIA Chose Hakan, the Olive Oil company CEO and Turkish Oil wrestler with one Hell of a Sun Burn!
On the Back of Seth's Defeat, C. Viper went to Download All the Plans on the BLECE Project, not Knowing that Minutes before Cammy destroyed them. Though her Mission was not a complete success, The Death of Seth and the Destruction his Replacement Bodies, Bar 1. She Could Return Home to her Daughter.
In SFV, Viper, For all her real life Tournament Dominance, Was Reduced to a Cameo in both Juri's and Urien's Storylines, With Viper playing Babysitter to a Bored and Out of control Juri, who was her "in" to investigating the Illuminati, But was Thwarted by Urien when he came and attempted to steal S.I.N technology.
As of the Newly Announced Street Fighter 6, Viper has been not announced as a playable character. Given Juri had bring Announced as being Wilder and more unpredictable, we will more than like see a cameo again, probably!
For Card Meaning, we have Harmony between two conflicting factors, Truth and Evil. She is raising a child to be a good girl. (albeit Remotely) But her job when you boil it down to it, is lying to people, even if it's for a greater good! Even her Moveset is a Reference to Temperance, though these Elements being Wielded is more Periodic than Arcane!
And this may Surprise you, But even her rivalry with Hakan is a reference. To the Straight Aspect meeting it's Reversed aspect!
THINK ABOUT IT!
Hakan's Appearance is due to him Using his Oil Products on himself in excessive Quantities. His hair has Hardened into Clumps due to Hair Oil, His skin is red because of using Olive Oil as Tanning Oil and while it is said a Mediterranean Diet is one of the World's Healthiest, Eating that much Oily food will make you Stocky like the Turkish Olive Oil Baron.
Everyone gets a point.
Bebe-1
Eri-1
Sadayo-1
Viper-1
ROUND 2-PERKS
While you can't purchase anything there, Bebe unlocks the sweet shop as a spot for you to socialize in. But to Join the Fashion Club You need level 2 Academics to understand Bebe's Broken Japanese and you need to have reach Rank 2 in The Old Couple Social Link (See Tarotober Part 3 For details!) When Bebe makes a Cameo. When you MAX out his Social Link Bebe will Gift you a Money Pouch for you to Fuse for Yurlanger. However, Start this social Link before the 3rd Full Moon, Or Bebe will leave for France Forever, The Sign now reading "YOU DID NOT CAME, NOW I AM GONE!"
Eri is Hopeless, But at the very least being a Childminder pays very well. You get 5000 a week with a Grand extra for every hour overtime. In total you gain in excess of 56 grand by the time this is over. And your Understanding Attribute increases 10 times at work. Eri's Memento is a Clover Bookmark used to fuse for Vishnu!
Sadayo is a High Maintenace, High reward Confidant. To call her from the Payphone when she is At her "Other Job" requires Level 2 Guts and Paying 5 grand every time, But she will make it worth your While....NOT LIKE THAT!.....as long as your Academics Stat stays high enough, She will let you Slack Off In her class letting you have time to Study to increase Academics or Make Infiltration Tools. This can be Upgrade to Free Term, When she Fakes a teacher's meeting during other classes for you to do the same. As Becky, Sadayo cannot Leave until the hour is up, So This is where the Housekeeping perk comes in, Letting her do your laundry to clean armour you find in The Metaverse or to make the ever-Powerful Coffee items. And this can be upgraded to Super Housekeeping, Adding making the OP AND BROKEN AS ALL HELLS! Curry and have her make Infiltration tools, But when she makes them, You gain no Points in your Proficiency. To complete this Social Link you must Complete her Request, if you max her out, you gain the only Memento that is not a Physical Thing, The Unlimited Pass,
Not only can you fuse for Ardhra, but it will let Sadayo do the one "Service" she can technically do to a Minor-A MASSAGE!
This Massage when given after being in the Metaverse will Give Joker all the energy back from spending time in Dungeons. So longer is a day ended when you return from battle. You no longer have to choose between Battle and Socializing you can do Both!
Viper Keeps Undercover So well, there is no Canon Proof that she and Ryu have met yet!
Bebe-1
Eri-2 (just!)
Sadayo-2
Viper-1
ROUND 3-INFLUENCES ON THE HERO AND HIS WORLD
As a Side Character Bebe, like the others Your Age will call you to spend time after school and bares no greater Part in the Story.
For the sake of Not having to Repeat Myself Later, Eri and Sayoko Add their Thoughts about Yu During his Cinematic Final Turn against Izanami
And That is the Case in Persona 5, When Sadayo and Ohya Add their Cheers During Joker's Cinematic Final against Yaldabaoth.
Crimson Viper is Sarcastic and Condescending to all her opponents, and Ryu is no exception, actually calling him as she sees it, A"HOBO"! If Ryu defeats her, he compliments her on use of Gadgets, but points out her moves are easily dodged!
Bebe-1
Eri-2
Sadayo-2
Viper-1
THE WINNERS ARE ERI AND SADAYO
THE DEVIL
The Devil is the 16th card of the traditional Tarot, designated 15 and Powered by Capricorn.
In Pitch Darkness, the Only Light being the flames of hell, as the Lord of Darkness towers over the Hermit in his vision of Satan, Bound to Him by chains, are two Sinners, A man and a woman, Naked and Pathetic, their Punishment for their Sinful lives laid bare for all to see.
In Writing, It is Known as Classical Sin.
Greed, Lust and Ambition.
This Card Means Materialism, Greed, Lust, Guilt and Tyranny. Bad Habits and the wrong Influences are Starting to Stick on the Inquirer.
Reversed and this is the only time you want to see a card reversed, It means Charity, Good Deeds and the Overcoming of Vices.
This Card When used to Represent A single Person is Usually someone with more wealth than the Inquirer or more Broadly, Someone Born under Capricorn.
Please Allow Me to Introduce themselves, Our next Contestants are 4 Contestants are Chairman Tanaka of Tanaka's Amazing Commodities, Sayoko Uehara a "Naughty Nurse", Ichiko Ohya, an underhanded Journalist, and Akuma, The Self-proclaimed Master of Fists!
Tanaka
There are 2 Constants in the Persona world, 2 that has been invisible guiding hands for the Wild cards for nearly 2 decades.
We've already Covered some but not all of the Denizens of the Velvet Room, who have aided Igor in providing Guidance in the dreams of heroes and their parties.
But they Exist in the Spiritual Realm.
While here in the Waking World, our First Subject will always have the Backs of the Various Heroes of this world.
....For A Price!
One Sunday At Paulownia Mall, A passerby points out that the Effeminate Man there is Tanaka, Y'know THAT! Tanaka, Host of the Shopping Channel's Tanaka's Amazing Commodities? You talk to him and he creepingly cheeks you out, he's interested in having you model some clothing on his show, and he'll get in touch with an agent, but there is a finder's fee of 40 grand which you can pay in the space of 2 days. After scamming you out of the Money, he tells you he forgot to ask that agent, but he'll be that agent instead, he gives you an Autographed Business card in lieu of returning your money saying that it will be worth a lot of money when he's dead! He walks off complaining that you are brat, asking for his money back, but you are in ear-shot and you call him out! This causes the Usually Calm and Collected Chairman to get Startled that his fame could be taken by these accusations. So instead of giving you your money back, he will take you under his wing as his apprentice to teach you the tricks of the trade and if he's pleased with your Tutelage...he'll think about paying you back!
So Tanaka teaches you his Secrets, On selling Placebos, to selling Shares to his own gullible customers, to selling questionable items that don't work and watch that noone ask their money back to admit they have one, To Docking pay and all the while Threatening your life if you ever tell anyone he cheated you out of 40 grand!
But he lets slip to why he's like this, Growing up poor, and Bullied because of it, Makes you want to chase the Dollar even more. And there is a class Reunion coming for the Chairman. What Better way to Rub his Wealth in Everyone's Face!
So imagine his Disgust When a Woman came to his Studio and ask HIM! To Donate to her Charity, the Very Notion Repulsed him! He alone pulled himself out of the gutter, why should he give others what he took long to get himself?
.... But you meet the Woman and She Is Gorgeous According to Tanaka, She's running a Charity that gives College Business Training to 3rd World Orphans, turns out last night over Dinner and Drinks she "Convinced" our chairman, and now she has a joint investor. Imagine a generation of businessmen and women owning their wealth to him. He should have joined this charity shit long ago if it meant he can retire before old age!
Tanaka is not only greed and Lust, but all the Seven Sins in one man! But it's the almighty Dollar, er, Yen that has his heart, but it comes from a place of Hurt, still even though he does have Reversed aspects of Charity, he's only doing it out of the same Motivations he always had- Greed, Lust and Ambition.
Sayoko Uehara
As you may remember, you met Hisano During your job as an Orderly in a Seemingly Haunted Hospital?
We let's Explore the Actual Job that Leads you to encountering the Widow.
The First Night at work you hear a Strange Noise but you ignore them. You see a doctor telling a Nurse about her new Duties and your Night Job to her.
So when the doctor leaves, Sayoko introduces herself and she's so excited to have a Handsome young Man "Under Her" or "Behind Her Every Night!"
Oh boy she's gonna be like this the whole time, isn't she?
She tells you that to report to her when your shift is over before you leave and she'll "Show You Something Fun"
.....So she Forces herself on you!
But she laughs it off, when you tell her to Stop, She likes Flirting with anything that pisses Standing Up.
But it bit her in the ass in her last job, when she flirted with a Married Doctor that led to an affair and cost her her Job. She also gained a Seperation Complex, whenever her patients get better, it feels like the story of her life. People say they need her only for them to get better, and never see her again.
One Night you find Sayoko upset over Something. She just learned a Young Child in her care in her last job had died. And she blames herself. Because she was too busy Flirting to do her job properly. She promises after Yu Comforts her, to resolve to be better.
The Next Night, Sayoko is a Different Person as the other Nurses are Somewhat Afraid of her Proactive Attitude, Even her Supervisor is Frightened that she is taken on too much with this Gung Ho Approach she has Implemented.
And she had taken on too much.
In her Rank 9 event, A Nurse tells you to Clean the Empty Bed. There is an emergency: Sayoko Has just collapsed!
You Visit her as she comes to and after a heart to heart, she realises what she must do. The next time you see her, she tells you she is Retiring. She's going to sort out her life before wondering what's next, but this is goodbye as she gives Yu her Hospital ID, telling him that she is Giving you "The Person She Use To Be"
Sayoko is the Lust and Guilt Aspects of the Devil. She has Cheated with Married Men and gets a rise out of flirting with any male. She is also Tormented by her past sins as she nearly dies, in the Reversed Meaning all the aspects mean Redemption in one form or Other, which she is now getting in retirement.
Ichiko Ohya
So the Phantom Thieves had Took Down two Villains who Abused their power over all under them, that was when Makoto Nijima Blackmailed the leader into Helping her.
As mentioned in her Social link, As Student Council President, Makoto was Made to Noterize a Loan by the Principal, from a loan Shark, Until he was Murdered in a Mental Shutdown, to Target the Gangster involved like everyone else, they needed his name to find his palace in the Cognitive World.
Luckily they met a Journalist During the School Trip to a TV Studio, who was Investigating Loan Sharks. From this woman, Ichiko Ohya, you learn the name of the 3rd Boss of the Game, Kaneshiro.
After defeating him in his Palace, The Vault of Greed, You find her in a Tavern Called La Escargot's in the Red light district.
Given how valuable her info was, Morgana Concludes she must have More
....the Trouble is, her Editor has put her on the Story finding out the Phantom Thieves, which is leading her nowhere, Except the Bottom of a Whiskey Bottle!
Until you Arrive to give her some scoops in the Phantom Thieves, in exchange her pieces will be PR pieces, These Articles in the Cognitive World, will decrease the Security as you "Break into" People's Cognition, as, if you fall into Traps, the Targets Paranoia creates more Aggressive Foes to stop you.
As you Give Ohya Information, You Learn she is a very Cynical Person. And Technically, not a Ground level Reporter, she was Reinstated from being a Politics Correspondent, to what is Colloquially referred to as "A Chicken Coop', Woman Writing Recipes, make-up tips and the General Fluff for Woman, For Something she had written in the Past as a Politics Reporter.
Then Ohya's Chief meets them on the street and Confronts her in doing her own investigation into the Firing of her Former Partner. To get Suspicion off her, Ohya claims that Joker here......he..is.... her...... Boyfriend?
The Chief in No uncertain terms, tells her that you Can't Bullshit a Bullshitter, he'll Ignore this, but if the Board finds out about this, it'll be his ass on a silver Platter!
She finds out about you Criminal Record, But Lala tells her That Prying into his business will only make him Questions her Secrets. So even though she is drunk, She knows Lala is Right! So the Alky spills her Guts! NOT LIKE THAT!
So Ohya was Part of a Investigative Reporter Team with a Photographer called Kayo, who was Trailing a Bureaucrat rumoured to have Silenced People via Hush Money. One day, Kayo claimed to have a Big Scoop, But the Next time Kayo was in contact, the Target was Killed in a Love Hotel, and Kayo Disappeared, The Implication been she Lured him for Sex, and then Murdered him. And that's why she was Moved to the entertainment department, to stop her from Prying, and to make sure, the Chief saddled her with a huge Quota. She realizes that the Phantom Thieves are in earnest. Then she gets a Call that they may have found Kayo, but the Chief had Bugged her phone and Trailed Ohya. As Punishment for doing her own investigation, he docks her pay and Doubles her Quota. Joker asks for his full name, so he can change his Heart. After doing so, the Chief gives Ohya his information, but it's not all good news. Kayo is Alive, not institutionalised in a Mental Hospital and has lost the Ability to speak, due to trauma, but she Gifts Ohya a Hairclip and hidden inside, A photo that shows the real killer and Surprise, Surprise! It's a Confidant of Councilman Shido. But With his rise to Presidency, the story may be Trampled by the Media.
Finally you meet her at the Sky Tower, and she tells you that Despite the Backlash by the Board, all the dirt on Shido is being Published. It all comes down to People whether they will open their eyes before it is too late!
Well, About That.....
We had Greed and Lust, Now we have Ambition, we See Both Sides in how it can be a Gift and A Curse, we also see the Vices Aspect, in her Alcoholism. Like the others, she gets the Retribution, but it's not bittersweet, like Sayoko's Story. She gets her happy ending.
Akuma
This is Messatsu
This is the Kanji of the Japanese word for Heaven. But be warned, The Man who had his Emblazoned on his back is no Angel, But a man whose Ambition is as high as the sky and an Ego to Rival That of a God!
But it wasn't always that way.
Once upon a time, long before even the events of Street fighter 1, there were two brothers.
Gouken and Gouki
Both were Practitioners of a Martial Art called Ansatuken- "The Assassin Fist", under the tutelage of their master, Gotestsu.
One day the Old Master, posed to his Students, they themselves no longer Young men either, a Question.
"How will you teach my style when I am Gone?"
Gouki claimed that he would not change the style. In fact he would return "Assassin Fist" to his Literal Meaning.
Gouken, however would teach an Esoteric approach to not Purge Society, But to Purge the Darkness in one's Soul.
Upon hearing that, Gotestsu congratulated Gouken, he will be the sensei upon his master's death and as such teach him a secret technique.
This Rejection by his master, the only real father figure he had, was the beginning of the end for Ansatuken.
He had followed his master to learn the secret, but Gotestsu sensed he was too far gone in his Rage and Jealousy.
As he turned from his student Gouki attacked his master. But Ancient as the master was, he fended off the sneak attack with his staff, As A thunderstorm broke out above of them, both were evenly matched, Until the Rage that festered literally burned up from within! Reddening his skin and Twisting his face into an inhuman Visage, the last thing Gotestsu heared was 4 words....
"DIE ONE THOUSAND DEATHS!"
With Demonic Speed Gouki encapsulated his master in shadow, before pummelling him from all sides with blows he could not guard. With his master dead, he tore off the Prayer Beads off his corpse, Proclaiming himself not only the Master of Ansatuken, but of the Master Of Fists. This World, full of Weakness and Wickedness, will bow its head to him, after all he just destroyed his master with the weight of his own sins, he now suffers 1000 deaths, as he has mastered the Raging Demon, The ultimate secret of the Satsui No Hadou, "The Wave of Murderous Intent"
During the events of Street fighter 1, years later Gouken's own Students Ryu and Ken had two different paths, Ken Masters had become the Martial Arts champion of his own Country, Ryu came second in the Street Fighter tournament, but in his defeat, Brutalized the victor, with powers that are now familiar. With two different reasons to return to the Dojo, Both Paths lead to the same Conclusion
.....he got better!
Akuma as he now calls himself, lives for Fighting and Destruction, all else doesn't matter for one who claims to have transcended Humanity. It's only when Ryu has his power sensed in Australia, Akuma travelled there using his ungodly Power, he jumps into the sea, destroying a Submarine in the process, destroys Ayers rock by Running into it, finding Ryu and Bison In a Field, the power combined turns the field Into an ominous Storm, The Battle of the Field of Fate, after Akuma gave Bison a Raging Demon, was a gruelling Fight, despite defeating his master's killer, learning that broke Ryu, causing Akuma to goad Ryu to finish him, kill him and inherit the Power of The Dark Hadou, become worthy by killing the other who wields it!
Unhinged by his words, Ryu almost granted Akuma's Wish, if it wasn't for his Friends, New and Old, to talk some sense into him! However In the next few Years, Akuma would Haunt Ryu like a Spectre, Until He Succeeded in Turning Ryu into Evil Ryu. Only for Someone to fight off Akuma, Showing him that you don't have to resort to the Dark side of this power to Match Akuma.
Gouken was Back!
Beating Akuma, Gouken used the secret Technique he learned from Gotestsu all those years ago.
"The Power of Nothingness"
Mu No Ken
Learning to focus on Spiritual and Material Detachment, Gouken was Able to separate the Spirit from his Body, Before Returning to it, when Akuma thought his brother was dead. Knowing more than ever his Student needs to learn his Secret Technique. Not just to Defeat Seth, And Bison, But to Purge The Evil Once and For All.
Come the Events of Street fighter 5, and Karin's Tournament was Raided by A Cursed Aztec Statue called Necalli, a being seeking divine power by devouring Souls to grant it Humanity. In other words, the Souls of Ryu, Dhalsim, and Bison. With his new Technique mastered ,Ryu's Soul is technically not the power Necalli Seeks. Filling his soul with a pure light, Ryu channelled the Mu No Ken into his Master's Super Art, the Electrifying Raijin Hadouken.
Meanwhile in China, much later. Akuma desperate for competition, Breaks Gen out of Hospital for a fight, Despite his age and Dying of Leukaemia, could still hold his own. But a Coughing Fit gives Akuma an opening and without any Sympathy, Gen is Killed, Not knowing That Necalli was waiting in the wings.
Akuma Easily defeats Necalli, but the clay Creature had a plan, he Conjors mud Tendrils to force Akuma into his Stomach, Only for the Satsui No Hadou not to be Absorbed, but the flames to burn and Harden the Clay Statue, As Necalli explodes into a cloud of Dust! Akuma Stands were his Assailant just stood, and Stands Defiant. This power is His, and His Alone!
With Shadoloo Defeated and the Illuminati working in the shadows, Akuma will return as one of 2 Confirmed Villains at this time.
Out of the box, Let's Confirm yes, "Akuma" is the Japanese word for Devil, gaining a point for straight meaning. Akuma is Pure Ambition Aspect. While Akuma is cold hearted and will kill to seek what he believes he is owed, He Surprisingly has a Code of Honour. He won't kill anyone who didn't seek to kill him, as seen with Elena, but will kill anyone who disrespects Martial Arts or Attack him with a weapon. Akuma's street fighter V ending shows him destroying a Meteor heading to Earth, but he did this solely for his own ambition, he cannot rule this World if it is destroyed.
All characters get a Point
Tanaka-1
Sayoko-1
Ohya-1
Akuma-1
ROUND 2-PERKS
Tanaka requires A LOT to unlock him, First to Even See him at the Mall, you most do the "Maya" Social Link ( See Part 5- Strength and the Hermit for details) until she speaks of an "Effeminate man". next, your Charm must be Level 4. Finally you must give him two meetings a combined 40 grand. At the end of the social link, you gain A Thank You Letter. All the Gifts earned allow you to Fuse for Beelzebub.
You never get your 40 Stacks back, by the way!
You Need Level 3 Diligence to become a Night porter at 5 grand a night is not to be sneezed at. Even if there is a strange noise interrupting your Work Five times, making your Courage go up Five times. You can start Hisano's Social link (Which we covered in the last essay.) At Rank 3. Sayoko's gift is the aforementioned Hospital ID.
Ohya Unlocks Lala Escargot's Bar as a place to socialize in the Red Light District, It's open during the Day, so it's one of the least sleaziness parts of town. Ohya's Herself gives Varying Buffs of the same perk: Scoops that lower Security overnight, Starting with the Rumour-Filled Scoop, into Shocking then Outrageous and finally Ultimate Scoop which resets the Security to 0%. Dealing with a Drunk who has Beer Goggles for a Handsome Student is somewhat Flattering so Your Charm Attribute Goes up a Few times. Her Gift is her Investigation Notes.
Akuma Without question Has Done More as Ryu's Enemy Than any of his friends. Without the Constant Reminder that one mistake will turn Ryu into a monster. just like Akuma or Worse. It's probably a fact by now that if Ryu didn't Succumb to the Dark side, Gouken, wouldn't come out of Hiding, Cured his student and Taught Mu No Ken to Ryu.
Tanaka-1
Sayoko-2
Ohya-2
Akuma-2
ROUND 3-INFLUENCES OF THE HERO AND HIS WORLD!
Tanaka is the only returning character over 3 modern Persona Games. As Tanaka as Admitted to, His Medicines and Lifestyle And Diet Aids are Placebos, which is why they are so Powerful in the Cognitive World. He also sells Weapons that are not to be sneezed at! In 4 he returns to sell you his wares every Sunday, though in the Endgame when you need him the most, Tanaka closes his number down to give away gasmasks for free.
In Persona 5, The shopping Channel No Longer has Tanaka, though it sells powerful Gear. there is another. If you fix a Broken Pc you find in a Second hand Shop, you are linked into a Dark Web store called Shady Tanaka's Commodities!
Yes, he is at it again! Fired but not
Retired, Tanaka sells you all the Gamebreaking items he did in the past, Including armour, which once laundered reveals clothes of great Rarity and Power!
Akuma's Presence Follows Ryu like a Shadow. One will be curious to know how Akuma will react to training gained from both Gouken and Oro and seeing Ryu Dressed in the Garb of a master!
(Also Yes, I am Aware of the Rumours that Akuma is Ryu's Father. But that's what they are. Rumours!)
Tanaka-2
Sayoko-2
Ohya-2
Akuma-3
THE WINNER OF THE DEVIL CARD'S ROUND IS AKUMA!
And that's it! Unless The WWE Draft Happens next Month, Or a get my hands on Pizza Doritos, this is the last Post of 2022. But I'm not finished yet. Join me over at boggerboxoffice.blogspot.com on November first to see the launch of My Clifford Review, Followed by Ugly Dolls a Month later for the Christmas Review.
The Next Tarotober Review will be in February, where I Cover the next two cards, The Tower and The Star.
If you what to follow me on Twitter, You can find me @RealEnli.
