Of course it is vital to consider privilege when making such a statement, as the circumstances and opportunities surrounding someone greatly impact the scope of their actions. We are all doers, makers, thinkers, builders, and ultimately, are responsible for our actions and choices. In short, men tend to be actors whereas women tend to be acted upon– but we both know that’s not quite how things actually are. Women have historically been asked to relinquish agency, and when this does not occur, we deny its existence. In contrast, passivity is seen as a feminine quality. To lack agency is to lack masculinity– to be weaker, lesser, and deserving of mockery. It’s an issue that is overlooked and deeply rooted.Īs a society, we tend to assume men are the ones who wield power and control in all situations. In Persona 5 Royal, Atlus perpetuates their long-standing relationship with toxic masculinity by refusing to acknowledge the predatory nature and agency of the game’s mature love interests, choosing instead to portray them as taboo sexual conquests. However, no amount of adjustments can alter the foundation a game rests upon– Atlus’ latest title, Persona 5 Royal, proves this.
#KAWAKAMI PERSONA 5 FULL#
Atlus’ ideologies inhabit their games, finding homes in various nooks and crannies where they rest insidiously, and it’s a hard truth to swallow.Īs the studio releases definitive editions of their games, such as Catherine: Full Body and Persona 5 Royal, small changes here and there have been made as an attempt to sate those who criticize some of the more thoughtless parts of their titles. The transphobia doesn’t end when Catherine shows Erica, a trans woman, living life as a male in it’s “good” ending. The body shaming doesn’t stop just when the girl bends the bicycle in Persona 4 Golden. But the harder you look, the more cracks you see. I love the music, the gameplay, the style, and the characters. For that reason, I’m terrified to replay that game.īut they really do feel like great games, don’t they? I love playing Persona. When my friends and I talk about the Persona games, or even some of their other titles such as Catherine, it always goes a little something like this: “it’s a fantastic game- apart from all the bad stuff which really sucks, but just try to push past it.” It’s been said to me. Throughout the years, Persona developer Atlus has found itself repeatedly in hot water for sexism, transphobia, and a plethora of other issues relating to discrimination.
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However, here I am, six or so years later, terrified to go back to it. When I finished playing it, it stung to say goodbye and I honest to God considered starting the whole thing over, despite sinking 90 hours into it the first time around.
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I wish games didn’t treat so many of my friends so poorly- my LGBTQ+ friends, my female friends, my friends of all varying sizes, colors, and ability… I wish there was no need for me to write tweet after tweet, and article after article, trying to explain what I’m sitting here saying now: I wish it weren’t so hard to love games.įor the longest time, I’ve considered Persona 4 Golden one of my favorite games. I wish I could go a couple weeks without hearing about new discrimination or sexual harassment charges that someone somewhere - with some long, important title - stowed away for safekeeping. I wish I could go a couple months without reading about the horrific labor conditions of some AAA studio. I wish it weren’t so hard to love games sometimes. Promise I won’t keep making you think about this game. Lastly, a huge thank you to my editor, Ty Galiz-Rowe, who sat on a call with me talking about Persona 5 for a good hour, offered brilliant ideas, and helped me form this pitch. Furthermore, this article examines sexual assault and abuse at length.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Persona 5.