maskreant | APPLICATION

PLAYER
YOUR NAME: Hei
18+?: Y
CONTACT:

aftertaste, discord: hei#2323
CHARACTERS IN GAME: Takumi (

botamochi)
RESERVATION LINK: boop

CHARACTER: CANON SECTION
NAME: Akira Kurusu
AGE: ~16-17
CANON: Persona 5 (True Ending)

💔 He did not sell out his friends during the interrogation.
💔 He chose to fight Yaldabaoth instead of making a deal with the god.
💔 He maxed all his Confidant Links, but no romantic relationships.

CANON HISTORY: Wiki link!
CANON PERSONALITY:

intro/context. i have separated these so you guys can choose to read which... i'm sorry for inflicting this pain upon you, mods.

Akira is the rather unassuming and soft-spoken kid who sits in the second to last row in the back, daydreaming as he looks outside the window with a spacey look on his face. For the most part, his appearance doesn't lead anyone to suspect him of any wrongdoing—actually, he looks like a nerd despite not being one. In a normal setting, he wouldn't need to toil through obstacles to live a life as an honest student and become an upstanding individual in society. This is his goal at the beginning of the game and is one of his objectives on the mission list. However, Akira has the worst kind of luck—the world is out to get him. I kid you not.

Do you remember Persona 3 and 4, the preceding games of the Persona franchise? They start off pretty nice. Let me remind you the P4 protagonist is welcomed by his relatives and makes good friends pretty fast. The P3 protagonist is neutrally welcomed, but at least they're a team. In Persona 5, Akira is faced with a caretaker, a student body, and several adults that treat him like a miscreant due to a spot on his record. Teachers actually found it a burden to possibly have him in his class though they've never met him, including his confidant Ms. Kawakami. It went downhill when he was accused of assault after defending a woman from harassment. The drunkard involved unfortunately had ties with the police. When his rigged case was brought to court, Akira's explanation fell on deaf ears. From there on out, his past followed him like a shadow.

analysis(?)

In spite of his experience, none of his options show that he lashed out or tried to defend himself in the eyes of the public. With no power, he fell into the mentality that it was futile to struggle. His dialogue presents itself as passive, if not dry. It can be described as dripping with annoyance or exasperation, since he comes off as curt and dismissive in the beginning. We can see it in how he reacted to Ryuji with little enthusiasm and warmth when they first met, thinking he was like everyone else. It was by no means amicable, but definitely inoffensive. Akira shows a good sign of self-control and propriety, working it on adults and the like. His situation was bleak, but he trudged on without complaints. The only correction is when Ryuji called him a delinquent, which Akira has the option to deny if chosen.

This doesn't mean he doesn't hold any frustration. Akira is known to be a humorous protagonist, despite being depicted as aloof and standoffish in the beginning. With what had happened to him, it was hard for him to trust others. He opted out to keeping people at arm's-length. Sojiro, Takemi, and Iwai have mentioned several times how he always sports such a serious face or a scowl. From his dialogue options, it's apparent that he stiffly behaves at the beginning of his confidant links with adults, but it's different with those within his age group or even younger. Yusuke revealed in his confidant link that he had wished to paint Akira's smile, implying that he genuinely smiles in front of his friends and in public places. Over time, he accepts his adult confidant links as well, showing that he’s willing to trust people. Call him soft or open-minded, but he does give people a chance if they deserve it.

With the birth of the Phantom Thieves and his new power, he breaks away from that flock of sheep lifestyle. We get to see what he's truly like as a person, someone completely different than first depicted, in a place where they feel they truly belong. He goes with the flow and does what he can with the freedom he has. In Ryuji's confidant link, he expressed how he admired Akira for his lifestyle and how easily he brushed off what other people think about him. He can choose to either say Ryuji is right or that he never realized his actions in a dialogue choice. The first answer is the correct one to get points, showing that Akira purposely lives life on his own terms. It also displays that ignoring others' opinions of him is something that comes naturally to him. He's not looking for anyone's acknowledgment or approval.

When he's comfortable, Akira is lively and eccentric. As the game progresses, his replies vary in sarcasm, dullness, and optimism. They even delve into incredibly uncanny and abnormal kinds of responses in non-serious situations. These kinds of replies even leak into the most tense situations as attempts to loosen the atmosphere. When approaching a fellow student about being a drug smuggler, Akira has the option to accuse the student of being a pizza smuggler, a crime most devious. Another example is when Makoto blackmailed the Phantom Thieves to do her bidding, Morgana at least wanted them to have a last say. The cat specifically asked Akira to "say something witty" and there's an option where Akira will boldly say "...something witty" word for word. This humor isn’t limited to his replies, but extends to his interactions—posing with Yusuke at the church is a relic of Persona history. More often than not, he also teases his friends. It's not uncommon for him to throw Ryuji under the bus, poke fun at Morgana's cat-like habits, or call Yusuke a pervert.

For a plain guy, he hides an intense part of himself that enjoys the thrill to the point of recklessness. Chihaya sensed that he possesses a "gambler's spirit," which shows in his showy stunts as Joker. Kicking puzzle pieces usually doesn't result in a positive outcome, but it's what he does. After learning one of his confidant links is an ex-yakuza, he didn't flee (okay, so he wanted the model guns that isn't the point). He’s well aware of the risks he has to take, steadily making decisions without second doubts. This risk-taking behavior stems from his confidence in himself and understanding the consequences, sometimes leading to arrogance. When Akira was in a life-threatening situation, his friends planned to save him with a high-risk bait-and-switch strategy. The plan should let no harm come to Akira in the process while the attacker would take the bait. When the Phantom Thieves took a moment to explain the whole plan, Yusuke said he can picture Akira sitting there looking smug as nothing happened. There are a ridiculous amount of CG cutscenes where Akira has a shit-eating grin, by the way. Everyone agrees that's who he is: someone radiating with exuberance.

We know Akira has a strong sense of justice and a moral compass that points to the right direction, which is the reason he's in this God-forsaken predicament. Even while trying to live a normal life, he can't help but stick up for others, as shown when he backed up Ryuji in Kamoshida's palace when they both unintentionally stumbled into it. Kamoshida was ready to execute Ryuji in front of Akira, but he intervened at the risk of his own life. Knowing an injustice would happen in front of him again struck a nerve within him, for which he channeled his frustration and desire to rebel against the situation, leading him to acquire his Persona. This example shows how he can't stand to watch people suffer at the cruelty of others. It is not only from justice and moral compass, however, Akira has compassion and shows empathy with others often. While they do accept requests from the Phantom Aficionado website to help boost their popularity and exposure, Akira does go out of his way to change the lives of his confidant links that didn't even submit any requests. Even the smallest requests didn't go unsolved.

He proved himself to be there for others when they need him, such as needing to be a test subject, becoming an alibi to cover for someone, and even down to saving someone's life. Even with acquaintances, he does his best to keep his end of their deals, but also keeps his distance. However, when one gets close to Akira, they see loyalty is one of his strengths. He shows devotion for the Phantom Thieves, alongside with caring for his confidants. The most important example to illustrate his loyalty is when he chose to turn himself in and give his testimony alone, allowing him to keep the team's identity a secret to the end of the game. With his past record, these actions would send him straight to Juvenile Hall, but he valued protecting his comrades. Even while under the influence of a truth serum, he held firm in not speaking the names demanded of him during the interrogation he goes through.

Akira, like his predecessors in the Persona series, possesses intuitiveness that allows him to become a personality chameleon. It can be magnetizing, pulling people to him whether he wants it to or not. Following his schema of good intentions, he tries to be what people need in their times of needs, whether it's a dauntless being to give a tough talk about love, like with Iwai, or a big brother type to hold hands with when they need it, like with Futaba. However, there are still dialogue options that keep his candor alive, illustrating that he's genuinely engaged as confidant links ranked up. While the changes in previous protagonists have been subtle, Akira's changes are more vivid and life-changing. As an outcast of society, he finally found a place in the world where he can express himself, likewise kindred spirits that support him. In his confidant links, he learns how to trust others and see the good in others, forming a better foundation to his sense of justice and resolve.

Another trait between persona protagonists is an enduring soul, and Akira doesn't fall short on this—it's borderline extreme stubbornness. In his own way, Akira is unyielding: he seeks out to implement his justice and protect others. His resolve doesn't falter even when the world crumbles around them when Yaldabaoth merges Mementos (the Metaverse's representation of the public's subconscious) with reality. He's given the choice to turn back time and turn a blind eye to the injustices in front of him, but Akira chooses instead to fight against the god in an uphill and oppressive battle. It was a rash decision, but he sticks closely to his ideals and what he feels is right. The rest of the team was crestfallen at the sight of the tarnished world, but he doesn't lost his spirit. He lacks the intelligence of Makoto or Futaba, the resilience of Ryuji, Yusuke's eloquence, Ann's liveliness, Morgana's wit, or even Haru's resourcefulness. Despite his lacking in those areas, he inspires them all the same. His strength is in his will to continue on in the face of despair, and rally others to follow him on the same path. One that will lead to a better tomorrow. This strength may very well be the anchor of his leadership.

All-in-all, Akira's personality is inhibited by society, as previously discussed. Despite this, he shines brightly as a character and goes beyond everyone's expectations. He turns out to be spunky and playful around his friends, willing to lend a shoulder and an ear. He still has a lot to learn since he was swayed by the Phantom Thieves' popularity when it skyrocketed, but he's responsible enough to know and face the consequences of the choices he makes. Most importantly, he has an ambition that burns strongly; with or without a Persona to back it up, he'll stand up for those who can't.

AND A DISSERTATION FOR RECOLLE IN CASE WE GET ANOTHER AKIRA. While he will keep his dry facet, he will be on the positive side in terms of contrasting options, likewise more comfortable and less guarded than he was at the beginning. For an example, the Phantom Thieves Chat is where he can express his opinion. The options are pretty different; one is a lot more positive and confident while the other depicts his uneasiness and pessimism. Naturally with the progression of the game, I would prefer he starts out uneasy and unsure, then progressively becomes positive and confident in his dialogue.

SKILLS/ABILITIES:

FIT BUILD ■ for a normal student, he's pretty lean. He trains with Ryuji during his confidant link and there's an option to train in his attic. Lonely... I know. It's not like he has a girlfriend. Anyway, the Phantom Thieves do a lot of sneaking and jumping around, so this is standard.
GOOD WITH HIS HANDS ■ Not an innuendo. With the help of Morgana, he learns how to make some intricate infiltration tools like smokescreen bombs, lockpicks... Goho-M is apparently craftable.
DAGGER TRADEMARK ■ Thieves are known for daggers and that's Akira's mainhand weapon. He's pretty skilled with it, being able to twirl it around his fingers despite being sharp enough to cut him. It's all right. He's already edgy like the game.
EXPERT IN TOY GUNS ■ Studying under the King of Gun About, he's an FPS overlord... Which translates into knowing how to use fake guns. I really don't know if I needed to list this.
ABYSS STOMACH ■ I think this is a supernatural ability because he needs no training to take down the Big Bang Burger Challenge which is essentially a giant towering burger. Both P3 and P4 protagonists suffered through rigorous training before they can stomach concoctions and take on their respective challenges, but Akira seems to be the real competitive eater. I predict he'll die early from a heart attack.

Akira is one of the rare Wildcards, giving him the ability to hold more than one Persona. As a guest of the Velvet Room, he has access to some useful tools like fusing Personas and reducing them into items. He will only be able to summon the 12 Personas last equipped:

Satanael
— FOOL ARCANA
— BLOCK Bless
— ABSORB Curse
— RESISTS Phys, Gun, Fire, Ice, Elec, Wind, Psy, Nuclear

Sandalphon
— MOON ARCANA
— REFLECTS Bless
— BLOCK Curse
— RESISTS Phys, Gun, Elec

Futsunushi
— MAGICIAN ARCANA
— WEAK Nuclear
— RESISTS Physical

Mother Harlot
— EMPRESS ARCANA
— WEAK Bless
— BLOCKS Curse
— REFLECTS Elec

Odin
— EMPEROR ARCANA

Ishtar
— LOVERS ARCANA
— WEAK Wind
— BLOCKS Elec

Yoshitsune
— TOWER ARCANA
— REFLECTS Elec, Bless
— BLOCKS Physical
— RESISTS Fire

Metatron
— JUSTICE ARCANA
— WEAK Curse
— BLOCK Fire
— REFLECTS Wind

Attis
— HANGED MAN ARCANA
— WEAK Curse
— BLOCK Fire
— REFLECTS Wind

Lucifer
— STAR ARCANA
— WEAK Bless

Kohryuu
— HIEROPHANT ARCANA
— WEAK Psy
— REFLECTS Elec
— BLOCK Nuclear, Bless

Jack Frost
— MAGICIAN ARCANA
— WEAK Fire
— BLOCK Ice

CHARACTER: AU SECTION
AU NAME: Akira Kurusu
AU AGE: 18
PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES: NONE

AU HISTORY:

Akira has a normal family with two parents and himself, but his family moved around a lot due to their jobs. His father works for an international hotel chain while his mother freelances web design to accommodate their lifestyle.
Since he never had the chance to make long-lasting friends with the nature of his family, he was reserved as a child. Likewise, was the subject of bullying because he couldn't fit in fast enough. Since his parents were busy, he never complained too much about it. He must be strong while his parents work hard. This became a trend until his parents moved to Recolle when he was around 9-10.
His Recolle life was a lot better, though difficult to assimilate at first. While he was deemed as the new weird new kid, no one sought to make his life hard. They merely avoided him for the most part, which is fine.
His first friend was good to him, but children are sensitive about how they look to others. Unfortunately, they tell Akira that they preferred not being seen with him in public because everyone thinks he's "weird." Akira stopped spending time with them altogether.
There was actually someone else that was getting bullied on a small scale, so he befriended them. They got along well, but Akira's parents moved somewhere else in the U.S. It was abrupt, so they weren't able to exchange contacts.
It's okay! He returned to Recolle in two years, so let's put that at 13. Unfortunately, his friend moved and he couldn't seem to get any information out of the school nor those that knew them.
LIFE. GOES. ON. His parents are now grounded in Recolle and do not intend on moving again, but Akira didn't change despite that. He didn't approach people, but some idiots stuck up for him or spent time with him. It made his life a bit easier.
He studied and stayed out of trouble for the first two years of high school, but life dragged on with nothing to anticipate. He became rather antsy and bored, so he took up exploring spooky haunted sites and general rumors to sate his curiosity, not to solve them. This habit became a lifestyle.
His grades were still good, so he's on the way to Recolle University with an undecided degree, but entertaining the thought of Communications and Psychology. He'll be an incoming freshmen this school year.
He has been working at a cat cafe since Junior year of high school.
His family now has a cat named Morrigan.
Likes building stuff, but moved onto magic tricks.
He plays some mobile games once in a while.

pre-established cr

Silver (fesitytrader) and Anya (constellates) are the two that approached him during his second settling in Recolle. They have been good to him, so he has a small soft spot for both. Silver is generally his go to person when he wants to check something out, at least until he makes more friends. Anya takes the role of dragging him to other stuff... He doesn't mind trying new things, though.

Camille (bakamille) and Six (karm) are his co-workers at the cat cafe. He isn't too close to Camille just yet, but he has noticed they have similar interests. Six, however, is the person that offered him a job at the cafe in the first place because he saw Akira hold out an umbrella for a cat (this cat is Morrigan). Akira teases six a lot and sometimes soundboards off of him when he's about to make a Bad Decision.

Kit (roseblooms) is an acquaintance that returned his wallet when he was pickpocketed. He may or may not be learning some skills (like lockpicking) from him...

He doesn't know Yuuko (ghostories) officially, but he has skulked around her house because it's claimed to be haunted.

Yukine (secare) is a dude from the animal shelter. They know each other because the cat cafe and the shelter work together to help assimilate cats to be around people, making them friendlier and ready for adoption. Akira didn't choose to reach out to him, but Yukine figured out they went to the same school, etc. They have been cat buddies since then.

Yosuke (youraffection) ran him over with his bike on the first day Akira returned. Akira terrorizes him by calling him a nerd killer.

Yukiko (burningblossoms) and Minako (complementing) are acquaintances of his. The former he has spoken to more, but they're not friends or anything. I think. He does look up to Yukiko as someone that was also an immigrant, though.

Ryoji (appraiser) is... his friend(?) He's a customer of the cat cafe! And Akira likes stacking cats on top of him. Cat jenga is an art.

Futaba (alitaba) is his online friend for some time. They only met in person kind of recent and she's... Not what he expected?! But it doesn't matter. She's one of the few people he feels comfortable with aside from Silver.

Ann (ladytakamaki) is a peer that he stumbled upon during his infiltration of the theater. He spooked her... and himself. They've become acquainted after that.

Goro (twostringsonebow) is a frequent customer of the cat cafe and Akira has taken an interest in him for these reasons: he's bright, he's passionate about his detective work, and he won't leave him alone when he visits (how is Akira supposed to not notice him). Akira takes on the role of a wall for Goro to bounce his thoughts off of, but he also spins some little mysteries and cases for Goro to try out... Down to odd details with aliases and anonymous letters.

AU PERSONALITY:

Akira keeps his unassuming and distant aura, but even more so since he never got a chance to develop intimate relationships. However, what he lacks is the frustration and anger that fuels his distrust and need to rebel against the pillars of society. The bullying that takes the place of the assault accusation instead leaves him permissive in a melancholic sense, making him naturally distrustful to others out of experience. It has happened many times enough for it to be sheer instinct to suspect others. It cultivated him to be bitter as a person, questioning the hospitality and kindness of others.

He finds it hard to talk about his feelings since he couldn't even share his hardships with his parents. He lives his life undermining his own issues, finding them smaller and less important than everyone else's. Though he couldn't confide in his peers during the dark period, adults have treated him well in comparison. That's why adults have taken a better role in his life unlike in canon and he's more likely to listen to authority when they aren't against his own interests.

Despite that, with a good life in Recolle, his Bitter Betty tendencies have curbed as he grew older, but it's hidden in how he doesn't get too close to others. He felt hurt when he learned his first friend felt ashamed to be with him, so it has deterred him from branching out. Despite that, he has been doing his best to work on being approachable since he's well aware of his own issues and problems. In his attempts to better himself, he tries to be an open book. His sense of humor is left unchecked, thrown at strangers he just met. He personally feels that even though he had a past of a victim, he shouldn't let it follow him. It's a work in progress, but he can't get himself to talk about the bullying in more detail. He's open enough to state it happened, but will brush it off as "kids being kids" as if it never affected him. It's a coping mechanism to keep himself from regressing, though he does have bouts of doubt once in a while.

Overall, he's a good guy, but he still shares the other side his canon self has. However, it's left hidden and misunderstood since the Phantom Thieves never came to be. Akira lives his life feeling that he's missing something, but rationalizes it as the need to always do something. It's to the point he isn't only reckless, but also lacks self-preservation, especially because he finds his existence of little importance. He's always at odds with causing trouble for others versus filling this void. With how his negligence let him lose that bullied friend when he was younger, he looks to make up for it now to be a lot more active though he still lacks direction. For now, he believes his role is to be a companion rather than a protector.

Another addition is that he has a strong fear of not being able to save his friends when they need it. In the end, he at least aspires to be a protector.

SAMPLE

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APPLICATION

ADDENDUM (HALF-FAIL FROM JULY EVENT)