LogFAQs > #878791582

So uh. I started Persona 5 today. I'm gonna go ahead and record sporadic thoughts in this topic rather than doing a separate thread for it, because hey, JZLF is back. That said, it does make things a bit more challenging, because we'll want to avoid spoiling Leon. He's been a Persona diehard for a lot longer than I have, after all, but he's still working on Andromeda. So let's all agree to make CIA-level usage of spoiler tags for all P5 discussion, shall we? Many thanks.

We begin with...

...a flashy anime cutscene that makes me grin from ear to ear, including our hero (who I have named Akira Kurusu as per the manga) recalling Cowboy Bebop choreography to a tee when he falls through stained glass to the ground below. Unfortunately for Akira, rather than nearly dying like Spike Spiegel, he is instead apprehended by a flock of police officers so vast you'd think Japan were at war. Some shenanigans ensue, and six punches and a kick to the head later, Akira-kun meets Dragon Age's Cassandra Pentaghast, who decides Persona 5 needs a framing device. She asks Akira to tell her everything he knows about the mage uprising in Kirkwall, and also, the Phantom Thieves.

We quickly learn Akira-kun got a raw deal in life because he stood up for a woman who was being forced-upon. As someone with a raw deal growing up (it's basically become a Board 8 meme; you know it, I know it, we all know it) I can empathize with hard-luck heroes. Also, I'm a hero, too, and that's why they call me "Jeff Hero."

So Akira Toriyama begins to tell his tale, albeit silently. He's taken in by a guy whose name escapes me, but I'll remember it soon. He owns a cafe. Let's call him... Master Oshi for now. Master Oshi for now gives Akira-class starship (it's a real thing in Star Trek, yo) a cold shoulder and claims he's only doing this for money, but we'll see how that holds up. Master Oshi for now also sells curry and coffee, two of my absolute favorite things in life. Perhaps my two very favorite ingestibles in the world. Anyway, we meet the principal and a teacher whose avatar makes her appear permanently withdrawn from life. Then again, it seems that's bog-standard for everyone in this district.

There's also a guy who runs the volleyball team, and he's a jerk, and we learn this because Akira and a kid named Ryuji wind up transported to a castle where he's dressed like the Burger King. No, no, you know, the Burger King. I never knew the Burger King wore naught but pink underwear beneath his robe, but I suspected. Just when the two misfits are sentenced to death, Akira's glasses break and a mask gets stuck to his face and his eyes turn to blood and I begin to wonder if the Boltons are here but wait -- wait! -- he's OK, he's fine, this is fine, situation normal, how are you? And a Persona appears and it looks like Las Vegas and they win.

We explore the castle and meet a talking cat and I've played a few JRPGs in my time so this barely fazes me and we escape and return to reality and the teacher is like "ugh" and Akira-kun is like "....." and she introduces him to the class and there's a rumor that this blonde chick is dating the weird creep guy whose name is Kamoshida. She mutters "lies" underneath her breath like she's Amy Lee circa 2001. I'd note that this girl can't be any older than 18 and the dude is probably like 30, but this is Japan, land of the free, home of the things that make me uncomfortable.

At some henceforth-unmentioned point, Igor appeared, too, and he is now Samuel L. Jackson.
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I thought I knew gaming. And I did, until I met...
LusterSoldier, Winner of the GameFAQs Best Year in Gaming Tournament!