#Takuto Maruki Persona 5

[tenderlambkin]

One year in simping

Please DO throw suggestions at me 😎👉️

Template under the cut.

[wild-selenite-caffine]

Maruki, but he is more aware of his Actualization and its effects

i’ve been playing P5R for a while now, and the realization that i wasn’t entirely sure how aware Maruki was throughout P5R crossed my mind. and so here i am, a few hours later since i’ve been thinking about it, gonna share a few things i thought of.

might add more as time goes on, since Maruki’s still got lot of potential

TW: self-harm, magic whump

Maruki has some pent up anger on a few people, and sometimes his control on his anger slips so he, intentionally or not, projects thinly veiled threats into someone’s mind

He’s done it lots throughout 3rd semester, but he just puts on a nice smile in some weak effort to control himself. Lots of people don’t call him out on it as he rewrites reality as he pleases

Maybe his control fully slips, and he punishes some people for being defiant; I’ve been thinking that he did this (from least to most) to the Thieves, Akechi during the early days of 3rd semester, and especially Sumire

Poor girl got the brunt of the punishments because of how unstable her control was of Cendrillon, while Akechi was able to “defend” himself so to speak thanks to Loki

The punishment of the Thieves were more for security purposes, Maruki got paranoid on January 8th and gave himself some insurance. Though amongst themselves, Akiren and Morgana got the worst of it (while the least varied between Futaba, Haru, and Makoto).

And after all of 3rd semester, there’s going to be prolonged damage both on Maruki and all he inflicted these slips of anger on (Thieves, Akechi, Sumire, etc) and its similar to sound torture, but way worse

And post-3rd semester damage is focused on Maruki since he struggles to heal, being on his own and without a good support group

(Shibusawa and Akiren sometimes visit Maruki, but the two aren’t able to help him because of conflicts on their schedules. That leaves Maruki to be alone more often.)

There’s some days that feel like Maruki’s Actualization backfires on him

Like, he gets to have all of his fights played back to him from the perspective of the Thieves, and he realizes how far gone his grief and anger took him

Or maybe he still feels Azathoth’s presence, and as some messed up coping mechanism, he uses the fading power he once wielded to alter his own memories or create new ones where he felt “happy” or “free”

But this also backfires, like a harsh form of self-harm; Every time he rewrites any part of his memories, its like jamming a blade down his skull and carving letters into his brain

It’s enough to get him to stop, but sometimes he keeps going. But it all ends up with him keeping most of his memories from the past to replay in his head in the future. As a reminder of where he came from, of what he was supposed to be doing now.

[bezzygom]

sigh it's 2/2 again

[sketchy--akechi]

NG+ but only Maruki remembers what happened

[easyaesthetics]

Hehehehe

[kroosluvr]

temptation

i lowkey have too many notes to write down properly KDFHKDS but ill write them down for Future Cele so i can read it later and be like omggg past cele ur so fun and interesting

in general, the more "color" the scenes have, the closer it is to "real life" as opposed to the muted/hushed winter blues of maruki's reality

i.e. the dark frames w akira smiling and the very last panel are when reality sinks in: first for akira, then for goro

by the way this is long winter au but sumire is still brainwashed. this also works for canonverse but i just had long winter au in mind:o

youve heard of laundry and taxes now get ready for coffee and pastries

in every panel, akira is smiling! :) and goro is very much not smiling.

intentionally his face is hidden in the last 2 pages so its unclear whether it's the "ideal reality" already (akira/goro's daydreams/wants/desires), or if goro is still fighting akira on making sure he picks the right choice

the smoke from the first page kinda leads into the 3rd page omfg COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL BUT REALLY COOL LMAOOO

that's nameless and belladonna in jazz jin!!! i love them. I LOVETHEM. i miss them so bad is it obvious

the cafe is loosely based off of caffe strada @ uc berkeley LMAO. my parents used to take me there a lot as a little kid so that's the first cafe i think of when i imagine one. its like right on the streetside, basically on the sidewalk, so its very bustling and people are always walking by... probably a little disconcerting to see everyones summery bright smiles despite the bitter cold and snow

in long winter AU, the Ideal Reality starts before 1/1 so yeah they get to see the new years fireworks together (or something)

also intentional that they wear the same winter outfits in the whole comic although it Probably does not take place at the same time. in maruki's snowglobe, time seems frozen in place... but akira and goro are both acutely aware that the sands are running thru QUICK

goro's frustrated expression on page 3 is one also of disdain: "don't speak FOR me you fucking imbecile" type of expression.

goro, who's never lived a normal life and therefore doesn't know much abt "normalcy" nor really actively seeks it. this 3rd semester is basically purgatory for him and he doesn't care to try and go through the motions the way akira does. akira what do YOU know about the type of "normalcy" i deserve? how do YOU know if i "deserve" that?

im thinking that this is a naive akira who is mostly set on taking the deal because he feels hopeless... seeing all his friends with good happy lives while goro and himself are alive and miserable and shouldering the weight of the world during the horror of long winter......

oh but if he takes the deal they could all be good and alive and happy!!!.... and goro knows this. i feel like in any other universe (i.e. akira is 100% certain on not taking the deal and goro knows this) then goro would be happy and carefree to do these little indulgences for himself and akira's sake, to just enjoy the snowglobe world while it exists.

but this goro is discontent. he sees how akira is enjoying the snowglobe and knows maruki is depending on this. goro has to be the one to remind akira that none of this is his to keep........ in this fucked up world, routine is dangerous. becoming comfortable is dangerous. they cannot keep any of this.

on that note, goro says "i hate you" in a halfhearted sort of way (it's not true and akira knows that.) but he's trying to think of a way that he can dissuade akira from picking the wrong choice.....

and i think the thing is, goro thinks all of this, but he still falls into the rhythm of routine with akira anyway. in a way, goro feels hopeless too.

all of this is maruki's doing........ paralyzed by the inability to choose... whatever you do, you lose. goro needs to hold akira at arm's length so the stupid sentimental fool doesn't get too attached and falls into the wrong universe. akira needs to make a concentrated effort to detach himself from goro even though he wants the simplest thing in the world: just one more unremarkable day with him. it's lose-lose..........,

also i liked drawing the tentacles in the last pic the freaking blue lines on them were SO satisfying to draw

edit: also the last page: the blood flooding the panel….. the idea of the ideal world being built off of the blood and sweat and tears and bodies of the people who could have been. of those lost in the actualization, of those destroyed, of those stitched together and brought back to life. all just for a little false happiness. goro sees it but akira doesn’t, and it’s a grim sight.

[senblades]

"I didn't want to make it seem like I was holding him hostage..."

[maskedrivals]

p5r meme batch pt 4

memes masterpost

[gnawe]

The world is not around because of you

[softausterity]

[leaff0dil]

Some persona art dump

[galaxiguess]

Some textposts

[luniise-kel]

scott pilgram reference

[artianwen]

*marukis your tl again* ohhh whoopsadaisy !!

[boneappateeth]

our wish

[lvndri]

pretend I'm not a day late