#watch new moon/full moon

[pencil-peach]

Thinking about Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Specifically the Persona 3 side of it.

I think it's interesting (and kinda funny) how a lot of the P3 content in this game is built upon the many CD Dramas that released in Japan following Persona 3/FES' releases, specifically the New Moon/Full Moon and Daylight/Moonlight Duologies.

As what's most likely the largest example, Labrys, one of the two major characters introduced in the game, was actually named in the Moonlight CD, which was released back in 2007 (Arena was released in 2012, for reference)

"The 7th Generation, Aigis, was created from all the data we'd obtained from all prior designs up to the 5th Generation, Labrys." (Moonlight)

Aigis' and Labrys' motivation of finding their mother is also building upon the story of Moonlight, where Aigis is able to speak with the girl whose personality was one of the bases used for the Anti-Shadow Weapon development project, and who refers to herself as her mother (but looks more like her younger sister).

"That's right... in human terms, I guess I'm kinda like your mother or something? A-ah, but based on our outward appearances, I guess I look more like your younger sister?" (Moonlight)

(For context, she is forced to forget this meeting at the end of the CD, but resolves to meet with the girl in real life. She isn't named, but we're told she has black hair.)

I think Mitsuru is the most interesting, as her appearance in the game is almost wholly influenced by the story of the New Moon/Full Moon Drama CDs, which are a side story covering her and the broader Kirijo Group's situation immediately following Takeharu's death, released in 2009.

Mitsuru's story opens up with her going public about the bloody past of the Kirijo Group and the existence of the Dark Hour and Shadows. This is following up on her resolution near the end of Full Moon, where she states plainly that this is the path she's going to take.

Ichiro Takadera: "Well then, do you intend to make a public announcement regardless of what follows? About the Shadows and so on?"

Mitsuru: "That is my path in life. I cannot stray from it." (Full Moon)

Kikuno Saikawa, Mitsuru's right hand maid and one of the shadow operatives, also made her debut in New/Full Moon. The two of them met when they were children, and Kikuno vowed to protect Mitsuru after she'd saved her from her despair as a child.

Kikuno: "Six years ago, when I learned my stay at the hospital wasn't because of illness but because I was sold over by my parents, you were the one who saved me from my despair. On that day, I swore I'd devote my life to following this person." (Full Moon)

Ultimax was the first time she was given a design, but she would later appear in the Persona 3 Movie: Winter of Rebirth. Her characterization in Ultimax is pretty faithful to her depiction in the CD.

(A fun fact is that Kikuno was also mentioned in the "Seaside Vacation Before Death's Scythe" Drama CD, which was released in 2013 as a promotion for the then upcoming first Persona 3 Movie, Spring of Birth.)

One of the Kirijo artifacts mentioned in Mitsuru's prologue is a ring that gives its wearer immunity to the effects of the Dark Hour. This too is an object introduced in New/Full Moon.

"Also, there is no need to worry, as everyone who are not in possession of special powers, including me, will wear this ring. While it's on you are able to experience the Dark Hour and even when you take it off your memories of it will remain." (New Moon)

Something that doesn't come up in Ultimax is that if you smash the jewel in the center of the ring, you'll lose all your memories of the Dark Hour. It's an interesting little thing! I mean it's. Useless now cause the Dark Hour is gone but it's pretty cool...

Mitsuru's main internal conflict is her inability to ask others for help for fear of burdening or endangering them. This is something that comes up in Persona 3, but in the Drama CDs this aspect of her character is very deeply explored. It's her main emotional arc and the source of her conflict with Yukari in both the New/Full Moon CDs and Persona 3 Character Drama Vol. 4, which focuses on their relationship.

Yukari: Is your faith in us that weak?

Mitsuru: To be frank, I can't bear it anymore. I don't want others to die for my sake!

Y: And you're gonna sacrifice yourself because of that? Why do you take on so much by yourself? Is that really okay with you? Don't you want to see your friends and family again?! And to survive?! Why can't you just be honest?!

M: Of course I want to! But...that is...what should I say? It's always like that...whenever I get soft or burden others... They might end up dying again. [...] Aragaki, and my Father... What am I supposed to tell you after all that happened? Even if I'm afraid and wish to be saved, what do I say?! What should I say?! (Full Moon)

Yukari even brings up that they've had this talk before. It could be referring to their heart to heart in Kyoto, but I think it could also be read as their conflicts in the CDs too.

When Ken asks Kikuno where she learned to fly a helicopter, she states that she learned it after being involved in an assault operation on a high school dormitory, an incident which Ken says he remembers. (Say it with me now!) This is most likely referencing the climax in Full Moon, where the Kirijo Group led by Takadera attempt to raid Iwatodai Dorm and forcibly apprehend SEES, so as to avoid the possibility of Ikutsuki's plot and the Group's sins from becoming public.

There's definitely more stuff, but I just wanted to point out the things I noticed/particularly liked with Mitsuru's story.

I think Junpei suffers the most from having a lot of his characterization be taken from the CDs. A lot of people were (and still are) confused about P4AU Junpei's seemingly sudden hard pivot to Baseball, as in Persona 3 proper, it's not a very large aspect of his character.

But in the CDs, Junpei being Into Baseball is MUCH more prominent. As in he refers to everyday situations in baseball terms sometimes.

In Persona 3 Character Drama Vol 2., (released in 2008 and centered around Junpei and Chidori) Junpei dreams about taking Chidori out on a date, and eventually settles on asking her to go to a baseball game with him. (She accepts, if you were curious).

He talks with Chidori about baseball so much that she got into it herself and started watching baseball in the hospital.

At the end of Moonlight, the SEES gang talk about what they want to do after they defeat Nyx, and Junpei says he wants to go to a baseball game. They even kind of tacitly explain why he didn't talk about it all that much ingame by saying he'd fallen out of interest in it but that he "feels like it's returned in full force!"

The thing about P4AU's heavy references to the CDs though, especially in Junpei's case, is that they were never officially translated or released outside of Japan. To this day the only way for non-Japanese speaking audiences to experience the CDs is to listen to them with (usually slightly incomplete) fansubs online.

While I kind of appreciate the novelty of that, it's definitely caused some confusion when it comes to characterization. In P3 Reload, for instance, Junpei makes a lot more references to baseball in his dialogue. And for a lot of people, it feels like the purpose of that is to retroactively make Junpei's appearance in P4AU make more sense.

And while that's not incorrect, it misses the fact that Junpei was already established to like baseball in supplementary material before Arena came out. It's more like making his character consistent with the same material that P4AU used when writing Junpei.

But it's not like you can even blame people for thinking that because a lot of people are normal and don't listen to 16 year old fan translated Drama CDs uploaded to youtube. It's just interesting to me I suppose. I wonder how much characterization we miss due to lack of access to supplementary material.

Anyway you should listen to the CDs though they're really good. New Moon/Full Moon especially.

Moonlight is also very good, it's a pseudo-prelude to The Answer, and the character writing is top notch.

But that's all I had to say, really. Just thought it'd be fun to talk about.

Translation Credits: imaginary_numbers (Moonlight) pipeds (New Moon) pipeds (Full Moon)

[isjasz]

[Day 80]

Lil animation wip today (MAYBE ill color it) inspired by this hollow knight au :DDD

no i have no clue what the lore is yet cant wait to get destroyed once i actually watch/play the game more👍

[rhymesswith]

20 year old Rin ilysm

(The demon/human cultural dissonance of Rin wanting to learn self defence so that she "doesn't have to rely of Lord Sesshomaru". To demons, the stronger ones in the clan protect the weaker ones and that's how it's supposed to be. The idea of Rin not wanting to be a burden doesn't quite compute to poor Sesshomaru. He's like tf? does she not think me capable any more ?? What have I done to lose her faith ??? )

[helluvahotmess]

random thought: if its called apology tour then presumably verosika is on tour and tour lengths can vary but can be a few months. so what if apology tour takes place at the start of her touring and ghostfuckers takes place near the end of the tour and that's where that shot of stolas performing comes from

(because yeah the pumpkins and pinetrees and the fact they're not in human disguises makes me that think 1. this is halloween and 2. theyre in the human world and people think they're in costumes)

so what if what if these shots:

are from the end of ghostfuckers.

i am completely speculating and wanna say that's the ep with blitz getting possessed and seeing tilla is definitely going to leave him wrung out emotionally, so what if in the aftermath of that eps events he ends up stumbling across this concert and seeing stolas and yeah something something don't wanna be this way anymore wanna fix the relationship/is willing to be brave and let himself be genuinely loved

am i reaching? probably. i am very unwell rn

[joanbaezed]

diamonds and rust makes me feel fucking crazy

[luna-loveboop]

THE MOON IS SO BIG TONIGHT

- hero-of-the-wolf

Djskfjidkejsdkg I saw it it was so cool!

I knew it was the solstice so spent a while looking at her while walking Stitch, my mum also pointed it out to me. The moon is so beautiful I love her.

The full moon of June's happening on the same day (ish) as the solstice which is rare- she's gonna be really pretty tonight and tomorrow too! Go look at the moon everybody, all this weekend she's gonna look fairly full. If it's cloudy I will flip some tables. but luckily I'm not in a big city with as much light pollution now so I'll probably be able to see her well :)

I love the moon :D

[vidapon]

what have i become? what could i have been?

[chillbean-427]

Guess who just finished watched the new Helluva Boss episode? :,)

[magnusthepuppet]

i cant even say anything about the new episodes because i can barely form coherent thoughts right now. talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, never been done before—

[myhyperfixationisback]

Sony please release your cruel and un-creative grip on my autism creature game series. I beg of you. Let them at least start naming the series innuendos again… PLEASE. I’m sorry the Future series ever even got released at this point PLEASE go back to the old ways I beg you‼️

[joplinspiderz]

part of me is scared of what the new helluva boss episodes will entail. i do not mean that in a good way

[robotsafari]

CAN WE TALK ABOUT MYSTIC MOON?? I’VE BEEN DYYYING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MYSTIC MOON.

[freezethebeez]

Oh and this song is literally about a vampire haha

LETS GOOOO MORE VAMPIRE MUSIC ah i can really never have enough. love me some vampire music :thumbs_up:

[room0302]

sylvia chang is sooo beautiful but wtf is she doing in this movie omg

[cohendyke]

it’s like. i am glad jon stewart is back on the daily show that’s where he belongs i think. it feels right that he’s there but at the same time i don’t like what this is doing to me. i do not need to be thinking about gay jon stewart and stephen colbert. i can’t be thinking of whatever gay shit i know they’ve done in the past. yes this already happened to me in grade 12 and then again in 2021. but it’s worse now that he’s back….. someone please take me behind a shed or something

[ahnovlei]

Astrology is so surreal because tell me why the new moon in Capricorn (jan. 11th, 2024) is in my 11th house of friends and social interactions and I had dinner yesterday with two of my friends from high school that I haven’t seen in yearssss. Plus my other friend I’ve known for 10+ years randomly reached out to me yesterday too.

Crazy how I was gonna bail on dinner because I wasn’t in the social mood but I saw the new moon instantly I knew I needed this.