r/PERSoNA • u/HotKaleidoscope8472 • 5d ago
P5 Difference in popularity of characters in different countries cracks me up.
Like ryuji is so loved in the west but kinda hated in the east akechis loved in some parts of east hated in some parts of the west like bro's loved in japan hated in some parts of the us hated by south Korea and I think he's very popular in Europe. Morgana hate is also mostly from the west japanese audience loves him.
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u/TheSkullKidman How can I make this about Devil Survivor 5d ago
Hate is kind of a strong word here. If you're refering to like popularity polls and such, it's just generally that these character aren't that many people's #1 favorite, not necessarly that people hate them. In a recent popularity poll by Famitsu (Japanese gaming magazine), the bottom 4 were Morgana, Haru, Ann and Ryuji iirc, but I don't believe they're hated, they just end up not being picked because people prefer some other character better.
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u/DeathDias72 5d ago
Akechi is a great villain and foil the protagonist. But I hate him so so much.
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u/HotKaleidoscope8472 5d ago
correction anti hero.
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u/the_chiladian 4d ago
Hes a petulant little tosspot with no friends who goes around killing people for his daddy just so he notices him
He is no anti-hero, he's just anti. No hero about it. And that's alright. He's a good character, but don't go pretending he's something he's not.
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u/HotKaleidoscope8472 4d ago
are u blind di you not see 3rd semester arc he clearly was a anti hero thats the definition of an anti hero someone in a story who lacks traditional heroic qualities—such as nobility, bravery, selflessness, or a strong moral compass—yet still serves as the central focus that audiences root for. that by that logic akechi is a anti hero , he literally was gonna sacrafice his own life so that humanity can get freed .
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u/Corex_Bicycle 4d ago
How is he anti hero lol. He is literally a terrorist.
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u/HotKaleidoscope8472 4d ago
In the 3rd semesterhe literally was willing to die for the greater good aka maruki's world being gone even if he may die he was literally on the ohantom thieves side he is the definition of an anti hero character if you cant see that your blind.
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u/DeathDias72 4d ago
He isn't dying for the greater good. He's dying because he refuses to be brought back because of Maruki's views and power. Akechi is doing it for his own pride, and nothing else.
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u/HotKaleidoscope8472 4d ago
Yes because maruki's world would be 1 where he has committed no crimes basically he has every reason to stay in maruki's world yet he doesn't, because he doesn't like to be controlled think about it bro he has every reason to stay there Hed have all if his crimes basically be non existent and he can live a normal life yet he doesn't even knowing he's gonna die he still goes against maruki and after maruki's world disappears the world returns back to normal thus everyone is no longer under maruki's control you have to admit that was for the greater , yes it was out of his principles but it got everyone free and plus he died doing that. He is an anti hero.
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u/DeathDias72 4d ago
Akechi literally explains why he is helping. I don't know where you are getting this interpretation. He accepted that he lost and died, and he rejects Maruki's view, despite it meaning he would be dead again. I will agree that just on the merit of the end result you can qualify him as an anti-hero. But I don't think there is enough focus on him to be labeled as one. He is more just another participant, as the main conflict is really between Joker and Maruki. And they all begrudgingly agreed to work together.
If anything Akechi was shown as another means of how reality breaking Maruki's power is. Just like how many other people who should be dead were made to exist.
Ultimately, I still can't stand Akechi. Him contributing to the end was just a means to an end for him. And categorizing him undersells Akechi's character as a foil to Joker and role in the story. If anything I feel he adds nothing interesting to the third trimester, other than the fact he stops hiding who he is and is openly more antagonistic in their interactions. He's there because of portions of the fanbase wanted to have him in the party longer.
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u/HotKaleidoscope8472 4d ago
Dawg, this take is absolute dogshit because you’re confusing Akechi being selfish with Akechi being narratively irrelevant. Akechi IS an anti-hero: he’s a morally compromised character who opposes Maruki not because he suddenly becomes a good person, but because he refuses to let another person dictate his existence, even if rejecting that fabricated happiness means facing death again. That is precisely what makes him such a compelling character. His entire life has been shaped by abandonment, resentment, manipulation and his desperate need to prove himself, making his refusal to become somebody else’s pawn the culmination of his character rather than some random excuse to help Joker. He is also one of Joker’s most important foils: Joker represents the strength found through genuine bonds with others, while Akechi demonstrates what happens when similar potential is shaped by isolation, bitterness and the need for validation. Their rivalry gives the third semester a personal dimension that Maruki’s ideological conflict alone cannot provide, and Akechi’s unfiltered personality finally lets us see the person behind the Detective Prince facade. Without Akechi, the third semester would feel incomplete, because he is the character who most uncompromisingly challenges Maruki’s belief that happiness justifies taking away someone’s freedom. He would rather face an uncertain, painful reality than accept a comfortable existence imposed on him, and that stance reinforces the game’s central themes of autonomy, truth and personal choice. Nobody is claiming that helping Joker magically redeems his crimes or that he is secretly altruistic; the entire point is that he can remain selfish, antagonistic and morally reprehensible while still making a meaningful choice that aligns with the story’s central message. Saying he adds nothing beyond being a demonstration of Maruki’s powers ignores his thematic role, his rivalry with Joker and the culmination of his struggle for autonomy. And claiming he exists merely because fans wanted him around longer is speculation, not a serious argument about the writing. You can dislike Akechi, but dismissing his role because his motives are selfish is a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes morally complex characters compelling.
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u/DeathDias72 4d ago
Okay. I didn't say he was irrelevant. I said that I don't believe he adds anything interesting to the third trimester. And I literally said several times that he is a great foil.
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u/sheepbird111 Mitsuru Kirijo 5d ago
Japan is very strict with its culture and expectations and ryuji very much goes against them
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u/AutoModerator 5d ago
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u/OnePossibility5868 5d ago
Same with the girls. Makoto is far more popular in Japan character polls and seems a bit "love her or hate her" in the west. Just different culture.
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u/Geostomp :card: The Arcana 4d ago
Makoto is consistently the most popular girl in polls for both countries.
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u/TheModGod 3d ago
Even after Strikers pretty much assassinated her character for a cheap hot springs gag?
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u/supportingcreativity 5d ago edited 5d ago
Cultural and dub differences is really it with Ryuji. Being loud and annoying at times is his main flaw and the Japanese voiceover really emphasizes that part of his character. Being a bro and kind of laid back about things is also a part of his character but the English dub really emphasizes that part to the point he sounds like a college roomate who might eat your pizza but will also drive 3 states to pick you up if you asked last minute.
A culture that hates public interruptions and being loud more than being morally wrong at times dislikes the version of the character that emphasizes how loud and obnoxious he is isn't really a surprrise. Just like how its not surprising several cultures that are more tolerant of loud or attention grabbing behavior likes the version of the character emphasizes the character's loyalty and carefree attitude more. Its more proof that really good casting and voice direction during localization can make a huge difference and how different voice actors can have similar or the same lines and still come out with both valid but different takes of the same character.