I’m thinking abt which persona to draw next, but I remembered you said that you thinking abt changing most of them. Do you know which ones you’re definitely sticking with/which ones u feel like needs changing?
I keep going back and forth on it, but if you're making art work, I think I'll definitively say what I'm keeping, and I'll go in and edit character posts to reflect that. Initially I wanted to change the personas to reflect doctors and what not, and for these human myths from real life or books to be the first Personas and the reawakened ones after completing their confidant route would be. With that said, let's get into it.
Shinju's only persona will be Hephaestus, because her confidant is storylocked. I don't know if I mentioned it anywhere, but the reason I chose to do that was because so many people had complaints that Haru wasn't properly utilized in Persona 5. I was seeing it everywhere. She was late game, about half of her introduction was more about Morgana than it was her. But with Shinju being one of the last dungeons, you'll have already been spending time with her previously. She's the MC's little sister, she's constantly around. Her confidant is about everyone else treating her like she's the capable person she is. Her dungeon is all about Shinju herself believing and treating herself as capable. What I'd probably do with the Persona in this case would be it's broken, or half formed, until Shinju sort of awakens herself to her full capabilities. Once again, sort of another nod to Haru.
As a side note, that's also why Sayaka has such a late game dungeon, to avoid the issues I had with earlier characters like Ryuji getting dunked on by the game or sidelined in favor of the new ones. I wanted characters and their relationships to each other feel important the entire time.
Jun's original Persona idea was Lyssa, the Greek goddess of anger. Minor goddess, not one you hear about a lot. I was really into Greek mythology for a long time and even I had not heard of her. But I really wanted to expand outside of everything being Greek. Instead we've got Dr. John Watson of the Sherlock Holmes mythos. I'm not sure about the original books, but in the Sherlock TV series and most of the movies I've seen, the general consensus is that Dr. Watson is an army doctor. Someone who's goal is to heal, but can fight. Jun is not always someone that means to harm, but he does. Sekhmet is an Egyptian goddess. Typically depicted with a lion's head, she's describes as a vengeful goddess, a goddess of chaos and destruction... and also a goddess of medicine. That combination of attributes seems to fit Jun rather well.
Hoshiko, Jekyll, & Ixtlilton
Hoshiko's original Persona was Cerberus. I like the idea of having non-human Personas, I think Johanna was really cool. But Cerberus does not exactly fit anything about Hoshiko's story. Cerberus is the guardian of the Underworld, and guardian... isn't exactly anywhere within the scope of Hoshiko's story. She does, however, use phsycic powers when wielding her Persona, which makes Jekyll, of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde notoriety, the perfect persona. Dr. Jekyll is, as Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions has said: "The true mad scientist among [them]." Paraphrasing, but int he scope of mad scientists in literature. Smart, unhinged, and that psychic break form the potion that caused Mr. Hyde feels like it belongs. Ixtlilton is an Aztec god, described as gentle, and is the god of medicine, healing, and dancing. As one of the more gentle characters, I thought he'd fit well here.
Masahiko's original Persona is Pluto, so that hasn't changed. It's just been upgraded to the final form. And I'll tell you why it's Pluto and not Hades. So most people know that Greek and Roman pantheons are pretty much the same. Some gods were lost in the transfer, some new ones were made. But most of the gods just got new names and upgrades. A lot of people use the names interchangeably, but I do not recommend because the different names hold different connotations. In Greek mythology, Hades is the god of the underworld and king of the dead. Not the god of death, entirely different god. But in Roman mythology, Pluto is the god of everything under the earth. This means he's also like, the god of wealth because money may now grow on trees but diamonds do grows in mines. (Still not the god of the dead) This is why it's Pluto for Masahiko and not Hades. Also because I think there's something involving Hades and Personas in P3? I could be wrong. As for Stein, obviously of the Frankenstein line, could be either the doctor or the monster, and in part because they are one and the same. Victor Frankenstein is cruel to his creation, a creature he made to be "the most beautiful of all." Everything lines up a little too well if in this metaphor Masahiko is the creature.
Miyako, Airmid, & Malk-al Mawt
Miyako's original Persona is Osias, who I believe was the Greek goddess of depression. Very much wanted to move away from Miyako being purely defined by that. She is a Celtic diety of healing and the story that drew me to her for Miyako is that Airmid's brother was slain by their father and Airmid wept at her brother's grave, and for each tear she shed she created another healing herb for him. This is very similar to Miyako's feelings on own older brother, who committed suicide a couple years before the start of the game. If she'd have been able to do what Airmid had done, Miyako would have in a heartbeat. Malk-al Mawt is the Islamic Angel of Death. As Miyako is the Death Arcana, it felt appropriate. But I'd like to encourage people to remember that the Death Arcana represents change. A 'death of the old way' sort of thing. Probably didn't do as much research into that one as I could have, but I did not want any algorithms or cookies sending me more religious ads than they already do.
Yudai, Hidaru-gami, & Ajá
Yudai's original Persona was Hidaru-gami, and that remains unchanged. The Hidaru-gami are mountain gods, or spirits of travelers who starved to death, so they are always hungry. Something something substance without sustenance. Aaja is a West African goddess of the forest. In connection to animals, medicinal plants, botany, and trading. With her being so very specifically connected to the forest, I thought it was a good connection to the Hidaru-gami. Okay, some sources keep calling her a goddess and other are very stern on the spirit part, and I can't say I know enough to be able to give an answer on which is the better description, but this is an excuse to learn.
Sayaka, Hilde, & Agnodice
Sayaka's original Persona was Atlanta, an ancient Greek hero who was the fastest woman alive. She said she'd only marry a man if her could beat her in a race, but no man could. Eventually, she did fall in love with someone, but her pride was too much to just agree to marry him. So a plan was devised by the man that he'd take three golden apples and distract her with them by dropping them throughout the race so he could win and they could be together. Fun story, not Sayaka. Hilde is Hildegard von Bingen, who is... everything. A writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and a medical writer. I meant everything. This woman has done it all. As of 2012, she's recognized as a Doctor of the Church after already having been a saint for centuries. I think Hilde fits better for Sayaka as Sayaka is currently an unwritten book who thinks she can't do anything and would never measure up to someone like Hilde. I think she's wrong. Agnodice is one of my favorite historical women. First female doctor in ancient Athens. She was pulled into court for being too good at her job and revealed she was a woman by showing off her boobs. A couple of my dawings make a lot more sense now. (And I did in fact just get too lazy to draw the other leg)
Hikari, Hikaru, Achelois, & Persephone
The MC's initial Persona is still Achelois, one of the Greek gods of the wind. For anyone who's listen to Epic the Musical, the one Odysseus goes to see "Keep Your Friends Close." Do you remember my comments on names before? When you think of Persephone, you are probably thinking goddess of spring, flowers, etc. That's not Persephone, that's Kore. Kore was Persephone before she married Hades. Persephone is the Queen of the Underworld. In many myths, Persephone is the crueler one between her and her husband. Persephone has touched both life and death, both cruel and kind. The MC can only awaken her after a series of betrayals. Betraying their friends by siding with The Plague, having to fight each of their friends until they are left at Death's door. Betraying The Plague at the last minute and curing the virus rather than spreading it. Only then, going into the final battle against the Plague, does Persephone awaken, because the MC has touched both sides of the coin.
Apparently I've been sitting on these longer than I thought I had because I started drawing them. But uh, yeah.
I am loving the designs so much and I hope this gave you a bit to chew on!
