#p5lb

poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this so I could print it out. and eat it.

re: ryuji

His friends often have to warn him against acting rashly People at school avoid him, thinking that he’s a troublemaker, but he’s actually an honest, optimistic guy that cares about his friends a lot Absolutely terrible at studying, but doesn’t skip out on classroom duties

much more generous than all the fan wikis lol. I like the detail that he doesn't skip out on classroom duties, he's a responsible guy!

Skills: Sprints (personal best time was 11.2 seconds when he was active), ability to chug a 500 ml carbonated drink in one go (trained for it back when he was on the track club; also managed a 1000 ml bottle before)

Hobbies: Reading (but only manga), working out (gets annoyed that he can’t do his old regimen anymore)

Favourite Foods: Junk food like beef bowls and hamburgers. A big ramen fan; passionate about taste and noodle texture. Gets teased for being like a kid because he doesn’t like bitter stuff.

Ideal Partner: A kind, graceful girl that makes me want to protect her

If you won 700 million yen in the lottery?: I’d build a big house on a tropical island (lately my mom keeps saying that she wants to spend her old age relaxing somewhere warm)

A message for one of the Phantom Thieves: To Makoto: Wanna switch your Johanna with my Kidd just once? I wanna ride a bike too!

these details are sooooo cute <3 I truly think if ryuji being such a momma's boy was more highlighted in the base game maybe jp wouldn't hate him so much. maybe they'd appreciate his gap moe. also [points at ideal partner] Foxskull Confirmed

Hanging Out (Suidoubashi): An Amusement Park Date Between Boys? At first Ryuuji was reluctant to go to an amusement park with just the two of them, but the excitement from the thrill rides changed everything. Ryuuji was constantly concerned about how other people saw them, but at the end he didn’t seem dissatisfied, saying “Let’s call it a day for the bachelors.”

ryuji's concern with how he's seen tends to come out most obviously with wanting to be popular (with girls) and getting carried away with fame, but it makes sense for him to be kind of sensitive to being perceived--not only in that masculine posturing way, but I think it could also come from 1. being labeled as A Bad Kid and the defensiveness that comes from that; 2. the scrutiny that comes with being from a single parent household and how he'll be used to judge his mom. not that it's necessarily coming up with this, but it's fun to notice how he needs some cajoling to actually let loose outside of the typical masculine posturing yknow

A message for one of the Phantom Thieves: To Ryuuji: One day, I want to try making coffee that you would be able to drink. How about if I tone down the bitterness, add a lot of sugar, and carbonate it to make it more stimulating?

this one is haru's message to ryuji... sooooo cute

As for yusuke's profile,

Favourite Foods: Has an eye for aesthetics even for food; very knowledgeable about ingredients, cooking methods, arrangement, etc. He’s picky but in reality he can’t get what he wants anyway (mainly because of money)

once again vindicated by my 'yusuke's picky but he'll eat anything' hc. I Know And Perceived

Ideal Partner What Mona Lisa was to Da Vinci (someone who will give him artistic inspiration)

This Too Can Be Foxskull

actually the messages between morgana and yusuke are really funny

A message for one of the Phantom Thieves: To Yuusuke: I know you’re hungry, but stop eyeing my dried sardines like that!

A message for one of the Phantom Thieves: To Morgana: How rude. It was the sardines that were looking at me.

What’re you doing here, anyway?

Select: ① Taking a walk ② Going to Central Street ③ Going to the underground mall ① We went on a walk last time too, right? You sure like walks, huh. ② Oh, I go there sometimes too. +♪ Like to the arcade, and… the arcade. ③ Oh, for shopping? You could probably talk to Ann about that then.

vindicated in characterizing ryuji as a guy who always references his friends whenever possible

It’s been a while since I last went to the movies.

Select: ① What happened to saving money? ② What movie are we watching? ① I’m still saving up, of course. ② Eh? One of those romance films.

If I buy a bike and get popular with the ladies, I’ll get a girlfriend, right? So this is practice for being an attractive boyfriend.

studying from movies lol his ass does not have a realistic expectation of actual romantic relationships. he also walks away from the movie with 'wow, bikes really do make a guy popular...'

But like… What do you think is gonna happen if my grades get any lower? …My allowance is going to go down for sure. Then there’s no way I’ll get that bike… But there’s no way I’ll be able to study either, so…

Select: ① What do you mean? ② Is something going on? ① It’s really painful for me… ② Yeah, I’m in a complicated situation…

…There are too many distractions in my room. Games, manga… Especially the manga, because I have all the latest volumes… You can’t expect me to be able to study in that environment, right?

[...]

I’m serious about this! …But first… That’s Train of Life on your shelf, right? I still remember the names of locations and products from playing tha tgame a long time ago. …Wanna give it a go? Select: ① Yeah ② What about studying? ③ Are you serious? ① Now we’re talking! +♪♪ Come to think of it… this is geography, right? ② W-Well… you see… …Geography! Yeah! I can study geography with this game! ③ Of course I am! I’m serious… about games… …Wait, no! Geography! I can study geography with this game!

Let’s start studying geography.

so this is ryuji's so-called "devastating study techniques'...

…I managed to get average scores on my tests… It’s all because you let me study in your room, Y/N. So, today we’re celebrating, although it’s only with beef bowls. Want some red ginger?

Select: ① I’ll get it myself ② Don’t mind me ① Oh, okay. ② Of course I’ll mind you. You’re my saviour, after all.

Actually, let me pay for yours today.

Select: ① Thanks for the meal ② I’ll pay for it myself ③ What happened to saving money? ① Yeah, let’s eat! +♪♪♪ ② Don’t worry about it. We’re friends. +♪ ③ I can afford to treat my saviour to a beef bowl, you know? Anyway, let’s dig in!

guy who is always treating his friends to food :) also proves that he can understand stuff if he gets the time to study :)

Welcome. We have the latest massage chair model available to try over here. Would you like to try it, Sir? A massage chair, eh? …Should I try it?

Select: ① I bet it feels great ② Weren’t you going to get an exercise machine? ① Yeah, but I’ve never used one before so I’m a bit nervous. +♪♪ “Ultra Thermal Pressure Mode”… The name itself is already intimidating. Well, here I go… ② C’mon, don’t say that. You should try it too. It’s got a “Flowing Pulse Mode”! You can already tell from the name that it’s something amazing.

Now then, just for a bit… Whoa, the hell is this!? This is crazy…!

Select: ① Wake up, Ryuji ① Does it feel good? ① …………….. Damn, I blanked out in an instant!

If I’m not careful, I’ll pass out until the store closes. Man, I really want this. How much does it cost? What…? Th-Three hundred thousand!? What the hell!? Even the older models are ¥200,000. That’s the same as a second-hand bike… It really felt great though. If we had one of these, Mom could… …Oh, don’t mind me. Let’s go look at the exercise machines.

[...]

Today, I have an announcement to make and a request for advice… You see… I reached my savings goal! Now I can buy a bike! Select: ① You did well ② Congratulations ① I think so, too! +♪♪♪ ② Thanks! +♪♪

So, next I want your advice… I still want a bike, of course. But after I got the money, I got to thinking…

Select: ① Thinking? ② Are you worried? ③ Do you want to donate it? ① Yeah. If my savings could be used to make someone else happy… ② I’m not sure how to use this money… There are other things that I could buy with this… ③ Well… maybe if I were making a comfortable living. See, I’ve been thinking about the money I saved up…

Do you think I should buy a massage chair for my mom…?

Select: ① That’s a good idea ② She’ll definitely be happy ① Hmm… +♪♪♪ ② R-Really!? Haha, you think so, too? +♪♪♪

…It’s decided! I’m going to buy a massage chair for Mom!

Select: ① You won’t regret it? ① What about the bike? ① It’ll take some time, but I just have to save up again. I was able to do it once, so I can do it again, right?

Haha, I’m glad I asked you. Now that that’s off my shoulders, I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat!

Hey, this is really embarrassing, but… I didn’t buy the massage chair. When I talked to Mom about it, she asked where I planned on putting it in our cramped place… So instead, I got her a hot springs vacation. She hasn’t gone on a trip in years. The hot springs will cure her everyday fatigue, yeah? Anyway, she was overjoyed.

Select: ① It’s good to repay your parents ② You’re a good son ① Don’t embarrass me. +♪♪♪ I was so happy to see her excited face… ② Knock it off. +♪♪ I think I was able to repay her for raising me, though it’s only a bit.

You’re the reason that I was able to save up the money. Thanks.

Select: ① What’s your next goal? ② Are you going to save up again? ① Hmm… …I don’t know. ② Oh yeah… I don’t think I’ll be able to live stringently for a while.

I’m just going to do whatever I want now.

Select: ① Remember to study ② Back to the way it was before ① Of course! +♪♪ I’ll do it right after having fun, playing, messing around… and having fun. ② Exactly! +♪♪♪ I’ll live the way I want!

I guess I won’t be popular for a long time now… But I think I’ve gained confidence in myself as a man. So… Should I try hitting on a sexy older woman?

I just copy/pasted it all because I liked it soooo much... character confirmation for 1. being goal-oriented and being able to be responsible & committed if he has a target (makes sense for an athlete), 2. main trait of being generous and considerate (especially towards his mom :')) (maybe if more of that was in the main game more jp fans would be able to appreciate his gap moe...) 3. his heart's in the right place but he's not exactly a practical guy so he has to be gently nudged in the right direction, but he's self aware enough to talk about it instead of doing a surprise gift that someone would have to turn down.

obviously I'm playing my convoluted game of operation with character writing vs atlus contriving a character for guy talk/fanservice (though honestly I think it was done less egregiously with ryuji than yosuke) (I do not say this lightly but yosuke is like the vriska of p4) (and I think a lot of it is atlus using him as an avenue to contrive fanservice then punishing him because that contrivance usually means some kind of Disrespect Towards Women because he is not allowed to compete with the protagonist for positive female attention from the other party members or that gets in the way of the player's self-insert fantasy -_-) (which is also why while kanji can have a crush on naoto, naoto can't ever be seen as too overtly reciprocal to his feelings) (but I digress) ANYWAY in my game of operation, I think Ryuji is a guy who can be considered girl crazy -- he wants that positive female attention, he want's the ego-boost that comes from being popular and being called sakamoto <3 senpai' (and to him that carries a different meaning from being popular with the guys. tho tbh I think he's the kind of guy that thrives in an all-guy group--his festive personality yknow?)

pita wrote some speculation that ryuji actually was popular before everything happened with kamoshida, and I agree (so some of this comes from a desire to return to his previous reputation, along with all the masculinity status stuff, along with the genuine interest in having a romantic relationship), but very specifically that he was the kind of popular where he was able to get some experience with dating but wasn't able to keep any long-term relationship. to get into wild speculation, here's how I think things would go:

Ryuji has a very low threshold for who he would date; he does have preferences, and he considers some girls more attractive than others, but he's kind of desperate for a girl who would agree to go out with him, or a girl who would ask him out. the desperation will tend to work against him and give girls the impression that he'd be good with anyone (which is kind of true, but kind of not--he'd be good with anyone who'd give him the time of day). this shrinks the pool of girls who'd agree to go out with him and girls who'd want to ask him out (lol)

I think ryuji's the kind of guy who starts from a shallow place, but grows into devotion. I also think he gets really intolerable about getting a girlfriend -- obsessing over her, wanting to spend all his time with her, etc. -- but this is going to have conflicts with all his other obligations and preexisting relationships (especially track)

Basically I think whenever ryuji ended up dating someone, he ends up pulled in too many different directions, fumbles hardcore. If he dates someone who's more casually interested in him, she'll see him as too clingy and dump him (lol). If he dates someone who's actually really into him, she'll be disappointed with the time she actually gets and she'll dump him (lol).

he gets really down about it for a little while but never actually gets to the point of heartbreak because he hasn't yet gotten past the shallow part of romantic interest.

so I think he had maybe 2-4 relationships that lasted a month at the longest and a week at the shortest, then the kamoshida stuff happens, his reputation tanks, he gets really isolated and gets a lot of stress from being a scapegoat and pariah, and he stops being able to indulge his girl-crazy side until he has one (1) guy friend again. the maid thing I'm going to shove mostly in the 'atlus contrivance' box.