The Gay Optn trope as ed popular culture. When a vio game—ually a dited Romance Game, RPGs, or Wi-Open Sandbox—allows the player …
Contents:
- GAY OPTN
- PERSONA 2 — A CLASSIC JRPG THAT WAS AHEAD OF S TIME WH QUEER REPRENTATND. QURHI·FOLLOW15 M READ·JUN 25, 2019--1LISTENSHAREA LEGENDARY CLASSICTHIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED AND EDED. RECTIFIED MISRMATN.DISCLAIMER: THIS PIECE WILL NTA SOME SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 2, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.CELEBRATG THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE OF PERSONA 2: INNOCENT S, A PRECSOR OF THE LENNIAL PERSONA TL AND THE PREQUEL OF PERSONA 2: ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.PERSONA 2 REMAS TO BE AN UNRRATED CLASSIC JRPG.THE DUOLOGY IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, AS ’S HELD BACK BY S ARCHAIC GAMEPLAY AND GRAPHICS. BUT BE THAT AS MAY, THE GAME STILL HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE AMONG RETROGAMERS’ HEARTS.IT’S THE SHEER PTH OF STORYTELLG AND THEMATIC ECCENTRICY, THAT MAK THE OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC SHE OUT OM MORN DAY RPGS.THE GAME WAS AHEAD OF S TIME WH S MD-BLOWG STORY, WELL-WRTEN ST, AND EP JUNGIAN-PSYCHOLOGIL NARRATIV…AND MOST NOTABLY, FOR S POSIVE REPRENTATN OF QUEER CHARACTERS.PERSONA 2: INNOCENT S PSX VER, PRENTG TATSUYA AND HIS SHADOW SELF LURKG BEHD.QUEER REPRENTATN HAS BEEN A MURKY ROAD THE PERSONA SERI, A MIXTURE OF GOOD AND BAD. THE LATT TLE OF THE SERI, PERSONA 5, IS SUBJECTED TO CRICISM FOR S HOMOPHOBIC PICTURE AND NTRADICTORY NARRATIV.A MUCH NCERN, AS PROV THAT THE SERI HAS REGRSED OVERTIME WH S PORTRAYAL OF MARGALIZED MUNI.THAT SAID, MANY ARE UNAWARE THAT THE PERSONA 2 DUOLOGY HAD TRODUCED POSIVE QUEER REPRENTATN LONG BEFORE S OVERSHADOWG SUCCSORS AND OTHER MASTREAM JRPGS.TH…PERSONA 2 STANDS AS S OWN QUIRKY GEM, THAT FI THE SEXUAL AND GENR EXPECTATNS IMPOSED BY SOCIETY.AUTHENTIC 90’S PSX OPENG TRO SCENE PERSONA 2: INNOCENT SROMANTIC RELATNSHIPSPERSONA 2: INNOCENT S DO NOT NTA THE ADVANCE DATG SIM ELEMENTS AS THE NEWER TL, BUT DO ALLOW PLAYERS TO FORM ROMANTIC RELATNSHIPS WH ST MEMBERS.THE TOUGHT CHOICE THE GAME!!THE PLAYER’S ROMANTIC CHOIC: LISA SILVERMAN, MAYA AMANO, JUN KUROSU AND EIKICHI MISHA. AS WELL AS HAVG THE OPTN TO PURSUE NO ROMANCE “….”.EIKICHI IS NOT A PURSUABLE OPTN…WHICH LEAV LISA, MAYA, AND JUN BEG THE PURSUABLE ROMANC THE GAME.OUT OF THE THREE ROMANC, THE PROTAGONIST N CHOOSE… — A GIRL WHO IS MADLY LOVE WH HIM, MAYA — AN OLR SISTER FIGURE AND JUN — HIS CHILDHOOD BT IEND, JUN IS THE MALE LOVE TERT.IT’S EXTRAORDARY TO KNOW THAT THIS OLD SCHOOL JRPG IS THE ONLY GAME THE SERI TO HAVE A MALE HOMOSEXUAL ROMANCE. BIS, BEG RELEASED AT A TIME WHERE HOMOSEXUALY WAS PERCEIVED MORE OF A TABOO.THE GAME OFFERG PLAYERS TO CHOOSE THEIR SIRED LOVE TERT (REGARDLS OF GENR), AS WELL AS HAVG THE OPTN TO NOT PURSUE ONE, GIV PLAYERS THE GREAT LIBERATN TO EXPRS THEMSELV EELY.PERSONA 2 INNOCENT S MA CAST: YO MAYUZUMI, LISA SILVERMAN, TATSUYA SUOU, MAYA AMANO, EIKICHI MISHA AND JUN KUROSU.WHAT’S MORE IMPRSIVE ABOUT PERSONA 2 IS S REMARKABLE CHARACTER WRG. THE MA ST ARE NOT RCED TO ONE-DIMENSNAL STEREOTYP AND ARE HUMANLY SIGNED; HAVG FLAWS THAT MAKE THEM HUMAN AND NOT WRTEN FOR THE SAKE OF . THE CHARACTERS ALL SHARE EMOTNAL BACKSTORI AND SUFFER OM REALISTIC SECURI, WHICH PLAYERS N RELATE TO.EACH MEMBER EXPRS THEIR PERSONALI WH TE DIVIDUALNS AND ORIGALY — WHICH MAK PERSONA 2 HAVG ONE OF THE MOST LOVABLE ST THE SH MEGAMI TENSEI (SMT) ANCHISE.IN VAR FORMS OF FICTNAL MEDIA, QUEER CHARACTERS ARE OFTEN PRENTED A POOR FASHN EHER TO BE MOCKED AT, ANTAGONIZED OR TOKENIZED. PERSONA 2 NEGAT THIS.PERSONA 2’S NON-HETEROSEXUAL CHARACTERS ARE TREATED WH THE UTMOST RPECT AND DIGNY. THEY ARE NOT FED BY THEIR SEXUALI AND ARE TREATED AS NORMAL HUMAN BEGS.SELECTG JUN AS A ROMANTIC CHOICE: LISA IS SURPRISED BY THE RPONSE AS SHE WAS REJECTED BY A MALE LOVE RIVAL; HER DIALOGUE SIMPLY NVEYS WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR HER TO W THE PROTAGONIST’S AFFECTN. NOHELS, SHE STILL SUPPORTS THE RELATNSHIP AND AIMS TO NTUE HER BATTLE FOR LOVE.TATSUYA SUOUTATSUYA SUOU: A MOTHERF-KG BADASSTATSUYA SUOU N BE NSIRED HIS OWN CHARACTER AS HE HAS A PROPER BACKSTORY AND EXPRS AGENCY THE GAME. HE ALSO APPEARS AS A MAJOR CHARACTER ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.“THAT’S RIGHT…I REMEMBER NOW…A S THAT MT NOT EXIST…HOW DO I ATONE?”- TATSUYA SUOU, PERSONA 2: ETERNAL PUNISHMENTCHILDHOOD TRMA HAS ED TATSUYA TO GROW UP SOCIALLY DISTANT AND WHDRAWN OM PEOPLE. DPE ISOLATG HIMSELF, HE IS VERY POPULAR SCHOOL, DUE TO HIS GOOD LOOKS AND THE LONE-WOLF RA HE EMANAT. TATSUYA IS ALSO REFERRED TO BE A LQUENT AS HE GETS TO A LOT OF FIGHTS (FIGHTS THAT ARE NOT IATED BY HIM), AND TEACHERS QUTNG HIS DIRECTN LIFE… WHICH TATSUYA IS UNCID ABOUT.ALTHOUGH HE PROJECTS A ‘BAD-BOY’ IMAGE, TATSUYA IS ACTUALLY A SHY SOCIALLY-AWKWARD DIVIDUAL, WHO PREFERS TO KEEP TO HIMSELF.THE GAME REVEALS TATSUYA’S PERSONAL SHARE OF TALENTS AND HIS TERTS, SOME OF THEM BEG QUE IDSYNCRATIC. EXAMPL BEG: RIDG MOTORCYCL, PERFORM REALISTIC SOUND IMPRSNS, PLAY THE GUAR, DISCS MANLS, ETC.WHICH PRETTY MUCH MAK HIM A LOVABLE DORK.“CLOSE YOUR EY”ANOTHER ASPECT OF TATSUYA’S INTY IS HIS BISEXUALY, WHICH IS IMPLIED THROUGHOUT THE GAME.THE PSP PORT CLUD SIQUTS, THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS TATSUYA AGREEG SILENTLY.LISA SAYS THIS LE TO ALL THE DIALOGUE CHOIC FOR THE ENDGAME ROMANC, WHICH PROV THAT SHE IS AWARE OF TATSUYA’S ATTRACTN TO BOTH SEX.MOST OF TATSUYA’S IMPLIED BISEXUALY IS RIVED OM PARTY MEMBERS DISCSG HIS RELATNSHIP WH JUN.JUN KUROSUJUN KUROSU: OG JOKER AND FLOWER BOIJUN KUROSU IS ONE OF THE MOST WELL WRTEN HOMOSEXUAL CHARACTERS I HAVE SEEN VIO GAME HISTORY. HE PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE INNOCENT S AND IS A MOR CHARACTER ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.“PEOPLE OFTEN PARE THEIR GOALS TO THE STARS. THEY SHE BRIGHTLY EVEN AFTER THE SUN GO DOWN… FIXED STARS A DARK EXPANSE.”- JUN KUROSU, PERSONA 2: INNOCENT STHE GAME HEAVILY IMPLI THAT JUN HAS ROMANTIC FEELGS FOR TATSUYA AND THAT HE BEARS NO ATTRACTN TO THE OPPOSE SEX.BY APPEARANCE, JUN DO APPEAR TO HAVE A FEME PHYSIQUE, AND ’S OCSNALLY STATED THE GAME THAT HE IS MORE BETIFUL THAN FEMAL…GOG FAR TO SCRIBE HIS BETY THAT OF A GODSS. LISA, A LOVE RIVAL AND CHILDHOOD IEND, HAS EXPRSED HER IENDLY ENVY OF HIS BETY.FLOWERS ARE ONE OF JUN’S KEEN TERTS, AN TERT THAT IS MONLY CLASSED TO BE FEME. HIS LOVE FOR FLOWERS EXPANDS TO HIS ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF THEM, AS WELL AS HAVG THE ABILY TO UNRSTAND THEIR LANGUAGE, HANAKOTOBA (THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS). IN BATTL, JUN N E FLOWERS AS A WEAPON TO STRIKE ENEMI — THK OF HIM AS THE TUXEDO MASK OF PERSONA.THE GAME DON’T RIDICULE HIS FEMY AS WELL AS HIS HOMOSEXUALY. INSTEAD, IS POSIVELY EXPRSED AS JUN EMBRAC HIS FEME MANHOOD WH HIGH RPECT, HE DON’T FEEL ASHAMED OF HIS INTY NOR HIS .HIS CHARACTERIZATN DON’T STOP AT HIS SEXUALY AND APPEARANCE ALONE, GO BEYOND THAT. JUN IS CENTRAL TO THE STORY — BOTH AS AN ANTAGONIST AND AS A HERO.“A MASKED FIGURE MORED TO GRANT ONE’S DREAMS. WHY HE DO THIS, AND WHO HE IS, IS A PLETE MYSTERY.”IN FICTN, IS TE THAT A LOT OF LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS PLAY VILLAO ROL — WHICH N SERVE TO BE MEANG AS THEY ARE MOSTLY PICTED TO BE HYPERSEXUALIZED OR TO BE LGHED AT — BUT FOR JUN ’S DIFFERENT.HIS SEXUALY IS NOT VILLAIZED, AND HIS ROLE AS THE ANTAGONISTIC JOKER IS ‘POSIVELY’ IMPACTFUL AND ENGAGG. JOKER IS THEATRIL, TELLIGENT, CHARISMATIC AND TIMIDATG — ATTRIBUT THAT MAKE HIM A WELL-SIGNED BADDIE.IT IS MORED THAT THE JOKER N ANSWER WISH SUBMTED TO HIM BY A PHONE LL. HOWEVER, IF THE PERSON WHO SUMMONS THEM DON’T HAVE A WISH ON THEIR HEARTS, JOKER STEAD CLAIMS THE DREAMS OF HIS VICTIMS, AND RC THEM TO SHADOWS OF THEIR FORMER SELV. THE JOKER TENDS TO LEAVE BEHD FLOWERS AS A REMR TO HIS VICTIMS OF THE SS THEY’VE MTED — EXTRACTED OM MEGAMI TENSEI WIKIJOKER’S MENACG APPEARANCE THE PSX OPENG TRO OF PERSONA 2: INNOCENT SAS HIS OWN SELF, JUN IS A LM YOUNG MAN WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF ROLVE. HE SEEKS THE BETTERMENT OF HUMANY AND ASPIR TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. EVEN MORE SO, JUN PUT OTHERS BEFORE HIMSELF, AS HE IS WILLG TO PROTECT PEOPLE.THE GAME HIGHLIGHTS THAT JUN WAS AN EASY TARGET OF BULLYG DUE TO HIS FEME MANNERISM AND APPEARANCE. WH THAT BEG SAID, JUN HAS ALWAYS STOOD UP FOR HIMSELF, AND SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE A FORCE TO NOT BE RECKONED WH — FURTHER SUPPORTS HOW URAGEO HE IS.JT LIKE TATSUYA, JUN GOT LABELED AS A LQUENT BEE OF THE MANY FIGHTS HE WAS VOLVED . HOWEVER, DON’T NECSARILY MEAN HE BEHAV LIKE ONE. IN FACT, HE IS THE PLETE OPPOSE.MATCHG SIARNS TO TATSUYA, JUN IS A SHY TROVERTED YOUNG MAN, WHO HAS AN ARRAY OF HOBBI AND TALENTS; HANAKOTOBA BEG ONE OF THEM AND HOROSPE READG BEG THE OTHER.EIKICHI’S BAND GAS CHAMBER: EIKICHI AS THE LEAD VOLIST, TATSUYA ON THE BASS AND JUN PLAYG THE ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD, SHOWSG THEIR MIL TALENT.JUN ALSO EXCELS AMIA, HAVG A BRIGHT SCIENTIFIC AND VENTIVE MD, DITG THAT JOKER’S TELLIGENCE IS RIVED OM JUN’S OWN TELLECT. WHEN THE SUATN FS, JUN N ALSO PULL ACTS AND MANIPULATE PEOPLE TO GIVE TO HIS MANDS, EHER PERSUAD BY HIS BETY OR BY HIS MEEK ACTG (A HANDY QUIRK THAT N AID HIM AND HIS IENDS BATTL). OVERALL, JUN R ABOUT PEOPLE EP DOWN AND SEEKS TO FIGHT JTICE, ABIDG BY HIS OWN MORAL TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT.IN A WAY, JUN’S CHARACTERIZATN EXCEEDS SIMPLICY. HE HAS A PLEX BACKSTORY, ONE THAT IS RATHER TRAGIC AND HAS SHOWN TO HAVE QUALI THAT DON’T NFE TO HIS ORIENTATN. HE IS A POSIVE DISPLAY OF A HOMOSEXUAL CHARACTER AND AS A PERSON.UNED DATA FIL HAVE SUGGTED THAT JUN WAS GOG TO BE THE PROTAGONIST OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, THE IA IS PRETTY REVOLUTNARY NSIRG PERSONA 2 ULD HAVE HAD THE WORLD’S FIRST GAY JRPG PROTAGONIST.TATSUYA SUOU AND JUN KUROSU’S RELATNSHIPCHARACTERS AND MONS HAVE NOTED THAT TATSUYA’S RELATNSHIP WH JUN IS MORE THAN “JT IENDS”.MAYA WAS AWARE OF THEIR STRONG BOND SCE THEY WERE CHILDREN.AT ONE POT THE GAME, MAYA CLAIMS THAT TATSUYA AND JUN ARE THEIR DOPPELGANGERS, THE TWO MIRROR EACH OTHER — BEG LIKE EACH OTHER SHADOWS.MAYA RECED FRANZ SCHUBERT’S SONG “DER DOPPELGäNGER” (1828):“THE NIGHT IS STILL, THE STREETS ARE QUIET.IN THIS HOE LIVED MY LOVE.SHE LEFT THE TOWN LONG BEFORE,YET HER HOE STILL STANDS THE SAME PLACE.THERE I ALSO SEE A MAN STANDG,STARG TO THE HEAVENS,WRGG HIS HANDS VLENT GRIEF.I SHUDR AS I BEHOLD HIS FACETHE MOON REVEALS TO ME MY OWN LIKENS.YOU DOPPELGANGER, YOU PALE PANN.WHY DO YOU MIMIC MY LOVICKNS,THAT TORMENTED ME AT THIS PLACE,FOR SO MANY NIGHTS THE PAST?”DENSTCTG SYMBOLILLY, THIS N BE SCRIBED AS:TATSUYA’S OTHER-SELF BEG JUN, AND JUN’S OTHER-SELF BEG TATSUYA. ONE NNOT LET GO OF THE OTHER-SELF, AS THEIR SELV ARE PART OF THEM…AS THEY ARE PART OF EACH OTHER.JUN MENTS ON THE TREASUR THAT HE AND TATSUYA EXCHANGED WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.“TATSUYA AND JUN’S EXCLIVE PERSONAS ARE REPRENTATIVE OF THE EXCHANGE OF THEIR “TREASUR” AS CHILDREN”- MEGAMI TENSEI WIKI, VALN AND CRONOSTHE MALE OF SMT’S STYLE OF DEMON NEGOTIATNS DO FLUENCE TO PERSONA 2’S GAMEPLAY, THEY ARE LLED “CONTACT”.WHETHER BE “BT FRIENDS.” OR “…LOVERS?”, JUN AND TATSUYA’S NTACT BATN REMAS EXACT. THEIR NTACT TERACTN VOLV BOTH MAL BEHAVG AFFECTNATELY TO ONE ANOTHER. DEMONS HAVE AMG AND TERTG REACTNS TO TATSUYA AND JUN’S NTACT BATN:SOME ARE TERRIFIEDSOME ARE OFFENDSOME FD FUNNYSOME ARE CURAND THERE ARE THOSE WHO SUPPORT TATSUYA AND JUN BEG ON THE VER OF “THE ERRORS OF THEIR YOUTH” AUD TRACKIN TERVIEWS, KAZUMA KANEKO (CO-CREATOR AND ART DIRECTOR OF PERSONA 2) AND SATOMI TADASHI (MA WRER OF PERSONA 2) HAS SHOWN SUPPORT FOR TATSUYA AND JUN’S RELATNSHIP. KANEKO BELIEV THAT THEIR ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP IS THE MOST PROBABLE THE GAME.THE REASONG FOR WHY THE VELOPERS WANTED TO TRODUCE JUN’S CHARACTER AND HOMOSEXUALY TO THE GAME IS A PLITED ONE. ATL (THE GAME’S PANY), WANTED TO SEE IF THEY ULD APPEAL TO JAPAN’S YAOI FANBASE, A MUNY (MOSTLY PROMISED OF YOUNG FEMAL), THAT DULG AND VALU HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS BETWEEN FICTNAL MEN. AS YAOI DURG THE 90S WAS A GROWG MARKET, THE VELOPERS SOUGHT AS AN OPPORTUNY TO ACCUMULATE SAL — THEREFORE, THE CLN OF THE HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIP WAS A LCULATED-MONEY DRIVEN CISN TO PANR A SPECIFIC DIENCE GROUP.WHILST THE MOTIVE WAS FLTY AND SOMEWHAT DOUBTFUL, THE CLN FOR THE RELATNSHIP WAS ALSO TEND FOR EXPERIMENTAL MEANS. THE VELOPERS WANTED TO SEE THE DIENCE’S REACTN TO JUN AND TATSUYA’S RELATNSHIP AND DISVER THEIR PERCEPTNS OF NON-HETEROSEXUALY.PERSONA 2 IS MORE ALIGNED TO THE SMT MALE, PARED TO S SUCCSORS WHO OPTED MORE FOR THE MASTREAM J-POP GENRE. THE SMT MALE IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG TABOO TOPICS; BRGG OUT PHILOSOPHIL, RELIG AND SCIENTIFIC BAT TO THE LIGHT, AND CHALLENGG THE NOTNS OF MORALY. FOR THE VELOPERS WANTG TO BRG OUT THE TABOO OF NON-HETEROSEXUALY TO THE PUBLIC AND OUT THE OPEN, ’S MENDABLE. MOREOVER, THE RELATNSHIP IS HANDLED WH RE. IT WASN’T DONE A FETISHIZG FASHN AND WAS PORTRAYED AS A NTRAL HEALTHY GAY RELATNSHIP.ANNA YOSHIZAKA
- PERSONA 4: GOLN MOD RTOR GAY ROMANCE OPTN
- PERSONA 6 NEEDS A GAY ROMANCE OPTN
GAY OPTN
Eikichi 'Michel' Misha, lear of the a gang of punks om Kasugayama High, known for pantsg gang lears after beatg the hell out of them. The most progrsive JRPG about homosexualy is FFXIII's trilogy, and that a't sayg much.
PERSONA 2 — A CLASSIC JRPG THAT WAS AHEAD OF S TIME WH QUEER REPRENTATND. QURHI·FOLLOW15 M READ·JUN 25, 2019--1LISTENSHAREA LEGENDARY CLASSICTHIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED AND EDED. RECTIFIED MISRMATN.DISCLAIMER: THIS PIECE WILL NTA SOME SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 2, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.CELEBRATG THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE OF PERSONA 2: INNOCENT S, A PRECSOR OF THE LENNIAL PERSONA TL AND THE PREQUEL OF PERSONA 2: ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.PERSONA 2 REMAS TO BE AN UNRRATED CLASSIC JRPG.THE DUOLOGY IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, AS ’S HELD BACK BY S ARCHAIC GAMEPLAY AND GRAPHICS. BUT BE THAT AS MAY, THE GAME STILL HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE AMONG RETROGAMERS’ HEARTS.IT’S THE SHEER PTH OF STORYTELLG AND THEMATIC ECCENTRICY, THAT MAK THE OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC SHE OUT OM MORN DAY RPGS.THE GAME WAS AHEAD OF S TIME WH S MD-BLOWG STORY, WELL-WRTEN ST, AND EP JUNGIAN-PSYCHOLOGIL NARRATIV…AND MOST NOTABLY, FOR S POSIVE REPRENTATN OF QUEER CHARACTERS.PERSONA 2: INNOCENT S PSX VER, PRENTG TATSUYA AND HIS SHADOW SELF LURKG BEHD.QUEER REPRENTATN HAS BEEN A MURKY ROAD THE PERSONA SERI, A MIXTURE OF GOOD AND BAD. THE LATT TLE OF THE SERI, PERSONA 5, IS SUBJECTED TO CRICISM FOR S HOMOPHOBIC PICTURE AND NTRADICTORY NARRATIV.A MUCH NCERN, AS PROV THAT THE SERI HAS REGRSED OVERTIME WH S PORTRAYAL OF MARGALIZED MUNI.THAT SAID, MANY ARE UNAWARE THAT THE PERSONA 2 DUOLOGY HAD TRODUCED POSIVE QUEER REPRENTATN LONG BEFORE S OVERSHADOWG SUCCSORS AND OTHER MASTREAM JRPGS.TH…PERSONA 2 STANDS AS S OWN QUIRKY GEM, THAT FI THE SEXUAL AND GENR EXPECTATNS IMPOSED BY SOCIETY.AUTHENTIC 90’S PSX OPENG TRO SCENE PERSONA 2: INNOCENT SROMANTIC RELATNSHIPSPERSONA 2: INNOCENT S DO NOT NTA THE ADVANCE DATG SIM ELEMENTS AS THE NEWER TL, BUT DO ALLOW PLAYERS TO FORM ROMANTIC RELATNSHIPS WH ST MEMBERS.THE TOUGHT CHOICE THE GAME!!THE PLAYER’S ROMANTIC CHOIC: LISA SILVERMAN, MAYA AMANO, JUN KUROSU AND EIKICHI MISHA. AS WELL AS HAVG THE OPTN TO PURSUE NO ROMANCE “….”.EIKICHI IS NOT A PURSUABLE OPTN…WHICH LEAV LISA, MAYA, AND JUN BEG THE PURSUABLE ROMANC THE GAME.OUT OF THE THREE ROMANC, THE PROTAGONIST N CHOOSE… — A GIRL WHO IS MADLY LOVE WH HIM, MAYA — AN OLR SISTER FIGURE AND JUN — HIS CHILDHOOD BT IEND, JUN IS THE MALE LOVE TERT.IT’S EXTRAORDARY TO KNOW THAT THIS OLD SCHOOL JRPG IS THE ONLY GAME THE SERI TO HAVE A MALE HOMOSEXUAL ROMANCE. BIS, BEG RELEASED AT A TIME WHERE HOMOSEXUALY WAS PERCEIVED MORE OF A TABOO.THE GAME OFFERG PLAYERS TO CHOOSE THEIR SIRED LOVE TERT (REGARDLS OF GENR), AS WELL AS HAVG THE OPTN TO NOT PURSUE ONE, GIV PLAYERS THE GREAT LIBERATN TO EXPRS THEMSELV EELY.PERSONA 2 INNOCENT S MA CAST: YO MAYUZUMI, LISA SILVERMAN, TATSUYA SUOU, MAYA AMANO, EIKICHI MISHA AND JUN KUROSU.WHAT’S MORE IMPRSIVE ABOUT PERSONA 2 IS S REMARKABLE CHARACTER WRG. THE MA ST ARE NOT RCED TO ONE-DIMENSNAL STEREOTYP AND ARE HUMANLY SIGNED; HAVG FLAWS THAT MAKE THEM HUMAN AND NOT WRTEN FOR THE SAKE OF . THE CHARACTERS ALL SHARE EMOTNAL BACKSTORI AND SUFFER OM REALISTIC SECURI, WHICH PLAYERS N RELATE TO.EACH MEMBER EXPRS THEIR PERSONALI WH TE DIVIDUALNS AND ORIGALY — WHICH MAK PERSONA 2 HAVG ONE OF THE MOST LOVABLE ST THE SH MEGAMI TENSEI (SMT) ANCHISE.IN VAR FORMS OF FICTNAL MEDIA, QUEER CHARACTERS ARE OFTEN PRENTED A POOR FASHN EHER TO BE MOCKED AT, ANTAGONIZED OR TOKENIZED. PERSONA 2 NEGAT THIS.PERSONA 2’S NON-HETEROSEXUAL CHARACTERS ARE TREATED WH THE UTMOST RPECT AND DIGNY. THEY ARE NOT FED BY THEIR SEXUALI AND ARE TREATED AS NORMAL HUMAN BEGS.SELECTG JUN AS A ROMANTIC CHOICE: LISA IS SURPRISED BY THE RPONSE AS SHE WAS REJECTED BY A MALE LOVE RIVAL; HER DIALOGUE SIMPLY NVEYS WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR HER TO W THE PROTAGONIST’S AFFECTN. NOHELS, SHE STILL SUPPORTS THE RELATNSHIP AND AIMS TO NTUE HER BATTLE FOR LOVE.TATSUYA SUOUTATSUYA SUOU: A MOTHERF-KG BADASSTATSUYA SUOU N BE NSIRED HIS OWN CHARACTER AS HE HAS A PROPER BACKSTORY AND EXPRS AGENCY THE GAME. HE ALSO APPEARS AS A MAJOR CHARACTER ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.“THAT’S RIGHT…I REMEMBER NOW…A S THAT MT NOT EXIST…HOW DO I ATONE?”- TATSUYA SUOU, PERSONA 2: ETERNAL PUNISHMENTCHILDHOOD TRMA HAS ED TATSUYA TO GROW UP SOCIALLY DISTANT AND WHDRAWN OM PEOPLE. DPE ISOLATG HIMSELF, HE IS VERY POPULAR SCHOOL, DUE TO HIS GOOD LOOKS AND THE LONE-WOLF RA HE EMANAT. TATSUYA IS ALSO REFERRED TO BE A LQUENT AS HE GETS TO A LOT OF FIGHTS (FIGHTS THAT ARE NOT IATED BY HIM), AND TEACHERS QUTNG HIS DIRECTN LIFE… WHICH TATSUYA IS UNCID ABOUT.ALTHOUGH HE PROJECTS A ‘BAD-BOY’ IMAGE, TATSUYA IS ACTUALLY A SHY SOCIALLY-AWKWARD DIVIDUAL, WHO PREFERS TO KEEP TO HIMSELF.THE GAME REVEALS TATSUYA’S PERSONAL SHARE OF TALENTS AND HIS TERTS, SOME OF THEM BEG QUE IDSYNCRATIC. EXAMPL BEG: RIDG MOTORCYCL, PERFORM REALISTIC SOUND IMPRSNS, PLAY THE GUAR, DISCS MANLS, ETC.WHICH PRETTY MUCH MAK HIM A LOVABLE DORK.“CLOSE YOUR EY”ANOTHER ASPECT OF TATSUYA’S INTY IS HIS BISEXUALY, WHICH IS IMPLIED THROUGHOUT THE GAME.THE PSP PORT CLUD SIQUTS, THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS TATSUYA AGREEG SILENTLY.LISA SAYS THIS LE TO ALL THE DIALOGUE CHOIC FOR THE ENDGAME ROMANC, WHICH PROV THAT SHE IS AWARE OF TATSUYA’S ATTRACTN TO BOTH SEX.MOST OF TATSUYA’S IMPLIED BISEXUALY IS RIVED OM PARTY MEMBERS DISCSG HIS RELATNSHIP WH JUN.JUN KUROSUJUN KUROSU: OG JOKER AND FLOWER BOIJUN KUROSU IS ONE OF THE MOST WELL WRTEN HOMOSEXUAL CHARACTERS I HAVE SEEN VIO GAME HISTORY. HE PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE INNOCENT S AND IS A MOR CHARACTER ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.“PEOPLE OFTEN PARE THEIR GOALS TO THE STARS. THEY SHE BRIGHTLY EVEN AFTER THE SUN GO DOWN… FIXED STARS A DARK EXPANSE.”- JUN KUROSU, PERSONA 2: INNOCENT STHE GAME HEAVILY IMPLI THAT JUN HAS ROMANTIC FEELGS FOR TATSUYA AND THAT HE BEARS NO ATTRACTN TO THE OPPOSE SEX.BY APPEARANCE, JUN DO APPEAR TO HAVE A FEME PHYSIQUE, AND ’S OCSNALLY STATED THE GAME THAT HE IS MORE BETIFUL THAN FEMAL…GOG FAR TO SCRIBE HIS BETY THAT OF A GODSS. LISA, A LOVE RIVAL AND CHILDHOOD IEND, HAS EXPRSED HER IENDLY ENVY OF HIS BETY.FLOWERS ARE ONE OF JUN’S KEEN TERTS, AN TERT THAT IS MONLY CLASSED TO BE FEME. HIS LOVE FOR FLOWERS EXPANDS TO HIS ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF THEM, AS WELL AS HAVG THE ABILY TO UNRSTAND THEIR LANGUAGE, HANAKOTOBA (THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS). IN BATTL, JUN N E FLOWERS AS A WEAPON TO STRIKE ENEMI — THK OF HIM AS THE TUXEDO MASK OF PERSONA.THE GAME DON’T RIDICULE HIS FEMY AS WELL AS HIS HOMOSEXUALY. INSTEAD, IS POSIVELY EXPRSED AS JUN EMBRAC HIS FEME MANHOOD WH HIGH RPECT, HE DON’T FEEL ASHAMED OF HIS INTY NOR HIS .HIS CHARACTERIZATN DON’T STOP AT HIS SEXUALY AND APPEARANCE ALONE, GO BEYOND THAT. JUN IS CENTRAL TO THE STORY — BOTH AS AN ANTAGONIST AND AS A HERO.“A MASKED FIGURE MORED TO GRANT ONE’S DREAMS. WHY HE DO THIS, AND WHO HE IS, IS A PLETE MYSTERY.”IN FICTN, IS TE THAT A LOT OF LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS PLAY VILLAO ROL — WHICH N SERVE TO BE MEANG AS THEY ARE MOSTLY PICTED TO BE HYPERSEXUALIZED OR TO BE LGHED AT — BUT FOR JUN ’S DIFFERENT.HIS SEXUALY IS NOT VILLAIZED, AND HIS ROLE AS THE ANTAGONISTIC JOKER IS ‘POSIVELY’ IMPACTFUL AND ENGAGG. JOKER IS THEATRIL, TELLIGENT, CHARISMATIC AND TIMIDATG — ATTRIBUT THAT MAKE HIM A WELL-SIGNED BADDIE.IT IS MORED THAT THE JOKER N ANSWER WISH SUBMTED TO HIM BY A PHONE LL. HOWEVER, IF THE PERSON WHO SUMMONS THEM DON’T HAVE A WISH ON THEIR HEARTS, JOKER STEAD CLAIMS THE DREAMS OF HIS VICTIMS, AND RC THEM TO SHADOWS OF THEIR FORMER SELV. THE JOKER TENDS TO LEAVE BEHD FLOWERS AS A REMR TO HIS VICTIMS OF THE SS THEY’VE MTED — EXTRACTED OM MEGAMI TENSEI WIKIJOKER’S MENACG APPEARANCE THE PSX OPENG TRO OF PERSONA 2: INNOCENT SAS HIS OWN SELF, JUN IS A LM YOUNG MAN WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF ROLVE. HE SEEKS THE BETTERMENT OF HUMANY AND ASPIR TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. EVEN MORE SO, JUN PUT OTHERS BEFORE HIMSELF, AS HE IS WILLG TO PROTECT PEOPLE.THE GAME HIGHLIGHTS THAT JUN WAS AN EASY TARGET OF BULLYG DUE TO HIS FEME MANNERISM AND APPEARANCE. WH THAT BEG SAID, JUN HAS ALWAYS STOOD UP FOR HIMSELF, AND SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE A FORCE TO NOT BE RECKONED WH — FURTHER SUPPORTS HOW URAGEO HE IS.JT LIKE TATSUYA, JUN GOT LABELED AS A LQUENT BEE OF THE MANY FIGHTS HE WAS VOLVED . HOWEVER, DON’T NECSARILY MEAN HE BEHAV LIKE ONE. IN FACT, HE IS THE PLETE OPPOSE.MATCHG SIARNS TO TATSUYA, JUN IS A SHY TROVERTED YOUNG MAN, WHO HAS AN ARRAY OF HOBBI AND TALENTS; HANAKOTOBA BEG ONE OF THEM AND HOROSPE READG BEG THE OTHER.EIKICHI’S BAND GAS CHAMBER: EIKICHI AS THE LEAD VOLIST, TATSUYA ON THE BASS AND JUN PLAYG THE ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD, SHOWSG THEIR MIL TALENT.JUN ALSO EXCELS AMIA, HAVG A BRIGHT SCIENTIFIC AND VENTIVE MD, DITG THAT JOKER’S TELLIGENCE IS RIVED OM JUN’S OWN TELLECT. WHEN THE SUATN FS, JUN N ALSO PULL ACTS AND MANIPULATE PEOPLE TO GIVE TO HIS MANDS, EHER PERSUAD BY HIS BETY OR BY HIS MEEK ACTG (A HANDY QUIRK THAT N AID HIM AND HIS IENDS BATTL). OVERALL, JUN R ABOUT PEOPLE EP DOWN AND SEEKS TO FIGHT JTICE, ABIDG BY HIS OWN MORAL TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT.IN A WAY, JUN’S CHARACTERIZATN EXCEEDS SIMPLICY. HE HAS A PLEX BACKSTORY, ONE THAT IS RATHER TRAGIC AND HAS SHOWN TO HAVE QUALI THAT DON’T NFE TO HIS ORIENTATN. HE IS A POSIVE DISPLAY OF A HOMOSEXUAL CHARACTER AND AS A PERSON.UNED DATA FIL HAVE SUGGTED THAT JUN WAS GOG TO BE THE PROTAGONIST OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, THE IA IS PRETTY REVOLUTNARY NSIRG PERSONA 2 ULD HAVE HAD THE WORLD’S FIRST GAY JRPG PROTAGONIST.TATSUYA SUOU AND JUN KUROSU’S RELATNSHIPCHARACTERS AND MONS HAVE NOTED THAT TATSUYA’S RELATNSHIP WH JUN IS MORE THAN “JT IENDS”.MAYA WAS AWARE OF THEIR STRONG BOND SCE THEY WERE CHILDREN.AT ONE POT THE GAME, MAYA CLAIMS THAT TATSUYA AND JUN ARE THEIR DOPPELGANGERS, THE TWO MIRROR EACH OTHER — BEG LIKE EACH OTHER SHADOWS.MAYA RECED FRANZ SCHUBERT’S SONG “DER DOPPELGäNGER” (1828):“THE NIGHT IS STILL, THE STREETS ARE QUIET.IN THIS HOE LIVED MY LOVE.SHE LEFT THE TOWN LONG BEFORE,YET HER HOE STILL STANDS THE SAME PLACE.THERE I ALSO SEE A MAN STANDG,STARG TO THE HEAVENS,WRGG HIS HANDS VLENT GRIEF.I SHUDR AS I BEHOLD HIS FACETHE MOON REVEALS TO ME MY OWN LIKENS.YOU DOPPELGANGER, YOU PALE PANN.WHY DO YOU MIMIC MY LOVICKNS,THAT TORMENTED ME AT THIS PLACE,FOR SO MANY NIGHTS THE PAST?”DENSTCTG SYMBOLILLY, THIS N BE SCRIBED AS:TATSUYA’S OTHER-SELF BEG JUN, AND JUN’S OTHER-SELF BEG TATSUYA. ONE NNOT LET GO OF THE OTHER-SELF, AS THEIR SELV ARE PART OF THEM…AS THEY ARE PART OF EACH OTHER.JUN MENTS ON THE TREASUR THAT HE AND TATSUYA EXCHANGED WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.“TATSUYA AND JUN’S EXCLIVE PERSONAS ARE REPRENTATIVE OF THE EXCHANGE OF THEIR “TREASUR” AS CHILDREN”- MEGAMI TENSEI WIKI, VALN AND CRONOSTHE MALE OF SMT’S STYLE OF DEMON NEGOTIATNS DO FLUENCE TO PERSONA 2’S GAMEPLAY, THEY ARE LLED “CONTACT”.WHETHER BE “BT FRIENDS.” OR “…LOVERS?”, JUN AND TATSUYA’S NTACT BATN REMAS EXACT. THEIR NTACT TERACTN VOLV BOTH MAL BEHAVG AFFECTNATELY TO ONE ANOTHER. DEMONS HAVE AMG AND TERTG REACTNS TO TATSUYA AND JUN’S NTACT BATN:SOME ARE TERRIFIEDSOME ARE OFFENDSOME FD FUNNYSOME ARE CURAND THERE ARE THOSE WHO SUPPORT TATSUYA AND JUN BEG ON THE VER OF “THE ERRORS OF THEIR YOUTH” AUD TRACKIN TERVIEWS, KAZUMA KANEKO (CO-CREATOR AND ART DIRECTOR OF PERSONA 2) AND SATOMI TADASHI (MA WRER OF PERSONA 2) HAS SHOWN SUPPORT FOR TATSUYA AND JUN’S RELATNSHIP. KANEKO BELIEV THAT THEIR ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP IS THE MOST PROBABLE THE GAME.THE REASONG FOR WHY THE VELOPERS WANTED TO TRODUCE JUN’S CHARACTER AND HOMOSEXUALY TO THE GAME IS A PLITED ONE. ATL (THE GAME’S PANY), WANTED TO SEE IF THEY ULD APPEAL TO JAPAN’S YAOI FANBASE, A MUNY (MOSTLY PROMISED OF YOUNG FEMAL), THAT DULG AND VALU HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS BETWEEN FICTNAL MEN. AS YAOI DURG THE 90S WAS A GROWG MARKET, THE VELOPERS SOUGHT AS AN OPPORTUNY TO ACCUMULATE SAL — THEREFORE, THE CLN OF THE HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIP WAS A LCULATED-MONEY DRIVEN CISN TO PANR A SPECIFIC DIENCE GROUP.WHILST THE MOTIVE WAS FLTY AND SOMEWHAT DOUBTFUL, THE CLN FOR THE RELATNSHIP WAS ALSO TEND FOR EXPERIMENTAL MEANS. THE VELOPERS WANTED TO SEE THE DIENCE’S REACTN TO JUN AND TATSUYA’S RELATNSHIP AND DISVER THEIR PERCEPTNS OF NON-HETEROSEXUALY.PERSONA 2 IS MORE ALIGNED TO THE SMT MALE, PARED TO S SUCCSORS WHO OPTED MORE FOR THE MASTREAM J-POP GENRE. THE SMT MALE IS KNOWN FOR ADDRSG TABOO TOPICS; BRGG OUT PHILOSOPHIL, RELIG AND SCIENTIFIC BAT TO THE LIGHT, AND CHALLENGG THE NOTNS OF MORALY. FOR THE VELOPERS WANTG TO BRG OUT THE TABOO OF NON-HETEROSEXUALY TO THE PUBLIC AND OUT THE OPEN, ’S MENDABLE. MOREOVER, THE RELATNSHIP IS HANDLED WH RE. IT WASN’T DONE A FETISHIZG FASHN AND WAS PORTRAYED AS A NTRAL HEALTHY GAY RELATNSHIP.ANNA YOSHIZAKA
I try not to get too worked up about this stuff, pecially om Japan, but the gay dus P5 that show up a few tim are... It's pretty typil as far as Japane gay reprentatn go, where 's all super over-the-top and jokey, and everyone is terrified of them.
PERSONA 4: GOLN MOD RTOR GAY ROMANCE OPTN
They need to first move away om the endls teasg through subtext, and the damagg stereotyp heaped onto most actually nfirmed gay characters. P5 has much fewer stanc of , but P4 has a equently homophobic toxic-masculy riddled secure fuck boy bt iend character, who pretty much never gets lled out and 's jt awful. For Japane gam where beg gay is not jt an optn but the game self is themed on , see the vio game sectns of Yuri Genre (for lbians) and Yaoi Genre (for gay mal).
PERSONA 6 NEEDS A GAY ROMANCE OPTN
In Kraken Amy!!, of the three mic club members you n take out on a date, Vladimir serv as the gay optn. Had a gay optn as a Non Standard Game Over: If you ed Larry's fly on Gary the flamboyantly gay towel attendant or gave him the key to Larry's room, you were treated to a game over screen featurg the two walkg hand hand to the sunset. It's Downplayed eher se sce all the game's romantic arcs more or ls fizzle out by the end, but 's neverthels an tertg versn of the ual suatn where the Straight Optn receiv a lot of foc and the Gay Optn is more hidn away.
In Bahamut Lagoon, pendg on the optns you pick, the Heroic Mime n eher be terted the prcs (who ends up leavg him for someone else halfway through the game anyway), or his old gay mentor, a rpected war general and urt sorcerer.