Unused Akechi Mementos request - Persona 5 Royal

[@FazPersona]

A few months ago, Pan-Hime found text for an unused mementos request, last night I played around with the mod menu and found out the quest is 90% playable! What are your thoughts on this Akechi mementos request? I can see why it was cut as it can be a bit confusing for some.

[@touchgrass3379]

Cool.

[@Shilvanicdow]

That so cool but to bad its not in the game

[@marjbon5008]

I didn't really find it confusing I actually really liked it, wish it was included.

[@eclecticspaghetti]

Would it be possible for you to show the fight itself? I know it doesn’t actually work for the whole quest, but some of those third semester mementos shadows are quite fun, I’d like to see it.

[@FazPersona]

@@eclecticspaghetti I showed all the battle dialogue in the video! That’s all there is, if I included the fight the video would be even longer. But of you really want it I can upload it unlisted and send you the link

[@acemusic_va]

What’s so interesting is that there’s nothing inherently wrong with Akechi getting them to do this request; they’re actually exposing a multitude of crimes by changing this guy’s heart. The PT are just mad that they got their ideals smacked in the face, and Ryuji’s even an asshole about it when there’s obviously so many parallels between Akechi’s story and Toji’s. Man’s trying his absolute best and he ain’t even getting thanks for it

[@CrystAAHHL]

Akechi literally kills my insides with how much he inadvertently says he hates himself and what he's become countless times.. It hurts more that he is sitting in 3rd semester knowing he most likely is a dead man walking the whole time and thinking he is absolutely not worth shit. Yet he doesn't want this man to have his outcome and *still* thinks he is irredeemable at the end of it all.. Even if this request needs fine-tuning, it's very much in his character and a part of me hates seeing more self-hatred evidence because I'm W E A K T O T R A G E D Y 😭 Thank you Faz 😭

[@FazPersona]

I agree, I wished this was in the game with some fine tuning indeed :/

[@marty_elise]

Honestly, I would have also loved to see Akechi's palace (they found cut content for it in Vanilla P5 iirc), it would have been heartwrenching but also probably would have offered him a beautiful character arc

[@CrescentUmbreon]

T^T As I said elsewhere here, this mission and even Akechi's warning just make me like him more, haha!

[@alleycat2297]

@@marty_elise Akechi having a palace would have been terrible and imo would ruin his character. I don't think it fits him to have a palace, and if he changed because a change of heart was forced on him, as opposed to taking control of his own circumstances, I don't think he would ever forgive Joker. It completely goes against his wishes. Not only that, but it would not feel like a deserved or earned "redemption" for lack of a better term. He cannot be redeemed, what he needs is to accept and be accepted, despite everything that he has done.

[@eclecticspaghetti]

@@marty_elise I am 90% sure that cut content was from an earlier period in development when Akechi had the role of Sae. The Akechi we know was likely never intended to have a Palace.

[@yourfriendjase]

“To make up for it, please take this” Obtained Demonic Decree POG

[@vlombardo3982]

The story of this Toji guy feels like a weird fusion between Akira and Akechi. Honor student whose mom killed herself thanks to a politician (who is his father), and was accused of a crime he didn't commit. Then turns out he was trying to get revenge on said politician who was his father. Hmmmm

[@AverageEggmonEnthusiast]

I was going to comment this but you beat me too it. I really like that aspect of it.

[@BLazeWigglytuff]

I felt the same way about the similarities

[@kewadee490]

Akechi and Ren lost son

[@Hat_Cola]

It’s a damn shame this wasn’t put in the game, seeing how it was basically finished. Genuinely a super interesting quest

[@carlosluna-fo6sw]

Hopefully we will be getting it anx other unused things in the PC version. Persona 5 the Royal Flush (working title)

[@TheGreatBackUpVIDEOS]

@@carlosluna-fo6sw I don't think we got it, did we?

[@Angie-ji7be]

Damn. It's actually amazing how this quest tries to tie-in both Akechi and Akiren's pasts, and then turn it into a lesson from Akechi about how victims can become perpetrators themsleves. It's indeed a valuable lesson that the PT's have often overlooked in the past, but it's also Akechi deliberately pushing people away. I can see that this quest could use a bit more fine-tuning in its execution, but the premise is brilliant. It's such a shame it couldn't make it into Royal.

[@stageoflight]

i wonder if the whole, father pinning crimes on son thing reminded akechi of ... akechi?

[@idea4965]

Also what he said at the end also has to do with him. Not everyone is the hero of his own story. Both Shido and Akechi did horrible things and must be punished.

[@bigboibebop]

Akechi: giving a genuine lesson about how not everyone playing the victim card is going to be the “paragon of virtue” the phantom thieves wish them to be The phantom thieves for no reason: *YOU BASTARD*

[@jackflynn412]

Ryuji sees everything in black and white. He literally can't see gray.

[@False_Refracted]

Which is the complete opposite of Akechi's view of morals which is basically exclusively shades of grey. (Barring Shido whom he had a blinding hatred for)

[@cthulhuhoops]

He doesn't deserve to waste his time on them and YET

[@melonsauce1474]

@@cthulhuhoops Sorry I'm not understanding?

[@AmirysMewen]

In the phantom thieves defence akechi not telling them the truth was a dick move

[@ColossalRay]

Akechi basically said "I hate myself and so should you" in the group chat oh honey

[@andys2801]

Man they made a whole request that we can actually do but decided to scrap it. Man Atlus really didn’t want to make royal 1000 hours long

[@alleycat2297]

i wouldnt have complained skjfs

[@Short..]

Ffs and it’s the ONLY request I woulda actually not mind playing it because akechi is the only one with a brain

[@jackflynn412]

@@Short.. And it ties into how he views the world and implies he is self-aware that he isn't a hero himself just because he's a victim which I always loved about his character. It was great seeing this further insight and of how he tries to teach the group a geniune lesson that life isn't black and white but often gray.

[@mikebliss3153]

I would play a P5R that was 1000 hours long. Multiple times.

[@PandorasExecutioner]

When akechi said "not everyone gets to be the hero of their own story," i really felt how he was talking about himself. 😭 and it also made me think of Robin Hood and how he'd like to be a hero but as a young detective he knows life is complex. But complexity doesnt mean we cant still love him unconditionally. 😭

[@naos8116]

Robin Hood is likely a part of him that still seeked some sort of heroic justice. A childish fantasy perhaps. I always saw Robin Hood as possibly being Akechi's initial persona.

[@jj_grabes]

And the worst part about all of this? Akechi’s knowledge about his fate keeps him from doing just that. It’s because he’s aware that once Maruki’s heart is changed, he won’t be around, so he doesn’t see a point in trying to repair his relationship with the protagonist or the other Thieves. Not saying I agree with this outlook, just something interesting I thought of.

[@thetypicallifeofcousins2703]

This entire quest is just Akechi trying to stop someone from turning out like himself. He’s trying to save someone. STOP KILLING MY SOUL AKECHI

[@zobozo5059]

HES KILLING MY SOUL TOO

[@rebekahwolkiewicz449]

How so? How is he warning them? How is he trying to stop them from turning out like him?

[@Makoto_Akechi]

He killed my soul...

[@bandage-wasting-machine533]

@@rebekahwolkiewicz449 They're talking about the kid trying to get revenge on his dad Like Akechi did

[@hasinhalim8280]

As if the kid is actually a combination of him, and ren for the circumstances i mean

[@darthrevank9564]

I dont know after watching it honestly I'd wished they kept that quest In his final moments he chose to teach the one last lessons he had for the phantom thieves showing them that there arent always just victims in life and they ought to be careful when triggering a change of hearts and it would have made me love Akechi more Where people would see manipulation I actually can see it as Akechi's twisted way of thanking the phantom thieves for keeping their promises of taking care of Shido This is just my opinion

[@sergiosalazar8702]

That’s why I love Akechi 😔

[@josetomascamposrobledano4618]

B R U H. It starts as a parallel to Joker and turns into a diet situation of Akechi’s revenge. Only reason I think this got scrapped is because it seemed to take too much time in-game with too many steps. Only mementos request that’s that time consuming would the Tower confidant’s invincible enemy. So from a Dev point of view, they probably wanted for newbies to spend more time with unmaxed confidants and make the Sumi confidant easy to reach rather than worrying about mementos. That idol request and the bad brother weren’t half as good as this request.

[@scrapzarchive]

They could have also extended maruki's deadline to compensate for the request

[@ChainedThoughts]

I know this is unfinished but holy goddamn, if it was completely fine tuned and polished, this would have been the saddest quest to do because it involves Akechi. I know that he's not perfect and I know that what he did cannot be forgiven but it's sad that they don't give him the chance to redeem himself. This one quest not only showcases his amazing deduction skills but it also shows a different perspective on what happens when the Phantom Thieves blindly change people's heart. Akechi has a point. The fact that they blindly believe in the "victim" without looking at all the facts is definitely how they've been doing most of their Phantom quests. Not everyone is the victim just because they say they are the victim. Sometimes, people play the victim card because it's easier to get what they want that way. However, I really love how it's Akechi giving them one last piece of advice knowing that he's going to die. Akechi must have not only saw himself in this quest but also Joker and in a way, I think it's a subtle nod to their bond. Overall, I can understand why this is an unused content. There is still work that needs to be done on it and I would have much preferred a finished version than this one as it still needs to be tweaked a bit more. The concept is there but the execution is still lacking in some parts.

[@jj_grabes]

Akechi himself doesn’t want to redeem himself because he’s under the assumption he’s already a dead man, which is absolutely gut-wrenching.

[@ChainedThoughts]

@@jj_grabes This hurts my soul. ;A;

[@crowthewicked8344]

To be fair, its easy to know whose telling the truth when their shadow admits it. (Barring Futaba, but that case is more complicated)

[@sophiagonzales8974]

@@jj_grabes Honestly he already knew he's dead I don't generally think he's alive he generally knows he's supposed to be dead

[@noabinnendijk361]

It's weird to me that everyone is so amazed by the Grey in this quest. You're right that not everyone who plays the victim card is the victim... But the one playing the victim card definitely was the victim in this case, too. The Phantom Thieves changing a distorted heart led to only good things, just like always. It doesn't teach them anything about maybe being careful which requests you take--THAT is a storyline I would like to see, where changing someone's heart leads them to being hurt and the even worse offender going free.

[@Xiaolruc]

Honestly, I think this request storyline is a good contrast for how every other request is basically 'black and white'. The world is made up of far more shades of grey.

[@Ladyluckdoubtable]

The only other one that goes there is the cat lady one. Her actions were irresponsible and unfair, but her motivation was misguided kindness and grief (which was some nice subtle foreshadowing for Maruki, come to think of it). The rest of them were entirely people who had been corrupted by power or aggression or greed.

[@zobozo5059]

Right, and the way it all parallels Akechi too. Akechi isn't a black or white character, he's a very morally gray character. He isn't this innocent person but he's not evil either

[@__-uk3qx]

Every request in the Maruki’s reality is like that, they were cool

[@zobozo5059]

@@__-uk3qx Yeah we should of got more requests like this...

[@__-uk3qx]

@@zobozo5059 like the one that hate his sibling but also love her but also hate her, it was good, because it can be real

[@konjiki8203]

Let’s see, a mementos quest from Akechi that not only showcases his true detective skills, which could ironically have given him more fame than what Shido brought out, but also brings up an important life lesson. Why is this not in?!

[@alleycat2297]

RIGHT? The manga actually does a very good job of showcasing the fact that he did actually help people and solve multiple cases, that he was actually very adept at his job even outside of the falsified cases he took care of for Shido. The anime too, but we never got a chance to see that so much in-game and this would have been the Perfect set-up for it. Royal is a long game as it is, they didn't have to cut it. Also, so many Mementos requests are boring as fuck. This was actually really interesting so it makes me mad that they took this out but kept quests like "fighting a video game cheater" lol.

[@konjiki8203]

@@alleycat2297 Just to be clear, you are talking about the Mementos Mission manga, correct?

[@alleycat2297]

@@konjiki8203 Yes yes

[@zobozo5059]

Also the way this all parallels with Akechi...you can tell Akechi wanted to help this guy out because hes sympathizing with him since he's in a very similar situation... It shows a lot about Akechis character and I don't understand why this was taken out. Also like said above, these mementos requests being boring as fuck and this one was actually rather interesting

[@stairmasternem]

That’s like three times as much text as a usual request gets.

[@Lysuko]

maybe thats why they cut it? they thought it was too bloated, i wish they didnt cut it tho

[@jokerfever2590]

@@Lysuko i think maybe they cut it because this quest is a bit long if you take into consideration how little time you have to complete the 3 semester (third tier personas, marukis palace, sumire confident, the new mementos)

[@Lysuko]

@@jokerfever2590 thats what i meant although thats quite a shame because this would definitely be the best mementos request in the game if they left it in

[@jokerfever2590]

@@Lysuko true

[@CrescentUmbreon]

My 3rd semester was so empty though....would have really appreciated this :/

[@tomatuteee]

morgana, believing in humanity is different from blind trust on people.

[@-xxphantomsnipsxx-9106]

Interesting, this mementos request was akechi's way of letting the squad know not everything is so black and white and sometimes there is no ultimately righteous way that things can come to an end. In a way it does seem a bit confusing to follow so I can them taking it out for that reason, but I still wish they would've added it...felt like a request that coonnected more to akechi's truth/ideals....just would've been cool to be reminded that "hey sketchy akechi's here and wants you to feel the salt" lmao

[@archivist_13]

I love that Akechi tries to teach them not to be too trusting because when you think about it if it hadn't been for his slip up Ren would likely be dead

[@blutarchmann9070]

#1: the side quest IS rather unfinished, with how Futaba went Ali-Baba for a bit and, obviously, the mission brief isn't voiced #2: Akechi is actually a nice guy for once and this is still in character for him. That's cool

[@tristanraine]

Akechi also shows the fact that everyone isn't innocent and is on the wrong side of justice, the reason is that people will have grey areas, like Akechi himself.

[@IceQueen975]

This should not have been cut. Not only does it tie back to the original start of the whole game (Akira being falsely accused) but it shows Akechi IS a legit detective. The Western fandom seems to have the impression that because the mental breakdown cases were orchestrated by Shido, Akechi isn't a detective. Wtf do you think he does outside of those cases?! How do you think he got Shido's attention int he first place? Akechi IS a legit detective and clearly a good one at that. Now, is he really the "2nd Coming of the Detective Prince" can be debated. But he is a detective. A good one. This is not debatable.

[@Her_Imperious_Condescension]

He's a really good detective in PQ2.

[@sophiagonzales8974]

I just think if he wasn't too tied with the idea of chasing Shido and getting revenge he would've been alive and happy continuing his detective carreer.

[@noabinnendijk361]

Didn't he canonically offer his services to Shido himself? Not as a Detective, but as someone with power over the cognitive world.

[@sophiagonzales8974]

@@noabinnendijk361 Yeah I believe he became a detective some point after working with Shido

[@Sasha-ph9uv]

He litterally said that he got his detective reputation by using other person through mental breakdown to commit a crime and then come in public to solved them. It's perfectly valid to think he was a sham as a detective at that point

[@Batmunk664]

I love Ryuji trying to get Akechi involved in the group chat. Even Sumi says something. Too bad Akechi hates himself.

[@gegek3955]

Am I crying over a mementos request? I am crying over a mementos request

[@justanotherpxrson]

Why the hell is this unused? Its so good. It shows more of akechi's true personality I feel like. Sad, but well done.

[@Ladyluckdoubtable]

OH WOW. I really wish they'd left this in here. The parallels between the case (the father issues, the deceased mother who died by suicide) with Akechi's backstory, not to mention a demonstration of both how Akechi never quite integrated with the group and that he's a LOT less trusting and more cynical than the rest of them, and that he's still weirdly honest about it, would have been awesome to have in the game. I always wondered why he never got to make a Mementos request while nearly everyone else does, and like so much else going on with him, it's complicated and shades-of-grey and heavy, which suits him. Like the son in the case, and even the father, Akechi is both a victim and a perpetrator. I also LOVED that Royal gave us cases that weren't entirely one sided and allowed for something more than "corrupted hearts do evil things." Like the cat lady one, whose motivation wasn't to harm, but due to her own grief. Really wish they'd left this in.

[@__-uk3qx]

Nothing wrong with been honest about it, the PT already knew how Akechi is

[@frisolaxod3835]

Awww this would’ve been great! It’s such a good mementos quest and I like that Akechi did this with all the intent to teach the PTs their own flaws, and what better way to do it by using a parallel of his own situation. I think that he probably searched for someone who had a similar background as him to be honest. Though it’s a shame that this never got into the game. More Akechi content is always golden.

[@alleycat2297]

"this is a teachable moment"

[@ma.2089]

I really like all this cut content and it’s a damn shame so much of it didn’t come to fruition.

[@KirbyChan]

I'm so sad that so much cut content is about Akechi. It needs some revisions, but I think this would have been a great request. And just seeing how it relates to Akechi makes my heart hurt.

[@tomasaguero1041]

This is actually the most complex and amazing request in the whole game omg

[@worthlessbaka7872]

Definitely wish this was in the game. I think it was a nice thing Akechi did to make the group realize "hey wake up, not everything is clearly black and White and just bc someone looks innocent doesn't mean they're innocent." Kinda hard to follow; but i wouldn't have mind if it was in the game definitely.

[@Grima-su6os]

I wonder why it didn't make it. Not only would this have been a rather nice wake-up call for everyone that there's more than just 'oh, we gotta change the heart of this guy to free the other who isn't to be blamed'. Because Akechi is right, not everyone is the hero of their own story and Akechi himself painfully knows how his own story ended. But this also seemed like one last lesson he wanted everyone to have before he simply truly stayed dead due to the end of the fake reality. Was it because it didn't fit the game's time? Aka not enough time in-game to implement it correctly?

[@Her_Imperious_Condescension]

Probably because it was such a long request. Like, four times more text than normal mementos requests get.

[@ShadowdaHedgie11]

...I can understand why this was dropped. During this time it's supposed to be a quote-unquote 'Perfect World'. And... I dunno if this would exactly fit in with that perfect world. Then again I guess any/most Mementos missions you've received but haven't done by the third semseter can still be done, but still.

[@JasonToddsThighs]

Well remember, they did explain that the reason they were still getting Mementos requests anyway was because Maruki was rewriting everyone's cognition individually through Mementos. He hasn't gotten to EVERY single citizen just yet.

[@gonzalorosciolesi6502]

I mean, there are other requests that some characters give you in the perfect world. And the requests you haven't completed yet are there too

[@ShadowdaHedgie11]

@@gonzalorosciolesi6502 Yeah, but I'm saying that it doesn't really make sense for there to be problems like that in Maruki's 'perfect world'.

[@gonzalorosciolesi6502]

@@ShadowdaHedgie11 The thing is that Maruki is allmighty, but not omniscient. He can alter reality but if he doesn't know what your wish is, how can he achieve it? He is basically kind of "scanning" every single person in Mementos. That's why his influence is probably only limited to Japan, at least for all the third semester

[@satananal4395]

Worth considering that every Mementos request you get during the third semester concerns some sort of problem that doesn't have an easy solution. Maruki was able to easily rewrite peoples' lives to be "better" when there was a clear alternative, but in the morally grey he doesn't quite know what to do. This one fits in nicely with the others in that they demonstrate that Maruki isn't perfect and that the new reality isn't either.

[@winterbonnie_8]

First seeing Akechi's comments: Why does this sound like Joker? Akechi: Perhaps you can sympathize... Me: ohhhhhhh

[@marjbon5008]

It sounded like Joker at first and Akechi near the end tbh

[@AverageEggmonEnthusiast]

@@marjbon5008 they are two sides of the same coin after all :)

[@zobozo5059]

@@AverageEggmonEnthusiast Right...I think its supposed to be a weird parallel to both of them in a way

[@superluigifanful]

Akechi being the best character yet again. Also this definitely would have been the best and most interesting mementos request kinda disappointed it was scrapped

[@Makoto_Akechi]

I really wish they applied this in game. It would've been totally amazing.

[@phillemon7664]

When Royal comes to PC one day someone needs to add all the removed shit.

[@FazPersona]

I'm actually doing that twitter.com/ScrambledFaz/status/1350870043865870343?s=20

[@phillemon7664]

@@FazPersona Ooo I'll be watching this from now on, thank you for undertaking this honorable task.

[@jj_grabes]

Okay, when Akechi brought up that the only thing that got stolen from this kid was a teddy bear, I instantly knew that something was up. It’s a shame this wasn’t in the game. I think it’s a really cool request that draws parallels between Ren and Akechi’s stories simultaneously.

[@nutg0bbler]

ryuji was so outta pocket lmao. group chat: this kids moms death was listed as a suicide! how awful! what a terrible life for someone so young... ryuji: HEY AKECHI YEAH U THE ORPHAN CHILD WHOS MOM COMMITED SUICIDE! got anything to say?

[@harshinigorijala3765]

everyone's saying the same thing but i wish p5r had more quests like these - quests that are morally gray and make us as players think a bit more about justice and society. the game would be even more interesting than it already is

[@bruh.moments1984]

unused akechi romance route

[@wazittuya4092]

I just wish someone make a mod version of this game where they add all these unused dialogue/event/content, it'll be one hella long game, i would love to get the mod, even if i have to use jailbreak on my ps4

[@FazPersona]

If only... kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5bSeHp_l7mabJY

[@tristanraine]

@@FazPersona if only this wasn't forgotten about 😉

[@cavatica11]

This is such a good quest that I wish made the cut. Not only does it act as a good foil for both Akechi and Joker's stoylines, but it also shows that not everything is black and white. The outcome isn't even bad per se, so it's not like they shouldn't have changed the dude's heart, but the outcome isn't as cut and dry. A good lesson to learn in the third semester, and honestly a good lesson for Strikers as well.

[@NeroV1L3]

I think it was cut due to the ending, maybe they thought people would be annoyed that they basically wasted their time, but i think it's really cool and interesting and gives an important message that just because someone seems like they're a victim doesn't mean they are one

[@zobozo5059]

I mean the guy was still a victim, but that doesn't mean he's completely innocent either. The world isn't so black and white. Just like Akechis character. A shame this didn't make it in

[@thebluerage03]

I really find it interesting how at the beginning, the story of Toji mirrors Ren. But as more details are filled in, it slowly moves more towards mirroring Akechi

[@ChrisLuigiTails]

It's basically both Joker's and Akechi's stories together

[@SuperFusionAJ93]

Ryuji: Goddammit! What kinda asshole dump all his crime on his own son to put him in jail...?! Me: Eddy Gordo’s Dad.

[@MistyShnekin]

tHIS IS MY FAVORITE MEMENTOS REQUEST AND IT'S NOT EVEN PLAYABLE I- THAT'S SO FREAKING GOOD OH MY GOD They probably removed it to prevent the player from getting overwhelmed in the limited time, but...oh my god... I want it added back...

[@EdoNinjaZ]

Honestly, due to how depth this was, if this were to be included in Royal, it would’ve been longer which I personally would’ve been okay with. I wish the 3rd semester would’ve been longer so not only they develop of Maruki’s palace but basically the wake up call Akechi wanted to convey among the phantom thieves. A double depth would have not been so bad before they set off ending their journey as the phantom thieves.

[@itsalsorowan]

while akechi's "wake-up call" is appreciated, he *did* set them up to think the guy was a victim then again, akechi setting up other people and then blaming them for this? nothing new under the sun

[@XxStrugglerxX]

That's the thing. You never know if someone's lying in a mementos request. An example would be someone saying their partner often cheats on them,but they omit the fact they are violent against said partner. The Phantom Thieves would basically be changing the heart of one of them,while leaving the other untouched. Plus,there's the whole debate about the Change of Heart being unethical and all that.

[@MaxNMotion]

@@XxStrugglerxX True, but the thing that prevents that is they can't change someone's heart if they don't have a shadow in mementos or a palace. So in that way, they're kept in a state where they are typically always justified in their targets. They can't just make anyone go psychotic like Akechi can.

[@XxStrugglerxX]

@@MaxNMotion Well,yeah,but that's the thing;what if the two people(the one whose heart they have to change and the one who made the request)are both shitty? What if neither of them is the "victim"? That's what Akechi is trying to say; the Phantom Thieves shouldn't trust people so easily. Also,as I said before,I don't consider the change of heart ethical nor really fair to the criminals' victims. They're basically brainwashing people. The person whose heart has been changed it's not same person as before;they actually want to redeem themselves,to pay for their crimes. I believe people like Kamoshida and such should pay for their crimes as they are, without a change of heart,so they can actually face the consequences.

[@MaxNMotion]

@@XxStrugglerxX In that case, they might've just thought to change both of their hearts. They've taken over like 50 different hearts throughout all their palaces and mementos requests, so I don't think they're unwilling to enact one in both people if it's for the greater good. If they were unsure they would just do further investigation to understand both sides better--which is precisely what happens in most cases (ex. they think Boss might be abusing a girl named Futaba, but they choose not to assume the worst yet and decide to get more information on him). And they show they can solve problems without changing hearts--Makoto stops Tsukasa and Eiko's bad relationship, Ann confronts Mika, the whole group proves Joker's innocence and gets him outta jail. Don't misunderstand me; I agree with you. Akechi is partially right but it says a lot about him because his real reason is to satiate his ego and prove to them that he's right. In this regard, he's can be just as childish. Which is great storytelling! Wished it stayed in the game.

[@XxStrugglerxX]

@@MaxNMotion Oh,no,don't get me wrong,I'm just saying sometimes it's possible we don't know the whole truth about Mementos requests. Also,yes,Akechi is doing this partially cuz of his ego(which I love,btw;there's characters that don't need to be "redeemed" and he's one of them),partially cuz he actually wants them to understand and partially because he doesn't believe in the change of heart (This isn't just his detective prince persona,but also what he actually believes. During one unused awakening scene in Jazz Jin,he says that he despises the idea of "forcefully changing a person's heart.")

[@darryljack6612]

Atlus: Should we give them more depth of this character they enjoy? Also Atlus: Nah lets just give them random side quests.

[@harrygillespiex]

This is one of the coolest requests in the game; it’s a shame that it was removed.

[@ashrimp4505]

Why does the good stuff always get removed

[@fatburdo]

My boy really hates himself huh

[@alleycat2297]

morgana don't call him "our detective" oh no here come the tears

[@Aluminiaum]

This should've been in the game The 3rd semester should've been longer imo

[@alleycat2297]

for the price i paid for it honestly it damn well shouldve been lmao

[@eclecticspaghetti]

Ok, sure, it's easy to say that, but, like... how. This arc is basically perfectly self-contained, Maruki's palace is already pretty damn long, and there's no real place to add anything more to this without dragging it out, and if they had done that, people would have complained about Royal's new content being all padding, don't lie.

[@alleycat2297]

@@eclecticspaghetti I don't mind that it isn't in the game, frankly I'm just hungry for more Akechi content. Even though it hurts me.

[@zobozo5059]

I agree. The only thing you really do in your free time in the third semester is hang out with Sumi. Would of been nice to have an interesting quest like this in the third se!ester

[@eclecticspaghetti]

@@acat63 Don’t know what to tell you, that was my experience, bro. Sorry for enjoying a video game on the internet.

[@jackflynn412]

Akechi kind of talks like Byakuya Togami in the group chat. Especially when he says stuff like "That's just the world we live in."

[@MaxNMotion]

I see what you mean. They have similar archetypes.

[@ColeMeCrazy]

Still calls himself a detective after the Shido palace I see.

[@thomasfairburn5254]

I mean even if he did Shido's dirty work and staged the crimes that gotten him a lot of his fame. His detective skills are genuine as the dude would have to have actually study to earn a position and that not all of his cases would have been when he's on the clock as Black Mask for Shido and his fellow conspirators.

[@zobozo5059]

@@thomasfairburn5254 Right, I mean he's able to solve cases on his own in the mementos missions manga. If akechi really wanted to be a detective, he's got the skills for it

[@zobozo5059]

@@acat63 Yeah. I'm sure he was joking when he said that too. But like you said, Akechi has what it takes to be a detective

[@Teko10B]

Akechi: causally gives you a demonic decree Me: Akechi how long have you had this

[@lisahenry20]

It would have been pretty cool if this request was linked to Akechi's third awakening. Like instead of having to answer a certain way to his social links, you just max him out and complete this request.

[@AverageEggmonEnthusiast]

The ending is a bit... mean... but the fact that Akechi seemed to see himself in this request is really interesting. With a few potential tweaks to be more clear, I think it should have remained in-game. It’s an interesting idea.

[@zobozo5059]

I don't think Akechi was trying to be mean, he was just telling the truth. Not everything is so black and white and not everyone gets to be the heroes of their own stories sadly

[@__-uk3qx]

@@zobozo5059 p4 in a nutshell

[@Raj-vy2yn]

I think this might be the one I'm most disappointed didn't get added, even with zero changes I feel like it adds a nice moment for Akechi's character, nor does it take up any in game time either. It's an additional and fascinating quest that I wish was in the actual game.

[@otakupower1048]

It may be harsh but I think it’s a good lesson Akechi was trying to show them. You can’t blindly trust everyone the world isn’t just black and white it’s a lot more grey than they perceive it to be. I can see why it was cut tho, it is quite complex for a mementos request but I would have still loved to see it in the game.

[@thewolfmanhulk2927]

Akechi and Adachi really go through a lot of development after their main stories are over, like how they punish their former selves in a way

[@sergiosalazar8702]

We need more of them somehow!

[@thewolfmanhulk2927]

@@sergiosalazar8702 agreed 100%

[@naos8116]

Akechi definitely seems to maintain a more friendly tone with the others though, whereas Adachi comes off as antagonistic at all times.

[@alleycat2297]

This quest is why I will personally throw hands with ANYONE who has the gall to tell me Akechi is a terrible character with no shot at a redemption.

[@zobozo5059]

You can tell Akechi was sympathizing with this guy cuz he's in a similar situation as him and didn't want him to become like him...Akechi is not as bad as people think he is

[@alleycat2297]

@@zobozo5059 Akechi is a pretty easy character to hate and I don’t care if people dislike him, but I have yet to see someone provide me with an objective argument as to why he’s a “bad” character. Out of all the characters in P5, he’s easily the one with the most depth.

[@zobozo5059]

@@alleycat2297 Right people are allowed to dislike him and all. And you're right. He's a great character because he's so complex. I'm just talking about people who think akechi is just this evil heartless psychopath when that isn't the case

[@alleycat2297]

@@zobozo5059You can’t hand a defenceless kid a weapon and expect him not to pick it up and wield it. What people fail to understand is that he didn’t wake up one day and decide “I’m going to kill a bunch of people because Murder!” He made a choice. One bad choice. Blinded by hatred, he decided to go after a parent who wanted nothing to do with him and might’ve not even known that he exists, just like a rebellious child who acts out because he wants to be seen, be acknowledged. It was Shido who taught him to use his powers to kill, which is why I believe Akechi is so taken aback when he learns that Morgana taught the others another way, a way to seek repentance without killing. But by that time, he’d made his bed. He had nothing to lose, so he killed and he did it without remorse, because his life was already forfeit. All he wanted was to see Shido pay. It’s illogical and childish, but he WAS a child! At 15 years old, what do people expect from a kid in a position like that? Monkish wisdom? Akechi has also hinted in more than one conversation (both at the Jazz club and in the Thieves Den) that he doesn’t “feel” things, which clearly signifies a deep-set apathy likely resulting from severe childhood trauma. No, this doesn’t excuse his actions. But people lack so much nuance in their thinking when it comes to him, it blows my mind.

[@zobozo5059]

@@alleycat2297 I absolutely agree with all of this! Honestly I just hate that when I say akechi is not that bad deep down and people say I'm defending his actions. Absolutely not. I just understand his character, not excusing his actions. Overall I think akechi just needs a lot of mental help in the end

[@theorigin202]

Damn, this was an amazing request for Akechi's character and for the post story. Shame we didn't get this in game, great video as always!

[@Grafii2198]

This is probably the best cut piece of the game. I think the only reason it was cut before being finished is that it is really lengthy for the time that is really limited in royal, and I know if you know how to, you can get like 95% things done before third semester, so most of the time is a free time then but forcing this on someone that hasn't done that is not that good which is a bummer for sure, this quest is my favorite it has parts that many members of PT (not only Joker and Akechi as some people say) can relate to which makes it even more interesting.

[@idea4965]

Something I didn't like is that Akechi seems more like a celebrity than a detective, this clashes a lot with Naoto, who was much more humble and less arrogant than him. Good to see Akechi doing detective work

[@momenmohamed3101]

Well, in all fairness, Akechi was never an actual detective. All of his cases were charade. He committed the mental shutdowns then solved the crimes. He crafted this image especially so he can be a celebrity

[@TheMANGADUDE2]

Well, considering the detective work was a facade, it's not surprising. He never truly was a detective; he just killed people, blamed it on others, and acted like he had investigated and solved a case. Though, it is cool to see that he actually DOES have detective skills

[@backchanneling]

Akechi is supposed to be arrogant. He's not supposed to be exactly like Naoto.

[@idea4965]

@@momenmohamed3101 He said that he studied to be a detective and if he is very smart, like when he discovered the trick of the coins in the casino. Also, in the Mementos Mission manga he is solving a murder case. Obviously Akechi does not compare to other detectives like Katsuya, Adachi or Naoto, but he is still a good detective

[@NeroV1L3]

@@TheMANGADUDE2 well yeah he was an honor student at his school i think, so he's obviously smart

[@theflightofarobyn]

This is super interesting!! I would have actually liked to see this in the game. More Akechi? Where do I sign up?

[@FazPersona]

Exactly!!

[@amitr24242]

OK I think this is my favorite mementos mission...shame it was scrapped. Thank you for that! I'm glad I got to watch it...

[@AshTheGreat1998]

This should've been kept in somehow.

[@eclecticspaghetti]

This is pretty cool, but it’s WAAAAYYYY too complex for a regular mementos request. If it was one of those ones that came out of a Confidant, I could see this happening , but as it is it’s... kind of out of nowhere. Pretty interesting to consider Akechi actually caring about someone, though. And that ending was actually pretty interesting.

[@DLxxx]

Yeah, I get the same vibe. It's really well put together for sure, but it's also really.. "bloated" for lack of a better term, when compared to other momentos request (outside the ones you get for confidants), and it seems like something a lot of people might not have time to finish amongst all the other content in the third semester. Still, I don't necessarily think it should've been cut, just perhaps a tiny bit consolidated.

[@paulg.4812]

I was actually thinking it had the vibes of a confidant quest that they couldn't quite fit into the normal confidant route, so they tried to turn it into a 3rd semester request, but that didn't really work either, so it just got cut. I think for a normal confidant style quest, you'd hear about it in the early ranks and with each rank increase, Akechi would bring up new evidence and get Joker's opinion on things, then you'd eventually hit a progress wall until he reveals he knows who you are and joins the party, which would see the completion of the confidant. Could even have Akechi request that he and Joker handle it alone, and after finishing the request, you'd have the little Akechi fight/glove dialogue like we currently have. While it is a good and interesting quest, I can see why it was cut.

[@paulg.4812]

Thinking further, the end would actually fit in with a main semester confidant route. The dialogue would need a bit of tweaking, as expected for cut content, but Akechi could play it off as being another reason why the Phantom Thieves needed to disband, and playing off of Ryuji's doubt towards the end about whether they were doing the right thing. It feels like the moral consequences of what the Phantom Thieves did was always supposed to be a bigger thing, but it got brushed under the rug and they were more or less portrayed as just being good guys. It certainly helps that some of the later villains were also made increasingly evil. And this isn't intended as a knock against the story, as is often pointed out with cut content, the game is already very long and covers a lot of areas. Moral conversations especially tend to be long and often circular, so it'd really just drag things out, and wouldn't really fit the tone it feels like Atlus was going for. Still, interesting to think about what could have been.

[@alleycat2297]

It being a lengthy Mementos requests works in its favour, in my opinion. It would be the Last ever Mementos request in the game, and how poignant for that to be so set apart from the rest of the black-and-white Mementos requests they've taken care of in the past. As much as I don't mind the Mementos mechanic, most of the requests on there fell flat and felt extremely uninteresting, at least to me. This adds some much needed nuance to Mementos and makes the Phantom Thieves stop and think about what it really means to change hearts after everything is said and done. Although, of course, I get that there likely wasn't enough time since the third semester is so short.

[@zobozo5059]

Well Akechi sympathizes cuz this guy is in a similar situation as him. It makes sense he would care.

[@pokemonique92]

I get why this was cut (either because of text bloat or simply because they didn't want to end mementos requests on a mildly sour note before the finale) but MAN. What a good request this is. Love that Akechi's attitude regarding Toji is very similar to the way he regards himself - unforgiving, and merciless. Makes sense considering their essentially shared backstory of an asshole Diet member leaving their mother for dead, followed by a lust for revenge that led them down a criminal path. Although bringing the extortion to light may have gotten Toji arrested, perhaps that's Akechi's "mercy" for someone treading the same path. Much like the Phantom Thieves did for him - stopping his revenge plan dead in its tracks to open up a different path :^)

[@jagomajima4730]

Two sides being the enemy seems this was like on the Shido's ship when Akechi admit he wanted to get revenge on his Father, So Toji Karataki wanted the same thing with his Father (Ushiwata) but he was on to him, In the end the phantom thieves came in but well finding out Toji extortion can show he had something in mind, Similar to Akechi.

[@netrogan]

Thank you for sharing this with us! What a waste, this could at least make third semester longer. It's got good life lesson too. That Demonic Decree... I think he got more than that from looting in metaverse. I wonder if he can't use skill cards?

[@CheesyLizzy]

I liked this, it was fun guessing what was gonna happen and I feel like we got to know Akechi just a little bit better, I think they should've kept this in.

[@yeehaw8089]

wow, im shocked this was cut from the game. This is by far the best mementos request in the game.

[@Linkforlife199]

If you think about it, Shido was going to do the same thing to Akechi before the Phantom Thieves intervened and stopped Shido. How fitting the request comes from Akechi.

[@starlesscitiess]

oh i feel ill. the parallels to both joker and akechi, the reveal, akechi’s little speech at the end. i can’t believe this was cut

[@m7thena]

I hope theres a way to add this back. This was one of my fav mementos requests

[@PhantomsnowAlexa]

I would have loved to have this in game. I wonder why they cut this quest out. Heck, it would have made a great request as apart of Akechi’s confidant. Like Rank 10 confidant Akechi unlocks this request

[@sweetbroth08]

i watched this at like 4 am last night and thought i dreamt it up its crazy something as lengthy as this was cut

[@alleycat2297]

*pats akechi* this bad boy can fit so much fckin self loathing in it

[@Gestrid]

9:27 I honestly forgot that even existed.

[@fruitcc]

One day this could be available on a port version on switch or PC. All that work won’t be wasted

[@hellothisismufin]

I get that this was probably cut for being confusing but MAN IT'S SO GOOD NARRATIVELY like the parallels between both Akechi and Joker are so great, I'm so mad we never got to see this

[@cantufekci23]

So… Kosei High, where Yusuke goes Mentioning banks and “you should do as you’re told”, that’s what Shadow Kaneshiro told Makoto Mother died from suicide, like how it looks like Futaba’s case from the surface Father married to get into political world, like how Okumura tried to get Haru married to a guy so he could get into political world himself Father and son with different last names with dead mother, like Shido and Akechi And lastly, falsely accused, like joker.

[@dhi_holo]

With some fine tuning, this could've been really cool to see It's interesting seeing Futaba and Alibaba talk in the same phone conversation too

[@Vergil_Sparda]

This proved Akechi is the goat

[@VerkatosEnsei]

What a fascinating, interesting mission, probably the most thought provoking one Where Toji's story kinda parallels both Akechi's and Joker's in some way, and it has a bit of moral greyness to it, complete with Akechi reminding the PT not to trust too easily (given everything that's happened and all) It's a bit sad to see it got cut, I can't really understand why

[@MrNickster115]

The idea of seeing the world in Black and White is already a deep character trait. But in Akechi’s case, the color Grey doesn’t exist

[@KishLelie]

Why tf was this not in the original game?!! Same for the whole rehab thing. Those two things would've made a perfect end and redemption to his story. Somewhere the fan and optimist in me hopes this means Atlus is working on perhaps a sequel to royal or anything like that which includes akechi, in which we will see more of this

[@alleycat2297]

Goro Akechi hurts my soul.

[@---oq5kb]

They are gonna release persona 5 the Royal the Golden fes the journey + the answer with akechi after his survival at this point.

[@sampletext9426]

very nice, thank you

[@dibzybd9741]

I think this got cut off since it probably would have taken place during the time Maruki would’ve made their dreams come true. Many from the group also shouldn’t really like Akechi at this point so it’d be kinda weird for their conversations to go as well as it did had they had their memories from Shido’s palace, and if Maruki hadn’t made their dreams come true, Akechi would be arrested at this point, so they wouldn’t meet with him at all. Still, this would’ve been cool to witness in the game.

[@lovinani7]

It still could have worked. There was a point made that Maruki's reality wasn't completely done, so there was still people having problems and suffering in the meantime. This mission still could have been possible. Also, even though the group doesn't necessarily "like" Akechi, they're still able to cooperate with him in a civil manner as long as he behaves and doesn't go behind their backs again. Plus, there were some remarks from Morgana and Ryuji that made it sound like they were peeved by him, Makoto suspected him of manipulation and some of the protag's reply options sounded perturbed as well. Overall, I don't see why this needed to be cut. It must have been an executive decision =_=

[@dibzybd9741]

@@lovinani7 ah, okay. You may be right.

[@naos8116]

I think it still works. Even in the third semester. How Akechi acts fits his personality. Plus, Ryuji seems to recognize him as a Phantom Thief and they still have relatively normal Mementos conversations.

[@jamiewaswrong]

I absolutely hate persona 5. I'm going to destroy my copy right now. I was in the 4th Palace, and ryuji dropped an f bomb. My life is a lie

[@alleycat2297]

Persona 5 is actually the worst

[@dhi_holo]

They removed it in Royal, so no need to worry!

[@Kugathalord22]

Why is everything about Akechi painful

[@InternetPers0n]

Fr