[Video Game] Character analysis of Niijima Makoto: A most relatable Queen

I’ve recently gotten into Persona 5, and I just felt so compelled to organize my thoughts in writing for one of my favorite characters from the game that I ended up spontaneously writing a character analysis of Niijima Makoto, A.K.A. the Queen of the Phantom Thieves!

I’m assuming that most people who are reading this will be familiar with the Persona 5 game, but a quick rundown: Persona 5 is a Japanese role-playing game, one of the latest installments in the video game series, Shin Megami Tensei. The story is centered around the story of an unnamed high school student, who goes through the game living a normal teenage life, but also defeating villains, meeting comrades, and collecting these manifestations of the psyche known as “persona.”

In today’s character analysis, I will be focusing on one of the main character’s teammates, Niijima Makoto. [Minor spoilers ahead!]

Introduction

Makoto is introduced in the game as the third-year student council president, and her first impression is everything you would expect from her title: Stern, impeccably proper yet unfriendly, whose primary concern is maintaining her stellar grades, staying out of trouble, and staying on good terms with the school authorities for that coveted university letter of recommendation. Her initial attitude towards the MC, whose prior record and delinquent reputation precede him, is unfavorable, to say the least. In the beginning she tries to keep a distance from her more disreputable classmates and live life under the radar; However, as the main character and his friends grow in notoriety for their masked, vigilante exploits as the “Phantom Thieves” and the school comes under pressure to deal with them, Makoto soon finds herself reluctantly pulled into the thick of things, and thus begins her relationship with the Phantoms.

Despite a rocky start, Makoto eventually finds herself a welcome addition to the team and settles in as its resident “adviser,” serving as the tactical mastermind of the group on and off the battlefield, all while carrying out her student council president duties and working as part-time chaperone/older sister figure, trying to keep her fellow teammates from running amok and getting themselves into more trouble or arrested–or worse, failing their classes.

As the game progresses, we learn more about Makoto’s backstory and the difficult circumstances surrounding her. She is an orphan raised by her older sister, Niijima Sae, who is an up-and-coming prosecutor and happens to be the former student council president. Not only does Makoto have big shoes to fill, but given their harrowing childhood she also feels indebted to her sister and strives to be as little of a burden as possible–which she understands to mean following the path and future that her sister and others have decided upon for her, at least at the outset. Nonetheless, through her camaraderie, interactions and escapades with the Phantoms, she comes to doubt her complacency and passive outlook on life, and begins to wonder about the life and future that she desires for herself.

Personality

As shown by her role at school and within the Phantoms, Makoto is extremely intelligent and capable. She is dignified and mature for her age, and presents herself as quick-thinking, responsible and level-headed in most situations. At the same time, she is a sensitive, complex individual who hides a lot of loneliness, insecurity and repressed feelings beneath the surface. Because of this, she sometimes has difficulty expressing her emotions and communicating with other people, and her sheltered upbringing and lack of worldly experience makes it challenging for her to understand others. She can come off as judgmental, unfeeling and uncaring at first glance, and because of this her peers find it hard to approach her; she has been described as “robotic,” a label which she is painfully aware of.

Underneath that restrained demeanor, however, hides a highly emotional temperament, and Makoto’s ability to think clearly once her emotions are in full swing all but ceases to exist. She is also keenly aware of this tendency of hers, and it is for this reason that she takes special care to keep herself in check at all times. Throughout the story, she also struggles to overcome her sense of powerlessness and prove herself. This desire, combined with her naturally emotional disposition, occasionally leads her to engage in impulsive and reckless behavior.

Deep dive

Makoto is undoubtedly one of the most popular characters from Persona 5, and here I’d like to offer my own interpretation as to why. As a character, Makoto offers a great degree of complexity and relatability to her personality. Her struggle to find herself and her purpose in the world, in the midst of all the noise of social expectations, is something that can resonate with a lot of people. Personally, I relate a great deal to Makoto, especially in her reserved nature and the way she tries to think through these hard questions for herself and find her own way in life, figure out what she wants and what is important to her, tackle abstract concepts like justice, and how she navigates her inner conflicts.

Another key aspect of Makoto’s design is her vulnerability. As you advance in the story, little by little she begins to open up to you (the MC) about her internal struggles and fears and to solicit your assistance in bettering herself. Her vulnerability is definitely something that draws me to her character and makes me want to support her/stand by her side. The multiple sides of her personality–adult-like, capable and self-assured at times, but insecure and lonely at others–is something in characters that tugs at my heartstrings and make me want to root for and protect them, even.

And as I mentioned above, Makoto’s demonstrated desire to improve herself is something else that makes her an appealing character. As she develops in the game, she begins to try facing her shortcomings and grow as an individual, putting a lot of thought into her future, trying to exercise greater agency over her life and choices in healthier and more productive ways. She’s not perfect, but she’s well aware of her own flaws and makes an honest effort to work on them, which includes not imposing her values on others–something that takes an admirable amount of self-consciousness, genuine open-mindedness and maturity. And it’s this desire of hers to become a better individual that makes me want to cheer her on. Related to this, her becoming increasingly honest with herself and with others, even actively seeking help and advice, is another great area of development for her.

Moreover, her efforts to experience/learn more and make up for what she lacks are very pure and endearing. The way she goes about trying to “study” the world unknown to her and analyze why people do certain things (e.g. attempting to figure out the appeal of amusement parks or makeup), while a little nerdy/awkward at times, are so adorably quirky. And her motive–to find herself but to also become better at relating to others–is also quite commendable. Even her subtle clumsiness and naivety when it comes to dealing with other people and the world in general is incredibly endearing, and the interactions that transpire between you (the MC) and her as she requests your assistance are sweet and rewarding. (And did I mention she is deathly afraid of ghosts? Too cute!)

Yet even as she’s learning about herself and others, Makoto comes into her own, discovers what “justice” means to her, and maintains a clear sense of right and wrong. Just as importantly, she is increasingly able to act on her own convictions and stand by her morals, whether it’s in front of her enemies or her friends and family–which arguably can be even more difficult. In the end, though, much of what she believes, says and does is driven by her unwavering love for her family and friends.

Oh, and of course, we can’t forget to mention her kick-butt visuals and very attractive design!

Concluding words

I’d like to conclude this character analysis with an acknowledgement that Makoto is by no means a perfect character, nor is she universally loved by all players. However, in my mind, the fact that she is a flawed, sometimes unpredictable, individual enhances her appeal because it makes her more real and human. And it is precisely because she is imperfect and has some room to change and grow (which she does!) that as a player and a fan, I am able to emotionally invest in and look forward to her development as a whole person.

Thank you, Makoto, for being such an inspiring Queen \(^0^)/

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