History Foil / Persona5

** Ryuji: Both of them have fathers who abandoned them with their mothers. However, while Akechi's mother committed suicide from the burden, Ryuji's was able to shoulder the burden and struggled through raising him alone. Because of this, Akechi is a bitter-hearted cynic who believes in the "every man for himself" philosophy, while Ryuji is a naive bright-eyed optimist who values loyalty and friendship. Ryuji is a BookDumb athlete, while Akechi is a prodigy detective. Akechi himself points out when recruiting Ryuji to carry poker chips in Sae's dungeon that Ryuji was the perfect brawns to match Akechi's brains. Both of them have a strong desire to become famous as as a means of gaining positive attention, having gone so long in their lives without it, with Ryuji going on about how taking down big-name targets will make them famous and Akechi loving the limelight his "Detective Prince" status earns him; Ryuji, however, grows out of it near the end, while Akechi never does. Finally, Ryuji is incredibly open and willing to talk about his past to Joker within two days of knowing him, while Akechi maintains so many lies that he sometimes can't figure out which are true.

** Morgana: Both have been using the Metaverse far longer than any of the other Phantom Thieves and been selected by higher beings to guide mankind to a specific fate (granted, for Morgana it was to help Joker to save them from ruin; whilst for Akechi, unknowingly, it was to their ruin), alongside being gifted with abilities different than a normal Persona-user. Personality-wise, both are intelligent, yet have a tendency of being rather arrogant and showboating, mostly due to masking their insecurity over just wanting a place to belong and feel useful. Not to mention both have streaks of being rather childish and tendency to be the butt of jokes throughout the game, something usually by their peer's hands. Both even left the team at certain points, albeit for different reasons. However, not once does Morgana ever resort to abusing his abilities to cause extensive harm to someone psychologically, and he eventually matures to the point he realizes he doesn't need to prove himself to his friends anymore. Akechi, meanwhile, has zero qualms in using his abilities to do harm via acting as Shido's personal assassin and never grows out of his childish craving for attention. Plus, while the Phantom Thieves do occasionally tease Morgana, it's made clear that they appreciate him and will never abandon him, regardless if he's useful or not. Akechi's role in the Antisocial Force is only because of his usefulness as a Metaverse assassin and, once his usefulness is up, he would be eliminated as well.
** Ryuji: Both of them have fathers who abandoned them with their mothers. However, while Akechi's mother committed suicide from the burden, Ryuji's was able to shoulder the burden and struggled through raising him on his own. Because of this, Akechi is a bitter-hearted cynic who believes in the "every man for himself" philosophy, while Ryuji is a naive bright-eyed optimist who values loyalty and friendship. Ryuji is a BookDumb athlete, while Akechi is a prodigy detective. Akechi himself points out when recruiting Ryuji to carry poker chips in Sae's dungeon that Ryuji was the perfect brawns to match Akechi's brains. Both of them have a strong desire to become famous as as a means of gaining positive attention, having gone so long in their lives without it, with Ryuji going on about how taking down big-name targets will make them famous and Akechi loving the limelight his "Detective Prince" status earns him; Ryuji, however, grows out of it near the end, while Akechi never does. Finally, Ryuji is incredibly open and willing to talk about his past to Joker within two days of knowing him, while Akechi maintains so many lies that he sometimes can't figure out which are true.

* Akechi is just a giant foil to the rest of the Thieves as a whole, motif-wise. He wears bright white while most others wear mostly black making him stick out in locations even more than Ann's cherry red ensemble, his finisher is the most flamboyant of the bunch, and whereas every other thief has "realistic models" as their weapons (aside from Morgana's slingshots) Akechi uses ''actual toys'' resulting in a LaserBlade and a RayGun. He also contrasts with all of them individually:

* To the protagonist, as another abandoned teenager who gained access to the Metaverse. While the Protagonist used his power to help others from being exploited by figures of authority, Akechi used his powers to selfishly exploit the system to become a figure of authority himself. Arsène and Robin Hood, the protagonist's and Akechi's Personas respectively, are also weak to the other's main element. Also, the protagonist is ostracized by the public for his record but has friends and confidants he can rely on while Akechi is a celebrity who's adored by the masses, but ultimately has no real friends. In fact, one of the things that Akechi complains about in his MotiveRant is about how even though he's the popular one, the Protagonist has everything that he doesn't, which ties back into their approaches. People were drawn to the selflessness of Joker while Akechi put himself on a pedestal in the hopes people would come to him. However, his approach backfired and left him alone, with the first exception being Joker himself.

* Akechi is just a giant foil to the rest of the Thieves as a whole, motif-wise. He wears bright white while most others wear mostly black making him stick out in locations even more than Ann's cherry red ensemble, his finisher is the most flamboyant of the bunch, and whereas every other thief has "realistic models" as their weapons (aside from Morgana's slingshots) Akechi uses ''actual toys'' resulting in a LaserBlade and a RayGun.

* To [[HeroicBastard Futaba]], whose mother also gave birth to her out of wedlock, and who also hasn't had any friends before meeting the Thieves. Akechi can masterfully put on an affable public facade and has done so for years, whereas Futaba has crippling social anxiety that she struggles to overcome, even after completing her dungeon. They're both well-known for their work in justice, Futaba chose to work anonymously rather than undeservedly stepping into the spotlight. Futaba and Akechi also go by two different monikers, of which one is unknown: Medjed and Alibaba, Crow and Black Mask. Both are isolated from others due to their intelligence, Futaba's peers ostrasizating her for her genius while Akechi can hardly ever be just himself. Due to difficulties interacting with society, they often read instead; during her time as a shut-in, Futuba read a variety of technical books and in ''Royal'', due to trouble relating with his peers, Akechi often spends his free time reading. On the other hand, while Akechi's mother committed suicide and put up with abuse in assorted foster homes, Futaba's mother genuinely loves her, and she was HappilyAdopted by Sojiro not long after her death (although her anxiety and auditory hallucinations prevented it at first).
* To Makoto. Both of them are honor students who excel in order to be accepted-- Makoto by her sister and Akechi by society as a whole. Both use {{blackmail}} in order to get onto the team, but with very different motivations. While Makoto genuinely wants to see if the Thieves are just (and offers to release them from the deal once they all end up getting blackmailed by Kaneshiro), Akechi's entire plan is a trap for the Thieves. While Makoto quickly reconciles with Ann and is accepted as a trusted friend by her and the rest of the Thieves, Akechi is never fully trusted-- while the Phantom Thieves care for him, even the relatively compassionate [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Ryuji]] and [[NiceGirl Haru]] cannot forgive his misdeeds. There is also the similarity that both characters are used by members of the Antisocial Force to bring the Phantom Thieves to justice. Makoto however, didn't know the Principal was tied to Shido's conspiracy and was nothing more than his UnwittingPawn for a short period of time; while Akechi willingly teamed up with Shido to capture the Phantom Thieves. Makoto is also loyal to whoever she works for at the moment (be it the principle or the Phantom Thieves), while Akechi is ultimately loyal to himself and only works for Shido in order to accomplish his hidden agenda.

* To Haru. Both of them start out thoroughly under the thumb of their fathers, doing whatever has to be done to please them and get their approval. Haru had the advantage of being an acknowledged child while Akechi did not, but neither of them was particularly loved by their fathers in either case. Their fathers are simply using them to further their own goals, with Haru's father arranging a political marriage Haru was opposed to in order to secure political clout and Akechi's father using Akechi's abilities to further the conspiracy of the Antisocial Force. Haru refuses to change herself and rebels openly, while Akechi's rebellion is subtle and subdued, letting himself be changed so he can get closer to Shido, which allows Shido to continue exploiting him. And finally, while Haru is horrified and saddened when her father is killed (by Akechi no less), Akechi fully plans to torture his father himself. Their personalities also contrast each other, with Haru being pampered yet sweet and always true to herself while Akechi is a BastardBastard who is always presenting false faces.
* To Ryuji. Both of them have fathers who abandoned them with their mothers. However, while Akechi's mother committed suicide from the burden, Ryuji's was able to shoulder the burden and struggled through raising him on his own. Because of this, Akechi is a bitter-hearted cynic who believes in the "every man for himself" philosophy, while Ryuji is a naive bright-eyed optimist who values loyalty and friendship. Ryuji is a BookDumb athlete, while Akechi is a prodigy detective. Akechi himself points out when recruiting Ryuji to carry poker chips in Sae's dungeon that Ryuji was the perfect brawns to match Akechi's brains. Both of them have a strong desire to become famous as as a means of gaining positive attention, having gone so long in their lives without it, with Ryuji going on about how taking down big-name targets will make them famous and Akechi loving the limelight his "Detective Prince" status earns him; Ryuji, however, grows out of it near the end, while Akechi never does. Finally, Ryuji is incredibly open and willing to talk about his past to Joker within two days of knowing him, while Akechi maintains so many lies that he sometimes can't figure out which are true.
* To Yusuke. Both of them were abused by a father figure who exploited them for their own ends; Yusuke's confidant, however, shows him learning to find his own way in life after breaking away from this abuse, while Akechi doesn't have the opportunity to do this. Yusuke even notes in the chat after Akechi's boss fight that he himself may gone down a similar path as Akechi had he not met the Phantom Thieves and escaped Madarame's abuse.
* To Ann. Both were discriminated against based on the way they were born; Ann for being quarter-white and Akechi for being a bastard child. But unlike Akechi, Ann was still able to make friends such as Shiho, Ryuji, and the protagonist in spite of said discrimination. They also both initially wanted to use their Personas to get revenge on someone, but while Ann was getting revenge on behalf of a friend, Akechi wanted revenge based on his personal grievances.

* To Morgana. Both have been using the Metaverse far longer than any of the other Phantom Thieves and been selected by higher beings to guide mankind to a specific fate (granted, Morgana it was to help Joker to save them for ruin; whilst for Akechi, unknowingly, it was to their ruin), alongside being gifted with abilities different than a normal Persona-user. Personality-wise, both are intelligent, yet have a tendency of being rather arrogant and showboating, mostly due to masking their insecurity over just wanting a place to belong and feel useful. Not to mention both have streaks of being rather childish and tendency to be the butt of jokes throughout the game, something usually by their peer's hands. Both even left the team at certain points, albeit for different reasons. However, not once does Morgana ever resort to abusing his abilities to cause extensive harm to someone psychologically, and he eventually matures to the point he realizes he doesn't need to prove himself to his friends anymore. Akechi, meanwhile, has zero qualms in using his abilities to do harm via acting as Shido's personal assassin and never grows out of his childish craving for attention. Plus, while the Phantom Thieves do occasionally tease Morgana, it's made clear that they appreciate him and will never abandon him, regardless if he's useful or not. Akechi's role in the Antisocial Force is only because of his usefulness as a Metaverse assassin and, once his usefulness is up, he would be eliminated as well.

* To [[HeroicBastard Futaba]], whose mother also gave birth to her out of wedlock, and who also hasn't had any friends before meeting the Thieves. Akechi can masterfully put on an affable public facade and has done so for years, whereas Futaba has crippling social anxiety that she struggles to overcome, even after completing her dungeon. They're both well-known for their work in justice, Futaba chose to work anonymously rather than undeservedly stepping into the spotlight. Futaba and Akechi also go by two different monikers, of which one is unknown: Medjed and Alibaba, Crow and Black Mask. Both are isolated from others due to their intelligence, Futaba's peers ostrasizating her for her genius while Akechi can hardly ever be just himself. Due to difficulties interacting with society, they often read instead; during her time as a shut-in, Futuba read a variety of technical books and in 'Royal'', due to trouble relating with his peers, Akechi often spends his free time reading. On the other hand, while Akechi's mother committed suicide and put up with abuse in assorted foster homes, Futaba's mother genuinely loves her, and she was HappilyAdopted by Sojiro not long after her death (although her anxiety and auditory hallucinations prevented it at first).

* Just like Shido, he's also one to Takahisa Kandori from the original ''VideoGame/{{Persona 1}}''. Both exploited their studies in the supernatural as well as an emotionally unstable teenager in order to shape the world InTheirOwnImage. They also have Lovecraftian Personas which they ended up fusing with resulting in the birth of a new god-like entity -- God Kandori and Adam Kadmon respectively. But in contrast to Kandori's motives which were simply to satiate his lust for power and desire to become a god, Maruki's intentions are genuinely benevolent if not severely warped and misguided. And unlike Kandori whose "godhood" was dependent on Maki's connection to his [=DEVA=] System, Maruki's control was entirely owed to his sheer willpower and knowledge of cognitive psience. Sumire in contrast to Maki was merely used as a test subject for Maruki's powers rather than a power source. While Kandori wears a dark business suit which [[DarkIsEvil openly shows his]] [[ObviouslyEvil shady personality]], Maruki primarily wears light clothing which reflects his approachable nature. Kandori's FusionDance with his Persona was completely involuntary, as he lost control over Nyarlathotep, or rather Nyarlathotep decides to control Kandori directly. Maruki, on the other hand, willingly fuses with his Persona who is actually loyal to him, or at least shares the same goals. And finally, Kandori ultimately lets himself die, knowing that [[BecauseImGoodAtIt being evil is all he knows how to do]]. Maruki, however, was given a second chance in life after Joker saves him from falling to his death.

* To Yaldabaoth. Both Maruki and Yaldabaoth intend to imprison humanity in a fake reality (Takutos actions even create a second Mementos). However while Yaldabaoth is a godly Treasure, Maruki is completely human. As a psychiatrist Maruki is actually searched out by his 'victims' and asked to help them (Kasumi even goes to him) while humanity subconsciously asked for Yaldabaoth, not knowing what it would do to them. While Yaldabaoth is a control freak who ultimately cares nothing about humanity, Maruki has actually completely good intentions, not caring about becoming a god but only about freeing everyone from the pain of reality. Just compare their treatment of Joker. While Yaldabaoth intended to get rid of him while lying the whole time about his goal of rehabilitating him, Maruki doesn't actually resent Joker for opposing him and even gives him a choice, never once lying to him. Most interestingly is however Azathoth in this comparison. Yaldabaoth in Gnosticism is actually a false god, who merely claimed he is god and never actually created humanity but still wants their worship. Azathoth on the other hand actually created all of the Lovecraftian mythos by dreaming, never wanting to be worshipped for it because he isn't even aware, making him much more godlike than Yaldabaoth. While Yaldabaoth tries his best to keep up a good façade, Azathoth is "too horrible to even be described". In the same vein, Yaldabaoth tries to keep humanity ignorant, certain creatures in Lovecraftian lore actually try to keep Azathoth asleep. Maruki's other Persona Adam Kadomon meanwhile is actually the original man in the teachings of Kabbalah, untainted by earthly matter, standing in contrast to the Adam of Eden as a perfect prototype man. Compare that to Yaldabaoth who while pretending to be divine is actually made up by the 'earthly' humanity. Noteworthy, Yaldabaoth is always in complete control of his actions while Maruki was seemingly possessed by Azathoth at one point. Finally, the final dungeon hosted by the entities were contrasting in style; Yaldabaoth's Depths of Mementos was a location similar to the bowels of hell, guarded by more traditional mythical figures that represent the Apocalypse, holiness and/or death, and its owner is a white, metallic and beautiful angel who is actually a Nyarlathotep-like impostor. Maruki's Palace in the other hand, is a beautiful model of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life in pure white that is the fusion of a mental health clinic, a research laboratory and a paradise, whose owner is an EldritchAbomination with the altruistic intent to perform a CosmicRetcon where nobody had suffered.
* To Joker himself, both receive their persona from the fact they were powerless to help someone and later became a victim of Shido's actions as Shido steals Maruki's research for his own ends and ruins Joker's life by labeling him as a criminal, although Maruki did not suffer subsequent repercussions from Shido unlike Joker. Both of them also had their desires distorted by Yaldaboth as Yaldaboth actively pushes Joker to steal the desires of others in hope of realizing how corrupt society is as a Phantom Thief under a false lie of rehabilitation, while Maruki was distorted by Shido's embargo and losing his beloved Rumi in exchange of his power and a jarring miscalculation by Yaldabaoth himself to become Azathoth. Joker's ideal world would have his desires distorted by Yaldaboth, remaining as a Phantom Thief in a world that had become even more corrupt and in need of his "help" while Maruki's reality would ensure everyone is free of suffering of reality at the cost of their potential. Even in their defeat they both try to reach out to the sky as one disappeared from reality while Maruki nearly fell to his death if not for Joker saving him.

** To Taro Namatame. Both were overcome with despair due to a tragedy involving the women they loved, which led to both of them developing supernatural powers. Both of them want to put people into alternate realities in order to protect them from harm. However, Namatame never developed a persona or any abilities beyond throwing people into the TV world (which he mistakenly thought would protect them from being killed) while Maruki was one of the foremost experts in cognitive psience with a wealth of knowledge about the cognitive world which he exploited to become one of the most powerful Persona-users in the series, and the world he put people into was in fact safe for them, at least physically if not mentally or emotionally. Both of their dungeons also take the form of a heavenly paradise with garden motifs as well. Their relationship with the protagonists and the way the story presents them also differs. Namatame has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the game's introduction, and doesn't reappear in the story until much later when he becomes an antagonist to the main characters. On the other hand, Maruki plays a significant role in the protagonists' lives well before he becomes their target.
* To Jun Kurosu/Joker from ''Persona 2'', another Persona-user whose shared a similar goal of making people's dreams come true. There is also the fact that they have Personas with deep connections to the Cthulhu Mythos, Azathoth and Joker-Nyarlathotep respectively. Though in contrast to Joker who only grants the wishes to those who request his services, Maruki desires to grant the wishes of humanity as a whole without them even aware of the changes. There are also no strings attached to his deals, in contrast to Joker who would strip those who lack dreams of their Ideal Energy and reduce them to lifeless husks, while those whose wishes he granted would become followers of his Masked Circle. Their well-intentioned goals eventually became corrupted by god-like entities. But unlike Kurosu who became Joker partially due to the machinations and corruptive influence of Nyarlathotep, Yaldabaoth merely manifested Maruki's Persona and only incidentally at that. Maruki's actions during the Third Semester are entirely his own accord.
* To Kamoshida. Kamoshida is the StarterVillain, while Maruki is the TrueFinalBoss. Both are faculty at Shujin Academy who are personally acquainted with the Phantom Thieves. The difference is that Kamoshida is a BitchInSheepsClothing who goes out his way to make their lives miserable while Maruki genuinely seeks to help them and is only a villain due to his stubborn refusal to allow them to feel any misery. Both are [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bastards]] who use their power to control others. However, while Kamoshida is an utterly depraved man who uses coercion and force to bully others into submission, Maruki is a WellIntentionedExtremist uses his [[RealityWarping actualization]] to grant people what he believes they desire most. Neither of them are affiliated with TheConspiracy, however, Kamoshida was an unknowing beneficiary of their's while Maruki was screwed over by them. Kamoshida is a DirtyCoward at his core despite his macho attitude, in contrast to Maruki, who despite his insistence that people should just take the easy path in life, is actually just as big of a {{Determinator}} as the Phantom Thieves themselves. Kamoshida's Palace is a glorified monument to himself where everyone else exists for the sole purpose of serving him, willingly or not. Meanwhile, Maruki's ideal world is one where everyone ''but'' him is granted eternal happiness, he himself just being a faceless nobody who simply observes from the sidelines. Both are DrivenToSuicide upon being defeated, but eventually snapped out and got over it. Kamoshida begged Ann that he would pay with his life due to the crippling guilt caused by his [[HeelFaceBrainwashing change of heart]], only to be scolded by Ann that even Shiho managed to live by herself and he should repent instead. Maruki tries to jump off the remains of his Palace due a combination of his dreams of saving humanity being shattered and the crushing despair he that felt over losing his fiance in exchange for his powers, only to be held up by Joker as encouragement.

* He is one to Tohru Adachi of ''Persona 4''. Both are men who believed that they should be rewarded for their success and hard work, and target young women whom they have an unhealthy fixation on. To add on further, both Kamoshida and Adachi represent the theme of lust, with Kamoshida's sin being Lust, while Adachi represents the Lust/Hunger Arcana. However, unlike Adachi who hides his monstrous personality behind an affable face, Kamoshida has no qualms expressing how much of a {{Jerkass}} he is to the students, confident that the school system would protect him. While Adachi is TheHeavy who's actions and manipulations drive the plot of ''Persona 4'', Kamoshida, though his actions lead to the creation of the Phantom Thieves, is merely a StarterVillain who has no direct involvement in the Antisocial Force. And finally, while Kamoshida is an irredeemable scumbag who has to be brainwashed into repenting for his sins, Adachi does show that he still has some humanity in him, and tries to atone for his crimes on his own free will.

* He also contrasts with Masayoshi Shido. While Kamoshida is universally hated among students of Shujin, yet the school's desperation of protecting their reputation with him prevents anyone from speaking out with him, Shido is ''abnormally'' popular despite being someone who is clearly hateful beyond all belief, much like Kamoshida and in a different way. Additionally, just like in the case of Madarame above, Kamoshida is very blatant, to the point of voices of students screaming being heard in the PE office out in the open, while Shido only does shady deeds when nobody knows about it.

* He's this to Natsume Ango. Both of these people are massive plagiarists who only steal other's work and pass them as theirs, in addition to being clad in gold and becoming progressively pathetic as the battle drags on especially for Madarame in ''Royal''. However, Madarame was the one fleecing his pupils to the point that they get driven to suicide, while Natsume was the one being fleeced for plagiarized work, resulting in him to use EMMA's Jail function so he gets the profit while the publishers that fleeced him don't. While Madarame at least did care for Yusuke to a point (although he's just raising his subjects well enough to induce stockholm syndrome on them) Natsume didn't care for anyone but himself, his fans (which he changed their hearts to mesmerize them) and his work. Finally, Madarame did not publish any original work during the events of the game, instead blatantly publishing his student's works using his name while Natsume at least bothered to copy and paste sentences and ideas from other franchises in his own book.

* Similar to how Futaba is a Foil to Maki Sonomura, Shadow Futaba can be one to Aki, Maki's malevolent ID. They both represent the repressed feelings of socially isolated girls and have control over the world manifested from said girls' negative feelings. But while Aki acts like a playful and cheerful girl, she is in reality extremely mischievous to the point of openly antagonising the heroes and tries to kill them. In contrast, Shadow Futaba while seemingly hostile to the Phantom Thieves due to her aloofness, actually guides them to help Futaba with her issues.
* She is this to Shadow Rise. Both Shadows represent the repressed feelings of characters who have struggled with social isolation at one point in their life. Shadow Rise however tries to get Rise to buy into the idea that she is only using her career as an idol to hide behind her past weaknesses. Shadow Futaba instead wants Futaba to accept that she is only harming herself by being a shut-in and has subscribed to false beliefs because of her weaknesses. Similarly, both are the only Shadows that do not get a proper boss fight with Shadow Rise's encounter being scripted, while Shadow Futaba is not fought at all. In fact, both Rise and Futaba accept their Shadows under similar circumstances as instead of the party fighting their shadow, but Rise admits to her weakness while Futaba resolves to become a stronger person. There's also the fact that by accepting their Shadows, both Rise and Futaba give the party the strength while they are in what appears to be a CurbStompBattle.
* She's this to Shadow Akane, being shadows of a young girl consumed by wrath against the death of their mother, both being orchestrated by Shido's cronies and passive Shadow selves that do not directly confront the Thieves. However, while Shadow Futaba is willing to help out since Futaba did willingly requested them to change her heart, Shadow Akane is so consumed by wrath that she is outright hostile and is manipulated by EMMA and Konoe to achieve their goals.
* In a way, Shadow Futaba is one to almost every single Shadow in the franchise. While the Shadows usually represents a person's repressed negative feelings, Shadow Futaba serves as the repressed positive emotions of Futaba.

* To [[VideoGame/Persona2 Maki Sonomura]], another girl with deep-rooted psychological issues that caused them to manifest a supernatural world as a result of a device; the DEVA system for Maki and the Metaverse App for Futaba. But Maki's world manifested from her desire to live a normal life, whereas Futaba's palace manifested from her own suicidal thoughts as a result of her own self-loathing. They also had estranged relationships with mothers too preoccupied with their workload to spend time with their daughters. However, while Maki resented her mother, Futaba believed that her mother thought of her as a burden. And while both are noticeably frail girls for their age which is connected to their issues, Futaba's was a result of her lack of physical exercise due to being a shut-in, in contrast to Maki whose [[SicklyAndDelicate illness]] was what caused her to be shut out from the outside world.

** Kandori is more hands-on in utilizing the supernatural aspects of the DEVA System, directly using it to summon the Deva Yuga palace and keeping [[SicklyAndDelicate Maki Sonomura]], who became linked to the system, under his control. Shido, meanwhile, knows somewhat of the Metaverse and how Cognitive Pscience (utilizing the Collective Unconsciousness in all manner seen across the series) works, but he's more hands-off, leaving most of the semantics and the dirty work to his son and personal hitman, Goro Akechi. To hit the point home, Kandori is a Persona-user, while Shido is still an ordinary human despite his knowledge of Cognitive Pscience.

* Yusuke's foil is his mentor, Ichiryusai Madarame. While both are introduced as quirky and classical artist, Madarame's greed and desire to steal others' work while not putting in the effort serves to highlight Yusuke's desire to [[DoingItForTheArt do it for the art]], as does his default choice of addressing a slump to resort to plagiarism while Yusuke instead doubles down to find an appropriate inspiration.

* To Noriko Kashiwagi of ''Persona 4''. Both are female teachers in the schools of their respective game. Despite being fairly attractive, both women are considered {{Christmas Cake}}s, but it's PlayedForLaughs in Kashiwagi's case as it's hinted that she's in her forties. Kawakami downplays it, since there's a good chance she's younger than Kashiwagi. [[{{Jerkass}} Kashiwagi]] doesn't seem entirely interested in teaching her students, but rather, constantly flirts with male students unfortunate enough to cross her path and shows jealousy towards the younger female students, particularly Chie, Yukiko, Naoto, and especially Rise. Because of that, no one gives her any respect as a teacher. Kawakami is similarly introduced as an ApatheticTeacher, but it's played more for [[PlayedForDrama drama]], and she's naturally never seen flirting with any male students or shows any sign of envy toward the female students. The only time she can be seen flirting with anyone is during the secret [[PlatonicProstitution maid service job]], in which she acts sweet and innocent, instead of sultry and seductive like Kashiwagi tries to. She at least gets some respect from her students, thanks to being more serious about her job. Kashiwagi never changes throughout the majority of P4, while Kawakami, after the end of her Confidant, finds a renewed passion for teaching. Most importantly, whereas Kashiwagi utterly fails at getting into TeacherStudentRomance due to her students being turned off by her advances and running away in terror, Kawakami is able to get romanced by Joker, who makes the first move.

A lot of characters in this game [[{{Foil}} tend to contrast]] characters from earlier ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' games as well as each other.

** To Taro Namatame. Both were overcome with despair due to a tragedy involving the women they loved, which led to both of them developing supernatural powers. Both of them want to put people into alternate realities in order to protect them from harm. However, Namatame never developed a persona or any abilities beyond throwing people into the TV world (which he mistakenly thought would protect them from being killed) while Maruki was one of the foremost experts in cognitive psience with a wealth of knowledge about the cognitive world which he exploited to become one of the most powerful Persona-users in the franchise, and the world he put people into was in fact safe for them, at least physically if not mentally or emotionally. Both of their dungeons also take the form of a heavenly paradise with garden motifs as well. Their relationship with the protagonists and the way the story presents them also differs. Namatame has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the game's introduction, and doesn't reappear in the story until much later when he becomes an antagonist to the main characters On the other hand, Maruki plays a significant role in the protagonists lives well before he becomes their target.

* To Kanji Tatsumi, the Emperor social link and party member from [[Videogame/Persona4 the previous game]]. Kanji's conflict is his deep insecurity stemming from his traditionally-feminine hobbies and talents, as well as his possible homosexuality, and makes a concerted effort to hide his UnmanlySecret because he is afraid of people not accepting him or finding him strange. Yusuke, on the other hand, is openly and proudly an eccentric artist, and fears that by achieving greater fame, recognition, and acceptance he will be "selling out" and sacrificing his integrity as an artist. Like Kanji, his sexuality is ambiguous, but he isn't anywhere near as touchy about it. Both also have issues with their father figure, with the difference being that Kanji's dad [[DisappearedDad died when Kanji was young]], leading Kanji to lack a male role model growing up, while Yusuke had an abusive adoptive father who serves as an AntiRoleModel to Yusuke. In terms of gameplay, both favor physical attacks instead of magic, but Kanji specializes more in brute force while Yusuke is more of a CriticalHitClass.

* To [[VideoGame/Persona2 Tatsuya Suou]]. Both of them are Persona users who are loners among their peers despite being well-known. Both of them are [[BadassBiker Badass Bikers]] and they use [[ILoveNuclearPower Nuclear magic]]. In addition, both of them have an older sibling in the police they have a strained relationship with, and both their fathers were former police officers while their mothers are absent. Finally, both of them tend to charge alone in dangerous situations. However, there are some key differences:

* To [[VideoGame/Persona2 Maki Sonomura]], another girl with deep-rooted psychological issues that caused them to manifest a supernatural world as a result of a device; the DEVA system for Maki and the Metaverse App for Futaba. But Maki's world manifested from her desire to live a normal life, whereas Futaba's palace manifested from her own suicidal thoughts as a result of her own self-loathing. They also had estranged relationships with mothers too preoccupied with their workload to spend time with their daughters. However, while Maki resented her mother, Futaba believed that her mother thought of her as a burden. And while both are noticeably frail girls for their age which is connected to their issues, Futaba's was a result of her lack of physical exercise due to being a shut-in, in contrast to Maki whose [[IllGirl illness]] was what caused her to be shut out from the outside world.

** Kandori is more hands-on in utilizing the supernatural aspects of the DEVA System, directly using it to summon the Deva Yuga palace and keeping [[IllGirl Maki Sonomura]], who became linked to the system, under his control. Shido, meanwhile, knows somewhat of the Metaverse and how Cognitive Pscience (utilizing the Collective Unconsciousness in all manner seen across the series) works, but he's more hands-off, leaving most of the semantics and the dirty work to his son and personal hitman, Goro Akechi. To hit the point home, Kandori is a Persona-user, while Shido is still an ordinary human despite his knowledge of Cognitive Pscience.

[[folder:Ann Takamaki]]
* To [[VideoGame/Persona2 Lisa Silverman]]. Both Ann and Lisa are blonde ButNotTooForeign high school students who represent the Lovers Arcana, face discrimination because of their foreign ancestry, and are lusted over by dirty old men. Their main difference is in their reaction to their upbringing; Lisa resents her parents for their ForeignCultureFetish and as such has little knowledge of Western culture which puts her on the spot when her classmates just assume she knows English, while Ann spent a portion of her childhood travelling around the world with her model parents and as such is more worldly and does know English. Also, Lisa sleeps with older men for gifts and rebel against her parents authority, while Ann refuses to sleep with her gym teacher, which is also a defiance of authoriy.
[[/folder]]

* To Ryuji. Both of them have fathers who abandoned them with their mothers. However, while Akechi's mother committed suicide from the burden, Ryuji's was able to shoulder the burden and struggled through raising him on his own. Because of this, Akechi is a bitter and jaded cynic who believes in an "every man for himself" philosophy, while Ryuji is a naive bright-eyed optimist who values loyalty and friendship. Ryuji is a BookDumb athlete, while Akechi is a prodigy detective. Akechi himself points out when recruiting Ryuji to carry poker chips in Sae's dungeon that Ryuji was the perfect brawns to match Akechi's brains. Both of them have a strong desire to become famous as as a means of gaining positive attention, having gone so long in their lives without it, with Ryuji going on about how taking down big-name targets will make them famous and Akechi loving the limelight his "Detective Prince" status earns him; Ryuji, however, grows out of it near the end, while Akechi never does. Finally, Ryuji is incredibly open and willing to talk about his past to Joker within two days of knowing him, while Akechi maintains so many lies that he sometimes can't figure out which are true.

* Akechi is also a foil to Yuuki Mishima. Both are young teenagers who strive to be acknowledged by others and [[IJustWantToBeSpecial make a name for themselves]], and are willing to use the Phantom Thieves for their own selfish ends. Despite their association with the Thieves, they were viewed as [[TheFriendNobodyLikes nuisances]] and are treated with either indifference or hostility. However, while Mishima ultimately learned to overcome his issues and become a better person by sticking with the Phantom Thieves to the end, Akechi was unable to realize his wrongdoings and betrays the Phantom Thieves to further his goals. Akechi is adored as a celebrity detective by the public, but that affection is ultimately superficial as his "fans" are quick to turn on him if he's proven wrong. Mishima on the other hand, despite remaining a nobody despite being the administrator of the popular Phan-Site, has genuine friends in the form of Joker and Ryuji who help him throughout.

* To Hikari from ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth''. Both were social outcasts that suffered from having to live a torture and the only parent they had is their father since they lost their mother in one way or other, and they wanted to be loved and accepted only to have everyone seemingly hate them. It's just their mindset is just the exact opposite, since one of the reasons why Akechi even considers assassinating Shido's political opponents is that he thinks that he is superior over all other human beings and everyone else does not deserve to live; but Hikari became a shut-in and closed herself off because she thinks that she is inferior to all other humans, an abnormality and a piece of worthless garbage that nobody could like. They also drove themselves berserk when they felt that they had ashamed their father in some sort of way; Hikari collapsed in a fit of visual and autditory {{Hallucinations}} when her father accidentally triggered her TraumaButton that fully convinced her that she was abnormal, while Akechi drives himself berserk with the same power from Loki that he uses to cause mental shutdowns then mercilessly attacks the party as a last ditch attempt to dispatch the thieves so he could impress Shido.

* To [[VideoGame/Persona4 Teddie]]. While both are non-human mascot characters tied to the main plot, their characteristics for the most part contrast one another. Teddie is a blank slate who develops his own inner desires as he spends time with the Investigation Team while Morgana is already driven by his own motivations and desires when he first meets the Phantom Thieves. Their true identities also contradict one another as Teddie was born from an antagonistic force due to being a former Shadow while Morgana is not a Shadow but an AnimalisticAbomination created by the Real Igor to help Joker. Teddie also does become human once he awakens to a Persona as a result of outgrowing his former Shadow identity while Morgana is unable to fulfill his dream of becoming a human. Also, Teddie intentionally tries to get others to see him as a cute bear, while Morgana despises being seen as a cat.

* To Kanji Tatsumi, the Emperor social link and party member from the previous game. Kanji's conflict is his deep insecurity stemming from his traditionally-feminine hobbies and talents, as well as his possible homosexuality, and makes a concerted effort to hide his UnmanlySecret because he is afraid of people not accepting him or finding him strange. Yusuke, on the other hand, is openly and proudly an eccentric artist, and fears that by achieving greater fame, recognition, and acceptance he will be "selling out" and sacrificing his integrity as an artist. Like Kanji, his sexuality is ambiguous, but he isn't anywhere near as touchy about it. Both also have issues with their father figure, with the difference being that Kanji's dad [[DisappearedDad died when Kanji was young]], leading Kanji to lack a male role model growing up, while Yusuke had an abusive adoptive father who serves as an AntiRoleModel to Yusuke. In terms of gameplay, both favor physical attacks instead of magic, but Kanji specializes more in brute force while Yusuke is more of a CriticalHitClass.

* To her sister, Sae. Both are dutiful ladies working hard to make something of teir lives after losing both their parents, with their father's murder in the line of duty deeply affecting them both, and they have both been suservient to less-than-upstanding higher-ups. However, where Makoto remains idealistic in spite of the many questions she continues to have about her direction in life, Sae has become cynical and embittered while embarking on a blinkered course toward advancing her career at the cost of her degrading morals.

* To Maki Sonomura, another girl with deep-rooted psychological issues that caused them to manifest a supernatural world as a result of a device; the DEVA system for Maki and the Metaverse App for Futaba. But Maki's world manifested from her desire to live a normal life, whereas Futaba's palace manifested from her own suicidal thoughts as a result of her own self-loathing. They also had estranged relationships with mothers too preoccupied with their workload to spend time with their daughters. However, while Maki resented her mother, Futaba believed that her mother thought of her as a burden. And while both are noticeably frail girls for their age which is connected to their issues, Futaba's was a result of her lack of physical exercise due to being a shut-in, in contrast to Maki whose [[IllGirl illness]] was what caused her to be shut out from the outside world.
* To Mitsuo Kubo, a character who also has psychological issues and NoSocialSkills. Futaba's psychosis stems from the traumatic loss of her mother, and abuse from her relatives, thus she shuts herself off from society as a result. Her social anxiety leads her to being a ShrinkingViolet, making it initially difficult for her to socialize and readjust to society. She calls on the Phantom Thieves to steal her heart, but she accepts her Shadow and becomes a member of said thieves. Mitsuo's case is due to constant ridicule of his appearance and lack of presence, thus he turns to video games to gain recognition of some kind, shutting himself off from society as a result. He's unable to truly make connections with others due to his [[{{Jerkass}} less than pleasant]] personality. His willingness to commit murder and claim credit for the other prior murders gets the attention of the Investigation Team. Because he rejects his Shadow completely, he doesn't join the IT and is sent to prison for his crimes. Futaba faces the truth behind her mother's death and why it happened, discarding the lie Shido's men created. Mitsuo chooses to embrace the lie he created for himself, completely discarding the truth.

* She is this to [[VideoGame/Persona3 Mitsuru]], with the similarities being that she shares her background (inheritor of a big business group), age group (a third year, and senior to the main character), as well as future prospects (an arranged marriage), and the fact that both of them lose their fathers in front of their eyes. They are also both of the Empress Arcana. Those are where the similarities end though, as she is her opposite in nearly every way - especially regarding those similarities. In contrast to the relatively cold and professional Mitsuru (who uses last names on almost everyone besides Akihiko and eventually Yukari and the protagonist of Persona 3), Haru's more open to others, and refers to her friends with affectionate honorifics. Mitsuru is a DaddysGirl who hopes to protect her father, while Haru initially opposes hers. Mitsuru is also resigned to (albeit not completely happy with) her ArrangedMarriage, while Haru is desperate to get out of hers. Mitsuru takes the death of her father painfully hard and is shaken badly by it, while Haru accepts it and soldiers on without really letting it get to her. While Mitsuru eventually leads the Kirijo Group, Haru realizes she's out of her depth when it comes to trying to take over the family business. Mitsuru lives a sheltered life and fails to understand how life outside a rich family works while Haru seems to be able to adapt with the current trend well. In combat Mitsuru is a refined combatant with training in fencing, compared to Haru's gleeful but badly clumsy axe technique.

* To [[VideoGame/Persona4 Naoto Shirogane]] from the previous game, to the point he's known as "The Second Coming of the Detective Prince." Both are well-known [[GreatDetective Great Detectives]], but Naoto is noticeably more introverted and focused. Akechi, on the other hand, seems to be a bit of a celebrity, appearing in several talk shows and has his own in-universe fangirls. Both of them also hid a major part of their true identities (Naoto's gender and Akechi's personality). Gameplay-wise, he's something of an {{Expy}} to her, sharing her specialties (Light/Bless, Dark/Curse, and Almighty magic in tandem with some physical attacks), but unlike her he favors Strength over Magic.
** Unlike Akechi, Naoto is a genuine GreatDetective, having never faked her cases before swooping in to "solve" them so she could gain a positive reputation for her own benefits. While Akechi still has deduction and problem-solving skills fit for a genuine detective, having been manipulated and unable to get over his shameful family background, he uses his talents for fraud and deception.

* To Naoto Shirogane of ''Persona 4'', to point he's known as "the second coming of the Detective Prince". Both serve as famous {{Kid Detective}}s dealing with ParentalAbandonment issues who join the party late the game. But while Naoto is sincere in her desire to help others, Akechi is a FakeUltimateHero who lets his insecurities get the better of him and ''invents'' cases he can "solve". Similarly, Naoto was raised by her grandfather after her parents died in a car crash, thus giving her a stable home life, while Akechi was abandoned by his father and passed around the foster care system after his mother died.
** Ironically, in ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth'', the two get along well with each other and even have their own Unison attack. Akechi even temporarily became a better person before his AllForNothing RedemptionFailure ends with his memories being naturally wiped like anyone else in the game.

* To Makoto. Both of them are honor students who excel in order to be accepted- Makoto by her sister and Akechi by society as a whole. Both use {{blackmail}} in order to get onto the team, but with very different motivations. While Makoto genuinely wants to see if the Thieves are just (and offers to release them from the deal once they all end up getting blackmailed by Kaneshiro), Akechi's entire plan is a trap for the Thieves. While Makoto quickly reconciles with Ann and is accepted as a trusted friend by her and the rest of the Thieves, Akechi is never fully trusted- while the Phantom Thieves care for him, even the relatively compassionate [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Ryuji]] and [[NiceGirl Haru]] cannot forgive his misdeeds. There is also the similarity that both characters are used by members of the Antisocial Force to bring the Phantom Thieves to justice. Makoto however didn't know the Principal was tied to Shido's conspiracy and was nothing more than his UnwittingPawn for a short period of time while Akechi willingly teamed up with Shido to capture the Phantom Thieves. Makoto is also loyal to whoever she works for at the moment (be it the principle or the Phantom Thieves), while Akechi is ultimately loyal to himself and only works for Shido in order to accomplish his hidden agenda.

* He is also one to [[Videogame/Persona2 Jun Kurosu]]. Both are [[{{TeenGenius}} intelligent]] and [[{{Bishonen}} handsome]] young men, have at least [[{{AbusiveParents}} one horrible parent]], were [[{{AllOfTheOtherReindeer}} bullied in the past]] and have a connection with black masks. Also both of them created masked Alter Egos with contrasting goals. Jun as [[{{MagicalClown}} Joker]] is dressed in mainly white, initially had the goal to make people happy by granting their wishes and avenge his "Big Sis" he thought was killed. Despite his noble intentions Jun's mind eventually got corrupted by a mixture of rumours and brainwashing. Goro on the other hand wears mostly black as [[{{BlackKnight}} Black Mask]], has a noble goal in wanting to get rid of corrupt rich people yet he still acted as the enforcer for [[{{ArchnemesisDad}} Shido's]] evil plan out of his own free will to gain his trust and eventually ruin his father for his year-long mistreatment of his own son. Also unlike Jun who was viewed as a [[{{BadassBookworm}} dangerous]] outcast by his peers because of being shipped to a school for delinquents for [[{{BullyingADragon}} injuring some of his bullies with his Persona]], Goro started out as a well-known and popular KidDetective and TheAce with a secret revengeful and violent side created by his DarkAndTroubledPast which he hid from the public by all cost. After their respective HeelFaceTurn the outcome is also very different: Jun gets to travel with his ChildhoodFriends the original Masked Circle to [[{{TheAtoner}} atone]] for his Actions, while Goro sees there is more in life than hate and eventually [[{{HeroicSacrifice}} sacrifices himself]] for his new friends the Phantom Thieves.
* To Haru. Both of them start out thoroughly under the thumb of their fathers, doing whatever has to be done to please them and get their approval. Haru had the advantage of being an acknowledged child while Akechi did not, but neither of them was particularly loved by their fathers in either case. Their fathers are simply using them to further their own goals, with Haru's father arranging a political marriage Haru was opposed to in order to secure political clout and Akechi's father using Akechi's abilities to further the conspiracy of the Antisocial Force. Haru refuses to change herself and rebels openly, while Akechi's rebellion is subtle and subdued, letting himself be changed so he can get closer to Shido, which allows Shido to continue exploiting him. And finally, while Haru is horrified and saddened when her father is killed (by Akechi no less), Akechi fully plans to torture his father himself. Their personalities also contrast, with Haru being pampered yet sweet and always true to herself while Akechi is a BastardBastard who is always presenting false faces.
* To Ryuji. Both of them have fathers who abandoned them with their mothers. However, while Akechi's mother committed suicide from the burden, Ryuji's was able to shoulder the burden and struggled through raising him on his own. Because of this, Akechi is a bitter and jaded cynic who believes in an "every man for himself" philosophy, while Ryuji is a naive bright-eyed optimist who values loyalty and friendship. Ryuji is a Book Dumb athlete, while Akechi is a prodigy detective. Akechi himself points out when recruiting Ryuji to carry poker chips in Sae's dungeon that Ryuji was the perfect brawns to match Akechi's brains. Both of them have a strong desire to become famous as as a means of gaining positive attention, having gone so long in their lives without it, with Ryuji going on about how taking down big-name targets will make them famous and Akechi loving the limelight his "Detective Prince" status earns him; Ryuji, however, grows out of it near the end, while Akechi never does. Finally, Ryuji is incredibly open and willing to talk about his past to Joker within two days of knowing him, while Akechi maintains so many lies that he sometimes can't figure out which are true.
* To Yusuke. Both of them were abused by a father figure who exploited them for their own ends; Yusuke's confidant, however, shows him learning to find his own way in life after breaking away from this abuse, while Akechi doesn't have the opportunity to do this. Yusuke even notes in the chat after Akechi's boss fight that he himself may gone down a similar path as Akechi, had he not met the Phantom Thieves and escaped Madarame's abuse.
* To Ann. Both were discriminated against based on the way they were born. Ann for being quarter-white and Akechi for being a bastard child. But unlike Akechi, Ann was still able to make friends such as Shiho, Ryuji, and the protagonist in spite of said discrimination. They also both initially wanted to use their Personas to get revenge on someone, but while Ann was getting revenge on behalf of a friend, Akechi wanted revenge based on his personal grievances.

* Akechi is also a foil to Yuuki Mishima. Both are young teenagers who strive to be acknowledged by others and [[IJustWantToBeSpecial make a name for themselves]], and are willing to use the Phantom Thieves for their own selfish ends. Despite their association with the Thieves, they were viewed as [[TheFriendNobodyLikes nuisances]] and are treated with either indifference or hostility. However, while Mishima ultimately learned to overcome his issues and become a better person by sticking with the Phantom Thieves to the end, Akechi was unable to realize his wrongdoings and betrays the Phantom Thieves to further his goals. Akechi is adored as a celebrity detective by the public, that affection is ultimately superficial as his "fans" are quick to turn on him if he's proven wrong. Mishima on the other hand, despite remaining a nobody despite being the administrator of the popular Phan-Site, has genuine friends in the form of Joker and Ryuji who help him throughout.
* There are also shades of [[Videogame/Persona3 Ryoji Mochizuki]] in that he's a late party member, is only a part of the party for a short time, and is secretly a bad guy. Although, unlike [[BitchInSheepsClothing Akechi]], Ryoji's friendship with the party was ''always'' genuine (Ryoji was stuck with amnesia at the time, and was still friendly towards the heroes even after he regained his memories.)
* To Morgana. Both have been using the Metaverse far longer than any of the other Phantom Thieves and been selected by higher beings to guide mankind to a specific fate (granted Morgana it was to help Joker to save them for ruin, whilst for Akechi, unknowingly, it was to their ruin), alongside being gifted with abilities different than a normal Persona-user. Personality-wise, both are intelligent, yet have a tendency of being rather arrogant and showboating, mostly due to masking their insecurity over just wanting a place to belong and feel useful. Not to mention both have streaks of being rather childish and tendency to be the butt of jokes throughout the game, something usually by their peer's hands. Both even left the team at certain points, albeit for different reasons. However, not once does Morgana ever resort to abusing his abilities to cause extensive harm to someone psychologically and he eventually matures to the point he realizes he doesn't need to prove himself to his friends anymore. Akechi, meanwhile, has zero qualms in using his abilities to do harm via acting as Shido's personal assassin and never grows out of his childish craving for attention. Plus, while the Phantom Thieves do occasionally tease Morgana it's made clear that they appreciate him and will never abandon him, regardless if he's useful or not. Akechi's role in the Antisocial Force is only because of his usefulness as a Metaverse assassin and once his usefulness is up, he would be eliminated as well.
* To Hikari from ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth''. Both were social outcasts that suffered from having to live a torture and the only parent they had is their father since they lost their mother in one way or other, and they wanted to be loved and accepted only to have everyone seemingly hate them. It's just their mindset is just the exact opposite, since one of the reasons why Akechi even considers assassinating Shido's political opponents is that he thinks that he is superior over all other human beings and everyone else does not deserve to live, but Hikari became a shut-in and closed herself off because she thinks that she is inferior to all other humans, an abnormality and a piece of worthless garbage that nobody could like. They also driven themselves berserk when they felt that they had ashamed their father in some sort of way; Hikari collapsed in a fit of visual and autditory {{Hallucinations}} when her father accidentally triggered her TraumaButton that fully convinced her that she was abnormal, while Akechi drives himself berserk with the same power from Loki that he uses to cause mental shutdowns then mercilessly attacks the party as a last ditch attempt to dispatch the thieves so he could impress Shido.

* To Makoto. Both are well-regarded by the faculty of Shujin, with Makoto being the top student and on track for a scholarship, with Kobayakawa offering to write her a letter of recommendation (albeit as an incentive to identify the Phantom Thieves). Kasumi herself also has a gymnastic scholarship and is aiming to participate in the gymnastic internationals. Both are also dealing with some serious baggage regarding their family, with Makoto's strained relationship with her workaholic sister Sae and Kasumi currently grieving for the loss of her sister, who died a month before the start of the game. They're also struggling to keep up with people's expectations, with Kasumi being seen with envy and jealousy by the other students since the teachers give her special treatment (But heavily implied to be for other reasons initially unbeknown to her) Makoto laments the fact that people see her as an AcademicAlphaBitch when she's trying so hard to get into a university. Finally, while Makoto has a legitimate name to be burdened with, Kasumi is just Sumire trying to uphold something that she clearly isn't.
* To Adachi, in terms of gameplay. While Kasumi is a newcomer, both form their respective bonds with the protagonists in the UpdatedRerelease. Both also have an Arcana that changes midway through the story, with Adachi's "Jester" Social Link becoming "The Hunger" when Yu realizes that Adachi's BitchInSheepsClothing personality isn't an act and their relationship has changed radically. Kasumi's "The Faith" is actually a false Confidant, possessing only five ranks in contrast to ten, though it becomes a true Confidant following Shido's defeat. Unlike Adachi, however, her Arcana does not change, as unlike Adachi her bond with Joker is genuine.

* To Aigis. Both of them are rather eccentric beings, human or robot, were once kidnapped by a major antagonist as a weapon and slowly becomes more natural over an amount of time, as well as being the protagonist's closest girl and a major spotlight during a future re-release, effectively being the mascot of their respective games, as well as having ultimate personas based on well-cherished goddesses of their respective mythologies. Both of them also appear to be in serious denial once they regain their true selves or obtain humanity. However, while Aigis is designed to protect the protagonist, Sumire relies on the protagonist for protection. While Maruki kidnapped Sumire and used her as a weapon for intimidation purposes, Ikutsuki attempts to kidnap Aigis with clear intent to kill SEES. Additionally, while Sumire's denial of true self is indirectly manipulated by Maruki, Aigis' denial is caused by natural rejection; And while Sumire's acceptance is to accept what she actually is and get out of Kasumi's shadow, Aigis' acceptance is to embrace humanity and cherish life. Furthermore, while Sumire has a red and black motif, Aigis has a yellow and white motif.

* To Hikari from ''Persona Q2''. Both Hikari and Sumire are suicidally depressed girls who fell into depression because they felt that they disappointed a loved one. They are also only one of the clients taken under a godly being. However, Hikari outright refuses treatment and instead lays on her bedroom catatonically to escape pain and created a distortion so massive that the Phantom Thieves and other Persona users has to unite to prevent her from offing herself, while Sumire passively seeks for treatment, allowing her condition to be quickly halted by Maruki. The cause of the belief of disappointment are also different for the two girls; Hikari felt that she disappointed her father for a lifetime of bullying and social maladjustment that seemingly made everyone hate her, so she believed that she failed her father's objective for raising her as a loveable person and her father was never dead in the first place, while Sumire was jealous of her older sister's superior performance, constant optimism, better properties as well as that she arranges and decides most of her family life (save for preparing dishes since she can't do it properly but Sumire can), causing her to believe that she caused Kasumi's death for the traffic accident, which is further compounded by Kasumi actually and genuinely caring for her instead of being merely an overprotective sister.

* She is this to Shadow Rise. Both Shadows represent the repressed feelings of characters who have struggled with social isolation at one point in their life. Shadow Rise however tries to get Rise to buy into the idea that she is only using her career as an idol to hide behind her past weaknesses. Shadow Futaba however wants Futaba to accept that she is only harming herself by being a shut-in and has subscribed to false beliefs because of her weaknesses. Similarly, both are the only Shadows that do not get a proper boss fight with Shadow Rise's encounter being scripted while Shadow Futaba is not fought at all. In fact both Rise and Futaba accept their Shadows under similar circumstances as instead of the party fighting their shadow, but Rise admits to her weakness while Futaba resolves to become a stronger person. There's also the fact that by accepting their Shadows, both Rise and Futaba give the party the strength while they are in what appears to be a CurbStompBattle.

** To Taro Namatame. Both were overcome with despair due to a tragedy involving the women they loved, which led to both of them developing supernatural powers. Both of them want to put people into alternate realities in order to protect them from harm. However, Namatame never developed a persona or any abilities beyond throwing people into the TV world (which he mistakenly thought would protect them from being killed) while Maruki was one of the foremost experts in cognitive psience with a wealth of knowledge about the cognitive world which he exploited to become one of the most powerful Persona-users in the franchise, and the world he put people into was in fact safe for them, at least physically if not mentally or emotionally. Both of their dungeons also take the form of a heavenly paradise with garden motifs as well.

* To Tohru Adachi. Both are forced to relocate as part of a punishment for a perceived wrongdoing. However, Adachi dealt with this by delving further into isolation, misanthropy, and cynicism, abandoning his prior ideals of hard work and diligence to become a bumbling, slacking detective, and later a StrawNihilist serial killer out of sheer boredom. Joker, on the other hand, held on to his principles in spite of his predicament, bonded with others who were in similar situations and came to challenge the people who had wronged them. Both also hid their true personalities from those around them, with Adachi pretending to be [[VillainWithGoodPublicity a goofy bumbling detective while actually being a murderer]], while Joker was [[HeroWithBadPublicity perceived as a violent delinquent]] and generally carried himself sa a sly teenager (more like "shy" in ''[[TheAnimeOfTheGame The Animation]]'') when he is in fact an AllLovingHero who readily helps others in spite of how that backfired on him in the past.