History ValuesDissonance / Persona5

* The game's CentralTheme is a big one. In Western cultures (particularly America), "stand up to corrupt authority rather than blindly following it" comes across as a CaptainObviousAesop, given how the West tends to value and champion personal freedoms over societal harmony. But such a central theme is extremely relevant (and actually quite radical) for Japan. [[JapanesePoliteness Respect for social superiors is heavily ingrained into the culture]], to the point of being hard-wired into [[{{Keigo}} the language itself]]. All of the Phantom Thieves' targets are in positions that demand respect from Japanese society, which [[VillainWithGoodPublicity is why they got away with their actions for so long]].

* A common complaint from Western critics is that, despite the game heavily dealing with the nature of youth being misunderstood by the previous generation, the game has no GayOption anywhere, even in the UpdatedRerelease with ''Royal'', and not much in the way of positive LGBT representation. This is in part a fundamental misunderstanding of the theme, as while America, Europe and most other western countries heavily associate such issues with discrimination (which LGBT topics fall under), Japan is far more routed in social corruption (which the game deals extensively with).
** Atlus [[AuthorsSavingThrow toned down a few of the more stereotypical aspects of the Shinjuku Creatures]] for ''Royal'' (partially in the Japanese version and even further in the localization) after a number of complaints from the Western audience who played the original ''Persona 5''.

* The story doesn't linger on it, but the significance of Iwai's gecko tattoo doesn't tend to connect with Western audiences. In the West, small, personally-significant tattoos like his are common. Japan, on the other hand, frowns upon tattoos due to their link to the Yakuza, to the point where just having visible ink can get you kicked out of shops in some places and bathhouses will outright refuse people with any tattoos (some traditional places will also kick out foreigners too out of principle even if there is no relation whatsoever to the Yakuza). Irezumi, traditional Japanese tattoos (the kind that you'll see in every yakuza story ever), are usually designed to be hidden completely by a proper business suit for exactly that reason. That gecko shows that Iwai gave up a criminal life and then branded himself a criminal anyway, just to do right by his son.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves care about him. The part that tends to get misconstrued is the reason for the beatdown -- [[AngerBornOfWorry they were peeved]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive saying that they didn't look as pretty when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} of this nature is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]], the misunderstanding over his fate was in no way his fault, and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life. Additionally, many find this to be an instance of DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale, which the previous ''Persona'' games already were criticized by western players for.

Games in the ''Persona'' franchise have always experienced a degree of ValuesDissonance in the West due to their setting -- [[UrbanFantasy despite having many fantastical elements, the series is set in a realistic and unfiltered depiction of modern Japan]]. But ''Persona 5'' gets this dissonance ''especially'' hard due to its very intense and deliberate focus on examining and criticizing fundamental aspects of Japanese society and Japan's culture. While many aspects of the game's story still [[ValuesResonance resonate]] with Western audiences due to its fairly universal themes of rebellion against corrupt authority, many of the finer details are lost in translation due to cultural differences.

* After being falsely convicted of assaulting a politician, Joker is sentenced to a year's probation. To most people in the West, this is a very light sentence; while it's certainly unfair to Joker since he was framed, it likely wouldn't haunt him for the rest of his life if he were American or European. But to the Japanese people, having a blemish on your record ''at all'' irrevocably tarnishes your name forever. Hence why everyone initially treats Joker like he's a hardened criminal after his record gets leaked, and why he had to move to Tokyo just to find a school that would accept him after he got expelled from his old school.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves care about him. The part that tends to get misconstrued is the reason for the beatdown -- [[AngerBornOfWorry they were peeved]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive saying that they didn't look as pretty when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} of this nature is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]], the misunderstanding over his fate was in no way his fault, and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life. Additionally, many find this to be an instance of DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale, which the previous ''Persona'' games already were critizised by western players for.

* In ''VideoGame/Persona5Strikers'', one of the crimes Konoe confesses to is [[spoiler: killing his father in self-defense. Japanese laws are a lot less lenient with murder in self-defense than most Western countries are, meeaning the weight of this crime, and the fact that he will be punished harshly for it, would otherwise be lost on Western players. The English version changes it to sound like a premeditated murder for this reason.]]

* The fact that the Phantom Thieves are able to buy realistic toy guns legally. In America, it's illegal to sell fake firearms unless they have an orange tip on the barrel. At the same time, the protagonists are very leery at the idea of owning firearms at all before they learn they're just toys. Ironically, while ''fake'' guns without obvious markers have legal issues, it's perfectly legal in most American states for high schoolers to own firearms and even relatively common in many for someone to own a beginner's pistol or rifle. ([Grenade launchers, though, are still a bit of a question mark in either region.)

* The fact that the Phantom Thieves are able to buy realistic toy guns legally. In America, it's illegal to sell fake firearms unless they have an orange tip on the barrel. At the same time, the protagonists are very leery at the idea of owning firearms at all before they learn they're just toys. Ironically, while ''fake'' guns without obvious markers have legal issues, it's perfectly legal in most American states for high schoolers to own firearms and even relatively common in many for someone to own a beginner's pistol or rifle. ([[UpToEleven Grenade launchers, though, are still a bit of a question mark in either region]].)

* Sadayo Kawakami's romance ''is'' meant to be seen as taboo (which she takes great pains to remind you), but in Japan, it's more of an issue of age than a TeacherStudentRomance. What's supposed to make Kawakami different from [[DirtyOldMan Kamoshida]] is that the student approaches the teacher, and the affection is explicitly confirmed up front as mutual and consensual. That still doesn't cut it with a lot of Western fans, who see a relationship between Kawakami and the protagonist as a huge DoubleStandard relating to the power a teacher has over their students.

* Kawakami and Taiki Takase's relationship, her tutoring the young man who had to work three part time jobs after the death of his parents, is treated like a huge controversy (with her being criticized for giving more attention to him than her other students) when in the West, their relationship would be seen as inspirational. Ms. Chouno does praise Kawakami when she thinks she's tutoring the protagonist after school, but that may be because she has at least lived in the west (she mentions missing California during one of her classes) so she understands western values more readily.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves care about him. The part that tends to get misconstrued is the reason for the beatdown -- [[AngerBornOfWorry they were peeved]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive saying that they didn't look as pretty when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} of this nature is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]], the misunderstanding over his fate was in no way his fault, and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves care about him. The part that tends to get misconstrued is the reason for the beatdown -- [[AngerBornOfWorry they were peeved]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive cracking jokes about how ugly they looked when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]], the misunderstanding over his fate was in no way his fault, and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life.

* When the identity of Black Mask comes to light, their MotiveRant turned them into a BaseBreakingCharacter in both Japan and the West, though Black Mask tends to be treated more sympathetically in Japan. This clash of viewpoints also relates to how the game's themes on authority and rebellion differ slightly in Japan and the West, where the idea of deferring to authority is more strongly instilled in Japanese society, since Black Mask is TheDragon instead of the BigBad. In any case, how ''willing'' Black Mask is going through with his plans varies, as Japanese players feel he is he couldn't really get out of his situation while Western players see him as a willing participant. [[spoiler:To explain in depth, sympathy for Akechi comes from Japanese views on parental heritage as well as social positions. Akechi being born out of wedlock (and to a sex worker, no less) and the fact that Shido refuses to acknowledge him as his son is seen as highly shameful and a weight that he will have to carry for the rest of his life. Shido is also a person in a high position of power who can basically have Akechi killed or permanently ruined at any time with a snap of his fingers, not to mention that respect for authority is rather strongly instilled in Japanese culture right down to the language. Western players, however, are likely to see Akechi as more of a willing accomplice; Akechi knew what his hitman work entailed and was still willing to cooperate anyway, prioritizing his plans of getting close to Shido over the well-beings of several others, some of them probably innocent (such as the victims of the train crash apart from the targeted politicians).]]

* The nature of Joker's arrest and the KangarooCourt he was put through is also noteworthy. Many viewers would see immediate red flags at the fact that neither of Joker's alleged "victims" ever appeared in the news or even in his court trial. Along with the high conviction rates, there also exists a stigma that automatically presumes guilt on the part of whoever was arrested, meaning Joker never really had a shot at proving his innocence. This also extends to how some of the more sympathetic adults like Sojiro and Kawakami initially treat Joker, with both repeatedly trying to pressure Joker to keep his nose out of others' business. Even though they slightly give him the benefit of the doubt, there's still an undercurrent of belief that [[BlamingTheVictim he was still at fault for getting involved in a matter he shouldn't have]].

* Related to the above, this dissonance might be one reason why Shido is viewed as an underwhelming villain in the west. He ticks nearly every CorruptPolitician and PresidentEvil stereotype in the book, tropes that have been omnipresent in western (especially American) media for a long time. In Japan, however, politics isn't something that's often discussed openly, the GovernmentProcedural genre is very rare, and when CorruptPolitician characters appear in Japanese fiction it's almost always in fantasy settings or period pieces. A modern-day politician running for Prime Minister is therefore a very novel idea for a villain over there.

** To rub salt into the wound, during a Confidant hangout with Akechi in ''Royal'', he implies that his mother was a sex worker that accidentally got pregnant during a one-night stand. This means Akechi's background ''will'' most likely destroy his career if the public ever becomes aware of it. In that regard, Akechi has every reason to hide it, considering Akechi's birth was a humiliation at best and ''outright shameful'' at worst by the laws of "koseki" and Japanese society. Akechi telling this to Joker is meant to be a sign of intense trust, since he's trusting Joker with a secret that could outright ruin his life if it ever got out. In the West, while telling Joker this would certainly mean Akechi trusts him, being born to a sex worker wouldn't be seen as Akechi's fault.

* Japanese society puts a lot of emphasis on self-sacrifice for others, and acting individually, even if it's with good intentions or for something small, is seen as selfish and harmful towards group morale (such as women wanting to continue working after having kids instead of QuittingToGetMarried and be a good mother and wife). This attitude explains why some of the characters are easily ostracized and believe that it's their fault: Haru feels at first she has no choice but to proceed with her arranged marriage because she accepts that she would be hurting her family and company's image if she didn't; the track team chooses to blame Ryuji for breaking up the team since he was the only one who actively rebelled against Kamoshida. A more positive example (which is still misunderstood by Western audiences) is [[spoiler:Akechi's HeroicSacrifice DeathEqualsRedempion scene, which was supposed to make his character sympathetic]]. At the end of the game, if you completed the Strength Confidant, it's explicitly said that there are times when you must sacrifice your desires to do the right thing, [[spoiler:like Joker did when he let himself go to jail to ensure Shido's conviction]].

* On a meta level, Atlus's SpoilAtYourOwnRisk approach to playthroughs posted online created wildly varying reactions between Japanese players and western players. Atlus decreed that posting playthroughs past a certain point in-game would not be allowed, and any videos caught doing this would be removed as soon as they find it. The Japanese players complied and avoided putting up anything past that point. In the west, however, Atlus found itself a victim of the StreisandEffect, with people putting up gameplay videos and plot synopses all the way to the very end of the game in defiance of the order faster than Atlus could take them down. This is due to the very different ways the two groups interpreted those orders: by and large, Japanese players saw it as advice to not let other people be spoiled by plot events out of genuine concern, whereas Western players saw it as a big company overstepping its boundaries. A big motivator for this pushback was the official Atlus guidelines for streaming the game, where they claimed if anyone on [=YouTube=] violated the initial "no footage past July 7th" rule (later changed to November 19 in-game after these protests), Atlus would use [=YouTube's=] content ID system to claim offending videos, or issue copyright takedowns to suspend or terminate channels that broke the guidelines. Western users of the website (including [=YouTubers=] and their fans) generally despise companies/corporations exploiting Youtube's systems for reporting stolen content purely to silence criticism or to enforce arbitrary rules on how users should use their products... much less corporations flexing their power and influence towards individuals or small groups, in some cases threatening people's livelihoods with no repercussions. Notably the western branch of Atlus was not the one that instigated the policy, but Atlus Japan. Oddly, it seems Atlus didn't learn from trying this prior with ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', in which [[HistoryRepeats the very same thing happened when they tried to implement a spoiler policy]].
* When the identity of Black Mask comes to light, their MotiveRant turned them into a BaseBreakingCharacter in both Japan and the West, though Black Mask tends to be treated more sympathetically in Japan. This clash of viewpoints also relates to how the game's themes on authority and rebellion differ slightly in Japan and the West, where the idea of deferring to authority is more strongly instilled in Japanese society, since Black Mask is TheDragon instead of the BigBad. In any case, how ''willing'' Black Mask is going through with his plans varies, as Japanese players feel he is he couldn't really get out of his situation while Western players see him as a willing participant. [[spoiler:To explain in depth, sympathy for Akechi comes from Japanese views on parental heritage as well as social positions. Akechi being born out of wedlock (and to a sex worker, no less) and the fact that Shido refuses to acknowledge him as his son is seen as highly shameful and a weight that he will have to carry for the rest of his life. Shido is also a person in a high position of power who can basically have Akechi killed or permanently ruined at any time with a snap of his fingers, not to mention that respect for authority is rather strongly instilled in Japanese culture right down to the language. Western players, however, are likely to see Akechi as more of a willing accomplice; Akechi knew what his hitman work entailed and was still willing to cooperate anyway, prioritizing his plans of getting close to Shido over the well-beings of several others, some of them probably innocent (such as the victims of the train crash other than the targeted politicians).]]

* Mr. Ushimaru's habit of ChuckingChalk at students for not paying attention, while a common anime trope, would get him in plenty of hot water as it's considered physical abuse, something Western schools and parents don't take kindly to. It's especially hypocritical of him to continue to do this while the school is being put under scrutiny precisely over the abuse Kamoshida put his students through.
* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves care about him. The part that tends to get misconstrued is the reason for the beatdown -- [[AngerBornOfWorry they were peeved]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive cracking jokes about how ugly they looked when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]] and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite. It's a comedic way of showing how much the Phantom Thieves cared about him, which also explains [[AngerBornOfWorry how peeved they were]] when Ryuji comes back [[InnocentlyInsensitive cracking jokes about how ugly they looked when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]] and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is meant to be comedic. The scene is one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes because it showed how much the Phantom Thieves cared about him, which also explains [[AngerBornOfWorry how peeved they were]] when Ryuji comes back in perfect shape [[InnocentlyInsensitive cracking jokes about how ugly they looked when they cried for him]]. In addition, {{Slapstick}} is regularly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, more players (especially fans of Ryuji) find the scene unnecessarily cruel given that Ryuji had just [[spoiler:survived a near-death experience]] and because he had been a victim of physical abuse throughout his life.

* The girls[[note]](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[[/note]] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is meant to be funny and is actually one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes, as {{Slapstick}} is commonly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, this scene was criticized by many players, especially those who dislike seeing Ryuji as a ButtMonkey and bringing up his past as a physical abuse victim.

* The girls[note](unused content shows that even Joker and Yusuke joined in)[/note] beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is meant to be funny and is actually one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes, as {{Slapstick}} is commonly used in Japanese comedy. In the West, this scene was criticized by many players, especially those who dislike seeing Ryuji as a ButtMonkey and bringing up his past as a physical abuse victim.

* The girls beating up Ryuji after [[spoiler:his DisneyDeath from Shido's Palace]] is meant to be funny and is actually one of the Japanese fandom's favorite scenes. In the West, this scene was criticized by many players, especially those who dislike Ryuji's ButtMonkey status.

* Westerners are much more critical about Maruki's counseling methods, often stating that he is a "terrible" counselor due to him primarily being a researcher. [[https://youtu.be/QWHqp2-0N2w?t=1312 One example]], pointed out by a counseling student, was that Maruki was leading the conversation and thus making it seem like he was interrogating; however, this is a common practice in Japanese counseling due to their hierarchical culture, where it is normal for the client to defer to the therapist for suggestions and let them lead the conversation. For Japanese players, they find Maruki quite likeable because even with the aforesaid leading of the conversation, he comes off as more casual and honest compared to what is typically expected from a therapist in Japan.
* Hifumi's story arc includes a portion where she and her family are horrified about an article that was written about her difficult family situation. They're worried that their family situation becoming well known will spell disaster for both her and her mother's careers. Coming from a disadvantaged background would gain her nothing but sympathy in the west since rising above ''in spite'' of difficult odds is seen as inspiring and not something to be ashamed of. Again, this is based on the west valuing more an individual's self realization and personal success over their social and economic background. Of course, it later turns out that [[spoiler:Hifumi's mother was the one responsible for selling the story to the magazine, as part of an elaborate gambit to build sympathy for her daughter and use Hifumi's shogi career as a steppingstone to becoming a gravure idol.]]

* On a meta level, Atlus's SpoilAtYourOwnRisk approach to playthroughs posted online created wildly varying reactions between Japanese players and western players. Atlus decreed that posting playthroughs past a certain point in-game would not be allowed, and any videos caught doing this would be removed as soon as they find it. The Japanese players complied and avoided putting up anything past that point. In the west, however, Atlus found itself a victim of the StreisandEffect, with people putting up gameplay videos and plot synopses all the way to the very end of the game in defiance of the order faster than Atlus could take them down. This is due to the very different ways the two groups interpreted those orders: by and large, Japanese players saw it as advice to not let other people be spoiled by plot events out of genuine concern, whereas Western players saw it as a big company overstepping its boundaries. A big motivator for this pushback was the official Atlus guidelines for streaming the game, where they claimed if anyone on [=YouTube=] violated the initial "no footage past July 7th" rule (later changed to November 19 in-game after these protests), Atlus would use [=YouTube's=] content ID system to claim offending videos, or issue copyright takedowns to suspend or terminate channels that broke the guidelines. Western users of the website (including [=YouTubers=] and their fans) generally despise companies/corporations exploiting [=YouTube's=] systems for reporting stolen content purely to silence criticism or to enforce arbitrary rules on how users should use their products... much less corporations flexing their power and influence towards individuals or small groups, in some cases threatening people's livelihoods with no repercussions. Notably the western branch of Atlus was not the one that instigated the policy, but Atlus Japan. Oddly, it seems Atlus didn't learn from trying this prior with ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', in which [[HistoryRepeats the very same thing happened when they tried to implement a spoiler policy]].

* Mr. Ushimaru's habit of ChuckingChalk at students for not paying attention, while a common anime trope, would get him in plenty of hot water as it's considered physical abuse, something western schools and parents don't take kindly to. It's especially hypocritical of him to continue to do this while the school is being put under scrutiny precisely over the abuse Kamoshida put his students through.

* Related to the above, as discussed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9LM43uHh0 this video]], Haru's ArrangedMarriage arc is a lot more relatable and relevant to Japanese players, as it comments on a practice called "Mukoyoshi", that is is still common in family-run Japanese companies to this day. (Many famous Japanese companies such as Toyota and Suzuki have remained technically "family-run" for generations thanks to this practice, and even a few past Nintendo presidents were examples of Mukoyoshi).
* On the same topic of Mukoyoshi, another one of Chihaya's clients mentions being already engaged to his childhood sweetheart but that a client has offered him his daughter's hand in marriage and he's conflicted over what to do since refusing him might spell disaster for his career (as confirmed by Chihaya). This would be a non-issue in most western countries for a number of reasons. While considered a great honor in Japan, no one would give any serious consideration to a marriage proposal in a business lunch in the west and the client's attitude to just giving his daughter away to a business associate wouldn't provoke anything but disgust from the other person (and would probably put into question the values and/or level of inebriation of the person making the proposal).

* Okumura is meant to ultimately be more sympathetic than many of the other targets. This is in large part due to how thoroughly he recants and apologizes at the end of his Palace and how he truly cares for his daughter Haru deep down, as well as the fact that he's assassinated on live TV after his change of heart. Unlike Yusuke's reactions with Madarame's fallout which arranges from anger to self-blame to denial, Haru's response for Okumura's assassination was nothing short of sadness and grief, indicating that Okumura only began to exploit Haru quite recently, and his biggest crime sums up as him [[spoiler:making over-ambitious business and political ventures with no regard for other people and led to him being killed]]. However, his political venture and original sin is arranging Haru's marriage for political gain. Arranged marriage is still decently common in Japan (especially among the well-to-do), and the game still makes it clear that the situation is cruel and unfair to Haru largely due to the abusive nature of her Fiance as described later. However, the Western world would consider Okumura's actions horrendous. In Anglophone countries, the practice of arranged marriage for power's sake has become universally reviled, and it makes Haru seem like nothing but a bargaining chip (which Okumura's Palace emphasizes at points). Okumura's initial willingness to force Haru into a marriage with a man who is two drinks and a bad day short of being a ''physically-violent rapist'' puts Okumura squarely into the Kamoshida tier of villainy for many. (The conversation between Okumura's Shadow and the manifestation of how Okumura sees his future son-in-law makes it clear that Okumura knows fully well what he's doing, and doesn't care.) Thus, Okumura's apology doesn't do much to mitigate things. It doesn't help that while the contents of his pre-battle "apology" might be true, it was used for the sake of getting the Thieves to lower their guard. Opinion might've softened on him if he had more time to follow up on improving his relationship with Haru and making her life better, but he isn't given the chance to do that. While in the Third term you do see Okumura genuinely caring for his employees and daughter's well being, it's [[spoiler:just a fabrication made by Maruki, so even though it might very well be what happened - at least for Haru - before then, it can still mean basically anything]]. So, a Westerner would probably still have trouble with Okumura, no matter what.

* Hifumi's story arc includes a portion where she and her family are horrified about an article that was written about her difficult family situation. They're worried that their family situation becoming well known will spell disaster for both her and her mother's careers. Coming from a disadvantaged background would gain her nothing but sympathy in the west since rising above ''in spite'' of difficult odds is seen as inspiring and not something to be ashamed of. Again, this is based on the west valuing more an individual's self realization and personal success over their social and economic background.
* Mr. Ushimaru's habit of ChuckingChalk at students for not paying attention, while a common anime trope, would get him in plenty of hot water as it's considered physical abuse, something western schools and parents don't take kindly to. It's specially hypocritical of him to continue to do this while the school is being put under scrutiny precisely over the abuse Kamoshida put his students through.

* [[https://kotaku.com/persona-5-gets-a-small-change-to-avoid-further-controve-1795498669 Some depictions of the Japanese imperial flags]] were removed from the Korean release of the original game due to [[UsefulNotes/KoreansInJapan political tensions]] between the two countries. ''Royal'' also had an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_g6ouQVSw4 unused scene (spoiler warning)]] meant for the first infiltration of Palace 9 in January where the characters wave small Japanese flags. Among possible reasons why the scene was removed may also include the fact that the game was also being marketed in China and Korea, and a scene like that probably wouldn't be received well (despite not being imperial flags).

* Kawakami and Taiki Takase's relationship, her tutoring the young man who had to work three part time jobs after the death of his parents, is treated like a huge controversy (with her being criticized for giving more attention to him than her other students) when in the West, their relationship would be seen as inspirational. Ms. Chouno does praise Kawakami when she thinks she's tutoring the protagonist after school, but that may be because she has at least lived in the west (she mentions missing California during class) so she understands western values more readily.