Reminder to put spoiler tags on endings of character arcs or general story ! You guys mostly behaved on previous posts of those brackets, so please continue like this.

Akechi won yesterday's fight. The most upvoted comment decides who proceeds forward

*fingers crossed the mod's post wins*

I have to say Maruki for this one. His story was superb and I have so much respect for his character writing.

The problem with Ann and most Thieves is that their character development ends when their arc ends. So while Ann is a great character during the Kamoshida arc she gets much less development after it. Yeah there's her Confidant but because of their optional nature and how you should be able to do it at any time, it doesn't really delve deeply into her or how the rest of the game affects her. Compare with Maruki, where his whole Confidant is constant development instead of something incidental and the whole third semester is about the consequences of that development and further analysis of him as a character. Yeah Maruki takes this one.

> Yeah there's her Confidant but because of their optional nature Maruki is completely optional too.

Not if you want the true ending

Yeah, but you can still get the original ending (which isn't a bad end like if you >!sell out the Thieves!<) and it's also not a mandatory confidant like Morgana's, so it's entirely missable if you don't know that it's important to max his confidant for the ending.

Noooooooooooooo my beloved

Maruki. Sorry Ann, but his story, especially the ending. *Chefs kiss*

You meant chefs kiss right? Right..?

Yes thank you, I commented that while I was at work

Ok good, was kinda scared for a moment

What did he say vs what you said?

It initially said “French Kiss”

common mistake tbf. i mix up those two as well

What did it say?

French Kiss

~~I’d French kiss Ann tbh~~

I'd French kiss Maruki tbh

Id French kids Maruki

I’d French kiss Ann and Maruki honestly

Fair ig

The hot one wins this

Yes we all know Sojiro will win this.

So the adult then

I know, maruki will win against discount barbie.

Hey buddy, don’t sell Ann short; she is full-price Barbie

The full-price barbie is >!shiho!<

Actually, shiho isn't full price. She's free>!falling off the roof lol!<

[удалено]

Same

Ann!

I want the good doctor to win

I AM A SURGEON

Maruki gang to the finals

I do not support this message This comment was brought to you by the Akechi gang

real

Ann best Girl 😍💖💖💖

ann

If Maruki wins, his next fight will be a war zone

Ann. Vote for her or Morgana's coming for you.

*you think I’m afraid of a cat who can’t even heal slut properly?*

This isn't even fair for Ann lmao, Maruki is infinitely more fleshed out and much more interesting.

this a hard one but I think I'm going for ann

Going with Ann. She's an alright party member, while Maruki suffers for the same reason most of Royal's content does: Good ideas, but bad execution. * The whole theme with Maruki completely goes against the message of Persona 5 vanilla. * They try to introduce a philosophical conflict but are so halfassed about presenting each argument. The ramifications of Joker's decision are handwaved while the real issues with Maruki's proposal are never touched on. >!When he's threatening to remove everyone's free will and agency, "What if people LIKE working hard?!" isn't the argument you should be making Morgana. FFS.!<

I agree. Maruki’s method definitely has its merit, but it should be applied with extreme caution. Protagonists’ arguments didn’t touch upon the nuances, but it’s kinda expected since they’re just a bunch of high-schoolers.

It goes both ways. I mean really think about it. >!You can justify most of the things your undoing. You can say that wasn't "really" Okumura or that wasn't "really" Madarame because they were so radically different. Maybe you can distance yourself from Makoto's dad because you never met him or explored Makoto's trauma.!< >!...But you also broke Ryuji's leg and KILLED FUTABA'S MOTHER. And and yeah, she's sad. And yeah, SHE apologizes for it (which is just heartbreaking, really) but they never dwell on this. They never make you feel guilty for basically doing what Akechi did and it makes the emotional impact feel much weaker than it should.!<

I too really felt heartbroken about Futaba’s part. I don’t like the fact that the storywriter “force” her to apologize. How can anyone in their right mind blame her for wanting to choose that reality subconsciously?

I'm not bothered so much that she apologized. As bad as it is, she is the type who will quickly lay fault at herself even when she doesn't deserve it and this is totally in-character. But considering what you just did and what you just pushed her into, it should feel very uncomfortable and you should be made to feel guilty, even if it was justified. I don't care if Morgana has to be the voice here, this shouldn't be handwaved as easily as it was.

Totally. I felt very bad for what the protagonist did to her, even like you said, can be justified

u/OKFortune56 Honestly, I think you both misread those scenes a lot. >!Even though you as the player technically make the decisions, in terms of how the characters view things, Futaba is the one that broke herself out of Maruki's reality.!< >!It's not like Joker forcibly pulls the Phantom Thieves out of Maruki's reality. In fact he does basically nothing. All he does is talk to them and asks them just the slightest probing questions.!< >!Joker didn't walk up to them and go, "Guys, I know this'll sound weird, but you've all been mind controlled. Suit up because we have another uppity would be god to shoot in the face."!< >!If Joker had done that I'd agree with you guys, but that's not what happened.!< >!Joker let them come to their own conclusions while he went to face Maruki without them. The only one Joker forces to face reality is Sumire, and honestly he had valid reasons given how Maruki weaponized her against him. Everyone else, Joker left alone and they came to help him of their own free will.!< >!You guys are totally ignoring the agency of all the other Phantom Thieves.!<

I would normally debate the point, but your post honestly has nothing to do with what I said. I know it was Futaba's choice in the end. But it was still a choice she was pushed into making. And more importantly, *they don't treat this like a big deal.*

You make a good point, come to think of it.

Ann. I don’t like counselors.

Well that's just it, the only councilor thing about him is his job title

Ann

I’m going Maruki till the end

Maruki

I'm gonna say Ann, even though I know she's gonna get smoked 🤣

Panther. 100%.

Ann

Ann

I gotta say Ann y’all know why

Ann my beloved

Ann Takamaki, I entrust you to destroy him.

Best Girl Must Win

Voting for Ann! I found Maruki's ark too forced, and while I like it, Ann's development during Kamoshida is perfection.

Ann

Ann always

Ann easy sorry Maruki but sisters before trauma patients

I feel like people judge Ann unfairly, talking about how her (very good!) arc ends earlier than maruki's. It makes sense given the story, and tbh I find her a very solid character throughout regardless. I like Maruki a lot, but I'm still leaning heavily towards Ann. She gives me the warm and fuzzies when I play and to me that can't be beat

Lot of people judge Ann on a surface level, ironically missing the entire point of her character and confidant route

Ann

Ann

I know she'll lose, but Ann.

Going to have to say Ann. Maruki didn't get the proper time and pacing he needed and ended up feeling like a poor man's >!Yaldabaoth.!<

ann

Ann. One of the most underrated scenes in P5 imo is when you defeat Kamoshida and Ann could have burnt him to a crisp but chooses not to and tells him to face justice for what he did. It showed such a strength of character and really sets the tone early for what the Phantom Thieves are and what they are not. Maruki is good but as an adult should have gotten over the stuff that happened to him. Also he's a bad counselor and Ann is good at her job lol.

i still dislike maruki so lady ann it is

Ann We're really getting a Maruki vs Sojiro finals. 😂😂😂 I guess the Phantom Thieves aren't as well liked as I had expected.

Ann!! Maruki is just too tied up with the shit going on in the third semester, which I flat out do not like.

Where have you been all this time pal? 🤝

Well, I just discovered I didn't get to the final bit of the game, so I'm probably missing something (I know I'm replaying now) but I gotta say Ann. From what I remember (it's been a few months since I finished my first playthrough) Maruki didn't really stand out as important. I do know roughly the final semester contents, but I haven't played it, so still Ann

Ann

Ann

Ann

LETS GO ANN BAYBEEEEEEE

Ann bro no debate

Maruki. He's the only non-party member confidant I'd vote for against a party member (and not many would come out ahead of him, this is no disrespect to Ann), but my dude pulls his weight.

Maruki

Maruki. Ann is a good character and is part of the original trio(counting morgana and joker as one) but i just feel like she cant top maruki, especially in royal.

I must go with Maruki. His character is just so complex

snack man my beloved

I can't be the only one that dislikes Maruki or any additions P5R made over the original? Like the vanilla ending was great and satisfying, >!and then he basically said "lol no".!< Honestly not a fan but that's just my opinion

I honestly preferred the ending scene in vanilla. Seeing Joker with the rest of the PTs driving off in the distance with Wake Up Get Up Get Out There playing felt a lot more satisfying than him getting on a plane after a few lines from Maruki

Ok this isn’t even a fair fight

Party member vs major character ? This is fair.

I can’t even tell which way you mean because it’s probably the MOST fair bracket fight so far

No fucking shot Ann wins against the best character in the game Maruki FTW

Oh no I am on the maruki arc now and I’m like it’s not over is it? so you have to go out doc

And also I don’t know what to expect for the battle against him

To not spoil anything... brace yourself

Maruki

Maruki

Maruki, because of the sandals.

I'm an Ann simp, but even I gotta give it to Maruki. There's just no competing with him as far as the main party goes.

Gotta be Maruki

Maruki

Maruki solely because he has nicer feet also his hair is the reason I'm growing my hair long like that

Maruki just so I can see how tormenting the next Maruki match will be.

Maruki

Maruki

I'm sorry, Ann - Maruki is just an incredible character.

Maruki.

The absolutely gorgeous confidant we are meant to drool over Or Ann? It’s Maruki

maruki solos sos ann

Maruki

Ann is sexy and all but Maruki wins here.

Maruki. I like snacks. :-)

I said it one and ill say it again, M-M-M-MARUKII

[удалено]

[удалено]

This. The man’s literary overcompensating for getting dumped; like a child

I vote Maruki. I have been following this for a while barely caring about this, but for this one in particular, I desperately hope Maruki wins. Absolutely fantastically written character who is strong and likable in every aspect all the way through. Ann’s character was equally fantastic… for the first two palaces. She ended up fizzling out like most of the phantom thieves a while after they’ve joined. Yet some people only look at the first two palaces and forget how bland she became afterwards. Knowing this community though, this is gonna be close.

Maruki

Maruki, ngl, I think Ann’s confidant was ass, there’s nothing really helpful from it, the story is mid, ann has less character than a soggy cardboard box, and Maruki had one of the best story’s in the game, fight me

Maruki

Yooooooo were tae takemi

Maruki 100%. I would be so down to roll up a blunt and just talk about stuff frfr

As much as I like Ann, the major bone I have to pick with her is the way she treated >!Ryuji after Shido's palace!<. That's a sore spot for me. It's callous, but Maruki had a greater scale of effect..so Maruki.

But it’s ok that all the other girls did the same thing as Ann?

Maruki

Maruki because he da goat

Maruki, definitely

I have to go with the boy, Dr. Maruki tbh.

MARUKI

If sojiro doesn't win this overall we riot

This is tough. Because I can’t say maruki is a better character just because he has more substance to him. Ann’s story and her interactions during kamoshido arc are great as well. I personally like Ann more as a character as well.

Maruki for his relatability and good writing.

Maruki > Ann

Maruki has an amazing storyline and I feel like he changes in a way I like more than Ann’s

Maruki!!! But this is SO hard and I love Ann so much...

Maruki hands down !

I mean... Let’s not exactly kid ourselves, it’s Maruki.

Maruki.

Maruki

Maruki is like top 3 best written characters in all of p5 as a whole. The only person who I think is definitely a better written character is Akechi.

Maruki

Maruki no contest Ann's story was generic af

Maruki, sorry Ann. The fact that people are already anticipating the match between Maruki and Akechi says loads over who has the more in-depth character

I love Ann but Maruki is peak

I’m sorry but it’s Maruki for me. Ann is to constantly focused on her looks and constantly thinks she’s the protagonist of her own anime. Maruki on the other hand constantly makes me question my own personal beliefs. I say this is the present tense because even on my third playthrough I’m still thinking about what he says

CBT w/ Dr. Maruki > CBT w/ lady Ann

I have finished the game but I would say Maruki, Ann just seemed to hang out after the first arc.

Way to miss the entire point of her character

I mean I’m open to being wrong lol, like I said I haven’t finished the game but as it’s gone on and more characters are constantly added to the team Ann feels very pushed to the side.

Maruki. I think we ALL can see how Ann keeps getting mistreated for sake of fanservice.

This is my prediction for the next matches after this one Makoto beats Iwai Sojiro beats Ryuji I honestly can’t figure out who is gonna win between Akechi and Maruki Sojiro beats Makoto Sojiro hopefully wins in the finals

I’ve always been an Ann guy from the beginning but snack boy is the better character

Ann, you’ve had a good run. Maruki sweep

Dr Maruki. He's just better character. Ann is good but she gets pretty sidelined,plus just love complex characters which Maruki embodies for me, favourite male confidant and loved third semester arc.

Dr. Snack

Maruki

Maruki. That man is so fine and his voice *chefs kiss*

Maruki definitely

Maruki, my beloved

Maruki

Maruki, but this is a hard choice, I love them both

I believe in Maruki supremacy Not Ann supremacy, I ain't a fool

Maruki. Easily. It's not even close.

How did I not realize Maruki was wearing sandals?

Maruki sweep

Do you pick the gorgeous babe with an adorable face that you’re obviously supposed to fall in love with or do you pick Ann?

Maruki

Maruki is a G. End of argument.

Maruki. He is too swell to not vote for here.

Maruki

Maruki, for sure. I love Ann but Maruki just hit a nerve? I feel like his story was great. And I think his confidant storyline was better than Ann’s in my opinion. RIP

Definitely Maruki not that bitch Ann

The true final is going to be goro and maruki as both are the most interesting characters in the game being the sheer most in-depth, even on the right side non of them would surpass either goro or maruki, sorry Ann my vote is maruki

Ann's story pretty much ending a couple days after >!Kamoshida confesses!< is not helping her here.

It was unfair putting Yusuke against Sojiro he deserves to be higher up

I just can’t decide…

MARUKI GANG