Takuto Maruki - Tumblr Posts

The 3rd semester in Persona 5 Royal completely blew me away with all those story twists and revelations. As a little tribute to that awesome new part of the story, I made a wallpaper with Kasumi Yoshizawa and Takuto Maruki. Two great new character additions for Persona 5. ;)

Fuck it, just gonna say it:

Ryuji can be the biggest ray of sunshine but still have moments of being dickish

Sumi can be as sweet as can be but still have a selfish side

Maruki can be empathetic but still be fucked up

That's what makes them all INTERESTING!!!

I'm just saying these characters' best qualities and flaws can coexist! That makes them feel more human!

Didn’t really have anything to post this week so I’ll post the full Maruki pic as some people requested :)

Ok so I was thinking about Maruki getting a new Persona and thanks to research, it is technically possible to have a Persona that can shift between Navi and Combat thanks to Rise's Persona in P4AU:

...Wait a second... Idea forming... What if Maruki can have that ability too?

Ohhh! I just realized something:

Perhaps kinda like Rise, he would use a visor to scan but can then shift to fight mode when needed since he isn't bad combat wise and has some Metaverse knowledge. Perhaps limitations can be applied too for balance. Navi Mode Maruki would also be able to use "Guiding Tendril" (the ability his Will Seed gives) along with some actualization abilities (namely ailments?)! Of course, the ability would have the limitation of being usable for ambush still. Keeps him from being too op.

It would definitely be good symbolism for his pacifism but also fiercely protective. A fighter but also wanting to provide support as well!

Oh yes! You're right!!! I like that! I like that!!!

Ok so I was thinking about Maruki getting a new Persona and thanks to research, it is technically possible to have a Persona that can shift between Navi and Combat thanks to Rise's Persona in P4AU:

...Wait a second... Idea forming... What if Maruki can have that ability too?

Ohhh! I just realized something:

Perhaps kinda like Rise, he would use a visor to scan but can then shift to fight mode when needed since he isn't bad combat wise and has some Metaverse knowledge. Perhaps limitations can be applied too for balance. Navi Mode Maruki would also be able to use "Guiding Tendril" (the ability his Will Seed gives) along with some actualization abilities (namely ailments?)! Of course, the ability would have the limitation of being usable for ambush still. Keeps him from being too op.

It would definitely be good symbolism for his pacifism but also fiercely protective. A fighter but also wanting to provide support as well!

Y'know, thanks to chatting with @celestialily in the replies, why not? I can work around this! I'm still thinking about Icarus' design so giving him a combat and Navi mode shouldn't hurt much! Just some fine tuning in Maruki's PT design as well!

Ok so I was thinking about Maruki getting a new Persona and thanks to research, it is technically possible to have a Persona that can shift between Navi and Combat thanks to Rise's Persona in P4AU:

...Wait a second... Idea forming... What if Maruki can have that ability too?

Ohhh! I just realized something:

Perhaps kinda like Rise, he would use a visor to scan but can then shift to fight mode when needed since he isn't bad combat wise and has some Metaverse knowledge. Perhaps limitations can be applied too for balance. Navi Mode Maruki would also be able to use "Guiding Tendril" (the ability his Will Seed gives) along with some actualization abilities (namely ailments?)! Of course, the ability would have the limitation of being usable for ambush still. Keeps him from being too op.

It would definitely be good symbolism for his pacifism but also fiercely protective. A fighter but also wanting to provide support as well!

Ok so for those that have seen this tag:

Ermmm... My hand slipped...

"Your eyes are as bright and honest as ever..."

This part of "Transformers: The Covenant of Primus" gets me every. Damn! Time!

Optimus... Just realizing that he isn't alone... And feeling despair over Bumblebee being (temporarily) killed... Break my heart why don't you?? 💔😭

Like no, honey... You were never alone! They all love and care about you damn it!

I'm still piecing together my own Strikers AU rewrite so here are the notes for Maruki, Sumi, and Akechi's roles:

Maruki

He quietly moved to Okinawa to work with Ubukata but then quit and became a recluse.

This was all due to his research getting found among Shido's stolen shit or something which led to him getting recruited as one of the scientists only to then bail when he saw what it all entailed and seeing it all firsthand. Basically the moment he entered the lab he immediately noped out, especially once he saw an experiment in action along with Ubukata's madness almost reflecting his own. He was also one of the scientists that tried to talk him out of it but was refused or even threatened. He ends up blocking out all memories of that lab due to trauma and hidden guilt for not freeing the desires there himself. Icarus, his new persona, would be calling out his cowardice and continuing the habit of running away from his problems along with his hubris. Also some (attempt at) slow burn HaseMaru. Joins after having a new awakening in the Okinawa Jail as both a fighter and an extra Navi.

Sumi

Sumi is visiting Tokyo for the summer at her Coach's suggestion albeit recovering but still dealing with things.

Still maintains her kind and empathetic attitude despite it and would be the first of the group to actively try to bond with Zenkichi, starting with helping him set up the calling cards in Sendai and then Sapporo. That bond later extends to Akane due to having traumas in common (this can also help her feel more closure for Kasumi's death since it would be a further indication that she's not alone). The initial concept was her struggling with Cendrillon before gaining Odile after a breaking point but I ultimately scrapped it. Potential AkeSumi too.

Akechi

Decided to let the others assume he's dead so that he can go take care of himself but then decides to investigate on his own initially.

I guess the best idea I could come up with regarding Akechi is that he's been slowly investigating the change of heart cases after seeing news reports and articles from rehab/shelter. He sets out after being deemed well enough to explore outside the facility as he tries to check out the locations. Not sure when he'd cross paths with the Thieves tho but I am thinking as early as Sendai or Sapporo. He would first appear watching Alice's calling card with a smirk before leaving, indicating slight nostalgia. He's also familiar with Zenkichi and his past due to previously working with Shido and would butt heads with him for his supposed cowardice ("Didn't think the big bad wolf would be tamed so easily"). I would probably attempt closure with him, Haru, and Futaba but how I'm not sure yet.

Sadly, she has lost sight of herself... She is in pain.

Takuto Maruki Character Pages from the "Persona 5 Royal official design works" artbook

Back to fiddling with touch-ups since P5X's Sprites are super helpful with fine-tuning!

I swear to god the more I think about how Sumi's toxic/negative thoughts and behavior along with the filter's red flags were not only fully ignored but even outright ENABLED and sometimes mocked by the people around her the more horrified I feel guys. Again, fuck Shujin Academy. Not only that but her whole experience at Shujin just felt so... Isolating. It doesn't excuse it and she needed to grow out of it but it's definitely little to no wonder she primarily clung onto and became dependent on Maruki and Joker for a while.

Like her peers, Shujin faculty, hell even well intentioned ones like Maruki and even her father just kept enabling and putting on temporary bandaids thinking that what's currently happening to her and their ideas to help her were gonna benefit her in the long run when they just... Unwittingly make it worse. It's primarily when Joker steps in to tell her to STOP with the delusions and unhealthy behavior that she finally starts to show actual improvement and snap out of it. Same with her coach who had been trying to tell her to stop from the beginning.

Like don't get me wrong, Maruki and her father aren't horrible and DO care about her compared to Shujin but they kinda still unwittingly contributed to her problems by allowing her to live a lie as Kasumi. But on the other end of the spectrum, there's the added nuance that she did feel like the filter did help her (she was suicidal for Pete's sake) but also felt that she didn't need it anymore because it's ultimately not healthy and just a bandaid solution.

That and she acknowledged and admitted her own faults in the situation saying that she wasn't any better. Actually the more I think about it, the more I realize that one of the mental hangups she's dealing with is being so caught up in her own problems that she doesn't see the bigger picture of things (Kasumi not being this perfect person, Maruki's suffering despite his kindness and smiles, etc.). She even mentions it in a safe room dialogue and can even be shown in the flashback of Kasumi's death. It just kinda adds more to her selfishness even when her feelings are understandable and Kasumi's behavior and methods of helping can definitely come off as condescending to anyone. It just reached MASSIVELY unhealthy levels along with people around her enabling the toxic behaviors (Maruki included).

I guess a tl;dr is that she IS an interesting critique on Japan's fucked up mental health system and stigmas along with Maruki and I feel like people should talk about this more because it's so interesting to dissect.

some dream keeps me going through the night

Hey everyone! I can finally present my contribution to Pride Month: Quick edits of my Blorbos complete with HCs!

Alastor: Trans and AroAce (personally strikes me as Demi AroAce but I wanna keep it neutral there)

Sumi: Gender Non-Conforming and Pan

I did two different versions of hers there

Zenkichi: Bi and Demisexual

Maruki: Demi-Aromantic (Demiromantic) and Pan

Optimus (TFP): Demi AroAce

Actually felt proud of this snippet of a possible future scene in my Strikers rewrite AU I did on Discord so minus well share it! Some assertive Mooki with a small bit of HaseMaru subtext if you squint.

Do they want to fight or screw each other? Yes. XD

Persona 5 Adults are very silly to me... I have many thoughts about them. Including its always sunny in japanifornia

Also I love this guy

Have not drawn in a long time... feels strange

[ ~"New Face, New Fears"~ ] - Persona 5

You are student of the Shunji Academy, you been transfert it due a incident you been acused it, even so you new and Autistic, is been hard to you deal with

What contains?

Autistic Reader, Sensitive Content, Persona 5 Royal Spoilers?

Can be visualized as?

Can be take you are part of the Phantom Thieves or not, Can be take you are in Ren Amamiya Place (Ren Amamiya is a Self Insert Personification)

Sinse you arrive to the Shunji Academy, everything feels so fast is been still hard to proces and adapt it, the new school is way bigger the one you was before, and the city you live now it will be hard to learn it, is overwhelming

Not only that, but the students says rumors about you and even scared of you of you reason you be transfer in the Shunji Academy, a incident you get into as you know was never you fault but still police take action on you

Still is under investagion, due you Autistic, is high chance you go without chargers and this incident is a false case, but they have to follow protocols for the good of the case

The Principal and Teachers give you motivation and security you will be fine, but the protocol of warning if you do something suspicius or cause troble you will get out of the Academy, something that you wish honestly

The profesor Suguru Kamashida sinse the firts time you saw it give you the high alarms something is wrong with him and always advoid him and stay away from him as fast you could, you dont talk with anyone, and not becuse you shy, it just your mind is fully blocked to talk at all, students and teachers and equal you dont talk to no one, there so many students is so overhelming, like you could not walk or even breath in such place feeling you trap, is almost giving insane if was for all the wispering and voices talking at the same time

there multiple times teachers caught you being on the roof of the school on your own, as see you escaping of such harsh emvarioment for you in now a comfort sone, being enjoy the silents on the high place, the sky, the air, and mostly the birds that sometimes you feed, not even doing nothing and you space out being inside your brain, or even doing homework there when you should do in your…well home

That something they caugh, you like study, you are a studing kid ignoring all you issues you have to deal, some teachers even noticed you wanted to respond some questions when teachers ask in the air for a student anserw it, but you mind blocked to have the positive to talk so you never do it

They let you be on the roof as see is a place where you can rest and be safe before go back inside the school, but for limited time as they scared let you alone unpirvised doing something that may be dangerous

And sinse what happen with Shiho Suzui, they not longer let you be on there, something that bothers you a lot, it was your safe place and each day you feel you could explode, and that something everyone noticed, how you reacted a little more agresive towards others and yourself, or near to cry on your sit

and after of Suguru Kamashida confest himself of the evil actions he been doing with the students, the Academy need to do something for they own good imagene and for the students who been affected by Suguru Kamashida and the tension as been caused by this

this where they higher a Therapist for the school, Takuto Maruki who his job is help the students who been affected by Suguru Kamashida and the situacion caused after his confesion, even his main job is deal with these specific students, they talked about you too and you Autims, something Takuto Maruki is interested in help you

Something he knew is he should not face you, the least he want is overwhelmed you with alredy with a lot you dealing, he want to slowly feel comfotable arround him, teachers and pricipal talk about him and recomend him, appart of alredy knew announment you saw with the rest of students, you dont know if should to him, after all, others are dealing worse, but they recomend you so maybe you should go and talk to him, right?

Being with Takuto Maruki is hard at firts, is a unknow person and you alredy overhelmed with you have to deal with the school, something that Takuto Maruki understand, he take easy and slow, making you feel comfortable being arround him, just simple questions of yes and no, talking calm but ofc not take you as a idiot, and hand you over some drawing papers and simple toys to feel more comfortable to be in his place

at pass of the time, you slowly by drawings tell him how you feel in school, the overhelmed of so much students, the voices and noises all the time, the unable to walk or breath, and you just want to run away, things that Takuto Maruki understand as be normal behavor of someone Autistic, you also tell him things you like, like you miss being on the roof, things you hyperflexing, and what school subject was your favorite

Takuto Maruki secure you security and comfort being with him, as more you visit him you more feel more comfortable and better to deal with school, you even being able to say some words and talk to Takuto Maruki, as see him as progress something that make him happy, you sometimes talk about the incident that make you being transfert in the firts place, asking what you did wrong or if you on the wrong, something that Takuto Marukie make you sure that you indeed you was not on the wrong, just people who take advantage of you

Takuto Maruki talks of this with the profesort, to help them to deal better with you and how they aproche to you, mostly to the stricted ones who they behavor can see treathing to you, good thing they not have bad eyes on you due you are a dedicate student who like to studit, this help a lot to open you up with the profesort and dedicate more in the studets, something that make you more happy so ypu can understand more better some subjects it struggle to you

Takuto Maruki even talks the pricipal about the roof being open for you as well, something he awared why it close and why is proived for all students in general due the dangers can happen, but is something is very common you mention, the pricipals will thinkg about it, or other way to find a way students can have a rest in privacity

There even one time where the Profesors call Takuto Maruki due you having a break down on the school, due that day a lot of stuff was happening, making a lot of pression, noises, and much more more caused to finally explode, Students was scared of you as you just having a break down right there, hurting your self and maybe others near you, Takuto Maruki make sure to take you carefully to his place and calm you there, making sure you have the time you need to rest and be ready to studing again and asking you what you need and how the events happen to cause your breakdown

Takuto Maruki make sure his place is where you can be safe, anything of this happen or near you have a break down, dont be afreid of rush to his place to be safe before anything bad happen

Persona 5 doodle dump👋

The Kasumi Yoshizawa

The garden in maruki’s palace is representative of how maruki likes gardening