The Psychology of Tohru Adachi (Persona 4 Golden)
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Tohru Adachi is a character who is laced with depth and nuance throughout the course of his story. We learn in Persona 4 Golden that Adachi's parents only really cared about his success academically and little else. We get hints throughout the course of the game via his interactions with characters like Yu Narukami, Ryotaro Dojima, Nanako Domjima, and the rest of the investigation team regarding the circumstance of his life and upbringing and how he ended up in Inaba. We slowly learn of his connection to the murders within the small town and eventually his rationale behind these murders. So today I want to look at how Adachi was able to grow past his actions within Persona 4 Golden as his story continues in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and truly work to determine what is happening in his mind.
NOTE: The diagnosis described may vary in presentation from person to person and Adachi is in no way indicative of the wider population that can vary widely in presentation.
I also want to note that all counselors will come at situations from different theoretical orientations, backgrounds, and belief systems. My opinions correlate with my own education and professional experience up to this point in my education as a Master's level counseling student.
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Persona 4 also known as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus. It is chronologically the fifth installment in the Persona series, itself a part of the larger Megami Tensei franchise, and was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan in July 2008, North America in December 2008, and Europe in March 2009. It was re-released as a PlayStation 2 Classic for the PlayStation 3 in April 2014. Persona 4 takes place in a fictional Japanese countryside and is indirectly related to earlier Persona games. The player-named protagonist is a high-school student who moved into the countryside from the city for a year. During his year-long stay, he becomes involved in investigating mysterious murders while harnessing the power of summoning Persona.
If you enjoyed this breakdown then check out my latest Persona video looking at the Psychology of Zenkichi Hasegawa from Persona 5 Strikers! ruclips.net/video/3tu9rjlyKug/видео.html
Amano was accident in the game. So it was not intentional
If there's one message I got from Adachi and even Akechi, it's that no one is ever inherently evil. But one's experiences with the world can corrupt them into a life of such deeds. There's an African proverb that can suit the characters well that states "the child who is not welcome in his village will burn it down to feel its warmth."
That is a wondeful proverb in a way because it is true. A lot of people with bad childhood or victims will eventually grow into a life of crime or become abusers themself. And i think the reason is that they usually have to step back while seeing that other prople reach to the top while they didnt suffer. It creats a kind of angrieness.
Bullshit. All psychopathy is born. To think otherwise is proof of born psychopathy
@@HTFFanOfFlaky Found the edgelord
@@HTFFanOfFlaky "fuck yeah im an edgy boi all i see is darkness and im very cool because of it"
@@HTFFanOfFlaky psychopaths can be good people too you know
Prison therapy really helped me a lot y'know?
Hang in there, buddy.
That's what you get for being psychopath
@@kurokie3691 like he had a choice
@@phillemon7664 he choose his own life so we can't help it too
@@kurokie3691 you wouldn't choose otherwise if you were in his shoes
Im a simple person. I see a video essay about adachi, and i click
I hope it was worth the click!
It was! Great work!
I think the problem is his addiction to cabbages
I think you cracked the code.
I still have a crippling cabbage addiction
He might also have an addiction to
*BEACHES AND SHORES*
Addiction to pancakes is so much better
@@TheSlammurai how about steroid protein
Here’s the fun bit: Adachi is actually more talented than Yu. You don’t simply become a police officer, and you especially don’t skip straight to being a detective, not realistically. Adachi for all of his madness is still a mad genius, he genuinely worked hard to achieve his position, stifled years- possibly two decades worth or more -of basic human needs such as bonds and affection all to sharpen himself as a person, many people can’t even look a person in the eye while telling a lie but Adachi plays it like a theater performance and skirts the police from right under their noses. Yu is a nobody when he enters Inaba, he has no skills, no bonds, nothing, who he becomes is purely the result of his ties with those around him, he’s talentless and relies on those connections to make up for his short comings which is made real in the game. Adachi has no one and derives strength purely from within, imagine how insanely powerful he would be if he had ties and people to lean on. Adachi in reality had all the talent but what he really needed wasn’t more talent, he obviously has that in abundance and worked all his life for it, he needed bonds but he failed to realize that and pushed them away. That’s what separates Yu from Adachi, not talent but Adachi’s critical error in mistaking what he wants for what he actually needs.
Same as Akechi.
jesus christ i thought i replied to this comment without remembering, that pfp
A self-assessment is easy to make when you can just assume you have no talents and blame your short comings on that.
@@AnduraMusic but even Akechi admitted all his accomplishments were fake
Bruh, Yu is literally mister perfect. There is even an achievement called like this.
He has top grades, while being good at sports, maxed all his friends social links, has a GF, beats shadows in his free time, has multiple jobs and casually solves a murder case. You know what talents it requires to bring all these things under one roof. Some people work their hardest to just achieve one of these things and he just does that in under a year.
While not much is known about Adachi's childhood, we only know that he really had to work hard and study all day, only to become a unsuccessful detective (Which is not that hard to be.)
You know he’s serious when he brings out the physical DSM5 book
I don't mess around when talking about Adachi.
@@ThoughtBubbleYT that’s not unreasonable.
Are we ever gonna see the Psychology of the P3 kids? God knows they need some heccin therapy. Femc more than most
@@jonathanfaber3291 Once I finish the game then probably!
@@jonathanfaber3291 why doed femc need it
@@ThoughtBubbleYT I very thankful for an in-depth analysis of Adachi. I love this guy
“His parents only cared about his grades”
Every single person that existed, exists and will exist: Maybe I’m Adachi!
I like Adachi as a character a lot, one thing about his design that is neat is that the Red Tie he always wears, even while in Lockup, was a gift from Dojima and that Adachi always carries around a Lighter (which you see in the Accomplice Ending to Golden) specifically for Dojima as Adachi himself doesn't smoke.
Interesting note--Adachi only says, "But... maybe if I had been more like you, things wouldn't have gone this way..." if you advance his Social Link up to that point, and confront him alone before going after him.
There's a little bit of Adachi in all of us these days.
Always has been
Too right mate.
Persona 4 is aged really well. Fog = virus
Minus the killing part
I hope the fuck not
I find it pretty poignant that when Adachi has Narukami at gunpoint - _twice_ - he doesn't shoot him. Sure, he shoots _at_ him, but he doesn't shoot Narukami specifically. He has all of this power as a police officer and wielder of Magatsu Izanagi, and yet he can't bring himself to just cap off Yu and send the Investigation Team into a downward spiral.
Tbh it could have been either Adachi just wanting a more fun confrontation at the time, or it could've been Ameno-Sagiri not wanting Yu to die until he gets to test humanity's strength for himeself (being an aspect of Izanami and all)
I think that Adachi can't actually bring himself to be the direct cause of someone's death. The fact Mayumi's death made him so physically ill that he vomited, shows that he doesn't have the stomach for murder. It's also worth noting that neither Mayumi nor Saki were killed directly by Adachi.
@@The1_Static-X_Fan I disagree. I think those reactions were him being new to killing with him getting over it.
@@TheSlammurai yea to be fair, he casually threw Mitsuo into the TV
He also never uses his gun during his boss fight
"He wanted revenge on that world"
I was planning to write a long comment in case if something like that wasn't mentioned, so I guess this will shorten this comment.
That is precisely how it feels like, no matter how stupid or childish this looks on the surface. If someone's life can be called boring - lacking any events that will cause new experiences and memories - person in the times of solitude has no other choice but to return to the memories they already have. Having social interactions is just one of the effective ways to create such memories. Since people tend to notice things that are wrong/unjust (let alone memories of the bad things that had happened with that person) and treating the normal/good things as something as it supposed to be, bad things will be remembered more often. Only thing that is left is time: it will take years but eventually person will see and expect only bad things from everyone and, as it happens at the extreme lows, can lead to tragedies. You will have Mikami from the Death Note. You will have (to avoid spoilers) Kaladin's friend from the Stormlight Archive. You will have Tohru Adachi.
Is he redeemable? I believe that yes, and it can be already seen in the Persona 4 Arena.
Add that to him having worked so hard and being smacked down
Ooh, another Stormlight Archive fan? Nice!
Obligatory fuck *spoiler*!
He's just a highly functioning sociopath.
I saw a theory that Adachi turned out as he is by the end of the game mainly to the guilt and fear of getting caught, that was basically his way of coping with it , and the obvious influence of ameno sagiri.
This basically says that while yes he killed people, he still cared for people and has or could have a good heart
TLDR: you can’t say Adachi is a criminal with no way or atoning in any way for what he did and the worst being, just because he killed people I mean sure that’s bad, but doing so implies not knowing his version of the story, just like with Namatame.
@@B_A-tr awesome to see a storm light archive fan! Kaladin’s friend is crem
YES ITS HERE ADACHI SIMPS COME GET YALL JUICE
Oh we drinking
We drinking reaaaall hard
Oh yes we drinking all the juice baby
Drinking
We do be simping a lot love the guy
Akechi did it because he wanted to be valued, Adachi did it to fill the emptiness within himself.
The layers of appreciating Tohru Adachi
1. Appreciating his delightfully creepy dialogue and callous remarks.
2. Appreciating his ideology and honor towards his 'game' with the investigation team.
3. Appreciating everything about him laid out in this video.
I can relate with Adachi a bit. I often feel inadequate and untalented. Even today I often struggle with comparing myself to others in very unhelpful ways.
Youre not inadequate. When your brai thinks so be courageous and know that what you think about yourself isnt true
Hope you dont relate to Adachi TOO much iykwim
Ehh stupid people don’t realise they are stupid so maybe not?
What you need is to hit rock bottom and have your ego get is ass kicked. That way you can finally start crawling forward.
Same
I always viewed Adachi as someone who believed himself to be scum. His speech and the scenes before the murders are him trying to rationalise to himself being the villain.
With Mayano, it seems like he approached her specifically because there was rumored dirt on her. Something he could latch on to. She was an adulterer, and while he might not care personally, it was an excuse to get angry at her and kill her without (as much) remorse.
With Saki, he antagonises her and provokes the slap. After that point, he smiles. He realises she's given him a golden ticket to kill her as she's "another bitch". Another excuse.
The Namatame scene was essentially his way of divorcing himself completely from the victims to remove every semblance of guilt he might have. He's not the one pulling the trigger now, it's Namatame.
As for the investigation team, his delivery of the iconic "it was... fun? I guess that was my reason?" feels like he is again, coming up with a fake justification on the spot. He wanted to sound as evil as possible. On top of that, he constantly shifts the blame. "I didnt kill them, it was the TV World".
My personal favourite moment is during the accomplice ending where he forces Yu to burn the last thread of evidence linking him to the murders. He doesn't do it himself. He gets Yu to do it. Why? Because destroying evidence is a serious crime and he'd feel guilty for doing it.
Essentially, I view Adachi as a heel. He thinks he's a worthless sack of shit and tries his best to make everyone else feel the same. That way, he can justify his self-loathing. Sure, his actions are stemmed from boredom, but it's quite perfect that in the world of Persona 4 - a game themed on Television - that there's someone determined to play the role of the villain.
It's more likely he did it to be careful. Letting someone else do the dirty work is better, he clearly has no problem with killing people. So letting Yu burn the paper gives Adachi blackmail while also seeing if Yu was being serious about siding with him (Even though this doesn't make sense either because he would've had to be there to know Yu burnt it, putting him under suspicion) Plus blaming the T.V and Nametame for the murders wasn't him trying not to get his hands dirty, it's so that even if they did find out it was him he technically wasn't killing them. Not to mention the police wouldn't believe someone putting people in T.V's, Adachi mentions this as well. The accomplice ending is really just kinda dumb, it's really just a what if scenario where the Yu just betrays his best friends for no reason
@@eliasgalindo5578if you remember back at the beginning of the game when they found Mayanos body Adachi threw up.
He actually felt guilty which shows the fact he didn’t intend to murder mayano at all.
I would really like to see 'The psychology of Yosuke Hanamura' ngl.
Basically Adachi, but Yosuke was able to make friends and overcome his crippling loneliness.
If it wasn't for Yu, Yosuke and Adachi would've probably teamed up.
@@fuzzyapplepie6940 Holy shit... imagine that.
@@fuzzyapplepie6940 Adachi is honestly a dark reflection of certain qualities and issues each IT member had that their Shadows represented.
Yosuke: Lives a life of loneliness and boredom
Yukiko: Feeling trapped in his life situation and wants to escape it
Chie: Being bitter and jealous of those "born lucky" he feels he can't compete with
Kanji: Feelings of inadequacy and not being "good enough" to be accepted by others
Rise: Putting on a false upbeat face to hide his real feelings about his life and career
Naoto: Wanting recognition and respect for all the hard work he (used to) put in but never got
Teddie: Having a feeling of an "empty" and thus meaningless existence.
People make a million adachi videos ngl I’m tired of it lol
@@shadejakva9367 I never thought of it like that! Holy shit thats very true!
God, the fact that he brought P4U2 into the analysis is something that made me jump with joy. Reason being is that with everyone I’ve talked about Adachi’s character with they would either outright dismiss it since it happened outside of the main series or they never knew it happened; which is understandable. I just find that P4U2 is such a big part of Adachi, more than people realize.
I honestly started the script because I wanted to talk about his P4U2 incarnation because I felt that was something I’d never really heard anyone address in earnest so I’m glad you enjoyed!
@@ThoughtBubbleYT I know it’s four months later, but I was playing BBTag’s story mode again recently and I love how the progress seems to have extended there as well.
Of course he’s reduced to a simpler character, like everyone else in BBTag, but the way he helps Naoto was still heart warming and just reminded me of this video.
I can't wait when Adachi and Akechi meet.
That’s why there needs to be a P5 Arena game😩
Atlus, all of the above is what you should do
They’d probably be repulsed by each other
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED P5 ARENA... MY BOYS INTERACTING.
That would be a fascinating interaction.
I deeply believe that on at least some level Adachi truly cared for Yu, Dojima, and Nanako
I mean if you look at him in P4U2, he very clearly cares for Dojima and Yu despite denying it.
Speaking of Namatame, a psychological analysis of him would be really, really fascinating.
There's a lot to unpack with Adachi, and I love how much there is to someone who seems so simple on the surface. While I agree with a lot of the psychological aspects of this, I do feel like there's a lot of "nurture" in how Adachi turned out, not just "nature". His parents and school life obviously fostered that sense of academic success being everything and his black-and-white talent worldview, but something I'd argue is it's not specific to him. Because Persona 5 is a lot more obvious with its commentary on Japanese society a lot of people don't realize there's a lot of it in Persona 4 as well. In Japan, academic success and grades really ARE a magic ticket to what society tells you is an ideal life. Students are pushed to do well in school to get into a good high school, to get into a good university, to get into a good company. In Adachi we see just how badly this system can break someone if they focus entirely on success to the neglect of really "living" their life. It fostered Adachi's sense of inadequacy and frustration when he did everything society told him and didn't have the ideal life he was promised. And since another aspect of society's "perfect life" is being in a romantic relationship, this could have led to him feeling like he was "owed" women and lashing out when they rejected him.
One other thing I find interesting: Adachi goes berserk and fights the Investigation Team when they call out the aspects of himself that he's been denying or hiding with defence mechanisms. Just like the Shadow bosses you've been fighting all game. One thing that makes him such a perfect villain for P4 is that he's the natural culmination of all the Shadows you've been facing. Instead of someone's denial creating a Shadow, Adachi is so deep in denial that he's indistinguishable from his own Shadow.
I also love how so many of Adachi's traits, his boredom, isolation and sense of inadequacy, can be seen in Yosuke. The game probably had us fight Shadow Yosuke first to introduce the obligatory "best friend" Social Link, but it's a fitting "bookend" to the murder plot, since Adachi is, at least in my view, a picture of what Yosuke could have become if he hadn't faced the ugly parts of himself when he did, and didn't have friends to help him through it.
Another thing, considering that Adachi's dungeon was almost a prototype of Persona 5's Palaces in a way, maybe the Investigation Team accidentally triggered a Change of Heart in him? The symptoms are somewhat similar, just a lot less exaggerated.
IIRC Youske was one of the candidates for the True Culprit role, but I'm glad he didn't get it
@@KoylTrane IIRC, it was Dojima and Yukiko who were the other options, tho I have a hard time seeing any of them as the murderer.
I am a year late but I just wanted to say that in my opinion Yosuke is closer to Namatame than to Adachi because to him, despite the crimes finally bringing something interesting to his life in Inaba, it was all because he could play hero in it. Namatame too had this hero complex where he would push himself and others around him into danger blindsided by this very same complex. Maybe if you force it a little you could say that Yosuke risking his life and convincing Yuu into entering the Shadow World is kind of the same.
No, a change of heart is literal brainwashing. We can see that the Investigation Team's words actually got through to him in a more real sense.
He’s just a sad lonely man, depression leads to violence. He just needs friends.
Sounds like the dark side really
or a clear goal.
SPOILERS FOR SMTIV APOCALYPSE
the protagonist loses his best friend 3/4 through the game and he starts to agree with dagda's ideologies where friends are meaningless and that isolation is the best way to move forward as a human. when you finish the second to last dungeon, you kill all of your friends if you choose to side with dagda and choose a goddess to assist you with the creation of a new world. you pick one of the friends that you just killed and manipulate them and turn them into nothing but a slave to you and dagda. the protagonist never turns out to be an adachi because he knows at the end of the day he'll surpass everybody around him and that he's the one that's going to be a god of a new universe while everybody else has to praise him. if adachi became a detective in the big city and had a bright future, he would probably not end up as the monster that bridges the tv world to the real world since he's achieved his goals and he has nothing else to worry about.
I REALLY don't think that's all that's wrong with him. the game takes great pains to make his murders crimes of violent misogyny, and that's not just isolation.
And therapy
@@cookiedough8524 and specifically aimed at fixing his issues, not just helping him express himself.
Cause, somebody whose issue is they don't respect others' agency learning coping mechanism designed for say, people with social anxiety... not a good thing.
I hope you talk about yoskue since he could've ended up like Adachi but goes in a different path
I feel like yosuke could have ended up having a similar scenario and thoughts as adachi, but never to the extent of adachi.
their most glaring similarities are how they both saw country life as boring and their loneliness. the difference is that, yosuke seeks connections on his own and is actually successful in this (ex. chie and yukiko), so I doubt he would have ended up as isolated as adachi. plus he has his morals and there's no significate sign that he lacks empathy like adachi. you could argue that yosuke wanted to throw namatame into the tv is evidence but personally, i don't think it's comparable to what adachi did. to summit it up, there's little possibility that yosuke could ever become as deranged as adachi.
To reinforce his inadequacy, Adachi’s boss fight is among the easiest in the game because he only has 1 good tactic (Evil Smile + Ghastly Wail) despite him clearly having put in effort to become stronger and get his Magatsu Izanagi good skills (Magatsu Izanagi doesn’t naturally have Heat Riser like Adachi did, he has to learn it). Additionally, he loses to Yu who didn’t have to work for his power he was just given it, which can put him in the “talented” camp by some definitions. He was even shafted by Ameno Sagiri who was just using him as a puppet.
Funny thing is, he is supposed to be strong, but because of the bug he just doesn't use the skills he has
@@KoylTrane Is he actually bugged?
@@Wildcat12 yes, there's a PC mod that makes him use all his skills, making the fight much harder
@@KoylTrane Do you know what the mod is called by chance?
@@Wildcat12 I'll even give you a link, here you go, boss
gamebanana.com/gamefiles/12848
The fact adachi isnt just a dumb forgetful clumsy detective and is actually a extremely competent sadistic asshole and that's just how good the writing of this game is
I absolutely adored this video to death. You definitely did Adachi's character justice and finally explained why he has antisocial symptoms and that his symptoms doesn't define who he is as a person. Adachi to me is a demonstration of what could happen to a person when they feel betrayed and isolated by the world. Personally, I related heavily to Adachi after beating P4G because I realized that I myself demonstrated characteristics that he did during the game. After that period of time, like Adachi in ultimax, I realized that I needed to change and not let that dark part of me take control. I used parallel thinking from my past actions like he did and remembered things my therapist told me that I should work on. Now in the present time, I'm thankful that I let myself in to others and that I finally saw the world as less of a black and white parallel than I once thought. Adachi to me is a reminder of who I used to be with a few of his symptoms while also reminding me that like him, we just needed to be reminded that we are loved and that some people DO care about us. We aren't useless or untalented. We just never had the idea that our talents WERE talents in the first place. Adachi did have talent. His intelligence and way of thinking through events and situations is what led him up to this point. Sure his thinking was black and white, but he truly had that talent of being able to see the larger picture. He finally used that talent in ultimax with his confrontation with Sho. Like you said in the video, Adachi's antisocial behavior isn't what classifies his personality and character. It's only his flaws and struggles that he needed to work on as time went on. Eventually during ultimax, he DID work on those flaws and finally let Dojima and Yu in. As you said, that's what happens when strong people influence a broken person who needed the reminders a lot more than they think they did. Adachi is the best persona villain in the series, not just because he's realistic, but because like everyone, he had the ability to change and grow from his actions. Not only did he change during ultimax, but he finally let himself become the person that his subconsciousness was trying to let him become. People like Adachi don't act simply because they wanted fun or to let off steam, but in their deepest part of their minds they want to be loved and accepted. Adachi finally allowed himself to change, and it shows in ultimax. His character is one of the best written arcs I've ever seen in a video game, and the way he allowed himself to change and adapt to society really shows that deep inside, he had the potential to be empathetic and caring to others. He just needed to understand that he isn't alone, people DO care about him. You can see that he finally understood this with Dojima, and now he can atone and rest easy knowing that he isn't inadequate and useless.
That about sums up my thoughts on Adachi and why I love him so so much. I always saw him as a broken person who just needed reminders that he's loved and cared for. That he needed to be shown through actions that he IS loved and cared for. People who develop mental illnesses always have a backstory and reason for WHY they develop those symptoms. You did a fantastic job at revealing these reasons and why he did what he did. He's not an evil being, yes his actions are not justified and needed punishment, but deep down he is a human being who just needed to let himself out of his inner world and into the world of society. All he needed was bonds and to accept himself. Because of Yu and co along with Dojima, he finally understood these reasons and let himself change. Yes, he still has antisocial behavior, but it doesn't mean that the symptoms couldn't be controlled and taken care of right? Everyone with mental health problems has to deal with their problems until they die, but, their symptoms overtime can be controlled and dealt with in healthy manners. Adachi truly was redeemable, and he let himself become redeemable in ultimax. Thank you again for this lovely video on my boi Adachy baby and I truly appreciate your psychology and in-depth analysis within these persona characters. I also want to recommend a character that I think would be interesting to analyze as well: Noriaki Kakyoin from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. He's my favorite character of all time with Adachi technically sharing that spot but also a bit below him (not by much though). I think Kakyoin's backstory is a lot like Adachi's with the isolation and not recognizing themselves as useful to society. But what's interesting is how different Kakyoin became compared to Adachi while having a similar background. I think it would be really cool to analyze him and see what you think of him! Thank you again, and I hope my essay on Adachi explains things
What did you do to change? Bc i kinda like adachi right now and im scared if i will go to the wrong direction. Especially this year i dont have any jobs and still living with my parents. I dont have anything to bring to the table and im just a burden to people around me. I wasn't like this before. I had friends but now i mostly wants to be alone and scared to start a relationship with someone. Sorry if this is kinda weird and cringe but i can really use some help right now
@@erictheddy1457 No no it’s ok
You’re strong to be wanting help. Know that just you asking for help says a lot about you. Let me be honest, being able to change from mental health takes a long time. It’s a slow but gradual process that takes time and learning. What I did was I had to figure out what it is that made me feel the ways I did. I had talk therapy to help me out as well to figure out those questions for myself and what I could do to improve. After that, I had to figure out what healthy coping skills I could use to help me. For example, if you love to draw, write, play games, or do any other hobbies, those are great outlets to use. Another way to help yourself is to surround yourself with people who care and love you for who you are. If you’re living with your parents, allow them into your space at least a little. I know that sounds hard, but just having people there for you will do wonders. Since I’m an introvert myself, I prefer alone time a lot more than socializing. However, try to make time for people as well even if it’s just having dinner with your parents or talking about your feelings to people you trust. I really hope this helps but know that this process will take awhile depending on how willing you are to change. I was stubborn at first so for me it took a lot longer. That’s my best advice I can give to you and to anyone who needs it. Surround yourself with people you love and trust, use outlets that help you and not anyone else (don’t listen to people who force you to do something you don’t want, follow what makes YOU happy), and balance your time with being alone and being with people you love and trust. Even just giving time away to text or call someone can help a lot. If you need to talk to me and this goes for anyone who reads this comment, I have an Instagram @anima_arts11 and you can dm me there. If not, I’m still open to responding to comments here :)
Don’t worry, I know how hard it is rn but once you find out what works for you and what’s triggering these feelings, you’ll soon find out how you can change and heal.
@@phantommoon11 thank you for your advice. Im glad that persona makes me reflect and found your comment. I will do what you did. It's kinda weird to try to tell this to someone bc i always feel that my problem is my problem only and i dont want to burden anyone for it. But i guess in the end human can't live alone. Once again thankyou very much
@@erictheddy1457 Oh yeah no problem, I understand how you're feeling so it's no problem at all :) stay safe man
Adachi be like: "Oh you're my shadow? Cool, I'm bored. I can't fit in but why bother? *Everything is shit.* Wanna hang some kids?"
I think Adachi is one of the most interesting characters in Persona. He's supposed to be, from what I am given to understand, social commentary on how Japan views working above all else. In the golden anime we are shown a deeper look into how he's high school and career pre-Inaba went.
When asked if he wanted to join any school clubs he would decline, on the basis that he didn't see how that would benefit him in the long run. His plan was to be a cop quickly rise through the ranks and be someone of note. Later he notices some of the other students hanging out together and seeming enjoying themselves. He has a reaction to it even if it's extremely brief. He passes his classes and the academy with high grades. We even get to see him chewed out. His punishment being sent to the boring do nothing town of Inaba. (Remember this as it will be important later)
The anime also implies that he did have bonds with Dojima and Nanako but with the introduction to Narukami they sorta left him in the dark. It's possible that as he mentioned finding the old woman annoying and soul-sucking, (As she is the opposite of his parents) on a subconscious level he wanted to bond with her. Later we find out he was the one who put Mayumi and Saki into the TV world. (Note that in doing this he didn't directly kill them. Not absolving him of his crime just saying his role in their death was indirect.) Adachi then states that he was sent to Inaba as punishment for one little mistake. Based on what happens next we can assume that what he's saying is true. As he is verbally berated by the investigation team (barring Naoto) his shadow appears but it's different than everyone else's shadow. This is because he and his shadow are one in the same. This also tells us that everything he said has been true to his beliefs and views. I believe that the focal point of his entire speech to them is when he says: "Stupid teenagers! You have no idea what kind of shit I've been through!" This speaks to the loneliness, the anger at a job that he thinks beneath him, and his tendency to to outbursts.
Finally I believe it should be noted that when it comes down to it, Adachi doesn't have the stomach for cold-blooded murder. Notice that when he pushes Mayumi and Saki into the TV it's the shadows that directly kill them as he states. When Mayumi's body is discovered he vomits. Now it can be debated on if it was because of nervousness at getting caught or another factor but I think it's because he finds the direct act of murder disgusting. He also could have shot Narukami but because he can't bring himself to outright murder another he doesn't.
I mean it's just what happens in real life. A lot of people work their asses to others that don't deserve it succeed far more
A lot of people always say "No simpathy for a killer", when they talk about Adachi, but they dont get the point of sympathize or agree (please dont) with him, Adachi is always taking the od being called the "Edgy villain" or the "Plain Villain with no real motives", and thats not how it is, i dont know how to put it with words, but look, i agree with him, in a lot of things, but i think the point of the character is that to some extent, a lot of people could agree or at least understand Adachi, but that doesnt justificies his actions, in any case, nothing does, not any single mental illness, trauma, boredom, etc, for me, Adachi has made me understand that yeah, the world we live is a piece of shit, but we need relationships/attachments to keep going, be better, and that anyone can have a 2nd opportunity, even if we have done some of the most shitty things, there will always be people that would like to help you.
Adachi doesnt have big motives and thats the point. Most murderers kill because they want to not for some reason
nah, people still only want things from you and throw you away when you loose your purpose in their live. and never accept your real you, stay in the box, be a doormat ..that how it is for many people, but just deny that, it’s easy for people who have it easy 🤷♀️
@@vivvy_0
"People only want things from you"
Undeniable to some extent. Some people want simple things, like seeing you be a better person, some people want you for momentary use, some people just want to manipulate you. This goes a lot of ways, and regardless of which way it does go, that's true. Difference between being that someone trying to get another person to break out of their shell potentially only has something to lose from spending time making that attempt, a loss or waste of their own time if it doesn't work out. People who actually want something materialistic from you rather than "Spiritual" tend to go for a roundabout route or some form of emotional manipulation, They're there for a definitive reason.
"Throw you away when you loose your purpose in their live."
People keep moving forward. Sure, some people potentially throw away their relationships with others, and some make the attempts, trust me; But just saying that's the default is false. People change and adapt as they go through life, having a friend switch schools, moving to their new school and seeing how drastically they've changed since moving there compared to how they were previously can be pretty jarring, but stagnation and consistency are two separate things. If people remained the same, and thus likely needed the same positions in their life filled by the same people, they wouldn't ever change. Noone would. No advancement in being or skill.
"Never accept the real you"
Depends on what you mean by this. If you're conforming to fit the situation regardless of what's going on rather than putting your foot down and having a definitive character, do you even know "who" the "real you" is? I spent the entirety of Highschool making jokes and acting carefree because i didn't really have any expectations of myself, just wake up, head in, leave, that sort of deal; I had friends i could rely on for good times, a friend i could rely on for emotional support, were they in the same group? No, because people establish bonds based on what might fill a certain void or need, it's the same down to stuff like bacteria, we've got good and bad, I can't think of a single thing in this world that doesn't exist as a result of some tradeoff, but if you're not even putting enough of a foot down for someone to go "That's just who X/Y/Whatever is" you're being too inconsistent about your actions and choices for there to be a defined you for anyone to accept, dude.
"Stay in the box, be a doormat"
Easier said than done, but separate yourself from that situation. Doesn't matter how long it takes, it'll hopefully happen at some point if you can manage to make some sort of change. Not sure what situation you're dealing with, and definitely not prioritizing my own experiences over your own, but i was living by myself three days after my 18th birthday, failed a second semester class and had to wait an entire school year for one class, work, figure out bills and stuff on my own and ended up rooming with a friend for a year after that, got a job while i was still living in town and I've still got that job three years later even with walking 7 miles to a small town with barely anything in it aside from like a Walmart and a school, but holy shit it beat trying to deal with the rest of my family despite staying with two of them having been a definite issue.
I'd consider myself Middle-End Low Class, since i don't particularly make a ton of money, but it's enough for me to live comfortably and have a roof over my head and that was thanks to breaking my back and people i met keeping an eye out for me when besides maybe street credit they've got *Nothing* to gain from it.
"It's easy for people who have it easy"
Not sure what you define as easy, but growing up as an outcast as far as appearance goes, noone gave half a damn about my skin color despite being surrounded by "Rednecks" and the amount of established family i have where i live is 0 considering how close knit the community i live just outside of is, that's a plus and a minus considering in both cases, people don't care who i am. People care about the shit you do, if you do nothing but talk about staying in a box and being a doormat, talking about it being easy for people who have it easy, literally nothing is going to change.
This isn't denying there aren't shitty situations people more than likely won't have any opportunity to put a good fight up to and get out of, like being Homeless in a populated city, but seeing as how you have time to type up a comment this mopey and seem to have an education, just consider how awful your situation could be. That won't make it any better, but ground yourself dude. You've got advantages lots of other people might not, use those to your advantage instead of talking about how hard things are, shit stinks, sure but keep on moving until the smell is further away, because unless you're incredibly lucky or have it "easy" it isn't going to change if you're just complaining without acting 👀
i'd take a 3.0 gpa over being a somalian pirate any day of the week, fuggedaboutit
Plus his first murder was an accident. Man slaughter.
When I first played Persona 4, I thought that Adachi was just needlessly edgy, and that his motivations were too unclear to sympathize with. After seeing how Golden's Social Link humanized him, and how he seems to develop in the epilogue and P4AU, I honestly think he is one of the most interesting characters in P4, and I hope he gets more development in future spin-offs.
I genuinely can’t tell if you’re saying “You” as in, the player, when talking about the protagonist, or if you’re saying “Yu”, calling the protagonist by his technically “canon” name
I’ll let Yu decide.
Lol
Late response, but this is why I really don’t like the name “Yu Narukami”.
Here's one thing I also took into account: his height. In most media, the villain is taller than the hero to show how much a threat they are. But adachi is actually shorter than Yu, the hero. He's tall by Japanese standards at 5'9, but Yu is a towering 5'11 and the second tallest member of the investigation team. This shows that adachi is also inferior to Yu not just in talent, but also in appearance which further drives his anger towards him and the world as he's also been screwed on both ends, not just in talent
Excellent video! He's one of my favorite Persona characters, and was extremely well-written as both an antagonist and a character as a whole.
I personally found Adachi's relationship with Yamano as a very dark reflection of Yukiko's issues. As we saw, Yukiko was trapped in a state where, much like Adachi, she felt she had no control over where her life was going and she'd spend it bored and depressed, and sought someone to "rescue" her from it which her Shadow represented. Adachi grew attached to Yamano because he was told the rumor about the Midnight Channel that your soul mate is the first person you see on it, and when she appeared, he believed it. This made him grow attached to her to the point of obsession because of this belief seemingly verified by the Midnight Channel's and his new powers' existence and she became his escape, his light at the end of the tunnel that would rescue him from this miserable purgatory that was his life. And when he took the security job as a chance to meet her and then learned about the affair plus catching her at a very bad time, that rose-tinted image of her was shattered and he finally snapped after a lifetime of disappointment and inadequacy. Essentially, the way I see it, Adachi was a ticking time bomb long before he met her and she was the final straw for him.
“My name is Tohru Adachi. I’m 27 years old. I live in the northeast section of Inaba, where the average houses are, and I’m not married. I work as a rookie detective for the Inaba Police Department, and I get home by 8 PM at the earliest. I only joined, so I could carry a gun around, and I started this murder mystery, because I was bored. After checking the Midnight Channel, to see who the next victim is, I usually have no problems sleeping, unless I get called to the station. I was told, I should try socializing more often, but who’s got time for that?
Yosuke: “So?”
Adachi: “I’m trying to explain that I’m someone, who wishes to live a very exciting life. I take care not to get caught by anyone, as that would ruin my game. That is how I deal with this trash heap of a society. Although, since you caught me, I’m gonna have to come up with a new game. I know. How about I kill you all, so you don’t turn me in. Peerrrsona!!”
Rise: “A persona? No way!”
how long did this take you
@@adachy 10 minutes.
I like that when Adachi says "little kid throw a tantrum", you can hear yukiko. I chuckled at that
Cabbage boy analysis! That's what I've been waiting for!
Hope you enjoyed it!
I've BeEn watiNg fOr thIs
@@amitr24242 lmaaaaoo
When people say that games aren’t educational or a waste of time I’m going to show them this video
This was an amazing video, thank you. I'm playing P4G for the first time, and I loved Adachi since the moment he stepped on screen despite knowing his status as the killer. He was such a lovable guy, and the twist still hurt when he gave his initial monologue about why he killed Saki-san and the reporter.
But, when he gave his monologue before his battle, I was blown away by just how complex his character was, particularly when he began critiquing mass apathy and adult life.
Also, it should be mentioned that Adachi was about eight years-old when the real estate bubble in Japan popped, which should have been a major event in his life. His parents forcing him to constantly work and Adachi's internalization of needing to be the best likely comes from that economic depression.
Damn, I sorta wish i went to school for Psyche before writing my video. As someone who already wrote about Adachi, this one still hit me. What a compelling character, and what a fantastic analysis. This was a trip!
I have a bachelor’s in psych and your video is easily one of my favorite video essays on him!
I like to think that Adachi's "sudden change" is less due to the fact that the supernatural entity is finally away from him, and more because he doesn't have anything anymore that grounds him in his negative ideology. He still won't leave it, bad habits die hard and all that, but he now knows that everything that he did he didn't have to do, and he doesn't know what to do with that except just think about The Investigation Team's and the Dojimas' actions and wonder to himself "should've he been more like them?"
Jeez, this comment actually aged rather well.
I think one of the big takeaways from Adachi and his attitude is how it’s always up to yourself to rise above hardship and challenges. Adachi is characterized by how jaded he has become with life due mostly to a perceived “lack of talent”. He constantly brings up how he is pushed aside, ignored, and ostracized simply because he wasn’t lucky enough to be born “exceptional”. However I think a big thing to notice from this is how he never makes any effort to try and overcome this. He perceives an inferiority and....basically accepts it as true. Doing very little to try and overcome his shortcomings and instead simply growing more and more bitter towards people he sees as successful. There’s a lot of passing the buck and shifting of blame to people in his dialogue. In scenes where he kills people he sometimes comments “it’s your fault for making me do this, you just had to act all high and mighty. Am I not good enough, huh?” All this indicates that he views other people as responsible for his fate. It’s their fault he can’t succeed in love or his job. Throughout Adachi’s dialogue we get a picture of someone who has never made the effort to improve himself because he see it as something that’s not worth his time or something that he’s not even capable of. Instead it’s other peoples fault for finding him inadequate. In his mind, he’s perfect and no one else can see it. He blames nebulous concepts like “society” for ostracizing him, and dismisses women rejecting him as just “bitches who need to be taught a lesson”. In a sense, he’s everything the main cast is not. The main cast and the theme of persona 4 is that it’s up to you to change, and it’s possible if you have friends and believe you can. It’s about taking action and not letting your circumstances define you. I think that’s what makes him such an effective villain. He’s stagnated, regressed, bitter at the world and only feels superior when he takes down people who rightfully want nothing to do with him.
He has the ability to change, but his luck was shit . One of the most depressing thing about adachi , sho, and akechi is that their characters point back to concept of social bonds. Forming bonds with people is difficult due to the issue of trust.
The inadequacy and grades aspect of Adachi reminded me of the Tower S-Link with Shu. It almost seems as Shu was heading down a similar path before Yu intervened.
When you talk to him on the last day, shi will say that he now plays baseball and is friends with peolple including the exchange student and i was so proud of him
The event of Shu's birthday brought that to mind aswell. He was so shocked that these random people that didn't even know him simply came over with cake to celebrate his birthday. Shu's social link is super underrated
I can agree with these, besides, Magatsu-Izanagi's Arcana in P5/P5R is now from the Tower Arcana! This may be because the Jester/Hunger Arcana is not available outside P4G/P4AU, but the Tower mainly represents disaster and chaos, fitting for Adachi's character!
Fantastic, I dig this series! I'm looking forward to seeing future "The Psychology of..." from Persona 4. I personally find Naoto particularly interesting. Would you consider making a video about her?
Yeah, I agree! The debate between whether she wants to become a man or not is controversial and there's a lot of facets to this character. Naoto wants to be a great detective, yet is judged and tossed aside not because she's female, but also a child. I personally think the "child v. adult" is more interesting since it's not as nearly as discussed as the former. So I hope he makes this video so we take a deeper look into Naoto's psyche.
I'm definitely not opposed to someday making a video about her!
@@ThoughtBubbleYT i have a list of characters wich id ask you to do so if you feel like it:
-dimitri (fe3h)
-edelgard(fe3h)
-marianne (fe3h)
-bernadetta (fe3h)
-jeritza(fe3h)
-rhea(fe3h)
-yukari(persona 3)
-labrys(persona 4 au)
-ryoji(persona 3)
-kanji(persona 4)
-tharja(fe awakening)
What about Nanako?
@@andychua2766 she just want to go to junes dude leave her alone
I love Adachi, and I relate with his inadequacy and social isolation a lot. I kind of want to live a life where I just keep to myself. I wish more people saw what makes Adachi so great rather than call him an "incel killer" of sorts.
People these days love overusing the word incel.
he had some weird interactions with women, but he is nowhere near an "incel" and calling him that is proof that people didn't focus or paid attention to his character at all.
@@adachivineboom People never notice anything, honestly.
Tohru Adachi was amazingly crafted, by far one of the best characters in P4 despite the fact it is chock full of great characters. The best part about Adachi is being a villain that while doing messed up things and being obviously wrong yet still being understandable, we connect to him as a character, not just to the role he is acting in. I find that in a alterente reality Adachi could have might as well ended up being a anti-hero protagonist who gets steered upon the right path along his adventure. Giving the players the chance to fully empathize with Adachi through the accomplice ending speaks miles as to how well grounded he is as well.
He is my favorite villain in a video game because it actually scared me how much I could relate to the way he was seeing life. He is fantastic, I love his character. And maybe the persona Golden anime is not that good, but episode 6 makes all worth it for me, the one of Adachi, it tells so much of him, and is one of my favorite anime episodes ever made xD, I felt like they gave him Dostoievski levels of development.
The moment Dojima was insulted and saw Adachi's reaction, I said: "Ohhhh... He really does appreciate Dojima... that's sweet".
I LOVE the confrontation with Sho, the moment Adachi said the tantrum phrase I was so hyped out.
I love antagonists like this, the ones who learn their lesson and redeem themselves, like Adachi, Akechi and Maruki, Adachi did a lot of bad shit and he can't be forgiven, but you can see that he's grown so much and maybe, just maybe, he can become a better person someday.
I think looking at Adachi thought the lens of lack of understanding is a very weird experience. If you don't make an effort to understand someone, their actions will forever be a mystery to you. I'm glad you gave Adachi a chance to be understood in a way. To me, no matter what someone does, if I know why they did it I can't really hate them. Kind of a "I'm not certain I would act differently if I were in your position." Anyway. As always, thanks for the entertaining and informative video.
Of course you can hate them. Don't kid yourself. Anyone who threatens your existence, they're the enemy. It's just a platitude. Understanding someone isn't for their sake, it's for your own.
@@letternclnovi7116 Of course it's for my sake, I don't mean to be seen as the kind person that forgives anyone when they understand them. It's just that I can't hate someone who's actions are understandable to me. Not out of kindness or the like, it's just that if I understand, I know I could possibly find myself in that position.
hitler too?
@@vivvy_0 it was the art school's fault
It's interesting to be reminded through characters like Adachi that horrible people, while maybe not being able to be forgiven of their actions, can work to redeem themselves. Props to the writers for not making his change an immediate one, rather a slow, over time shift. Even in P4AU, he's still a bit of an asshole and in denial, but you can see he's made progress.
you know, the more i grow up the more i'm scared that one day i'll become just like adachi.
in today's era, it's easy to go down the path like he did; being so nihilist.
Adachi is my 'moral danger sign', to kep reminding me to never become like him, but i can't help but afraid i'll be adachi one day
Just don't send people into the TV world and I think you'll be fine.
I'm happy that in the end Adachi didn't turn out to become like Yoshikage Kira from Jojo. It really shows how Adachi really is human and somewhat atones for his crimes and understands himself. These kinds of "antagonists" are honestly really interesting since they aren't like others and how Adachi also in a way, accepts his true self, he admits to his mistakes and still serves his time in prison. I haven't played Ultimax but it's really interesting that he even stands up to Sho, who in itself, is somewhat a representation of what Adachi was that whole year ago. Bottom line is, I like Adachi and how he, as a character, is built. He is percieved as evil due to his actions but inside understands himself and becomes a better person at the very end.
Wow. This video has really opened my eyes to the nuance of Adachi's character. I wasn't aware of his history and pent-up loneliness due to his own refusal to connect with others, and his propensity for murder makes much more sense now than it did to me before.
Another thing that totally supports that Adachi could've been just like Yu if he had those bonds is that his Persona is Magatsu-Izanagai. Also I don't know if this intentional and it's probably not but they share the same voice actor in English. Thank you again for the awesome video! I really enjoyed this one!
it could have been had yu and adachi shared the same VA in japanese but alas
Makoto herself could have been like Adachi if all she did was isolate herself completely to just studying and slowly lose her sense of justice as she obeys the adults around her without question to meet expectations.
Also he does magic tricks just like the protaganist. They are very similar.
The thing I find intriguing about Adachi is that in Arena Ultimax he knows full well he's not a hero, but he's not a villain perse.
He's actually become the basis for a villain I'm writing in a story I'm working on.
Inadequacy. That is my greatest flaw and greatest fear. I fear no matter how hard I work, people with talent will always surpass me. Hard work isn’t enough anymore and I see a life of isolation and boredom waiting for me in the future. However, I have found means to socialize and have found friends that love me for me. I’am scared of what would happen if I never found that social connection
I feel cheated that the youtube algorithm didn't lead me to your channel sooner. You give great character analyses and I love that you're using your own experience in your field to apply to critical thinking and then sharing it with the world because you have an absolute talent for entertaining, provoking thought, and educating all simultaneously. Thanks for the great content!
Yea it's kinda creepy hearing about Adachi's psychology and how similar his beliefs and concepts on loneliness and distancing himself from others because I used to feel very similar to that .... except for the whole assault people and throwing them into t.v thing ... yea I never did that
Great video. I think there many layers to Adachi and a lot of interesting conversations that can come from examining him, which is what makes him such an interesting character.
Adachi in P4G: I hate everyone, everything and everywhere. Especially Yu.
Adachi in P4 arena: Wait you guys are going to beat up Sho? That’s hilarious. I wanna watch.
I feel that despite what he did, he can come back from it. The fact that he finally let Dojima in means he has some feelings, or at least I would hope. Of course it could be a trick, a manipulation tactic, but the way they shaped the scene, I think the feeling is real. Fun fact, he shares his English voice actor with Yu. Further showing the foil aspect.
So adachi said "everything that bores me gotta go" and that everythings a "pain in the ass"
Woo yeah!! great video, Adachi is a character I've found extremely intriguing ever since I finished P4G earlier this year. Everything he did was objectively wrong and he deserves his punishment, but I've always had a fair amount of empathy for him regardless.
Thank you! And I feel as though even though antagonists like Adachi may do terrible things, if they're well written like he is we can follow the breadcrumbs to, not approve of, but at least understand.
This is something that always pissed me off with how people play up the memes revolving around him. You can feel bad for the guy but you're not supposed to take any of his bullshit as truth. Especially when he blatantly says it was all for the hell of it.
Ying Yang reflects his entire worldview off of the protagonist's so emphatically that while I still think of him as an asshole, it's easy to see what the hell is going on in his head.
Adachi is without a doubt one of my all time favorite characters, not just in Persona, but in fictional media in general. Although in P4G he did have a few traits to him that I found likeable, especially at an antagonistic standpoint, his appearance in P4AU is what made him my all time favorite, showing how much he's grown as a person and how much he could still grow in the future. It's one thing to have a well made villain, but it's another to make them have a new arc for them to grow into a better person.
The first time I played P4 :
Investigation team: "But why did you do all this ??"
Me: "Please don't say something like 'just for fun'. "
Adachi: "..."
Me: "Don't you say it."
Adachi: "For fun ! :D"
Me: "GODDAMMIT ADACHI"
Humor is always used by humans to justify our most heinous of crimes... I’m a former soldier That served in Afghanistan. and during the service you make jokes about killing people, you turn fucked up shit into a joke because it’s the only thing a ‘sane’ person can do. You keep your humanity if you play down the severity of your crimes.
Watch the “Look of silence” there’s a scene where one of the Indonesian soldiers that committed genocide is laughing about killing people while touring a location where he did that. Beheading people, pushing them off the building. The interviewer asks him to take him through the are again but this time in silence. And as he walks with the soldier, the soldiers fake mirth turns into trembling and uncontrolled vomiting obviously coming from the horror of his actions
Adachi is probably my favorite Persona character and I LOVE this analysis.
On the topic on how much he was being controlled by the god, I personally always interpreted it as the god wasnt so much controlling him, as it was amplifying things that were already there.
His negative emotions especially, so everything in this video that hes probably always lived with, got pushed to the max by this god, which was probably really mentally exhausting and draining for him in it's own way, only making things WORSE.
So when the god was defeated he was like "ah, well I feel a bit better now, time to go to prison and take a nap" lmaoooo.
The last scene in adachis story with dojima is such a good end for the charactee
My percpective of adachi is that he is the exact representation of what the player shouldnt be.
He could also be an extended metaphor to warn people of others who are too "self isolated" when they devolop all these examples of mental illness, wich could be a big refrence to japans "otaku" culture that grows within in and out of the country.
The thing about Adachi is that- He is willing to change. However slow the process, however long it takes- he's actually taking the steps to get there. So while his actions themselves can not be redeemed, and are honestly uncomfortable to ponder upon, he might yet become someone worthy of a new chance
Wow, I love this video so much. I'm a psychiatry student, and the part in the video where you state that a person is more than just the sum of their symptoms is so important. As soon as we view someone as their diagnosis alone, we strip them of their humanity and any capacity they may have to grow and change. We have to look beyond the surface to, as the game says in the opening, pursue our true selves. Great video!!! :)
Fantastic video - also thanks for removing the possible spoilers out the thumbnail it means I can share the Persona 5 breakdowns without risking spoiling Persona 4 for my friend :D
Thank you so much! Yeah, the thumbnail was a bit of an oversight on our part so when people asked us to change it we were definitely on board!
Aside from that, his theme in P4A, fool or clown, was great. Full of teasing, mockery, and sacasism.
Adachi is one of my favorite characters in all of media. I suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder and I feel like I can relate to him alot (minus the murder obviously) but the negatively warped perception of the world and inability to really make and keep bonds with people. I always get shit on for liking him so much lol
Do I think Adachi is redeemable? Yes. Do I agree with his actions throughout the course of the game? No, they're nowhere near close to redeemable, just Adachi and the part of his growth that we did see are. I liked Adachi's sort of "resolution" because he recognizes what would happen if Sho did continue down that path and ultimately hated looking at somebody who reminded him of himself.
Great video & my only complain is how people say that the Investigation Team destroyed Tohru Adachi claims.... They really didn't dismantle his claims at all; even Naoto didn't come close to tearing his stance apart & she's the smartest person in the group.
I didn’t mean to say they tore apart his claims, I meant that they tore him apart as a human being calling him a worthless criminal, a little kid, etc. Sorry if that wasn’t clear!
Well none of his claims were wrong per say, he just approached them from the wrong angle and provided bad solustions.
YES I'M A ADACHI SIMP AND A FELLOW COUNSELING STUDENT SGWTSTEU
I love when other counseling students watch! I hope you enjoyed the video! :)
You did Adachi right. I noticed so many of these things while playing through P4, and watching the path of Adachi in P4AU (I haven't played it myself, so I'm limited to YT videos). He makes for an excellent foil for the IT in general, and Yu specifically, because of these issues he had to endure at their age (and indeed this is a general problem with Japan's education and workforce systems).
Surprisingly he's one of my favorite characters. He's relatable in plenty of ways. Also, I'd love to see your views on the Persona 1 and 2 characters, to me they were much more fleshed out.
In my opinion I think the times Adachi spent with yu and the dojima family were the times he was actually happy. In scenes like the magic tricks he is able to amaze nanako and surprise yu, in scenes like this he is able to be himself and not worry about how anyone else sees him and keeps in line with his constant remarks about adults having so much more knowledge and things to deal with. I think it genuinely makes him happy to see nanako enjoying her childhood that he didn’t get to enjoy in the same way.
*It took me a very long time to unlearn the same traits I shared in common with Adachi. My RUclips comments section from 2012-2016 is enough evidence to show that I used to share traits with Tohru Adachi. It took me learning things the hard way, with the right people. Do not give up on trying to find meaningful relationships. Secure ones. Continue going and don't give up.*
Never thought much about my mental like that... but I suppose you make good points. excellent video.
Funny thing is, I did splitting growing up, too - in nearly similar camps; those with skill and those without. As a kid with undiagnosed ADHD, it was my way to explain to myself why people could do these amazing things when I couldnt - since I could never get myself to practice enough to start building skills.
I split a lot of things, actually - and I think a key to getting me out of it was therapy, of course, but also interpersonal connections. Seeing that people on the other side of the split wasn't that different from me, didn't have things figured out either, and didn't really see it as a divide, or care where I was on it.
Understanding people comes from connecting with them - which is probably why Adachi had such trouble trying to get out of his hole.
as someone who aspires to become a clinical psychologist and someone who loves the persona series, this is an excellent video.
Shu (tower araca, tutoting kid) reminded me of what Adachi described his childhood to be like.
Adachi sure is the most relatable person sometimes.. He’s also the best character, You cant change my mind
Well, okay then🤔
This is wonderful, thank you.
I like to watch Adachi analysis videos on a yearly basis. It is cool that you have a psychological review of him ^^
I’m so glad this came across my suggested videos. I have my associates in Psychology, and it’s something I’ve been studying on my own since I was 16(I’m 30 now). I have also done written roleplay as Adachi. Everything you said here is what I characterized him as(with plenty of research as well). It makes me feel so validated to know that someone with more knowledge and experience in the subject had the same “diagnoses” as I did with Adachi. Thank you for this video.
A well done video with clear research to back up your points. I like it, good work man
Easily one of my favorite Persona 4 characters and just one of my favorite villains period.
Thank you for this video!! I love Adachi & had no idea he was the culprit my first play through. I have a soft spot for the dorky cop troupe but it threw me for a loop when he was revealed to be the killer. I love diving into his psyche because he's so much more than just an "edge lord misogynist" like how a lot of ppl make him out to be. I really connect with the themes and issues of self inflicted isolation, constant studying, constant judgement, and self fulfillment in his character cuz I was a lot like that in my teens and college years. I'm now so much more happy. I have bonds and a support network I have been blessed with as an adult, and am doing my best to now help others :)
MAN. I really liked Adachi and felt for the guy. When I got to know him and learned that he lived alone and always ate take out food, I kind of felt bad for the guy. He was so nice and I tried inviting him over for dinner because I considered him a family friend. But for some weird reason, something just didn't sit right with me about him. There was no explicit reason, something felt off. Later on, I felt deep down, he was the killer, but I didn't want to consider it. When I eventually figured it out, I was so disappointed and saddened.
Oh you should analyze Makoto Yuki’s phycology in the persona 3 movies. They gave him this really dynamic arc about him dealing with depression and shit. Seems like there’s a lot there to discuss.
That's why I love well-written psychotic characters lol
Seeing Adachi's psyche and his idelogoy because of his messed up life and circumstances it what makes me loving the guy.
I'm so happy someone made a video essay/character analysis about Persona 4 Golden
Persona 4 still has the best story, characters, Protagonist, antagonist and ending ever. Nothing can ever beat this game. It's story is so worth it. The ANIMÉ is also amazing and intense
Finally! Been waiting for this one. :) Great video, keep it up!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Great video Adachi is my favorite antagonist in the series
He's definitely one of the most compelling and interesting characters, this video was so fun to make because he's got so much going on below the surface.
This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for this video! Keep it up!
I'm happy you enjoyed it!
Wow, Adachi is a pretty interesting character, after all. He's definitely redeemable.
I really love your VDOs about Persona 4 and 5! Thanks for contents