Naoto Shirogane; The Ultimate Analysis || Persona 4 Golden

Hey it's finally out! I really appreciate if you would comment and give your thoughts as well as like, bc this obviously took a lot of work. Naoto is my favorite character personally in Persona 4 and I wanted to give a thorough look as I could without the Naoto segment overpowering the rest of things TOO disproportionately haha. I'm still nervous but I hope you enjoy. Naoto's unfortunate history of discussion and controversy probably has people with their heels already dug in on both sides, I just hope people can in the very least understand this is a much more complex topic than people treat it as. The amount of research I did honestly doesn't come across in the video. Anyways, the Adachi segment is next! I'm not sure if it will be done in time for next saturday, but it should atleast be ready by the saturday after next! Enjoy yourselves!

Thank you for actually clarifying the whole issue on her whole gender identity in the video. I honestly relate to her heavily and I've felt the idea that she is trans defeats the actual point that's trying to be made. I'm a gender non conforming woman myself, so it's genuinely very frustrating that people do not understand that interpreting her is trans is both ignoring cultural context and implying people need to confirm to societal expectations of what they are. Her character in general is what made me play the game in the first place, as I'd never seen a more accurate depiction of the feelings I'd experienced growing up. Very well researched video.

Naoto: Let us express ourselves in a gentlemanly way. Kanji: Are you hitting on me 🤨.

I always liked how Naoto's shadow is designed, with it wearing an oversized labcoat to make it seem small and by extention makes it look like a child in adult clothes. Very good video!

I absolutely love Naoto and I think she is one of the most misunderstood in gaming. The work and effort you put into these videos is phenomenal and honestly I haven't been keeping up with them recently but I will make sure to watch every second of the full version when it drops.

The fact that you used someone else's video of Naoto's reversal instead of your own is as wholesome as it is hilarious. You didn't have the heart to reject this girl for anything. I respect that lol

The Naoto gender discussion was the part of the video I was the most intrigued with going into the video because I wasn't entirely what conclusion you'd come to. The discussion around her gender identity has easily been one of the most annoying and toxic debates within the fanbase since it always felt to me that people were willingly ignoring the story in order to come to conclusion that Naoto is a trans character. You were able to provide an expert level analysis on that discussion and even threw in topics I hadn't even considered when it came to that debate. The part where you mention that she projects a male person not for her own sake but for the sake of others is I think one of the stronger arguments against the Naoto trans reading that I haven't seen anyone bring up. I think your mention of how people when talking about Naoto are unintentionally displaying Western chauvinism and jingoism really points out why the discussion can get as toxic as it gets. I think the Western fanbase subconsciously holds the idea that the Western world is the default and everyone should aspire to be like it, so whenever something from another culture displays thoughts or ideas that go against that grain we automatically dismiss it as something inherently bad. I see this a lot with Japanese media and it can pretty frustrating since people can come off across as racist even if that was never there intent. Persona 5 gets a lot of that criticism when it comes to its political philosophy where people would rather it go a more anarchic/revolutionary route rather then the path that game eventually took and then people dismiss it as "classic Japanese conservatism". This isn't to suggest that Persona 5, or even other Japanese titles, are above criticism, but I do think it is important to understand the culture it comes from and how the way they view certain topics could influence the work they create. Sorry if this came off as rambly. Keep up the good work! This has been some of the most in depth analysis on a decade old JRPG I've ever seen.

My husband over heard me watching this and gave a neat detail i wanted to share. You mentioned that Naoto used a NEW Nambu gun, apparently the old ones, type 94 to be exact, had issues with accidental discharge. I wonder if Adachi had the old one and if thats what led to him accidentally shooting someone.

While I’m not surprised since it isn’t as big as a thing in the west compared to Japan I was sad to not see you talke the “tokusatsu” parts of her character. Her dungeon is less directed at detective comics but at Japanese children’s superhero shows even her persona and shadow themselves takes heavy inspiration from them. The dungeon is based on Kamen rider’s shocker based as evident by the amount of bird imagery and the concept of “body modification” which ties in to her persona Hikona, it’s large V shaped head crest and bug motif is a very obvious nod towards Japan’s most popular super hero. Yet it also shows how Naoto’s tendency to wall herself off because she’s different, Kamen rider is a hero known for his lonely rode fighting a secret society by his lonesome mirroring Naoto’s fight with the male dominated society of the police force. It’s also worthy to note that her persona also shows sign’s of sentai, the progenitor of the power ranger’s series. As here in Japan the cape is the symbol of a sentai theme while a scarf announces a rider showcasing that Naoto does want a team, a family, of her own. To be accepted for who she is in her own group of weirdoes. Her shadow however is based on Kikaider. A purely robotic, android hero. Kikaider is different from Rider in that Rider wears a mask to hide the truth of his difference to himself in a way to hide the pain. Kikaider doesn’t change at all, he is still a machine of justice wether he transforms or not which connects to her shadow’s want of turning the facade of being a male detective into a reality. Making the mask true. And here comes Sumeragi with two more references to Rider. First is the flowing blonde hair, which is a reference to how the first Kamen rider mask actually showed the actor’s hair poking in the back showcasing that the cyborg bug man was still human, translating itself to Naoto as underneath the her cold surface is a love able dork. The second is the twin silver lines down her body, Kamen rider in the later half of the season changes from a completely dark looking hero, outfit made of dark green and black the only highlights is the piercing red eyes and crimson scarf, to having light greens, silver gloves and twin silver lines across the body. During this point in the story, Rider wasn’t alone, he had people that understood him and supported him. People that not only cared for him but rode his path with him agaun mirroring Naoto’s journey accepting herself and creating her own group of friends.

My main issue with the “Naoto is just a poorly written trans character!” POV is and has always been that it’s a Western interpretation of a Japanese story. If you don’t understand Japanese societal/cultural norms and only try to look at her through the Western lens, I don’t think one can ever truly understand her character. Great breakdown, as always.

in my opinion, naoto is an extremely well written social commentary on sexism and misogyny in asian culture. and i’m really, really happy that you covered that as i’m asian (and nb) myself and i struggle with dealing that so much within my culture. i do believe that seeing her as a fully trans man is offensive because of that, as it disregards the struggles of afab people in a misogynistic society. i personally dealt with the same struggles that she did— not caring what i used to like and be seen as until i started to be around people and became aware of how it could cause people to look down on me. this is a personal headcanon of mine, but i’ve always seen naoto as neurodivergent in some way considering how she lacks emotional awareness, molds herself to match what others want of her, how much she fears rejection and how she’s so fixated on detectives and whatnot. anyway. awesome video, it made me really happy to see someone understand her as she’s really, really important to me. sorry for rambling so much, but i hope this conveys my feelings :)

Nearly every aspect of this video hurt me with the amount I related to it and then you stating at the end that you also related to nearly every aspect of her character is just a testament to the strength of the characters both in this game and the series as a whole I think. They are realistic in a way where you can really see bits of yourself and the people you know in them. They feel real.

Only 26 seconds in and the editing is definitely a massive step up! Very excited to finish the video and hear your thoughts.

One thing I really relate to Naoto with is her struggles with her height. I’m a pretty short woman, with a face like a scared deer on top of that (as more than one person has described me). I have to do a lot to present myself as strong, emotionally and physically, but my size still gives me odd looks when lifting at the gym. On top of that, there’s the idea of “small = cute = child = okay to touch.” I don’t mean that in a harassment sort of way. People just think it’s okay to pull me into hugs or pat me or other things you would do to a child. In a lot of media, you see short people get infantilized a lot or treated like a complete joke. It’s pretty disheartening a lot of the time. It’s not the worst case of weird media tropes, but it is one that has messed with me in the past. Naoto coming to terms with her body and her maturity is an interesting perspective on this. At this point in her life, it’s pretty unlikely that she’ll get taller. She struggles allowing people to help her and with her interests in what society deems as childish. It’s something I relate to a lot. It’s a balance that I’ve been able to achieve, but only after I stopped caring about what other people thought of my harmless likes/dislikes. It’s a little aspect of Naoto’s character that just speaks to me.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every part of this series, however I think this one is my favourite. Such a careful, nuanced, and well-researched look at such a contentious topic is worthy of applause. Plus, the analysis of the dungeon design brought up a lot of things I never would have noticed on my own and has made a dungeon I already loved shoot into the position of my favourite one now. Absolutely stellar video in a stellar series!

damn that algernon segment brought back memories. broke my heart when charlie was falling apart in the end a few years ago i did not understand why people thought naoto was trans. i thought that the game explained it well enough that she accepted herself as a woman. tho it never really bothered me. i figured they must have their own personal reasons for seeing her as trans and that wasnt really my business buuut then i found out i was trans masc and started relating to certain naoto moments and with some of her feelings with wanting to be male lol. these days i sometime read trans masc fics of her just for some euphoria, non-binary headcanons are cool too her fear of rejection is so relatable. i love her character so much. i cant wait to do her social link myself lol (the compass thing is so cute) i myself found the "i like it higher" line kinda uncomfy but you brought up some good points in that segment

There were several points in this video that I was tearing up. How much care you put into discussing and explaining Naoto shows the dedication and work you have put not only hear but in the rest of this series. Honestly, I never noticed the Algernon reference before, and you tying it in felt like a revelation. Thank you so much.

i don't like those "I don't care what the creators say, Naoto IS a trans boy, stop misgendering him, this headcanon keeps me going, I know this is true because I see myself in him!" people

I know why people think Naoto is trans, but as a woman, I don't really think it was that. Online, when I join communities, I don't tell people my gender, and I let them assume I am male, because a lot of people tend to treat women worse. I don't hate myself or my body, but I would struggle to be looked at or treated the same way if people saw me as a woman. Obviously I can't hide my gender irl, but sometimes I wish I could. I get tired of being harassed.

This is my favorite segment of your series Hiding in Private 1. Naoto best girl in P4G. I've always liked Naoto because of her design and character but this makes me like her more. 2. Your delivery and editing. It's kind of a guarantee but I like listening to what you have to say. 3. The Analysis. I find it fascinating that there all of studies and social norms connect to Naotos own character. I find her distancing a clever nod since her persona is based on a distant god. Also I relate to Naoto on a lot of things and this video brought that out. I've been through similar this and felt I needed to put up a facade to fit in for others. Now that is not the case and thanks to this video I feel more confident in my own faith and in myself. I'm glad I made it to this video this has been well worth my time. Side Note: when I was originally typing this I accidentally posted it on a different video that wasn't this one. When I realized my mistake I deleted and begin writing this comment. I was slightly freaked out but after regaining my composure I started to write this comment.