A CRASH COURSE INTO THE WORLD OF PERSONA

Picture source: Atlus

A relatively spoiler-free, surface-level dive into what is probably my favourite series of all time...

Usually, when it comes to my passions, my friends are pretty knowledgeable. But there's one game that I love - a series actually - that baffles them every time. So I often get asked - What the hell is Persona? A game? An anime? A manga? Well, yes - to all of the above, which usually only complicates matters further. When PJ showed interest in me doing a "crash course" into Persona... Well, I jumped at the opportunity. So, what the hell is Persona, where did it come from, and why is it suddenly everywhere? Let's talk about it.

Persona is, at its core, a series of games in the 'JRPG' or 'Japanese Role-Playing Game' genre, initially known for being part of the Shin Megami Tensei series and now becoming its own highly recognisable name. I must stress that each game is its own stand-alone story. You don't need to have played them all in order. It began with, as you may expect, Persona 1 & 2, released in 1996 and 1999 respectively (although in the west, Persona 2 was released in 2000). I'll admit, of the five mainline Persona games, these are the two I have not played and am least familiar with. I do know however, that they set the precedent for a "Persona" game - a JRPG with strongly written stories and characters, about using magical powers to defeat evil and corruption. After this, Atlus put the brakes on Persona for a little while, with six years passing until Persona 3 broke onto the scene; what a break it was. 

Persona 3 introduced the new structure for the series as a whole. Fighting in another world using personas was still prevalent, but now the game had almost a life simulator feel to it, in which you'd be a regular high school student during the day and a badass, magic-wielding version of yourself by night. Arguably, the most important change with this structure was the implementation of "social links", in which you'd spend time with the characters to develop their arcs; this had an impact in the "other world", with each link making you stronger. Here, Persona's narrative took a new direction with its story - whilst it had already exuded depth, characters became much more critically important and impactful - there was an overwhelming focus on how the relationships you hold with people can make you so much stronger. This new focus, coupled with Persona 3's incredible style, gameplay, and story, really brought Persona into the limelight. 

After this followed Persona 4 in 2008, which further developed its focus on character development to astonishing results. With those games, the series started to boom in popularity, prompting spinoffs; manga; anime. Persona 4 was rereleased as Persona 4: Golden, with extra content. However, Persona 5 was facing issues. It was announced for the winter of 2014, and after delays on delays, eventually came out during 2016 to critical acclaim. There was a lot of anticipation - with it being the first completely new Persona game in eight years, and all the waiting for delays - yet it managed to avoid all disappointment. It skyrocketed the popularity of the series, was praised by critics endlessly and prompted countless spinoffs (and more recently, Persona 5 The Royal, with extra content). Persona 5 was my introduction to the franchise, and in all its jazzy glory, captivated me instantly. But how? Those are the facts of Persona (very briefly), but why do people love it so much? Let me try to explain, with the least amount of spoilers possible.

Picture source: Atlus

Persona as a whole is an innovation, but I'll be especially focusing on Persona 5 here. The details in the design, from user interface to "all-out attacks" (special moves in combat) to the scenery and characters, every aspect is just beautiful. The colours and symbolism are constantly immersing you. The character designs convey so much personality. Plus, with Persona 5, entering the "other world" (in this game, the "Metaverse") prompts outfit changes, unlike the other games. These, along with the personas themselves, represent the rebellion within and are so unique to each character. It only adds on to their brilliant stories, which I'll talk about more soon. The user interface itself is absolutely stunning. It is a pleasure to use; it always feels so satisfying to do even the simplest of tasks, such as saving your game. Aesthetically, the details and intricacies of these games will stun you. 

Moreso, if you're like me and just can't get enough of a good soundtrack, Persona has got you covered from all corners. Persona 3 has such a dark, brooding yet energetic soundtrack that you can't help but dance along to a little. Persona 4, whilst still incredibly dark in its story, has such uplifting music that always seems to make me feel happy and at ease. I mean, if you're ever having a hard day, listening to the special mix of "Next Chance To Move On" always seems to motivate me. And lastly - my favourite of the bunch - Persona 5. The incorporation of such jazzy uplifting beats with rock implemented throughout really hammers the theme of rebellion and fighting for yourself. It's endlessly catchy and empowering, and there's something for everybody. The music always carries the mood so well. I could gush about this soundtrack for years if I had the time. I have around two hundred hours of playtime in Persona 5 alone and I'm STILL not tired of hearing 'Last Surprise' at every battle. Speaking of which...

Arguably the most important part of playing a game other than its story is the gameplay. The gameplay in Persona follows a turn-based combat system, fighting shadows with weaknesses. Each of your party members controls a different type of magic, and you need to swap out teammates accordingly. Whilst this system is nothing new - weakness-based combat is something evident in games such as Pokémon, for crying out loud - it never gets tiring. Between special attacks like "all-out attacks" where your whole team combines for the kill, slick transitions, interesting enemies and boss fights and the undeniably catchy music, fighting always seems fun. These fights are conducted in palaces, which are places in people's cognition, born out of distortions in the heart. This all sounds complicated, but essentially - people are evil, have evil thoughts, and you fight those thoughts into not existing anymore. Palaces are always grand, each one uniquely designed; the end goal of them varies from game to game. Exploration is key here. However, the palaces are only half of the game. The other half? Trying to be a good student, making new friends, growing yourself as a person. The biggest part of this is the "social link" (or "confidant", in P5) feature. You grow, and your friends do too. You have to choose who you spend time with; this will help you massively with all other aspects of the game, as well as expanding on the story. And oh, what a story...

Picture source: Atlus

I should clarify a few things right now. First of all, Persona games are dark. I mean, really, REALLY dark. Mass murder, unspeakable crimes, abuse, endless horrific things. It is a mature game for a reason. Secondly, they are very long and very story-heavy. Persona 5 is the longest of the bunch, and will average you eighty hours for one playthrough... yeah, it's long. But it's worth it. Lastly, they're games best experienced completely blind. Following the story yourself and feeling everything it will make you feel. Trust me. It's rewarding.

So anyway... what makes Persona so great? Yeah, the music is incredible, the aesthetics are breathtaking, and the gameplay is endlessly fun. But what you really play Persona for is the story. As I have mentioned multiple times, Persona 5 was my ultimate gateway into the series; it was all down to the characters and their journey. I promised not to spoil anything, and I will stick to that. But the massive ups and the debilitating lows are accompanied by huge twists that leave you feeling absolutely exhilarated. These games are experiences. It is very rare that a main cast can conjure up so much affection from me, but with the exception of Morgana (personally) I loved and connected with every member of the Phantom Thieves (the main group) in Persona 5.

These games will move you as much as you will let them, and you will find your own joy in who you relate to. For me, I found myself taking immense comfort in the character of Makoto Niijima and her arc of building her own self-confidence. A lot of her troubles hit me on a real, soul-crushingly personal level. These characters are all so fleshed out and so different that everybody will have their own favourite. One of my best friends, for example, didn't relate to Makoto as much but found great sanctuary in Goro Akechi. You choose who you spend your time with; you ultimately shape the experience based on who you are drawn to. Every character is worth your time. Even if you're not personally invested, their stories are still incredibly gripping and harrowing. With such a commitment in terms of playtime, you feel as if you're right there with them, which is exactly what good writing should do. Each game is different. The characters vary massively, also. You just have to try them out, enjoy them, and follow your heart. Honestly, it's an experience like no other, connecting to these games.

Okay, so I've rambled on about my love for these games as much as I can without spoiling things for you. Hopefully, my passion has inspired you to possibly check out Persona. But with so many spinoffs, each game being wildly different, where do you begin? I'd recommend starting with Persona 5, or maybe if you're really interested, waiting until March for Persona 5 The Royal, with extra content, story, and characters. It's the most up to date of the series; the most accessible. If you do check these games out, please feel free to message me on Twitter - linked in my bio - about them. I'd love to talk to more people about them. That being said, thank you for your time. Enjoy being immersed in the community, the different worlds. I know I do.

Article by: Taylor

THE OVERWHELMING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPRESENTATION AND QUEERBAITING

Picture source: @katsadena on Twitter

In the media, poor attempts at diversity that tack LGBTQ+ identities on the backs of more 'eccentric' characters - just to implement a token-gesture guise of inclusivity - are as obsolete as not including any queer characters at all. I do not want such representation if it is falsified.

Take Netflix's Riverdale, for example. It took less than an hour for the Pilot to reek of queerbaiting, and they didn't even try to lure us tastefully. I mean, not that that's okay either, but there was absolutely no poise in this case. Usually, trashy shows drag out the plot that involves queer female characters in particular in order to retain an LGBTQ+ audience for as long as painfully possible, while Riverdale just dumped an entire season's worth of artificial chemistry onto us in the first half of the first episode.

Two of the core four (at least I think they're the main characters, I gave up on this show halfway through season one for this exact reason) kiss with absolutely no buildup or reasoning at all. Neither Betty or Veronica are explicitly stated to be anything other than straight, or even inferred to be for that matter, and once the extremely out of place kiss happens, it's never even mentioned again.

We all know that this was simply a ploy to entice LGBTQ+ audiences (two conventionally attractive, unstereotypical characters defying the norms of typical high school dramas in front of an extensively populated audience? Sign me up.) but that doesn't make it sting any less. The liberating potential of this scene was wasted massively, rather being used for all the wrong reasons. 'Kiss in front of the cheerleading team,' they said, 'They'll pick you for the squad if you do! Rack up the views of hopefuls while you're at it!'

Picture source: pinterest.co.uk

The recent release of the third season of Netflix's Atypical has brought this debate of representation versus queerbaiting to the forefront of my mind, and presumably the minds of many others. If there was a spectrum wherein 'queerbaiting' was scribbled on one end with Riverdale sat smugly upon it, the opposing 'representative' end would be the perfect home for Atypical.

While Atypical covers a multitude of complex topics, it's an endearing and warming series. What I'm trying to say is that the same-sex relationship featured is not the focal point of the entire storyline nor does it overwhelm or bait the audience. It is much more than that. The main plotline follows Sam, an autistic teenager navigating through his transformative years, with branching subplots that explore the moral grounds of cheating and the reception of neurodiverse people, to name a few. Don't get me wrong, the budding relationship between Casey and Izzie is prevalent throughout the seasons and has evidently blown up on stan Twitter (calm down, my fellow gays), but this connection is authentically explored as opposed to tastelessly exploited. This is where the difference lies.

When LGBTQ+ folk advocate for representation, we are not asking writers and producers to shove random, undeveloped, sexually-motivated scenes in our faces. True LGBTQ+ representation encompasses wholly our experiences. Not everything is a glossy, aesthetically pleasing scene with an aptly timed zoom and preppy music - there are mental strains, issues relating to public perception, the consideration of stereotypes, need I go on? This is where Atypical becomes invaluable to our realistic portrayals.

Rather than approaching Casey and Izzie's relationship in the aforementioned way, Atypical allows their narratives to develop organically and at their own pace. The characters are not rushed, as depicted in Riverdale, nor are they unnecessarily dragged out like those in Killing Eve (I'll get on to that). Their journey isn't glamourised and both girls are given the respect and dignity to figure themselves out. That's how it should be.

Picture source: @epicdeanoru on Twitter

While we're on the topic of queerbaiting, I feel that it's relevant to cover the odd concept of promised queerbaiting - when shows continually hint that a same-sex relationship is imminent, while repeatedly drawing out bland narratives to put off any kind of delivery into the 'next season'. Shows like Killing Eve come to mind, wherein the main female characters are moulded to interact in a provocative way in the sense that they feign chemistry. Fair enough, perhaps there is simply platonic chemistry there, but why not market it as such? Why coin them 'girlfriends', using the term in the loosest fashion possible to string along your largely queer audience when you know fully that you are never going to deliver? This is exploitation in its purest form, and it's way more common than you'd think.

The moral of the story here is to treat LGBTQ+ relationships in the media as simply that. Not as pawns, not in an exploitative or hypersexualised manner, not as though we become completely consumed by our sexual orientation and have little more to offer the world. Sexuality is an element of the individual, of course, but is not necessarily the driving force of our existence - it is a factor. In Atypical's case, Casey and Izzie are beautifully-layered characters that just so happen to be beginning to understand this factor of themselves, and this experience is documented justly.

The slow burn, the hesitation, the periodic reluctance, the confusion, the denial, the acceptance. Atypical presents each element of sexuality honourably and realistically, refusing to shy away from the harsh realities of Casey and Izzie's journies just to appeal to those that would follow this storyline for arguably the wrong reasons. Kudos, Atypical, your realism is appreciated. A lot. 

Article by: PJ

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCENE IF YOU HAVEN'T DISCOVERED IT YET?

Photo by: Meg Lavender

If you are a frequent concertgoer or like to talk about your favourite bands and artists online on different social media platforms, you must have heard the phrase ‘support your local scene’ once or twice. Okay, once or twice is an understatement. This phrase is thrown around that much that it has lost its meaning and impact. So, what do people mean when they say, ‘support your local scene’?

There’re a couple of possible answers (if we are only looking at music, which is what we are doing).

Go see local artists and bands live and listen to their music.

In the world of streaming services, albums and singles are easily accessible online. If the songs aren’t on Spotify or Apple Music, it is likely that you can find them on SoundCloud or Bandcamp.

Get involved in the scene.

Most scenes have at least a few ‘home’ venues. These are often unprofessional, and the people work there voluntarily. There are many things you need to think about when organising gigs - these venues can always use extra help, and there are so many ways in which you can help; promotional work, bartending, stage set-up, the list goes on and on.

Now, to support your local scene you first need to find your local scene. You might think that there aren’t any fun bands in your area, let alone places to go see them, so in this post, I want to show you some ways to discover your local scene and its bands.

1. Bandcamp

Bandcamp is an international platform for small artists to sell music and merchandise, and it is likely that all your favourite bands sold their first singles and EP’s on Bandcamp. If you go to Bandcamp's website and scroll down on the homepage, you will find the 'Discover' option. You can select what genre of music you want to discover, whether you want popular music or recently released music, but most importantly you can select a location. If you select your city (or the nearest big city) and the genre you like, Bandcamp will show you all albums and singles released on their website that follow those criteria, and voila, local bands are discovered.

2. Opening acts

Big artists frequently bring well-known artists on tour with them, but smaller artists often don’t have the budget to bring a known opening act. Often, they bring a smaller artist on tour, but what happens most regularly is that the venue arranges a local opening act. Make sure to arrive early to see these local bands when you go to a gig and check out their socials. It is likely that you will find small venues where they play and other local acts that they play with.

While you’re at the gig anyway, buy their merch, whether it’s a CD or a shirt. Small bands can always use financial support - touring and playing shows is not cheap, especially not if you don’t have a big following!

3. Spotify

It is impossible that you don’t know a single local band. Try to think of the most local band you know, or the smallest band in your country, and go to their Spotify page. Spotify has this beautiful feature that allows you to discover similar bands called ‘Fans also like’. When you click it you will be given around twenty artists similar to the artist on that page, and often these are bands from the same area or scene.

Another way to discover not necessarily local but smaller bands on Spotify is by listening to the ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist that is generated for you every week, or by going to the browse page and then clicking 'Discover', you will find artists like your favourites.

I can’t imagine you not finding a single good, local band after using one of these three tips. It is true that some cities really just don’t have a music scene, but there will always be a city close to you that does have one, and in the case of your country not having a huge music scene - which is a thing in non-English speaking countries where there are mostly American and English music charts - there will always be acts on a national level that you like.

Every country has good bands, it is not just London and California that produce good musicians. You just have to go out and discover them.

Article by Cyan