Personality: One simple look at his name alone can tell you just about everything you need to know about Yu Narukami. For instance, the way “Yu” is written can refer to a state of calm, tenderness, or superiority, while “Narukami” itself refers to a howling god of thunder. So, is Yu Narukami a peaceful young man, calm and quiet on the outside with the thunderous potential of godhood within him? Yes, you could most certainly say that.
Yu may not speak much, but when he does, it’s undoubtedly something important. Whether it’s something as simple as correctly answering a question when his history teacher calls on him at random, as complex as explaining the concept of death to an innocent little girl, or as courageous as calling out a close friend on their bullshit. If he has something to say, you can guarantee people will listen to him without question.
(Unless he tries making a joke, that is. His deadpan sense of humor isn’t always the most well-received.)
What he has to say, of course, depends not only on the circumstances, but on whom he's saying it to. At the guidance of both Igor and Margaret, Yu gradually comes to learn that his bonds with others are what gives him power, and as such, he winds up with a pretty eclectic social circle. Apart from his friends on the Investigation Team - a group that's certainly diverse, if not just a little off-beat - Yu's capable of getting along well with various people and personalities, positive or negative.
How else could we describe Narukami at a first glance? P4 Character Designer Shigenori Soejima actually refers to him as the “Blue Ranger” of his group of friends. Unlike the Red Ranger, who would function as the “obvious leader” of the group, the Blue Ranger would “stand silently by the Red Ranger’s side… ready to back him up with an equal amount of skill.” But even if Yu might not be “the obvious leader,” it’s a position he accepts without reluctance when he and his newfound friends embark on a strange mystery in his new hometown of Inaba.
Not only is Yu quick to assume his role as Leader of his friends’ Investigation Team, he’s also quick to make new friends. Over the course of his year in Inaba, Yu makes an acquaintance in practically everyone he meets: family, friends, coworkers, strangers, even animals. And as those friendships grow stronger, so, too, does Yu’s power within. Despite his usual soft-spoken demeanor, he does show off a bit of charisma every once in a while. Not even a week into their new school year together, Chie tells Yu that “there’s a funny air about [him],” that perhaps “that’s what draws people to [him].” Yosuke agrees with her assessment of Yu as a pretty open guy, suggesting that perhaps he has nothing to hide.
But what if he does have something to hide? The anime adaptation of Persona 4 (creatively titled Persona 4 The Animation) explores this question in considerable detail and comes to an interesting conclusion. We begin to see this explored around Episode 12: “It’s Not Empty at All,” in which Yu, confronted by the Shadow of Mitsuo Kubo, is revealed to have a bit of an abandonment complex. It’s definitely understandable. Had our hero’s parents not taken a job overseas, Yu wouldn’t even be in Inaba; he’d still be experiencing a normal, everyday school life in the city. Considering that not only do we, as players, not see or hear much mention of Yu’s parents, but we also don’t see Yu keep in regular correspondence with them at all over the course of his year in Inaba, one could certainly make the argument that his relationship with his parents is incredibly strained, and that they are, more than likely, not nearly as dedicated to their son as they are to their respective careers. One can only assume that this sort of a dramatic removal from his usual environment thanks to his parents’ demanding careers isn’t the first time he’s been forced to cope with abandoning everything (and everyone) he used to know.
And having been flung into a strange new place like Haven? It surely won't be his last.
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Yu may not speak much, but when he does, it’s undoubtedly something important. Whether it’s something as simple as correctly answering a question when his history teacher calls on him at random, as complex as explaining the concept of death to an innocent little girl, or as courageous as calling out a close friend on their bullshit. If he has something to say, you can guarantee people will listen to him without question.
(Unless he tries making a joke, that is. His deadpan sense of humor isn’t always the most well-received.)
What he has to say, of course, depends not only on the circumstances, but on whom he's saying it to. At the guidance of both Igor and Margaret, Yu gradually comes to learn that his bonds with others are what gives him power, and as such, he winds up with a pretty eclectic social circle. Apart from his friends on the Investigation Team - a group that's certainly diverse, if not just a little off-beat - Yu's capable of getting along well with various people and personalities, positive or negative.
How else could we describe Narukami at a first glance? P4 Character Designer Shigenori Soejima actually refers to him as the “Blue Ranger” of his group of friends. Unlike the Red Ranger, who would function as the “obvious leader” of the group, the Blue Ranger would “stand silently by the Red Ranger’s side… ready to back him up with an equal amount of skill.” But even if Yu might not be “the obvious leader,” it’s a position he accepts without reluctance when he and his newfound friends embark on a strange mystery in his new hometown of Inaba.
Not only is Yu quick to assume his role as Leader of his friends’ Investigation Team, he’s also quick to make new friends. Over the course of his year in Inaba, Yu makes an acquaintance in practically everyone he meets: family, friends, coworkers, strangers, even animals. And as those friendships grow stronger, so, too, does Yu’s power within. Despite his usual soft-spoken demeanor, he does show off a bit of charisma every once in a while. Not even a week into their new school year together, Chie tells Yu that “there’s a funny air about [him],” that perhaps “that’s what draws people to [him].” Yosuke agrees with her assessment of Yu as a pretty open guy, suggesting that perhaps he has nothing to hide.
But what if he does have something to hide? The anime adaptation of Persona 4 (creatively titled Persona 4 The Animation) explores this question in considerable detail and comes to an interesting conclusion. We begin to see this explored around Episode 12: “It’s Not Empty at All,” in which Yu, confronted by the Shadow of Mitsuo Kubo, is revealed to have a bit of an abandonment complex. It’s definitely understandable. Had our hero’s parents not taken a job overseas, Yu wouldn’t even be in Inaba; he’d still be experiencing a normal, everyday school life in the city. Considering that not only do we, as players, not see or hear much mention of Yu’s parents, but we also don’t see Yu keep in regular correspondence with them at all over the course of his year in Inaba, one could certainly make the argument that his relationship with his parents is incredibly strained, and that they are, more than likely, not nearly as dedicated to their son as they are to their respective careers. One can only assume that this sort of a dramatic removal from his usual environment thanks to his parents’ demanding careers isn’t the first time he’s been forced to cope with abandoning everything (and everyone) he used to know.
And having been flung into a strange new place like Haven? It surely won't be his last.