So the debate is back.  You know, the Persona 4 fandom debate that happens every couple of months or so about Kanji and Naoto.  I don’t really mind, it happens, and is bound to come up as newcomers enter the fandom, whether it be from Golden or the anime or just finally getting around to P4.  Let’s face it, regardless of my love for them, they’re interesting characters and bring up issues that haven’t really been addressed in a game before (or, at least, not in so much detail, to the point of facing yourself and accepting who you are and things like that).

So I don’t mind the debate, I don’t mind what side people take, because it’s really up to how you interpret it.  As I’ve said before, for every piece of evidence that “clearly states” one thing, you can find something that “clearly states” something else.  It’s fandom, that’s what we do, that’s how it works.  

But one thing I don’t understand is how people think Atlus or SMT or whoever somehow “copped out” with these characters.

More under the cut for spoilers sake.

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How is it a “cop out” because they didn’t flat out state Kanji’s sexual preferences or didn’t actually make Naoto trans?  From the standpoint of a writer, if this were my game that I were creating, I wouldn’t give a clear answer either.  The point is to see it as you want to see it, and there’s evidence to both sides of the argument.  This also makes such debates happen, and keeps people interested in the game.  You realize this game came out in 08’ and we’re still talking about this?  Not only is it good from the standpoint of wanting your game to be, well, everlasting, but the fact that it even HAS such issues in the game is something to marvel at.  Sure, there’s been gay characters in games and anime, but besides the yaoi I’ve read with the guy “not crushing because omfg I can’t be gay,” I haven’t really seen a character actually say something as powerful as, “Men are better, because girls make fun of me, I just want to be accepted.”  And yes, there’s a bunch of badass girl characters who are as tough as guys, but I’ve never seen one actually going, “I’m doing this procedure, because people don’t respect me, because I’m a girl,” I’ve never seen someone take it that far.

And let’s also marvel at these guys being in high school.

There’s this thing that people seem to think, that high school kids are “too young” and “don’t know who they are yet,” but a lot of self discovery happens in high school, just like in P4.  On top of trying to deal with these things they’re trying to deny, they’re in a place that’s known for being the most judgmental place you’ll deal with in your life.  Just because they accept it in the T.V. world doesn’t mean it isn’t going to be an issue still.  I mean, hell, you see it pretty much right off the bat with Naoto, “Is that the Detective Prince?  No way man, that’s no prince, that’s a princess,” and Chie and Rise backing her up for being scared (and thank you dub for cleaning up that “because she’s a girl line”)

Anyway, my point is, just because there’s no clear cut “yes he’s gay/she’s trans” answer doesn’t mean it’s a cop out.  A cop out, to me, would’ve been Kanji being the typical tough guy who has a soft side (been there done that, next) or Naoto not even bothering to pose as a guy to begin with, or having a shadow that flat out says “procedure” instead of being like “I’m done dressing like a boy,” oh no, it was like, “get on the table let’s do this.”  I’ve seen cop outs before, have read stories where, for example, it was JUST ABOUT TO BE A BOY/BOY couple, but oops, he’s in love with him because he’s the reincarnation of a girl.  That’s a cop out.  Kanji not saying, flat out, that he’s gay?  Not so much.  

And here’s a thought, maybe there’s no clear answer because the characters themselves don’t know.  It’s high school, they’re kids, you can “accept yourself” all day long but it’s real easy to feel insecure all over again, especially in school.  Sure, I started liking my partner when I was 18 and started to realize that I liked girls, but was I like, “Oh yes I accept this,” right away?  Hell no.  I freaked the fuck out.  I was all, “no no no no no this isn’t right, I can’t be into girls, I’m supposed to be with guys that’s how it works,” and even stopped talking to her.

And I was in college at the time.  I can only imagine going through something like that when you’re 15 or 16 with people constantly telling you you’re too young to understand, or its just a phase, or seeing the one kid brave enough to come out as something different being picked on – and not just peers, but parents, and just… it’s not easy!  It was bad enough for me being the black girl who was a nerd who watched DBZ instead of wanting to date guys, could you imagine if I had came out on top of that?!

I’ve been with my partner for 11 years.  I love her to death.  There’s still places we go where I feel paranoid about holding her hand because I’m worried about people judging us, or making snide comments.  It took me forever to even get some sort of rainbow sticker for my car.  I use to work retail and would deal with customers saying jack ass things about gay people, so no, I didn’t mention her at the drop of a hat when people noticed the ring on my finger, hell, if they said “guy” sometimes I wouldn’t dispute it, because I didn’t want to bother dealing with their close-minded attitudes (seriously, one guy was talking about the construction we had done that took away the covering around the little mall area I worked at, I live in Minnesota, and the guy actually said, “Bet your corporate office is in California where those fags think it’s warm all year round.”  It’s moments like that where, yes, I accept myself, but…)

I do like seeing these debates and people feeling, in their heart, that these characters are gay, or trans, or whatever.  It’s nice seeing people take that side and not mind if people are that way.  But just because the creators don’t flat out give you an answer doesn’t mean they chickened out.  I don’t think they ever intended to have an answer, you can look at it however you want.  Naoto can say “I’m a woman and a detective,” til she’s blue in the face but you can still point to things that say otherwise. Same with Kanji.  It doesn’t mean they chickened out, it means they made something that makes you think.  

Besides, out of all the game companies, Atlus is the one that cops out?  Really?  They brought us the game where you shoot yourself in the head to summon a monster, I really don’t think they give any fucks guys.