Yeah, basically this exactly! I’m stressing to people that this is a SEQUEL, not a remake! You can’t really watch this one without having watched the first or played the game - this is a New Game+, so you need to have an…
They didn’t expressly state that, but it seems like Narukami is super maxed out in his characteristics! He’s saying all the lines you only get to say the second time around - and he was obviously BEYOND POWERFUL during that first fight!!
And given the way they’re glossing over details and introductions, and how he’s so mischievously smiley all the time, I’d say it’s definitely supposed to be the second time around!
I see, gotcha (I never actually started a second playthrough). That’s kind of interesting then because I’m assuming Marie would be a curve ball because its not the same path all over again, not to mention if they do a certain someone’s social link that’s only in Golden. It would really be interesting if Yu is aware that he’s going through the same thing all over again, so when he reaches certain points he just looks exhausted and upset because, “Do I have to go through this again?” You know, like Nanako in the hospital, things like that.
I also just realized if it does the Golden ending we get time jump characters *__*