Persona 5: A Vibrant Intersection of Art, Noise, and Identity
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Chapter 1: Persona 5's Artistic Explosion
In 2016, Persona 5 made a stunning debut on the PlayStation 4, vividly showcasing a world drenched in red, almost as if that color had never existed before. With its bold visual style and a clear departure from the mundane conventions of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), it sparked hope that the era of dull menu navigation was finally over. At the very least, it sent a strong message to its competitors.
As a spinoff of the beloved Megami Tensei series, Persona shares some characteristics with typical JRPGs. The game features turn-based battles among teams of characters, enhanced by magical elements, monsters, and various items, firmly placing it within the genre, reminiscent of a blend between Pokémon and Final Fantasy. In fact, the first two installments could easily be confused with Square Enix's flagship franchise due to their similar visual styles.
What initially distinguished Persona was its narrative depth. The game drew on Jungian and Freudian principles to explore the tension between individuality and the collective. While many games of the time focused on arbitrary dungeon crawling in faux-medieval settings, Persona's contemporary approach felt refreshingly original.
The third installment marked a turning point. As the gaming landscape evolved, so did Persona's unique aesthetic. Although not yet polished, the visuals became more dynamic and aligned with the game’s themes. Lead interface designer Masayoshi Suto began to challenge the boundaries of gaming UI, creating an experience that felt "tactile and significant," making the typical JRPG combat more engaging and alive.
This evolution continued with Persona 4, ultimately culminating in Persona 5. With Suto stepping up as the art director, the game's narrative about youth rebellion became central to its visual style. Persona 5 is like a living canvas, influenced by the cut-out, handmade aesthetics of early punk culture. It radiates what Cathy McCarthy describes as "unfuckwithable coolness," a quality so unique that it puts other games in a difficult position to compete.
The various inspirations behind its narrative, music, and art direction converge in a vibrant explosion of creativity. "There are no other menus akin to the magazine-clipped letters that flow throughout Persona 5. There are no battle interruptions that roll out like a dynamic, beautifully illustrated manga panel." Every facet of the game seems infused with style and energy.
It is an artwork that is always in motion. While some may argue against video games being classified as art, Persona 5 stands as a testament to the contrary. Each screen — from animations to menus, battles to character movements — transforms into a visual masterpiece.
The first video titled "Best White Noise Machines - Our Top Picks!" explores various sound machines that help create calming environments, paralleling the immersive experience of Persona 5's vibrant soundscapes.
Making Noise
Western audiences often associate the visuals of Persona 5 with the punk subculture of the 1970s. The familiar cut-out typography and bold colors undoubtedly reflect punk's aesthetic peak. However, this influence is refracted through the lens of Japan's unique cultural landscape.
When punk arrived in Japan, it emerged in a nation recovering from war and societal upheaval. Counterculture became deeply embedded in Japanese society. While the West has grown apathetic towards punk, watching it decline into irrelevance, in Japan, punk thrived. Inspired by its Western counterpart, it did not fizzle out but instead transformed into something distinctly Japanese, shaped by memories of American occupation and the rise of techno-driven collectivism.
This cross-cultural exchange is not new; for nearly two centuries, East and West have shared ideals that contradict our stereotypical views of Japan as a distant land.
Out of this cultural melange arose Noise, a movement that intensified punk's principles into an "assault of writhing, raw, and unpredictable sound that was shockingly fresh." The genre grew from punk’s chaotic nature yet incorporated influences from a variety of musical styles, resulting in what is sometimes referred to as "Japanoise." This genre "challenges the representations of musical history," resisting a singular classification and rendering its ethnographic landscape complex and fragmented.
Initially, Noise embraced the anarchic sound familiar to punk, often lacking melody, harmony, and rhythm. However, it has since evolved to encompass new influences, including jazz and new wave, moving beyond mere intensity for its own sake.
Pioneers like Shonen Knife, Melt Banana, and Omoide Hatoba serve as stylistic touchstones for many contemporary artists. Despite its underground roots, Noise has permeated the international music scene, with bands gracing magazine covers and attracting enthusiastic audiences.
While punk and jazz are among the most "politicized genres in popular music," Noise in Japan emerged not as festival music but as a deeply individual and emotional experience.
Section 1.1: The Conflict of Individualism and Collectivism
At the core of Persona 5 lies a narrative that pits individuality against the collective. Jung's concept of collective consciousness is used to manipulate the masses, while the protagonists strive for free thought and the collective well-being of society. Beneath the overarching narrative, a personal thread runs through each chapter.
The Phantom Thieves begin their journey by targeting an abusive teacher, whose actions are overlooked by superiors for the sake of institutional reputation. As their efforts expand to national consequences, they remain motivated by personal stakes. This resonates with the many Noise enthusiasts who initially sought to "regain control over their own perception."
In an increasingly mechanized Japan, their goal was to transform the industrial chaos of daily life into something intentional — "to create a superior noise" that counterbalances the surrounding noise.
By acknowledging and confronting their inner selves, the protagonists of Persona 5 mirror this endeavor. They drown out the societal noise that often champions collectivism in favor of their individual judgments.
This thematic conflict is vividly conveyed through the game’s visual storytelling. Each palace is powered by ordinary people, reduced to drones by their belief in a greater good — slaves to societal expectations, sporting success, criminal debt, artistic demands, and normalized burnout. In each case, the collective serves the interests of the individual.
The tension between individualism and collectivism is crucial to the game's narrative and reflects its broader influences. The protagonists battle authoritarian antagonists in a manner reminiscent of punk's resistance to right-wing ideology.
The second video titled "Easysleep Sound Machine Review And Unboxing" examines sound machines designed to enhance relaxation, much like the immersive experience of Persona 5, where sound plays a crucial role in the narrative.
Section 1.2: The Evolution of Persona 5's Visual Identity
Although Persona 5 showcases numerous strengths, it is not without its visual shortcomings, particularly regarding accessibility. Players with visual impairments may find it challenging to follow the game's fast-paced typography. The absence of accessibility options in both the original release and its 2020 re-launch exacerbates this issue.
Traditional JRPG interfaces, while often visually dull, are typically user-friendly. In contrast, Persona 5's dynamic design could have benefited from simpler options to improve readability. Accessibility advocate Kelly Marine argues that "every effect that can be described as 'flashy' should be optional." After all, graphic design should prioritize usability, ensuring that form does not overshadow function.
The game's vibrant visuals can make it difficult for some players to navigate, especially given the typography choices made in the localization process. The bold font in the Japanese version does not seamlessly translate into Latin characters, complicating the reading experience even for able-bodied players.
Japanese typography generally falls into two categories: mincho and gothic. The gothic nature of the original text suggests that a sans-serif font would have been appropriate. Although it seems to feature a Japanese typeface with Latin characters, the choice made for the English version undermines readability.
This oversight is particularly glaring in a year when other titles, like The Last of Us Part II, introduced a wealth of accessibility features. Disabled voices often remain unheard in discussions about diversity, and developers must strive to catch up. As time progresses, failing to address accessibility concerns risks transitioning from ignorance to prejudice. For the more cynical, there is a compelling business case for considering the needs of less-abled players to tap into a broader, revenue-generating audience.
Persona 5 marks a significant step forward in visual storytelling within games. Its seamless integration of narrative and user interface exemplifies how art direction and graphic design can extend beyond gameplay, creating a more holistic experience. This innovation warrants recognition. While its shortcomings reflect broader industry challenges, there remains ample opportunity for individual improvement.
In many respects, Persona 5 serves as an experiment in pushing the boundaries of game art direction. Masayoshi Suto and his team deserve significant acclaim for their accomplishments. However, like most experiments, the focus often resides on the mechanics rather than the broader implications. Moving forward — with Persona 6 and future Megami Tensei titles — Atlus must consider a wider player base rather than solely catering to those who have historically engaged with their games.
Chapter 2: The Noise Machine
Persona 5 exemplifies how to engage with historical imagery and visual language in a manner that is accessible to modern audiences, achieving a level of competence that many recent releases have failed to reach. When confronted with the question of whether video games can be considered art, Atlus offers a clear affirmation.
Yet, the game also highlights the risks associated with oversimplifying other cultures into media-friendly representations. Persona 5 stands apart from other JRPGs, and this distinction is one of its major selling points in Western markets. However, we must acknowledge that the category of Japanese role-playing games encompasses greater complexity than often recognized.
The success of Bong Joon Ho's Parasite has sparked increased interest in Korean cinema, yet it is vital to recognize the diversity and variety within Korean films, just as there is within Japanese media. There isn't a singular type of Korean movie or Japanese music — each carries distinct characteristics. Hence, it is essential to avoid a monolithic approach to classifying Japanese role-playing games, regardless of what is most visible or appealing in the West.
Persona 5, much like Noise, embodies a fusion of numerous influences. It transcends a simple chaotic soundscape from the 1980s to reflect a rich cultural history. Just as punk and Noise emerged as movements rooted in rebellion, they also require a stable cultural context against which to define themselves.
While Persona 5 is remarkable in its presentation, it owes a debt to the standards it challenges. The decades of graphically simplistic art direction that it seemingly leaves behind are, in reality, part of the many influences that shaped its creation. One could argue that as it pushes against genre clichés, it simultaneously embraces them, sculpting them into something both familiar and distinct. In this light, its resemblance to Japanoise seems intentional; any blend of significant concepts and styles inevitably reflects the values of the movement, suggesting that every aspect of Persona 5 is, in essence, Noise.