SUBJECT SHOULD BE IN "APPLICATION: Character Name (Series) - Reserved/Not Reserved" FORMAT

OOC

Handle: Jem
Contact: PM this journal or cirilla
Over 18? Yup!
Characters Played: N/A

THE CHARACTER

Character Name: Ann Takamaki
Series: Persona 5
Canon Point: 11/20
Character Age: 16
Background: Ann Takamaki | Persona 5

Personality:
When first meeting Ann, she is seen as a quiet girl with a few secrets. She's disconnected from the rest of the school — lonely and truly only close to one student, Shiho. Prior to the Phantom Thieves, this may have been true. Ann's parents are both fashion designers and travel abroad for business during most of Ann's life. With the lack of a stable (although not abusive) home life, Ann was introverted prior to the events of the first palace. Ryuji Sakamoto makes note that Ann was never truly involved in socializing, even in middle school where they had first met. Presented in this light throughout the game, Ann is perceived as not outgoing and latches onto Shiho as her only true friend.

As mentioned, Shiho is Ann's first genuine friend and Ann offers her unwavering and judgement-free loyalty. As close as can be, during the initial events of Persona 5, her dedication is put to the test and one of her strongest character traits is shown: her support. Shiho found herself in a situation where one of her only pleasures in life (playing volleyball) was put to the test by a corrupt, perverted volleyball coach named Kamoshida. With his eye on Ann, she agreed to "date" him to ensure her best friend was not punished and excluded. To ensure Shiho was not pulled from the starting lineup from the volleyball team, Ann dealt with abuse from her peers (slutshaming, incorrect rumors, etc.) about dating the volleyball coach. Outwardly, the school body insists that she is sexually promiscuous based upon her beautiful looks and fit body. Ann opted to remain silent and held up her end of the bargain for the sake of Shiho's happiness. Above all else, Ann dons the name Panther and soon becomes a mask-wielding vigilante focused on finding justice for those hurt by Kamoshida, Shiho being the most prominent.

This instance is a perfect introduction to Ann and how she is involved with the central theme of the game — dealing with the fallout of corrupt adults. Ryuji, similarly to Ann, was a victim of Kamoshida's underhanded tactics. She begins to bond with the Phantom Thieves when they first form, especially when she gains her own Persona and refuses to step down. Ann's a victim and rejects the idea of remaining as one. Despite showing discomfort in her catsuit, she soon associates the attire with justice — a female thief that she admired from a show she watched a child. Coincidentally enough, this same thief is also considered as the villain of said show. Ann's arc teeters on empowerment given to her by her Persona. This fiery personality becomes more obvious once the first Palace is completed and she forces herself to continue changing the hearts of adults who pose a threat to young adults. Ann's dedication not only to Shiho but eventually the Phantom Thieves is evident by how quickly she suits up to assist the others in taking down Palaces and continuing their agenda of making themselves known to the world.

Fueled by the ability to change the hearts of the corrupt, her spunkiness shows from her cheeky quotes in battle or snapping at her friends when they come off too teasing. She's more extroverted later into the game, willingly dragging along the Phantom Thieves for shopping or modeling gigs (touched on below). Ann, as a person, is at peace knowing Shiho is able to recover after a suicide attempt and society will deal with those that have wronged them.

However, as Panther, she's merciless in battle, wielding a whip and having little shame in how she presents herself now. She, along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves, become ambitious and idolize the prospect of actually making a difference around the world. Ann's empowerment through awakening her Persona, Carmen, is a turning point that allows her to say no and stop a circle of abuse at its core. Ann seems caught off guard by the changes in people's hearts, but soon understands that living with guilt can be as imprisoning as she felt with Kamoshida. Ann's motivations compare with Ryuji's — full of spunk and desire to fight back against a society that systematically put them down.

Ann's motivated by her friends, pushing on because of them. There are times where she feels defeated, calling back to the girl trapped in Kamoshida's grasp, but it is with her friendships that she's able to pick herself back up. For example, one of her major moments in her confidants revolves around her budding career as a model. With fashion in her blood, she excels in Japan as a model due to her exotic look and natural beauty. When she begins to fail compared to a rival model, Ann summons the courage with the Protagonist's help to instead begin to challenge herself and work through relying on her talents. Without her friends, she would clearly have issues bouncing back.

It's clear as the Phantom Thieves get to know Ann further that despite her beauty, she has a few.. unique traits. She can be as reckless as Ryuji, as determined as Makoto, and as odd as Yusuke. Ann's able to think of ideas at the drop of a hat to ensure things run smoothly (although oftentimes she fails). One such example is using her horrible acting skills to flirt with Yusuke to gain access to the Palace for Madarame. Ann is far from the tactical one of the group, but she isn't shy on speaking her mind now that she has become a Phantom Thief and is willing to volunteer in plans when facing the Shadows of their targets, regardless of how dangerous they may be.

Overall, Ann appears to be another normal girl trying to deal with endless tests and overcoming abuse by an adult. A dedicated friend and valued ally, it is clear that she is more than that. Ann's fire burns far stronger than her Persona's, helping fuel the Phantom Thieves to truly make a difference.

Powers/Abilities: As per the FAQ comment by Coco, Ann will arrive with the ability to access a fraction of her abilities. Below is a list of what she will maintain.

- CARMEN | Ann will be able to summon her Persona known as Carmen.

PERSONA SKILLS
• Maragi - Fire Damage to Multiple Foes
• Dormina - High chance of inflicting Sleep to Foe
• Dia - Light Healing to one Ally
• Tarunda - Debuffs Foe

- FIREARM KNOWLEDGE | Ann is able to aim (decently) with a sub-machine gun in the metaverse. However, she is currently without her weapons, both gun and melee (a whip).

Power Nerfs (if applicable): Ann will be locked out from her second Persona, Hecate and limited to only 4 skills for Carmen. Regaining further skills + gaining a Hecate can be considered for further involvement in the game!

Inventory: As spoken with the mods, Ann's mask (which summons her Phantom Thieves attire + Persona) is considered her "weapon".

- Casual outfit
- Panther catsuit
- Her "mask", aka her Persona.

Incentives:

1. Prevent any harm from coming to Shiho.
2. To keep her friends (the Phantom Thieves) together.
3. Continue trying to stop corrupt adults from harming youth.

SAMPLES

TDM Sample!