My Power is Your Power: Representation of Yokai in the Game Persona 5

Abstract

Japanese traditions and culture are widespread all around the world. Following the ever growing Japanese gaming industry, this thesis will explore the game of the year of 2017, Persona 5 (2016). This study aims at analyzing the representation of yokai, Japanese folklore creatures, in the game by clarifying relevant concepts involved in the study. First, the definitions of games and videogames will be discussed, their advantages and disadvantages and their significance as objects of study in academia. Later, to clarify what constitutes a Role-playing game, a brief historical background on Role-playing and Tabletop Role-playing games up to the creation of the first RPG will be discussed. Then, the study will define and compare Tabletop Role-playing games and video gameRole-playing Games giving examples of the most prominent titles. The yokai sections will also define and explore yokai in Japanese folklore and their influence throughout the world. Later, an analysis of five yokai creatures from the game Persona 5 will be carried out: Kodama – the Wavering Tree Spirit, Shiisaa - the Guardian Holy Beast, Arahabaki – the Awakened God, Obariyon – the Piggyback Demon, and Inugami – the Possessing Dog Ghost. Within each yokai, their historical background, their references on popular culture and how they are portrayed and represented in the game will be discussed. Concluding that yokai represents much more than tales from Japanese folklore, they constitute a cultural item that is constantly changing and it perpetuated by diffusion through media, especially in games. Semiotic resources such as video games help to mold and keep alive narratives in a juxtaposition of the traditional and modern. Therefore, highlighting the importance of research into games as not only an entertainment phenomenon but a tool to understand and explore different cultures.