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phantomled-blog · 8 years ago

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004.

Akira enjoys many kinds of music genres, but one of his favorites happen to be jazz.

From elementary to his first year of high school, Akira played a variety of instruments in concert band including alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bari sax, trumpet, and even piano. His first instrument was alto, but his teacher eventually convinced him to learn the other two types listed. Trumpet was taken up mostly out of curiosity when his teacher needed more first trumpets, while piano had just been something he’d taken lessons for outside of school at his father’s behest.

In middle school, he often got the opportunity to play with high school students in jazz band. Jazz and concert band could very easily be considered one of the very few solaces he had in those times. Akira formed a rather strong bond with his band teacher, who was admittedly not the most well liked guy. He was a bit of a hardass, and maybe even a mischievous sadist with a penchant for being an ass, but he brought out the absolute best in Akira and his other students. Under his tough exterior they knew he liked them, as evidenced by the band room memes and jokes. Perhaps that’s where some of his behavior comes from...

By his first year of high school, he had earned a place in the school’s upper band. Of course, his talents would quickly end up going to waste when his parents stopped paying to rent his instruments and his mother pawned the one instrument that was actually his own---his bari, bought with his own money---in order to sate her gambling addiction.

For a time, he wished for nothing more than to play in a professional orchestra or go into music education, but those dreams were made impossible when he’s sent to Shujin and his instruments are taken from him.

#♠┆ooc. → off duty.#♠┆headcanons. → quirks that even he can't deny.#[ have a sad ]#[ can you tell I'm a band nerd ]#[ but jazz really does fit him ]#[ where is my shujin music club ]#[ someone start it ]

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phantomled-blog · 8 years ago

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002.

Now it has often been discussed that Beneath the Mask is from the protagonist’s point of view. And I wholly support that. Considering it plays when Akira is alone at night ( and a few other times; I’ve just only noticed it at night ) , it has to be. In this headcanon post, I will be going line by line, or verse by verse to determine the meaning behind the lyrics, what it means for Akira, and how it ties into his character. Personally, I think it confirms quite a few things for how I portray him.

Where have you been? Been searching all along Came facing twilight on and on Without a clue Without a sign Without grasping yet The real question to be asked Where have I been?

Forced into this way of life, Akira temporarily lost a sense of self. He was in a new place, and the idea he had of the world---that heroes never fail---had been turned on its head. He lost who he truly was, not that he ever knew what that was in the first place until Arsene awakened within him. It felt to him as if he were wandering through the darkness without a way to know where he was. He thought he was searching for someone when he should’ve realized that he should’ve been trying to figure out where he was. He shouldn’t have been suppressing part of himself, he should’ve been allowing it to flourish just as it does in Kamoshida’s Palace when he becomes Joker.

I'm a shapeshifter At Poe's masquerade Hiding both face and mind All free for you to draw

Akira Kurusu has never shown who he was. He has always reflected whatever others need him to be. He is a shapeshifter in every sense of the word. He started off as shy, innocent, and kind, before becoming the rebellious boy who wanted to get his parents’ attention, and lastly he became a leader for the Phantom Thieves. With his wildcard ability, metaphorically, he changes Personas often. He is always what he needs to be in any given situation.

Now on the topic of “Poe’s masquerade”---this line likely refers to The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe. To summarize the story quickly, a disease known as the Red Death sweeps through the land. Prince Prospero ( like prosperous, referring to life---ironic ) attempts to avoid this plague by hiding within his abbey. He later holds a masquerade within its seven rooms ( each being a different color: blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet, and lastly a black room illuminated with scarlet light making it seem as if the walls are dripping with blood ) and invites nobles from throughout the land.

In addition to them, a mysterious figure clothed in a funeral shroud enters the abbey and goes from room to room. It, for it is not truly a person, eventually reaches Prince Prospero whom it’s challenged by. One look at the creature causes him to die from the Red Death. When the other nobles rip off its clothes, they find nothing there. They soon realize that it was the disease personified and that they cannot escape it---they even die from it just like Poe described ( sharp pains, dizziness, sweating blood ) within half an hour.

He hides his face and mind just as this Red Death did. He wears a mask and navigates palaces, demolishing Shadows in his wake. When he reaches the end of them, he “meets with the prince” who challenges him. He defeats them in the refuge they created with their desires. But another thing that can be said is this: beneath his “funeral shroud” he must believe there to be nothing, or at least emptiness---which I will get back to later when we reach another few lines in the song.

The short story ends with this phrase: And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all. Meaning---you can’t run from death or the end. Considering the context of Persona 5, no one can escape the Phantom Thieves.

The final line of that group can easily be misinterpreted. All free for you to draw but what sort of draw could they possibly mean? We’re not physically drawing Akira, nor are we drawing him to a close. In this context, I think it would be safe to say that they’re referring to draw in the sense of using. This sort of draw means to use someone’s experience, talents, or skills, and is most definitely synonymous with exploit. If this is from Akira’s point of view as we’ve believed up until now, he is saying that he is free for people to use.

I'm a shape shifter What else should I be? Please don't take off my mask Revealing dark

This one is simple. He’s a shapeshifter and believes that there’s nothing else he should be. He doesn’t want people to take off the mask that he’s so carefully crafted for people to see. He doesn’t want people to take it off and realize the darkness and emptiness within him.

Moments of calm Nothing left to be found A mirror right in front of me That's where I find An empty glass Reflecting the sad truth It's telling words not to be told I need the mask

When the fighting has died down, Akira sometimes looks into the mirror. Of course, he does see his reflection. It’s impossible to not have one. When he the fighting is done and he doesn’t need to keep up appearances, he takes off his mask. And so when looking into the mirror, he doesn’t “see” the person beneath the mask---or perhaps...understand them. Another way to use the word see is in the phrase “I see”, as in you understand. He doesn’t understand who he is beneath the mask. He finds an empty glass---an empty mirror. The mirror “reflects” the truth which is the fact that he’s nothing---or believes the person to be worth that much---beneath his mask. He needs his mask.

I'm a shape shifter Chained down to my core Please don't take off my mask My place to hide

Akira feels like a prisoner within himself. So he wears a mask to pretend that that is not so. He is a prisoner in every sense of the word. He’s a prisoner of fate, a prisoner to adults in society, and a prisoner to his own nature. He has these chains that he cannot escape. And so he hides. Don’t take away his mask, the only way that he can hide himself.

I can't tell you How to see me Just a cage of bones There's nothing inside Will it unleash me? Burning down the walls Is there a way For me to break?

He can’t tell anyone who he is because he’s just a person who’s an empty shell. Or so he believes. He doesn’t know who he is, so he can’t tell you how to see him. He can only become what you need to see. There is “nothing inside” of him. He wonders if there is a way for him to be unleashed. The prisoner within him to be released and realize who it is he truly is.

I'm a shape shifter Have no face to show Please don't take off my mask My disguise

Similarly to other lines in the song, please don’t take off his mask. It’s his disguise. This mask of his is his way of protecting himself from the world, as well as making him seem normal. He is not normal. And it is likely that he never will be. He doesn’t need people to believe that either---he just needs them to see what they want to see so he doesn’t get hurt.

All in all, Akira Kurusu has worn so many masks that he is unsure of who he really is anymore.

#♠┆ooc. → off duty.#♠┆headcanons. → quirks that even he can't deny.#[ OH GOD THIS TOOK A LONG TIME TO TYPE??? ]#[ a little over 2 1/2 hours... ]

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