2. Akihiko Sanada

Each of SEES’ members is grieving someone. For Akihiko, it’s his younger sister Miki, who died in an orphanage fire years before the events of Persona 3. For some, the death of a loved one might push them to revenge-driven fury or fatalist cynicism, but instead Akihiko becomes obsessed with protecting those he cares about. He takes up boxing to become stronger, treats everyone else in SEES like he’s their protective older brother, and is always quietly working behind the scenes to give the group their best chance at success.

But still, it’s not enough. Shinji’s death makes him realize how shortsighted he’s been. Power is not enough to save anyone if you’re so distracted by growing stronger that you miss what’s right in front of you. Akihiko feels like he’s failed on more than a few fronts by this point, but has to learn that if you can’t save everyone, you can still save those who are there by your side, and it’s not on any one person to shoulder that weight alone.

Guilt is as much a motivator as hate, but it’s also a poison that you have to excise to go on living. Akihiko is a testament to how learning from your mistakes is an ongoing battle harder than any you’ll face in a boxing ring. But directing all that pent-up self-loathing into a productive place is how you move past it. In the end, Akihiko is able to move forward through the lessons he’s learned, no longer dragged down by the weight of the shame he once carried.