Minako Arisato

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Minako Arisato
IC Information
Full Name: Minako Arisato (有里ミナコ)
Arcana: The Fool
Gender: Female
Age (Birthdate): 16 (January 1, 1996)
Hair Colour: Red
Eye Colour: Red
Height: 5'3" /160 cm
Residence: Iwatodai Dorm, Tatsumi Port Island
Workplace: Gekkoukan High School
Job: Second Year
Role: Focus
OOC Information
Source: Persona 3
Groups: SEES
Player: Iwatodai Station

"Nothing's certain in this world! But... this problem won't solve itself."

Minako Arisato is a recent transfer to Gekkoukan High School, and no one is quite sure what to do with her. She seems the opposite of her twin brother, from the red-orange hair and eye color, to the cheerful and boisterous personality. She smiles at every person and problem she faces, from awkward social interactions with new classmates to the terrifying Shadows of the Dark Hour. Nothing seems to shake her, but that sunny smile and her ever-present headphones provide a mask for the pain of losing her parents in a terrible accident ten years ago. That mask, though, also makes her excel as a co-leader of SEES's field teams. She proves equally unflappable and steadfast on the battlefield, standing with her fellows in SEES.

Background

Minako Arisato was born on January 1, 1996. She was born only a few minutes after her twin brother, Minato, but he was (technically) born the previous day. Daisuke and Natsuki Arisato came from money, and enjoyed a comfortable life. For their first six years, the twins lived on Tatsumi Port Island. They didn't want for much, with kind parents who provided them with quality schooling and latest video game consoles and entertainment.

Ten years ago, this all came crashing down, in the terrible and mysterious disaster on Tatsumi Port Island. That night, the Arisatos were among the many cars in the series of terrible traffic accidents that occurred on the Moonlight Bridge. Minato was able to get out of the car. To this day, Minako doesn't realize what he saw or what happened to him.

Minako didn't get out of the car until after everything cleared up. Her mother had been in the backseat and she threw herself over Minako, until the car behind them impacted theirs. Its side view mirror flew through the back windshield and killed Natsuki instantly when it struck her head. She died atop Minako, who tried and tried to wake her mother up. She pleaded, she begged, and she sobbed. She screamed. She learned for the first time, but not the last, that her pleas could not stave off death.

Minako might have died there. She didn't know what to do and she started to smell gasoline. The car doors were smashed in on the sides. She was vaguely aware that her father's corpse was slumped over the steering wheel. But then, a voice spoke to her: "You don't want him to be alone, do you?" She attributed it to a hallucination, later. One thing proved real, though: her brother standing outside the car. Minako pushed her mother's body away, then she crawled out of the shattered back window. The gash on her thigh left a scar, but so did many things about that night. She reached Minato, though.

He wouldn't be alone, and that was something.

The next few weeks were a blur to Minako. The visceral trauma of crawling away from her mother's dead body, the loss of her father, and the injury on her leg made her dissociate quite literally. Therapists and counselors were in short supply, as family and attorneys debated how to handle matters. The question of the trust that held their late parents' wealth wasn't much of a question: the twins would receive that when they were legal adults at age twenty. The bigger question was who would take them. Their paternal grandparents, Takumi and Mariko, stepped in quickly. The twins relocated to Osaka to live with them, and left behind their friends and school in Port Island.

The next two years were not unhappy ones. Minako began to emerge from the sheer trauma of the event. Her grandparents and visiting family meant well, but they missed the way that she did not fully heal from the trauma. Minako learned to mask her sadness and loneliness by being cheerful and happy. It started as a child, as she learned that smiling and acting happy would not worry her grandmother and grandfather -- or make her brother withdraw from her.

Making herself act happier also led her to sometimes be happier, though that happiness was often fleeting. She became more outgoing in school than she had ever been. She became more curious and impulsive. She learned to slip into an Osaka accent like her school friend did. Even as a teenager, she can do it on demand.

When they were eight years old, though, their time in Osaka came to an end. Old age claimed Mariko's life; their grandfather, Takumi, was too old to care for two elementary schoolers. Minako watched with more understanding now as a mirror of the legal whirlwind of two years ago blew up. She learned to smile through sorrow and pain already; this was the test to prove that she learned that lesson. When her grandfather took them to the airport to move in with new relatives, he cried. Minako smiled and hugged him, and stay dry-eyed until the plane took off. She passed the test, she thought.

They moved in next with their maternal aunt and uncle, Haruto and Fuyuko Shiomi. They lived in Nagoya and both worked high paying but demanding jobs. They saw the children less frequently than was ideal, but they had a network of relatives to help. They also had the income to support the twins too. While Minako didn't get as close to them as she did her grandparents, she did have a good life there -- and made friends in school easily.

Minako did form a bond with her uncle, who had a similar temperament. He shared his love of alternative rock from the late 1980's and 1990's with Minako, and while she initially expressed interest to make Haruto happy, it soon became a genuine love that stayed with her.

Unfortunately, the Shiomis' marriage collapsed when the twins were twelve years old. The stress of high intensity jobs made for irreconcilable differences. They didn't quite have enough time for the twins together. Apart, they certainly didn't. The whirlwind of years past began to spin up again, and by now, Minako thought she knew the shape of it. She thought she knew how the winds of death and loss would batter her, the way only a twelve year old who hurt too much could. She was wrong. The family had tried to keep them together so far, but it finally broke down.

Minato was sent to live with their paternal uncle, Yoshirou Arisato, in Tokyo. Minato was sent to their maternal grandmother, Naomi Yuki, in Sapporo. At the airport, she tried for a repeat performance with her grandfather, and failed completely. Minako sobbed and couldn't manage to form the word "goodbye" to her brother before she had to board a flight to Sapporo.

Life in Sapporo was supposed to be miserable. Minako was so far away from her brother. She tried, but she couldn't bring herself to wallow in misery -- and make a grandmother who could be distant but still warm (and thus not unlike her brother) miserable by association. Minako, alone, began to fall back on her defense mechanisms: she smiled and laughed through the pain. She made new friends in a new school. She grew close to her grandmother. She could be bright, to cast shadows on how much she missed her brother, her parents, and the others that she had lost.

Life in Sapporo was agreeable with her. Minako found things she loved there of her own accord. Her grandmother was encouraging, but had slowed down in her old age. Left to her own devices, Minako found a love of colder weather -- and hiking in it. In school, she developed an athletic streak; she ended up active in the softball club.

She found herself having a life that she could be happy with, and she felt guilty for it. That life didn't have her brother in it as much as she wanted, which made that guilt fester.

The twins did have annual summer trips, though. In 2010, they took one to Osaka that was especially memorable. They still had things they could bond over -- their love of rock music, their shared love of video games (and how many Pokemon they had to trade after a year apart) -- but that summer in Osaka was special. They got to see old haunts from when they were kids, with memories dear to them both. They bought their MP3 players and headphones, matching in style but different in color. They had time together that Minako valued.

But it also reinforced the ways they changed. Minako realized her brother's life with their uncle Yoshirou was not a happy one. She also saw the way he'd become more withdrawn, more distant... and it contrasted with the way that she had become all the brighter, running hot instead of his running cold. Her guilt only magnified.

The next year, when they were 15, their maternal grandmother passed. Yoshirou's adult son, Naruhito Arisato, took Minako in. This was part of a scheme by Yoshirou and Naruhito to gain access to the twins' trust fund and drain it dry. Minako's cousin was utterly uninterested in her. Both twins lived in Sumaru that year, but Minako was enrolled in Seven Sisters instead of Shujin (like her brother) as part of a scheme to keep the twins in the dark about the plans to steal (through attorneys) their inheritance. By now, Minako knew how to smile through loss -- and she started at a new school with the same easy charm she had learned. She thought something strange was afoot, but she had no idea.

The Kirijo Group, thankfully, did. When Yoshirou and his son went to the bank with their lawyers to get access to the funds, Kirijo lawyers met them. They were sent home with a warning; the twins were both quickly transferred to Gekkoukan, given rooms in a dorm there, and would move back to Port Island, under the close eye and aegis of the Kirijo Group.

Minato moved first. Minako followed a few days later. She was due to arrive in the daytime on a fateful day: the same one that had a massive subway accident, caused by a "psychotic breakdown" incident. Minako was stuck on a train for hours and arrived in Port Island at 11:49 p.m. It felt as if reality was trying to delay the reunion with her brother -- and give her time to ponder the weight of returning to where her parents died. She smiled, dissociated, and did not ruminate on this.

On the walk to the dormitory in Iwatodai, everything suddenly changed. She rounded one corner and found the sky had turned green. Coffins were lying about the street; puddles of blood were lying on the ground. She smiled, dissociated, and did not ruminate on this.

She rounded a second corner and saw Iwatodai Dormitory. Out front, against the door, a wounded Akihiko Sanada was facing off against Shadows. This finally made Minako admit maybe something messed up was happening with Dark Hour. She shouted, dissociated, and then smashed a Shadow aside with her rolling luggage -- and leaped in front of Sanada. He dropped his Evoker, and some instinct took hold. She grabbed it, driven by some instinct, and put the Evoker to her temple.

A pull of the trigger and a burst of blue glass later, and her Persona, Linos, pushed back the wave of Shadows. She got Akihiko inside, handed him off to a baffled Mitsuru, and then promptly collapsed into Yukari's bed. Questions -- like what is Dark Hour, who these people are, and which room is hers -- could wait for tomorrow.

That night, Minako dreamed of intruding upon a strange boy with bright blue eyes, short hair, and prison-striped clothing. He was surprised to see her, yet not unhappy. He handed her a contract, which she signed, agreeing to take responsibility for her actions. Then, she entered the Velvet Room in her dreams: in an elevator going forever downward, Igor and Theodore explained the nature of Personas to her.

The twins, reunited at last!

When Minako awoke, there were explanations to give. She also had to apologize profusely to Yukari. She soon settled into a familiar pattern: establishing herself at a new school, making friends, and being her bright and sunny self to mask what was underneath. This time, though, something was different. This was not a new place for her -- little reminders of who the lost were everywhere. So, too, was the reminder of the brother she just got back.

But she had to wait, because he was out for days. She worried -- in a way that other members of SEES could see plainly -- though she tried to downplay it. When he awoke, it was a joyous reunion. Then she got to experience an everyday life with him being present, and she was grateful for that chance.

She received an explanation of the Dark Hour, SEES, and Tartarus. She joined without a second thought; if Minato was going to do it, so would Minako. After all, as she decided ten years ago, she couldn't let him be alone.

Season 1, Episode 1

Forthcoming!

Persona

Linos, Minako's primary Persona.

As a Wild Card, Minako has access to a number of Personas. These are listed below.

Linos (Fool): The son of Calliope and Apollo, and brother to Orpheus. Linos proved to be an excellent musician, helping to restore harmony to music after the Muses gave a third string to the lyre. His skill with music prompted the jealousy of his father, though, and Apollo slew his son with his arrows. For Minako, Linos manifests a feminine form. She looks like a mechanical doll, with a faintly feminine shape; her body is made of shiny gold and silver, with a crimson scarf and long red hair. The most notable aspect is that a heart-shaped harp is attached to her back. She is a well-rounded Persona, capable of manifesting fierce magical nuclear flame, piercing strikes with phantom arrows and, and some ability to heal. That Linos appears similar to Orpheus, her brother's main Persona, is certainly not coincidental.

Pyro Jack (Magician): The famed Jack O'Lantern, he was an Irish farmer who persuaded Satan not to take him to hell. When he was refused entry into heaven, he wandered earth as a pumpkin-headed soul. He appears as a pumpkin-like head, wearing a blue robe and a blue hat. He commands both magical flame and abilities that debilitate Minako's opponents. He often says "Hee-ho!" Pyro Jack represents her cousin Naruhito. Naruhito is the Magician Arcana, but a failed one: he is overconfident, convinced of his importance, and unable to see the impact he has and the truth of the people he impacts. He tried to use the twin.

Mors, a mysterious Persona that sometimes appears when Minako is present.

Valkyrie (Strength): "Choosers of the slain" in Norse lore. Armed with shining armor and swords, they look for brave warriors to take to Valhalla, so that they may fight in Ragnarok. Valkyrie appears as a golden-skinned woman with blonde hair and a winged mask, donning scale mail and carrying a lance. She rides atop a crimson horse, with a fiery red mane. She uses supportive magic and powerful slash attacks in battle. She represents Minako's grandmother, Naomi Yuki. Naomi was the Strength Arcana: an active hiker, who -- despite her advanced age, when Minako lived with her, helped Minako find her love of outdoors and exercise. She also supported Minako, reached her in a dark time in her life, and helped bring her out of her shell.

Mors (Death): A mysterious Persona, unlike Minako's others. She is the Roman version of the Greek God of Death, Thanatos. She is the personification of death itself, and in the Roman tradition, has feminine connotations. Mors commands powerful darkness and non-elemental magic, and has far greater power than other Personas in Minako's compendium. However, Minako cannot command when Mors comes, and she cannot -- in truth -- command Mors at all. Her similarity to a similar Persona that sometimes appears when her brother is nearby, Thanatos, is as mysterious as the origins and nature of Mors. Please note that Mors has not yet been summoned on game and no one knows about her; this information is here for OOC clarification.

Special Skills

Minako has the Wild Card. She can summon multiple Personas in battle. She also has unique connections to destiny and fate, in ways that have not fully been seen.

When Minako has to address a difficult situation, she has three particular approaches:

1. A Smile for Every Situation (Understanding): Minako is often lost in her own little world... but that helps her understand the world around her -- and the people in it. She might put headphones in to tune out the world, and she might close her heart off with a smile, but Minako is excellent at listening to people. She can't help but listen to people and understand them, to try to help.

2. Kindling Warmth (Charm):  Minako is impulsive and takes initiative. And this helps her be charismatic and likeable, because Minako will rush into a situation -- and while she can bull right past others' feelings, she can also be forthright at the right moment and reach out exactly when she needs to. And, sometimes, she can get a laugh out of even the most closed off person.

3. Rushing In (Guts): When things are difficult, Minako tends to stand tall -- and she tends to be fearless. She doesn't hesitate to step into the line of fire and do what she needs to. And, of course, the fact she values her life less than the lives of those around her also helps.

Relationships

Name Address Arcana Social Link Info
Minato Arisato Minato-kun 0. Fool ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "I'm happy you've figured things out. I'll keep you safe."
Ren Amamiya Amamiya-san 0. Fool ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "I like you a lot. And I'm glad we can keep it from getting complicated."
Fuuka Yamagishi Yamagishi-san 2. Priestess ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "We can be friends, right?"
Mitsuru Kirijo Kirijo-senpai 3. Empress ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "I hope I can help, senpai!"
Shinjiro Aragaki Aragaki-senpai 5. Hierophant ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "I've got your back, senpai. And... I'm worried about you."
Yukari Takeba Takeba-chan 6. Lovers ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "Even if we make each other mad... we'll stick together, right?"
Suzume Fukura Fukura-san 7. Chariot ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "I'm glad we helped you. I hope you don't feel like it's too much."
Reiya Aomori Aomori-san 9. Hermit ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ You're really straightforward. It's... a lot.
Ririka Kawase Kawase-san 12. Hanged Man ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "Didn't expect you to be skateboarding in Dark Hour..."
Hitomi Mandai Mandai-chan 10. Fortune ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "Don't worry! I've got your back."
Julian Marlowe Marlowe-sensei 10. Fortune ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "A cool foreign teacher... if only he taught at Gekkoukan!"
Shizuka Kuroki Kuroki-senpai 18. Moon ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ "You seem pretty reliable, senpai. But the puns..."

NPC Relationships

Name Arcana Social Link Info
Bunkichi and Mitsuko 5. Hierophant ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ The owners of Bookworms; an old couple Minako befriended.
Rio Iwasaki 7. Chariot ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ The head of the Gekkoukan's Sports Department and in Volleyball Club with Minako.

Soundtrack

Logs and Cutscenes

Season 1

Logs

Cutscenes

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