If Atlus made persona but set in america?

I rather Japanese-America be more Earthbound than Dead Rising.

I said it wasn't nearly as offensive, but the same principle applies. If you know that there's a group that takes offense to a particular word, you can, you know, avoid using that word. Weeaboo may have started as meaningless bullfuckery, but it has somehow come to be used as an insulting term targeted at others of a specific interest for no particular reason at all.

Well, this thread is a complete shitshow.

As for the topic at hand, I think a Persona game set in America would definitely be more popular. There's a lot of very specific Japanese cultural nuances in the games that probably put some people off. That being said, it could make the game a whole lot less interesting as well.

@hailinel said:

The same principle doesn't apply, as there isn't centuries of context to make "weeaboo" a megaton word like the "n-word" is. People have different thresholds of acceptable behaviour in a public setting. You're going to have to learn how to deal with that if you want to continue partaking in public discussions. People shouldn't bend to your will because you think a word sucks. I think a lot of words suck, but you don't see me going around telling people what they can and can't say.

Context is important as well. Under the context of this thread, and in my further explanations, weeaboo wasn't meant or used in a derogatory manner. A more logical, well-adjusted person would've left the discussion at that. For some reason you're committed to try and prove me an asshole, all because I used the word weeaboo. How ridiculous does that sound, man? I think it sounds pretty ridiculous. Just accept that people have different views on words and their importance in context. You'll be much happier and smile more once you stop furrowing your brow at other people for acting outside of your box of acceptable behaviour.

I love Persona and tons of other Japanese games, but I had no idea what a "gaijin" is until I googled it. And I learned what a weeabo is last week. Also apparently I pronounce it wrong. Lingo like this is why people hate shit related to anime. You're trying to hard.

Anyways, I wouldn't dislike it but they would have to do a lot more work in localization since it wouldn't make sense for an American student to call you "Charlie-kun".

@hailinel: He's purposefully baiting and taunting you at this point; there is no reason to give him more of the attention he wants. Even otherwise reasonable people can sometimes be inconsiderate and self-absorbed. That he finds a word amusing is more important than whether someone might be offended by it. This isn't a misunderstanding; he's just being a jerk. It doesn't need to go deeper than that in this instance.

@oldirtybearon You're not new; you know that being a jerk isn't alright. Just because it seems to be tolerated doesn't make it the right thing to do. You can feel that a term is fine and still show some discretion. If it bothers someone around here and you don't actually care about the term, you can show consideration for someone else by using a different term. Putting another member before your glee over the sound of a word would be the most respectful and adult response. Please consider it.

It would be Bully with demons and shit. I'm down with that.

Now, when you put it -that- way... I could see this almost being cool. Though, it would still need plenty of Japanese flair.

Why not set it outside of a high school for once? A college persona would be pretty cool.

I want a Persona that takes place at a bank.

I'd like it if it was anime America.

Only if it's the Japanese perception of what American high school is like. I've seen enough anime to know that would be delicious.

A healthy amount of Japanese flair would be nice, but if it overshadows the Western aspects of it, it might be a bad thing. For example, for the music situation, just get a little bit of everything. Rap, rock, dubstep, jazz yada yada yada. Hell, even throw in a bit of J-Pop/Rock/Rap to represent the crazy melting pot that the West has become.Oddly enough, this is starting to make me think about the Sleeping Dogs soundtrack.

Fashion, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely. Lots of things to consider on that front since school uniforms aren't nearly as common over here as they are over there. Will they be going for that 90's vibe or will everyone and their mother be wearing skinny jeans and leggings? Can't forget about the skateboards, either. Gauges?

I think I just ruined this entire thing for myself.

Anime America is a great place to be

THE RIZA would be the black rapper friend instead of Rise

I don't give a shit where it has to take place, just give me Persona 5.

Ditch the high school angle and focus on a gumshoe whose investigation leads him through all the strange persona shit, and I'm so fuckin on board it ain't even funny.

I imagine a Persona set in the US would be something like this.

If anything it would be a lot more interesting to see a Japanese rendition of a typical American High School setting. Would everything look like the movie Grease?

You'd get one more day to watch the home shopping network on weekends. But I would throw down 60 to see what Atlus thinks American high schools are like (I'm imagining a lot of football pads, cheerleaders, and muscle cars).

Really no one use that word and even the word "gaijin" are almost never used here in japan. Unless of cause you are talking about racist pigs but then that's like saying we should call Asians people chink because you know tell me a better word. Come on people.

I played my first, i guess, what is considered a jrpg style game this year with Ni No Kuni. I like the game, but no intrest in trying another jrpg for, oh i dont know another 30 years of gaming.

It would HAVE to be set sometime in the 90's. Some people like Nirvana, some people like A Tribe Called Quest and Jurassic 5, but they all come together to battle the demons within themselves and their Walkmans (and you prevent a school shooting or two).

Also different friends talk to you about their individual American 90's fascinations, like: Beavis & Butthead, The Simpsons, Twin peaks, flannel, Michael Jordan and Pokemon.

It could be amazing, the MC should be a badass letterman jacket wearing high school quarterback and all the evil started because the nerd clique opened up a portal in one of their D&D games.

@hailinel: Adding -ophile to anything makes you sound like a rapist.

Besides, anime is for jerks.

I think you need to brush up on how language works.

Only, if it's like this. Anime America.

@shinjin977 said:

I was looking for a word to describe someone who isn't Japanese, was never exposed to the culture first hand, et cetera. Gaijin popped into my head because it means foreigner. It worked.

Doesn't that imply something sexual, though? I'm a pretty big fan of Japan, but I have to say that sticking my dick into it would be extremely awkward, and not just because porn is already nine kinds of crazy.

No.

Yes.

@video_game_king: There are words that use the -phile suffix to describe sexual proclivities but it does not exclusively refer to sexual notions.

@hailinel:

It's just that a significant amount of words do use it (both in terms of sheer number and common usage of these words) that the sexual connotation is ever present.

Sorry, but no. It does not have an inherently, purely sexual connotation. Here's another dictionary definition for you.

@golguin: There are probably a lot of people who do actually think that is what America is like. Although, I have to admit I did start laughing when she starting smacking that other girl around over the girl scout cookies.

I don't know that a Persona set in America would necessarily do any better than the current Japanese setting simply because the style of game already limits the series from mainstream appeal to begin with. Anyone who is willing to play this type of rpg/social gaming series probably doesn't care about whether it is set in Japan or not. I think that Atlus' ability to publicize and market their games outside of Japan is what hurts them the most as far as sales go. And even then, most people who pick up the series will hear about it either from someone they know or online.

@hailinel:

Then you would say that the word "pedophile" has no sexual connotations to it whatsoever, because the suffix "phile" has no sexual connotations to it whatsoever?

I can't tell if you're being willfully obtuse or honestly just aren't getting what I'm saying. Yes, I'm fully aware of what the word pedophile means and what it refers to, but the -phile suffix itself does not implicitly suggest sexual connotations.

You don't honestly think a bibliophile wants to fuck books, do you?

Then where's the sexual connotation in that word coming from?

It's the Internet, man. There's some crazy shit on the Internet.

@video_game_king: I'm obviously not getting through here. If you refuse to listen, look it up yourself. I'm not here to do your research for you.

It wouldn't work if Atlus made it. Persona series works because the developers are intimately familiar with Japanese culture on account of them being, ya know, Japanese. If you ask Atlus to make a game about US culture, it's going to be weird. Maybe weird bad or maybe, like Deadly Premonition, weird good; but definitely weird.

There's enough murica in my games, thanks.

Won't happen for the same reason that Rockstar won't ever make a GTA set in Japan. The reason both Persona and GTA works is because the creators are very familiar with the environments they use, and thus can recreate them and add their personal touches. If a western Persona ever happens it won't be by Atlus proper, and then what's the point?

Also, I feel American high school in pop culture is pretty much done at this point (I'm a Finn so I have an outsider perspective) whilst the Japanase version still have some magic (I've only whatched anime for five-or-so years, so I may very well feel different about this soon enough).

The feeling I get reading the replies to this thread is that people who love Persona (such as myself), love Persona; but people who dislike Persona not only dislike the games, but much-more-so dislike the people who do like them. Welcome to the internet, I guess.
To answer the OP's question though: It's tough to say whether a Persona game taking place in America would appeal to more people than the games have so far. I can't speak for everyone else of course, but one of the main things I enjoy about the Persona games is the feelings of cultural exchange that goes on while playing them. I didn't know until I played Persona that Japanese students went to school six days a week, for example. For me, as someone who loves Japanese culture, it would be unfortunate to lose that.
The Persona games have been quite good so far though, so I have no reason to expect that a new entry, regardless of where it takes place, would be a bad game simply due to setting.

IT WOULD BE ABOUT GUNS AND HARD DRUGS AND FLANNEL

How about just calling them "people interested in the culture", instead of spouting obnoxious slang just to intentionally offend those who would be offended. You don't need to condense fans of a particular thing into a single word, any more than I would need to condense your personality into the word "douchebag".

Oh man, this thread is a fabulous train wreck.

On topic, I'm not sure it'd have the same charm. I dig all of the honorifics, trips to hot springs, yukata worship, culture festivals, visiting shrines etc. I'm not sure American uh, traditions, would be as interesting to me. Plus, @nottle said:

I looooooove this, I had those soundtracks in my car for far too long.

Off topic, @hailinel: @video_game_king: Come on, now. You're both right, and you're both wrong, and you both know it. Going strictly by the book, Hailinel's right, -phile doesn't technically have any sexual implication. Though, going by -phile's connotation in popular culture, of course folks are going to assume it's sexual in nature. BUT YOU BOTH ALREADY REALIZE THIS AND ARE ARGUING OVER NOTHING!! It's too bad we can't just call hardcore anime fans...

@oldirtybearon I guess you're the new Levio here, in terms of being a complete idiot. Also, holy shit, I can't believe the amount of people that can't do 5 seconds of research for themselves before sounding like they have a 4th grade education.

Best game ever, I really really badly want to see Japanese America EXACTLY how atlus perceives it. I bet it would be extremely charming.

I'd only accept it if the songs were sung in Japanese by Americans who don't know Japanese! then it would be a true role reversal.