Abstract

The video game Persona 5 Royal revolves around the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, high schoolers who navigate the cognitive world or Metaverse to change the hearts of corrupt individuals using power sources called “Personas.” Central to the struggles of the Phantom Thieves inside and outside the Metaverse is how to answer the characterization question of personal identity – or the question of “Who am I?” The Thieves figure out which experiences and attributes constitute their personal identities within a corrupt society in the real world; they also have to assert who they are as Persona-wielders in the Metaverse. Unmasking these identities is crucial in their quest for justice and truth.To unmask these identities, this chapter attempts to offer three different bases of characterization identity: qualia, Wittgensteinian hinge propositions, and Wittgensteinian language-games. Qualia – conscious experiences that are qualitatively distinct for each individual subject – can form the basis of what personally matters to one’s identity. These qualia can be expressed via foundation-bearing Wittgensteinian hinge propositions. These expressions can be realized via the mechanics of Wittgensteinian language-games. The Thieves can create their own identities because they can invent new language-games.Not only do these characterization identity issues matter theoretically, they also matter practically. Personal identity is important in relation to collected individual identities and realities dramatically presented through Persona 5 Royal’s new characters, Kasumi Yoshizawa and Takuto Maruki. These characters’ story arcs compel Persona 5 Royal’s players to face the question of whether it is not only preferable but also correct to either live in a blissful dream or a painful reality.