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Fanfic / Senran Persona: Ninjas of Hearts

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"Now get up and stand your ground because these sexy ninjas are gonna steal your heart!"

Senran Persona: Ninjas of Hearts is a Fan Fic by UknownHero, JGResidentEvil and later on VividMind17 involving the cast of Senran Kagura with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

Asuka and Homura are sent from their respective shinobi academies to Tokyo in order to investigate the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. However, upon stumbling upon the Metaverse, they find themselves working together in order to change the world in between dealing with school life and even other shinobi.

This story is a Door Stopper, with over 2,400,000 words as of 11/11/2023 and still going.

The fic is also available on Archive of Our Own here.

Needs Wiki Magic

Senran Persona: Ninjas of Hearts provides examples of:

  • Absurdly Long Stairway: Kaneshiro's Palace has one...which the Thieves mention that it was the worst thing they had to face (more than the Shadows). Joker had to use a Soma unless they had someone drop dead. Turns out it was intentional because Shadow Kaneshiro needed time to build the safe protecting his Treasure.
    • Futaba's Palace also has one to the annoyance of the Phantom Thieves because of the example of Kaneshiro's Palace.
  • Abusive Parents: Ryuji's father like in canon and also Homura's entire family.
  • Accomplice by Inaction: Yumi, for staying quiet about Madarame's abuse and plagiarism. She even earns a spot in his Palace's gallery.
  • The Ace: Joker, of course. In this fic, he's also able to summon Picaro Personas, which are way stronger than normal ones.
  • A-Cup Angst: Mirai. To add salt to the wound, she's victim of a Running Gag.
  • Adaptational Badass: Originally and initially, Asuka was a barely passable ninja and she didn't become the leader of her team until much later. Also, she wasn't even a match to Homura in the first game. In this fic, she's much more competent, it's stated outright that she's the leader of her team and her first spar with Homura ended up in a hard-worked tie that ended up with the two collapsing on the floor.
    • Can also apply to the Phantom Thieves themselves, thanks to Homura's training sessions. Homura's contributions to the calling cards also make them appear to be more of a supernatural force of nature to the public.
    • The Palace Rulers also get this treatment, having their fights be based on their Royal versions with some other additions like Shadow Kamoshida and his Charm-inducing wine.
  • Adaptational Early Appearance:
    • Futaba appears earlier, but only from the readers' view. Haru also appears earlier than canon.
      • Though considering in the canon game of Persona 5/5 Royal, one CAN meet and interact with Haru on the game's Day 3 after the first-ever palace infiltration, it may be better to say she is focused on as a character instead of teasing her as more than a background individual earlier than normal.
    • Technically, considering that the events of this fic happen even before the ones of the first Senran Kagura game, any character that didn't appear in said game can be considered as this. (e.g. the Gessen shinobi and non-Crimson Squad Hebijo shinobi)
  • Adaptational Explanation: Even an idiot can understand that the Senran Kagura girls' giant chests are for Fanservice, but in this fic Takemi theorizes that it's because of their chakra, which can physically change their bodies. She even suggests that Katsuragi's constant groping causes her to unknowingly channel her chakra on her fingers, hence the Hanzō girls' very abnormal chest sizes. This works on Makoto not too long after only one groping session.
  • Adaptational Heroism: Homura starts almost immediately as Asuka's friend rather than her enemy.
  • Adaptational Intelligence: Shadow Kaneshiro has an Absurdly Long Stairway built to slow down the Thieves so that he had enough time to build the safe separating the Treasure from them.
  • Adaptational Name Change: Joker goes by his manga name; Akira Kurusu.
    • The shinobi are given family names in this fic.
      • Asuka Shirokage
      • Homura Shinkukage
      • Yumi Tsukikaze
      • Miyabi Kurayami
  • Adaptational Nice Guy: Homura initially starts out as hostile towards Asuka like in the games, but quickly warms up to her after seeing how much they have in common.
  • Adaptational Villainy: Kaneshiro has always been a Hate Sink but for this fic, he is also the mobster who indirectly killed Makoto and Sae's father so it became a lot more personal taking him down.
    • Likewise, Dōgen has always been an asshole of the greatest caliber, but in this fic he imposes the Yoke Technique on the students at Hebijo so that they won't betray him. Should it happen, he will kill the student on the spot with it.
  • Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: There's one brief instance where Imu harshly insults someone in Chapter 91 with no regret whatsoever. While it's never explicitly said who, the context makes it clear she's talking about Murasaki. In canon, Imu actually cares for her sister. Later subverted, as Imu actually wants to help Murasaki.
    • Asuka and Homura starts almost immediately as best friends rather than enemies like in canon. Exaggerated when they become step-sisters.
  • Adapted Out: This story follows the Royal storyline, but of the characters that appear in the game, only Jose has appeared.
    • Chapter 77 features a small cameo of Yoshizawa.
  • Adults Are Useless: It's a Persona 5 Fanfic, what do you expect? Of course, there are the canon exceptions (Sojiro, Tae, Hanzō...), but also a couple of recurring adult OCs are reliable.
  • Analogy Backfire: When Asuka goes to visit Makoto in Chapter 92, she notices that Makoto is uncomfortable about something, but she says that she won't pry since it's a nice Sunday. The advisor tells her that it's Thursday.
    Asuka: Don't worry, I won't pry. Today is supposed to be a fun day on a Sunday!
    Makoto: Today's Thursday.
    Asuka: I-I know that, it was supposed to rhyme...
    • In Chapter 94, Futaba is really worried about going to the beach. Trying to reassure her, Yumi compares it to a shot. Futaba quickly counters her. Ann clears up.
      Yumi: Don't worry, it'll be like a shot. It might hurt at first but it'll be over before you know it.
      Futaba: When people get shot, they usually die.
      Ann: Not that type of shot, Futaba.
  • Armor-Piercing Question:
    • In Chapter 7, it's done by Ryuji to Morgana. It can be Played for Laughs or taken seriously, depending on the reader's point of view.
      Ryuji: Hold on, if it's anything realistic-looking, then why you have a slingshot!? Wouldn't it make more sense for you to have a gun as well!? And why is it as strong as a gun!? What the hell do you mean by cognitive!?
    • In the above Chapter, Asuka hesitantly asks one to Homura, noticing something strange about Kamoshida's Palace.
      Asuka: Where...Where are the female Volleyball Team members?
    • Accidentally done by Katsuragi in Chapter 72, regarding Kunikazu Okumura.
      Katsuragi: But would it kill him to care about his daughter for once!?
  • Armor-Piercing Response: Joker explains in great detail why he constantly jokes in the Metaverse when Ann complains about the Thieves being so casual.
    "Hey, it's either cracking jokes and taking names or freaking out that we might die every second we're in here and no one will ever know where to find our bodies since we have no idea what will happen if someone actually dies in here but most likely than not, we'll go missing and never see our loved ones again and vice versa and all because we went way in over our heads for something that really should be done by people better than us." Joker casually explained. "So, yes, I'm gonna go ahead and have a little fun along the way. Are you all cool with that?"
    • A relatively minor one happens in Chapter 75. When talking about excessive idolizing (which is what made Kamoshida powerful in the first place), Asuka says something that makes Homura stagger for a second.
      Asuka: But you call Makoto-chan senpai, even though she doesn't want you to.
  • Ascended Extra: Not that she was an extra in the games, but Haruka's role is more important than the other shinobis' (outside the team leaders of course).
    • Takemi also has a more important role than in the game.
  • Ass Shove: Yumi takes a rectal temperature check at Takemi's clinic in Chapter 99.
  • Asshole Victim: Homura's whole clan suffered a mental breakdown.
  • Bad Powers, Good People: At first, Asuka can't control her seductive side, but after she realizes her mistakes, she sometimes teases Homura with it. Homura states that she was resembling Haruka a lot and that's NOT a good thing.
  • Bait-and-Switch: Chapter 27 has Yusuke approach the girls... and shove Homura away and ask only Asuka and Ann to model for him.
    • During one of their spare matches, Akira punches Homura in the throat and then he looks like he's about to punch her in the face. Instead, he just boops her nose.
  • Berserk Button: Doing anything remotely dangerous to Asuka is basically asking to shorten your life span, courtesy of Homura.
  • Black-and-White Morality: Yumi was much like her initial canon counterpart, but she gets better once she joins the Phantom Thieves...or rather she's getting better.
    Homura: You may now see the grey, but you still deal in black and white.
  • Blue-and-Orange Morality: Yomi genuinely thinks that rich people are scum and only poor people can survive. She's very pissed off by anyone who spends just a bit too money (her teammates included). She also thinks that politicians are all greedy and perverted. When Akira introduces her to Yoshida, she's promptly taken aback by how polite, well-meaning and kind he is and she's even more shocked when he speaks of her previous poor conditions during one of his speeches, despite giving him her consent.
    • This also happens later when she meets Yusuke for the first time after he glances at her breast. While Yomi is annoyed by it, she's left speechless when Yusuke proposes to leave if his presence makes her uncomfortable.
  • Blunt "No": When Yomi asks Sojiro to add beansprouts in his menu, this is his answer.
  • Born Lucky: Asuka, for not having a tragic backstory and a loving family. It's reflected in her Persona, which has a very high luck stat.
  • Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Murasaki has a list of foolish things she did like putting too much water in her instant ramen, ordering the wrong topping for her pizza, going outside, preordering crappy games and losing control of the Root of Calamity, almost killing her sister and actually killing an Hebijo exam representative.
  • Breaking Old Trends: In Chapter 63, Homura instead of yelling 'Goddammit Ryuji!' yells 'Goddammit Kaneshiro!'.
    • The Hanzō girls scenes where Asuka is absent are all mostly for comic relief. Katsuragi and Ikaruga's second rescuing of Haru is the first scene which is not.
  • Break the Cutie: Shiho, like in canon.
    • Also, it turns out that Homura's family tried and tried to break her mind and making her a hollow killing machine. She sometimes has an Heroic BSoD because of that.
    • Asuka almost gets this when Kamoshida threatens with expulsion, but kind of averted, because she doesn't despair, but she develops a seductive, sarcastic and almost sadistic side, which terrifies Kamoshida.
    • Futaba Sakura is a 15-year-old girl who suffers from Survivor Guilt when she witnessed her mother's "suicide" and considering the story she is also falsely blamed for her death. She is horribly traumatized by the events that she is contemplating suicide herself considering that her Palace is a tomb.
    • Kurokage's death caused this for the Gessen shinobi and really took its toll on Yumi when she discovers his death.
  • Breast Expansion: Homura and Hikage have their breasts getting bigger...by eating a Big Bang Burger. It's basically a Running Gag. Doesn't work for Mirai, though. Turns out it was intentionally developed at the expense of Maki by her family.
    • This happens to Makoto after only one groping session by Katsuragi.
  • Broken Ace: Homura is a very good shinobi, being the leader of her team in Hebijo, but even she isn't immune to the trauma caused by her family.
  • Brutal Honesty: In Chapter 7, Morgana tells Asuka she's secretly a pervert, since her Metaverse outfit doesn't have underwear. It was meant to be said in a kind tone but...it ended up blunt.
  • Call-Back: Akira, Asuka, and Homura have very similar comments from after they first leave Kamoshida's Castle, and after they escape from its collapse.
    Asuka: I can barely...I can barely feel my legs…
    Homura: You know, I think we should just skip school/die…
    Akira: Yeah...Good idea...It's not an option, but good idea.
  • Call-Forward: Once, Ryuji jokingly says that it won't take much time for them to kill god. If the fic goes as the game then...
  • Captain Oblivious: Asuka. Even to what she says. It takes Akira telling her that when she talks about futomaki rolls, it sounds like she's talking about sex. And even after that, she sometimes makes the same mistake and not realizing it.
    • Surprisingly, Miyabi is this towards Imu's love for her. You understand it's bad when Asuka catches on sooner than her.
  • Clothing Damage: Being a Senran Kagura fanfic, it's not that strange, but the Phantom Thieves might get their clothes torn as well in the Metaverse and need a specific item (a Sewing Kit) to repair them.
  • Code Name: Just like in canon, the shinobi are given one. However, the fic also goes out of its way to refer to the Phantom Thieves' codenames while in the Metaverse, as if they are separate characters.
    • Asuka - Yin
    • Homura - Yang
    • Yumi - Widow
    • Miyabi - Serpent
  • Comically Missing the Point: When Sojiro arrives home and sees Akira being hugged by four frightened girls, he can't help but be impressed by him. Never mind the fact that they were in his house for some reason.
  • Covert Pervert: Asuka is thought to be this by Morgana, since her Metaverse outfit didn't have underwear. It also doesn't help that she is a Captain Oblivious who has an Erotic Eating habit.
  • Crazy-Prepared: The shinobi, and by extension, the rest of the Phantom Thieves, have to be given the threats they may face in the Metaverse and reality. For example, Akira carries a knife on him at all times.
  • Crossover: Other series have crossover in this series such as Persona 4, To Love Ru, and Ikki Tousen.
  • Crossover Power Acquisition:
    • On the Senran Kagura side: Asuka, Homura, Yumi, Miyabi, Daidōji, and Suzune/Rin all gain a Persona.
    • On the Persona side: the Investigation Team have some shinobi abilities, Akira is able to create a Shinobi Kekkai, and Haru was trained as a shinobi during her childhood.
  • Cuteness Overload: A notable Running Gag problem involving the shinobi. Asuka, Homura, and Yumi have issues about this especially when it comes to Jack Frost. Akira is afraid of fighting Asuka over Jack Frost and dreads the day he needs to get rid of it to have a much stronger Persona in its place.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: It's quicker to list who doesn't have it. Homura's taken up to eleven.
  • Darker and Edgier: It's made very clear that being a shinobi is not all fun and games, and the Phantom Thieves deal with heavier issues, however...
  • Date Peepers: Senki Shu spying on Ryuji and Hyouki's second date in Chapter 130 at the diner in Shibuya.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Akira and Homura.
  • Defeat Means Friendship: Akira's Confidant with Miyabi seems to work that way.
  • Description Cut: Happens in Chapter 78. After Miyabi attacks Haruka and threatens to kill the Phantom Thieves, they were thinking she was closing in on their identities at an unbelievable pace, Miyabi herself immediately crashes asleep when she got back to her apartment yesterday so while she is a threat they unknowingly overestimated it. It's later subverted, as Miyabi DID effectively found out every Thieves' identities, so it was no overestimation.
  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: While the Thieves would eventually do this to Yaldabaoth they already did this specifically Akira and Asuka in Chapter 107 when they kill Shin, the progenitor of Yōma.
  • Dissonant Serenity: Haru is oddly calm during her kidnappings. It became so common for her to get kidnapped that Miyabi thought she is one of the Phantom Thieves before Suzune corrected her.
    • Akira is very calm after taking Homura to Takemi's because of her poisoning. Justified, because someone needed to be the rational one (and that someone wasn't Homura).
  • Drill Sergeant Nasty: Daidōji barely holds back on the Shujin students but doesn't force them to run on fumes. This causes everyone to agree that she's better than Kamoshida in a sense.
  • Dysfunctional Family: The Niijima family is really screwed up ever since Kaneshiro killed Sae and Makoto's father. Since then, Sae alienates her own sister in pursuit of justice to the point she has no clue Makoto is a Phantom Thief, which Akira constantly reminds Sae about this in the interrogation room. And this is just a mild example among a sea of really unpleasant examples.
  • Dysfunction Junction: Besides the examples that apply to the Persona 5 characters, the shinobi themselves have issues that fit into the junction. Besides conflicting loyalty for their original sides and schools, Homura is a Broken Ace, Yumi struggles with her Black-and-White Insanity and questions her own identity after finding out Kurokage's death, Miyabi has self-conflict from her recovery from her coma and since she is the daughter of Hebijo's Principal her own conflicting loyalty is worse than the other shinobi, and Asuka (the most normal among the shinobi) has lapses of her worst side that can leak out. And those are the shinobi who perform with the Phantom Thieves.
  • Entertainingly Wrong: When Yusuke reveals that his mother's name is Yumi Kitagawa, the Thieves, except for Yumi, thought that Yusuke had an Oedipus Complex.
    • In Chapter 79, Sojiro catches Akira in his house...with Asuka, Homura, Yumi and Makoto glued into him and all terrified. Sojiro just pats his shoulder and tells him to do it in his room. Akira agrees in a very calm tone. And only after that, people are descending from the clouds.
    • In Chapter 80, most of Miyabi's assumptions on the identities of the Phantom Thieves and their reasonings are pretty accurate, she just actually thought Mishima was not only a Phantom Thief but also the founder.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Played with. Homura's family did all kinds of horrible things to her. The only thing they didn't do was take her virginity.
    • Played straight with Miyabi, who doesn't agree with some of Imu's mistreatment towards Hikage.
      • In Chapter 93, she says the trope word per word when Akira tells her that she's a good person.
    • Dōgen has released a bot on the internet that is programmed to harass any girl it comes across...that is of legal age.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Evil in name only, but the Crimson Squad wonders why the Phantom Thieves didn't go ahead and kill their targets, seeing them as scum that everyone could do without.
  • Exactly What I Meant to Say: Miyabi's fan club is called by her the Miyabi Militia, with some people trying to correct her. By her reactions though, it can be assumed that she's not joking.
  • Fanservice: While there are varying degrees of this in Persona 5 as a Senran Kagura crossover, it drastically shoots up.
  • Fee Fi Faux Pas: A...certain moment in Chapter 82 causes Queen to say 'Keijo'. Skull raises an eyebrow at her, while she's scrambling her brain to find a (lame) answer.
  • Female Gaze: Believe it or not, when the Thieves are fighting a particularly strong Shadow at the end of Kaneshiro's Palace, Joker and Skull's shirts get partly torn...which prompt Panther and Queen to gaze at their sturdy chests.
    • During the long drive in the desert at Futaba's Palace, Akira takes off his shirt and it shows why he is a Mr. Fanservice. Not even the shinobi (except Miyabi, who was more impressed than anything) are immune to being Distracted by the Sexy.
  • First Kiss: Shiho gives this to Akira before leaving for Inaba. It was his first kiss as well.
  • Flat "What": In Chapter 7, when Morgana tells the others he's a human, this is Akira's reaction.
  • Forced to Watch: Played with Homura has to witness Kamoshida raping Shiho since her legs won't move because of her own shock.
  • Foreshadowing: Some of the events of this fic can be known by simply going to one of the creators' DeviantArt accounts. Like the four Senran Kagura protagonists' awakening, codenames, and Personas. Gender Bent Akira is a surprisingly common artwork on that page.
  • Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: Played with. Shiho won't forgive Homura for doing nothing while she was raped by Kamoshida, but she does know she did everything she could to makeup and she does admit that she would freeze as well if she was in Homura's place.
    • And this is also the case between Haruka and Miyabi. As the most recent member of the Phantom Thieves, Miyabi wants to work with Haruka but she didn't forget about her recent attack and it isn't until Akira was also with Miyabi before considering working together.
  • For Want Of A Nail: Asuka and Homura's presence in the Metaverse caused it to change drastically as a result, like causing various types of Shadows to appear or having the Thieves' clothes getting torn should they be attacked too hard.
    • So far the story ends up being similar to the original story despite the shinobi presence until Principal Kobayakawa's death. Then when they gathered together to discover his murder they also discover the conspiracy's trap on Kunikazu Okumura. This also nulifies some of the issues with Morgana at that point and time as well.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: Imu quickly becomes this for the various members of the Hebijo Elites as her generally mean-spirited attitude drives others up the wall. Even her sister, who still cares about her, finds herself becoming disgusted with her sister after she pressures her to use her Root of Calamity despite her desire to not use it.
  • Furo Scene: Boatloads between Asuka and Homura in the early chapters thanks to sharing a room, before including other girls with their own scenes.
  • Gender Bender: At one point, Akira becomes a girl due to one of Haruka's potions. After some time, he decides that he'll try to become a girl again, believing it to be useful, and strikes a deal with Haruka.
  • Get A Hold Of Yourself Man:
    • In Chapter 8, when Homura starts questioning herself again over the "murder" she was framed for, Asuka goes a little overboard:
    Homura: You’re supposed to slap to snap them out of it. I swear, that haymaker would decapitate a normal person...
    • Homura slaps Asuka in Chapter 10 after spending the entire chapter acting different after Shiho jumps off the school.
  • Going Commando: Asuka's Metaverse outfit doesn't come with underwear at first. Luckily, it's later resolved.
  • Gone Horribly Right: During a sparring match between Joker, Mona, Skull, Panther and Serpent, the leader uses Brain Jack on the three to attack each other and gain an advantage. So he tells Panther and Serpent to have a pillow fight, while he tells Skull to punch himself. Not only does Skull punch himself in the groin, but Serpent goes to mercilessly beat Panther while laughing playfully. Skull (who recovered) had to use the Harisen Recovery and its outright stated that Panther was in severe pain. Joker tells himself that he'll never order a pillow fight ever again.
  • Good Is Impotent:
    • Before gaining Personas, Akira and Ryuji were this.
    • All of the Thieves are in this category at the beginning of Futaba's arc. Medjed is attacking, Alibaba is threatening them AND Miyabi is gaining on them. And they can't do anything. Things start to look up to them once Akira figures out who Alibaba is.
  • Groin Attack: Asuka delivers one to Kamoshida via volleyball.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: Who would it be if not Homura? According to Morgana, that's the main reason she can't get a part-time job.
  • Happily Adopted: As of Chapter 84, Homura with Asuka's family.
  • Heal the Cutie: Homura is almost broken by her family's abuse, but she's getting better. And this is the point of Futaba's arc.
  • Heel–Face Turn: Shadows that remember that they are Personas, of course. It's worth mentioning it because they do remember they betrayed their lord, while in canon it's never hinted at such a thing. For example, during the fight with Shadow Kamoshida, a Berith used by Joker is disgusted by the Palace Ruler's true form and shortly laments that he served him.
    • Homura after she gets a Persona, although her full Heel-Face Turn is after they steal Kamoshida's heart and Hanzō removes the Yoke technique placed on her.
  • Heroic BSoD: Homura suffers one when Asuka accidentally presses her Trauma Button.
    • Yumi suffers one when she finally discovers that her beloved grandfather Kurokage died.
  • Hero of Another Story: Turns out that Daidōji and Suzune/Rin were involved in the events of Inaba. They also apparently taught the rest of the Investigation Team the ways of the Shinobi.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: Alibaba excessively taunted the Thieves and gave off too many hints during their online conversations with them. This let Akira figure out that Alibaba is Futaba.
  • Hit Me, Dammit!: After Ann sees the video of Shiho's rape, Homura offers to let her punch her as punishment for failing to prevent it. When this backfires due to Homura being effectively Made of Iron, Homura urges Asuka to hit her in Ann's place, as she's the only one who can hurt her. Asuka tries to resist this before instead kicking her in the stomach.
  • Hope Crusher: Played with and for laughs. The Thieves are rejoicing from Kaneshiro's Treasure...except Akira and Yusuke, who don't like to bring down the excited mood, but know that they have to tell the others the money is fake.
  • Horrifying the Horror: Akira, Asuka, Homura, Makoto, and Miyabi can instill quite a great deal of fear in Shadows, be it normal ones or Palace Rulers.
    • Not...really a straight example, but Homura, Makoto, and sometimes Asuka (who terrifies foes and allies alike) are sometimes scared of Akira when he's dead serious.
  • Idol Singer: Later in the story, Yumi started training to become one, with Rise Kujikawa as her mentor.
  • Improperly Paranoid: As the Phantom Thieves continue bringing more criminals to justice, Miyabi becomes convinced that they will eventually come for Evil Shinobis next and seeks to go to Tokyo to preemptively deal with them.
  • Karma Houdini Warranty: It is a Persona 5 fanfic. Non-canon examples are the following:
    • Before disowning her, Homura's family tried to break her mind to make her a hollow shinobi that would never hesitate to kill. They all get away with it. Years later, they all suffer a mental breakdown.
    • Many original Mementos targets. The best one is Jirou Asagiri, who constantly beats her wife into miscarriage, physically abuses his son, and doesn't recognize his adopted daughter. The Phantom Thieves targets him and, according to Sae, he got the death penalty.
  • Killing Intent: Sometimes, the girls (most of the time the shinobi Phantom Thieves) release a lot of this. So far, only one male has released a lot of killing intent and that's Akira.
    • Played for Laughs in Chapter 58, when Haruka accidentally turns him into a girl.
    • Played straight when he confronts Shadow Oyamada and Shadow Jirou. Joker even states that if Yin didn't take his gun, Shadow Jirou wouldn't even be alive.
  • Lady Looks Like a Dude: Apparently, a lot of people mistook Miyabi for a guy. It got to the point that she mentally scream in joy after some girls recognize her as a girl.
  • Lady of War: Mainly Yumi. Asuka as well to a lesser extent.
  • Lethal Chef: Yomi as long as it doesn't involve beansprout. She even managed to create Mystery Food X.
  • Let's Get Dangerous!: Normally, Joker summons Picaro Personas when the situation is desperate. One subversion is against Shadow Oyamada, where Joker summons Thanatos Picaro even if the Shadow was already down, just to make him suffer with Door of Hades.
    • In Chapter 61, in order to buy some time for the other Thieves to heal, Joker and Skull charge at the Shadow they are fighting...and wreck her.
  • Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Slime Mara. Unfortunately for everyone, Akira will sometimes bring it up just to annoy the others, especially Homura.
    • Another example happens in Chapter 34 after...a very cringe moment between Asuka and Homura.
  • Living MacGuffin: According to Daidōji, the Phantom Thieves slowly becoming this to Shinobi. Being able to brainwash people into confessing with no evidence will have shadowy groups put targets on your backs.
  • Malicious Misnaming:
    • The Phantom Thieves rarely use Principal Kobayakawa's actual name.
    • It happened twice (first by Asuka and then by Akira) that Kamoshida was called Kamoshita.
  • Meaningful Name:
    • Akira's codename not only because he's The Ace, but also because he has quite the playful personality. One that nothing can stop.
    • Relatively minor, but every Thieves' name in their chat has their respective Arcana number in it. It's actually a coincidence and that creeps them out.
  • Mind Rape: The Despair status ailment. Whoever has this will have visions so horrible that more than likely they will have emotional scars. Also, if not cured or prevented in some way, it might lead to the one having it commit suicide. When Yang was hit by the effect in Futaba's Palace, it was brutal enough that Mona had to warn Serpent on the dangers of Status Effects.
  • Minor Living Alone: Asuka and Homura share an apartment while Yumi lives all by herself.
  • Mistaken for Junkie: Yumi finds out about a possible drug dealer and asks Akira to investigate him. Turns out he was just a mushroom seller.
  • Mundane Utility: Shinobi Barriers are generally used to allow shinobi to battle without causing collateral damage or being seen. It also allows the Phantom Thieves to talk without being listened to and have their hideout be anywhere they want.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Asuka gets this when she realizes what a massive bitch she was being to the others in Chapter 10 after being slapped by Homura.
  • My Greatest Failure: During the interrogation this is the case to the Phantom Thieves for Kunikazu Okumura.
  • Mythology Gag:
    • The apartment complex where Asuka and Homura live is called 'Shin Megami Apartment Complex'.
      • On a similar note: Senki Shu's is named 'Tokyo Mirage Apartment Complex'.
    • Chapter 5 has a student butcher the lyrics to Reach Out to the Truth. Ironic that the Investigation Team is also around.
    • Pupils of Madarame are named after the other Persona protagonists' names.
    • In Chapter 32, Akira says that they need a Portrait of Girls, which is the title of the first Senran Kagura game.
    • In Chapter 35, Joker sings two verses of the song "Deep Breath Deep Breath".
    • Chapter 36 has Asuka buy Meat Gum, an item from Persona 4. There's also Vegan Meat Gum in Chapter 60.
    • Homura can use Fire/Physical skills (Gurentou, Gokuentou, Hientou) from Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.
    • In Chapter 46, the boys dress up in their female costumes from Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight.
    • In Chapter 49, Asuka gets a butcher's twine tied around her breast, which is a reference to the intro of Senran Kagura: Bon Appétit.
    • In Chapter 75, Akira laments the fact that Kobayakawa decided to hire another PE teacher instead of a counselor, which is what he did in Persona 5 Royal.
    • Ryobi's Bootyland is referenced several times throughout the fic, having gotten successfully funded.
    • At one point, Rise gets drunk over the atmosphere of a club, which is what happened in Persona 4.
    • When defeated a second time by Akira, Miyabi has the same rant from Estival Versus about losing to rock-paper-scissors in grade school and having to sit next to the cleaning closet.
      • Yomi and Ikaruga's eating contest happens in the same chapter.
    • When talking at the phone with Haruka, Yomi mention that they might have to live in a cave should they leave Hebijo.
    • A few Chapter titles reference stuff from both Senran Kagura and the Persona series:
      • Chapter 19: Burn My Dread
      • Chapter 20: Take Your Time* 
      • Chapter 48: No More What Ifs* 
      • Chapter 78: Machiavellism of Despair* 
    • Yomi accidentally prepares Mystery Food X in Chapter 92. This time it's sentient and promptly killed.
    • Tsubasa Oribe is mentioned in Chapter 94.
    • Ann, Futaba and Mika have the same interaction they have in the 4koma book.
    • Chapter 100 is named after Peach Beach Splash and some of the girls have a water fight like in the game.
    • Hyouki and Ryuji are both confirmed fans of Masqueraider. Hyouki especially.
  • Nosebleed: Panther gets one when staring at the cross-dressed Akira and Yusuke.
  • "No Peeking!" Request: In Futaba's Palace, at one point, the girls have to undress to get rid of the sand in their clothes and they give this to the boys, before entering the safe room. And in a rare case for this, the boys actually listen to that and read a manga instead...barring Mona, who sit next to the door in hopes of taking a peek, but instead gets a bloody nose from it slamming in his face. The last part is justified, because four girls in their group are trained assassins and while all members are at roughly equal strength in the Metaverse the same cannot be said in the real world.
  • "Not So Different" Remark:
    • As noted by Asuka and Homura, the only real difference between Good and Evil shinobi is who hires them.
    • Homura notes that the students viewing her and Makoto as the Queens of Shujin is basically the same as they viewed Kamoshida. And it really worries her.
  • Oh, Crap!: The reaction of the Phantom Thieves when Miyabi is also in Futaba's Palace and when she tried to escape by stealing Makoto's phone Armageddon is cast before she returns the phone.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Yumi or Makoto swear, it means they are enraged beyond normal. At first, Asuka too was part of this but it's later downplayed since she will swear even when not angry.
    • Akira and Ryuji realize that Kamoshida went too far when Asuka starts acting seductively and creepily, terrifying almost everyone in the room.
      • Fortunately, when everything gets better, it's Played for Laughs as sometimes Asuka will tease Homura with that behavior.
    • In Chapter 79, Ryuji, instead of using the money from Kaneshiro's Treasure to celebrate, he gives it to Akira for the next heist, being uncharacteristically serious about it. In fact, they are in an extremely tight situation right now.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted. Yumi and Yusuke's mother share the same given name, although it is clarified that they use different spellings.
  • Painting the Medium: Futaba's distorted thoughts are written with Zalgo text.
  • Phantom Thief: It is a Persona 5 fanfic.
  • Phone Call from the Dead: In Chapter 71, Homura receives some messages from Komachi, who is supposed to be dead.
  • Positive Friend Influence: Most of the Shinobi Akira has befriended has went through Character Development, becoming much better people and leavening a domino effect on the school they go to.
  • Potty Failure: Makoto experiences this after the shinobi girls leap down from on top of a building while carrying her after they saved her from Kaneshiro. Thankfully, they have spare clothes for her to use.
  • Refuge in Audacity: Along with the calling cards, the help of the shinobi kicks them up a notch by...
    • For Kamoshida, covering the entire school in graffiti.
    • For Madarame, painting over several billion yen worth of art and burning the copies of the Sayuri in front of his shack.
    • For Kaneshiro, return his suitcase filled with ruined fake money, making him think they destroyed several million yen, and put a giant Phantom Thieves logo on a building.
    • Despite secretly being shinobis, Asuka is a rising model, while Yumi is training to become an idol.
    • Yomi and Ryobi's Bootyland theme park, instead of failing, got successfully crowdfunded with enough to buy out Dome Town. They even have advertisements.
  • Running Gag: There are a few.
    • Ryuji constantly screwing up leads to Homura yelling "Goddammit Ryuji!".
    • Unknowningly speaking of someone leads to that someone sneezing.
    • Mistaking Asuka and Homura's relationship as more than just sister-like.
    • Homura's inability in finding a job.
    • Asuka has an Erotic Eating habit.
    • If a girl eats a Big Bang Burger, she will grow a cup size, as Hikage and Homura found out.
      • A running gag in the running gag. It doesn't work for Mirai.
  • Secret-Keeper: Hanzō may or may not know that Asuka and Homura are Phantom Thieves, but decides to keep it a secret from the Good Shinobi Council. Shiho becomes one after she wakes up from her coma. Tae also becomes this later on and due to her own experience, Daidōji knew that Akira is the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
  • Ship Tease: Where to begin...
    • Akira x Asuka
    • Akira x Homura
    • Akira x Yumi
    • Asuka x Homura. They are often assumed to be dating or in love, although they insist their relationship is more sister-like. Considering that they become sisters at one point, it becomes creepy.
    • Yusuke x Yumi
    • Akira x Haruka has tons even after he turns her down.
    • Homura x Makoto
    • Ryuji x Katsuragi
    • Ryuji x Hyouki
  • Shout-Out: All over the place.
  • Split Personality: Homura ends up developing one due to her building sisterly instincts towards Asuka, which Kaeru ends up dubbing "Sweet Homura". She will do anything for Asuka-chan. Anything.
  • Spotting the Thread: Akira and Yusuke are the only ones to notice that the money from Kaneshiro's Treasure is fake. And I do mean the only ones.
    • A more serious example happens when Homura is confronting her team when they kidnapped Akira. As soon Homura shows her back, Yomi notices that the Yoke technique placed on her was removed.
  • Take That!:
    • In Chapter 28 gives one to Mark Rothko, of all people.
    Akira: It's just colored squares, dammit, that just gets darker as he slowly goes into depression and dies. Abstract does not equal good.
    • In Chapter 45, When Mirai describes one of Haruka's Experiments on how some things shouldn't exist, she says this:
    Mirai: “Like olives on pizza and angsty losers who write Satoshi betrayal fics.”
  • Tarot Motifs: Obviously, given that it is a Persona fanfic. However, the Senran Kagura girls come with their own, even representing the Minor Arcana.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Miyabi with the other Thieves. Especially with Homura. Outside the Metaverse, she also shares the sentiment with Haruka.
  • Thanatos Gambit: Homura's past is expanded upon to reveal that Komachi stabbed himself to purposefully destroy her chances at becoming a Good Shinobi.
  • Token Adult: After gaining her Persona, Miyabi becomes the only adult member of the Phantom Thieves but not by too much because of her three-year coma. * 
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: After Kamoshida's threat of expelling, Asuka, of all people, becomes aggressive, impatient, and insensible. Luckily, she quickly gets better. Although, sometimes that behavior resurface.
    • Ann's dislike of Makoto is made worse in this fic before she joins the Phantom Thieves. Homura who is also Makoto's friend beforehand calls Ann out on this.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: Homura.
  • Tradesnark™: Biggles™ the Space Bear, Big Bang Burger's mascot who is really Homura in a costume and is totally not a ripoff of Junes' mascot Teddie.
  • Training from Hell:
    • All shinobi are trained this way to the point that they have Super-Strength, Super-Speed, and Super-Toughness in just their base form. Ann found out the hard way when trying to punish Homura for failing to prevent Shiho's rape by punching her and she nearly breaks her own hand doing so while Homura barely felt anything. Asuka's kick not too long after that did a lot more damage to Homura than Ann's punch ever did.
    • Invoked by Akira, who is willing to pay Homura to train the other Thieves. Justified, because of the Metaverse increasing dangers and that Evil Shinobis may consider going after them. When Miyabi joins the Phantom Thieves she trains and tests the leader for both making sure that the leader is worthy to be one and to keep herself up on her own training because of her coma. Simply stated, Miyabi is Homura on hard mode.
    • Implied with the Investigation Team, as they are shown to use Tenshin forms reminiscent of their old high school uniforms.
  • Trauma Button:
    • Asuka accidentally presses Homura's. Turns out her family is a bunch of psychotic assholes to their heirs.
    • Katsuragi accidentally presses both Asuka and Homura's when her unabashedly perverted antics trigger their memory of the heist in Kamoshida's Castle. They quickly brush it under the rug, but the other Hanzō girls still notice.
    • Miyabi has one when she saw the scene where Futaba's mother committed suicide in front of her. It reminds her of how she lost her own mother trying to protect her from a rampaging yoma.
    • Eventually this will develop for the Phantom Thieves when it comes to Kunikazu Okumura.
  • Victoria's Secret Compartment: Asuka keeps her gun reloads between her breasts. Initially, it was much to her annoyance, but since it's never brought up again, she probably learned to live with it.
    • Its shown that Hikage usually keeps her pet dog in her cleavage.
    • Miyabi is this as well.
  • Wham Episode:
    • Chapter 27. Yusuke is introduced along with the Student Council President of his school, Yumi Tsukikaze.
    • Chapter 33. Yumi enters the Metaverse and awaken to a Persona. She later joins the Phantom Thieves along with Yusuke.
    • Chapter 78. Miyabi is in Tokyo and is living next to Homura and Asuka. She's also supposed to help Homura with the mental shutdowns, with killing the Phantom Thieves as a bonus. Lovely, isn't it?
    • Chapter 80. Miyabi enters the Metaverse and gains a Persona. Later, she joins the Phantom Thieves.
    • Chapter 90. At first it looks just like another filler chapter, with the only important thing apparently being Shiho leaving for Inaba. However, halfway through, Homura gets poisoned and Miyabi reveals about Dōgen. Akira notes that he will keep his name in mind.
    • Chapter 101. The day of Yumi's Idol debut is also the day Kurokage dies from his cancer.
    • Chapter 103. Shin, the progenitor and creator of Yōma, is a confirmed Mementos Target.
    • Chapter 113. When all the thieves discover Principal Kobayakawa's death, they also discover the trap on Kunikazu Okumura and they defend themselves against Principal Kobayakawa's murder to declare war on the conspiracy that is attacking them.
  • Wham Line:
    • In Chapter 38, as Suzune briefs the Crimson Squad on Homura's progress, Yomi comments a certain murder case that nearly makes Suzune slip, showing that she knows more than she's letting on.
      Suzune: It wasn't poison. He was... it was determined that he was able to kill his victims with a special technique that cannot be replicated by anyone other than him.
    • In Chapter 57, we have this little conversation.
      Makoto: You know about my father as well!?
      Shadow Kaneshiro: Oh...right... I forgot about him until now. That righteous, holier-than-thou attitude, that damn smile... It was great to finally wipe that all away...
    • Chapter 71. A certain someone sends a message to Homura.
      Komachi: Guess who?
    • Chapter 85 at the end, we find out that Minori went to Tokyo to buy medicines for Kurokage's illnesses...but...
      Minori: Okay, do you have medicine for... Hypertension, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and stage 4…kaa-suh-no-muh?
      Takemi: Sure, I may a few-What was the last one?
      Minori: Carcinoma?note 
  • What You Are in the Dark: When stealing Kamoshida's heart, the rest of the Phantom Thieves let Ann decide what to do with the Shadow. She drops him out the window, but has Akira save him before he hits the ground. She even admits after his confession that she would've let him die if she hadn't thought about it more, but considers his life of regret enough for revenge.
  • Wholesome Crossdresser: In Chapter 46, Ann tries to get back at the boys for having her posing nude to Yusuke by making them crossdress. While Morgana and Ryuji are hilarious, Akira and Yusuke pull this off so good that Ryuji admits they are prettier than Ann, with her being unable to refute.
  • The Worf Effect: Asuka and Homura's first encounter with Shadows ends badly to show that Personas are needed to effectively fight them. The Metaverse greatly nerfs their strengths to include mental and psychological strengths and weaknesses that put the shinobi at the same level as the Persona users.
    • At the same token, Miyabi's first encounter with Shadows at Futaba's Palace also ends badly for the same reasons as the above.
  • You Didn't Ask: When Homura demand to know why Akira didn't tell her that Haruka was in Tokyo, that's his answer.
  • You Do NOT Want To Know: Played for Laughs. It's Hikari's reaction in Chapter 45 when Homura is confused about Futomaki Biyori and Hifumi Yamada.
  • You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Chapter 111 and 113. The Phantom Thieves reaction to Kokabaywa's disortion. Needless to say, Makoto and Homura do NOT take it well. It was a bloody school! He saw himself as the popular kid! How pathetic is that?!
    • A similar reaction, always Played for Laughs, is in Chapter 49 when Asuka returns to Leblanc with butcher's twine tied around her breasts.
  • You Need to Get Laid: A few characters make this observation concerning Katsuragi.
  • Your Mind Makes It Real: Uhh... Persona 5. Metaverse. Cognition. We don't really have to explain now, do we?
    • On a side note, it's shown to be quite dangerous. Homura and Asuka's guns, being toys before being replaced by replicas, don't have safeties. That means they can be really dangerous in the Metaverse if not handled carefully, as the Thieves found out the hard (and slightly comical) way.

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