Funny / Persona 3 Reload

WARNING: Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies to Moments pages. All spoilers will be unmarked!

These are for moments introduced in Reload. For moments from the original game, see here.

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Main Game

• Fuuka's appearance in the opening movie bears a striking resemblance to the "Trust nobody, not even yourself" meme.
• From the Pause menu, going into the System screen and waiting for a while causes a model of the Protagonist to appear, slowly falling down as he hangs onto a huge number 9.
• The Fusion Accident certainly deserves a mention. When the Persona materials are sent to the Protagonist, he suddenly realizes something's wrong...only for the cards to slam themselves into his head, causing him to lose his balance and fall over in his chair. The two cards that were supposed to fuse flutter down to the protagonist's forehead, and then does the usual glass shatter effect as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, Elizabeth simply facepalms for a moment, before realizing that the fusion wasn't a total failure.
• You can buy computer software from the Internet Café and run it in the dorm, paralleling the books from future games. One of these is "Animal Othello", a game with colorful animals for children that raises your Courage when played. Actually playing it reveals that the protagonist enjoys it because the animals cry when they lose. He ends it by inflicting this fate on all of them.
• All-Out Attacks:
  • Each S.E.E.S. member has their own All-Out Attack graphic, much like Persona 5. Each one has a phrase suited to its respective character. What does Koromaru's say? "Woof! Woof! Woof!"
  • The member of S.E.E.S. who initiated the All-Out Attack gets to strike a pose afterwards, and they all look suitably badass... Except for Koromaru, who looks adorable, and Junpei and Ken, who both wind up landing on their asses in the process.
• The aftermath of S.E.E.S. figuring out how to use their Theurgy abilities.
  Mitsuru: Not only did we get to test our new lineup and equipment, but we also got to see that we're all improving at a remarkable pace.
  Junpei: Aww, Kirijo-senpai! Quit buttering me up! Just leave everything to Junpei Iori, the soon-to-be MVP!
  Yukari: Maybe I shouldn't be the one to say this, but... You literally didn't do anything today.
• The Love Hotel operation on July 7th adds in one extra thing as the cherry on top of the incident. Yukari's so pissed off, she starts the battle with a full Theurgy gauge!
• This version of the Pretty Lady turns out to be a Conspiracy Theorist and attempts to scam Junpei, Akihiko, and the protagonist with ludicrously expensive "special" sunscreen that purportedly protects wearers from an "artificial sun" she claims disrupts your body's equilibrium. The boys naturally decide to retreat, though not without the option to try to leave Junpei to deal with Delusional Lady's absolute nonsense alone.
  Akihiko: Hey, [protagonist], doesn't she sound kind of strange?
  Protagonist: Get in there, Junpei. [he and Akihiko flee]
  Junpei: Aaah! What the hell! Don't just leave me behind!
• The segment where the Protagonist chases Aigis in the Yakushima beach's forest trail is tweaked. Unlike in the original and FES versions where she runs with her arms resting down near her skirt, Aigis now runs on the forest trail with her arms spread sideways just like her usual running animation in Tartarus (the camera angles here in Reload make it obvious). The chase scene is also a bit longer now, so the Protagonist sees her running in the distance with that pose for several times before he catches up to her.
• The Reload version of the final day at Yakushima Beach includes the additions from Portable, namely Junpei losing a water fight to Aigis, and fully animates it - including Fuuka and Yukari calling for an All-Out Attack on Junpei. If the Protagonist gives the order, the entire team sans Mitsuru enter attack poses and charge at Junpei. The kicker is the Jump Cut to the aftermath, where the S.E.E.S. social link ranks up as the team laughs about what just happened... except Junpei, who appears to be unconscious on the floor.
• The Protagonist walking into the lounge to find Aigis arguing with Koromaru, the dog asking to go somewhere, only for the robot to firmly say "no" each time, much to Koromaru's visible sadness.
• While idling on Elizabeth's quest screen, she may chime in with some occasional comments:
  • Her attempt at a Tongue Twister, full of P's.
    Elizabeth: Please paint my powerful Persona a pretty purple, please paint my powerful feh— hmm. This is harder than I thought.
  • Elizabeth may bring up the topic of possible siblings the protagonist may have, while name dropping Theodore from the Portable version of the game, calling him useless as well. Even when he's not on-screen or in the game, Theo gets dogged on by his older sisters.
• Initiating the Protagonist's "King and I" Theurgy results in King Frost manifesting behind the Protagonist and immediately knocking him flat on his face.
• The "Jack Brothers" Theurgy are depicted clearly as a Boke and Tsukkomi Routine with Jack Frost acting as the Tsukkomi and Pyro Jack as the Boke. As funny as it is, the enemies now take almighty damage in the form of laughing over their act. This is in contrast with the previous version of the fusion spell, where their joke was so bad the enemies fell over without taking damage. Not only that, the protagonist walks away and gives the stage and spotlight to his two Personas.
• During their meeting on August 20, Takaya allows the Protagonist to ask him a question. The options are "What's your goal?", "Why are you getting in our way?", and "Why aren't you wearing a top?". Selecting the last option has him remark that his coat is invisible to fools, then admitting he's joking. It's an amusing sight to see the mostly sinister and self-serious Takaya actually crack a joke, which makes it funnier that he still doesn't answer the question by the end of the day and proceeds to divulge information about himself to the protagonist as if they asked the first two questions anyways.^note For the curious, according to Persona Stalker Club, a side effect of the Persona Suppressant drugs that Shinjiro and Strega use is that their bodies are no longer able to regulate their temperature (can't shiver, sweat, etc). This is why Shinjiro always wears a thick peacoat and beanie, even during spring and summer. Takaya likely has the opposite problem, where if he wears a shirt he'll overheat. Or maybe he's always cold and just doesn't mind.
• Talking to Aigis at the dorm before and after her first round of exams as a student reveals that she isn't too optimistic about it, due to her specializing in a limited range of subjects.
  Aigis: Therefore, regarding the results of the exam, I will be, as Junpei-san would put it, "in deep shit."
• Junpei and Aigis attempt to room with the girls and the protagonist respectively during the Kyoto Hot Springs trip, which earns them a scolding from Yukari. Both Junpei and Aigis let out a whiny "man..." in the exact same intonation.
• The infamous Kyoto Hot Springs event is mostly the same as the original, though takes more inspiration from the Portable minigame version. There are a few differences present, mostly for successfully escaping.
  • The boys can throw a rubber duck towards the girls as a distraction, although the Protagonist calls it a Red Herring. Ryoji completely misses the point of why he called it a Red Herring. Also just the fact that there's a random rubber duck floating in the hot spring.
    Ryoji: Uh, what herring? And why's it red?
    Junpei: [Protagonist] can explain later!
  • Junpei and Ryoji collapse in the hallway seconds before the girls have left the hot springs. Cue an oblivious Fuuka and Yukari noting how their faces were red. Yukari also guesses that they were doing something stupid.
• When witnessing the true form of Nyx, you'll get a shot of most of your Social Links reacting in confusion and shock to what they're seeing. Tanaka's reaction?
  Tanaka: Someone's going to have to pay big for this one...

Tartarus Exploration

• After the floor 82 Gatekeeper Shadow is defeated, the party has a small discussion on why certain shadows have particular appearances.
  Mitsuru: Have you ever wondered how those scale-shaped shadows stand upright?
  Fuuka: Ah, the balance types. I imagine they'd struggle with standing upright and moving around.
  Mitsuru: Do you suppose there's a reason they look the way they do? Moreover... I'm actually quite tempted to tip them over.
• Floor 129 introduces Greedy Shadows, a type of rare Shadow that steals from treasure chests. The dialogue prompts shows the Protagonist is thinking the exact same thing as the player probably is.
  Protagonist: It's on now.
• The boss behind the floor 225 Monad door is a group of five differently colored hand shadows. Mitsuru is the one to make the comparison between them and a specific in-universe show.
  Mitsuru: Five of them appeared all at once this time. Were they supposed to be... What is it called...? "Featherman?" I know they star in their own TV show... The Kirijo Group has sponsored them before, if I remember correctly. Hm... Do they ever ride motorbikes? Or perhaps that was a different show...
• A lot of the exploration dialogues involving Junpei can fall under this. For a few examples:
  Junpei: The best feeling in the world... is to be young and in love, am I right? Teehee!
  Yukari: What's gotten into you? I've never heard anyone go "teehee!" out loud before...
  
  Junpei: Junpei, Junpei! He's our man! If he can't do it, no one can! Now gimme some double fives!
  Yukari: Uh, no.
  Fuuka (in an alternate response to Junpei): Yayyy- [remembers she's not actually there] Oh! Um...
  
  Junpei: Whew... Seems like a good time for a break.
  Fuuka: Huh!? Weren't you really motivated just now...?
  
  Junpei: Fuuka's great, but I also miss Kirijo-senpai navigating. It kinda felt like...getting stepped on?
  Mitsuru: I'm not sure what you mean by that, but did you want to be punished?
• Aigis' attempt to sound "gangster":
  Aigis: "Bring It, shadows! Come at me!" Did I sound very gangster?
  Yukari: ...You say some pretty random stuff sometimes, Aigis. Never change.
• Koromaru will let out a few barks, which Fuuka responds to him by adorably stumbling over her words and mixing a pun in.
  Koromaru: Arf, arf! Arf, arf!
  Fuuka: I'm arf f-f-four it— Uh, never mind.
• Some conversations from Portable have been retained, but now retranslated and fully voiced:
  • If the player brings a team of the protagonist, Akihiko, Junpei, and Ken, Junpei laments it's a team full of dudes. When Akihiko asks if there's anything wrong with it, Junpei says no, but says there's no one (ie. a girl) with them to "soothe the soul." When Ken brings up that they could bring Koromaru and pet him next time, Junpei doesn't object to Ken's suggestion but still notes that wasn't what he meant.
  • If the player is dating Yukari, Aigis, and Mitsuru, and then brings them as a team into Tartarus, they will have a conversation that's essentially all three giving each other (and by extension the protagonist) some Visible Silence. Unlike Portable, Reload has Fuuka pointing out how the tension is so palpable and awkward too.
    Yukari: ...
    Mitsuru: ...
    Aigis: ...
    Fuuka: Um... Is it just me, or does it feel kind of awkward tonight?
  • If the player isn't dating Yukari, Aigis, or Mitsuru at the same time (or at all) but brings them to Tartarus, Yukari will bring up their current team composition, with him being the only male party member on the team. Aigis then likens it to a harem, and says that every male fantasizes to have one, according to her data. Yukari then gets cautious of the protagonist's reasoning for choosing this specific composition, while Mitsuru compliments that the team is strategically sound regardless of any possible ulterior motives^note Defensively, it's not great, as at least half the team is weak to electricity attacks, but it does allow Yukari to constantly fuel Aigis' physical onslaughts, charging both of their Theurgy gauges faster in the process.

Social Links, Linked Episodes and Dorm Hangouts

• Instead of calling the Protagonist like in the original version, Social Links in Reload instead text the Protagonist. This includes Mitsuru, who is very clearly unused to the concept.
  Mitsuru: Yukari told me "You sound so angry [nervous emoji]" and, "You're so stiff [nervous emoji]" in response to my messages, so I've been trying to use emojis. [Smiling emoji with Jack Frost's smile] Is it working? [O-face emoji]
  I'm thinking of stopping by the library later. [Jack Frost emoji] Would you care to join me? [Sun emoji]
  • Plus, in contrast to everyone else who texts in short, to-the-point messages, Mitsuru composes hers like whole letters, complete with a beginning, body, and end.
• Yukari teases the Protagonist by asking if he fell asleep in class... which is a very real possibility.
• Aigis is fascinated by emoji:
  Subject: This is incredible. [Cat emoji]
  Aigis: Did you notice the image? Here it is again: [Cat emoji]
  (Later...)
  Subject: [Cat emoji] [Cat emoji] [Cat emoji]
  Aigis: I apologize if I'm being a nuisance. [Cat emoji] However, I hope that you are able to share my fondness for this small image. [Cat emoji] [Cat emoji] I continue to find it quite magnificent. [Cat emoji] [Cat emoji] [Cat emoji]
• Tanaka's messages not only look like spam, but all end with: "Do not reply to this message. Please contact us via the official inquiry portal. (c) Amazing Commodities Corp."
• The ability to troll Bebe by lying about the traditional Japanese goodbye remains part of his Social Link, except now - like all Social Links in Reload - it's fully voiced and the goodbyes have all been updated to include directions on how they should be said, with Bebe following your instructions throughout his Social Link. So, how does the Protagonist troll Bebe?
  "A deep, theatrical 'I'll be back.'"
• In Yuko's strength social link, the fourth graders keep calling the protagonist Yuko's boyfriend, much to her chagrin, but is otherwise alright with it. Her link doesn't have its romance flag automatically triggered at rank 7, instead being moved to rank 9 and optional in Reload. In its place, after the fourth graders win against the sixth graders for the right to use the soccer field, she notes that they kept calling the protagonist her boyfriend until the end. The protagonist then has a choice to say "wanna make that true?" which immediately flusters her. It's clear the protagonist was trolling her, as he very visibly laughs after seeing her blushing. She does not take his joking kindly.
• During Fuuka's platonic Rank 10 social link, it turns out that she has also invited Yukari to cook with them. When Fuuka tells Yukari how the Protagonist has been helping her, Yukari will comment that Junpei should take notes; when Fuuka points out Junpei has his own qualities, Yukari agrees but admits that she'll never tell Junpei that because of his ego.
  • That is, unless you romanced Yukari beforehand - then Yukari questions if the Protagonist had been hitting on Fuuka, which she quickly denies. Yukari accepts Fuuka's word, but makes it clear that the Protagonist would be in a lot of pain if he had been cheating.
• If the Protagonist turns down Mitsuru as a romantic partner in Rank 9 of her Social Link, she ends the rank by guilt tripping him into buying her takoyaki to "mend [her] broken heart", which can pretty easily catch players off-guard considering she otherwise takes the rejection perfectly well.
• You can watch a documentary with Koromaru about a wolf pack, which he wanted to see. Made better when he starts trying to imitate the pack leader. The protagonist can join in on this.
  Koromaru: Woof!
  Protagonist: Woof woof!
  Koromaru: (baffled) Arf!?
• A new way to spend time with your party members is to read with them. During one of Aigis' reading sessions, she requests to read a yakuza novel with the protagonist, which led to the return of one of the series' known gags.
  Aigis: In this scene, the main character says, "That ass better not crack under pressure." Usually people's asses are already cracked. Yours is as well, right, [protagonist]-kun?
  • By the end of her reading hangouts, Aigis has become perturbed that most people don't view her as an Anti-Shadow Weapon, and resolves to fix this by adding gold plating to her torso with an elaborate painting of a dragon on her back.
• One hangout has Aigis comment on how the plants on the roof of the dorm look more lively now that the protagonist was tending them and asks if the plants are happy about that. One of the dialogue options for this is to suggest Aigis to ask the plants. This goes about as well as you would expect.
  Aigis: Hello, hello. This is Aigis. If you can hear me, plants, then please respond.
  (Beat)
  Aigis: Unfortunately, there was no answer. Communication will be difficult with my current abilities. This is something to consider for the future.
  • A later hangout has Aigis notice a ladybug larva on one plant's leaves.
    Aigis: Look, Protagonist-san! There's a ladybug larva! It's so small and adorable.
    Protagonist: (nervous sweat-drop) Please keep it away from me.
    Aigis: I'm sorry. Are you uncomfortable with insects? I'll move it to another leaf. (Beat) ...It won't stay still. It look like the ladybug would prefer to be near you, Protagonist-san.
    Protagonist: (nervous sweat-drop)
• Similarly, a hangout with Junpei has a discussion on the price on vegetables.
  Junpei: You know those fancy veggies only people like Kirijo-senpai would eat? If we could grow something' like that, we'd make a fortune, don't ya think?
  Protagonist: You know what you're doing?
  Junpei: (happily) Nope, not even a little! Tried growing' some mornin' glories once—didn't think they'd die so fast!
  • A later hangout gives us this:
    Junpei: Listen! You hear that? That's the sound of our precious little veggies cheering' us on.
    Protagonist: ...You get enough sleep?
• During Shinjiro's Linked Episode, Akihiko has some thoughts on Shinji's plans for the future.
  Akihiko: ...I'm guessing that's not the form for returning to school. [Beat] Hey, [Protagonist]. If Shinji keeps this up, you'll be his classmates next year. You and Junpei should practice addressing him casually. In fact, go ahead and boss him around a bit.
  Shinjiro: ...I’d rather get expelled.
• Akihiko gets called a "Muscle-bound moron" by Shinjiro in one of the latter's Linked Episodes. The player can make the Protagonist say it as well, much to Akihiko's surprise and confusion.
• Ken's second Linked Episode is mostly somber, with him asking the Protagonist to take care of his hamster in the case he doesn't make it back. There is some humor in asking him about the hamster's name.
  Ken: Uhh... His name... It's Hamburger...
  Protagonist: Sounds delicious...
  Ken: Y-You can't eat him!
• Akihiko's third linked episode has him and the Protagonist make a mountain's worth of pancakes. As it turns out, Akihiko is a bit of a One-Note Cook, so even something as simple as pancakes goes over his head.
  Akihiko: Well, let's go on and get started. Okay, first things first... Uh, what exactly do we do first? I think the recipe said to use lots of butter and to regulate the pan's temperature with a damp washcloth... Wait, we put a washcloth in the pan? Won't it burn?
  Protagonist: (lowering their head in disappointment) Please, just let me handle it...
  • While the two are cooking the pancakes, Akihiko suggests adding protein powder to the mix. The action happens during a cut to black, so the player doesn't see what's happening, but Akihiko recoils a little when he sees the protagonist giving them a disapproving/incredulous stink eye.
    Akihiko: You know what this needs? Some protein powder...Hey, don't give me that look!
• During Ken's fourth Linked Episode, he challenges the Protagonist to a duel and loses in what is implied to be a relatively one sided fight. In the fifth Linked Episode, Ken challenges him to a rematch and it turns out that Junpei, Akihiko and Koromaru have all helped Ken train. The fight is much more even than the first, and Ken ultimately wins... after the Protagonist is distracted by Yukari - which is arguably even funnier if the Protagonist is in a relationship with her.
• Before each exam, your party members will hold a study session. Oftentimes it leads to funny interactions between them.
  • The first study session between your character, Mitsuru, and Akihiko has the latter squatting above the chair while reading some notes.
    Akihiko: Working out while studying is quite an efficient use of my time, wouldn't you say?
    Mitsuru: Why are you like this...?
  • The third session has the boys getting distracted by a scent in the air. Junpei is focused on a perfume Mitsuru is using. The Protagonist and Akihiko... focus on a beef bowl in the microwave.
    Protagonist: I've been waiting for this!
  • Eventually Junpei himself wants some of the bowl as well, leading to Mitsuru using it as motivation for him.
    Junpei: Beef, beef, beeeeeef!
    Mitsuru: For goodness sake... All right, if you answer five more questions correctly, you can have your food.
    Junpei: Hraaaaaah! Beef. Beef! BEEEEEEF!
    Akihiko: You're like a horse with a carrot dangled in its face...
    Yukari: One mention of food, and you finally give a crap. That's all it takes, huh?
  • Before spring finals, Natsuki gives Fuuka her notes to make up for the days the latter was missing in Tartarus. Unfortunately, Natsuki is not the most studious note-taker.
    Yukari: This part just has the equation and no answer... And this page is full of doodles. And this part, uh... Is that a drool stain?
  • The midterm study session with Junpei and Yukari has the former crack some jokes at the Protagonist that are so unbelievably lame that they'd make Ikutsuki cringe, all under the pretense of "lecturing" him. Yukari is as exasperated as you'd expect by this. Particular note has to go to the "Literature" joke for how far out of left field it is for someone like Junpei to make:
    Junpei: Aha, a man of culture. Literature it is, then...Have you ever read the famous dystopian science fiction novel "1984"? Oh, you haven't? That's a shame, but Orwell...!
    Yukari: Ugh...I'd really like to close the book on this chapter...
  • The last study session before July's final exams have all current members of SEES studying together, accompanied by Ikutsuki, who is doing his own work. Predictably, after the protagonist asks for help from Akihiko about a certain subject, Ikutsuki throws in a relevant pun, which gets Junpei to use one of his one. Mitsuru has to admonish both of them for getting distracted, and later inadvertently makes a pun in the process. Ikutsuki points this out, much to his delight, Mitsuru can only blush and stammer out that her pun wasn't intentional, and Junpei capitalizes with one last joke to end the session.
    • The jokes themselves are varying qualities of Ikutsuki stretching his humor muscles:
      Ikutsuki: (when the protagonist asks for help in grammar) Oh my! Remembering how to use archaic forms of verbs sounds rather in-tense!
      Ikutsuki: (when the protagonist asks for help in math) A beautiful formula really arithmetickles my fancy! Haha, yeah, that one's pretty good.
      Ikutsuki: (when the protagonist asks for help in vocabulary) Learn your vocab, or instead of going to Yakushima, you're going to Yaku-see-me back at the dorm! Yakushima, Yaku-see-me... Hmm, maybe that one's a little forced...
  • The study session with Aigis before October midterms is interrupted when they realise Ken and Koromaru are standing there, watching. Two of the Protagonist's responses are fairly reasonable, but the third? "Stare back."
  • The group study session before October's midterms has Junpei note that Koromaru is lucky to be a dog and he doesn't have to study. He then begins acting like a dog, and the group can all play along; the protagonist asks him to "shake," Yukari asks him to "stay," and Fuuka (very confusedly) asks him to "go home." Mitsuru has to bring everyone back on track when all is said and done, but not without threatening Junpei for "behavioral training" should he fail the tests.
  • The Second Year study session before winter finals starts with Yukari realizing that she'd forgotten her eraser and asking to borrow Junpei's, only for him to request that she doesn't use the corners as it's a new eraser and rounding off the corners is the right of the eraser's owner. After this, Junpei starts asking to borrow various pieces of stationary from his friends, and gives a speech about how lending each other things is what friendship is about… only for Yukari to immediately realise Junpei forgot most of his equipment and needs to borrow theirs, undermining his entire point about helping each other.
• During the January 29th event where everyone walks Koromaru, the Protagonist watches Aigis play with the shiba inu.
  Aigis: Shake.
  Koromaru: Woof.
  [Koromaru instead stands on his hind legs, and places his front paws on top of Aigis' head]
  Aigis: ...Is "shake" the command given to request paws on one's head?
  Koromaru: Woof.
  Aigis: I comprehend.

Other Material

• For the release of the P4G and P5R BGM packs, the Japanese Persona account released some brief promo videos showing them in action. The first two are fairly normal, while the third one features a Reaper chase underscored by the Junes theme, prompting many jokes from western fans about how fighting (and inevitably losing to) the Reaper is just like working retail.

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