Kanji Tatsumi

"I still don't really get what bein' "strong" means, but I'm gonna start by not lying to myself. No more being scared of everyone, hiding my hobbies, staying away from people... Anytime, anyplace, I'm gonna bust right through as my own self! That's the way to deal with that "other me" in the TV world." - Kanji Tatsumi, Persona 4

Kanji Tatsumi is a playable character from Persona 4. He is a first-year student at Yasogami High School in Inaba and known to many as a notorious delinquent since middle school.

Best Friends:

Main Enemies:

Personality[]

He is the eldest son of the Tatsumi family, owners of the textile shop in Inaba's Central Shopping District. Kanji is a student at Yasogami High School but he often skips class for unknown reasons.

From the start, he was known as a delinquent. When he was in middle school, he destroyed a biker gang and his notorious fame as a wild person spread to every corner of the countryside town. Although people mistake him as a member of a biker gang or as someone who likes violence, he actually does not have even the tiniest inclination to be violent. When he strongly denies the side of him which enjoys "feminine" hobbies like sewing or knitting is pushed to the extreme, it unexpectedly established his position as a juvenile delinquent. He drapes his school uniform over his shoulders in a punk-ish style to emphasize the atmosphere he wishes to embody. He acts out against any authority figure, but speaks politely to the protagonist and his other seniors. However, when he gets flustered and wants to threaten people effectively regardless of the circumstances, he occasionally gets into fights and scraps. Despite his seemingly rough personality, it is often due to misunderstandings. For example, he once went after a rowdy biker gang, but only to stop them from disturbing his mother. He obeys his strict curfew or his mother will make a fuss.

His father is deceased. Before Kanji's father died, he told Kanji, "If you're a man, you have to become strong." Kanji thought his father was telling him he wasn't a real man, which angered him and caused him to become insecure about his masculinity. As a result of this, Kanji drastically changed his appearance and began isolating himself from others. At the beginning of Persona 4, Kanji has no known friends.

Compared to the rest of the team, Kanji tends to be a bit slow on the uptake. However, he is straightforward and decisive. Through the game he realizes that his impulsive actions can drag others down, and that he can balance that by instead giving them his support.

Kanji and his mother run a textile shop, which is frequented by the Amagi Inn staff. For this reason, not only is he adept at sewing and knitting, he is passionate about these activities. He has been interested in arts and crafts since he was young and has been honing his skills without anyone knowing. Kanji's cutely designed works, which include knit plushies and plush hand mitts are already being sold as proper goods in the shop. He also conducts handicrafts classes for the neighbors. When it comes to crafts, Kanji is unrivaled. Kanji really wants to join his school's the Sewing Club, but felt that he might frighten the other club members. He can be seen standing the Sewing Club classroom, although he has made the Sewing Club members nervous. On his online profile, he is part of the social groups "Let's Sewing", "Knitting Cafe" and "I Like Hawaiian Quilts".

In addition to that, in the social link event with Naoki Konishi it was revealed that the 'super yummy croquettes Kanji's mom made' which he had 10 years ago was actually made by the young Kanji. In other words, not only is Kanji good at crafts and sewing, he's also a decent cook. On his online profile, he is part of the social group "Delicious Shops In Inaba". He is a huge fan of popsicles and animal crackers, and is searching for the ultimate secret animal cracker: the penguin.

There are also implications that Kanji is a clean freak since he has a neurotic personality and is obsessed with details.

He has a fondness for cute things, particularly animals, as he is shown to keep many stuffed toys and takes a particular liking towards Koromaru. He also likes reindeer.

At the start of the game, Kanji is scared of partaking in any potentially "feminine" interests, due to the bullying he has faced from girls, calling him homophobic slurs such as "queer" and questioning his masculinity. When Kanji tried painting, a relatively gender-neutral hobby, he was even told "painting is so not you." Kanji compensates with a tough, hyper-masculine facade in order to avoid ridicule and rejection, and he hides his interests. His Social Link reveals that acting tough has often caused a chain of trouble for Kanji, and he wonders how to prevent such things from escalating. In his 10th Social Link Rank, Kanji realizes that the solution is to try to make others "understand" him, something which he never attempted and something he hopes will prevent future misunderstandings.

He is terrified of having the secrets he has kept for so long - his likes and his true nature - revealed and he suspects that he really does have a "feminine" heart. As a result, on the other side of the TV, a dazzling world of love between men was created. Shadow Kanji is portrayed as flamboyantly homosexual, and Kanji claims his Shadow self really is him in his 10th Social Link. Kanji's ambiguous sexuality becomes a running joke throughout the game and its surrounding media such as the anime, much to his frustration and embarrassment.

Even after his friends have accepted his long-standing inner conflicts, his likes and hobbies, and the him who represents all those things, he still feels unsettled at times. By the end of the game, Kanji acknowledges a deeper acceptance and understanding of stereo-typically "feminine" and "masculine" interests in his Social Link. Whether or not Kanji is heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual is a subject of fan debate as there is evidence for all three, although Kanji points out that his sexual orientation should not matter about him: his issue is his fear of rejection and not receiving acceptance, as well as his doubts and insecurities about his identity.

Despite his ambiguous sexual orientation, Kanji implies an interest in Naoto, sometimes blushing at her.