Persona 5 Strikers brings the team back together for a summer road trip. This means that Futaba is leaving home to travel Japan, something that wouldn’t have gone well in the first game. Futaba is even excited for the trip and lovingly names the camper throughout their adventures, although she keeps changing the names. Throughout the game, Futaba helps to move the plot along, informs the group about enemy weaknesses, and gets a bit more hands-on inside the jails.
This delighted fans as Futaba is now a lot more outgoing than before, and her real personality got the shine through during Strikers.
10 She Owns Not Fighting
Futaba is aware of the fact that her Persona isn’t designed for combat. In fact, she even admits this in the game and doesn’t try to charge in when she is on her own. Futaba seems to have gotten a great grasp on her abilities and now knows where her skills are the strongest.
This doesn’t mean that Futaba is afraid to work hard in the jails, though, as shown in the hacking fights.
9 Her Hacking Skills Have Improved
Futaba seems to have only got more into computers since players last met her. She is able to look at Sophia’s code and even go through smartphones without an issue. In the metaverse, she can now hack into jails to help remove barriers so the group can proceed.
It’s very likely that Futaba will find her way into a programming job when she graduates college.
8 She Goes to School Now
Futaba is now 16 and attending school, presumably at Shujin full time. She is a first-year and doesn’t seem to be having any trouble in her studies. She doesn’t mention if she has made any other friends yet, but she does seem pretty happy with the current situation of her life.
Futaba seems to not be worried about starting school back up like Ryuji is when they return to Tokyo.
7 She Wanders Cities on Her Own
Futaba’s biggest surprise is that she actually goes out in the various cities on her own. She is able to walk around freely without any of the other characters beside her. She even seems to go shopping on her own, which is a big change from when she took Joker to Akihabara in the first game.
Futaba seems to be completely recovered from her depression, although she seems to be a bit nervous in crowded areas.
6 She Saves The Phantom Thieves
If it wasn’t for Futaba, the group probably wouldn’t have made it through Kyoto. Futaba was able to successfully escape the jail all on her own and seek out help. When it was time to go back in with Zenkichi, she was more than happy to jump in and offer him all the support she could.
Futaba knows that she isn’t able to fight, but that doesn’t stop her from helping her friends.
5 She Keeps Up With AI Technology
The group is actually introduced to AI’s for the first time by Futaba. When they reunite and decide on going camping, Futaba shows them Emma to help with locating gear. She seems to have been using Emma for a while and is familiar with how the app works.
Futaba regularly keeps up with technology and is ecstatic to be able to check out Sophia’s source code.
4 She Has More Freedom
In the first game, Sojiro was extremely protective of Futaba. Although he did trust Joker to go out with her, he still worried a lot. He seems to have relaxed quite a bit in Strikers and is happy for her to go on a trip with her friends, even knowing they will be hours away from home.
Sojiro also seems to give her more space as he doesn’t really call to check up on her on the trip.
3 Futaba Seems to be Canonically Interested in Joker
Futaba is thrilled when Joker asks her on a date to ride the ferris wheel in Sapporo. When the two are inside, she hints at the fact that it seems like a date. When the player says it is, she immediately starts to panic and is blushing the whole time.
Futaba, like the other girls, is also extremely interested to hear about Joker’s love life.
2 Futaba Wishes For Sojiro to Get More Business
When the group is finishing up in Osaka, Joker can invite them to the tower to view the city. When he does, the girls end up making a wish on the statue. Futaba doesn’t wish for herself, but instead, she wishes for Leblanc to become a bit busier.
Futaba loves Sojiro and looks up to him. She seems to worry about him just as much as he worries about her.
1 She Watched Titanic
Futaba was known for making references in the first game. This hasn’t changed in Strikes as when the group boards a ferry to Okinawa; she asks Ryuji to act as a platform. She stands on top of him at the edge of the rails and holds her arms out, much like Rose in titanic.
Although she does get in trouble for it, she doesn’t regret reenacting the famous scene at all.
