Dataminer pan-hime has discovered another series of unused, cut scenes from Persona 5 Royal. Her latest discovery are three scenes that depict Kamoshida’s backstory.
The scenes were found in the Chinese build of Persona 5 Royal and translated and uploaded to YouTube by gamer Bainz. Note that although the date in the scenes read “5/16”, it is just a placeholder date.
The three black-and-white scenes showcase different moments in Kamoshida’s life. Given context from dialogue in the scene, as well as from pan-hime’s datamining, it appears that these memories were supposed to be shown each time the Thieves obtained a Will Seed in Kamoshida’s palace, similar to the three flashback scenes in Royal’s January palace.
The first scene begins with The Phantom Thieves standing in a TV station (the same one that Shujin Academy visits on a field trip and where the Thieves first meet Akechi), unaware of how they arrived there. They turn to see Kamoshida as a guest on a talk show, sitting beside two hosts. The Thieves quickly notice how young Kamoshida looks and decide to listen to the interview.
During the interview, the hosts discuss Kamoshida’s popularity, even mentioning various commercials he’s appeared in, and begin to ask him questions about his latest victory. At one point, Kamoshida admits that he’s nervous, and the female host compares it to how she puts on a facade while in front of a camera. She says, “It’s a shame we can’t express our true selves,” a phrase that takes Kamoshida by surprise. The interview ends with the female host asking Kamoshida if she can ask him more questions later, in a subtle invitation out on a date.
The scene cuts back to the Thieves, who have watched the whole exchange, and Morgana informs them that learning about Kamoshida’s past might help them take him down.
The second scene takes place in a hotel room with Kamoshida and the female host, with the former on his knees begging for forgiveness. When Kamoshida is alone, he laments his situation, admitting, “I’m finished.” Though the exact situation is unclear, fans in the comments have deduced from the context that Kamoshida hurt or pushed the woman in some way.
The third scene features Kamoshida with an unidentified man. Kamoshida expresses his worries about the woman and his reputation once the public finds out about his actions, but the man assures him that the company has “already talked to the woman” and that Kamoshida will still be able to appear as an “ideal athlete.” He informs Kamoshida that if anything ever happens, the company will take care of it. After he leaves, Kamoshida realizes that he can get away with anything.
This is the second flashback scene pan-hime has found; recently, she discovered another flashback scene with Madarame. Though these scenes are interesting, fans have theorized that their inclusion might have caused narrative issues, especially since Will Seeds were optional collectibles.
Persona 5 Royal is available now, exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
Source: YouTube
