The Outfit
Once Maruki realizes the Phantom Thieves have come to steal his heart, he transforms from a slick and sleek white suit that he sported as his palace’s ruler to… a skintight gold bodysuit with a tall golden mask that resembles a shield, billowy white cape, and a gold jockstrap. (Yup, you read that right.)
Compared to Maruki’s other looks, this one is definitely the outfit he wears for the least amount of time. However, it’s also the look he wears during some of the most pivotal moments of Royal’s entire storyline.
The Issues
Now to be fair, I can kind of see what Atlus was going with here. The high turtleneck and layered white cape give off the resemblance of a priest’s attire, which definitely makes sense given Maruki’s new role as “god” in the third semester. Going along with that, the metal-like qualities of his bodysuit connote the idea that he’s infallible as this world’s creator, plus it’s a perfect match to his persona’s design. Additionally, his white cape almost makes him look a bit like an angel, especially when it billows upwards.
However, even those implications get lost behind the ridiculousness of his oversized mask with a pointed front tip that makes Maruki look a bit like a beaked bird, his strangely cut bodysuit that wraps into his chunky heeled white dress shoes, and (once again) his 24-carat jockstrap that can be clearly seen both in the front and the back of his design.
(To be perfectly honest, I have nothing against looking at Maruki’s ass…ets whatsoever, but it’s a very strange design given the serious nature of his character during this scene.)
How They Could Have Fixed It
The god-like motif that Atlus tried to execute with Maruki’s outfit is lost behind all the ridiculous elements. Additionally, the outfit feels in contrast with the crisp white laboratory-esque vibe of Maruki’s palace. Even in the palace’s final utopian Eden-like floor, the harshness of his suit and mask look incredibly out of place.
If they had focused more on creating an elevated and mature angel/priest-hybrid outfit, perhaps with the same regal gold and white colors, it could’ve worked better. With the additions of a fitted mask, a suit instead of a bodysuit, and the removal of the golden jockstrap, Atlus could have created a fine final boss outfit for January’s new palace.
Or, if they really were looking for a simple solution, I’m personally a huge fan of his white suit and slicked-back hair in his palace ruler outfit. He could’ve just stayed in that too. Sure, it might’ve been a little awkward to not give him a final boss transformation like all the other palace rulers, but it’s definitely less awkward than a prominent golden jockstrap.
Persona 5 Royal is available now, exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
