Waifu Wednesday: Sadayo Kawakami (Persona 5)
There are few women in Persona 5 that are able to resist the charms of Joker, including his teacher, Sadayo Kawakami. The woman who at first seems uninterested in looking out for her student eventually becomes one of the Phantom Thieves’ most important allies. Among all the confidant abilities in Persona 5, Kawakami’s is arguably one of the most powerful and useful, but that’s not the only reason to explore this teacher’s story.
For this week’s Waifu Wednesday, we’re getting hot for teacher and celebrating everyone’s favourite on-demand maid, Sadayo Kawakami.
Who is Sadayo Kawakami?
When Joker first arrives at Shujin Academy, he is confronted with the fact that his past is already well known. The principal seems to have little patience for him and expects him to immediately revert to his delinquent ways. His assigned guardian, Sojiro Sakura, seems to have a similar expectation. Even his homeroom teacher, Sadayo Kawakami, seems more focused on keeping her head down than helping her students succeed.
That changes thanks to a simple dare from a group of boys. When Joker and his friends call a maid service, he realises that their teacher is holding down a decidedly more scandalous second job. In exchange for keeping her secret, Kawakami agrees to give him a bit of leeway in class. As their relationship deepens, they find out why she is working herself to the point of exhaustion and, eventually, rekindle her desire to help her students. Slowly over the course of the game, Kawakami becomes one of his staunchest allies, even after she uncovers Joker’s secret. She ends up sticking up for him when few others will.
Why we love her
The best romance options in Persona always have something else to offer. With Sadayo Kawakami, the player gets the chance to find out more about how she lost her love of teaching. A past mistake hangs over her and still haunts her, forcing her into debt and threatening to drive her from the profession for good. Of all the adult romance options in Persona 5, she is the one that feels the most mutual and the most organic.
This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed the ladies of Persona 5, so believe me when I say that there aren’t really any bad options in the game. Kawakami is one of the deeper stories to explore, her relationship with Joker providing some of the most comedic moments of the game that lead into the solid emotional foundation beneath her. It is that depth that makes her stand out in a game literally overflowing with top-tier waifus.
Why you’ll love her
Even if the player doesn’t choose to pursue a romance with Kawakami, there are plenty of purely mechanical reasons to unlock her confidant levels. Like the other characters who support the Phantom Thieves from the side-lines, Sadayo Kawakami provides bonuses and boons to Joker as he explores the palaces of those with twisted desires. Kawakami’s boon grants him the gift of extra time.
Normally when Joker explores a palace or Mementos during the day, he is limited in what he can do in the evening. Once the bond between the two is maxed out, she can come over and give him a special massage (Oh aye – Ed.), reenergising him and allowing him to explore other confidants or up his skills in the evening. This, combined with the emotional story that unfolds as Joker’s relationship with her deepens, makes her well worth spending some time with.
Persona 5 is available for PS3 and PS4. Or you can grab the updated and expanded Persona 5 Royal for PS4 if you want the ultimate Persona 5 experience.
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