(P4)

(P4 Manga)

(P4 Anime)

(P4G Anime)

(Live Action)

(P4A)

(P4A Manga)

(P4AU Manga)

(P4D)

(PQ)

(PQ2)

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Name: Haruto Nakashima

Also known as: Haru-kun
                              Mr. President
                              High Priest (P4A)
                              Cheerful Boy (PQ)
                              Ahoge (PQ2)

Japanese Name: 中嶋 陽斗

Romaji: Nakashima Haruto

First Appearance: Persona 4

Affiliation: Investigation Team

School: Yasogami High School (formerly)
               Unnamed University

Date of Birth: February 5, 1994

Age: 17, 18 (P4)
          19 (P4A, P4D)
          23 (P5)

Zodiac: Aquarius

Height: 175 cm (5'7")

Weight: 60 kg (132 lbs)

Blood Type: A

Weapon: Knives

Arcana: Faith

Shadow Self: Shadow Haruto

Initial Persona: Sadamitsu

Ultimate Persona: Genbu

Ultimate Persona (P4G): Hotei

Theme: "Beauty of Destiny"
                "Alone in this World"
                "Heartbeat, Heartbreak" ("Never More" Ver.)
                "SNOWFLAKES"  ("NARASAKI REMIX")

Japanese VA: Megumi Ogata

English VA: Bryce Papenbrook

Portrayed By: Kanata Hongo (P4)
                            Shun Nishime (P4A)

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"I don't think that only facing yourself is enough, what's most important is to learn from it and never go back to who you used to hate."

-Haruto Nakashima, Persona 4

Haruto Nakashima is one of the main characters from Persona 4. He is a third-year student and the student council president of Yasogami High School.

Appearances

• Persona 4 / Golden: Playable Character; Faith Social Link

       ⚬ Persona 4 (Manga): Major Character; Faith Arcana

       ⚬ Persona 4 the Magician: Major Character

       ⚬ Persona 4 The Animation / Golden Animation: Major Character; Faith Arcana

       ⚬ Persona 4 Visualive / the Evolution

• Persona 4 Arena / Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: Playable Character / Navigator / Protagonist (Haruto Story Route, Episode P4)

       ⚬ Persona 4 Arena (Manga): Major Character

       ⚬ Persona 4 The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena Stageplay

       ⚬ Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (Manga): Major Character

       ⚬ Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Stageplay

• Persona 4: Dancing All Night: Playable Character

• Persona x Detective Naoto: Minor Character

• Persona 5 / Royal: Cameo

       ⚬ Persona 5 The Animation: Cameo

• Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth: Playable Character

       ⚬ Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth - Side:P3: Supportive Character

       ⚬ Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth - Side:P4: Major Character

• Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth: Playable Character

       ⚬ Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth Roundabout Special

• Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight: Cameo (DLC)

• Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight: Cameo (DLC)

Design

Haruto is a teenager of average height who has spiky, desaturated brown hair with a prominent ahoge, and washed-out hazel eyes. He wears the normal Yasogami High winter uniform that consists of a black blazer and black pants, but with the exception of a zipped-up dull green hoodie with a red stripe along the zipper underneath the open blazer, and red converse with white toes.

On days off, he wears a dark green t-shirt with a red skull symbol on the left side beneath a full-sleeved black jacket, silver necklace, black jeans, and white sneakers.

His summer outfits consist of a light blue half-sleeved t-shirt, white jeans, and black sneakers.

In Persona 4 Golden during the ski trip event, Haruto is seen wearing a light olive green jacket that has wool around its hood, a black sweater, green pants, black boots, a white scarf, and a pair of white gloves.

In Persona 4 the Animation, when he was younger, his hairstyle remained the same and wore a light green half-sleeved hoodie, brown shorts, knee-length white socks, and red converse with white toes.

In Persona 4: Dancing All Night, Haruto wears an unbuttoned black jacket with a white hoodie split in half between white and black, black pants, red sneakers, and a pair of red headphones.

Personality

"It's true... it's all true... I've always been jealous of Ayumi because she can do whatever she wants and is not forced to do anything, unlike me..."

-Haruto Nakashima confronting his Shadow

Haruto is very kind, supportive, and forgiving, though sometimes slightly naive and popular with girls from all grades around the school due to his looks, grades, and achievements. He is friendly, polite and a lot more down-to-earth than the other students. This is possibly the reason why he is capable of approaching and befriending them, even the most antisocial ones. He's also a bit jumpy at times and quite easily pushed around by some other characters. However, even though he is sometimes a bit of a pushover, he is also capable of being a very determined and charismatic speaker. Also, he's respected by many people as the student council president of Yasogami high, though he himself is very humble and even a bit embarrassed of the title. Despite his kind and responsible nature, Haruto is, in fact, a struggling and a depressed individual who's stressed out by the need for success to satisfy people's expectations around him; his parents, teachers, and peers. Though he tends to hide and repress those emotions by behaving as a cheerful and happy-go-lucky young man.

In reality and beyond his cheerful facade, he might be cynical at times, but it would be more accurate to describe him as a realist. He can be quite skeptical and tends to worry more than other people, but his worries are usually understandable. He is logical and keen, often annoyed by the idea of not being able to understand someone or something at all. He tends to be quite serious, but he does joke around and often goes along with his classmates' eccentric hobbies anyway, and sometimes smiles awkwardly and sheepishly while his friends engage in some of their usual weird behavior. He is sometimes annoyed by some of his classmates and can be snarky towards them in his thoughts as well as blunt while speaking to them, though he's more frank than sarcastic or mean-spirited. Though sometimes a bit submissive, he is not afraid to speak his mind, and he can be rude if annoyed enough. He can sometimes be short-tempered and snap at others, especially when he's tired or under pressure.

He was also quite paranoid during his first introduction and didn't have much interest in friendship before joining the Investigation Team to help solve the mystery of the serial murders and kidnaps. Despite his flaws, Haruto is generally pleasant and easily exhibits kindness and thoughtfulness to others around him; he genuinely cares about everyone. Although he may have trouble understanding or relating to his friends, he is tolerant of everyone's eccentric personalities and quirks and is always willing to listen and give advice. After joining the Investigation Team, he spends time talking with everyone and gets along great with both the girls and the guys in order to understand them better. Despite his many talents, Haruto is very insecure about himself and about what he really likes and is not forced upon him. He wished to be part of something bigger than himself, to become more confident and someone he can be proud of. It was largely due to his friends' support and encouragement that he was finally able to overcome despair and gain true confidence.

(Haruto worried about his sister)

He's angered by the issue that he can't even choose what he wants to do in life and always has to think about what the others want him to do, and that led to the growth of his deep and hidden envy toward his younger sister Ayumi. He claims that she at least has the freedom of choosing what she really wants, unlike him whose image and interest were forced upon him to maintain. However, neither of the siblings is aware of their jealousy of the other for the thing the one lacks but the other has. Even with that, Haruto loves his sister deeply and is willing to go beyond the boundaries to protect her and can be a bit overprotective of her as seen when he threatened the boys in the Investigation Team if any of them dared to hit her. He was deeply worried when Ayumi was kidnapped to the point of breaking into tears and blaming himself for not having a proper conversation with her for years to ask her what was wrong with her, knowing well that something was up with her for a long time. After Haruto got rescued from his shadow by the Investigation Team and having a heartfelt conversation with Ayumi, the two were able to understand the other better and mend their broken relationship, becoming closer and stronger than ever.

Profile

"I've decided on what I finally want to do, and I won't let anyone tell me otherwise! Not anymore..."

-Haruto Nakashima, Persona 4

тнιѕ ωση'т вє мєηтισηє∂ тσ ανσι∂ ѕρσιℓєяѕ!!!

Etymology

Haruto's first name has many different meanings according to the writing in kanji. But the kanji in his name 陽斗 means "sun/yang" and "dipper." His last name, Nakashima, literally means "middle island."

Trivia

• The original design of Haruto is Makoto Naegi from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.

• Haruto is by far the oldest member of the Investigation Team, being the only third-year in the group.

• Like the Aeon Arcana and Hunger Arcana, the Faith is not found in standard tarot decks. The Faith Arcana is present in the Visconti-Sforza tarot deck. Upright, it represents belief in others and in oneself, and in religion or science. On the other hand, reversed, it can represent blind faith misplaced in something that does not deserve trust. It can also mean false idols, or overconfidence.

• So far, he's DarkRose--Chan's first male original character ever.

• All of his initial, ultimate, and fusion Personas were recommended by LyrissaArtemick.

• Although Haruto is good at basketball, he prefers drumming.

• He's allergic to almonds.

• Before leaving for the first day of his third year in school, a copy of No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai could be seen on his bed.

• Haruto mentions a little cousin he has who lives in another town, describing him as a young child with unkempt curly black hair named "Ren." It was later confirmed that he was referring to Ren Amamiya, the protagonist of Persona 5.

• He makes a cameo appearance in Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, and Persona 5 the Animation, appearing in a picture along with Ayumi and Ren when they were younger.

• His Japanese VA Megumi Ogata is known for her roles as Nagito Komaeda from Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yugi Muto from Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Uranus from Sailor Moon, Itona Hirobe from Assassination Classroom, and many more.

• His English VA Bryce Papenbrook is known for his roles as Adrien Agreste from Miraculous Ladybug, Kazuto Kirigaya from Sword Art Online, Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan, Nagito Komaeda from Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Meliodas and Zeldris from The Seven Deadly Sins, and many more.