Ryoji Mochizuki



Ryoji Mochizuki (望月 綾時, Mochizuki Ryōji) is an important figure from Persona 3.

Appearances

 * Persona 3: Non-playable character
 * Persona 3: FES: Non-playable character
 * Persona 3 Portable: Non-playable character (Fortune Social Link for Female Protagonist)

Design
Ryoji as designed, has black hair swept back, blue eyes, and he has mole under his left eye. He wears the school uniform of Gekkoukan High, except he has black folded sleeves, and also wears black suspenders, a black strap cross his left hand shaped like an X, and a yellow scarf. He is never seen without his scarf except in Kyoto.

Personality
Ryoji's personality is far different than his former self Pharos. Ryoji is very flirtatious and lively in both the Male and Female Protagonist routes, though the latter route reveals much more about him and a far better understanding of him. During the Female Protagonist's route Ryoji quickly starts to flirt with her though around her shows a very different personality, he seems to enjoy her company and he will outright turn down any other girl to be with her, he also prove to be very romantic and if the player shows interest in him he will show a more melancholic side and fear of losing her. Many fans have even speculated that he may be the Female Protagonist's true lover since his social link is integrated in the story and maximizes through it.

Profile
After the defeat of the twelve Greater Shadows, he showed up as a transfer student, claiming his parents are working overseas. Ryoji's flirtatious personality immediately gains the school's attention, where he first attempts to flirt with Aigis. However, as he approaches Aigis, she became hostile to him, and repeatedly warns the Protagonist not to get close to Ryoji.

Despite the warnings, Ryoji later befriends Junpei Iori, along with the Protagonist and members of S.E.E.S, he proclaims to be from a rich family, and apparently is very popular within his classmates. During the school vacation, Ryoji, along with Junpei, attempted to get in the hotspring along with the girls by "mistaking" the time. Regardless, Yukari, Mitsuru, Fuuka, and Aigis later showed up in the hotspring, much to Akihiko's panic and fear. Depending on the protagonist's actions, he could either escape from the girls' visions or being caught for peeping them bathing. Should the protagonist successfully avoids the girls' visions, Ryoji, along with Junpei will faint from staying in the hotspring too long.

Ryoji's true past is later revealed when the memories trapped in Aigis' circuits are restored. He was actually the anthropomorphic personification of Death, and thus the avatar of Nyx. He was sealed inside the Protagonist's mind 10 years ago by Aigis, and during those years his amnesia led him to assume the identity of Pharos. The twelve defeated shadows are revealed to be a part of Pharos/Ryoji, and upon defeat, they reintegrated with Death and birthed the identity of Ryoji Mochizuki. His true Shadow form greatly resembles Thanatos, whom is also known as the Greek god of Death.

Upon remembering his true purpose and memories, Ryoji easily halts Aigis' assault, heavily wounding her. He faints after the arrival of S.E.E.S, and explains his true identity the next day. It is revealed that Ryoji is the "Appriser" of Nyx, and is destined to be the harbinger of Death. However, he feels misery and guilt because of the humanity given by the Protagonist during his identity as Pharos. Thus Ryoji offers S.E.E.S an option, where they could kill him instead of facing Nyx. Killing Ryoji would result in erasure of the memories of the Dark Hour, and let the members of S.E.E.S to live their lives as a normal student until the arrival of Nyx.

In the 'good' ending, by declining Ryoji's offers of killing him would result him in telling the members of S.E.E.S regarding the information of Nyx. After telling them, Ryoji left, not before telling them "looking forward for the next year", presumably himself hoping that they could stop Nyx as well.

In January 31st, Ryoji appears in the final level of Tartarus, where he now serves as an avatar of Nyx, bearing the potential and skills that the twelve previous shadows possessed. Throughout the battle he shifts from one arcana to the other, while explaining their motifs and purpose, and upon shifting to his final and true arcana, Death, his monotonous voice finally seams through a melancholic tone. While arming an attack, he tells the protagonist not to regret, as this is the protagonist's "own decision".

After the protagonist manages to fend off the Avatar of Nyx, Ryoji laments that should more people have been like S.E.E.S, then perhaps the Fall could have been avoided, and shrugs off the S.E.E.S' assault, and continues his summoning of Nyx. As S.E.E.S fall into despair, the protagonist rises upon the moon to face Nyx. Through the cheering of others, he manages to perform the Great Seal, and thus sealing Nyx. Ryoji's voice would later reappear, telling that the protagonist had already found his answer to life, and fades away.

Persona 3 Portable
In the PSP version of the game, Ryoji represents the Fortune Arcana social link. It automatically starts on the 9th November, however, this is only for the Female Protagonist's route.

His Social Link, although short-lived and requires the player's full participation to max out his link, states about his time as a human on earth spending time with the Female Protagonist. He was first introduced to her by Junpei Iori, and they became fast friends despite Aigis' hostility towards Ryoji. As time flew by, Ryoji developed strong romantic feelings for the protagonist, although strangely saddened whenever he is with her, that he considers their relationship as a "Forbidden Love." He leaves the Female Protagonist before the next full moon, teary-eyed.

His Social Link will be maxed if the Player lets Ryoji live in the December 31 decision, where the player receives a glowing ring as a remembrance of his time on earth, saying that he will survive his heartbreak if she kept it.

Trivia

 * The surname "Mochizuki" means Full Moon.
 * He shares his last name with Mari Mochizuki from Devil Survivor.
 * The reason why Ryoji's shadow form is similiar to Thanatos is perhaps because he himself is Thanatos, since he also doesn't like pain and people suffering.
 * He has a mole under his left eye and his eyes are blue, similar to Pharos.