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"...Recently, I went to visit the persimmon tree, and I met a student on my way back. He told me that the school is planning to build a new addition. It would be selfish of an old man like me to deprie those young people of new learning opportunities... I think it'd make our son happy, too, since he was a teacher. Helping those kids is more important than hanging on to his memory."
—Bunkichi, Persona 3

Bunkichi and Mitsuko are characters from Persona 3. Although they would have no family name, Kitamura would be canonically confirmed in Persona 3 Portable.

Appearances[]

Personality[]

Bunkichi and Mitsuko are like fire and ice, and the common theme that causes them to stick together are their attempts to cope with the past. While Mitsuko is bound to the past, afraid of repeating the same mistakes, Bunkichi tries to forget about the past entirely, speaking as if he's in his youth while actively being forgetful, making him vulnerable to said mistakes in comparison: in their relationship, Bunkichi can be insensitive towards Mitsuko's feelings, who cares for him. Also, Mitsuko might cling to the past in fear of discarding those precious to her, as they've lost an important family member in their life.

Both are forced to re-evaluate their relationships with the past once their son's symbolic persimmon tree is scheduled to be removed. After fighting for the past indirectly through the help of others making signatures to protect the tree, insisting that it's a memorial of his death, they are relieved.

But after thinking about the future of the students, the couple decides to take matters into their own hands and have the persimmon tree cut down, honoring their son's memory through letting it give foundation for the future.

Profile[]

Persona 3[]

Main article: Social Link/Bunkichi and Mitsuko

Bunkichi and his wife Mitsuko are first seen upon the opening of their bookstore "Bookworms" on April 25. The Hierophant Arcana Social Link is initiated by the protagonist speaking to the old couple, then bringing them a leaf from the persimmon tree in the Gekkoukan High School courtyard. Then the old couple invites the protagonist to visit them when he can, which includes the days the bookstore is open, Monday through Saturday. Bunkichi is a stereotypical caring but senile old man, often seen speaking to himself, but unaware he is doing it. Mitsuko is the quiet but sweet wife, very emotional at times.

During each visit, Bunkichi shoves an item in the protagonist's pocket amidst conversation, and the protagonist refusing the item will only upset him. It is usually a small insignificant item gameplay-wise, such as melon bread or a carbonated beverage, but something that shows that the old couple cares. As the Social Link progresses, the protagonist learns that the old couple's son once taught at Gekkoukan, but died in a car crash. Bunkichi and Mitsuko later reveal that the persimmon tree was planted in the courtyard in memory of their late son. It then comes to the attention of the old couple that the school plans to demolish the courtyard, persimmon tree and all, in favor of building a new wing of the school.

At first, Mitsuko is grief-stricken and Bunkichi cannot find words, and mistakenly sees the protagonist as the leader of a petition to cease the demolition of the courtyard. Later, the old couple comes to a conclusion that education is more important than memories, and agrees that their son would prefer that the school further its education. They are then thrilled to hear that the tree will be moved to another section of the school, but nevertheless preserved. Bunkichi gives the protagonist a Persimmon Fruit for being such a good friend of theirs.

If the protagonist completes the Social Link, then the Persona Kohryu will be unlocked for fusion.

Persona 3 Portable[]

In Portable, Bookworms is now open on every day except Mondays.

On 9/12, The S. Link will be suspended because Bunkichi will become trapped in Tartarus. If the protagonist goes to the bulletin board in front of the police station, they'll see that their last name is Kitamura. If Bunkichi is not rescued before 4/10, the Hierophant Social Link will be inaccessible for the rest of the playthrough.

Persona 3 The Movie[]

In the movie, they make a small cameo in the bookstore where Fuuka Yamagishi is looking around for a book.

In Other Languages[]

Language Titles
Flag of the United States English Bunkichi Kitamura Mitsuko Kitamura
Flag of Japan Japanese 北村 文吉 (Kitamura Bunkichi) 北村 光子 (Kitamura Mitsuko)
Flag of South Korea Korean 키무라 분키치라고 (Kimura Bunkichi) 키무라 히카루코라고 (Kimura Hikaruko)

Etymology[]

Bunkichi Kitamura[]

  • The name Bunkichi means "writing" (文) (bun) and "lucky, good" (吉) (kichi).
  • Bunkichi's surname Kitamura means "north" (北) (kita) and "town, village" (村) (mura).

Mitsuko Kitamura[]

  • The name Mitsuko means "light" (光) (mitsu) and "child" (子) (ko).
  • Mitsuko's surname Kitamura means "north" (北) (kita) and "town, village" (村) (mura).

Gallery[]


Characters
Playable Male protagonist - Female protagonist - Yukari Takeba - Junpei Iori - Akihiko Sanada - Mitsuru Kirijo - Fuuka Yamagishi - Aigis - Koromaru - Ken Amada - Shinjiro Aragaki - Metis
Social Link Kenji Tomochika - Hidetoshi Odagiri - Bunkichi and Mitsuko - Kazushi Miyamoto - Chihiro Fushimi - Isako Toriumi - Keisuke Hiraga - Yuko Nishiwaki - Maiko Oohashi - Pharos - Bebe - President Tanaka - Mutatsu - Mamoru Hayase - Nozomi Suemitsu - Akinari Kamiki - Rio Iwasaki - Saori Hasegawa - Ryoji Mochizuki
Major Igor - Elizabeth - Theodore - Shuji Ikutsuki - Officer Kurosawa - Takaya Sakaki - Jin Shirato - Chidori Yoshino - Takeharu Kirijo - Kouetsu Kirijo - Eiichiro Takeba - Natsuki Moriyama - Nyx - Erebus - Margaret
Minor Kiyoshi Sakuma - Mr. Edogawa - Mr. Ekoda - Ms. Miyahara - Ms. Ounishi - Mrs. Terauchi - Kikuno Saikawa - Yuu Kimijima - Souta Aizawa - Kyouka Sayama
Cameo Yukiko Amagi - Noriko Kashiwagi - Man Drinking Alone
Location
Port Island Gekkoukan High School - Paulownia Mall - Iwatodai Station - Port Island Station - Naganaki Shrine - Dorm - Moonlight Bridge - Velvet Room
Tartarus Blocks: Thebel - Arqa - Yabbashah - Tziah - Harabah - Adamah - Monad Depths
Abyss of Time Malebolge - Cocytus - Caina - Antenora - Ptolomea - Judecca - Empyrean
Other Kyoto - Great Seal
Music
Albums Original Soundtrack (JP / US / FES / Portable) - Bonus CD - Burn My Dread -Reincarnation- - Spring of Birth OST - Midsummer Knight's Dream OST - Falling Down OST - Winter Of Rebirth OST - Persona 20th Anniversary All Time Best Album
Songs "Burn My Dread" - "Aria of the Soul" - "Want To Be Close" - "When the Moon Reaches for the Stars" - "Iwatodai Dorm" - "Mass Destruction" - "Color Your Night" - "Deep Breath Deep Breath" - "The Meaning of Armbands" - "Deep Mentality" - "It's Going Down Now" - "Changing Seasons" - "Current Net Price Tanaka" - "Battle Hymn of the Soul" - "Kimi no Kioku" - "P3 FES" - "Mass Destruction -P3fes version-" - "Heartful Cry" - "Brand New Days" - "Soul Phrase" - "A Way of Life" - "Time" - "Wiping All Out" - "More Than One Heart" - "Fate is In Our Hands" - "One Single Word" - "One Hand, One Heartbeat" - "One Determination" - "Sound of the Beast" - "Storm for a Butterfly" - "Light in Starless Sky" - "My Testimony" - "Self Redemption"
Archives
Terminology Persona (Initial / Prime / Ultimate) - Persona user - Shadow - Wild Card - Evoker - Attack Properties - Tactics - All-out Attack - Shuffle Time - Dark Hour - Moon Phase System - Full Moon Operations - SEES - Kirijo Group - Nanjo Group - Strega - Artificial Persona user - Suppressants - Apathy Syndrome - The Fall - Death - Who's Who - Phoenix Ranger Featherman R - Plume of Dusk
P3RE: Shift - Theurgy - Combat Characteristics
Lists Arcana - Personas (P3 - FES - P - R) - Shadows - Bosses (P3 - FES) - Skills - Items (Heart Items / Vending Machines) - Status Effects - Elizabeth's Requests - Activities - Calendar - Trophies (Portable / Reload) - Steam Profile Items - Patches and Updates
School Life Daily Life - Seasons - Social Link - Social Stats - Yen - Class - Studying - Movie Theater - Bed - Part-time Jobs - Shrine - Tanaka's Amazing Commodities - Crane Machine - Chagall Café - School Club - Linked Episode - Computer - Refrigerator - Gardening / Books / DVDs / Cooking - Studying - Fortune Telling
Other Media
Games FES - Portable - Reload - Dancing in Moonlight
Productions The Movie - The Movie: Escape from the Dark Hour - the Weird Masquerade: -Ao no Kakusei- / -Gunjou no Meikyuu- / -Souen no Kesshou- / -Ai no Seiyaku- / -Hekikuu no Kanata e- - Persona Stalker Club - 「PERSORA AWARDS」 - PERSORA AWARDS 2 - PERSORA AWARDS 3 - Persora -The Golden Best-
Drama CDs A Certain Day of Summer - Daylight / Moonlight - Character Drama CD Vol. 1 / Vol. 2 / Vol. 3 / Vol. 4 / Vol. 5 - New Moon / Full Moon - Portable Vol. 1 / Vol. 2
Publications Manga - Shadow Cry - Memento Mori - Owari no Kakera - Alternative Heart - Velvet Blue - Persona Magazine - Dear Girls Comic Anthology - Dengeki Comic Anthology - Tartarus Theater - Persona VS
Mobile Games The Night Before - Persona Ain Soph - Social - Escape - Illust Puzzle - Broken Shadow - Aegis: The First Mission - Qix - Chaining Soul - Em
Events Music Live 2008 - Music Live 2009 - Music Tour 2010 - Music Live 2012 - Music Fes 2013 - Music Box 2014 - Super Live 2015 - Livehouse Tour 2015 - Super Live 2017 - Super Live 2019- 25th Anniversary Symphonic Concert
20th Anniversary Festival - 25th Anniversary - 25th FES
Miscellaneous Merchandise
  1. P3R Social Link Description
    Runs the bookstore Bookworms with her husband at the Iwatodai strip mall. Turned 72 years old this year.
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