Ryoji Mochizuki

**Ryoji Mochizuki** is a supporting character in Persona Record Series. He is a transfer student who enrolled into Gekkoukan High School later and became known for his flirtatious nature.

## Background

After the defeat of the twelve Greater Shadows, followed by the exposure of Ikutsuki's deceit and his simultaneous death, Ryoji shows up as a transfer student, claiming his parents are working overseas. Ryoji's flirtatious personality immediately gains people's attention and his frequent antics with Junpei causes him to often get on Yukari's nerves. Aigis continually expresses an unknown feeling of hostility toward him and repeatedly warns Minato Arisato to keep his guard up around Ryoji.

Despite the warnings, Ryoji later befriends Junpei Iori and Yukari Takeba, along with Minato and the other members of SEES. He proclaims to be from a rich family, and is apparently very popular with his classmates. During a school trip, Ryoji, Junpei, Akihiko, and Minato attempt to get in a hot spring with the girls by "mistaking" the time. Eventually, Yukari, Mitsuru, Fuuka, and Aigis show up in the hot spring, much to Akihiko's panic and fear. Depending on Minato's actions, he could either escape from the girls' vision or get caught for being a "peeping Tom". Should Minato successfully avoid the girls, Ryoji and Junpei will faint from staying in the hot springs for too long.

Ryoji's true past is revealed after Aigis eventually senses who he really is. She confronts him one night during the Dark Hour on the Moonlight Bridge. At first, Ryoji can't remember what led him there, or why Aigis shows such hostility toward him. Aigis explains what she really is and her true purpose as an Anti-Shadow Weapon. She claims to have fought against Ryoji at that same location 10 years ago. This triggers his memories of his true identity, the anthropomorphic personification of Death, and Ryoji easily halts Aigis' assault, heavily wounding her. He faints after SEES arrives, but explains his true identity the next day.

Ryoji was sealed inside Minato's body 10 years ago by Aigis, after she realized Death can not be defeated. Being locked away within Minato's body as a child manifested the identity known as Pharos. Defeating the twelve shadows manifested the identity known as Ryoji Mochizuki. He explains that he is the "Appriser" of Nyx, and is destined to be the harbinger of Death (ultimately becoming the Avatar of Nyx). However, he feels misery and guilt because of the connection between Minato and his other identity, Pharos. Thus Ryoji offers SEES the option to kill him, instead of facing Nyx, but gives them a month to think about it.

On December 31, Ryoji asks for SEES to make their decision and self-invites himself into Minato's room and sits on his bed. Ryoji would issue an offer where Minato could kill him, so the memories of the Dark Hour (the cause of all of SEES' pain and suffering) can be erased, allowing them to live their lives as normal high-school students until the inevitable arrival of Nyx on the promised day. In an further attempt to persuade Minato to kill him, Ryoji also took the form of Thanatos.

On January 31, Ryoji appears at the top of Tartarus, where he now manifests as the Nyx Avatar, bearing the potential and skills that the twelve previous shadows possessed. Throughout the battle he shifts from one Arcana to another 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 him not to regret, as this is Minato's "own decision".

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

## Appearance

Ryoji has black, swept back hair, blue eyes, and a beauty mark under his left eye. He wears the school uniform of Gekkoukan High School, with the added detail of folded black sleeves. He also wears black suspenders, a watch with crossed straps on his left wrist, and a yellow scarf. He is never seen without his scarf except in Kyoto.

## Personality

Without his memories as Death, Ryoji is very flirtatious and lively, though the latter route reveals a far better understanding of him through his Social Link, fully revealing his kind, gentle, caring and empathetic personality. However, like Junpei, Ryoji can be very perverted at times, especially in the Hot Springs trip in Kyoto.

In reality, Ryoji is a manifestation of Death that manifested after the 12 Arcana Shadows were all destroyed and reunited, cue Shuji Ikutsuki's deceit. Once this truth unravels in earnest, he allows Minato to decide if he delays the inevitable, or dread facing a supposedly impossible to deal with entity, while convincing him to choose the former for him and his friends well-being. After being defeated as the Nyx Avatar, Ryoji also laments that if there are more people like S.E.E.S, then the fall could be prevented.

## Abilities

Ryoji can transform into Nyx avatar during battle and Ryoji's Persona is Nyx.

## Relationship

### Minato Arisato

When Ryoji moved in as a student of Gekkoukan High School, he came to befriend him and learned later that Ryoji was sealed in Minato's body ten years ago by Aigis. Ryoji asks Minato to kill him, but Minato refuses to kill him, leading Ryoji to decide to give SEES members useful information on defeating Nyx. When they defeat Nyx, Ryoji fades away. Even though Ryoji was initially hostile to him, he still kept his friendship forever.

### Aigis

Ryoji used to be an enemy of Aigis and was sealed in Minato's body ten years ago, but when Ryoji was released and in a state of amnesia. Even though he was like a normal child, Aigis was still his enemy, trying to get rid of him before he made another evil plan.

### Magical girls

Ryoji has helped all the magical girls and joined them as an alliance.

### Madoka Kaname

Ryoji was stunned when he saw Madoka in the god form in their fight against Erebus and he was amazed when Madoka gave Minato immortality in order to defend humanity as he wanted.

## Trivia

* His surname "Mochizuki," can be translated to "full moon."
* He shares his last name with Mari Mochizuki from *Devil Survivor*.
* Ryoji's true form as The Appriser is Thanatos, "the bringer of death."

## Gallery

Concept artwork of RyojiConcept artwork of Ryoji's costumeConcept artwork of RyojiRyoji and MinatoRyoji with his bang downRyoji's designRyoji and ChihiroRyoji posing with MinatoRyoji and MinatoMinato and Ryoji