Kasumi Yoshizawa

Kasumi Yoshizawa (芳澤 かすみ, Yoshizawa Kasumi), later revealed to be named Sumire Yoshizawa (芳澤 すみれ, Yoshizawa Sumire) is a character in the 2019 re-release of Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal. She is a rhythmic gymnast, like her sister, as well as a transfer student to Shujin Academy, like the protagonist, Joker. She serves as a non-playable character for a large portion of the game, being revealed near the end of the game as being called Sumire, who assumed the identity of her dead sister, Kasumi. Kasumi also appeared in the manga adaptation of Persona 5 and the game Persona 5 Tactica as downloadable content.

Yoshizawa was designed by Shigenori Soejima, who used a photo of a ponytail to help inspire other aspects of her design. She is voiced by Laura Post in English and Sora Amamiya in Japanese.

Yoshizawa, like most characters in Persona 5, was designed by Shigenori Soejima.^[1] Throughout the game, Yoshizawa has a total of three Personas: Cendrillon, Vanadis, and Ella.^{[citation needed]} In an interview with GameSpot, Soejima stated that every character he designs has a "jumping-off point," with hers being a picture of how to create a ponytail. He found this image, showing a ponytail from behind, cute, and influenced how he would design her face as well.^[2]:

The website for Persona 5 describes Yoshizawa as a "beautiful girl who enrolled at Shujin Academy in the spring of the same year as the protagonist transferred in."^[3] It also states she "achieved excellent results as a rhythmic gymnast since middle school."

Sumire Yoshizawa, introduced to Joker as Kasumi, represents the Faith arcana.^[4] At first, unlike all other social links in the game, Yoshizawa has only five ranks, but after the beginning of the third semester, it expands to ten.^{[citation needed][5]} In Persona 5 Royal, the focus of Yoshizawa's social link is originally her and gymnastics. In game, on October 3, after finishing third-place in a competition, Yoshizawa becomes at risk of losing her honor student status.^[6] After this, Yoshizawa, accompanied by Joker and Morgana, accidentally enter the Metaverse, the place where Joker and the Phantom Thieves are able to "change the hearts" of people.^[7]

Near the beginning of the third semester of Persona 5 Royal, it is revealed that Kasumi is not the real name of Yoshizawa, but rather the name of her deceased sister, and that Yoshizawa's real name is Sumire. Kasumi died due to Kasumi chasing Sumire running into a busy street. Due to the extreme guilt and trauma Sumire received from the incident, she received therapy from Dr. Takuto Maruki, Shujin Academy's therapist.^{[citation needed]} Maruki uses cognitive intervention and psychology on Sumire to make her believe she is Kasumi. In the third semester, she comes to accept that she is Sumire and that Kasumi is dead.^{[citation needed]}

Yoshizawa, as well as Goro Akechi, appear in Persona 5 Tactica as downloadable content.^[8] She also appears in the manga adaptation of Persona 5.^[9]

Yoshizawa appears as a free skin in the free-to-play horror game Identity V.^[10][11]

Much of the reception around Yoshizawa and her story has been positive^[12], with some parts of her character having mixed reviews. Polygon's Laura Dale stated that Persona 5 Royal's additions, including Yoshizawa, made her want to "replay a game that is likely to take [a player] over 100 hours to complete."^[13] In IGN's review of Persona 5 Royal, Leana Hafer stated that the new characters in the game, including Yoshizawa, are "rewarding," although later saying that it was disappointing that the character doesn't join the Phantom Thieves until the third semester.^[14] Siliconera's Jenni Lada, in a review of Persona 5 Royal, said that Yoshizawa "ends up being someone we might find ourselves identifying with."^[6] Game Informer writer Joe Juba considered her among the best characters of 2020, discussing how her outward appearance and inward struggles reflected how someone being "cheerful and optimistic" doesn't mean there isn't something more complicated going on.^[15] Polygon writer Laura Dale felt that, while Kasumi was well written, she felt "forced" in how she was presented in the early part of the story, having little to do with the conflict.^[16] Game Rant writer Olive Haugh felt disappointed that Yoshizawa was not involved in the fight against Shido; believing that the reasoning for dismissing her - that it was too dangerous - was not strong, as she believed she was capable enough. She felt that the player's knowledge that she would join the Phantom Thieves eventually makes this decision feel like a poorly conceived reason to have her join the Phantom Thieves later. She also argued that Shido's Palace was the only Palace that doesn't introduce a new character, and her joining then would fit the formula used in all other Palaces.^[17]