Welcome
Welcome to Cherri's One Page tribute Hot Fuzz, to Koromaru from Persona 3, Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable. I was playing Persona 3 FES with my sister, Snow because of a Persona Project some friends and I were doing. My main goal was Akihiko but I am quite fond of Koromaru as well and decided to make a small tribute to the little fella.
Persona 3 is about a teenage boy who lost his parents 10 years prior to the events that are happening now. The young man moves to a new place and is staying at the Iwatodai Dorms with some a few other students. When he arrives at Iwatodai Station something strange happens. Everything shuts off, there is no electricity, no sounds, nothing. The eerie glow from the moon and coffins where people once stood is all that remains. The young man is unaffected and continues on. When he arrives at the dorm a little boy talks about a contract for the next year stating that the newcomer is responsible for all his choices. This young man signs the contract. He spends his next days getting to know his dorm mates, classmates, and the people of Tatsumi Port Island. However, these dorm mates (and himself) have a special power called “Persona” that will help them in the coming year from terrible things called “Shadows” and the people responsible for many deaths. Through the year many choices are made, battles are fought, friends are lost, and hope is found.
Nagasaki Shrine
Koromaru (Koro for short) is a shiba-inu breed dog and guardian of Nagasaki Shrine. His owner and master died six month previous to the events of Persona 3. The two went for a walk and the master was hit by a car. Koromaru still goes on walks just as he went with his master. He stays by the shrine most days and guards it. In fact Koro projects the shrine from a shadow before SEES can get there. He gets wounded but Akihiko calls up the group and wants to save the little fella. Upon their arrival they do what they can to stop the bleeding and take him a vet that Mitsuru arranges. They are able to help him and Koro becomes a member of SEES and can summon a persona, Cerberus.
Koro doesn't really have a huge role in Persona 3 but his role is important. He gets sad when he is left behind on missions, it's not all the missions just certain ones. However, he has shown he can hold his own against tough foes. The group leaves him behind one mission but are captured and nearly killed. Nearly because Koromaru sweeps in and distracts the enemy long enough for them to get safe. He had to run there all by himself and fight whatever got in his way. He is a tough little guy.
Koromaru isn't too bad in battle either. Though he yelps when he gets hit. So I don't actually use him too often as I don't like hearing those sounds. His persona, Cerberus, is fire and dark based. I think that comes from the fact that he was based off of Cerberus from Greek mythology. I think Koromaru was able to get a persona from undergoing a hard time in his life, losing his master and accepting it.
Cerberus is based off of Cerberus from Greek Mythology. Cerberus in battle nullifies fire (agi) and dark (mudo) and is weak to light (hama). I believe this is because Koromaru had come to terms with his master death and fire is his element. Cerberus in mythology is the guard dog of the Underworld. With three heads. One head represents keeping people out, one keeps the dead in, and the final head devours whatever (spirit or living) makes it through. In fact it was really hard to pass this pup. Music or beating it in battle was the only way but very few where able to do it (Orpheus and Heracles are the only two that I know of that made it past Cerberus). As for being weak to light that might because of his master, the light would represent him. Koromaru and Cerberus are similar; they both guard their master’s houses and it’s real tough to get past them. And they are cute puppies.
Koromaru has the strength arcana and replaces Yuko as the social link for it in the girl version. In the tarot deck, strength was once called fortitude. It meant more of moderation of attitude towards pain and danger, with neither being avoided at all costs, nor actively wanted. Here I thought the strength was for toughness and power. In modern times this card stresses discipline and control. I think it’s perfect for Koromaru as he is like a monk, a puppy monk. When it comes to battle, it’s mostly internal rather than external. From what I gathered this card represents being able to handle pain and danger, discipline and control and internal battles. All of which suit Koromaru. He is like a little ronin (I say ronin because he doesn’t have a master anymore).
Koromaru himself was based off of Hachiko the loyal dog. Except Hachiko was an Akita-inu, which is similar to the shiba-inu. These two have quite a few similarities. They are both Japanese breed dogs, they lost their masters, they continued waiting for their masters to come home and they are inspiring. These pups are tough and adorable. Both have captured my heart.
Koromaru isn't particularly close with any one at the dorm. Fuuka and Yukari both know him and spend time with him at the shrine before he becomes a member. Junpei offers to be the first to walk him. Aigis can translate for him and Shinji makes him the best meals, this makes him closest to these two. While the group and Koromaru love each other there isn't a lot of interaction between them except for walks. Koro also won't eat Yukari's cooking. He is given premium dog food and sometimes leftovers (mostly from Akihiko). In the girl version of Persona 3 Portable Koromaru is a social link. In FES, Koro seems close with Junpei. They team up as a neutral party between Mitsuru/Yukari and Akihiko/Ken. Koro and Jupei agree on something and stick with it.
I really like Koromaru. My reasons are is that he is a cute doggie that can use a knife. And he is really loyal to his friends. There isn't a whole lot of depth to my reason for liking him. He's just cute. Makes me want a shiba-inu myself. I get very attached to animals, I love them.
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Please don't direct link. Url: http://one.piratesboard.net/koro
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