Makoto Niijima

Makoto Niijima
{{{content1}}} {{{content2}}} Makoto's official artwork from Persona 5
Universe	Persona
Debut	Persona 5 (2016)
Smash Bros. appearances	Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	AFK Arena (2020, via crossover)
Console/platform of origin	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Designed by	Shigenori Soejima
English voice actor	Cherami Leigh
Japanese voice actor	Rina Satō
Article on Wikipedia	Makoto Niijima

Makoto Niijima (新島 真, Niijima Makoto) is a character that originates from Persona 5.

Origin

In Persona 5, Makoto Niijima is a third year student at Shujin Academy, and a senior to the protagonist. She is the school's student council president and a model honors student. Underlying her calm and composed demeanor however is a girl with extreme social and self-confidence issues, linked mostly to her orphanage: after the deaths of her parents, most of the responsibility was thrust onto her older sister, public prosecutor Sae Niijima. She hopes of getting a good job just to lay some responsibility off of her sister, and studies almost mindlessly as a consequence. Makoto is unable to register many social cues and has very few friends, making her very unpopular among the students despite being council president. This problem is exacerbated after the school's volleyball coach Kamoshida confesses to physically and sexually abusing his students (as a result of the Phantom Thieves changing his heart). As Makoto knew about his crimes, many believed that she chose to stay silent out of respect for Kamoshida, finding her to be concerned only with getting a good letter of recommendation from the faculty. In reality, however, Makoto wanted to say something but felt powerless against the principal, who encouraged her not to speak about it, as Kamoshida was an Olympic medalist who helped make the school famous with his achievements.

As the Phantom Thieves grow in popularity, Makoto is ordered by the principal to track the clandestine group down. After stalking the protagonist for a couple of days, she correctly deduces that they are Shujin students led by the protagonist, and threatens to reveal their identities to the principal; however, she makes a deal with them to have them change the heart of a mafia boss extorting Shujin students. When they are unable to get close to the Mafia boss, she offers herself up as bait, allowing the Phantom Thieves to learn his name, Junya Kaneshiro, and gain a meeting with him at the expense of being set up for blackmail.

Feeling responsible for their predicament, Makoto enters the Metaverse with the other Phantom Thieves, which allows them to enter Kaneshiro's palace, as in Kaneshiro's distorted cognition, she is a customer of his bank. Disgusted by what she witnesses, awakens her Persona, becoming one of the Phantom Thieves, with the codename Queen. As a member, she becomes the team's advisor, analyzing enemy weaknesses and a fighter. In battle, she uses fist weapons and revolvers, and has access to nuclear and healing spells. After joining the Thieves, she looks to break out of her shell with Joker's help.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As a background character

Makoto Niijima appears on the Mementos stage in her Queen costume.

Makoto's appearance in All-Out Attack (bottom).

Assist Role

Makoto appears in one of the variations of Joker's All-Out Attack, fighting alongside Yusuke Kitagawa and Haru Okumura.

Spirits

No.	Image	Name	Type	Class	Cost	Ability	Series
1,306		Phantom Thieves of Hearts		★★★★	1	Item Autograb	Persona Series
1,313		Makoto Niijima		★	1	Fist Attack ↑	Persona Series

Gallery

• MakotoNiijima.jpg

  Makoto on Mementos.

External links

• Article on the Megami Tensei Wiki