Few of the Phantom Thieves members are as renowned as the navigator herself that we will cover in the Futaba Sakura guide. Futaba is an iconic member of the Thieves and an invaluable member of the team. She is able to support the team in a way that ensures that they are able to succeed no matter what the mission is.
It helps, too, that Futaba has a tragic and heartwarming story. Because of this, the community adores Futaba Sakura. As such, it is only right that our Futaba Sakura guide covers everything that we know about her. From her history with the Phantom Thieves to fun facts you may not know, here is what you should know about Futaba.
Bottom Line Up Front
Futaba Sakura is the seventh member of the Phantom Thieves. Joining around the midway point of Persona 5, she is one of the most important members. Not only is she closely related to Joker through Sojiro, but she is the navigator for the team.
The daughter of Sojiro Sakura, the guardian of the player character, is a recluse. Because of tragic events from her past, she secluded herself inside her room. But it is the Phantom Thieves who are able to bring her out of her shell.
Through them, she is the support for the team who does not participate in battles but assists with heals and information. Futaba Sakura appears in Persona 5, Royal, Strikers, and other games and media. She is also one of the most popular Phantom Thieves members of all time.
Who Is Futaba Sakura?
The navigator and main support of the Phantom Thieves are Futaba Sakura. Every major team since Persona 3 included a supporting character, and Futaba is the one for Persona 5. She is not an active participant in battles themselves, but she is still an invaluable member of the team.
This is due to her support abilities. She may not fight but she can throw down skills, heals, and more to assist the team. Whenever the player is in a pinch, there is a chance that she will swoop in to save the day. Futaba has the codename Oracle as part of the Phantom Thieves.
In addition, she is a genius hacker while only being a middle school girl. She is renowned online as a member of the Medjed hacker group and eventually joins the Phantom Thieves after investigating them. She is also close to Joker as the daughter of Sojiro, his guardian.
Futaba has a difficult past that affected her greatly. It is to the point where she can no longer leave the house and remains in her room 24/7. As one of the most realistic and heartfelt characters in Persona 5, it should come as no surprise that she is a favorite for fans. Futaba Sakura is the seventh member of the Phantom Thieves and also the only one in the group to have her own Persona Palace.
Appearance
Like the other Phantom Thieves, Futaba has two main appearances. The first of these is her standard outfit. This is what she wears daily and outside of the Metaverse. On the other hand, she also has her Phantom Thieves gear. This is when she ventures into the Metaverse and helps out the team in battle.
Everyday Outfit
What is interesting about Futaba, in comparison to everyone else, is that she does not go to school. Since she is not a student, she doesn’t have the standard school uniform. Instead, her typical outfit in the game is all about her casual clothing. This is mainly the outfit that she wears at home.
For starters, her shirt is a low-cut one that is white with a red symbol on it. The shirt does not cover her shoulders. This is likely due to the fact that she has a tank top underneath. This black tank top is a spaghetti strap shirt. Over the two shirts, she wears a rather large jacket.
In fact, she seems to even like wearing this coat when it is hot outside. It is a mostly green coat with grayish-white fur at its top. This fur is puffy and adds an interesting touch to the outfit. On the bottom, she only wears short black shorts.
Paired with these shorts are very long black boots that almost go all the way up to her knees. Even longer than those boots are the black stockings that she wears that go past her knees. She has orange-colored hair and wears large circular glasses. She typically has some headphones around her ears.
Phantom Thieves Gear
She is quite different when it comes to the Phantom Thieves version of Futaba. She retains her orange hair and large glasses, but that is all really. Her outfit turns into a black, green jumpsuit covering her from head to toe. The main body of the suit is a darker green.
Meanwhile, the bottom half is mostly black with a little bit of green here and there. Her shoes stand out for being a bright lime green in contrast to the darker colors. The same goes for her hands, as she wears gloves that are also bright green on her fingers.
Finally, she has goggles that she wears on her head. The goggles have the appearance of almost beetle eyes. Occasionally, she will put them on in the middle of fights in the Metaverse. The goggles may allow her to see data on the battlefield, but we do not know that for sure.
Personality
Futaba has a personality with multiple layers to her. For starters, there is the genius that she is. When she first enters the story, she is the hacker known as Medjed. One of the most excellent hackers in the world, she has no rivals and is the best of her kind. This shows her intellect and expertise.
At the same time, though, she is a recluse. This is due to traumatic events from her past that affected her significantly. This situation is to the point where she is unable to leave the house. Her fear of the outside world grips her and keeps her from moving forward in life.
Despite this, Futaba has a sense of wonder and curiosity within her. She wants to know more about the outside world and has an interest in it. It is only that her trauma is holding her back from being who she truly can be. It could even be said that she is a carefree person.
When she is able to enjoy doing things, she is fun and outgoing. This is a stark contrast to the otherwise shy personality that she has. It is very much possible that Futaba would be an extrovert of the highest level under other circumstances. We can certainly glimpse that when she is with her friends in the Phantom Thieves as well as with Sojiro.
Key Relationships
Since Futaba keeps to herself, the beginning of the game sees her have a relationship with only one person: her dad, Sojiro. She remains at home, so there is no one else that she has any contact with. Thankfully, this changes with the events of Persona 5.
Over time, she gets to know the Phantom Thieves. Through this, she makes many friends in the group and becomes close with several of them. There are a few, though, that she is exceptionally close with. Joker, for instance, is someone who is like a big brother to her. She sees him instantly as family, and he is a huge help to her.
There is also Morgana, who has a love-hate sort of relationship with Futaba. They joke around and make fun of one another many times. Beyond that, she has a decent enough friendship with everyone else in the group. Makoto and Haru both seem to be good friends of hers. She also does not mind poking fun at Ryuji Sakamoto, as everyone else does.
Oddly enough, I do not really see her spend too much time talking with Ann or Yusuke, though. And Goro is a rather interesting story. She likely has a rivalry, if not outright dislike of Akechi for various reasons. There is even possibly a point where she sees him as the enemy due to him being a detective investigating the Phantom Thieves initially.
Voice Actor
Futaba Sakura has one of the most memorable voices in all of Persona 5. This is even the case whether you are playing the game in English or Japanese. In the Japanese version of the game, her voice is Aoi Yuuki. Yuuki plays a variety of lovable characters in both anime and video games.
Some of her most memorable roles in clued Tanya in Tanya the Evil and Tsuyu Asui (hero name Froppy) in My Hero Academia. Futaba is another example of how great the Persona 5 English dub is on the English side. I’ve said it before on our site, but normally, I like the Japanese voiceovers.
However, Persona 5 has an excellent English cast that matches the Japanese versions quite well. Futaba’s English voice actor is a prime example of this. Erica Lindbeck plays Futaba, and she is one of the most famous anime and game actors right now. You might know her from other roles like Shionne in Tales of Arise and Kaori Miyazono in Your Lie in April.
Abilities
The abilities of Futaba Sakura come down to two distinct areas. For one, she is a Persona user like the rest of the Thieves. With this, comes the typical abilities that they have. She is able to go into the Metaverse, interact with Personas, and so on.
However, there is a unique factor to Sakura in that she also is a navigator. This is a unique role that not every Persona user is able to do. There is usually only one or two per game, and she is the supporter in Persona 5. Because of this, she is able to do more than just summon Personas.
Persona User
As a Persona user, Futaba has the ability to enter the Metaverse. The Metaverse is the setting for Persona 5’s Palace dungeons. Here, she is able to summon her own Persona to deal with the shadows. This is similar to the rest of the Phantom Thieves members.
What is different about Futaba’s Persona in the game is that she does not actually fight with it. Though she has a Persona and it has some attack skills, she does not participate in the battles. This is an element of the games that the series does not really address too well.
Instead, Futaba’s Persona is one that she uses for navigation purposes. That said, she still has the same general abilities as everyone else. She even is able to upgrade her Persona like the others. Through certain events in the story, the player can help Futaba to evolve her Persona.
Navigator
With her Persona, she is able to be the main support for the team. As the navigator, her goal requires her to not participate in the battles. Instead, she acts as the scout and tactician for the Phantom Thieves. While the others are fighting, she constantly gives out information and makes calls.
She is able to read the opponents, analyze them, and provide key info. For instance, she can tell the team what the weaknesses and resistances are of a shadow. The most valuable part of her navigation, though, is possibly the fact that she is able to use skills in the middle of battle.
While you cannot control her like the other party members, she does help out in fights. She will randomly swoop in to save the day at times, offering assistance with skills. Some of the skills are behind the Confidant system, but they are useful nonetheless.
She is able to heal the health of the team, give buffs, heal SP, and so on. There are many insanely helpful skills that Futaba can use in battle. Without her assistance, the Phantom Thieves would not have the logistics and strategy that they have.
It helps, too, that Futaba is naturally a genius. In the real world alone, she has intelligence on a level unlike anyone else in the game. She knows computers and technology inside and out. She is the best hacker in the world and a prodigy when it comes to strategy.
History
Futaba’s story begins partway through the events of Persona 5. As one of the later members to join the group, her plot comes about halfway into the game. However, she also has one of the most unique plots in the entire game. It is emotional like the other Thieves’ stories, but it benefits from a fascinating approach.
This goes without saying that there are going to be spoilers ahead. I will refrain from revealing too much information about some of the characters and their stories in the game. However, basically anything and everything that has to do with Futaba is fair game. This is your warning so skip this section if you do not want any spoilers at all.
Medjed Hacks the Phantom Thieves
The story of Futaba Sakura begins long before the events of the game. Though we do not see her until midway through the main plot, her story is a massively important one. At a young age, Futaba experienced tragedy with her mother’s untimely death.
She was quite young when this happened and it deeply scarred her. The events surrounding her mother’s death were strange but this was unknown to her at the time. She was subsequently adopted by Sojiro Sakura, the friend of her mother and not her real father.
Sojiro raised Futaba from a young child but she suffered from trauma regarding her mother’s death in front of her. This led to her shying away from other people and even going outside. She became unable to handle the weight of the outside world.
Soon enough, she stopped going to school and became a recluse. She never left the house and this became the norm for her. At the beginning of Persona 5, Joker moves in with Sojiro, who becomes his guardian. However, Joker lives at the cafe that Sojiro runs, not at his house, which is also nearby.
Because of this, Joker does not immediately know the existence of Futaba. Sojiro never even mentions her to the protagonist. After the Phantom Thieves form and complete some daring missions to steal hearts, they begin to catch the entire world’s attention.
The hacker Medjed learns about the Phantom Thieves and harasses them through this. They try to blackmail the team into doing their dirty work. In the end, the Phantom Thieves find out that Futaba is Medjed. She is a genius hacker on a level that is unrivaled in the entire world.
They agree to help her and end up finding a new Palace in the Metaverse. Unfortunately, the truth is that this is Futaba’s Palace. The Phantom Thieves begin investigating and solving the puzzles of the Egyptian pyramids-themed Palace.
Eventually, they come to the top of the pyramid after long battles and find Futaba’s shadow. Instead of her being the final boss, though, it represents Futaba’s late mother. In the middle of this climactic battle, Futaba starts to come to terms with her trauma and awakens to her Persona.
Supporting the Thieves
With the awakening of her Persona, Futaba finds that her hacker abilities work well in the Metaverse. She instantly starts guiding the team as their main navigator. Rather than fight in battle, she supports the team as their strategist.
With the defeat of her shadow and the change of her heart, Futaba opens up for the first time in her life to someone other than her mom and Sojiro. She becomes friends with the Phantom Thieves and formally joins them. As the navigator, she is an invaluable member of the group.
From there on, she supports the team through several Palaces as they investigate the police, the mastermind behind everything, and eventually more. Along the way, she becomes close with Joker, if the player so chooses to.
Through this, Joker becomes like a big brother or cousin to her. They become like family and Joker helps Futaba out. The crux of her Confidant storyline involves taking baby steps to deal with her fear of the outside world.
Since she hasn’t left her room in so long, it requires a lot of training to build up strength. Joker helps her by showing her how to interact with others, how to go to the electronics store alone, and more. She has the eventual goal of going to school again but it requires some build-up to get there.
There is even the chance to romance Futaba if some players desire. She is one of the girls that can be a love interest for the player. By connecting with Futaba on a deeper level, she begins to feel for the protagonist. The player can choose to accept these or not.
Navigating the Salvation of the World
In the end, Futaba plays a large role in the Phantom Thieves saving the world. She leads them through many tough battles, offering buffs, heals, and analysis along the way. She plans out routes through Palaces and assists in defeating powerful foes.
With her help, the Phantom Thieves save the world more than once. In Persona 5 Royal, the story continues with the third semester. In this time, the world changes in an insane way, and wishes come true. The desire of Futaba’s heart is for her mother to be alive, and that happens during this time.
She deals once more with the pain of loss and overcoming grief. Futaba does this with the help of her friends, especially Joker. While she does not especially like Akechi and barely gets to know Sumire, they are instrumental in helping her through a tragically happy semester.
Futaba in Other Games and Media
Futaba Sakura is one of the main characters of Persona 5, so it is no surprise that she appears beyond just this game. There is also Persona 5 Royal, which is the expanded version. She plays a similar role in that game but has a deeper storyline regarding her trauma in the third semester.
There is also the sequel/spin-off to Persona 5, Strikers, where she once again appears. Though everyone in the game is playable, she is not. Once again, she takes the role of the navigator for the team. She supports the team, this time with a new mission involving action-based gameplay.
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight sees Futaba don her dancing shoes. In this music spin-off, she is finally playable, as players can control her moves on the dance floor. There is also Persona Q2 on the Nintendo 3DS where she and the rest of the Phantom Thieves meet with casts of 3 and 4 for a dungeon-crawling adventure.
For those who are looking to see Futaba outside of games, there is also the Persona 5 animated series. This anime adaptation of the game’s main plot is almost beat for beat the same. As such, you are actually able to see Futaba and the storyline involving her Palace on the big screen without needing you to play it.
Fun Facts About Futaba Sakura
Here are some fun facts about the fan-favorite Futaba Sakura that you might not have known about:
- Futaba is the youngest member of the group (excluding possibly Morgana). She is the only one in the Phantom Thieves is around middle school age.
- She is also the only party member to have a Palace in the game. Though Goro Akechi was possibly going to have one originally, that did not come to fruition in the end.
- Every character in the Thieves has DLC outfits, including Futaba. However, because she is unavailable in battles as a party member, you can rarely see any outfits you equip on her. One of the few locations is within safe rooms.
- Speaking of equipment, Futaba reveals that her reason for not wearing contacts, instead of glasses, is that she worries about falling asleep with them on. Same, Futaba, same.
- She is also able to wear equipment for battle. The problem with this is that she does not even participate in fights. The reason for allowing this in the game is still unknown.
- In Persona 5 Strikers, Futaba reveals that she is now attending school occasionally.
- Futaba is one of the few party members to share a Persona with someone, and it is quite significant, too. She shares her final Persona with Baofu, a party member from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. This is notable since Baofu’s Japanese voice actor returned to voice Sojiro in Persona 5. No, that does not mean that Baofu and Sojiro are the same people.
FAQs
Question: Can you hang out with Futaba at night?
Answer: In general, Futaba is not available at nighttime. Despite having both the after-school and nighttime options in-game, Futaba is exclusive to after-school. If you wish to hang out with her, you will need to make sure to spend time with her during those after-school sections. But bear in mind that she is not available while it is raining.
Question: What days can you hang out with Futaba?
Answer: You can hang out with Futaba Sakura on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Again, her Confidant hangouts are only available after school. You will not be able to spend time with her in the evenings. In addition, if it is raining on a particular day, she is unavailable. This even includes the days she normally would be there. You can find her typically near Cafe Leblanc.
Question: Can you date Futaba Sakura?
Answer: Unfortunately, yes, you can date Futaba Sakura. She is one of the several girls that you can romance in the game. Along with your teacher, she is also one of the most controversial. This is for good reason as she is almost family. Though not blood-related to Joker, she is the daughter of his guardian. This effectively makes them pseudo-step siblings in a way. Not to mention, her relationship with you is that of a big brother. But, yes, you can date her if you would like to.
Question: What stats do you need to date Futaba?
Answer: Like with most Confidants in Persona 5, you need specific stats at a certain point. While you can start a bond at any point, there comes a locked period. At this point, you need to raise your character stats to a certain place to be able to continue the relationship. This is the case even if you do not want to romance Futaba. The associated stat for her is Kindness and you need to get a rank of four or higher to proceed.
Conclusion
Futaba is one of the most iconic characters from Persona 5. From her tragic past to her heartwarming future, she is a wonderful member of the team. She is also like the little sister to Joker, giving a connection that none of the other Phantom Thieves have. There is a lot to love about the team’s navigator, but she is only one part of it.
The Phantom Thieves is a large group. There are about a dozen members of the team if you include the additions in Persona 5 Royal and Strikers. With so many members of the group, it can be confusing at times to keep up with everyone. Our overall Phantom Thieves guide comes in as we give you the lowdown on each of the Persona users.
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