Haru Okumura Guide

For those of you that do not fall for the traditional beauty of Ann Takamaki or the strength of Makoto Niijima, Persona 5 and the Royal offers the charm, class, and sophistication of Haru Okumura. Unfortunately, Haru joins relatively late in the game compared to the rest of your party. Still, there is much to be gained from adding her to your active battle roster and her confidant branch.

It is no secret that Haru does not get the long-term screen time of the other main party characters. For years, the internet has been ablaze with jokes and memes about her lackluster focus in the game’s main narrative. However, Ms. Okumura has a lot to offer for your battle needs within the palaces, Mementos, and many late-stage boss fights.

I am always quick to add her to my party when progressing through the story. She is the Empress arcana, and I think she earns the title throughout your time with her. Queens are great and all but pale in comparison to an empress. Let’s get on with our Haru Okumura guide.

Haru Okumura’s Predicament

After completing Futaba’s Palace, the game will shift focus to the girl in school that you never noticed before. Upon first meeting, Haru is tending to the gardens around Shujin Academy. She comes off as a typically shy and introverted girl, but this stems from years of conditioning from her father to be the subservient pawn in his schemes.

Haru is “engaged” to a real sleazeball of a rich, sadistic, entitled man. Thankfully, this is not the man that Haru herself has brought home. Instead, it is a marriage of convenience arranged by her father for political gain.

When Haru meets Morgana, she sets to the task of working with him to change her father’s heart to save herself and convince him to loosen his grip on the fast-food chain that he owns and operates as a tyrant.

Haru Okumura as a Person

Do you like a “cinnamon roll” character? Look no further than Haru for the innocent victim trope. She exists in her day to day as a shy, reserved girl. However, when she discovers the palaces, she is born anew. We have the pleasure of witnessing her shyness melt away and seeing the way Haru blossoms into a “beauty thief .”

The process is a clumsy but endearing and adorable way to see her come out of her shell and embrace the mask that she wears. Lady Okumura awakens to her Persona: Milady. She tells the party she would like her codename to be Noir after.

Haru Okumura Appearance as a Student

Haru is a highly fashionable student. She does wear the Shujin Academy uniform skirt but pairs it with a pair of white tights and black shoes. In addition, she has an oversized, pink turtleneck with sleeves that extend close to her elbows on her torso.

She is also wearing a white long sleeve shirt underneath that goes to her wrists. Her “floofy” hair sits just above her shoulders. There is just something about her aesthetic that seems to radiate a classier caliber.

Codename: Noir and her Appearance

Within the metaverse, Haru dons another pink outfit. This time, she wears a puffy long sleeve pink shirt partially covered with a dressy black vest. Atop her head sits a musketeer-like hat with an obsidian-colored feather protruding and a reddish-purple accent around the brim.

A highwayman mask is affixed to her face, and she wears a white neckerchief and purple gloves. Noir’s belt is fashion in the front, utility in the back. The back is host to a large stockpile of extra ammo for her grenade launcher weapon and sits over a reddish-purple bottom.

Her bottom article does not extend as far as her knees, and she has traded her white star tights for black ones. While she does have a slightly different shoe style, she retains its black nature.

Noir’s Persona: Milady

Milady is a very intricate figure. She wears a pink Victorian gown with many accents around the wide dress on her bottom half. Milady can open the front of this dress to reveal several guns aimed at anyone in front of her.

She wears a black corset over a white collar that extends up around her neck; if she had one, that is. Milady does not have any head to speak of. Large, broad shoulders but short shoulder puffs meet at arm-length gloves.

Milady brandishes a large gold and pink fan with black feathers near the fan’s edge in her left hand. She has a smaller masquerade mask on a short baton that she holds over her non-visible face in her right hand.

Vermillion eyes are visible through the eye holes on the gold mask. 

Noir’s Persona: Astarte

When obtained, Astarte trades in the elegant dress of Milady for a sort of throne of floating revolving flower-adorned skulls. Her eyes appear to be on the most prominent and top skull. Two massive gold rings revolve around the skull throne, and a chain hangs from the lowest tear.

On top, a human-looking shadow woman exists. She almost appears as a silhouette. Astarte has pink nails and several gold accents on her bodice, especially her corset. Jewelry is visible around her human-looking head, but she does not have eyes there.

Instead, a colossal golden half-moon covers her face. She has long, raven black hair that flows behind her like a cloak. 

Noir’s Final Persona

If you are playing the Royal, Haru has the opportunity to evolve her persona in the third semester. In this iteration of Haru’s persona, Lucy keeps some frills on her dress (purple and black) but is primarily adorned in a shapely trench coat.

There are several gold buttons on the front of it. As with her other forms, she is very skinny when the dress comes up to the waist. Lucy has traded her fan for a silver briefcase, and instead of her masquerade mask, she wields pointed ivory color glasses on a baton.

The lenses have become a dark pink, and her eyes can no longer be seen in them. Once again, she has no head, but a multicolored scarf surrounds the place it would be. Blonde hair extends from the top of the scarf, where it would be if Lucy had a head. 

Noir as a Fighting Party Member

Do you know what you don’t see a lot in any form of media? A woman who is wielding a brute-like ax. You heard that right: this dainty, princess, ballerina type character comes with an ax that she is not afraid to dispense justice. Noir also wields the heaviest gun weapon in the form of a grenade launcher.

Her persona, Milady, comes equipped with Psy-elemental and gun-based attacks. Her elements may not inspire excitement at first glance, but she gains the ability to learn many skills that multiply her power in these two elements.

Her most valuable skill, in my opinion, is her One-Shot Kill attack. It is a gun attack, so it costs a portion of Haru’s health, but there is a high chance of a critical hit. Bolster this skill with other abilities that she learns that jump gun skills by 25% (snipe) and 50% (cripple), and Haru will likely be your heaviest hitter.

The critical will knock down most enemies and bosses that don’t have elemental weakness, allowing for an all-out attack on opponents that are unlikely to be vulnerable to them.

Haru Okumura as a Confidant

As stated previously, Haru doesn’t have the multitude of time to finish her confidant questline as most of the other characters. Until you finish her father’s palace and see its fallout, her questline remains closed off to you.

I did not finish hers in my first playthrough as I was busy with so many other ones at the time. Instead, I replayed the game immediately after finishing it to complete all of the social links and aim for the platinum trophy, so I learned her story then.

*Major Spoilers for the Okumura Foods Palace Chapter Ending*

Haru is understandably distraught after her father suddenly dies horribly and graphically on television. She spends several days away from the party trying to decide if she will continue with the Phantom Thieves. Even in the wake of our greatest tragedies, life must go on, and she decides so must hers.

Haru rejoins the Phantom Thieves to continue seeking her justice and solving the mystery of her father’s slaying. Starting on 10/30, you will have the option to start exploring her confidant questline, which is accessible from the roof of Shujin Academy any day of the week when it is not raining. Haru will be there tending to her plants.

Perks Afforded by the Empress Arcana

Besides the battle perks shared between most of the party, Haru will grant you the ability to grow vegetables on the school’s roof. Just make sure that you don’t forget that they are up there.

• The cultivation skill unlocks at rank 1. So it is worth checking the rooftop every day to ensure that you get the maximum benefit from this perk. While likely not the game-changer that Sojiro’s curry is, this is a great passive way to obtain items that will help with palaces and mementos. They will help with healing items for SP, HP, elemental nullifiers, and vegetables that can keep you alive if hit with a one-shot-kill attack.
• Rank 2 will unlock her baton passability. By this point, you likely know what a baton pass is and does. Now it is Haru’s chance to earn hers.
• Rank 3 will unlock Haru’s follow-up attack. Another specific skill for party members allows Haru to possibly attack if Joker’s attacks don’t quite finish or knockdown your enemy.
• Rank 4 will unlock Noir’s Celeb Talk ability. Having this skill works like the other party’s skills of a similar vein. If you mess up a negotiation with a shadow, Haru may convince them to stick around, which means another chance for you.
• Rank 5 unlocks per. This ability upgrades the cultivation skill and allows Haru to harvest bonus crops for your adventures.
• Rank 6 grants Haru the Harisen Recovery ability. Another copy ability that is standard for party members is the chance to wipe out status afflictions from your party members. It doesn’t have the highest probability of activating, but you never know when it will save you in a big fight.
• Rank 7 affords Haru the Soil Upgradeability. Are your vegetables taking too long to grow? Haru acquiring this perk will allow her to harvest them faster.
• Rank 8 will gift you the Endure battle skill. So, maybe you’re a little under-leveled, and you run into something that can kill you in one hit. Or perhaps the reaper tried to one-shot Haru. With this skill, there is a chance that she will remain alive with 1HP.
• Rank 9 gives Haru the Recovery battle skill. What is nobler than sacrificing yourself for someone precious to you? Nothing! Naturally, Haru is now willing to do this for you if there is an attack that would kill you. Body shields are still shields, I guess.
• Rank 10 will allow Haru her Second Awakening. Like all the persona users, Haru can awaken to more inner power and allow Milady to transform into Astarte, which means more oomph and power for Haru. Aesthetically, Astarte does not disappoint either.
• The Royal edition will allow Haru to obtain a third awakening in the third-semester chapter. Leveling up her persona from Astarte to her final form: Lucy.

*All Options Below: Make Sure to Have an Empress Arcana in Your Persona Inventory to get Max Benefits and +3. Follow-up options are only available in Persona 5 Royal*

-Rank 1:

• Tell her, “That was our deal” for a +3 Bonus.

-Rank 2:

If you have not been leveling up Joker’s personal stats, you will not be able to start the second rank. Haru requires max proficiency to proceed.

• Any Option for +3.
• “He sounds suspicious” for +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• Follow Up: When you return to Leblanc, Any Option for +3.

-Rank 3:

• “They won’t find out” and “It will be OK, I promise” both give +3.
• “I don’t want to go with you” for +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• “Smart response” to lift her spirit and gain +3.

-Rank 4:

• “That’s pricey” or “It must be amazing” nets +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• “Let’s ask him” for +3.
• “I’m not really sure” for +3.
• Follow Up: “We should have coffee again,” for +3.

-Rank 5:

• “Someone is telling the truth” or “Trust no one” for +3.
• “There has to be another way” for +3.
• “That doesn’t matter anymore” and “I don’t think so” for +3.

Follow Up:

-Rank 6:

• Any Option for +3.
• “I had no idea” for +3.
• “That would be bad,” or “Black like coffee?” for +3.
• This prompt has no bonus.
• “Be strong, Haru” for +3.
• Follow Up: “You can always talk to me” or “Let him say what he wants” for +3.

-Rank 7:

• No Bonus for this prompt
• “That sounds really tough” or “What do you want to do” for +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• Any Option for +3
• “You can always talk to me” for +3.

Rank 8:

• “The soil” for +3
• Any Option for +3
• “It’s in your nature to nurture” or “I want some too” for +3.

-Rank 9:

• Any Option to earn +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• “You did so amazing” or “You’re very welcome” for +3.
• Adorably, Haru admits her feelings for you. Suppose you (like me) have come to desire a place in this eloquent woman’s life. She is single now. Now is a perfect opportunity to make a move on her. Beware of leading her on as she may not be as kind as her gentleness suggests. Remember that this woman wields an ax and a grenade launcher for fun. “I like you too, Haru” will make you her sweetheart. If you are a monster, shoot her down with “He saw us as good friends.”
• If you chose to romance her, congratulations. You have acquired the “best girl” (in my opinion). A loyal woman who wants to support you in all the ways you helped her. Just look at the way she blushes when she looks at you. Now that you have been honest with her, she throws herself into the deep end, letting you know how much she appreciates you. So enjoy your time alone together.
• If not, you don’t deserve her. She will awkwardly end the conversation with you.
• Follow Up: Your new girlfriend will call you and be adorable. Validate her feelings by telling her “I wanted to hear your voice” or “I miss you” for +3.

-Rank 10:

•  If you romanced Haru, you take her up to your room after Sojiro Sakura departs for the evening. Noir remarks on how happy she is that you helped her speak up and is proud of the direction Okumura Foods is headed. “That’s good to hear” or “You’ve done great, Haru” for +3.
• Any Option for +3.
• This prompt has no points.
• Flirt with Haru. Any Option for +3. There is no Follow-Up.
• If you refuse her advances on you, the scene will play out essentially the same. Instead of going to Joker’s room, it will take place in the booth of the café. She will still gush slightly, but not as affectionately as if you romanced her. She wants you to be her first customer when she opens her café. At least you have something to look forward to now.
• Milady is transformed into Astarte as Haru has her second awakening. This also gives you the ability to fuse the persona, Mother Harlot, in the velvet room.

Royal Addition

If you have the Royal edition of Person 5 and you have maxed Haru’s confidant to rank 10, she will ask for your presence again. None of your choices have any effect since she is already maxed out. Having this scene will allow the previously mentioned Third Awakening, affording you her final persona Lucy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Conclusion

Haru is a character that I ignored due to not having my proficiency maxed out. The ironic part was that I kept her in my party right through the final boss. On my second playthrough, I fell for all of the grace and charm of Haru, and now I have trouble choosing any other girl in the game.

Haru is a sympathetic character who wants to see everyone flourish (even her scumbag ex-fiancé). Haru’s confidant story is the tragedy of a girl meant to be a bargaining chip to the world around her.

As tragic as her father’s death is, it leads to meeting the Phantom Thieves, which assists her in finding both her voice, passion, and plans for the future.

The fact that she manages to somehow keep her gentleness in the face of her adversary and trauma is a testament to the excellent writing involved with her character.

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Eric Parker

Eric is a content writer and an avid JRPG gamer. He is a certified Persona fan and has been playing the game for a long time. She enjoys being the hero of his own story and checks out different endings. He loves those fantasy, open world, and narratives. He offers guides and character bios surrounding this amazing series.

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