More On The Persona (Elements, Folklore, and Transformation) - Jiraiya The Magician

PERSONAS: The Dungeon

First encountered in the Twisted Shopping District, Personas are created after a character accepts their inner darkness. As such, all Personas begin as Shadows of their characters, showing off repressed or misunderstood desires and feelings about what they are doing or their feelings towards someone or towards their perceived stereotype outside of the TV World. As such, their 'dungeon' often acts as a location that can reflect or enhance their issues.

The Twisted Shopping District Analysis

As stated earlier, the Twisted Shopping District is the dungeon for both Saki and Yosuke. This is one of the first official dungeons you run into, and is a replica of the shopping district where Saki's family lives and works, and the place that many say is going under due to the arrival of Junes. The area doubles as Yosuke's dungeon due to his wish to be close to Saki, and the fact that he is part of what represents Saki's inner hatred and self-loathing. Junes' arrival meant more people went there then the local shopping district, and as a result, it started to fail. Saki's decision to work at Junes meant that her family and neighbors viewed her as a traitor to her family and their store, which we're told has gone under since her disappearance and death. Yosuke's nature meant that he wanted to make sure everyone felt they could approach him, and speak to him if they needed anything. This leaves him and Saki in the predicament of having attention drawn to them, but in a negative way for something they attempt to create out of a positive. Saki is attempted to get money for her family, yet despite that, her father angrily demands for her to not work 'there' (Junes) and the photos in the Twisted Shopping District, specifically in the family store, show most of the photos cut out save for those of herself and Yosuke. It could mean that, unlike the others that work at Junes, Saki feels like she's also "trapped" in that situation with Yosuke. However, her words about Yosuke being a 'pain' also shows her dislike of him and the way he handled things. Saki seemed to really view him as a child or someone who didn't understand the issues he was creating, or at least the issues that his family's presence, and thus the presence of Junes, were causing her and others in her situation.
The Twisted Shopping District represents the decay the town is going through because of Junes, but also Yosuke's repressed guilt and anger at how he's viewed, along with how he views the town. The Twisted Shopping District is in decay, with no lights and hardly any sign of stores beyond the one that held Saki, and where Yosuke had to face his other self. It's been abandoned completely, and is the main area where, after every save, you see a mysterious shadowed suspect appearing, though the outline is never clear enough and the voice is never identified as a male or female.
Saki and Yamano's Shadows are never shown, though they have to be dangerous enough to kill the person they come from. As before, the Jungian Shadow is the repressed feelings, and Teddie explains that Shadows are 'born' from humans, and become violent when the fog lifts, or when they are rejected by the one they are the Shadow of, resulting in their potentially mutual deaths.
The Fog in the TV World is possibly a barrier between the subconscious and the conscious - Yosuke and the Protagonist were 'safe' from the Shadows until they approached the place Saki died, and before Yosuke's own guilt and anger over what happened created, or summoned, a powerful Shadow for the Protagonist to fight. That they don't find the Shadows of Saki or Yamano, though that 'dungeon' remains after the host's death, seems to send contradictory signals - Yamano's Shadow and Saki's Shadow don't appear or seem to be able to give them any hint of the true culprit when they investigate, and that leaves Yosuke and the Protagonist, for now, having to work to save whoever they can.

The Magician: Jiraiya

Appearing originally as the Shadow Yosuke, it transforms into the monstrous form (left photo) to fight the Protagonist. After Yosuke's acceptance of what his Shadow Self had said, it becomes his Persona, Jiraiya (right)

Jiraiya is a ninja from Japanese folklore, an heir to a great clan who masters frog/toad magic and who is known for being part of the Tsunade-Jiraiya-Orochimaru grouping. Before you go further - this is actual folk-stories, written down by various people over a great deal of time...meaning Naruto didn't do this first. The collection of tales, "The Tales of Gallant Jiraiya", were first published in the 19th century, and has appeared in various animes, mangas, and movies.

Shadow Jiraiya appears as a shadow riding a massive frog or toad, swaying as the frog does and without a care. He wears a red scarf and the main coloring is a camouflage color, darker colors, red and yellow. He often calls the Protagonist someone that 'bores' him and who 'pisses him off' before attacking. When he transforms, the dark colors move to the head and toes, replaced with a lighter coloration and with a more human-like appearance, though his head still maintains a somewhat frog-like appearance.

Jiraiya, like the Magician, is one over control of his elements in the story, and one that masters transformation powers. He is a guide and center for those around him in the story, though he might not be the main character in some of the different places he appears, he is often a beloved and important character.

ELEMENT

Element: Garu (Wind)

                Weakness: Zio (Electricity/Lightning)

Personas and Shadows have specific weaknesses and elements they are strong in, often renamed and added to as they gain more power and ability. Yosuke's power is over Wind (Garu) and he is weak to Lightning (Zio). As an element, Wind is often associated with voice or matters concerning the mind. Yosuke, though not intelligent when it comes to tests, is one to put a great deal about the place together, and is always the one who talks or says the right or wrong thing. Words impact Yosuke far more than most of the other characters, and as such, his words to coworkers, or to others, will impact how he views them and how angry he gets. His ability with Wind makes him a good counter to those with Electricity/Lightning as their main source, but also makes him vulnerable to it as well. 

Air/Wind is connected to almost all elemental groupings (i.e groups that use elements to denote direction or are used in magical terms). In Classical (Greek/Roman) terms, there are two types of Air/Wind - aer (lesser air, atmospheric air) and aether (upper atmosphere, above/at cloud level). In Alchemist Symbols, Air/Wind is represented by an upright triangle with a line through it. In terms of the four Humors, it's connected with Blood, and considered both Hot and Wet. It's a major point in Magick, used as the East and with either a dagger/atheme or wand as the magical tool, and yellow associated with it. {Sources: Wikipedia; The White Goddess}

Jiraiya's link to Wind grows as he gains more power, and as the Protagonist and he grow closer, Yosuke's ability in battle, as well as his power, changes to the point that Jiraiya itself changes. Yosuke's link to the Protagonist, his ability to open up to him and his ability to finally air out his grievances as well as still focus on the problems they have. Yosuke, in this way, grows from simply wishing to find something to do while also avenging someone he likes, but to one who seriously wishes to fight the evil that awaits, and one who is willing to do all he can to protect and help the new town he lives in.

Next up: Social Links and the Changing Midnight Channel