Heaven - Persona 4

SPOILER ALERT

Before continuing, please play Persona 4 or Persona 4 Golden. I don't want to ruin your gaming experience.

This is not a song analysis.

The first time I heard this song was during a very difficult moment in the story. I don't know if it's because I'm a sensitive person, but throughout the game, I took the time to get to know all the social links, and one of the ones that touched my heart the most was Nanako. From the beginning, you can sense how her story will unfold when she's introduced, but even from the first interactions, it's painful to see how this little girl is used to being alone. Not only did she have to learn to take care of herself, but she also has to take care of her father, something a child her age shouldn't have to do. Little by little, we get to know her, and she always appears strong despite her father not spending much time with her. That's where we come in as protagonists: little by little, we assume the role of her older brother and can see her happiness at being able to act like a normal child. Not only us, but our team also grows fond of her, which gives us very beautiful moments in the game. However, it made me reflect on how everything was before we arrived, what that little girl's life was like before we appeared in Inaba. Now, even though her father isn't present because of work, we can take care of her so she doesn't have to handle everything at home by herself.

All of this leads to a key point: just when we're about to discover the killer, they kidnap Nanako. At least I didn't expect it, and I just prayed that nothing would happen to her. The desperation that Dojima and all the members of the investigation team were suffering, I felt it too. Throughout the game, I took my time to go through the dungeons, not because I wasn't interested, but because I enjoyed the process to the fullest. But when that part came, I just wanted to finish the dungeon as soon as possible. I didn't want Nanako to be there. I entered with that mentality, and then a beautiful song started playing as we reached the heavens.

A somewhat sad song hidden in a cheerful rhythm. Unlike the previous dungeons, this one didn't have a hostile atmosphere; everything was too calm, but melancholic. Little by little, I stopped feeling anguish about saving her and began to feel sadness as I understood everything that this little girl kept inside. She was still carrying the sadness for her mother's death, something difficult to overcome for anyone, especially at her age. However, her father wasn't helping her: he was immersed in his own grief, which turned into an obsession to find the person responsible for Nanako's mother's death. He didn't neglect his basic responsibilities as a father, but he didn't give her the emotional support she needed at that moment. In fact, it was Nanako who had to be strong to support her father.

This song perfectly expresses Nanako's feelings. It reached my heart and seemed like an ideal choice for that moment in the game's story. Now that the remake has been announced, I'm sure I'll cry again.