The whole "protag can date adults" thing is... not great. He's 16-17, which is above the age of consent in Japan (eww).

Considering the entire first arc is "Gym Teacher is a massive creep, abusing children under his care emotionally, physically, and sexually".

Why the fuck can you romance the home room teacher? She's in her late 20's.

IIRC, there were no adults to romance in Persona 3/4. Three of the (6?7?) options in 5 are adults.

That said. They almost had something with how they handled Ann's male gaze stuff.

She is the tallest and curvy girl (actually I want to say she taller than everyone but maybe Yusuke?). Her big moment is seeing how the first boss sees her. Bikini clad ditzy *girl* who's obsessed with him.

The game pretty pointedly says that objectifying people is fucked up; and Ann rejects how her body is being twisted in other people's vision of her.

Which is interesting because she is an aspiring model.

When she first awakens her power and gains her battle costume, she gets a bright red cat suit.

At first she's uncomfortable with how revealing it is; but they do a really subtle bit of character acting.

Early on in the safe rooms, she sits fairly uncomfortably; but after you beat the first boss and Ann feels like she reclaimed her autonomy. She begins to actually relax and stretch out in the break rooms.

Which sure would have been an interesting approach to the trope if they didn't do so many lingering shots during The Beach Episode.

I'm not sure how they could handle her without the male gazey part being so blatant. A character being written to be okay with their body being viewed is still being presented to an audience who is going to sexualize and objectify her.

Which judging by the fan art of a seventeen year old I saw to find her concept art. The audience did sexualize and objectify her.

I'm not a huge prude. Sexy characters can be fun. Hell Ann weaponizes her sex appeal to distract enemies with a wink and a giggle.

I'm a big fan of characters using how they are percieved to get one over on someone who underestimates him.

Bayonetta is still the gold standard of eye candy while mantaining some class.

She was designed by a woman for one, but she is also written as a character who is both extremely powerful; and enjoys her sexuality.

She's also a 200yo+ legal adult.

Her sexuality is fun and exhibitionistic. You get a sense that she (the devs) finds it funny to use dominatrix moves to execute angels.

She also maintains powers in almost every situation.

Apparently OG Persona 5 kept the proud series tradition of "a shitty scene where predatory gay men hit on one or more of the protagonists".

Royal scrubbed it entirely, apparently the producer for 3,4, and 5 didn't work on Royal, plus Sega owning Atlus hopefully Persona 6 will cut that shit out.

Lala Escargot's gender identity is never commented on. I would guess she is suppose to be an older trans woman and a drag queen. Due to her bar being in the red light district.

She's unflattering, but she is also the only adult in the game Ren interacts with who has her shit together.

She is always so warm and kind to him. Asking how he's doing when he enters the bar, and tells him to leave early so he's not out late on a shady part of town. She's just a big sweetheart.

When you pull the trigger on romancing Makoto, yall are in her bar decompressing after a fight with Makoto's friend.

Drinking tea, Ren and Makoto get up to pay and leave.

(Lala from my memory) "Oh honey, don't worry about it. You paid me in all that drama I just got to overhear. You kids take care."