Sho Minazuki

"Uh, you need an introduction or something? My name's Sho. Sho Minazuki, and I'm behind all this. Welcome to my world, Kirijo lackeys."

- Sho Minazuki, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Sho Minazuki is a character appearing in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax.

Appearances

 * Persona 4 Arena: As the "Eerie Voice" in certain characters' story modes
 * Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: Playable Characters
 * Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (Manga): Major Characters
 * Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Stageplay
 * Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight: Playable characters (DLC)
 * Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight: Playable characters (DLC)

Design
Sho is a young man with bright red hair, blue eyes and has a cross-shaped scar across his face. He wears a Yasogami High school uniform and an olive green button-down shirt with black collar and cuffs and a yellow band on one sleeve emblazoned with a black star inside a circle. He wears the uniform jacket around his waist. His sneakers are yellow and black.

His "TV world glasses" are a pair of shades. He wields a pair of katanas that have finger rings on each hilt, and the blade of each katana has a serrated edge in a section just before the hilt.

When harnessing the Malevolent Entity's power, Sho's eyes and scar glow red. In the True Ending, however, his eyes and scar glow blue.

In the manga adaption, Sho is revealed to have many scars scattered over his entire body. He also wears a necklace with a crescent moon key. As a child test subject, he is shown barefoot, wearing only a white hospital gown and shorts. In the epilogue during his travels around the country, he wears a sports singlet with a jacket tied on his waist, a three quarter pants, shoes and a small pouch bag on his back.

Personality
Due to careful grooming as a child test subject in Persona-related experiments, Sho is a young man with a vicious streak and a lust for fighting. He is puerile, caustic, extremely volatile, and easily bored. Through Shuji Ikutsuki's influence, Sho developed a habit of making puns. Raised in near-isolation, Sho was never properly socialized, and thus finds it difficult to relate to others in a typical fashion; combat is ingrained in him as his primary means of social connection, but this is not a tendency that serves him well among ordinary people.

Sho is highly misanthropic and wishes for a world in which only he lives. Ever since Ikutsuki "threw" Sho away as a failed experiment, Sho developed a deep mistrust of others' intentions, eventually doubting the authenticity of any and all human bonds, viewing them as a crutch others cling to when they're too weak to stand alone.

Minazuki is a second consciousness that inhabits Sho's body, his caretaker and protector headmate, born from a Plume of Dusk that was embedded into Sho's brain. He is composed, methodical, and callous, while also being protective of and entirely devoted to Sho. Both individuals are aware of one other, with Minazuki able to communicate with Sho inside of their head. Minazuki is also able to assume the front and control their body, generally reserved for times when Sho is in some sort of peril or unstable state of mind.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Sho Minazuki is an orphan who was once one of Shuji Ikutsuki's test subjects, much like the members of Strega. Due to his unusually aggressive tendencies and tremendous fighting potential, Ikutsuki regarded Sho as his favorite test subject. As part of the experiment, named "Project PUPPETMASTER," Ikutsuki isolated Sho from the world to prevent him from forming ordinary bonds and ensure that he would become the ideal soldier, relying on combat alone to connect to others. Sho came to bond with Ikutsuki and view him as a father figure even so, a role which Ikutsuki accepted as a means to manipulate Sho.

In an attempt to induce a Persona within Sho, the scientists had implanted a Plume of Dusk into him. Which caused a second soul to be born within Sho, named "Minazuki." Ikutsuki took an interest in Minazuki, who developed a Persona independently of Sho, but found him to be a highly uncooperative subject. After Minazuki attempted to kill Ikutsuki for his abuse and manipulation of Sho, a second experiment was attempted to "erase" Minazuki while leaving his Persona behind. It ended in failure, however, and left Sho in a vegetative state. Ikutsuki placed him in an Inaba hospital on life support afterwards to allow time for him to discover a means to revive Sho for further experimentation. Sho awakened several years after Ikutsuki's death, and interpreted Ikutsuki's actions as him simply having thrown him away when he was no longer useful.

After escaping the hospital and settling in Inaba before the serial murders began, Sho developed an interest in the case and followed the investigation team around in secret, feeling that perhaps they might be able to understand him. He eventually judged this an impossibility, however, and fell into bitterness and despair. He shrugs off the notion that any person can be truly trusted or relied upon, concluding that those who do are both weaklings and fools. Sho comes to yearn for a world in which only he exists. Hinokagutsuchi manifests and responds to this wish, stating that in return for Sho and Minazuki's assistance in giving him a body, he will make Sho's world of solitude a reality.

Minazuki confesses to Labrys that he is the one responsible for hijacking her and allowing her to "run amok" during the events of the P-1 Grand Prix, revealing himself to be the "Eerie Voice" that hacked her from the previous game, and for the sake of finding out if the Plume of Dusk could hold multiple souls.

Minazuki claims he is the same as Labrys, and thus prioritizes her safety even while using her to achieve his goals. He is also the one responsible for dragging the reluctant and currently reforming Tohru Adachi into their schemes. He even stated that, should Adachi refuse to fight, then the Inaba murders would resume, presumably with Adachi as the first victim.

It is even through this that Minazuki/Sho claim Adachi is no different from themselves, having a negative view on the world thinking it has nothing but foolish beings and the like, and, when granted with power, the group of them committed villainous acts with it. Not realizing that Adachi had changed since he lost his game and now wishes to keep his promise to the Investigation Team.

As guessed by Naoto, his plan is to "carve" off pieces of the Investigation Team and the Shadow Operatives' Personas by having them battle their Shadow copies in order to summon a God. However, Minazuki denies this, saying that he simply wants to grant Sho's wish. Minazuki also eventually grows fond of Naoto for her deductions.

It was revealed in Episode Adachi that Minazuki wishes to summon a being beyond that of ordinary humans. He states that he needs the power of Sagiri, though he also says that it needs to be tamed. For that purpose, he tried to recruit Adachi into helping him, despite his refusal. However, from the beginning, Sho had planned to kill Adachi due to the fact that the leftover power from Ameno-sagiri remained in his Persona Magatsu-Izanagi, which would interfere with Hi-no-Kagutsuchi's ritual. After managing to pin down Adachi, he told him that he had planned to rip out his Persona and turn it into a Shadow before merging it with all of the Persona fragments he had gathered, thus he would be able to weaken and enslave Hi-no-Kagutsuchi.

In the Persona 3 story mode, Labrys confronts Sho at the top of Tartarus and defeats him. It is learned during this mode that the Malevolent Entity was simply using Sho and that he can no longer contact Minazuki, infuriating him even more. Despite knowing that Ikutsuki was using him, Sho does indeed care for him, as much as he hates him. It is also revealed that he hurts and fights people as it is the only way he knows how to connect with them. When Labrys revealed that Minazuki attempted to protect him in the past it causes him to become even more confused. Depending on what the player chooses, Labrys can either tell him that Minazuki did all of that because they had a bond, or shatter Sho's heart by telling him that Minazuki was the one who was truly alone, and did everything he did for his own sake, never caring for Sho.

They are interrupted by Hi-no-Kagutsuchi who takes control of Sho's body and fights Labrys, but was defeated again by her. With Elizabeth's help, Labrys, Sho and the others are transported to the TV World. Sho asks if she killed Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, which she confirms. Hearing this, Sho admits that she is strong, but then becomes frustrated by Labrys' slow response. Before he leaves, Labrys tried to convince him to stay, but Sho refuses and threatens to surely destroy her if so, before leaving he asks Labrys about someone, probably Minazuki, but cuts himself off and leaves, leaving his whereabouts afterwards a mystery.

In the Persona 4 story mode, Yu confronts Sho before a beaten Adachi, who was subjected to a pummeling for trying to betray Sho in his attempt to destroy the Persona fragments. Minazuki fronts in place of Sho when Sho's rage takes over him and fights Yu in his stead, but is ultimately defeated. After his defeat, Yu can make Minazuki realize that he is never alone, because his strength comes from his feelings for Sho, which is the very proof of their bond, or tell him that his strength comes from his own solitude. They are interrupted by Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, who reveals he knew that Minazuki planned on betraying him by using Adachi, since Minazuki was well aware that Hi-no-Kagutsuchi would not hold his end of their deal. The entity then proceeds to possess Sho's body with Minazuki disappearing. Combining his power together with Adachi's Magatsu-Izanagi, Yu is able to kill Hi-no-Kagutsuchi for good. Also, it is revealed he was the unnamed guest of the Velvet Room in the prologue of the story mode, only to reject the contract. However, Igor states that Sho will eventually return and form a contract with them at the start of his journey.

In the events of the true ending following Hi-no-Kagutsuchi's defeat by Yu and Adachi, Sho eventually shows himself to be alive, but wondering about his other self/Minazuki's disappearance as he cannot sense him anymore. Yu eventually also notices Sho's eyes and scar to glow into a sudden pale blue.

During a talk, Sho reveals that after he woke up in the hospital in Inaba, he found out that his medical expenses were paid for by Ikutsuki, despite him throwing Sho away. With a large inheritance and going into the outside world for the first time, Sho had very little idea what to do with his life and since fighting was all he knew and he was unable to handle the dull life in Inaba, until one event; to which he revealed that he watched the Investigation Team's entire progression on the serial murder case to its conclusion, which he found exhilarating.

Hi-no-kagutsuchi then appeared before him, asking Sho if he wanted to destroy the world, and Minazuki formulated the plan of the world's destruction with Sho following along. Yu tells Sho that he should not be afraid to bond with others, as Sho is similar to Labrys. However, Sho claims that he can only understand others by fighting them, to which Yu states that he will gladly fight Sho as long as he could forge bonds that way. Sho and Yu engage in one last fight, revealing that Sho could now summon Tsukuyomi on his own, with Yu emerging victorious. Inspired by the power Yu's bonds gave him, Sho still insists that he will one day kill Yu and he should be ready for when Sho come for him, fleeing the scene as he starts his own journey.

At the end of Episode Adachi, Adachi thinks about how Sho still has plenty of opportunities in this world despite having been consumed by power like himself, and convinces Sho to continue on instead of hiding.

Manga
In the manga adaptation, Sho's backstory is detailed further. Compared to the events in the game, Sho's personality was more on being lost, wanting to find someone or something to recognize his existence and purpose in life.

His connection with Ikutsuki was similarly played out in the game, with one of the tests being to fight against what seem to be rebuilt Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon models. In 2010 of Winter in Inaba Hospital, they wake from their coma and eventually escape from the hospital (it is assumed to be Minazuki who was fronting at the time), taking a Yasogami High School uniform found in an abandoned room as they evaded hospital staff.

He eventually made himself at home in a house within the woods, which apparently formerly belonged to Ikutsuki. It's while he's searching through records that Sho "wakes up" and encounters the personality that resulted from the Plume of Dusk experimentation within him: Minazuki. He initially denies his other self about the cruel treatment he received as a child, but eventually found the truth of Ikutsuki's death on November 4th, 2009, during the betrayal of SEES. Devastated and confused over all of this turmoil, Sho within his mind stabs Minazuki, in which the effect in reality is stabbing himself, resulting in the scar that spans the bridge of the nose.

When Yu defeats Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, Sho within it was desperately reaching out for the light, only to be saved by Minazuki and Tsukuyomi. Minazuki smiles to Sho, glad to see him safe and eventually erased from existence. As Yu understood Sho's suffering, he agrees to fight with Sho as a form of understanding between them, going into an all out physical and sword fight, with Margret and Elizabeth watching from the sidelines. In the epilogue, during Yu's return to Inaba, Sho was revealed to be traveling around the country as part of his new journey.

Solo Form (Sho)
As a bit of standard shotoclone-character, Sho has a standard set of a projectile, anti-air and expansion specials. What is very unique about him is his inability to use a Persona, and instead of a Persona Attack and Rush, for his D, he does a stance almost similar to a counter/reversal which can completely dodge incoming attacks (and can also be done in midair to halt and carry his momentum). Also unlike the other characters, Sho uses three attack buttons instead of two (A, B and C instead of A and B). Because of this, he is more for the traditional players who have been more versed in 3 button fighters as of recent.

His main perk is his powerful rushdown ability, and his ability to use two R-Actions in one go for some notable damage (but makes him use up quite a bit of health do to so). Several of his attacks (his 5B, 2B, j.B, j.C and both throws) do two hits and in terms of the grounded ones, move him forward. Barring his throw, several of them can be used to not only increase hits during combos, but this gives him a powerful edge in blockstrings and frame traps. He has strong offensive use in confusion, through using his command dash to cross foes up, and being able to have decent disjointed range on his swords due to being a weapon-based fighter. Topped off with having a ton of gimmicks for extending combos (especially with meter), Sho can be hard to stop.

However, he still has weaknesses. His lack of a Persona limits his real potential through the theory of if he did have one, so he is unable to do disjointed poking outside of his sword-based moves and sandwich combos; thus, he must rely more on his projectiles to zone his opponent, and often try to close in, as well as having punishable moves and gaps in his blockstrings (e.g. his R-Action). He also lacks another vital side of confusion for his rushdown, which is mixup. Despite his command dash being great for all sorts of gimmicks, it is one of his only cross-up tools, as Sho lacks a good high-and-low mixup game. What's more, his bigger damage relies much on resources, so a Sho without enough meter can't do much outside of his average damage output. He also has a low amount of health in comparison to more of the average-amount characters, further limiting his defensive capabilities.

Sho in his normal form also has no spells or skills from the Persona series; all of his moves are completely original.

When Sho is silenced, he only loses his ability to burst. He also lacks an Instant Kill, forcing a full effort from him in order to win most of his point matches.

Move List (Solo Form)

 * Moves with a localized name from the original Japanese name will be shown in with a slash along them, while the real translation will be in parentheses.
 * Reversal/Furious Action(s):
 * Izayoi (Sixteen Nights): Sho's Furious/R-Action. Sho rises up with a double swinging uppercut slash while spiraling upwards with his swords (leading hand: outward slash, following hand: inward slash). A typical rising uppercut "Dragon Punch" slash that works as Sho's main anti-air special with a good amount of invincibility, but can be punished as Sho is landing. Similar to Yu's R/F-Action, it has only one set height unlike most DP anti-airs due to P4U's systems and that Izayoi has only one input. The first hit can be super cancelled before Sho can leave the ground. Launches the opponent on hit.
 * Back Izayoi/Ura Izayoi (Reverse Sixteen Nights): Sho's R-Action done in midair. Has the same kind of invincibility as the ground version, but unique in that it's a scooping inward slash that causes ground slide. Can be followed up from the ground Izayoi at its peak. Air unblockable, and like many midair attacks, an overhead. Also alters Sho's momentum in midair.
 * Skill Attacks/Special Moves:
 * Survival Knife: Sho with his leading hand flings out a horizontally spinning knife. Typical projectile move. Sho due to this projectile move having a charge motion, he tends to recover quite fast from his knife throw, as well as the startup being fairly fast. A and C versions fly high but can be ducked underneath, while B and D versions fly low to hit around the feet, but do not hit low (A and B fly slow, while C and D fly fast). SB versions throw out both a slow and fast knife at the same time, only either using AB or CD alters the positions of the knifes and their speeds.
 * As of Patch 1.10, the afterimages of the knife is rendered differently to make the knife itself move visible (less visible afterimages).
 * Hougetsuzan/Moon Crushing Slash (Crumbling Moon Slash): A series of chain slash attacks that act as multi-input specials, only they can be done either standalone/from a chainable attack or during any Hougetsuzan. They are:
 * Senga (Flash Fang): The basic Hougetsuzan attack. Sho dashes in with a downward chop via his following-handed sword in a step, ripping the air in front of him with a shredding-sword line effect. Can followup with a Shouga or another grounded special move. A comes out fast, while B is slower but moves a bit further with more damage. SB version does more damage than both and comes out very fast.
 * Shouga (Soaring Fang): An anti-air rising slash with his leading sword after scooping along the ground in a turn. Resembles Izayoi, but has little in the way of being a safe anti-air due to its startup, despite having some invincibility. Can be done standalone or from Senga, and can followup with normal air attacks, Ura Izayoi or any midair special once Sho is in the air. A version hits once and comes out fast (but its height leaves much to place Sho in a comboing position), while B does 2 more hits via the startup, is slower and rises higher. SB version comes out faster than B version and does 7 hits instead and packs some invincibility. Like Izayoi, this launches on hit, and the A version can even be used to start juggles since Sho can land back on the ground sooner.
 * Metsuga/Destruction Fang (Perish Fang): Sho slams down with both swords in a helmet-splitter dropping slash. Has a fair amount of recovery and hits overhead. Can be done standalone in midair or during Shouga, and plummets the opponent on air hit. A version comes out fast while B version has a bit of a delay on startup and does more damage. The SB version combines the two while making it have less recovery time, enabling followups once Sho hits the ground. Both the B and SB version can Fatal Counter.
 * As of Patch 1.10, it's possible to cancel into Sho's D dodge from a Senga or Shouga. The invincibility also occurs later for the SB version of Shouga.
 * Kousoku Idou (High Speed Movement): Sho dashes forward and disappears for a small while before he reappears, all in high speed (hence the name of the move). Works as a teleport (and does no damage), Sho's main form of escape as well as being able to pull it off in midair. But due to being able to cancel it from attacks as a special or cancel it into an attack, it can work very well for offensive crossups, as well as fastfalls to loop moves like a Senga-to-Shouga loop by getting back to the ground quickly. C version moves forward a small distance, D moves forward further, while the midair version is a diagonal air-to-ground fastfall. The SB version comes out fast and also grants some invincibility.
 * As of Patch 1.10, it's possible to cancel into Sho's D dodge from a Kousoku Idou.
 * SP Skill Attacks/Super Moves:
 * Engetsu Bousou/Blazing Moon Barrage (Blazing Moon Rampage): Sho slouches during the super flash, then dashes forward, once he connects, he'll perform a rapid amount of slashes (5A, Hougetsuzan: Senga, 5B, 5C, 2B second hit, 2B first hit, 5AA, All-Out Attack which switches sides with the opponent) while finishing with a high-flying Izayoi to a Hougetsuzan: Metsuga, all for a 14 hit combo causing ground slide. Auto-combo/ranbu (wild dance) super, and can connect on an airborne opponent close to the ground, but Sho can be punished afterwards if blocked. A version goes a small distance while B goes further. The SB version has the same amount of hits, but tacks on extra damage by replacing the Metsuga with a Getsumen Kudaki finisher instead. Sho will not switch sides with the opponent in the corner. Main combo ender since it can't be followed up on, but if quick enough upon landing and with enough meter, it's possible to combo into it from a normal version on counter hit into an SB version, taking advantage of the OTG effect (as the auto combo also works on downed opponents). Regarding the OTG capability, it's possible depending on if Sho is in the corner or not, to use a variety of moves to combo off of the super once the opponent hits the ground.
 * Awakened SP Skill Attacks/Super Moves:
 * Getsumen Kudaki/Moon Smasher (Moon Surface Smasher): Sho rears back as he ducks close to the ground during the super flash and while holding both swords in reverse grip. Then with his following handed sword, he flies diagonally to the air with a fierce ripping slash. At the apex of his leap, he then falls with his leading handed sword to smash the ground with a falling sword plant, causing a burst of energy, and launching the opponent away. The second part of the attack does a good amount of damage making it one of the strongest Awakened SP Attacks, and has some anti-air-type invincibility, while being Air Unblockable for a brief moment during the ascent. However, using this poorly with the second part being blocked can result in Sho getting punished. The A version flies less higher, making it easier to followup with as Sho hits the ground earlier (especially on counter hit). B version flies higher with more damage, while the SB version is stronger than both A and B versions.
 * In Patch 1.10, the minimum damage scaling has increased.

Persona Form (Minazuki)
In Persona form, Minazuki, awakened to his Plume of Dusk, uses a Persona named Tsukuyomi, and now gains more range and zoning on par with the fellow Persona users, with new Persona based moves that amp his range up a bit; Minazuki even gains a new variety of moves, such as the Life Drain and Spirit Drain (Kyuuketsu/Sucking Blood and Kyuuma/Sucking Devil respectively in Japanese) being able to absorb his opponents' HP and SP respectively, which act as command throws giving him access to tick throw mixups. Overall, this form is exceptional when it comes to damage conversion off of nearly any hit when there are resources Minazuki can burn.

Despite his Persona being able to appear behind his opponents with certain inputs, they can still be blocked from behind in accordance to Minazuki's position from his foe (which is a general rule). But due to this, cross-ups and screen control is arguably much easier to achieve, as well as 'sandwich' combos between the fighter (Minazuki) and their avatar (Tsukiyomi). This also enables an excellent harassing game.

However, his weaknesses are still apparent. Like with Sho, Minazuki lacks disjointed and safe non-Persona-based pokes with his sword-based moves, as he always often moves during said sword-based attacks. He, like normal Sho, is just as meter-reliant for his bigger damage, and his Persona-based moves often have Tsukiyomi hang out for a long while before disappearing, making him easy to punish with a chance to inflict Persona Break on him.

Minazuki also like all characters also has a new auto-combo similar to the normal characters and their Shadow counter parts, only he uses Sho's original 5C for the second move of his auto-combo (5AA), and loses use of the original Sho's 5AA (used for both Shos' ground throw animations), j.C (still used for both Shos' air throw animations) and j.2C (used for the Tsukiyomi move). He also loses his Engetsu Bousou attack, replaced by the aforementioned Rengoku no Tsubasa. Many other moves such as his Hougetsuzan have also been altered, as well as the loss of his original teleport.

He also gains a new Mortal Blow/Instant Kill in the aforementioned second form, named the Shinma Messatsu (God Devil Annihilation).

Minazuki, similar to the Shadow mode characters, sports a misty aura to set him apart from the normal Sho, especially with different color palettes. The only notable difference is that, unlike a Shadow, Minazuki's aura is a very pale turquoise and despite similar animations, he has new quotes separate from the other Sho.

Minazuki also has a total of 4 Persona Cards/Units.

Move List (Persona Form)

 * Moves with a localized name from the original Japanese name will be shown in with a slash along them, while the real translation will be in parentheses.
 * Reversal/Furious Action(s):
 * Izayoi (Sixteen Nights): Same as the normal Sho. Though unlike normal Sho, it can be possible to cancel into Rengoku no Tsubasa to put oneself in a safer position.
 * Back Izayoi/Ura Izayoi (Reverse Sixteen Nights): Same as normal Sho's.
 * Skill Attacks/Special Moves:
 * Survival Knife: Same as normal Sho's. However, due to the motion being changed into a quarter-circle motion, it has more lag to offset its easier command. Has more startup time but rather fast recovery, and now only two button versions exist, being done only with A and B. A version throws the knife slowly at chest level, so opponents can duck under it. B version throws a fast knife that hits at the opponent's legs, while the SB version throws both versions at once.
 * As of Patch 1.10, this move undergoes the same changes with normal Sho's Survival Knife, where the afterimages are less visible in order to see the knife more easily.
 * Hougetsuzan/Moon Crushing Slash (Crumbling Moon Slash): Same as normal Sho's, but they now act as legitimate extra/multi-inputs in the classical "Rekkaken" style.
 * Senga (Flash Fang): Same as normal Sho's version, but can followup with Shouga as an extra input.
 * Shouga (Soaring Fang): Same as before, but now has a new command and can only perform off of a Senga.
 * Metsuga/Destruction Fang (Perish Fang): Now is more of a combo finisher, mainly due to undergoing the same changes as Shouga where it can only be done from Shouga instead of standalone in the air. Still acts the same as the original Sho's disregarding such changes however.
 * Thus, the whole Hougetsuzan chain can only be performed as Senga -> Shouga -> Metsuga.
 * Tsukiyomi (Moon Reader): Persona-based attack. Minazuki makes use of his Persona's powers to teleport and reappears in midair to slash at his opponent with a dual fanning forward slash with both swords (Sho's original j.2C). Meant to be for mind-games, unlike the other Sho's command dash and is advantageous on block, but can put Minazuki in a Fatal Recovery. Can perform in midair. The C version reappears in front of the opponent, D version appears behind the opponent, and both C and D hit overhead. The SB version varies on where Minazuki is (Grounded SB version appears in front while midair SB version appears behind), but it does no damage and only makes Minazuki teleport in order to close in on the opponent for mind-games. The state of leaving Minazuki in a normal airborne state during said SB version also allows him to jump cancel into a double jump or cancel into an air dash.
 * Kyuuketsu/Life Drain or Kyuuma/Spirit Drain (Sucking Blood or Sucking Devil): Persona-based attack and the two Drain spells (which Tsukuyomi in past SMT games could not learn). New command grabs. Minazuki reaches forward with his bare-leading hand to grab his opponent, then alongside Tsukiyomi drains either health (Kyuuketsu/Life Drain for the C version) or 10 SP (Kyuuma/Spirit Drain for the D version; will drain all SP if less than 10) from them and then tosses them away with an inward throw. It is meant for some good tick throw mixups, but has less range than his normal throw and puts Minazuki in a Fatal Recovery state, making it risky. The SB version combines both versions together.
 * In 1.10, the Fatal Counter property has been removed.
 * SP Skill Attacks/Super Moves:
 * Rengoku no Tsubasa (Wings of Purgatory): Persona-based attack. Minazuki covers himself up with arms and swords at ready and slashes out a cross of dark crescent waves at his opponent with Tsukiyomi by his side. A projectile with a huge vertical hitbox and startup invincibility, and despite the long recovery, the opponent is granted quite a bit of untech time if it hits, and the attack also causes wallbounce. Can be done in midair and during moves like Izayoi or Shouga via Super Cancel due to this. C version goes slow and is more used in combos than standalone, while D goes faster and thus is a great punish and combo finishing tool. The SB version is more faster than the D version and does more damage than both C and D versions.
 * Awakened SP Skill Attacks/Super Moves:
 * Getsumen Kudaki/Moon Smasher (Moon Surface Smasher): Same as before, but does a bit less damage than Sho's version, and can be blocked in midair at all times. However, on Counter Hit, Minazuki is able to continue into a combo.
 * As of Patch 1.10, the move has lessened damage reduction/increased minimum damage scaling, like Sho's version.
 * Mugen no Kiri/Dream Fog (Fog of Fantasy): Persona-based attack. A reversal/counter move where Minazuki does the stance/position similar to summoning his Persona (only he crosses his swords). If the opponent manages to hit him at a certain time/during certain frames of the attack, Tsukiyomi appears and plants its sword, suddenly causing the opponent to slowly get knocked down and the screen blacks out for a while, making only the opponent visible. Minazuki can be seen now and then, but it's possible to perform all sorts of mixups on the opponent. A downside is that summoning Tsukiyomi can give away his position. Despite its counter/reversal nature, the opponent can make use of their Furious/Reversal Action (depending on the character) or a 1 More Cancel to escape the counterattack if they trigger the move. C version lasts longer with more counter frames. The D version is short but faster to recover from, while the SB version is between the two with no damage boost. Does not work against projectiles. After a certain amount of time passes or if Minazuki gets hit, the black screen will slowly crumble away and the arena will return to normal.
 * Mortal Blow/Instant Kill:
 * Shinma Messatsu/God and Demon Annihilation (God Devil Annihilation): Persona-based attack. Minazuki crosses his swords above himself with arms close together, then slams them down in front of him, planting them and hitting his opponent if they happen to be close enough. After getting hit, the opponent will slowly get lifted a bit far and above Minazuki. Dark energy via portal below Minazuki's position with the use of Tsukiyomi's command bombards the opponent in the form of dark spikes as Minazuki makes a maniacal gesture. As the screen is filled with darkness, the opponent slowly falls down, and Tsukiyomi then reaps them with its scythe, breaking the screen. Tsukiyomi then gestures with its scythe causing the darkness to shatter away and finish the opponent, and revealing Minazuki with his back shown and arms crossed, standing alongside Tsukiyomi. The move has full startup invincibility, but is slow to come out.

Between both Sho and Minazuki, their techniques' names tend to have motifs towards the moon.

Both Sho and Minazuki, along with Margaret, are the only characters whose All-Out Attacks tend to be unique, in that they can switch sides with the opponent and pass through them.

Sho's normal leitmotif is known as "The Joker," which is a possible reference to the very villain from the two Persona 2 games and the fact that both the villain of those two games and the villain in Ultimax have a similar role and abilities. It also plays a nod to Sho's habit of puns. The console version of the theme adds in a few more chords and extra arrangements compared to the original arcade version of the theme.

Minazuki's leitmotif is instead "Blood Red Moon," a reference to a solar phenomenon, and the more sinister nature of Minazuki overall. It also undergoes extra musical changes in the console version.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sDZyULTLls

Japanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bag7bfjUCdg

Sho

 * General
 * ...As long as he's with me, there's no way I can lose!
 * Hahaha! The hell is "strength of bonds"? Sounds like an excuse for weaklings. No way I need anything like that!
 * Just get rid of this stupid world!
 * Ahahahaha! I won, just like I thought! Well, that was obvious!
 * This red fog's the end of your everyday peace. I'd kill to murder you all... Just joking! C'mon, laugh!
 * Aaaah! Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up! I won, so I'm right!


 * Character Specific
 * Yu Narukami: Man, your weapon is dull. Do you fight people with sworddom or boredom?
 * Yosuke Hanamura: Whoa, you're real weak! I guess they call you Yosuke because you skate by every challenge, huh?
 * Chie Satonaka: So, you're supposed to be a meat eater? I find that pretty hard to swallow!
 * Kanji Tatsumi: A "real man," eh? Sounds like you're ready to die for real, man! I'm not joking.
 * Mitsuru Kirijo: All this ice is leaving me cold! Hey, that was a good one, huh!?
 * Akihiko Sanada: So, you're a boxer, right? Perfect! That'll fit with you being sent home in a pine box!
 * Aigis: You got one of those feather in you, right? Well then... I'll just have to break you to pieces!
 * Junpei Iori: Play ball! I'll line drive you to your death! Ahahaha!
 * Tohru Adachi: The hell...? You said you'd help, so I let you alone. But if you're gonna go against me, I guess you should die! So DIE!
 * Shadow Labrys: The hell did you come here for!? You were freaking useless!
 * Elizabeth: You're a strange one... Why'd you come here, anyways?
 * Minazuki Sho: Don't get in my way! I want to enjoy the moment too, you know!?

Minazuki

 * General
 * You're powerless unless you act as a group, correct? How miserable, sad, and most of all irritating.
 * Almost... It has almost started. And you cannot stop it.
 * I will create a world for that boy. You are all simply just a sacrifice to that end.
 * I just want to protect him. Not that it matters to you...
 * Abandon your useless notion of bonds, in exchange for a world where you can live freely.
 * I will protect that boy. If you insist on getting in my way, I will simply have to kill you.
 * Are you done with your "bonding" act already? Don't worry, I'll kill everyone at once.


 * Character Specific
 * Yu Narukami: The resolve between you, who have been blessed, and me is different. My victory here is proof, is it not?
 * Mitsuru Kirijo: Shadow Operatives... what a nuisance. Well, you may as well become fodder here.
 * Akihiko Sanada: So, you promised not to lose anything anymore? Too bad. You'll never protect anything with such meager strength.

Etymology
"Minazuki" refers to the month of June (which can also be written as "Minatsuki/Minaduki," literally meaning "godless month/moon") and also to a kind of sweet with red beans (which fits his red theme) normally eaten around that same month. His first name (which can also be written as "Shou") literally means "flight" or "soar," and is also used in the naming of his "Hougetsuzan: Shouga" move.

The kanji used for his surname however actually means "all moons" (which can also be written as "Minnazuki/Minnatsuki/Minnaduki"), a reference to his attacks that have a moon theme or are related to the moon. This is similar to Ikutsuki (which means "many moons") in terms of a moon-based surname, and their habit of puns; this is true in that it's due to their non-blood related "father-and-son relationship."

The term Izayoi (lit. Sixteen Nights) being a sixteen-day-old moon in the night right after a full moon, and is also can be a given name or surname for most females.

Trivia

 * Ironically, despite the heavy moon theme in his attacks, name and Persona, Sho's Arcana is the Sun.
 * However, with his Persona version, the Arcana suddenly changes into the Moon, signifying a two-coin-sided relation between the two versions of Sho, especially through a "day" and "night" motif.
 * Sho's solo version, Kanji Tatsumi and Mitsuru Kirijo, and Elizabeth are the only four characters in the game to have charge-motion special moves (Sho and Kanji only apply in Ultimax while Mitsuru was already a traditional charge-motion character).
 * Compared to the rest of the characters, Sho is the only character to use in a vein like recent 3-button fighters, a solo-3-button basic attack layout (with one special button) as opposed to 2 basic attack buttons and 2 avatar-based buttons, similar to some 4-button fighters (with two weak attacks and two strong attacks); though his Persona version no doubt still follows the aforementioned 4-button scheme.
 * Sho is also the only Persona character to have no moves from the series itself regarding his solo version, as all of his moves are completely original to the Persona series as a whole. He also shares this trait with Teddie, whose whole initial moveset is also original with no spells (save for his follow up attack and eventually gaining Nihil Hand).
 * A notable contrast between Sho and Minazuki is the name and title display underneath the Life Bar during a battle. While in solo form, The Rule-Smashing Pun Machine, it is Sho, while in Persona form, The Scar-Faced Dark Messiah, it is Minazuki. This is justified in that in the Japanese version, the name in solo form is written in kanji, while in Persona form the name is written in katakana, which would be difficult to localize. Thus when they speak in the script, they settle for a last name basis (Sho uses his given name, while Minazuki's name is the "surname").
 * Also, Sho tends to have a very clear smile of anxious energy and possible deranged essence, while Minazuki tends to have more tame smiles and more serious expressions.
 * Another difference is their mannerisms. Sho acts impulsively and despises the concept of friendship, while Minazuki is calm and collected with an interest in Naoto, saying he wished to talk to her again if he got the opportunity, as she was able to figure out his motives.
 * In the Japanese script, they also use different self-pronouns. Sho uses "boku" for himself and uses "omae" for others, while Minazuki uses "ore" for himself and "kimi" for others.
 * For some reason or another, Sho's eyes are blue, but in his artwork, he is shown with gray eyes. It is possible that, because of the Plume of Dusk, his eyes change colors while engaged in battle, as they do not change until he enters a fight. An example is when Sho executes an SP Skill, as the cut-in image shows him with gray eyes, not blue.
 * In Versus Mode, depending on the character, Sho and Minazuki's eyes will change to red for the duration of the battle.
 * When Minazuki performs his Instant Kill, Tsukuyomi becomes engulfed in darkness before emerging with red veins instead of white lines on its body, its cloak becomes similar to a cape, and its weapon changes from a sword to a scythe. This seems to mirror how, in Yu's Instant Kill, Izanagi becomes engulfed in light as it transforms into Izanagi-no-Okami, which also has a different weapon, attire and physical appearance. Whether this means that Minazuki already has access to his ultimate Persona or it is merely coincidental is unknown.
 * In Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis' Arcade Ending, Sho and Minazuki are defeated at the Junes Food Court rather than at Tartarus. He will then proceed to jump atop a pole, much like how he does at Tartarus, except one can see the glowing eyes and scar more clearly due to the altitude.
 * To date, Sho is the only character in the Persona series, as well as the first Wild Card, to reject the contract of the Velvet Room. He is also the first character with the potential of being Wild Card to use his abilities for malevolent purposes, the second being Goro Akechi from Persona 5.