No More What Ifs

In the context of Persona 5 Royal, "No More What Ifs" serves as a deep, psychological mirror for the character Goro Akechi. While the game's protagonist, Joker, is represented by the theme "Beneath the Mask"—a song about being a shapeshifter with no fixed identity—this track presents the exact opposite. The song is an anthem of radical, almost tragic, self-acceptance. The narrator is acutely aware of who they are, the sins they have committed, and the bridges they have burned.

The lyrics delve into a moment of vulnerability where the speaker questions their past conceit and current solitude. However, instead of seeking redemption or changing their ways, they boldly state, "I do not regret with my choices, I'm rather proud." This reflects Akechi's refusal to be pitied or to walk back his desire for revenge, even when faced with the genuine companionship offered by the protagonist. He realizes he cannot rewrite his history, lamenting that "I won't change anything because I can only be me".

The central message of the song is about abandoning the paralyzing cycle of "what ifs". The speaker stands at a terrifying crossroads—caught between the warmth of a new bond and the destructive path of their ambitions—yet chooses to move forward without letting fear control them. It is a poignant exploration of taking ownership of one's flaws and fate, finding solace in the present moment, and accepting that the die has already been cast.

The narrative of the song unfolds as a deep, late-night introspection by someone sitting alone in a quiet, atmospheric setting, likely a dimly lit club. The speaker observes the transient nature of human connections, noting how people constantly come and go from their life, even though a rare few might choose to stay by their side. In this profound moment of physical and emotional isolation, they begin asking themselves deeply uncomfortable questions about their past behavior. They openly acknowledge a time in their life when they were overly conceited, arrogant, and blindly confident, never once doubting their own motivations. However, this particular night of reflection pierces through their armor, leading them to genuinely wonder if they have been playing the fool all along.

Despite these heavy doubts, the narrative quickly and powerfully shifts from insecurity to a firm, almost defiant sense of self-acceptance. The speaker explicitly declares that they do not regret the difficult choices they have made; in fact, they admit to being rather proud of how those choices have unraveled the path before them. They recognize the absolute impossibility of changing the past and accept their inherent nature, stating simply and resolutely that they can only be themselves, regardless of what others might wish them to be. Standing at a terrifying metaphorical crossroads, they openly admit to feeling afraid of the unknown future. Yet, they fiercely refuse to let that paralyzing fear dictate their actions or hold them back. Recalling the powerful advice from someone to "burn my dread," they find the courage to step forward, accepting the total uncertainty of what tomorrow holds.

Ultimately, the speaker resolves to live their life exactly the way they want to, finding their soul's true passion in the music that compels them to sing and feel alive. They recognize that their personal story, just like anyone else's, is entirely unique and completely unpredictable in its ultimate conclusion. What truly matters to them now is focusing entirely on the present moment and finding tangible ways to bring joy to life. By the end of this introspective journey, they have successfully cast aside the paralyzing "what ifs" that once kept them awake at night, choosing instead to embrace their identity, their past, and their unwritten future with open arms.

"No More What Ifs" was created for Persona 5 Royal, the expanded 2019 rerelease of the critically acclaimed RPG Persona 5. The track was composed by the franchise's legendary composer Shoji Meguro, with vocals performed by the Japanese soul and jazz singer Lyn Inaizumi. The lyrics were penned by Lotus Juice, a long-time collaborator on the Persona series who returned to write several new vocal tracks for the Royal expansion.

The song was specifically designed to serve as the background music for Jazz Jin, a jazz club located in the newly added Kichijoji district of the game. The location is heavily associated with the character Goro Akechi, and the track was intentionally crafted to act as his personal theme, contrasting musically and thematically with the protagonist's theme, "Beneath the Mask". Interestingly, Lotus Juice included a deliberate lyrical Easter egg in the song with the line "Someone once said burn my dread, babe," which is a direct callback to the main theme of Persona 3, a game he heavily contributed to. An instrumental version of the song also serves as the background music for the game's interactive gallery mode, the Thieves Den.

The song predominantly employs a free verse structure, prioritizing a natural, conversational flow over rigid rhyming couplets. When rhymes do appear, they are often loose or slant rhymes, designed not to draw too much attention to themselves but to keep the melodic phrases cohesive. This lack of strict rhyme scheme mirrors the unpredictable, wandering nature of a person's midnight thoughts.

Rhythmically, the track is anchored by a slow, syncopated bossa nova beat. The meter is incredibly laid-back, often playing slightly behind the beat (a technique known as playing "in the pocket"), which gives the song its signature relaxed, smoky feel. The interplay between the lyrical phrasing and the musical rhythm is masterful; Lyn's vocals frequently stretch across the bar lines, slowing down and speeding up to match the emotional weight of the words, simulating a deeply personal and impromptu jazz improvisation.

Musically, "No More What Ifs" is a masterful execution of lounge jazz and bossa nova, a stark departure from the upbeat, acid-jazz adrenaline of the game's battle themes. The arrangement utilizes a quintessential acoustic jazz trio setup featuring brushed snare drums, a walking upright bassline, and warm, extended piano chords, accented by gentle acoustic guitar strumming. This instrumentation creates an incredibly intimate, dimly-lit atmosphere.

Lyn Inaizumi's vocal delivery is a standout stylistic choice. Known for her powerful, brassy belts in tracks like "Last Surprise", Lyn restrains her vocals here, adopting a breathy, velvety, and conversational tone that perfectly mimics a live, late-night performance in a quiet club. This restraint underscores the vulnerability of the lyrics.

Lyrically, the song heavily employs rhetorical questions—"If I am the fool or what not?", "How can I be so sure?", and "Who knows what tomorrow holds?". This literary device brilliantly structures the song as an internal monologue, inviting the listener directly into the narrator's stream of consciousness and highlighting their initial uncertainty before they eventually resolve to let go of their doubts.

Within the massive, global fanbase of the Persona series, "No More What Ifs" is widely celebrated as one of the most brilliant and emotionally resonant tracks in modern video game music. It is frequently analyzed and praised by fans and critics alike for its subtle, masterful storytelling, effectively serving as the unspoken character theme for Goro Akechi, one of the franchise's most complex and beloved figures.

Beyond the game itself, the song's authentic jazz composition has allowed it to transcend its origins as a video game soundtrack. It has become a popular standard within the Video Game Music (VGM) cover community. The track has been notably arranged and performed by prominent musical groups such as The 8-Bit Big Band, The Consouls, and even the MIT Vocal Jazz Ensemble, proving its viability and appeal as a standalone piece of contemporary lounge jazz.

The song relies heavily on metaphors related to direction, identity, and performance. The "crossroads" is the most prominent metaphor, representing a pivotal moment of decision. For the character it represents, this is the intersection between continuing down a dark, self-destructive path of revenge and embracing the genuine, redeeming bonds they have recently formed. Although standing at this junction evokes fear, the speaker resolves to face it head-on.

The phrase "someone once said burn my dread" is highly symbolic. On a meta-textual level, it is a nod to Persona 3, but within the song's narrative, "burning dread" represents the psychological act of incinerating one's anxieties and fears of the future, allowing one to live fiercely in the present.

Furthermore, the speaker's musing on whether they are "the fool or what not" carries deep symbolic weight in the context of the Persona universe, where "The Fool" arcana represents limitless potential, innocence, and the protagonist. By questioning if they are the fool, the narrator is weighing their rigid, predetermined mindset against the boundless, adaptable nature of their rival. Finally, the act of "singing" and finding soul-filling "passionate music" symbolizes the rare, fleeting moments of genuine humanity and vulnerability that the character allows themselves to experience in the sanctuary of the jazz club.

Interestingly, the title phrase "No more what ifs" does not explicitly appear in the original lyrics of the song. Instead, the concept is represented through the recurring lyrical motif of "asking myself questions." The narrator repeatedly returns to the act of questioning—"How can I be so sure?", "If I am the fool?"—before ultimately rejecting this behavior.

Another significant recurring phrase is "Who knows what tomorrow holds?" This line acts as the emotional pivot of the song. Initially, it stems from a place of anxiety and fear of the "crossroads" they face. However, as the song progresses, the phrase evolves into a mantra of acceptance. The repetition reinforces the song's core philosophy: because the future is fundamentally unknowable, agonizing over it—or over the unchangeable past—is a futile exercise. This motif grounds the song's transition from paralyzing self-doubt to liberating self-acceptance.