A fun part of Persona 5 Royal is that you get to pick who Joker, the game’s protagonist, might have a romantic interest in. The commander of the Phantom Thieves might choose Ichiko Ohya, an investigative journalist. It is not easy for rookies to win her heart, but it is not impossible either.
Ichiko Ohya is a reporter in her mid-twenties. As a journalist, she is committed to exposing corruption. Her current job, however, has her stuck in the less-than-glamorous work of tabloid-style writing. Joker runs into her one day and he quickly realizes that getting on the good side of the paparazzi will benefit The Phantom Thieves and strikes a deal with the young reporter.
In order to romance/date Ichiko Ohya in Persona 5 Royal, the first thing you need to do is play the game normally how you would until the date 6/23. After that date, you need to stop by the Crossroads Bar and help Ohya. This will generally start your romance route in the game. After that, Joker will help Ichiko Ohya with articles and more while they get closer day by day. She is also only available in the evenings so you need to have your evenings free. There is more you need to take care of, which we will go into later in the article.
In this guide, we will go into detail about how you can go about dating Ichiko Ohya in Persona 5 Royal. We will go through step by step so that you have no difficulty in doing her romance route and you glide through everything with ease. If you are interested in all that, make sure to keep on reading!
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What Do You Need To Romance Ichiko Ohya In Persona 5 Royal?
There are a few steps and things you must do in order to date Ohya in Persona 5 Royal. These steps are critical if you want to pursue a romance with her, so make sure you follow them carefully and don’t skip any of them. To date Ichiko Ohya, you must do the following:
- Take care of other things until her confidant is available on 6/23.
- Stop by the Crossroads Bar once the date is 6/23.
- Give Ohya the information about the Phantom Thieves for her articles and journalism.
- Keep your nights free to spend time with her.
- Choose agreeing dialogue options when conversing with Ohya.
- Level the confidant rank to 8.
- Pick up some gifts for Ichiko Ohya and give them to her.
- Do the “Fighting for Truth in Journalism” Mementos request.
- Choose the “I took it seriously” dialogue option once given the prompt.
- Meet with Ichiko Ohya again after hitting rank 10 on the confidant.
Below, we will go into detail about each of the steps listed above. By following all of the listed steps, you will actually cement your romance with Ichiko Ohya and she will become your girlfriend.
Dating Ichiko Ohya In Persona 5 Royal
Following are the steps you need to follow in order to secure your romance route for Ohya and make her your girlfriend in Persona 5 Royal:
1. Take Care Of Other Things Until Her Confidant Is Available
Unfortunately, Ohya is not immediately accessible for bonding until a certain time. Because he will not be able to unlock her until the month of June is over, Joker will be required to focus his attention on the numerous other aspects of the game before he reaches this date. Players are not prevented from progressing in Ohya’s social link due to the fact that she does not have any stat criteria that must be met. Just keep your attention on the following activities for the time being:
- Level up.
- Take care of your social stats and make sure to upgrade them.
- Paying attention to the other confidants as well and raising them.
- Getting a Devil Persona to start and accomplish Ohya’s social link.
2. The Crossroads Bar
From 23rd of June, the evening of your choice should be spent in the Crossroads Bar. Ohya may be seen here rather frequently drinking. Because the plot requires you to have a conversation with her, entering rank one should not be too difficult. Joker with Ohya will reach an agreement to trade information, so their connection will grow stronger with every new piece of intelligence he provides about the Phantom Thieves that Ohya may use for her article. It is important to keep in mind that traveling to a palace or searching for mementos will prevent you from going out in the evening to see Ohya.
3. Give Ohya The Information About The Phantom Thieves
Those individuals who are interested in spending time around Ohya will be pleased to learn that she is accessible every evening throughout the work week. When Joker pays her a visit, he will assist her with her pieces while also investigating the reasons for her intense interest in journalism.
As the story progresses, Joker will obtain powers that simplify palace development and make it easier for him to infiltrate royal residences. Players now have the opportunity to spend their nights in Shinjuku alongside their preferred investigator thanks to the additional time.
4. Keep Your Nights Free To Spend Time With Her
If Joker wants to concentrate on developing his relationship with Ohya, he will have to refrain from entering the Metaverse, just like he does on almost every evening during Confidant. It is possible to overcome this obstacle by leveling up Kawakami to her maximum potential and unlocking her Special Massage skill.
Joker will be able to go out later in the evening after calling Kawakami and having her come over to relieve the exhaustion that his body is experiencing. Those who are considering this choice have to be aware of the following regarding Kawakami:
- Is only accessible on 5/24
- To engage with, you need to have a Charm level of 3.
If you find that interacting around Kawakami is boring, the Phantom Thieves might consider taking a break from the metaverse for a few days each week rather than sitting down with her.
5. Choose The Dialogue Options That Agree With Ohya
Ohya is a frequent drinker, and her interactions with Joker are marked by a continual sense of merriment. Even if there are times when the subject shifts to a more serious topic, the most of the time it will be Joker’s job to make the journalist laugh. Because she talks so much, you should be prepared to interject your thoughts when she finally pauses.
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6. Level To Confidant Rank 8
After the groundwork for said Confidant level has been laid, Joker will not experience anything noteworthy happen to him until he reaches rank 8. On the other hand, he will be in for an exciting and, at times, hilarious journey with the inept journalist. Pay her a trip in the nights, when Joker as well as his gang will not be as preoccupied with breaking into the palace. Make a note of the following suggestions to guarantee that these sessions go off without a hitch.
- Every time Joker goes to Ohya, he should take a Devil Arcana Persona along to increase the amount of social points he gains.
- Evenings and days with rain do not prevent her from being reached for assistance.
- Quickly completing the palaces will free up more time for Joker to use as he pleases.
7. Pick Up Some GIfts For Ohya And Give Them To Her
Later on, during the Confidant link, you would most likely experience a situation in which the social link is severed because you do not have enough points. When this occurs, you are required to spend an entire day with the Confidant, during which neither of them may make any further progress in their respective Arcana.
This is also accurate with regard to Ohya. To our great relief, there is a means to get past this temporary obstacle. Each of the ladies that Joker may date in Persona 5 Royal seems to have a predetermined list of presents that, when given, increase their total number of social connection points.
If you want to know all about every gift you can give to Ichiko Ohya in Persona 5 Royal to make her impressed and feel bonded with you, make sure to read our Ultimate Persona 5 Royal Gifting Guide where we list down the best gifts available for not only Ohya but every confidant in the game!
8. Accept The Mementos Request And Complete It
At rank 8, Joker as well as Ohya eventually face Shinpei Honjo, Ohya’s terrible employer who is strangling her journalistic ethics whilst pushing her away from one buddy. Shinpei Honjo has been a problem for Ohya for a long time. Joker as well as the Phantom Thieves will be able to engage him in combat in Mementos once Ohya has provided them with his identity.
Because it is a Rank C task, completing it should not be too difficult at this point in the game. Shinpei Honjo is located in Area 9 within Mementos, which is accessible via the Path of Kaitul. Because he is easily blown over, it is imperative that Morgana be there in order to promptly dispose of him.
9. The Romance Dialogue Option
Once Joker has finished dealing with Ohya’s employer, he will be able to advance his link with her once more. During the talk that takes place in rank 9, Ohya may recollect an incident in which she coerced Joker into acting as though he were her lover. During the process, she would inquire as to whether or not he takes it seriously.
Tell her that you “take it seriously” in your response to show her that Joker is taking her interest seriously. It is likely that she is reluctant to accept your sentiments; thus, you should follow up by saying “I love you, Ichiko” in order to firmly establish your connection.
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10. Finish Off The Romance To Hit Rank 10 In Ohya’s Confidant
It is necessary for Ohya & Joker’s loving relationship to reach its conclusion that they have one final encounter with each other, during which Ohya will witness the completion of her present job in journalism and Joker will hear her contribute to the romantic partnership between the two of them.
This encounter cannot be flunked, so select the response that seems the most natural to you, and keep in mind that Joker can continue to hang around with Ohya even after they both achieve their maximum rank with each other. Date her so you can see her again in the future. Invite her out.
Conclusion
And there we have it, everything you need to know in order to date Ichiko Ohya in Persona 5 Royal.
Many people usually do not go for Inchiko as a romance option because she does not seem like a good fit for Joker, as she is much older, is addicted to drinking, and uses clickbait for journalism as well. But despite all that, her romance storyline is still pretty good! We hope these steps and tips will be useful to you!