Catherine/Characters
A page for all the characters who appear in Atlus' Catherine.
Main Characters
Vincent Brooks
Voice Actors: Koichi Yamadera (JP), Troy Baker (EN)
The protagonist of our story; a fairly unambitious man whose life gets turned around very quickly after his girlfriend Katherine McBride states she wants to get married, and he is seduced by the mysterious Catherine. Before long, he's having nightmares where he has to climb towards a cathedral alongside countless other people turned into sheep in order to escape.
- Afro Asskicker: His fellow nightmare sheep seem to see him as such, anyway... apparently, his hair resembles a 'fro on his sheep self.
- Badass Normal
- Bad Liar: To an almost absurd degree.
- Not that it would've worked, since both girls knew what was going on from the beginning.
- Butt Monkey
- The Cameo: Appears in Persona 3: Portable as "Man Drinking Alone", where he talks about getting weird nightmares and how a strange girl who suddenly appeared has suddenly thrown his life for a loop.
- Chick Magnet: According to Orlando, he used to be very popular with girls when he was younger. Not so much the case now, though he did catch the attention of Catherine. Though there are bigger reasons for that.
- Cluster F-Bomb: When he confronts Boss about the nightmares, he's so pissed off that this is the result.
- Commitment Versus Freedom: Making the choice or not forms the crux of his Character Development.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: In real life, he's pretty meek and spineless all around. In the dream world, he's a lot more determined, and openly defiant to his tormentors. His ability to quickly devise climbing techniques shows he can be especially clever too.
- Despair Event Horizon: Comes close to crossing it when he loses Katherine. Depending on how you play, he can either get back with her, get over it, or make the last leap over it.
- Determinator: Just try and tell this guy that he's not going to get through the night's 'mare.
- Upon getting a Game Over, using one of your retries prompts him to say "Now's not the time to be dead!"
- Earn Your Happy Ending
- The Everyman: He starts out as an ordinary guy with fairly mundane problems. Then he starts having deadly nightmares.
- Goofy Print Underwear: A lovely pair of boxers with pink spots that Vincent brings with him to every Nightmare. Apparently, Vincent's closet is full of them. Also, if you bought the "Love is Over" edition, you score a real-life pair of your very own.
- Jaw Drop: At least twice per day.
- Happily Married: To his girl of choice in the True Lovers and True Cheater endings.
- Large Ham: Especially in the English version, where it's clear that Troy Baker had a lot of fun going overboard with his yells.
- Like a Badass Out of Hell: In the True Cheater ending, he marries Catherine and chooses to stay with her in the netherworld; eventually becoming a demon himself. Not just any old demon, mind... The most powerful one in existence.
- Memetic Sex God: Can become an In-Universe one, at least for the demons, if the True Cheater route is taken.
- Maybe not "memetic"-he did wrest control of the underworld from the Babylonian god of death.
- Nice Guy
- Power Is Sexy: It's implied that this is the reasons why so many Horny Devils end up fawning all over him in the True Cheater ending, as he becomes the netherworld's most powerful demon.
- Say My Name: "C/KATHERRIINNNNEEE!!!" (even at the Title Screen!)
- Shadow Archetype: Shadow of Vincent of course, hinting towards a Continuity towards the Persona series.
- Take a Third Option: The Neutral Endings, in which he rejects both girls.
- Team Dad/Warrior Therapist: Towards the other sheep. As the nights go on, they all really start looking up to him. Often he'll teach them any techniques he's learned thus far.
- This Loser Is You
- Took a Level in Badass: Towards the end.
- Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: The hijinks involving Katherine and Catherine are utterly hilarious ...until things start really going bad for him.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: In the Nightmare Stages, where all he's wearing is his boxers.
- Your Cheating Heart: It's what kicks off the plot.
Catherine
Voice Actors: Miyuki Sawashiro (JP), Laura Bailey (EN)
The titular seductress; Catherine seduces Vincent at the Stray Sheep bar and it's after meeting her that his nightmares begin. She is quite the Clingy Jealous Girl and is implied to be more than a little crazy. She is eventually revealed to be a succubus sent to seduce men who won't get married in order to "weed out" the unfruitful couples as part of a scheme by Mutton.
- Betty and Veronica: The Veronica to Katherine's Betty.
- Blondes Are Morally Ambiguous
- Character Title: The only one in the localized version. In the Japanese version, she shares this trope with Katherine.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: She does not take no for an answer, and if anyone tries to say otherwise, she tends to get... violent.
- Dominatrix: In most of the pictures in the Good Cheater Ending, it seems Vincent has a BDSM kick.
- The Dragon/The Dark Chick: To Mutton.
- Femme Fatale
- A Form You Are Comfortable With: She takes on the ideal appearance of whatever the target's desire is. The true cheater ending shows what is potentially part of her true form, a body with demonic wings, ram horns and black and white geometric patterns all over her skin. But even then, her face and hair still remain as Vincent's ideal woman.
- Giant Waist Ribbon: She wears a large red sash around her waist tied in a bow.
- Happily Married: To Vincent in the True Cheater ending.
- Horny Devils: Her true nature is that of a succubus.
- Invisible to Normals: She can only be seen by the men she seduces.
- Knife Nut: Her Weapon of Choice when she tries to kill Katherine in a dream sequence is one of these, but she ends up being stabbed herself.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: A particularly dark version.
- Ms. Fanservice: Enforced and Justified Trope. Seeing as how she's a succubus, she takes on the appearance of Vincent's ideal Ms. Fanservice.
- Naked Apron: In one of the pictures in the Good Cheater ending.
- One-Winged Angel: She turns into an enormous, monstrous version of herself in a nightmare Vincent has, so she can chase down and murder Katherine, and, supposedly, Vincent.
- Only One Name
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red Oni to Katherine's Blue. Even has a bit red on her outfit while Katherine has a bit blue.
- Ret-Gone: She could only interact with Vincent in the first place, but when she was defeated in the Nightmare, all of her calls, texts and pictures vanished from his phone.
- Woman in White: To Katherine's Woman in Black. Enforced by the game logo.
- Yandere
Katherine McBride
Voice Actors: Kotono Mitsuishi (JP), Michelle Ruff (EN)
Vincent's girlfriend. They met at a high school reunion and struck up a relationship. She's described as being a career woman, but she also wants to get married. The pressure over whether or not to do so is partially what sets Vincent's story into motion. As it turns out, she was aware of his affair the whole time and eventually breaks up with him over it. Depending on the player's choices, they may or may not get back together.
- Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Catherine's Veronica.
- Broken Smile: Develops one during the breakup scene, although it's small.
- Character Title: With Catherine in the Japanese version, where their names are spelled the same way.
- Financial Abuse: Says she'll be taking control of Vincent's finances after discovering her pregnancy, claiming that it's because he needs to be more responsible.
- Hair Color Dissonance: Is that... blonde? Light brown? Vaguely pinkish?
- Happily Married: To Vincent in the True Lovers ending.
- Hidden Depths: Turns out she knew that Vincent was cheating all along.
- Meaningful Name
- Meganekko
- Rapunzel Hair: Quite ironic considering Rapunzel's tale is mentioned in the game, although it may be unintentional.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue Oni to Catherine's Red. Even has a bit of blue on her outfit while Catherine has a bit of red.
- Secret Test of Character: Shortly after breaking the news to Vincent, she discovered she wasn't pregnant after all, but wanted to see if Vincent would come clean about his affair if she had been.
- Victorious Childhood Friend: May become one depending on the ending.
- Woman in Black: To Catherine's Woman in White. Enforced by the game logo.
Vincent's Friends
Orlando Haddick
Voice Actors: Hiroaki Hirata (JP), Liam O'Brien (EN)
Orlando is one of Vincent's oldest friends and another frequenter of the Stray Sheep bar. He tends to lean towards freedom in everything he does and isn't particularly keen on the idea of marriage.
- All Men Are Perverts: His immediate reaction to Vincent's ramblings about whether or not he should call the affair with Catherine off and apologize to Katherine can basically be summed up as, "Great - Hook me up with her instead."
- When Vincent starts telling him about the pics that Catherine is sending him, he demands that he save those pics so he can see them later.
- Blue Eyes
- Deadpan Snarker:
- While talking to Vincent in the cubicles:
Vincent: "Does all this feel like a dream to you?"
Orlando: "Who dreams of taking a shit with another guy?"
- Drink Order: Beer.
- Nice Hat: Wears a trilby.
Jonathan "Jonny" Ariga
Voice Actors: Takehito Koyasu (JP), Travis Willingham (EN)
Jonny is another bachelor friend of Vincent's who frequents the bar. A used car salesman who works for his father's company and plans to continue the family business. He tends to lean towards the "order" side of things and has a yearning to find his own soulmate some day.
- All Love Is Unrequited: If you break up with Katherine, he reveals that he's had feelings for her for years.
- Big Brother Mentor: To Toby.
- The Bro Code: He'll break it if Vincent breaks up with Katherine for good, but gets turned down by Katherine. Somewhat subverted in that it isn't treated as too much of a big deal.
- Drink Order: Sake.
- Fan Nickname: An In-Universe example. Toby frequently calls him "Chief".
- Foil: Given his similar appearance, his leaning towards order and eventual asking of Katherine out, he's basically what Vincent could become if he actually made up his mind for once.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Mostly towards Toby. He tends to be calm, level-headed and clad in duller clothing to represent his leaning towards stability as opposed to Toby's bright young enthusiasm.
- Smoking Is Cool
- The Stoic: The least talkative of Vincent's friends.
- Token Minority: With a last name like Ariga, this makes him the only Asian in Vincent's group, let alone the entire game.
Tobias "Toby" Nebbins
Voice Actors: Kisho Taniyama (JP), Yuri Lowenthal (EN)
One of Jonny's workmates, Toby is the youngest member of the group and another regular at the bar. He looks up to his coworker and has a similar desire to find "the one" and get married. He's also quite the cake eater and has a huge crush on Erica.
- All Men Are Perverts
- Butt Monkey: He's always picked on by his buddies, usually for being the youngest, for being a virgin, or for his shyness towards Erica. And then he eventually finds out that the woman he's been crushing on the entire time and whom he lost his virginity to used to be a man.
- Chivalrous Pervert: He's quite clearly a good guy at heart although he's definitely one of the more perverted of them, proudly announcing his preference for older women and asking "What's so wrong with having some adult fun with someone older?"
- Drink Order: Beer.
- Heroes Want Redheads: He has quite the crush on Erica.
- Intergenerational Friendship: He's the youngest of the group by almost a decade.
- Likes Older Women: Rather unashamedly too.
- A Man Is Not a Virgin: He loses his virginity to Erica before the game ends and is damn proud of it, too. He is, however, quite shocked to learn that she's Transgender.
- Naive Newcomer
- Nice Hat
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: He's a loud, active, bright-colour wearing Foil to Johnny's stoicism.
Erica Anderson/Eric
Voice Actors: Junko Minagawa (JP), Erin Fitzgerald (EN)
A waitress at the Stray Sheep bar and a childhood friend of Vincent's. She is bright, cheerful and a little bit of a gossiper. She seems well aware of Tobias' crush on her and it's hinted that she reciprocates it on some level, as he eventually loses his virginity to her. In the True Lovers ending, it's revealed that she was born as "Eric".
- The Chick: A moral centre for the team who tries to stop them getting depressed? Check. Mediates arguments and ensures that nobody falls out? Check. Encourages everyone to keep moving forward? Cheque, please!
- Cool Big Sis: Though unquestionably cool, she subverts the 'Big' part of the trope by being the same age as Vincent and the Sis part, kinda.
- Dropped a Bridget On Him
- Fan Service with a Smile: Her waitress outfit shows off quite a bit of leg and the camera occasionally angles itself so you can see down her top.
- Fiery Redhead
- Foreshadowing: The gang drops quite a few hints that she wasn't born a woman that Toby and many first-time players probably won't notice.
- Hello, Nurse!: For Toby.
- Significant Double Casting: Subverted in both the Japanese and English dub in regards to Trisha. The only thing they share is a rather similar appearance.
- The Tease: Especially so far as Toby is concerned.
- Transsexualism: Revealed in the True Lovers ending.
Stray Sheep Characters
Boss/Thomas Mutton/Dumuzid
Voice Actors: Norio Wakamoto (JP), Kirk Thornton (EN)
The Boss is the barkeeper of the Stray Sheep bar, who always wears sunglasses indoors. Very little is known about him, although there are plenty of weird rumours surrounding him. He turns out to be the mastermind behind the nightmares and is trying to use them to weed out men who won't marry their partners for the sake of allowing the human race to keep populating the world, as per the will of Astaroth/Ishtar.
- Batman Gambit: It's clear that he thinks he's planning a Xanatos one, but Vincent basically undermines that illusion when he takes the whole plan apart by saying men and women don't need guidance and there's no way their lives can be so easily controlled.
- Big Bad: The one responsible for creating the Nightmares, for the purpose of weeding out men who either cheat on their partners or won't commit themselves to marriage.
- Calling Your Attacks: DUMUZID BEAM! Head goes BOOM!!
- The Chessmaster
- Cool Old Guy
- Cool Shades: Turns out they're to hide his Glowing Eyes of Doom.
- Sunglasses at Night: He wears them while sleeping, even after his secret is revealed.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The Japanese language track calls him Master, the traditional way of addressing the barkeep in Japan as he's the master of the bar you're in. The English dub changed it to Boss, but the meaning behind it is the same. So at the end of the day, he's still being called Barkeep, confusing ain't it?
- Dirty Old Man: Erica complains that he's not going to stop hitting on her.
- Dub Name Change: From "Master" in the Japanese version to "Boss".
- Done as you traditionally call the Barkeep in Japan "Master" out of respect, and calling him "Boss" is just a translation of how respectfully you're suppose to address them in Japan.
- Final Boss: Of the game.
- Friendly Enemy: He's only antagonistic when directly challenged. Even after being defeated, he doesn't seem to hold a grudge against Vincent.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom/Red Eyes, Take Warning: Turns out that these are what his sunglasses are hiding.
- Humanoid Abomination: In the true ending, he transforms into a deity/monster.
- Mr. Exposition
- Not So Omniscient After All: Vincent calls him out on this after the final battle.
- Physical God: ...albeit one who can't even scrape together 50 grand.
- Revolvers Are Just Better: His weapon of choice when you face him in the penultimate level.
- Service Sector Stereotypes: A plot-significant barkeeper? Yep.
- Shrouded in Myth: Mostly played for laughs. There are quite a few wacky rumours about the Boss.
- Smug Snake: After Vincent beats him, he can do little more than sulk at his defeat.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Turns out all he really wanted was for men and women to "continue populating the planet" and he intended to weed out cheaters in order to assist with that. Subverted in that he himself was cheating on Ishtar and fell out of favor with her as a result.
Justin Bailey
One of the regulars at the Stray Sheep. He's a reporter, and is studying the mysterious deaths of young men in their sleep. During the Nightmare stages, he appears as the Sheep with Glasses, teaching climbing techniques that Vincent may find useful.
- But You Were There and You and You: Eventually, he recognizes Vincent from the bar during the Nightmare.
- Catch Phrase: "It's the truth."
- My Greatest Failure: Justin once wrote an article about an impoverished ballerina who was looking for her big break. After the story was published, she became famous, but was tormented by rivals and ended up committing suicide. He thinks the nightmares are punishing him for this, and plans on wishing the ballerina back to life if he reaches the Cathedral.
- Shout-Out: To the Classic Cheat Code of Metroid.
Todd Bozeman
A businessman that frequents the Stray Sheep. He appears in the Nightmare as the Sheep with Regent Hair.
- Abusive Parents: His father constantly insulted, belittled, or neglected him, and even attacked him with an axe at one point, leaving scars on Todd's body.
- All Men Are Perverts: Todd takes this attitude in stride, thinking it makes him a successful man, like his father.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Surviving the Nightmare helps him get better though.
- Foil: Todd is basically a more successful, less committed Vincent.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite not getting along with Morgan, he stopped the latter's suicide attempt.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: He's desperate to become successful like his father. Unfortunately, that means being a womanizing, manipulative jerk.
- Woman Scorned: He thinks the "witch" is one of his ex-girlfriends, who he dumped to avoid getting caught in a baby trap.
- Your Cheating Heart: Ironically enough, his wife is having an affair with Archie.
Archie Wallace
Todd's employee, often seen with him at the Stray Sheep. In the Nightmare stages, he's the Long-Haired Sheep.
- Abusive Parents: Archie was locked in a cellar and raped by his mother as a child. Although he eventually escaped, it left him with serious Mommy Issues.
- Death Seeker: Due to a combination of guilt and burnout over his lifestyle. He sees himself as a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, and he feels like he's constantly on the run thanks to his background.
- Freudian Excuse: See above.
- Gold Digger: A male version. Archie seduces rich women, then makes off with as much money as he can.
- I Wished You Were Dead: His reaction if Todd dies in the Nightmare.
- Your Cheating Heart: He's sleeping with Todd's wife out of spite.
Daniel Kirsch
One of Vincent's old classmates, and the heir to a huge corporation. He's seen as the Sheep with Sunglasses in Nightmares.
- Arranged Marriage: His parents force one onto him, to get him to break up with his poor girlfriend.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Averted.
- Creepy Doll: Daniel's Nightmare monster is one of these, modeled after himself. It doesn't even chase after him.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Daniel envies Vincent's carefree life. It's a small case; bonus for actually having Green Eyes, too.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: He's been dating Anna, but his parents won't accept someone of her financial status for a daughter-in-law. If he survives the Nightmare, they end up eloping.
- Unknown Rival: He claims to have spent life since graduating from high school trying to be more successful than Vincent. Vincent, for his part, barely even remembers him.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: His adoptive parents have very high standards which Daniel feels he can never live up to.
- The White Prince: Pretty much everything in his life has been mapped out for him, so he tends to just go with what he's told.
Morgan Cortez
A widowed police officer who can be found at the Stray Sheep. Also known as the Sheep with Police Hat.
- But You Were There and You and You: Eventually, he recognizes Vincent from the bar during the Nightmare.
- Driven to Suicide: Shortly after his wife was murdered. Todd stopped him.
- I Wished You Were Dead: The last time he saw his wife, they were having an argument, which culminated in Morgan telling her to get out. He Never Got to Say Goodbye.
- Libation for the Dead: If he survives the Nightmare, Morgan swears off alcohol, instead promising to pour his last drink on Sophie's grave once he's caught her murderer.
- Sweet Tooth: According to Lindsey and Martha, he likes vanilla ice cream with maple syrup.
- That One Case: His wife's murder. Doubles as My Greatest Failure.
Anna Rosmont
Daniel's girlfriend, who occasionally accompanies him to the Stray Sheep.
- Samaritan Relationship Starter: Anna was devastated by the suicide of her friend the ballerina, but Daniel comforted her and got her life back on track. Shortly afterwards, they started dating.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Daniel's family doesn't approve of her economic status.
Lindsay and Martha Uspenski
A pair of old women who seem to know about the Nightmare world.
- Creepy Twins: They speak their more ominous lines in unison, and it's implied that they're not entirely human.
- Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: They don't mind sharing beer and pizza with Vincent while sorting out your Karma Meter.
- Intergenerational Friendship: With Morgan. In fact, they both have a crush on him, too.
- Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Maybe. They talk as if they've been around for several of the previous nightmare cycles, which happen in intervals of 100 years.
- Single-Minded Twins
- What Happened to the Mouse?: We never really find out what their deal is.
Other Characters
Trisha, the Midnight Venus/Astaroth/Ishtar
The hostess of the Golden Playhouse, the Framing Device for our story. She provides opening and ending narration to the events of the story.
- Absolute Cleavage: The collar of her jacket goes way down past her breasts.
- Bigger Bad: Was behind the entire scheme, not to weed out unworthy men as Thomas Mutton said, but to find a replacement for her current lover, Thomas Mutton himself.
- Everything's Better with Sparkles: Her afro is always glittering with golden sparkles.
- Fiery Redhead
- Funny Afro: A gigantic red one that is almost bigger than her body.
- She lets it down if you complete the Axis Mundi Babel stage.
- A God Is You: Replaces Dumuzid with the Player if you beat the Babel stages.
- Ms. Exposition: She tells you who Vincent is and gives you hints through text messages about what to do throughout the game.
- Ms. Fanservice: Not in the main game, but after you complete Axis Mundi there's a scene where she basically seduces you through the fourth wall. Makes sense, given how she's a Love Goddess.
- Physical Goddess: The Mesopotamian goddess of love and war.
- Significant Anagram: Rearrange "Trisha" and you get "Ishtar"; her true identity.
- Significant Double Casting: Same subverted deal as Toby in regards to Erica in both dubs. Not so much with Astaroth in the Japanese dub.
Paul
A former classmate of Vincent's, and one of the first men claimed by the curse.
- Death by Sex: Paul's acquaintances knew him as a real ladies' man, which is more than likely how he got tangled up with Catherine.
- Posthumous Character: Dead by the time the game starts, killed by the Nightmare.
Steve Delhomme
A man who accuses Vincent of stealing Catherine from him. Also known as the Sheep with a Tie. Eaten by Vincent's Shadow before he can escape the Nightmare.
- But You Were There and You and You: He and Vincent both recognize each other (by voice) towards the end of the Nightmare.
- Chekhov's Gun: After sleeping with Vincent, Catherine runs off to see the dentist. Steve's profession? Dentist.
- Chekhov's Gunman: He's the sheep who gave you tutorials on the first Nightmare.
- Evil Phone: Only at first, as he threatened to kill Vincent. Never follows through with it, however.
- Killed Off for Real: Steve is the only sheep that can't be saved.
- Mauve Shirt: He plays a fairly significant role as the guy who teaches you the ropes of the nightmares, but sadly, he doesn't make it to the end of them.
- Sanity Slippage: First, Catherine leaves him, and Steve becomes desperate to win her back through the Nightmares. Then he finds out that she didn't really exist.
- Your Cheating Heart: He had an affair with, and later left his wife for, Catherine.
Mysterious Voice/Astaroth
A strange voice that frequently tests Vincent's beliefs in the nightmares and asks him questions from the window of a confession booth before each level.
- Creepy Child: It is implied that he is young. Though how young is unknown.
- Gender Bender: He is a male avatar of the Goddess Ishar.
- Significant Double Casting: Subverted. He (quite obviously) shares a voice actor with Toby in the English version, but they're not connected.
- It is used straight in the Japanese dub as both Trisha/Ishtar and Astaroth were voiced by Junko Minagawa.
Nergal
Catherine's father, the plenipotentiary of the netherworld. Despite what that may imply, he's actually more of a bumbling dad than anything else.
- Badass Beard
- Big No: In Catherine's True Ending, when she tells him to give up and stop opposing her relationship with Vincent.
- Bumbling Dad: He comes off as fairly ridiculous, allowing a human wearing nothing but underwear and a random sword topple his control of the netherworld, pathetically asking his daughter to play video games with him instead of dating Vincent, and other silly things.
- The Chew Toy: He really only exists to be laughed at.
- The Devil Is a Loser: Big time. His attempts to talk Catherine out of seeing Vincent end with him getting a Groin Attack from her, and in the True Cheater ending, after getting overthrown, he's used as a throne. He's easily the least dangerous supernatural entity in the game.
- Fantastic Racism: Implied towards humans in general from his treatment of Vincent and his constant (attempted) dismissal of him as a "mere human".
- Giant Space Flea From Nowhere: A non-boss example. He appears very late into the story and is only really used for a couple of cheap laughs.
- Groin Attack: Is the victim of one courtesy of Catherine, who does it to stop his whining.
- Large and In Charge: He's physically the largest character in the game unless you count others going One-Winged Angel.
- Large Ham: It's Jamieson Price. What did you expect?
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: It's probably unintentional, but his broad face and gigantic beard are somewhat reminiscent of Brian Blessed.
- Parental Marriage Veto: He's not too fond of the idea of Catherine marrying Vincent. Not that any attention is paid to his opinion...
- Satan Is Inept: For the lord of the underworld, Nergal sure doesn't seem very dangerous.