@ll_exile_ll: That sounds like it checks out. There is a reference to Chie at the TV at one point that says she's still in the police academy. And Yukiko now being the proprietor of the Inn, I think. If there were any other references to what the P4 cast is doing now besides those and Rise I missed them.

akechi is popular? didn't feel he was part of my party long enough to care about him.

There was one for Namatame of all people, he's running for something or other in the elections

Considering how Death Note persona 5 was and then a Light Yagami looking dude shows up who is introduced as the "L" of the game, I knew things were gonna go bad with him.

As far as villains go, Akechi was...all right. He was a fun time. I knew something was up the minute he said pancake, but I got tricked a bit when he joined the party. He was fun in some scenes, but didn't leave much of an impression on me, one way or another. Like, OP is right, with his actions he's kind of a piece of shit. I don't know if the game really earned that redemption arc he goes through in the last scene he's in. I was real into how he went full Light Yagami with his defeat there, but then he got to have a nice and composed self sacrifice scene, which was less fun.

I had a lot more fun with Adachi. Don't get me wrong, Adachi's entire bit was dumb, but it was also real fun.

Man I'm not even that far in the game, but I knew that guy was going to be the villain. I had no idea that he joins the party either, but his brief bit in the beginning stood out to me. He has the whole 'looks too smooth' thing going on.

I liked him before we learned the truth about him after that I really started to dislike him. I guess people like him before we learn the truth but I don't know.

His was a fun fight though and it is kinda cool that he has the same ability as Joker does and it is pretty cool to see what that ability looks like when awakened under not so pure circumstances.