Persona 3 Portable: Bunkichi & Mitsuko (Hierophant) social link choices & unlock guide

The Persona 3 Portable Bunkichi and Mitsuko social link is relatively unique and rare in the pantheon of Persona relationships in that it’s a single S-Link that is actually between three people - an old couple and you, their young new would-be friend. 

Leveling up the S-Link with Bunkichi and Mitsuko will level up your Hierophant Arcana Persona Fusion, and also reveal more of the sad but lovely story of this loving pair, which all revolves around a tree at your high school which finds itself under threat. This guide will help you to make the right dialogue choices to keep the relationship growing swiftly. 

Bunkichi & Mitsuko S-Link Guide - Hierophant

Persona 3 Portable's Hierophant Social Link is with sweet elderly couple Bunkichi and Mitsuko. Here's the dialogue choices that will unlock the S-Link and make 'em happy.

This guide will help you through the Persona 3 Portable Bunkichi and Mitsuko social link by offering up all the correct dialogue choices that’ll offer bonus points and therefore help the S-Link to rank up more quickly. That’s important, as it’ll allow you to free up more time to see other storylines and do other things within Persona 3’s limited calendar time.

For players of the newest remake of Persona 3, we point you to our Persona 3 Reload Bunkichi & Mitsuko guide - which is the same as this page, but for that version of the game. This guide is optimized for Portable and FES.

Any dialogue choices listed in this guide are ones that offer bonus points that rank you up more quickly. Any choices not listed have no impact on S-Link process, so you can say whatever you like for those. We’ve split this guide into responses for the male and female protagonists, too, to avoid confusion. If the bonus point counts listed don’t match what you’re getting, make sure you have a Hierophant Persona in your current stock/party whenever you spend time with Bunkichi and Mitsuko to maximize your gains via the Arcana Bonus.

  • You can find Bunkichi and Mitsuko in the Bookworms Used Book store at the Iwatodai Strip Mall most of the week, but only in the daytimes.  
  • One half of this S-Link, Bunkichi, will be a Missing Person in Tartarus on September 12. You must rescue him by October 4, or you will lock out and lose this S-Link.

After getting to know this pair, let us help you with your next S-Link - just head to the rest of our Persona 3 Portable Social Link guide!

Unlock & Rank 1 - the Persimmon Tree:

This is a relatively uncommon sort of relationship in the Persona series, as the Bunkichi and Mitsuko social link is actually with two people, as the name suggests. 

You’ll be able to start the social link from 4/26 - though you need to be careful, as there’s a few steps on the way to force the S-Link to actually start up.

  • First, you must visit the pair at the Bookworms Used Book Store in the Iwatodai Strip Mall. The store is open all week except Sundays.
  • At the store, talk to the duo repeatedly. They will mention a Persimmon Tree that’s back at your school, Gekkoukan High. 
  • You can find the tree back at school. Examine it and you’ll get a Persimmon Leaf key item.
  • Return to the store with the Persimmon Leaf and Show it to him - unlocking the Social Link. This is formatted in-game as:
    • Would you like to show it to him?
      • “Show it to him.” >> Establish the S-Link.

Rank 1 > 2:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • What was your name again?
    • “Tell him.” +2
  • Someone gave them to me, but I have more than enough. Go ahead, take one.
    • “Thanks!” +3

Female Protagonist:

  • What was your name again?
    • “I’m from Gekkoukan.” +3
  • Someone gave them to me, but I have more than enough. Go ahead, take one.
    • “Thank you.” +3
  • He should be here helping customers. I’m sorry, Kotone-chan.
    • “It’s okay.” +3

Rank 2 > 3:

Completing this rank is a flag that's required to let you start the Bebe social link. The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • But I can’t seem to find it.
    • “Looking for something?” +2
  • I’m looking for my glasses… No, not my glasses - my wallet. I can’t seem to find it.
    • “I’ll help you look.” +3

Female Protagonist:

  • But I can’t seem to find it.
    • “Looking for something?” +3
  • I’m looking for my glasses… No, not my glasses - my wallet. I can’t seem to find it.
    • “I hope you find it.” +3
    • “I’ll help look for it.” +3

Rank 3 > 4:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • My wife just left for Gekkoukan.
    • “I should go there too.” +3
    • “I’ll wait here for a while.” +2

Female Protagonist:

  • My wife just left for Gekkoukan.
    • “Maybe I’ll run after her.” +3
    • “I’ll wait here.” +3

Rank 4 > 5:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • I’m sorry for troubling you about the persimmon tree…
    • “I’ll ‘root’ out the truth!” +2
  • Why now…? Why do they want to cut it down now?
    • “Cheer up.” +2
    • “Don’t worry.” +2

Female Protagonist:

  • I’m sorry for troubling you about the persimmon tree…
    • “It’s what you ‘beleave’.” +3
  • Why now…? Why do they want to cut it down now?
    • “Cheer up.” +2
    • “Don’t worry.” +2

Rank 5 > 6:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • But, if that tree is removed, I feel like the memory of my son will vanish with it…
    • “Please stop quarreling.” +3

Female Protagonist:

  • Mitsuko looks upset…
    • “Please stop fighting.” +3

Rank 6 > 7:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • Mitsuko is crying.
    • “Ask why she’s crying.” +2
  • They say the tree is a memorial to their former teacher… They don’t want it to be cut down.
    • “That’s great.” +2
  • Makoto-chan, were you the one who called them all?
    • “Nope.” +2
    • “That’s right.” +2
    • “What are you talking about?” +2

Female Protagonist:

  • Mitsuko is crying.
    • “What’s wrong?” +3
    • “Bunkichi-san…” +3
  • They say the tree is a memorial to their former teacher… They don’t want it to be cut down.
    • “Thank goodness...” +3
  • Kotone-chan, were you the one who called them all?
    • “No.” +2
    • “You can say that...” +2
    • “I haven’t a clue.” +2

Rank 7 > 8:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • Who do you think it was? Here’s a hint: ‘signature.’
    • “Someone with a petition?” +2
    • “A die-hard Bunkichi fan?” +2
  • I have to tell my son the good news!
    • “Let’s go.” +3

Female Protagonist:

  • Who do you think it was? Here’s a hint: ‘signature.’
    • “A petitioner?” +3
    • “A fan of yours?” +3
  • I have to tell my son the good news!
    • “Let’s go!” +3

Rank 8 > 9:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • Am I finally losing it? I used to have an amazing vocabulary.
    • “What’s it about?” +2
    • “Why are you writing it?” +2

Female Protagonist:

  • Am I finally losing it? I used to have an amazing vocabulary.
    • “What is it for?” +3
    • “Why are you writing one?” +3

Rank 9 > 10:

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

Male Protagonist:

  • …I told them to cut the persimmon tree down.
    • “What?!” +3

Female Protagonist:

  • …I told them to cut the persimmon tree down.
    • “Why?!” +3