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Social links in Persona 4 Golden are relatively straightforward until you get to your Strength arcana. Here, you’ll have a choice in who represents this arcana, decided by which sports team you’re interested in joining.

RELATED: How Long Does It Take To Beat Persona 4 Golden?

Daisuke Nagase is the captain of the Soccer Team, while Kou Ichijo leads the Basketball Team, and together, they’re referred to as Fellow Athletes. Both increase your Strength social link, and their sport boosts a social skill. Choose your sport, choose your boy, and make some friends. Here’s our guide to Kou and Daisuke’s Strength social link in Persona 4 Golden.

This article may contain spoilers for Persona 4 Golden.

Should You Choose The Basketball Or Soccer Sports Club?

Daisuke and Kou playing basketball from Persona 4 Golden

Sports clubs are an extracurricular at Yasogami High that Yu is able to join as early as 4/19. On this day, head to the Faculty Office on the first floor of the Classroom Building at Yasogami High, where you’ll speak to Mr. Mooroka about the sports clubs.

After hearing his explanations, go down toward the end of the first-floor hall over by the emergency exit. Here, you’ll have the choice between sports teams.

Daisuke and Kou are close friends, so you’ll spend time with them both regardless of which club you join. However, you’re only able to join one sports club per playthrough.

If you’d like to experience the other sports club and spend time with the other captain, you’ll need to play Persona 4 Golden again.

persona 4 golden yosuke kou and daisuke

While you’ll level the Strength arcana regardless of which team you join, there are pros and cons to each team.

  • Basketball with Kou ranks your Strength arcana up quicker, requiring fewer affinity points per rank. Players tend to think Kou has the more interesting story between the two, but pursuing it makes it easy to miss three of Persona 4 Golden’s collectible books.
  • Soccer with Daisuke takes longer to complete but is more straightforward, without requiring certain ranks with your social link to unlock the three books tied to the Strength arcana.

Which team you choose is ultimately left to preference, as participating in either will progress your Strength social link.

RELATED: Persona 4 Golden: Things Everyone Completely Missed

persona 4 golden meeting kou at basketball

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(PE Teacher) "Here, why don't you say something to the team?"

"Hi..."

-

-

"Nice to meet you."

-

-

"I'm your new captain."

-

-

"...You've played before, right?"

"I used to play all the time."

-

-

"A little."

-

-

"Nope, never."

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Hey (Protagonist), Aiya or Junes? You decide."

"Aiya."

3

3

"Junes."

3

3

"Let's go home."

2

1

"Well, I do like me some sweets..."

"I'm jealous."

2

1

"Not happy about it?"

-

-

"Sounds like a pain..."

-

-

"You like sweets, (Protagonist)? Want me to get you some, too?"

"Sure."

2

1

"That's okay."

2

1

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(Daisuke) "...I want you to help him out."

"What do you mean?"

-

-

"Just tell me how."

3

3

(Daisuke) "She calls it 'barbaric.'"

"That sucks."

-

-

"But it's just a sport..."

2

1

"I can see that."

2

1

(Daisuke) "So... I want you to help him out."

"Easier said than done..."

-

-

"Leave it to me."

3

3

"What can I do?"

2

1

persona 4 golden kou at practice smiling

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Just the other day I was greeting people at one of those high society gatherings. Can you imagine? Me, at one of those things?"

"It's hard to imagine."

2

1

"I can see that."

2

1

Kou tries to sound cheerful...

"That's good for you."

2

1

"Cheer up, man."

2

1

"......"

-

-

​​

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Hey. Practice over already?"

"It's been over for hours."

-

-

"You've got some nerve..."

3

2

"Something wrong?"

2

2

"But me, I'm feeling like I've sunk to the bottom of the ocean."

"Get a grip, man."

-

-

"You just need a rest."

2

2

"Let's go do something fun."

3

2

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(Daisuke)"Hey, (Protagonist), what's his problem? Is he sick or something?"

"You could say that..."

-

-

"It's something else."

-

-

(Daisuke) "Right?"

"You're right."

3

2

"A real game? Impossible..."

3

2

"We gotta save Kou."

2

2

(Daisuke) "I got some dirt on a bunch of other guys too, so we should have no problem getting together a full team."

"You're quite a strategist."

2

2

"Isn't that blackmail...?"

2

2

"What about yourself?"

2

2

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Should I just leave?"

"You're thinking too much."

-

-

"Did they say anything?"

-

-

"Yeah, the orphanage."

"What for?"

-

-

"Planning to run away?"

-

-

"I was thinking maybe I'd ask about my real parents."

"And once you know?"

-

-

"You going to meet them?"

-

-

"I'll go with you."

-

-

persona 4 golden kou playing basketball at practice

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(Daisuke) "I'm kinda worried..."

"About what?"

-

-

"Let's catch up to him."

3

3

"What are you two doing here?"

"You alright?"

3

3

"Find anything out?"

3

3

"I have no one..."

"That's not true."

-

-

"What do you mean?"

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"And now that I don't have to wear that mask anymore... I guess it's time to step off the stage."

"You're going to leave?"

-

-

"What do you mean?"

-

-

"Don't jump to conclusions."

3

2

"...What do you think?"

"It was stored well?"

-

-

"The letter was swapped?"

-

-

"It was written recently?"

3

2

"How 'bout you? Wanna go for a dip?"

"No way."

-

-

"I better get home."

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Studying, lessons, and all that crap... I think I'm gonna keep doing it all."

"Isn't that a bit much?"

-

-

"You can do it, man."

-

-

(Daisuke) "D-Dude... We can't take this..."

Return it to Kou

-

-

Accept it

-

-

persona 4 golden kou from the anime

Bonus Scenes With Kou

Additionally, you're able to hang out with Kou twice when sneaking out of the house at night when your uncle, Ryotaro Dojima, is busy with work. Kou is the only one of the two Fellow Athletes with scenes during this stretch of time.

4/25 Nighttime Hangout

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"How hard do you think we should be practicing? If you think we're not doing enough, I can adjust it."

"Bring it on."

3

2

"Let's not overdo it."

2

1

"I prefer taking it easy."

-

-

Kou gives you some Blue Cheese Chips after this scene.

5/2 Nighttime Hangout

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"To jump from that to murder! That's a big difference."

"It’s a quiet town."

2

1

"Did they find the cat?"

3

2

"It's better off peaceful."

-

-

Kou gives you a Mini Cornet after this scene.

RELATED: Things Only Pro Players Know You Can Do In Persona 4 Golden

persona 4 golden meeting daisuke at soccer

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(PE Teacher) "Here, why don't you say something to the team?"

"Hi..."

-

-

"Nice to meet you."

-

-

"I'm your new captain."

-

-

(Kou) "You played much soccer before, (Protagonist)?"

"Plenty."

-

-

"A little."

-

-

"Not even once."

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(Soccer Player) "Hey, (Protagonist). Tear down the goals and clean up before you leave, alright?"

"Got it." (Raises Understanding)

-

-

"Why should I?"

-

-

"Still, it went pretty fast with three people."

"Thanks for the help."

3

2

"I didn't ask you to do it."

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

Rank 3 of Daisuke's social link does not feature any dialogue options

persona 4 golden daisuke on the phone

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"Whatever... Girls are a pain in the ass, right, (Protagonist)?"

"Right on."

2

1

"That's not true."

-

-

"Quit showing off."

-

-

​​

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

Kou is also beaming like it's all thanks to him...

"Thanks, guys..."

3

2

"I'm just getting warmed up."

3

2

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

(Kou) "I have to do some family stuff today, though. Would next time be okay?"

"No problem."

2

1

"Anything for you guys." (Requires Rank 4 Understanding)

3

3

"Long as it's not a hassle..."

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"I have to do the class record today, so don't wait up for me."

"If you say so."

-

-

"It's okay, I'll wait."

-

-

(Kou) "Tell you what, we'll talk over mapo rice. My treat!"

"Sounds good."

3

2

"You treated last time."

-

-

(Kou) "You think it could be related...?"

"Could be..."

3

2

"Maybe not..."

-

-

"What are we talking about?"

-

-

(Kou) "What do you think?"

"We've got a problem."

3

2

"It's Daisuke's problem."

-

-

Kou is looking at you expectantly...

"Count me in."

3

2

"Count me out."

-

-

persona 4 golden daisuke staring blankly from the anime

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

Their quarrel starts to escalate...

Stop them

3

2

Stay quiet and watch

-

-

Provoke them

-

-

"You got that!? It's MY life! You guys have nothing to do with it!"

"Yes we do!"

-

-

"......"

-

-

(Kou) "You can be pretty sincere when you want to, Daisuke."

"That's his charm."

3

3

"You think?"

-

-

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

"I wonder if she's as stuck in the past as I am..."

"Could be."

3

3

"Doubt it."

-

-

"I don't know."

3

3

Dialogue

Your Response

Points Earned With A Matching Persona

Points Earned Without A Matching Persona

Rank 10 (Max) of Daisuke's social link does not feature any dialogue options

Daisuke, unlike Kou, does not have any additional scenes while Yu is sneaking out at night in April and May.

NEXT: Persona 4 Golden: Relatable Things Every Player Does