Honestly, if you haven't met the "Amazing Commodities" guy yet, you’re missing out on the most hilariously sketchy part of Persona 3 Reload. President Tanaka is a vibe. He’s a suit-wearing, money-obsessed TV shopping host who spends his nights hanging out at the mall, and for some reason, he wants to teach a teenager the dark arts of corporate greed.
Most people get the President Tanaka social link wrong because they think it’s just another story about making friends. It's not. It’s a transaction. You literally have to pay the guy just to get him to look at you.
How to actually unlock the Devil Arcana
You can't just walk up to Tanaka on day one and start the Devil social link. There’s a process. First, you've got to deal with the Hermit social link (Maya, the online gamer). Once you hit Rank 4 with her, she’ll mention a shady businessman hanging out at Paulownia Mall at night.
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But wait, there’s a catch. Tanaka has standards—sorta.
He won't even talk to you unless your Charm is at least Rank 4 (Smooth). If you’re not charming enough, he basically treats you like invisible lint. Once you have the looks, you’ll find him sitting on a bench in the mall on Tuesday and Saturday nights.
Now, get your wallet out. You have to give him 20,000 yen the first night. Then 10,000 yen the next time you see him. Then another 10,000 yen. That’s 40,000 yen total just to start Rank 1. It sounds like a scam because it basically is. But in Persona 3 Reload, this is one of the best investments you can make because it’s a nighttime link, and your nights are usually way more free than your school days.
Why Tanaka is different from everyone else
Most social links in this game are a delicate dance of saying exactly what the person wants to hear so you can get those little music notes. Tanaka? He’s weirdly easy.
In Persona 3 Reload, the Devil social link is one of the few that often ranks up automatically every time you spend time with him. You don’t even necessarily need to carry a Devil Arcana Persona (like Lilim or Mokoi) to hit the max rank, though it never hurts to have one just in case.
His story is basically a series of vignettes where he brags about exploiting people, tries to sell you "placebo" pills, and talks about his "amazing" commodities. It’s cynical. It’s dark. It’s completely different from the emotional weight of characters like Akinari or Mitsuru.
Best dialogue choices for President Tanaka
Even if he ranks up easily, you still want to pick the "correct" answers to keep the momentum going. Usually, the game wants you to lean into his greed or act impressed by his hustle.
- Rank 2: When he talks about his "Placebo" products, tell him "Placebo" or "Wow." He loves the enthusiasm for his scams.
- Rank 4: He’ll ask if you’ve seen him on TV. Say "Sure have!"
- Rank 9: He starts getting a bit philosophical about his life. If he asks about donating money, ask "Are you going to donate?"
The fascinating thing about Tanaka is that by the end, he actually shows a tiny, microscopic sliver of humanity. He realizes that maybe, just maybe, there's more to life than just accumulating yen—though he’d probably still sell his own grandmother for a 10% profit margin.
The big reward: Beelzebub
Maxing out the President Tanaka social link gives you the "Thank-you Letter." This is the key item required to fuse Beelzebub, the ultimate Persona of the Devil Arcana.
Beelzebub is a beast. We’re talking high-level Dark and Fire magic, and usually some of the best resistances in the game. If you’re planning on taking on the optional super-bosses or just want to breeze through the final blocks of Tartarus, you want this fly on your side.
What most players miss
A lot of players ignore Tanaka because they think 40,000 yen is a lot of money early on. It’s not. By the time you’re midway through the game, you’ll be tripping over yen in Tartarus.
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Another thing? Tanaka is a "multiverse" traveler. He shows up in Persona 4 on the TV shopping program, and he’s the guy who runs the shady laptop shop in Persona 5. He is arguably one of the most consistent characters in the entire franchise, and his origin story is right here in the Paulownia Mall.
If you’re trying to 100% the social links, Tanaka should be your go-to for Tuesday and Saturday nights. Since he doesn't require a matching Persona to rank up quickly, he’s the "filler" king. Use him to fill those empty night slots when you aren't at the Club Escapade or working on your social stats.
Actionable steps for your playthrough
- Check your Charm: Don't even bother talking to him until you're Rank 4 (Smooth). Spend your nights at the Hagakure Ramen shop or the cinema if you're low.
- Grind for cash: Spend one good night in Tartarus specifically hunting for gold shadows or breaking breakables. You need that 40,000 yen entry fee.
- Mark the calendar: He is only there on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Don't waste a night running to the mall on a Wednesday looking for him.
- Bring a Devil Persona anyway: While it’s not strictly required for the fast rank-ups, it guarantees you won't hit a "dead" night where he won't rank up.