Yes the Ken romance is optional, you can max it without romancing him. But I think most of the playebase is usually disturbed at the fact that dating the 10 year old an option at all. I’ve spoke with a few Japanese fans about it, and while they’re more mild about the criticism, apparently it was still a bit “wtf” to some of them too.

But in the later games YOU get to be the adolescent dating an adult, so…uh…yay? I joke to my friends that Kenji from Persona 3 directed Persona 4 and 5.