You can play as a boy or a girl in Scarlet Nexus, but you are not changing the gender of one customizable hero. You choose between two fixed protagonists: male hero Yuito Sumeragi or female hero Kasane Randall. That decision selects a distinct story route and combat style. Yuito fights primarily at close range with a sword, while Kasane attacks from mid-range with flying knives.
Scarlet Nexus gives you two protagonists
The character-selection question has a specific answer: Yuito Sumeragi is the male protagonist and Kasane Randall is the female protagonist. The official game page presents both as the starting points for the campaign, rather than offering a single avatar with a selectable gender.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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SCARLET NEXUS - PlayStation 4 | $11.62 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Scarlet Nexus (PS4) | $20.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Scarlet Nexus [Xbox Series X] | $18.97 | Buy on Amazon |
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BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Scarlet Nexus (Xbox One) | $27.25 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Choice | Character | Route structure | Combat emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boy | Yuito Sumeragi | Yuito’s protagonist story and viewpoint | Close-range sword attacks |
| Girl | Kasane Randall | Kasane’s protagonist story and viewpoint | Mid-range attacks with flying knives |
Bandai Namco’s official materials describe Scarlet Nexus as a game experienced through two viewpoints. The publisher’s game information identifies Yuito and Kasane as the two playable leads; see the official Scarlet Nexus site for the character and game overview.
Your selection is a route choice, not a gender toggle
There is no evidence in the official descriptions of a character creator where you build one protagonist and then switch that avatar between male and female forms. Instead, the game is organized around two authored protagonists. Selecting Yuito means following Yuito; selecting Kasane means following Kasane.
#1 Best Overall
- KINETIC PSYCHIC COMBA - Using psycho-kinetic abilities, the world around you becomes your greatest weapon - Lift, break and throw pieces of your environment to build your attack combos and lay waste to your enemies
- EXTERMINATE THE OTHERS - Deranged mutants that descended from the sky, immune to conventional weapons and defenses - Tormented by the constant pain of their mutation, they seek brains of living organisms to calm their madness
- DISCOVER A BRAIN PUNK FUTURE - Explore and protect a futuristic Japanese landscape that combines inspirations from classic anime and western science fiction
- DEEP STORY DRIVEN EXPERIENCE - Dive into a complex story of bonds, courage and heroism crafted by minds behind the iconic Tales of Vesperia
- Digital PS4 game can be upgraded to digital PS5 versions with no disc required - If players have PS4 game on Blue-Ray Disc, they need to keep the PS4 game disc inserted in their PS5 console to play the PS5 version of the game after they download it
That distinction matters because the choice affects more than the appearance of the character on screen. Bandai Namco Studios says players control either Yuito or Kasane for the entirety of the game. In practical terms, you should think of the opening choice as selecting which campaign perspective you want to inhabit, not as setting a cosmetic option before a shared campaign.
The two choices are therefore equally valid entry points. Your decision does not indicate that one gender is the “correct” version of the story. It determines whose experiences, scenes and fighting style you will see first.
How the two story perspectives differ
Yuito’s viewpoint
Yuito is the male lead. Choosing him places you in his protagonist route and lets you experience the events of Scarlet Nexus from his perspective. The official developer description treats that perspective as a complete route rather than a short alternate introduction.
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- Kinetic Psychic combat - using psycho-kinetic abilities, the world around you becomes your greatest weapon. Lift, break and throw pieces of your environment to build your attack combos and lay waste to your enemies
- exterminate the others - deranged mutants that descended from the sky, highly resistant to conventional attack methods and defenses. Tormented by the constant pain of their Mutation, they seek brains of living organisms to CALM their madness
- discover a brain Punk future - Explore and protect a futuristic Japanese landscape that combines inspirations from classic anime and Western science fiction
- deep story driven experience - Dive into a complex story of bonds, courage and heroism crafted by minds behind the iconic Tales of Vesperia
Kasane’s viewpoint
Kasane is the female lead. Her route is the other principal viewpoint through the same game world. Choosing Kasane does not simply replay Yuito’s campaign with different dialogue labels; it gives you Kasane’s own protagonist story.
Shared scenes can have different meaning
The routes are related, but they are not interchangeable. Scenario director Asana Inoki explained that “Yuito and Kasane’s stories are independent of each other, and while they may share scenes, they have different story in these scenes.” Read the developer’s explanation in “Making of SCARLET NEXUS (Part 1)”.
This means a scene that appears in both routes should not automatically be treated as duplicated content. The surrounding viewpoint and the story information attached to it can differ. If you want the broadest understanding of the narrative, the two-route structure is designed to reward seeing both perspectives rather than assuming one character’s campaign covers every angle.
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- manufacturer: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Item Trademark: BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT
- Item Category: Physical Video Game Software
Which protagonist has the better combat style for you?
The clearest gameplay distinction documented by the publisher is how each hero attacks. Yuito uses close-range sword attacks. Kasane specializes in mid-range attacks with flying knives. Those descriptions do not establish that one character is stronger overall; they identify the feel of the two starting options.
| If you prefer… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Being near enemies and striking with a blade | Yuito | His documented specialty is close-range sword combat. |
| Keeping more distance while throwing projectiles | Kasane | Her documented specialty is mid-range attacks with flying knives. |
| Comparing both viewpoints | Either first, then the other | The developers present two independent protagonist stories. |
Use this as a preference test, not as a tier list. The official material does not claim that Yuito’s sword or Kasane’s knives are the superior option, and it does not publish a required difficulty advantage for either route. Pick the attack range and weapon image that sound more enjoyable, then let the narrative route follow from that choice.
How to choose your first route
If you are deciding at the start of the game, answer these questions in order:
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- Kinetic psychic combat - using psycho-kinetic abilities, the world around you becomes your biggest weapon. Lift, break and throw pieces of your surroundings to build your attack combos and throw trash at your enemies
- exterminate the others - deranged mutants that descended from the sky, highly resistant to attack methods and conventional defenses. Tormented by the constant pain of their mutation, they seek brains of living organisms to calm their madness
- Discover Future Brain Punk - Explore and protect a futuristic Japanese landscape that combines inspirations from classic anime and western science fiction
- Deep Story Driven Experience - Immerse yourself in a complex story of bonds, courage and heroism created by the spirits behind the legendary Tales of Vesperia
- Whose perspective do you want immediately? Choose Yuito for the male protagonist’s viewpoint or Kasane for the female protagonist’s viewpoint. Neither is presented by the developer as a mandatory first route.
- Which distance feels more natural? Yuito’s close-range sword attacks suit a player who wants direct melee engagement. Kasane’s flying knives suit a player who prefers a mid-range approach.
- Do you expect to see both sides? If you plan to play both protagonist routes, the first choice is mainly about which perspective and combat style you want to learn first. You can begin with either and reserve the other for a later run.
- Are you looking for a customizable self-insert? If so, adjust your expectation before starting. The documented structure gives you two named characters with their own stories, not a blank avatar whose gender you set.
This framework avoids a common mistake: searching for a hidden “best” answer when the game is presenting two intentional entry points. Your first route should match your preferred protagonist and fighting distance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you experience both the boy and girl stories?
Yes, the game is built around both viewpoints. The official director description says one advantage of the title is that players can experience the story “from two different viewpoints – a boy or a girl.” The relevant statement appears on the Bandai Namco Studios SCARLET NEXUS page.
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Because the player controls either Yuito or Kasane for the entirety of the game, a single route is not described as a mid-campaign protagonist switch. The documented structure is one protagonist route at a time. To understand both viewpoints, plan to play through each route rather than expecting a menu option that changes your hero halfway through the same story.
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Playing both also gives context for the developer’s description of independent stories with some shared scenes. The point is not merely to repeat one campaign with a different model; it is to see how the same setting and events are presented from two leads.
Is one route officially recommended first?
No recommendation appears in the official sources reviewed. Bandai Namco Studios explains the two-viewpoint design, and the publisher describes each character’s combat identity, but neither source says that Yuito must be played before Kasane or that Kasane is the canonical opening route.
That absence is useful guidance. Treat “which one first?” as a personal choice based on story perspective and combat preference. If you have no preference, choose either protagonist without worrying that you are selecting the wrong order; the game’s premise explicitly supports both entry points.
What the official statements establish
- Two playable leads: Yuito is the boy protagonist and Kasane is the girl protagonist.
- Two viewpoints: the game is designed to tell its story through both protagonists.
- One protagonist per route: the player controls the selected character for the entirety of that route.
- Independent stories: Yuito’s and Kasane’s stories can share scenes while presenting different story material in those scenes.
- Different combat approaches: Yuito uses close-range sword attacks; Kasane uses flying knives from mid-range.
- No mandated starting order: the cited official descriptions do not identify a required first protagonist.
These points come from Bandai Namco’s official game and developer pages, including the publisher’s launch explanation of the OSF combat system at Bandai Namco Europe.
Bottom line for a new player
Choose Yuito if you want the male protagonist and a close-range sword style. Choose Kasane if you want the female protagonist and mid-range flying-knife attacks. The choice selects a distinct protagonist route, not a gender setting for a customizable character. Since the developers built Scarlet Nexus around two independent viewpoints and do not require one route first, start with whichever hero and combat distance appeal to you, then play the other route if you want the complete two-sided story.
Quick Recap
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