A gamer just turned one of the most memorable counselors in video game history into his real-life career. On April 14, 2026, Dylan “Nani” Lachaye (@NANISMASH) posted a simple caption with two photos that stopped the internet:
“I became a therapist because of Persona 5.”
In the first picture, Nani smiles wide while holding his official University of Phoenix diploma a Master of Science in Counseling. In the latter image, he is pictured beside a signed portrait of Takuto Maruki fan art which has been personally signed by the late voice actor, Billy Kametz. This tweet went viral once it was republished by Dexerto, gaining hundreds of thousands of views within a matter of hours.
A tweet from X.
Unlike other gamers, Dylan “Nani” Lachaye is far from ordinary. He is one of the most successful speedrunners of the Persona game franchise – the very first person to speedrun through Persona 5 within less than 12 hours and has been streaming videos pertaining to psychology and treatment for several years now.
In his own words from the April 14 post:
“In 2020 I was extremely anxious, self-deprecating and angry at the world. Then I played a game called Persona 5 Royal and saw a scene with a character named Takuto Maruki where he performs psychotherapy and I instantly became enamored with the idea of being a therapist… That literal next morning, I walked downstairs and told my mom I wanted to apply to my masters degree to become a therapist, despite not having a psychology degree or anything related. 5+ years later and today I just received my license to practice clinical therapy… None of this would have been possible without my silly little anime game.”
He added:
“Thank you to the late Billy Kametz for a performance that touched me so dearly it LITERALLY changed the entire course of my life.”
Nani also joked that fans tell him he looks a lot like Joker from Persona 5.
Takuto Maruki, for anyone who hasn’t finished Persona 5 Royal, is the empathetic school counselor at Shujin Academy who genuinely wants to help students process trauma. His calm, snack-sharing style and deep listening scenes hit hard with players.
Replies poured in celebrating the full-circle moment. Many fans pointed out the irony: Maruki’s “therapy” in the game eventually involves supernatural reality-altering powers to erase pain a method that’s ethically messy and turns him into a sympathetic antagonist. Still, the community mostly cheered Nani for taking the positive message of empathy and turning it into a healthy, licensed career.
The U.S. is seeing record demand for licensed therapists and growing awareness around mental health, especially after the pandemic. At the same time, more people particularly in the 25-to-35 age group say video games helped shape their worldview or even nudge them toward a career. Nani’s story is a wholesome reminder that powerful storytelling in games can spark real-life decisions. He spent over five years grinding through a master’s program and clinical requirements, but the spark came from a “silly little anime game.”
In the end, it shows how a well-written character like Maruki can plant the seed for genuine good without any reality-warping required.
