10 Things To Know About Anime Characters In Persona 5 Update 04/2024

Persona 5 Anime Characters

A cartoon version was only a matter of time for this game, given its massive popularity and critical praise.

As of 2016, Persona 5 has become a worldwide sensation thanks to its debut in 2016. Like many other popular video games, it was just a matter of time before it was turned into an animated movie.

But now that we’ve seen the entire series, it’s time to take a step back and see how it stacks up against other anime series. Is it a worthy successor to the old game? Persona 5’s signature style was clearly referenced, but to what extent? Yes, they are the Phantom Thieves we know and love. Let us investigate this further. The following are five things to remember about Persona 5: The Animation got one thing right, but it got five other things wrong.

1. Right: Bringing Back Lyn & Shoji Meguro For Music

Iconic is an understatement when it comes to the original Persona 5’s opening sequence song and the rest of the soundtrack. The game’s hip, jived image was bolstered by the gentle, jazzy rhythms that accompanied the Phantom Thieves as they roamed Tokyo.

Having Lyn once again grace us with her angelic voice and sing two new theme songs for the animated series, as well as having Shoji Meguro compose the show’s score, was a wise choice.

2. Wrong: The Name Change

Fans of the original Persona 5 game shouted in joy when it was announced that the game would be made into an animated series. That is, until they disclosed the name of the main character.

He can be referred to by any name throughout the game. However, the game’s default name, Akira Kurusu, has become a beloved part of the fandom. There was a significant backlash when the creators announced that the main character’s name would be Ren Amamiya. However, in the grand scheme of things, the name change doesn’t really matter. The name Ren Amamiya has a pleasant sound to it. Akira Kurusu, on the other hand, believes in it as much as everyone else.

3. Right: Character Cut-Outs & All-Out Attack

From the original Persona 5 video game, the showrunners decided to carry over the cut-outs of characters to convey either humorous or emotional reactions to their surroundings. In addition, the “All-Out Attack” from the game is used in most combat scenes.

A nice homage, even though the animation of the all-out attacks has been hampered by its weaker animation as compared to the original version. As a matter of fact, this gets us to our second “wrong.”

4. Wrong: Stiff, Dull Animation

Persona 5 was everything but visually boring, and that goes for its animated cutscenes as well as its stylish menu panels. Because of the sheer amount of color and dynamic angles used on the character models, the viewer’s eyes were dazzled and even dizzy from time to time.

But there are instances when the animation is a little boring in Persona 5: The Animation. Characters don’t seem to be moving or expressing themselves all that much. A single dialogue between two characters who do nothing except flap their lips back and forth can last for several minutes. When compared to the game’s spectacular aesthetics, it feels disappointing and at times just terrible.

5. Right: Staying True To The Game’s Plot

Persona 5’s animated translation of the game’s 95-hour main plotline, not including side material, is astounding in its ability to touch as many significant plot elements and character arcs as it did in 28 episodes, each 24 minutes long, with two special OVAs.

There are still Phantom Thieves who have invaded all of the game’s Palaces. Their journey towards Mementos continued to be plagued by baddies. Even yet, in Kanda’s church, Yusuke and Ren managed to capture the iconic moment of them posing like Jesus. As a result, some minor changes were made, but most of the major aspects remained unaltered.

6. Wrong: No Upgraded Personas (Beyond Ren’s)

It’s important to note that no other members of the group are given the opportunity to experience their second and final persona in the story. A Phantom Thief’s character arc in the original Persona 5 game ended with them assuming a second, considerably more powerful persona.

Sadly, not all of the party members were able to finish their character arcs, which is why their ultimate identities aren’t included at all in the animated version. As a result of a lack of screen time, it was a disappointment.

7. Right: Akechi And Ren’s Relationship

When it comes to Akechi and Ren’s romance, Persona 5: The Animation spends more time on it than the game did (primarily in the second post-series OVA). There are still more talks with Akechi in Leblanc and throughout the main storyline in the game, which you can read about here.

To allow us more time to get to know these two characters, the animated series introduced us to them earlier than the game did. They went to each other for assistance. They were playing chess. We were even able to catch a glimpse of the two of them in the batting cage! In the anime, it was a great treat that did justice to something that was only mentioned in the game.

8. Wrong: Shafting Confidants And Support Conversations

On the other hand, many of the game’s other “Confidants,” or “Support Characters,” had minimal or no tales at all. Persona 5 also had a plethora of outstanding Confidants. A few were featured in the Thieves’ investigations, while most appeared as minor characters in the background.

As previously stated, there just wasn’t enough screen time to showcase all of these fantastic supporting characters in the way they deserved, despite the fact that they were all wonderful. Mishima’s pride arc is one of the best parts, as is Kawakami’s maid scene, and Hifumi and Ren playing shoji are two more highlights. Many other Confidants, on the other hand, have very little else to look forward to.

9. Right: Including The “Bad Ending” AND The “True Ending”

Fans of Persona 5: The Animation who tuned in to see episode 26 on September 30th, 2018 were treated to something special. With just one episode remaining and so much stuff to cover, many questioned how the show would wrap everything up.

Showrunners had planned a short break following episode 26, which closed with the game’s awful ending, as it turns out now! For a moment, the “end” of the story was nothing more than Ren bleeding out and a traitor figure strolling away down the police station corridor in two more special episodes to be broadcast in December. In the end, we were able to experience both the game’s “bad” and “real” ending because of the fun situation.

10. Wrong: Not Being Newcomer Friendly

Complaints about Persona 5: The Animation’s Metaverse, Cognition, and Palaces were frequently voiced, but they were rarely explained in detail. We were unable to provide more emotional buildup for the story’s most impactful scenes because only major plot pieces could be included in the game’s adaptation.

People who hadn’t participated in the game were left with many unanswered questions. What gives rise to so many “All-Out Attacks”? In reality, how does the use of a calling card work? There just wasn’t enough time to address them, along with the other game content that had to be cut. Please accept my apologies, visitors.