Persona 5 is one of those games where each time you replay it, you learn something new, or discover a tiny detail you hadn’t seen before. It’s a journey into a hidden world where morals are questioned, wrongs are righted and characters discover their true selves. The experience is one of self discovery, which we can embark on alongside the Phantom Thieves.
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The game is full of symbolism all throughout the dialogue, characters, their costumes, and, of course, their Personas. Persona 5 relies heavily on historical, literary, and folkloric figures as bases for the Phantom Thieves’ Personas. Each Persona is an extension, and, to an extent, a graphic representation of their respective member, along with their desires, struggles, strengths, and will to rebel.
9
Joker: Arsène
“Show The Strength Of Thy Will To Ascertain All On Thine Own, Though Thou Be Chained To Hell Itself!”
Joker’s Persona is based on, and named after, Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief, from the novels written by Maurice Leblanc – yes, the coffee shop is named after him. Lupin is very classy, wearing a fancy suit with a top hat. You can clearly see that Arsene’s design in P5 retains those elements. This extends to Joker’s personality as well: he is always very flashy, elegant, and a bit of a showoff.
Joker’s gloves stand out, as they are the only red part of his attire. This can be interpreted in a couple of ways: a reminder that he is always seen as a criminal by society throughout the game, as someone with blood on his hands. Or, as a criminal who got caught red-handed.
8
Skull: Captain Kidd
“There Is No Turning Back… The Skull Of Rebellion Is Your Flag Henceforth!”
Ryuji is almost the opposite of Joker. He is a little bit clumsy, and not flashy nor fancy. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t get the job done, though. His Persona is Captain Kidd, based on the real-life figure, Captain William Kidd, a very successful privateer from the 17th century. He was accused and convicted of piracy, which led to his execution.
Before the events of the game,
Ryuji was part of the track team
, but that dream ended because of a broken leg following a fight with the game’s first boss, Kamoshida. This confrontation left Ryuji severely scarred. When you see him run during the game, he limps: a representation of the pirate’s stereotype, the peg-leg. His costume is very Punk-Rock looking, representing how the teachers see him, as a punk.
7
Mona: Zorro
“He Always Left His “Z” Mark With His Rapier Wherever He Appeared.”
Yes, Morgana might be an annoying character to some, but his Persona is definitely one of the coolest in terms of design and meaning behind it. His Persona is Zorro, based on… well, Zorro. A fictional character written by Johnston McCulley. Zorro is famous for his iconic all-black attire, cape, hat, mustache, and a mask covering the top half of his face: all things that Mona’s Persona has too.
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He is also well known for his “signature” that he carves with his rapier: a “Z” shape, something that Morgana’s Persona also does in the game. Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego De La Vega, a stereotypical macho figure, something Morgana desperately wants to be: someone more manly looking, so he can win over Lady Ann’s heart, and to prove that he’s not a cat.
6
Panther: Carmen
“Nothing Can Be Solved By Restraining Yourself, Understand? Then I’ll Gladly Lend You My Strength.”
Ann Takamaki is a very controversial character. Her Persona is Carmen, based on the famous 1875 opera and the short novel of the same name by Prosper Mérimée. Carmen is the archetypal femme-fatal. A strong and deadly woman who uses her feminine charm to seduce men to get what she wants. You can even see Ann’s persona stepping on men whose heads have been locked up in heart-shaped boxes.
That is exactly what Ann does in the game, several times. She takes advantage of her good looks to fool men and help the Thieves fulfill their objective. Even though she might not be the best actress, she ends up embracing the role of the seductress and using it in her favor.
5
Fox: Goemon
“The World Is Filled With Both Beauty And Vice… It Is Time You Teach People Which Is Which!”
Yusuke, the artist of the group. His Persona, Goemon, is based on the real-life ninja and thief, Ishikawa Goemon. He became a legend in Japanese folklore, as he is remembered as a bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Legends of Goemon tend to attribute him inhuman or exaggerated ninja skills.
Both Yusuke’s and Goemon’s use of a Katana are reflected in Yusuke’s daily life as an artist. The Katana is a graceful weapon, similar to arts that require the use of a paintbrush, such as painting and calligraphy. Of course, Yusuke’s paintings are very traditional and Japanese inspired, an aesthetic that can be seen in both his own costume, using his Inari mask, and Goemon’s samurai-looking design.
4
Queen: Johanna
“You Have Finally Found Your Own Justice. Please, Never Lose Sight Of It Again. This Memorable Day Marks Your Graduation From Your False Self.”
Makoto is the motherly, down-to-earth figure of the group
. Johanna, her Persona, is based on the legend of Pope Joan, a woman in the Middle Ages who disguised herself as a man and ranked up through the church’s hierarchy and eventually was elected as Pope, where she reigned for two years until her gender was discovered.
You can see the influence this has on Makoto, who was always being pushed around by the people above her, such as her sister Sae, and the school principal. Eventually, she stood up for herself and put herself in the position she actually wanted to be. Johanna is shaped like a motorcycle, symbolizing that Makoto is in charge now, and it’s her turn to drive her own life.
3
Oracle: Necronomicon
The Forbidden Wisdom Has Been Revealed. No Mysteries, No Illusions Shall Deceive You Any Longer.”
Futaba is, of course, the hacker and navigator of the group
, and her Persona is Necronomicon, after the fictional grimoire created by famous horror writer, HP Lovecraft. Necronomicon is shaped like a classic alien UFO, using a sci-fi aesthetic but with Lovecraftian details such as a gargoyle and tentacles. This falls in place with Lovecraft’s mythology and the Necronomicon itself, which is said to contain the secrets of how to summon The Old Ones.
It’s only logical for an alien-shaped creature to be Futaba’s Persona, since she is a girl who has always been alienated from the real world. She became a shut-in after her mother’s death, and had very little contact with the outside world until the events of the game, only seeing everything through her computer screen.
2
Noir: Milady
“Let Us Adorn Your Departure Into Freedom With A Beautiful Betrayal.”
Haru is the beauty thief and her Persona, Milady, is based on the spy Milady de Winter, from the famous novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. Milady de Winter being a spy is fitting for Haru, since she is a spy in her father’s Palace for the Phantom Thieves, and her Persona shows this by using a mask and having no actual face, to represent her various identities.
Haru’s costume is also very fitting for her. She wears a Three Musketeers-type hat and pants, which, during the 17th century, the setting of the novel, were forbidden to be used by women. This represents the rebellion in Haru’s life, not wanting to be sold by her father to an arranged marriage as a corporate move.
1
Crow: Robin Hood/Loki
“When Those Thoughts Overcame Me, I Awakened To That Power… A Most Fortunate Accident.”
Goro Akechi, the detective prince. A fitting nickname for him, since his costume closely resembles that of a Disney prince. His Persona, Robin Hood, is based on the legendary outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. The strange thing is, beyond the bow and arrows, Goro’s Persona doesn’t really match the actual Robin Hood. In fact, he looks almost made up, like a kid’s toy.
Both Akechi’s costume and Persona are reminiscent of white knights in shining armor, except for his mask, which doesn’t really look like a crow’s beak either, and has a very distinct long nose. This might be an obvious nod to Pinocchio and Akechi’s lies to the Phantom Thieves. This all makes sense when Akechi reveals his true Persona, Loki. In Norse mythology, Loki is a shape-shifter, which would explain his ability to wield multiple Personas and costumes.
RPG
Dungeon Crawler
Adventure
- Released
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September 15, 2016
- ESRB
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m
- OpenCritic Rating
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Mighty