Persona 3/Characters: Difference between revisions

=== Main Character (a.k.a. Minato Arisato) ===

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The [[Silent Protagonist]] of ''Persona 3''. His parents died ten years prior to the events of the game, and he has moved around a lot as a result; he spends much of his time listening to music. He has an affinity with the Fool Arcana, which allows him to store multiple personas, beginning with Orpheus. He can also wield various weapons, but defaults to a one-handed sword. The manga gives him the name "Minato Arisato" and describes his personality to be very calm and rather reclusive. Despite his introverted behavior, he has significant leadership skills and can think and plan in the midst of battle.

=== Female Main Character ===

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''[[Updated Rerelease|Persona 3 Portable]]'' provides the option of playing as a female main character. She has the same history and storyline as the male protagonist, but is not a [[Gender Flip]] of him; she has a different appearance, a slightly modified version of Orpheus, and a more energetic and upbeat personality as indicated by her dialogue prompts. She also has a number of different Social Links, including Social Links with all members of SEES rather than just the female members, providing additional character development for Akihiko, Shinjiro and Ken which is not seen in the original version of the game. The Social Links with the female team members are mostly unaltered except for the removal of specifically romantic content.

=== Yukari Takeba ===

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Yukari - affectionately called "Yuka-tan" by Junpei - is one of the most popular second-year girls at Gekkoukan High thanks to her cheery personality and good looks. However, she proves to have hidden insecurities and can be abrasive and confrontational. She is a member of the archery club and uses bow and arrow in battle. Her Persona is Io of the Lovers Arcanum and later evolves into Isis; its focus is on Wind and Healing magic.

=== Junpei Iori ===

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Junpei is the class clown of Gekkoukan High, and Minato's best friend. He's doesn't like to take things seriously, preferring to avoid serious subjects by making jokes; he enjoys the idea of being a hero, but his immaturity and inexperience make him unreliable in comparison to the protagonist, and he struggles with jealousy and resentment of the protagonist's greater strength, skill and leadership ability.

=== Akihiko Sanada ===

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Akihiko is a third-year student at Gekkoukan High, and the captain of the school's boxing team. He's very popular and is usually surrounded by [[Fan Girl|fangirls]] when seen at school, but mostly ignores them. He is one of the three founding members of SEES and can summon the Persona Polydeuces, later evolving to Caesar, which focuses on Lightning and Debuffing magic, but as a boxer, he's strongest with his fists and uses various gloves, metal knuckles and fist spurs as his weapons.

=== Mitsuru Kirijo ===

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Mitsuru is a third year student of Gekkoukan High, the school's [[Student Council President]], and the daughter of the head of the influential Kirijo Group, which built the school. Her family's status gives her a great deal of influence within the school, enabling her to even issue orders to teachers if necessary. She is the first member of SEES, having awakened to her Persona at a very young age due to her family's experiments with the Shadows and Tartarus. Her Persona is Penthesilea of the Empress Arcanum, later evolving into Artemisia, and is focused on Ice and Healing magic. Mitsuru is also a member of the fencing club and wields a rapier in battle.

=== Fuuka Yamagishi ===

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Fuuka is a timid girl who is often bullied and put under pressure by her strict parents. She is supposedly sickly, and initially comes to the attention of SEES through Akihiko and Shinjiro's visits to the hospital, where they become aware of her potential. However, before they can approach her about it, she goes missing, having been locked in the school gymnasium by bullies and becoming trapped in Tartarus when the school transformed during the Dark Hour. SEES must therefore stage a rescue attempt during the third full moon event.

=== Aigis ===

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During SEES's summer vacation, they're alerted to a dangerous Anti-Shadow weapon that's escaped the Kirijo lab and asked to retrieve it. When asked if they have permission to destroy it if it can't be contained, Ikutsuki laughs nervously and replies that he seriously doubts that'd be possible. Thankfully for the heroes, the weapon in question turns out to be Aigis, a [[Ridiculously Human Robot]] with a human mind and persona, as well as a harmless and seemingly inexplicable attachment to the main character that Ikutsuki attributes to a minor glitch in her software. The last survivor of a series of battle androids created to help contain the Shadows gathered by the Kirijo Group ten years ago, she's now allowed to live in the SEES dorms (where she also proves to have some telepathic ability, as she can understand Koromaru perfectly) and to even enroll in the main characters' class by posing as a new transfer student, all while gradually exploring her own interests and latent humanity.

=== Ken Amada ===

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Ken's a precocious, serious 11 year-old orphan the heroes first meet around town. He's soon invited by Ikutsuki to live in the SEES dorms once he's discovered to have the potential, and, once his Persona awakens, he volunteers to join SEES's fights against the Shadows.

=== Shinjiro Aragaki ===

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A former member of SEES, he left the group several years before, following a tragic accident. Despite looking like a delinquent, he has his soft side. After Ken Amada rejoins the group, Akihiko talks Shinjiro back into SEES. {{spoiler|The two grew up in the same orphanage}}. Shinjiro's Persona is the physically-oriented Castor of the Hierophant Arcana.

=== Shuji Ikutsuki ===

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Referred to as "the Chairman", Shuji is the school chairman and the head of SEES. He worked with Mitsuru and Yukari's fathers on the project ten years ago, and was one of the designers of Aigis. Despite not having a Persona, he remains conscious during the Dark Hour and provides briefings and support to the members of SEES during their major missions.

=== Metis ===

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Metis's appearance heralds the beginning of SEES's next adventure in ''The Answer'', when she emerges from the Abyss of Time that's appeared beneath the dorm and immediately launches an attack on every human present, announcing that she has to kill them to protect her "sister" Aigis. Aigis rushes to their aid and, in the battle that follows, loses her Orgia mode while gaining the main character's persona Orpheus, as well as his "wild card" ability. The subdued Metis later explains that she'd only tried to kill the rest of SEES because she saw them as a hindrance to protecting Aigis, and agrees to cooperate with them after they threaten to leave her in the Abyss of Time, revealing her intense fear of being alone and abandoned. She seems to have amnesia: while she knows that Aigis is her sister, and she's familiar with the Abyss of Time, she can't explain how she knows any of it or where she actually came from.

=== Strega ===

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A group of Persona-users opposing SEES who host an online assassination service. Consisting of Takaya Sakaki, a [[Revolvers Are Just Better|revolver-wielding]] [[Nietzsche Wannabe]], [[Psycho Supporter]] Jin Shirato and [[Dark Magical Girl]] Chidori Yoshino, the group are {{spoiler|the survivors of experiments performed by the Kirijo Group}} and must take life-shortening drugs in order to control their powers. While not the main antagonists, they do their part to cause the heroes all sorts of trouble since they see their efforts to stop the Dark Hour as wasting their "gifts". Chidori later on becomes Junpei's [[Star-Crossed Lovers|romantic interest]], even {{spoiler|sacrificing herself for him}}.

=== Igor ===

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Igor is the mysterious proprietor of the Velvet Room, an equally mysterious place "between dreams and reality", and introduces himself as the being who creates Personas. His most distinctive physical attribute is definitely his [[Youkai|Tengu]]/Pinocchio-like long nose. In ''[[Persona|Megami Ibunroku Persona]]'', Igor calls himself "a servant of Philemon", though he seems to be in charge of the Velvet Room himself during ''Persona 3'' (Philemon is in the game, but [[Word of God]] says he's taken a more passive role in the world's affairs now). Igor is always found in the Velvet Room: although in previous games, he used a phone made of bone to [[Summoning Ritual|call up Personae from the depths of the soul]], now he does so by arranging tarot cards into mystical arrangements on his table. Although he's helpful, friendly and {{spoiler|later proves instrumental in saving the world}}, he still gives off a very sinister aura.

=== Elizabeth and Theodore ===

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Igor's assistants. Elizabeth appears in the original, ''FES'', ''Persona 3 Portable'' in the male character's path and as a choice in the female character's path. Theodore is only available in ''Persona 3 Portable'' in the female's story. Both serve the same role in the game. They send the main character on different [[sidequest]]s and, in the ''FES'' and ''Persona 3 Portable'' editions, can visit the human world with the main character and become romantically involved with him or her. Theodore is Elizabeth's younger brother, and both are the younger siblings of ''[[Persona 4]]'''s Margaret.

=== Ryoji Mochizuki ===

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A [[New Transfer Student]] who first makes his appearance in November. He is a flirty [[Bishonen]] who asks out any girl he meets, and quickly befriends the members of SEES. {{spoiler|In reality, he is the Appriser of Nyx, doomed to bring about [[The End of the World as We Know It|the Fall]]. He was sealed within the protagonist for the past ten years, and manifested as Pharos in earlier parts of the game. As Ryoji, however, he is ignorant of his true nature until the beginning of December... at which point he suffers from [[Amnesiac Dissonance]], having become fond of humanity and life in general}}.

=== Kenji Tomochika ===

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A fellow classmate of the main character, Kenji is the very first Social Link (of the Magician Arcana) the male main character can get, being established automatically soon after he starts attending Gekkoukan High. Already friends with Junpei and Kazushi, he's also somewhat attracted to Yukari, though the player soon discovers that he has a thing for older women. In fact, pursuing his social link reveals that he has a crush on one of his teachers, and the main character helps him in his quest to win her over. {{spoiler|Unfortunately, it doesn't work out, as he only succeeds in freaking out his teacher and discovering that she's already engaged and about the leave the city. After a bit of heartbroken sulking, he finally manages to get over it}}.

=== Hidetoshi Odagiri ===

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A member of Gekkoukan High's student council, Hidetoshi heads the student disciplinary committee. As expected, he's strict and unyielding, and can come off as quite the hardass. He's also a very unpopular with the rest of his class because of his no-nonsense attitude. After Mitsuru has the main character join the student council, Hidetoshi becomes the Emperor Social Link, and pursuing his Social Link has him/her helping out with finding a student who left a cigarette butt in one of the school male bathrooms. As the Social Link goes on, he ends up accusing half the school (even the student council Vice President... who's female) and alienating himself from his fellow students even further. Eventually, he reveals that the main character is the only person that he can trust, and that he believes that everyone should be treated equally and fairly, and be held to the same standards. When the culprit is finally discovered, he realizes that he needs to lighten up if he's going to keep his fellow peers' trust.

=== Kazushi "Kaz" Miyamoto ===

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Kaz is a member of whatever sport team the main character joins. Stubborn and fanatical, Kaz quickly declares himself the main character's rival, and aims to win the championship. Kaz represents the Chariot Social Link, pursuing it has the main character discover that he's suffering from a bad knee, which is only getting worse due to his constant and overzealous training, to the point that he could very well never walk again if he keeps it up. Then it is discovered that the reason that he's pushing himself so hard is that he's trying to convince his nephew, who was crippled in an accident, to undergo rehab by winning the championship. {{spoiler|Eventually, he admits his knee problem to the rest of his team, and is convinced to drop out of the championship and get surgery for his knee instead, deciding to go through rehab with his nephew}}.

 

=== Rio Iwasaki ===

 

Rio is Kaz's [[Distaff Counterpart]]; whether the female main character chooses to join Tennis or Volleyball, she'll find Rio acting as the leader of the junior-level teammates. To her dismay, her teammates don't share the same single-minded devotion to the club. Also friends with Kenji, who likes to visit practice both to see her and to catch up with Ms. Kanou, who oversees the club.

=== Chihiro Fushimi ===

[[File:persona3 chihiro 8101.jpg|frame]]

 

The student council treasurer, Chihiro is pretty much a textbook example of the painfully shy, bookish, yet surprisingly attractive nerd girl. She represents the Justice arcana in her Social Link and is one of the many potential love interests for the male main character. Pursuing her Social Link gets her to open up a bit more, and eventually deal with accusations that she stole money from the school.

=== Yuko Nishiwaki ===

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The team manager for whatever Athletic Club the main character joins, Yuko represents the Strength arcana in her Social Link, and is one of the male main character's potential love interests. If the player pursues her Social Link, the main character discovers Yuko's lack of motivation, not really sure what to do with her life. As the Social Link goes on, she ends up coaching a group of neighborhood children on how to run faster, so they could beat a group of sixth graders in a race and win back their playground. While coaching them, she finds her motivation, and eventually decides to become an athletic trainer.

=== Andre Laurent Jean Geraux (a.k.a. Bebe) ===

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Sole member of Gekkoukan High's fashion club (at least until the main character joins), Bebe is the token foreigner and a raging Japanophile. He managed to be able to study abroad in Japan thanks to the efforts of his aunt. He represents the Temperance arcana in his Social Link, and pursuing it has Bebe making his first friend in Japan with the male main character. Eventually, he discovers that his aunt died, and his uncle wants him to come back home. Not wanting to leave Japan, he decides to make a kimono to take with him to help convince him to let him come back. The Social Link ends with Bebe leaving to go back home, swearing to come back someday.

=== Bunkichi and Mitsuko Kitamura ===

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Owners of the Bookworms bookstore at Iwatodai Station, Bunkichi is an occasionally wisecracking and sometimes senile, but ultimate well-meaning old man (who frequently gives the main character food), and Mitsuko is his more quiet wife. The two of them represent the Hierophant Social Link, and pursuing their Social Link has the main character frequently visiting their bookstore, ultimately learning that they had a son, who was a teacher at Gekkoukan High until he was killed in a car accident, when a persimmon tree was planted at the school in memorium of him. Eventually, the two of them catch wind that the tree is going to be cut down, and start a petition to try and stop it, but when they learn that the tree is going to be cut down in order to build an extension on the school, they finally decide to let them cut it down, deciding that education is important than their son's memories, and that he would've wanted it that way (though eventually it's revealed that the tree was simply relocated instead of cut down).

=== Maiko Oohashi ===

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A precocious grade school girl, Maiko frequently hangs out at the playground at Naganaki Shrine. She represents the Hanged Man arcana in her Social Link, and pursuing said Social Link reveals that Maiko's parents are going through a very messy divorce, which the main character helps her get through. Wondering if it's her fault that they're splitting up, Maiko eventually decides to run away from home, thinking that they'll have to work together to find her, and that it will help them get back together. It only proves to be a partial success, as though they really do work together to find her, they still plan to get divorced, though now they work more on helping Maiko understand why they're splitting up. At the end of the Social Link, Maiko decides to live with her mother as she leaves Port Island, but declares that she wants to marry the male main character when she grows up.

=== Tanaka ===

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Company president and TV salesman, Tanaka is the owner of a home shopping network which the player can buy products from every Sunday. Later on, the main character can find him standing around Port Island Station (Paulownia Mall at night in ''FES''). He represents the Devil arcana in his Social Link, and pursuing it has Tanaka swindling the main character out of 40,000 yen before deciding to start giving him/her some of his rather... unscrupulous business advice, and even considering making him/her a model for his company. Eventually, he reveals that even though he's filthy rich, he's always so busy that he never has the time to really use any of his money. The Social Link ends with Tanaka finally deciding to give some of his money to charity. Later in ''FES'', it's implied that he may have given up on his dubious business techniques.

=== Mutatsu ===

[[File:persona3 mutatsu 6041.png|frame]]

 

Found sitting by himself, drinking and smoking, at Club Escapade, Mutatsu is a rough, rude Buddhist monk. He represents the Tower arcana in his Social Link, and pursuing it reveals that he comes to the club often to get drunk, due to his wife and son leaving him because of his [[Married to the Job|obsession with his work]]. For a while, he dispenses some rather depressing advice to the main character, and starts treating him/her as his own son/daughter. Eventually, he decides to hire a private detective to track down his wife and son, deciding he wants to apologize and ask them to take him back.

=== Akinari Kamiki ===

[[File:persona3 Akinari r 7761.jpg|frame]]

 

A frail young man who represents the Sun arcana, Akinari likes to spend his Sunday afternoons sitting by the playground at Naganaki Shrine. He was born with a terminal illness and doesn't have much longer to live. At first bitter about his fate and reluctant to talk to people, he gradually opens up to the main character and develops not only a powerful friendship, but the inspiration to write a children's book as his parting message to the world: a tragic but ultimately hopeful story about the friendship between an outcast pink alligator and a bird who can't fly.

 

=== Labrys ===

 

A character introduced for the drama CD, apparently as the [[Class Representative]]. Showed up as a playable character in ''[[Persona 4 Arena]]''... fans' reactions were [[Base Breaker|split]].

 

=== The Reaper ===

A notorious [[Bonus Boss]] found in ''[[Persona 3]]'' and ''[[Persona 4]]'', including ''FES'', ''Persona 3 Portable'' ''and'' the [[Anime of the Game]]. His Arcana card is "Death", and he's based off the [[Grim Reaper]]. His face is shrouded in bandages, with only one ominous yellow eye to see its surroundings. In ''[[Persona 3]]'', he lurks around Tartarus during the Dark Hour, personally appearing under one of four outcomes: if you stay on one level for too long, if there aren't any Shadows in a level, if there are ''only'' gold Shadows on a revel, or if you pick a Shuffle Time card that's appended by an ominous black crossbone. Thankfully, he cannot follow you through the stairs, but good luck trying to find them.

 

* [[Video Game Cruelty Potential]]: If you're nowhere near an access point or the stairs, you can split up your party and hope he tracks down one of ''them'' while you make your escape.

 

[[Category:Shin Megami Tensei/Characters]]