Persona 4/Fanfic Recs
Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying for here.
These are recommendations made by Tropers for Persona 4 fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.
You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.
Authors and Websites
- Recommended by Nightraid
- Souji (Main character)/Naoto shipping fics, all of them with great characterization that can be alternatively really sweet and touching, hilarious, dramatic or all of it. If you like this pairing, make sure to pay this author a visit.
- Recommended by Kalle
- With four parts and counting, this meme has pretty much exploded with some of the wildest prompts and responses imaginable, ranging from the disturbing to the touching to the gut-bustingly hilarious. The best part? It's all hosted by Shadow Kanji. (Due to the nature of the meme, much of the content is obviously NSFW.)
- Six parts and counting now, and due to Shadow Kanji disappearing into the big bad bathhouse in the sky, there's a new "Temporary" Kink Meme.
- Recommended by Alexlayer
- Not only this author has written lots of stories, and not only she has accurate and interesting portrayal of the characters, but has also explored many unusual elements such as Gender Bending, having wrote an entire sort-of novelization of the game with one change: The protagonist was born female (And of course, many other changes later). There's a certain tendency for femslash in the stories, but there's some het pairings as well. All in all, definitely worth at least a check.
- Recommended by Sandangel
- A lot of this author's more recent work is focused on Kanji and Naoto, with rather mild shipping hints, but mostly just seeing many story events from their perspective, which makes for a highly enjoyable read. This troper highly recommends "Shortest Distance", an ongoing Perspective Flip from Kanji's and occasionally Naoto's point of view that expands certain parts of the game that were not shown for various reasons. If you're into perspective works, this is something to check out.
- Recommended by Gorsecloud and Alacron
- This author has and is working on a series of stories that cross over the entire Persona series, as well as several other MegaTen games. The brilliant thing about these stories? Individually, these stories can, on the whole, stand on their own as oneshots. But when read in order, they form a much bigger, overarching one, like a patchwork quilt. These stories explore several of the theories prevalent in the fandom, and play with several other of the predictable/popular ideas. The dynamics between the different characters is refreshingly unusual for in-series crossovers--the characters act independently, forming their own alliances and relationships, rather than sticking to their games' group, and being fellow Persona users doesn't automatically make them allies. Overall, this author has been doing a wonderful job, and their stories are definitely worth a visit.
- Seconded, also worth noting that he's collecting all the stories into one "remixed" version, and hopefully finishing it this time. And even if he doesn't, it's still definitely worth a read because they are just that good.
General Fics
Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.
GARdian of Truth by The Qing
- Recommended by Saltin, Rogue 7
- Synopsis: Set during Souji's final week. Sometimes you have to go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb to find the truth. Rated T for divine slaps, sunglasses, loud dudes, and lots of GAR. A faux X-Over. Persona 4/? OOCness has never been this epic.
- Comments: A hilarious testament to the power of cosplay. Three words: Izanagi No Gurren.
- Rogue 7: ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWAH! Awesome. Completely encapsulate the mood I was in to beat the game. Only in my case, instead of TTGL, I was blasting Flogging Molly throughout.
- The author also made another story, Naoto's Journal: Volume 1, where Naoto apparently read Watchmen and writes about her part of the story in Rorschach's style.
- Darkaros: The author wrote up a remastered edition, too.
Simulacrum by zephyran
- Recommended by Leaper, Rogue 7, User:GG Crono, esoterik
- Synopsis: It's 2018. Souji returns to Inaba after studying in America, only to find that everyone he knew there (even the uncle he talked to not a day before) act like he never lived in Inaba or met any of his friends. In his quest to solve the new mystery, he'll make unexpected allies and find himself on the wrong side of people he knows and loves, including his thirteen year old cousin Nanako, who is disturbingly good at wielding a knife... And don't think the story is over when that problem is solved...
- Comments: Through judicious use of quotes, references, and characterization, this piece makes itself feel a lot like part of the game world (no mean feat in any 'fic). Also a musing on the nature of human relationships, inspired and brought up by the game and its ending. Now complete.
- Rogue 7 'oly moly, that's well-written. The characters are well-done, the imagery is good, everything's fantastic. Fully recommended. It is significantly darker than the game itself, but not quite to Grimdark! levels.
- This troper doesn't even really like fanfiction, and thought this was amazing. If you have played Persona 4 you have to read this
- Also being adapted into a radio play over at the Voice Acting Alliance.
- Now has a tropes page (which is in desperate need of editing).
- Now had a sequel in Solipsis
The Big Long Persona 4 Comic by Peachi (part 1, part 2, part 3)
- Recommended by Ransom, Gzl 5000, Mullon, Gumbal 1
- Synopsis: The first few hours of the game (for now), summarized in comic form.
- Comments: The witty writing and crude (but expressive!) art cheerfully satirises Persona 4 plot and cast. Well worth reading.
- Hiimdaisy has a knack for distilling catchphrases into their purest, most hilarious form.
- "GET BENT GET BENT GET BENT"
- She also seems to take some notes from the Giant Bomb Endurance Run (which she states was a fan of and was rather upset that she unintentionally spoiled them on the ending), most notable the Alternate Character Interpretation of Dojima as psychotically abusive.
- Made one zillion times more amazing by this.
- Hiimdaisy has a knack for distilling catchphrases into their purest, most hilarious form.
Persona 4: Five Years Later by Fiyerna
- Recommended by User:J Random User, bluedragonx
- Synopsis: Five years after the True Ending, Souji returns to Inaba, where a new threat is looming from the Television World, a growing void born of Fear, Rage, and Decay--a void that may be inextricably tied to Naoto's past. Despite being hosted on Adult Fanfiction.net, is not sex-oriented, and indeed, so far contains no explicit scenes. Also hosted on Fanfiction.net and the link has been changed accordingly. Souji/Naoto, with a dash of Yosuke/Chie. In progress, drawing up on the conclusion.
- Comments: The excellent writing captures the feel of the game to a great extent, to the point where it feels like a natural sequel. Of particular note are the scenes in which each character unlocks their Persona again, having to give up an item they symbolically used to wall themselves off--Yosuke's headphones, for example.
- Leliel says: Not only that, but it gives us one of the coolest-if certainly creepiest-villains ever in the form of Amastu Mikaboshi, an Eldritch Abomination whose repeated battles against the party give Mind Rape a whole new meaning...thankfully, not the squicky variety.
- He's gotten even scarier in chapter 21, where it's revealed that, much like his avatars, Amastu doesn't have a self-identity, instead referring to himself as "the entity", a barely-sentient but very intelligent incarnation of the Void that existed before time, utterly devoid of human influence.
- Leliel says: Not only that, but it gives us one of the coolest-if certainly creepiest-villains ever in the form of Amastu Mikaboshi, an Eldritch Abomination whose repeated battles against the party give Mind Rape a whole new meaning...thankfully, not the squicky variety.
Upon Reflection by cogitoergoabdo
- Recommended by User:GG Crono
- Synopsis: Some time after the end of the game, Souji Seta feels that something is missing. Can he find answers in his dreams, and ultimately within himself?
- Comments: Spot-on characterization, and it makes perfect sense within the context of the game. A must-read for any fan.
Elysion by Rayless Night
- Recommended by The Tambourine Man, Rushi
- Synopsis: A crossover with Persona 3. Several years have passed since the game. Persona users are being targeted, and everything leads back to one of the old members of SEES.
- Comments: A very interesting and imaginative read. While the cast of 3 play fairly important roles, this story is ultimately about the cast of 4- paying closest attention to Kanji and Naoto.
- Rushi: Whilst I would agree with the first comment in part--it is a very interesting, imaginative and engrossing read--I'd actually say that the story is about 3; namely how far Mitsuru would go to save Minato, and the consequences of her decision. The characterisation is an interesting twist on canon, but still believable (particularly with Akihiko, who this troper saw as The Woobie of the entire damned fic). Interestingly, the ending is true to both games: the characters of 4 get a relatively happy ending, whilst the characters of 3...well, I cried and I'm not really known for doing that.
Doppleganger: Mirrors of Truth! by Anonymous
- Recommended by Kalle, Moberemk
- Synopsis: Rise's back in show biz. Her manager passes her a script for a movie called Doppelganger, where people face against their identical, but opposite, selves who reveal their insecurities, hidden desires, and thoughts. And unless they conquer these doppelgangers... bam! They die. Sounds great, righ-- Hey, waitaminute.
- Comments: Yeah, I'm aware I already mentioned the Kink Meme as a whole above, but... this fic is utterly HYSTERICAL. The film-within-a-fic is So Bad It's Good on its own, but the Investigation Team's snarky comments and the epilogue elevate it to a whole new level of hilarity. (Contains spoilers for the Normal/True endings.)
- Hanz: Had myself quite the laugh at this, especially at the fact that the film's written by none other than Yosuke in a self-fulfillment story that depicts him as the Gary Stu of the "Search Squad" while everyone else (including the movie's pathetically sissy versions of Souji and Kanji) is in love with him as well as depicting Dojima as a Dastardly Whiplash (and don't worry I'm not spoiling anything for you: Anything that's not told outright in the beginning is so blatantly obvious via Yosuke's writing, which rivals the sheer fail of Tommy Wiseau).
- Darkaros: One word: Pinwheels.
- Moberemk: The ending was meh, but otherwise? I'm still laughing like hell.
Gone Fishing by Fiyerna
- Recommended by Lionheart 0
- Pairings: slight Souji/Naoto
- Synopsis: What was meant to be a quiet day for Souji, catching the legendary "Guardian Fish" for the Fox, quickly turns eventful when all his friends tag along.
- Comments: There was a lot that liked about this short one shot; the characterization of all the characters were spot on and it really reads like one of the "Breather Episodes" that could've happen in the game. The story really meshes extremely well with the game, with the story focusing on Souji's relationship with his Nakama. The Souji/Naoto relationship, while subtle, ties in well with what is presented in the game. The story takes place right before the 8th rank of Naoto's social link (in other words right before the Protagonist's possible confession.)
Vindicated by Pectus Noctem
- Recommended by Dont Kill Bugs
- Pairings: Adachi/Izanami
- Synopsis: What if the killer wasn't the killer? The murders in Inaba continue and Adachi is set free. Now, it's up to Adachi and the Investigation Team to unravel the true secrets behind the case. The Truth will be realized, and it will shake Inaba to its very core.
- Commments: I've seen a lot of Adachi-was-framed/innocent fics. Most of them were either poorly written, never finished, or deleted. But this one seems to stand out in a way. It's well-written, the chapters are nice and long, it's updated regularly, and the story is gripping. Adachi, after being released due to lack of evidence, helps Souji and the others with tracking down the real killer. The story provides a good explanation as to why Adachi would voluntarily go to prison for a crime he didn't commit, and the second arc provides some of his backstory, introducing his father, Kataki, as a minor villain, that, quite honestly, is just as scary as Adachi got to be towards the end of the game. The story throws us red herring after red herring as to who the killer might be. Vindicated is a gripping read that I strongly recommend to any P4 fan.
- Mostly seconded... except for the fact that the ending sucks. Okay, yeah, so maybe it was from early on hinted that Yoskue was the "puppet", everything else after The Reveal seems rushed and somewhat anticlimactic.
- Nargotah: The fic was tightly plotted with decent (if spotty) characterization right up until The Reveal. After that, the purple prose started getting absolutely ridiculous, tragedies started falling left and right for no other reason than "LOOK AT HOW BAD THIS IS", and Chie and Souji get together immediately after Chie is crushed emotionally. That's not exactly how people work. Not to mention, the reveal that Yosuke was the puppet, and that he was STILL obsessed about Saki even after his social link specifically stated he got over her was, in my opinion, fairly ridiculous.
Persona 4: The Answer by Jadegang
- Recommended by: Trickymander
- Synopsis: Years later the group around Souji meets again at Tokyo University, and everything's like it used to be back in Inaba: Boring school days, leveling up Social Links, solving a murder case... Wait, stop, rewind! What! Find out yourself in this fanfiction!
- Comments: This is probably one of the P3/P4 crossovers that has the Investigation team together and trying to recruit new members.
- Also one of the few fics that explores the possible consequences of Souji's and Minato's friends and family finding out about Social Links and them questioning if the time with the MCs were real friendship/love or just the MCs trying to strengthen themselves.
- Marioguy128: Eh, it had something of a good start, but it gets incomprehensible and stupid in the later chapters.
Persona 4: Face Every Shadow by Casey W
- Recommended by: Dr Tempo
- Synopsis: Seta Souji once met a strange blue-haired student who offered him nothing but cryptic warnings. One year later, Seta is about to discover exactly what that student was talking about. Persona 4 iteration of Fairly English Story.
- Comments: The spiritual successor to the legendary Fairly English Story, and supported by Sam Jaz himself. This fic captures the spirit of Fairly English Story very well indeed, and is very good. Those who loved Fairly English Story should read this.
Persona 4: The Abridged Version by Mr. Thumbsup
- Recommended by: Tanabata 07, User:Darkaros
- Synopsis: For people with short attention spans. Persona 4, condensed into 1585 words. T rated, crackfic. Not recommended for people without a sense of humor.
- Comments: Personally, I think this is one of the better crack fics for this game. It is, of course, not very long, but it's filled to the brim with hilarity. Definitely a must-read for any Persona 4 fan.
A Different Flesh by Lavanya Six
- Recommended by: Dont Kill Bugs
- Pairings: Souji/Yumi
- Synopsis: Souji is a Kirijo Group robot. Originally written for the Bad Bad Bathhouse P4 Kink Meme. Souji/Yumi. P3 crossover.
- Comments: Despite the obvious ridiculousness of Souji being a sex robot made by the Kirijo Group, this fic is surprisingly serious, and not the poorly-conceived lemon one would expect. Souji goes through personal problems that are very similar to those of Aigis, whom Souji sees as a sister, and the look at the world through the eyes of a robot programmed for sex is surprising Tear Jerker material. Mitsuru is even given a very good reason for doing what would seem like a very out-of-character thing for her.
Interviews with a Shadow by Waking World Dream World
- Recommended by: Dont Kill Bugs
- Synopsis: Various looks at the P4 gang and what happens with their daily interactions with their Shadows.
- Comments: A short but hilarious look at what if the character's Shadows stayed with them after facing themselves. Well worth the read.
Untitled Comic by Unknown Korean Artist
- Recommended by Balletduckninja
- Synopsis: It is December 24th, and the Seekers of Truth have finally cornered Tohru Adachi in Magatsu Inaba. However, the Protagonist's experiences throughout the year has taught him that it is impossible for any one person to be defined only by one thing, and believes Adachi to be more than the psychotic killer he appears to be. He decides to confront Adachi alone, in hopes of learning more about Adachi's different sides, and to see if there is any hope of redemption for him.
- Comments: A fascinating look into what might make Adachi the person he is, as well as how the many personalities of a person come together to form their character. The art is fantastic, and does a good job of showing just how dangerous and violent combat can be, as well as really expressing the atmosphere well.
Persona 4 Welcome to Tokyo by Blazehawkins
- Recommended by PHYSXMAN
- Synopsis: A retelling/expansion of the story of Persona 4 with a few differences in the setting: The story takes place in Tokyo, and the Investigation team is in college.
- Comments: A story that really takes the plot and ideas of Persona 4 and expands vastly on them. In addition to the setting changes mentioned above, this fic is also notable in that it is the only one (that this troper knows of) that has Souji start out arguably more broken than the rest of the cast, having to undergo large amounts of character development before even being able to commit to saving Yukiko. With a much more involved plot than the game (the Midnight Channel is only a facet of all the problems facing the gang), this fic promises to be an excellent rendition of Persona 4.
Someone Like You by Touch My Drill
- Recommended by Maniac Cat, Karel
- Sypnosis: After he and the rest of the battling Investigation team fall after being attacked by Izanami, Souji is woken up in a fog-filled world by Minato, who comforted a depressed Souji and encouraged him to finish his role....and also to do him a small favour up in the real world.
- Comments: A beautiful Tear Jerker of a fanfic based on a What If scenario where Souji actually met the protagonist of Persona 3 in the fog-ridden world during the battle with Izanami. The characters and their interactions with each other are incredibly written, with each character being depicted in a different, more sensitive light. A must-read for all Persona 3 and 4 fans.
Sea of the Unconscious by Kyjar
- Recommended by: Spazzo
- Synopsis: Instead of summoning their Personae, the team gets possessed by the gods. Great! Wonderful! Fantastic-until Susano-O and Amaterasu have a screaming row in front of the Amagi Inn.
- Comments: It helps to have a basic understanding of Japanese mythology (especially the story about Amaterasu and the cave) when reading this. Otherwise, it's one of the funniest fics to come out of the kink meme thus far. Minor hinting of Souji/Yosuke and Chie/Yukiko, but mostly played for laughs.
Again and Again and Again Once More by GingerAndRust
- Recommended by: whitewolfos111, Selryam
- Synopsis: P3 x P4: Souji Seta knew things that he shouldn't. It started out simple, but when a shadow in the TV world creates a phantom city complete with a familiar, green tower, Souji begins to feel like he's done this all before. And not just once.
- Comments: One of the best fan fics that this troper has ever read. Every fan needs to read this now.
- It's actually that good. The plot creativity and characterizations are truly fantastic. I would put this on par with Rayless Night's Elysion and Death and Ker.
Lost Kingdoms by zero-damage
- Recommended by: Karel
- Synopsis: P3 x P4 Crossover, spoiler for both games. "Every girl in Inaba likes Teddie; Port Island's no different." During his visit to Port Island, Teddie meets a strange blonde girl who seems to know more about him than he does himself...
- Comments: A short and bittersweet "missing scene". Characterization and dialog are incredibly spot-on, Teddie's innocence and obliviousness meeting Aigis' reflection and regrets will have you shed tears of both a laughing fit and a broken heart. This troper adopted it in her own little head-canon.
Persona 4: Split Personalities by Kisdota-The Freak Gamer
- Recommended by Strangerthenever
- Synopsis: Same story as the original game, but this time, the Personas are sentient and they talk back to their users. Hilarity Ensues
- Comments: Each of the Personas'...er, personalities fits their appearances and they have different attitudes according to the owner. Izanagi (Protagonist) is the wise leader guy, Jiraiya (Yosuke) is a womanizer and a butt monkey with little respect for his owner, Tomoe-Gozen (Chie) is a no-nonsense warrior who always smacked Jiraiya when he does something stupid and so on. There are minor changes when in boss fights and there are bits of slice of life about the heroes and their Personas, but it's all a good read.
- Marioguy128: While the concept is good, the writing really isn't anything to write home about. Especially in the later chapters when it all goes downhill.
- Moo92: Yeah I agree about the writing, it isn't that good. But I read it cause it is very amusing. I think its a pretty entertaining read.
It's all in the details By Anonymous
- Recommended by Eggy
- Synopsis: Several years after the events of the game, the investigation team members are all living together. All of the characters have been paired off with one another, except for Souji. Out of perhaps pity, each couple invites him to sleep with them, while Souji ponders over his relationships with them.
- Comments: A wonderfully written story, exploring what it's like for Souji when everyone lives with one another, and everyone (except Souji and Teddie) have all paired off with one another and each couple invites him to bed with them. Excellent characterizations, especially Souji--never has a man frequently joining in on threesomes seem so depressed (and for good reason). Just fair warning--it may break your heart.
Cooking Lessons by Megaolix
- Recommended by Tropic Thunder
- Synopsis: See the battle between Souji Seta and his strongest foe: Mystery Food X.
- Comments: After reading this, I could easily see it fitting into the actual game's story line. It also shows that, it doesn't matter what Izanami can do to him, he's already been through worse.
Day of the Penguin by Anonymous
- Recommended by Faislittlewhiteraven
- Synopsis: One peaceful day at Junes, Yukiko decides to ask Kanji if she can try some of his animal crackers and inadvertantly crunches down on one ultra rare Penguin. Multi-genre survial parody ensues.
- Comments: Possibly one of the most hilarious crack fics to be found in the Persona 4 Kink meme mentioned above, Day of the Penguin has to be read to be believed; with Chie and Naoto roaming the zombie movie-esque depths of Junes department story, Teddie and Yousuke's attempts to lead the survivors to safety, and enough Noodle Incidents to make a ramen stand. If you need a good laugh and don't mind the odd shipping reference, go read this fic now!
Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.
- Recommended by Sour Jack
- Pairings: Chie/Yosuke
- Synopsis: Five years after the True Ending, Japanese version. Some people make romance look easy, but it's never been that way for Chie. And Yousuke isn't making it any easier. A love story in four parts.
- Comments: I find it staggering that this hasn't been recommended yet. The detail in the writing is undeniably amazing, and the amount of detail and sheer knowledge the author has and displays about Japan and it's culture shows. It's got an M rating that it earns in sparse reminders between the many heartwarming spots of the story. This fanfic is so damn good with its characterization that Mayumi-H may as well have written the characters from the ground up using the Persona 4 cast as a base and nothing more. It's only problem is that it's a behemoth of a fanfic at 700k words and 63 chapters, so it'll take a good chunk of your time to catch up.
Persona 4: Reach out to the truth by El-Poofy
- Recommeneded by Personahoho
- Pairing(s): Souji/Yukiko , Yosuke/Chie
- Synopsis: The novelization of Persona 4! A Moody Souji! A somewhat crazier Investigation team!
- Comments: Could be considered a 'General' Fic, since its a novelization of Persona 4, but, most, if not all of author El-Poofy's works focus strongly on relationships and canon romances. If one has read her Persona 3 novel, its safe to assume that her Persona 4 novel would follow in its foot steps with heavy emphasis on romance. A good read if you're looking for an original take on Persona 4, but you just have to put up with slow updates.
- Recommended by Zero Ichi Ni
- Pairing(s): Souji/Yukiko
- Synopsis: Souji and Yukiko start their relationship but decide to keep it secret. How hard can that be? Now rated T for cursing.
- Comments: How hard can that be? So hard that it's funny. I also love how other Social Links are used in this fanfic and how much it seems like this can actually happen in the game.
- Recommended by Red Viking
- Pairing(s): Souji/Naoto
- Synopsis: There is no doubt in Naoto's mind that the second year student, Souji Seta, is connected to the murder cases in Inaba. An unexpected confrontation in Port Island, however, complete disarms the detective's inquiries and changes everything. Can Naoto summon the courage to not run away? And is Souji really as unflappable as he appears?
- Comments: Starts going a bit AU during the infamous King's Game scene, and that alone is worth the read. As the POV character I'm impressed by how good Naoto's characterization is. What's really interesting, however, is the story's portrayal Souji. Other stories have him calm, collected and in charge, and even though he's still that, this story explores what would actually happen to someone if they were juggling schoolwork, a social life, multiple part-time jobs and investigating multiple homicides all at the same time.
- Recommended by Alexlayer
- Pairing(s): Chie/Yukiko
- Synopsis: Collections of one-shot chapters focused on either Chie or Yukiko suffering the different status effects of the game, and then the other having to search for... alternative cures.
- Comments: A really entertaining reading exploring the possibility of the pairing and the characters themselves. It manages to remain interesting thanks to each chapter changing the mood of the situation. Also contains a Bonus Chapter related to Persona 3.
A Barrel in the Sea by signalbeam
- Recommended by Lavanya Six and Alexlayer
- Pairing(s): Yukiko/Chie
- Synopsis: Yukiko's parents find out she's romantically involved with Chie. When her parents demand that Yukiko end it, she refuses and is subsequently thrown out off the Amagi Inn. She can't stay with Chie because her parents are still on the fence about their relationship... but then Dojima-san, feeling sympathetic, offers her Souji's old bedroom.
- Comments: A lovely post-game fic that focuses on Yukiko coming out to her parents and having to deal with the fallout of that decision. The focus is on Yukiko. The development of her character, as well as that of her parents, is well done.
- Recommended by Allhailthetv
- Pairing(s): Souji/Rise
- Synopsis: The final battle comes, and Rise is stuck on the sidelines and must watch as her friends are ripped away from her, one by one.
- Comments: This marvelous fic lets you know what Rise is going through during this point in the game, bawling her eyes out as her friends all sacrifice themselves, and she can do nothing. (Note: The story is told backwards, like that one episode of Seinfeld. Except incredibly dark) The detail is overwhelming (and at times bloody), and Rise is perfectly in character.
Fog by sodomquake
- Recommended by Senna
- Pairing(s): "...Assumes one-sided Yosuke/Souji, one-sided Kanji/Naoto, and actual Souji/Rise, and beyond that, I think I'm just going to ask you to trust me."
- Sypnosis: When pressure is applied, we all break along the lines where we were already cracked.
- Comments: Amazingly emotionally realistic and kind of heartbreaking. Yousuke is easy to identify with and presented sympathetically, without his status as a teenage male who doesn't always think before he acts and lives with one foot permanently in his mouth being forgotten at all. The author clearly put a lot of time and energy into this, and it shows.
- Recommended by Hanz
- Pairing: Chie/MC
- Synopsis: Takes the form of a Slice of Life story, this is a doujinshi (no sexual content) that explores the relationship between Chie and the Main Character (known as Taniyama in the story) through select periods of the year that the game takes place in.
- Comments: The interactions between the MC and Chie are often quite adorable and the progression quite natural. Chie is once again charming in her own adorably ditzy way while Taniyama serves as something of a Trickster Mentor for her.
...and then I fed some cats by signalbeam
- Recommended by Lavanya Six
- Pairing: Souji/OC
- Synopsis: Souji has a girlfriend back in the city and he tells her everything.
- Comments: This is how you do an OC pairing right. The relationship between Souji and his OC girlfriend, Suzume, is oddly entrapping, with a clash of personalities between Souji's space cadet nature and Suzume's gruffness. The author includes a lot of subtle humor in the story, riffing on the video game's translation and the oddness of the in-world mechanics, as well as the main cast's puzzlement that Souji is actually in a relationship... and with a girl to boot.
- Tanabata07: I find this fanfic to be very hilarious. It's also an easy way of escaping a relationship with every girl in the game, which most people wind up doing.
Turn Away by Jones in Space
- Recommended by Icystars
- Pairing: Souji/Yosuke
- Synopsis: A doujinshi (read left-to-right, as opposed to the usual manga style) based off of a fanfiction that the artist wrote for the Persona 4 Kink Meme. Souji dies in battle and everyone is forced to leave him in the TV World, given that they wouldn't be able to sneak him out of Junes.
- Comments: While the initial fic is definitely worth a read, I personally prefer the doujin. It's only 32 pages long, but it's an absolute Tear Jerker, even if you don't ship Souji/Yosuke. So much emotion is packed into such a relatively short comic, and it certainly doesn't hurt that the art is very nice to look at. It's a must-read if tragic fiction is your thing.
- If you enjoyed it, look for the sequel. Though if you enjoyed the tragedy of the first, you may not like it as much. But hey, the game was all about happy endings anyway, and getting the rest of the Team to the True Ending without resurrecting Souji would be kind of a wall banger at the least.
- Here is a link to the sequel. It is called Reach Out, by Chisotahn. An just to show how well written this was, I didn't start shipping Souji/Yosuke until after I read these two stories.
No Beginning, No End by strangestquiet
- Recommended by Routine, Hopeless Osaka D
- Pairing: Souji/Yosuke
- Synopsis: Actually a series of three fanfics by the author of the aforementioned doujinshi:
- No Beginning, No End: "Five years post-game, Dojima is killed in an accident, and Souji and Yosuke move back to Inaba to take care of Nanako. As they adjust to becoming a family, Yosuke struggles to reconnect with her while Souji pieces together the truth of his uncle's death."
- Fight For Us Both: "Yosuke succumbs to a mysterious illness after murdering his Shadow. As the consequences of destroying such a vital aspect of the self become clear, Souji searches for a way to save him." (there's also a doujinshi of this part, check it out)
- The Scars We Get Together: " Souji and Yosuke's relationship becomes severely strained after Yosuke loses Susano-O, and Souji works toward the end of a journey that was never completed."
- Comments: Though the first two fics can stand on their own, I still feel all three of them are worth a read and should be read as a series. The trilogy spans a quite of a few years of the characters' life and manages to capture them realistically. It's brilliantly written, but beware if you don't like sad fic. While it has its share of sweet and heartwarming moments, this story is going to rip your heart apart, piece by piece, especially if you tend to care for the characters a lot.
- Oh, Gosh yes. Pulled an all-nighter on this one, and for once didn't regret it.
A Drunken Fiasco by Fiyerna and Fortunes Revolver
- Recommended by Shenjay
- Pairing: Souji/Naoto, with a little bit of Chie/Yosuke as usual in both of the authors
- Synopsis: When Souji arrived at Club Escapade to celebrate his 19th birthday with his friends, what greeted him was the last thing he expected to see... and the insanity only grew from there
- Comments: This is one of the most hilarious fanfictions I have read in my time in the internet. Fiyerna's writing is as amazing as always, managing to make Naoto act absolutely out of character for her, being drunk, of course, without annoying or making the fic any less good. Quite the opposite, it made me laugh histerically at times. One short fic you should check out if you like Souji/Naoto.
New Game Plus by Jessup-2
- Recommended by Dont Kill Bugs
- Pairing: Souji/All Potential Girlfriends
- Synopsis: Souji Seta invites a girl over for Christmas Eve. But which girl? Meta-Lemon
- Comments: To best summarize this story, Souji saves the game on Christmas Eve and replays it with a different girl each time. The story goes into into great detail as to how Souji makes love to each girl, playing out like a romance more than a lemon- Souji genuinely loves each and every one of these girls. A definite must-read. WARNING: NSFW. This story is rated M.
Fortune no Hikari(The Light Of Fortune) by Fortune's Revolver
- Recommended by Patcheresu
- Pairings: Souji/Naoto
- Synopsis: Life is full of second chances, but not all mistakes can be corrected. If you were given the opportunity to go back in time and save the one you loved most from dying, would you take it? SoujixNaoto Full summary inside [sic]
- Comments: Despite the obvious blatant fact that Naoto is an important aspect here, there is more to this story than simply the romance. Souji is given the chance to repeat the entire year, at the cost of a Scratch-esque memory loss until a certain point.
- Recommended by Zero Ichi Ni
- Pairings: Souji/Yukiko, Yosuke/Chie
- Synopsis: Rumors of stalkers spread in the town of Inaba. It seemed as if it's just an ordinary naughty stalkers case but then everything turned out more. It was not just a random stalking.
- Comments: It may start out slow but it really picks up fast. The relationship between Souji and Yukiko feels really heartwarming even when it's not the main plot of the story. All of the casts sounds so much in character.
Ten Steps by Chisotahn
- Recommended by Jaikeis
- Pairing(s): Souji/Yosuke
- Synopsis: AU, in which Yosuke transfers to Inaba in the middle of the year. Later, he appears in an exclusive televised interview.
- Comments: Not only is this fic well-written in general, but it's all the little details that really flesh out the world--no Junes means that the Investigation Team uses the television in the Amagi Inn as a base of operations, and Teddie ends up rooming with Kanji and is an all-purpose mascot for the shopping district.