Persona 4: The Animation

Overview

Persona 4: The Animation is an anime adaptation of the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 video game for the PlayStation 2. It's the sixth game of the franchise and was developed as a murder mystery RPG with deep social aspects. It was developed by ATLUS in Japan, directed by Katsuro Hashino, and character design by Shigenori Soejima. It was released in Japan in July 10, 2008, and in the U.S. on December 9, 2008. The announcement of the anime was released on April 11, 2011, the very day of the Persona 4's story begins.The series is directed by Seiji Kishi, music by Shoji Meguro. It is produced by AIC A.S.T.A. and Aniplex, and has aired in Japan on various distributors, such as MBS, TBS, and CBC. The first episode is set to air in October 6, 2011.

The entire original Japanese voice cast from the original return to reprise their roles. Though the main protagonist of the game was originally unnamed, he's named for the anime as Yu Narukami.

The Anime Network and Sentai Filmworks acquired the rights to distribute Persona 4 in North America. The Anime Network originally scheduled the series to play on their website every Thursday at 3PM EST (12 PST). It was then hosted by HULU the following day. On January 9th, the schedule of Persona changed on The Anime Network due to technical difficulties in releasing the series an hour after it was released in Japan. From episode fourteen and on, the series was moved to Fridays at the same time for the original streaming.

Plot

On August 11th 2011, a rash of mysterious murders strikes the rural town of Inaba soon after Yu Narukami moves from the city with his uncle Ryotaro Dojima. The bodies are being hung from power lines, and the police have no suspects. The images of the missing victims are shown on the TV at midnight, aptly named Midnight Channel before their bodies are discovered. Yu soon discovers an unusual world on the other side of a TV that is linked to these deaths. On the other side people are facing shadowy monsters and the darker sides of their souls. It's up to Yu and his new friends to investigate and try and stop the killer from claiming any more lives.

Characters

Yu Narukami

Yu Narukami

Yu Narukami was sent to Inaba by his parents to live with his uncle Ryotaro Dojima and his cousin Nanako Dojima. He is only there for one year in the city of Inaba and will move back come next Spring. He is the first person to notice strange things occurring in the city and become the surrogate leader of the Investigation Team. He is the owner of Izanagi of The Fool Arcana.

Yosuke Hanamura

Yosuke Hanamura

Yosuke Hanamura also recently moved to Inaba as his father is the manager of the large department store Junes that was recently built. He hears the rumors of the Midnight Channel along with other classmates and eventually becomes entangled in the investigation when a friend of his goes missing. He is the owner of Jiraiya of The Magician Arcana.

Chie Satonaka

Chie Satonaka

Chie Satonaka is a resident of Inaba who introduces Yu and Yosuke to the midnight channel. She is strong-willed and brash, and was also one of the first to discover a world inside of the television and discovered where the murders were taking place. She utilizes the power of Tomoe of The Chariot Arcana.

Yukiko Amagi

Yukio Amagi

Yukiko Amagi is the daughter of the Amagi family that owns the famous Inn and hot springs located in Inaba. She is best friends with Chie and become one of the early victims to the disappearances and appears in the mysterious television world. She wields the power of Konohana Sakuya of The Priestess Arcana.

Kanji Tatsumi

Kanji Tatsumi

Kanji Tatsumi is a local thug who is infamous for taking on a whole biker gang at once because they were disturbing his mother. Beneath is hard shell and blatant anger issues, there are issues he struggles with internally as he too becomes a victim to the television world. His persona is Take-Mikazuchi of The Emperor Arcana.

Rise Kujikawa

Rise Kujikawa

Rise Kujikawa is a famous Japanese pop idol who leaves the spotlight and tries to live a normal live in Inaba. Rise's fame though does not permit her to lead any sort of normal life as people constantly demand her autograph or attention, thinking less of her because of her status as a pop star. She wields the power of Himiko of The Lovers Arcana.

Naoto Shirogane

Naoto Shirogane

Naoto Shirogane comes from a family of detectives and arrives in Inaba to assist in the class regarding the murders that have been taking place. However, there is a deep secret he is hiding from other people in the city as he digs deeper into how people disappear into a world inside the television. He uses Sukuna Hikona of The Fortune Arcana.

Teddie

Teddie

Teddie is a large stuffed bear that exists in the world inside of the television. Despite being hollow, he is a cute bear who wants to be left alone inside the world that has been created and often wonder how he came to exist himself in a world without any rules whatsoever. He possesses the power of Kintoki Douji of The Star Arcana.

Supporting Characters

Supporting characters in the persona games served the purpose of creating social links that strengthened your Personas by getting to know them and their stories. In the Anime they are still going to be seen but will play a smaller roll as the gameplay mechanic is not translated to the series the same way.

Ai Ebihara

Ai Ebihara is a spoiled rich girl who becomes the manager of the sports team at school. She has a crush on some of her fellow students but they don't feel the same way about her.

Kou Ichijo

The star player of the basketball team. He's adopted and must deal with his little sister becoming the successor to his family.

Daisuke Nagase

The captain of the Soccer team and friends with Kou Ichijo. He is always energetic and happy go lucky.

Theme Songs

Opening Themes

Ending Themes

Other Media

Babylonian & FoxxFireArt Amateur vs. Expert: PERSONA 4 THE ANIMATION

Anime Vice's very own Nick Robinson & Kristoffer Remmell has delved into the world of Persona 4 The Animation with their Amateur vs. Expert series. Be sure to follow along:

• Persona 4 The Animation # 01 Nick HERE / Kristoffer HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 02 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 03 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 04 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 05 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 06 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 07 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 08 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 09 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 10 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 11 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 12 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 13 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 14 HERE
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• Persona 4 The Animation # 17 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 18 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 19 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 20 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 21 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 22 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 23 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 24 HERE
• Persona 4 The Animation # 25 HERE