Persona 5’s Protagonists All Have Problems Of Their Own

An interview in this week’s issue of Famitsu magazine reveals that anime studio Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) are working on the anime cutscenes for Persona 5. (Thanks, Sokuho@Hokanko)

Speaking with Persona 5 producer and director Katsura Hashino, and character designer Shigenori Soejima, Famitsu have a few other details revealed in their report as well, starting with the game’s protagonist.

Soejima says that while the protagonist of Persona 5 may appear to be the quiet type from what we’ve seen of him so far, this is a ruse of some sort. Meanwhile, his Persona, Arsene, is meant to give off a more oldschool vibe, visually speaking. Arsene’s cape (wings?) is designed to convey the image of a thief that can go to places out of others’ reach.

Hashino reveals that the main character meets Anne and Ryuji, the other two characters in the trailer, at the start of the game. All three characters have problems of their own, although just what their problems are is not specified. It is hinted at in the Famitsu feature that both the protagonist and his friends have lost their homes.

Persona 5’s protagonist also runs into the cat character, Morgana, at the start of the game, and Morgana is said to play an important role in the story. It has the ability to transform.

As far as the battle system goes, Hashino confirms that Persona 5 will once again have turn-based battles, but that the team has incorporated several changes to make it more enjoyable. Hashino also mentions that each character carries a distinct “gun” that serves as their ranged weapon. These aren’t actual guns, though, even though they can be used in battle.

As reported earlier today, Persona 5 will still feature randomly-generated areas, but that certain areas in the game are specifically designed with the thief motif in mind. A Social Link-like feature will be present as well, although details on this front have not yet been announced. If you’re hungry for more news on the game, you can read up on director Katsura Hashino’s thoughts on it in this post.