Every Persona game since Persona 3 has had an excellent cast of characters. After all, it was the third entry that introduced the now iconic social aspect of this once niche RPG. Thanks to this, every game that has followed has improved in this regard and thus, the characters now feel more real than ever.
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Sure, these games can be a slow burn, but that’s all part of their charm. They simulate real life and how long it takes to actually bond with people. That’s not to say that some of the fat couldn’t have been trimmed here and there, although doing so would perhaps run the risk of ruining the experience. One area where Persona 5 Royal isn't carrying any dead weight, however, is in its wonderful cast of colorful characters.
Updated April 13, 2021, by Thomas Bowen: Persona 5 was already a great game even without the release of the Royal edition. Granted, it was an incredibly long one and P5R somehow manages to be longer still. Despite the ridiculous amount of time needed to see Joker's journey through to the end though, it really is a masterpiece of a game. A big part of what makes it so enjoyable is its excellent cast of characters, some of whom were introduced specifically for the Royal edition. They may not be perfect, but they each bring something different to the table and provide a bit of extra color to an already vibrant adventure.
Code Name: Joker
Age: 16 / 17
Date of Birth: Late 1999 / Early 2000
Height: 5'9"
Ren Amamiya is the canon name given to the game's main protagonist, Joker, in the anime. Despite being the main focal point, however, he's far from the most interesting of characters due to him being an almost silent protagonist. He fights using knives and pistols and is the glue that binds the Phantom Thieves together.
Ren was seemingly designed as a blank slate onto which players can project themselves, which is great for immersion but not so much for character development. One could say that he is a good guy given that he knows and helps a lot of people, but much of this comes through the hands of the player. Without input, is he even that cool?
Code Name: Crow
Age: 17 / 18
Date of Birth: 06/02/98
Height: 5'10"
Goro is a good foil for the Phantom Thieves. As a fellow student, he presents some logic by pointing out that what they are doing is wrong. However, that also makes him very unlikable. Persona 5 Royal tries to give players more time to relate to him through new confidant encounters, although these don't really offer much more insight into the character.
While they are enjoyable, especially the one that involves putting on a wig, these new scenarios don't really change what eventually happens, so, in a way, just don’t make sense. He does have access to some badass weapons though, including ray guns, laser sabers and serrated swords.
Code Name: Noir
Age: 17 / 18
Date of Birth: 12/05/98
Height: 5'2"
The biggest problem with Haru is the timing of her introduction. The game originally ended in December, at least in terms of real gameplay, anyway, and she doesn’t get introduced as a key player until late September. Even then though, it's still another month before players can actually hang out with her as a confidant.
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That means she has mere months with the player, which, when compared to the rest of the cast, simply is not enough time to make a prominent impression. One thing that does make an impression though are her grenade launchers and axes, although perhaps not quite enough of one to make up for her shortcomings elsewhere.
Code Name: Mona
Age: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Height: 1'8" (2'0" when standing)
Morgana was seemingly created for players to actually have someone to talk to when Ren is alone. He’s a little like Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in that respect and suffers from some of the same problems. While often helpful, he can also be pretty annoying due to his strict rules on what Ren can and can’t do and his tendency to overstate the obvious to the player.
That said, Persona 5 Royal does tone his watchful eye down a quite a bit, which is definitely a huge plus. He also has some pretty cool moments like his Catbus transformation, and his curved swords and slingshots provide plenty of comic relief during what can at times be some pretty tense combat.
Code Name: Panther
Age: 16 / 17
Date of Birth: 11/12/99
Height: 5'5"
At first glance, Ann is the stereotypical model/idol on the outside, but there's an awful lot going on underneath the surface. The very fact that she befriends Ren and Ryuji because of the messed up stuff with Kamoshida is definitely proof of that. She has her demons, but, through her interactions with the rest of the cast, is slowly able to regain her confidence.
There’s a lot to unravel with her, which, again, makes her pretty unique for the stereotypical fan service type of girl that she resembles on the outside. She fights using whips and submachine guns and is a fairly capable combatant in her own right.
Code Name: Skull
Age: 16 / 17
Date of Birth: 07/03/99
Height: 5'7"
The main character is often paired up with the class clown in games and movies and that is once again the case here. Coincidentally, that's the role that Junpei, Yosuke, and Ryuji all play in P5R. They’re young, dumb, and full of comradely - so, basically, they were born for the job. Their routine still hasn’t gotten old though, thanks in large to Ryuji’s sharp writing.
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Ann and Ryuji are kind of a package deal as she often calls him out on his dumb answers and over the top sexual advances. He is more than just a series of slapstick comedic bites though. He has a heart of gold and a selection of blunt objects and shotguns with which to raise hell.
Code Name: Violet
Age: 15
Date of Birth: 03/25/01
Height: 5'4"
Sumire is the newest addition to the team and one of the central characters in Persona 5 Royal’s extra content. Presumably, it can be hard to write in a new character to work around pre-existing elements and ideas, but, somehow, the team made it work.
Her struggles with being the best gymnast can really pull hard on the heartstrings, which makes her bonding with an upperclassman like Ren so touching. On top of that, some very cool things happen with her later on in the story which really help to set her apart from some of the other characters.
Code Name: Oracle
Age: 15 / 16
Date of Birth: 02/19/00
Height: 5'0"
Futaba is a character that a lot of gamers, or, just people in general, can probably relate to. Taking her from a shut-in teenager to an adventurous young girl was certainly a process and one that also felt realistic at the same time. Well, apart from the monsters, that is.
It doesn’t take long for her to take a shine to the group and, in the process, have some pretty hilarious interactions which really help to bring her out of her shell. In the case of her headgear, quite literally, in fact. Helping her out also strengthens the bond with Sojiro, which makes for a great trifecta of family time.
Code Name: Fox
Age: 16 / 17
Date of Birth: 01/28/00
Height: 5'11"
Yusuke has a lot in common with Futaba in the sense that they are both isolated from certain aspects of life. Yusuke is the strong, silent artist, discovering friends for the first time and finally adjusting to society outside of the art world.
His Fox alter ego, adorned with his slick katana and backed by the legendary Goemon, is just downright cool and really makes him stand out. His Japanese swords also make him pretty useful in combat, as too does his selection of assault rifles. It's just a shame that his confident ability is so useless.
Code Name: Queen
Age: 17 / 18
Date of Birth: 04/23/98
Height: 5'5"
Be it the best party member or the best confidant, Makoto wins them both. Much like Futaba and Yusuke, there is a fish out of water aspect to her story that makes it incredibly compelling. Unlike the aforementioned, however, she is a lot more put together. She's the stereotypical "perfect" high school student, although one that has been hiding her true self for almost her entire life.
Watching her break free of society’s chains with her motorcycle Persona is arguably one of the most satisfying moments in the game. Dating her feels like a legitimate loving relationship unfolding too, making it difficult to go with anyone else. She fights using tekko and revolvers and is almost as good a fighter as she is a lover.
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