Comparing characters in Persona 4 and 5
I recently started Persona 3 Reload after finishing Persona 4 Golden, and I'm starting to see common tropes/character types that Atlus likes to use, especially through the Arcana system. At first, I thought the Arcana system was supposed to be a reflection of the Social Link character to which it's assigned, but it seems that it's actually meant to indicate the kind of "persona" the protagonist adopts in their relationship with them. This is a very broad observation, so I can't say for sure whether it's true or not. But somewhat unrelatedly, I wanted to compare some of the more memorable Persona characters, particularly by how they compare across P4 and P5 (I won't really talk about P3 since I've barely started playing it). I probably won't have space to talk about all of them, so I might make another post.
The Fool – the protagonist / the main party. Despite the fact that you can name the protagonist, it is interesting that there is a basic character type to each of the Persona protagonists, and this is equally reflected in their party's broader dynamic. In P4, the cast and protagonist are all friends at school, and are fairly tight-knit for people who otherwise might have never met under normal circumstances. Yu Narukami is generally the most social and kind of the three "major" Persona protagonists, and I find his responses for his Social Links (while sometimes snarky) are mostly sensitive and even affectionate. His party assembles in search of truth rather than vindication, and their relationship is defined by support for each other to face themselves rather than the world. P5, by contrast, is significantly edgier: the cast does mostly consist of high school friends, but it is much clearer that they've banded together for reasons of circumstance rather than friendship. This is not to say they have no chemistry, though. It's just that P5 is driven much more by the protagonist's need to clear their own name and overcome people's social inertia/prejudice, which frames him as a brooding rebel. His dynamic with his friends is built more on mutual respect than affection, as well as the broader pursuit of justice. Ren Amamiya is not unkind, but he is certainly more intellectual and calculating than the other Persona protagonists. His flair for the dramatic (as seen in some of the anime cutscenes) adds to a certain aloofness that he has. I generally prefer Yu Narukami and his friends as the Fool Arcana.
The Magician - Yosuke Hanamura (P4) and Morgana (P5). This is so easy, mainly because I dislike Morgana (an opinion I've observed is widely held). But rather than leave it there, I'll get into why I like Yosuke by himself. He tends to introspect (after he confronts his Shadow at least) and is much more honest with himself than Morgana is. His Social Link is about him learning to be comfortable with himself rather than feel encumbered by others' expectations or opinions. He's afraid of confronting his need for validation, importance, and competence/confidence, characteristics that are consistently highlighted throughout the game (and not without irony, either). I find Yosuke's affection for the protagonist kind of endearing, because I think it shows he's learning to care about others unselfconsciously, especially given that one of his hangups about caring about Saki was that he knew she disliked him. I think Yu is Yosuke's "magician" because he brings out Yosuke's good qualities, and inspires him to live for himself and not for what others think of him (which is not unlike the way a magician conjures things for the audience). I also appreciate that Yosuke is genuinely intelligent, and his sense of justice is a good way to back up Yu. I will also say that I'm aware that Yosuke is somewhat of a controversial character, mainly for the way that he teases Kanji about his sexuality (even after seeing his ordeal in the TV world). There's no doubt this is a flaw and, I'll add that his wannabe ladies' man act has always struck me as conflicting with his character arc. Somewhat relatedly: I've never seen any one comment on this, but even though Yosuke compares himself to Yu (as a guy from the city), he consistently seems more similar to Adachi (minus the nihilism bit). Morgana, unlike Yosuke, never really overcomes his need for validation or showing off his intelligence, because that resolution is forced by the narrative (namely, Morgana realizes he's not human and that's why he has no memories). Not to mention the fact that he constantly reminds Ren to do things is grating and reinforces Morgana's conceited behavior. He actively puts other people down, and even though Yosuke does tease people, it's never genuine in the way that Morgana insults Ryuji. Yosuke is the better of the Magicians.
The Chariot - Chie Satonaka (P4) and Ryuji Sakamoto (P5). It is interesting to me that both Chariots are athletic in some way, and academically disinclined. I never particularly cared for either of these characters, and I'd only pick Chie over Ryuji because I think she is more balanced as a character. Maybe I have a bit too much of a North American lens on this, but I find that Ryuji reads as a walking stereotype of a jock. I acknowledge that he has a bit more edge than that, since his injury and alienation from his teammates prevents him from being as upbeat as Chie. But the real problem is that Ryuji's emotional development doesn't sync with his portrayal outside of his Confidant. Ryuji is consistently presented as loudmouthed, uncouth, and thoughtless, with little more than indignation behind his rebellion. It makes him seem shallow and unlikable, which I don't think is what the game is going for. The stuff about his relationship with his mom does a good bit to humanize him, and his effort to rebuild the track team is clearly the center of his determination. But I feel that the main narrative does little to respect this apparent development behind the scenes. Chie, on the other hand, is not that different from Ryuji in terms of personality, but her development as a person who protects others is supported by the narrative. In this way, Chie is the stronger Chariot.
The Justice - Nanako Dojima (P4) and Goro Akechi (P5). This may be an unfair comparison because they have very different roles in their respective games. Nanako's Social Link revolves around her coping with the void in her family left by her mother's death, and Yu's role as "Justice" is about being truthful to Nanako about death and the way her dad behaves, as well as serving justice to Namatame/Adachi by saving her. Oddly enough, Akechi's character kind of revolves around family, although it's very concealed: he is Shido's illegitimate son who endured great hardship due to social stigma toward him and his mother. Justice is the theme of his Confidant because he's actually unable to have a coherent view of justice; his public persona satisfies what he believes others expect of him, but his true self despises them and recognizes the injustice of complying with the public's perception of him. The basis of his relationship to Ren is the truthful and straightforward expression of his ideals, which is not what Akechi is used to hearing from others. Truth is what endears the protagonist to Nanako and Akechi, who have both experienced tragedy and injustice, but for very different reasons. I'm actually inclined to go with Akechi as Justice because the underlying hollowness of his justice and his need for acknowledgement make his Confidant ultimately quite tragic, whereas Yu's close relationship with Nanako is canonical.
The Priestess - Yukiko Amagi (P4) and Makoto Niijima (P5). I'll start off by saying Makoto is the better Priestess, because the comparison is so stark. Yukiko's development within the main narrative kind of stops after the second dungeon, because she's the first party member you rescue and recruit. Her reasons for joining are nothing more than responsibility and a desire to resolve the mystery of the disappearances, and while she has a strong resolve and a quirky sense of humor, I don't feel that she got a lot of screen-time as her own character. She's almost always with Chie, and tends to say much less than the other characters. I have heard that this may be a translation issue, as Yukiko's personality type is not so legible to North American and non-Japanese players. Makoto, by contrast, gets the most out P5's theme of rebellion. She embodies the strengths and weaknesses of the Priestess Arcana best, in that she is intelligent, morally upright, and caring but clearly struggles with being friendly and/or assertive. Her struggles seemed very believable and distinctive to me, where Yukiko's seemed a bit formulaic (based on my experience of similar characters in anime). It's not like Yukiko is an unlikable character, but the very nature of her character leads her to be overshadowed by others (especially Rise, whose extroversion is explicitly contrasted against Yukiko's demure nature).
The Emperor - Kanji Tatsumi (P4) and Yusuke Kitagawa (P5). Both of these characters struck me as strange choices for their Arcana mainly because my initial understanding of the Arcana was that they reflect the character they're assigned to, rather than the kind of person the protagonist is around them. I definitely think it's the latter because one of the series' primary combat mechanic, Personas, is sorted by the Arcana and they are supposed to represent the different "faces" or "masks" the protagonist wears to navigate life (something Igor says directly in P4). But now that I have this revised view, Kanji and Yusuke make a bit more sense. They're both characters striving toward goals that involve self-expression and revolve around ideals of manhood/artistic prowess. They're also both people who are socially quite isolated, and even stunted in their personal development. Kanji's concern is very clearly about appearing feminine, but I think that once we take his conversation with his Shadow seriously (that sexuality is not his greatest concern), Kanji's Social Link has a different message than what I've seen many people express. His concern about femininity, I think, has less inherently to do with how he feels about himself than what others say about him (which is something he often says). He wants to know what it means to be a man (which he discusses with the protagonist at one point), and also how to understand and appreciate others. His fear comes down to accepting the vulnerability of doing things for others and seeking connection, which makes him feel open to judgment. In his best moments, Kanji's emotional forthrightness is something that others find admirable but also surprising. I think this comes down to the expectation that men (especially in Japan) be emotionally reserved, and Kanji's sensitivity makes him the target of speculation about his sexuality and criticism of his behavior. I'm not claiming to be an expert about Japanese culture, but based on some things I've read and videos I've watched, I do think a great deal of Kanji's characterization was lost in translation. Despite the lack of overt similarity, Yusuke is not all that different. He also fears judgement (first from Madarame, but later from the art world); He is frustrated by people's views about his art but also feels beholden to them, and tries to rebel by shutting out critics. Yusuke also finds it hard to think for himself (as evidenced by his eating and living habits). This is actually what I think defines the Emperor Arcana in Persona: a male character in need of guidance and mentorship. Both Kanji and Yusuke's stories suggest that they had or have no guidance toward the things they prize most (masculinity/artistry), and while they make earnest attempts to imitate what they value in others, they are often plagued by a sense of inner doubt and lack of personal direction. Yusuke's Confidant is much clearer about this theme, but I find his arc less relatable/interesting than Kanji's. A lot of people can sympathize with the feeling of not having a clear idea of how to carry themselves in the world, and I think Kanji's Social Link does a good job of highlighting that.
Hope this was interesting, and keep an eye out for another post sometime!
