The silent protagonist of Innocent Sin and central character of the story. His affinity is with the Sun arcana, with Vulcanus as his starting Persona. For a long time, he and Maya were the only Persona series protagonists to have canonical names (provided in the games themselves, not spinoff material), until the animated adaptations of Persona 3 and Persona 4.Tatsuya is a senior at Seven Sisters High School in Sumaru City, a rather aloof boy who doesn't have many friends, often preferring to be by himself and tool around with his treasured motorcycle. During a encounter with Eikichi "Captain Death/Death Boss" Mishina at Sumaru Prison (a live house where Eikichi's band "Gas Chamber" often practices) Tatsuya is attacked by Joker, an urban legend who is said to grant the wish of anyone who dials their own cell phone number. He, along with the others, is knocked unconscious and awakens to his own Persona. He later joins forces with Maya and Yukino, an investigative duo from a local magazine who are also looking into the Joker case.Eventually, Tatsuya realizes that he and the rest of his team knew each other as children, forming a masked clique nicknamed "The Masked Circle" (Masquerade in the fan translation of the PSX version). This leads him to suspect Jun Kurosu, the last remaining member of the clique, as the true identity of Joker. Soon afterward, Jun is revealed as a puppet of Nyarlathotep, the entity which is manifesting rumors as reality. At the conclusion of the game, Tatsuya confronts Nyarlathotep in his domain, and in the ensuing struggle, Maya is killed, fulfilling Nyarlathotep's prophecy and having everything outside of Sumaru City completely destroyed.Faced with a dystopian future, the group accepts an offer from Philemon to erase their memories and rewind time. At the last moment, however, Tatsuya can't bring himself to lose his friends forever and relents. This creates a Temporal Paradox wherein the world is restored, but Tatsuya retains his memories of the Alternate Timeline (the "Other Side"), allowing Nyarlathotep to repeat the cycle.
Anime Hair: The dev team has joked that it's a helmet, and that he slips it off at night.
Badass Biker: Tatsuya's most treasured possession (second to his lighter, of course) is his motorcycle. He wears a red cyclist's jumpsuit for the entirety of Eternal Punishment.
Heartbroken Badass: In Eternal Punishment, it's revealed not only did he care quite deeply for Maya, her horrifying end in Innocent Sin is why he cares so much, as he doesn't want her to go through all that again, and on some level he loves her QUITE a lot.
Bag of Spilling: Averted. In Eternal Punishment, Tatsuya joins up at level 50, with his Ultimate Persona Apollo in tow.
Old Save Bonus: If you have completed save data from Innocent Sin, he'll start Eternal Punishment at the level he was there.
In Eternal Punishment. Even moreso than usual, due to the fact that your party can fuse Personas up to the level of the highest-leveled party member, and unless you've been grinding yourself silly, Tatsuya will at very least be 5-10 levels above your next strongest character.
It's actually even better in regards to the Persona thing. You can actually summon Personas up to five levels higher than your strongest character, so, getting everybody's Ultimate Persona is only a level or two away with Tatsuya.
Towards Maya. It's what causes the most trouble in both games.
He's also like this to Shiori in his scenario. So much so that Nyarlathotep mocks him for it.
Destination Host Unreachable: Of the main characters, Tatsuya is the one hero who is unable to let go of his memories from Innocent Sin. It's this paradox (which Nyarlothotep probably anticipated) which again places the world in peril.
Deus Angst Machina: Someone must have stuck an ANGST +100 accessory on him between games.
Although given the sheer amount of crap he's put through between games, I'd say he has every right to.
Double Consciousness: In Eternal Punishment, he struggles with two sets of memories, one from the Other Side and the other from this world. Negated in the second game's ending, when he willingly gives up his memories of his friends. Maya ends up shouldering his burden, hopefully for good.
Freak Out: The losses at the end of Innocent Sin were simply too much to bear.
Grand Theft Me: Eternal Punishment reveals that the Tatsuya from Innocent Sin is actually controlling the body of the Tatsuya of Eternal Punishment, but retains the memories of both Tatsuyas.
Hello, Insert Name Here: Although "Tatsuya" is his canonical name, the player is given a choice of naming him.
Hurting Hero: Tatsuya begins Eternal Punishment wracked with guilt over his selfish mistake. His only aim is to "atone" for it by saving the world again, this time without any help from his friends. Tall order.
Heroes Prefer Swords: Played straight in Innocent Sin, since he's both the protagonist and the only character who can use swords (and his only weapons are swords). Averted in Eternal Punishment, he's not the protagonist anymore and two other characters (Kei and Eriko) can use swords.
Mark of the Beast: Before the start of Eternal Punishment, Nyarlathotep brands his arm with a symbol as a reminder of what will happen if his friends regain their memories.
Number One Dime: A Zippo lighter he received from Jun as a child. The inscription reads, "The most important things can't be seen with the eyes", a quote from Jun's favorite book. The lighter is a memento of Jun's father. In exchange, Tatsuya gave Jun a wristwatch which belonged to his own father. Tatsuya is depicted flicking the Zippo lighter open and shut during whenever he's idle.
One Head Taller: Between him and Jun, Tatsuya's the tall one. Actually, he's the second-tallest of everyone in the group, Eikichi being the absolute tallest by almost two inches.
Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: By the end of Innocent Sin, he's literally the only person on Earth who recalls what happened.
Scars Are Forever: He has a knife wound on his back from when King Leo attacked him as a child. Tatsuya got him back, though.
Troubled, but Cute: Despite (or because of?) his standoffish personality, he's considered "cool" by the other students at Sevens and has cultivated a female (and male) following.
Unwanted Harem: Tatsuya has his share of admirers of both genders, despite being generally asexual (or perhaps subtly homosexual). His aloofness only encourages them, though, as every new girl (Lisa) seeks to be the one who claims him.
Word of Gay: The creator of the game apparently said that, if said creator was given supreme creative control of the script, Tatsuya & Jun would be the canon couple.
Maya Amano is a journalist for Kismet Publishing, writing for the teen magazine Coolest. Upon hearing rumors regarding a wish granting genie called Joker, Maya decides to investigate. The trail leads both Maya and her photographer/friend Yukino to Seven Sisters High, during which she meets Tatsuya Suou and the others, setting the stage for Innocent Sin. Maya's Tarot arcana is Moon and her starting Persona is Maia.Maya oftentimes finds herself taking a leadership role within the group, despite not being the protagonist. In Mt. Iwato, it is revealed that Maya once knew the four teens as children. The group played together while wearing Sentai, dubbing themselves as "The Masked Circle", with Maya as the eldest of them all. Maya was later imprisoned inside the Alaya Shrine by Eikichi, Lisa, and Jun, all upset over the news that she had to move and tried to keep her with them. Tatsuya was opposed to this idea, so they locked him in with her. It was only supposed to be for the night so she wouldn't move, but the deranged Tatsuya Sudou set the shrine ablaze, and Maya was rescued by Tatsuya when his Persona suddenly manifested when he tried to fight Sudou off. At the conclusion of the game, Maya is fatally impaled by the Spear Of Longinus, fulfilling Nyarlathotep's dark prophecy and destroying the Earth. Philemon negates her death by rewinding time, giving Tatsuya an opportunity to avert these events.Though she has forgotten the events of the previous game at the start of Eternal Punishment, a chance meeting with Tatsuya Suou on the way to work stirs up feelings of deja vu in Maya. The feelings of familiarity intensify after she witnesses the JOKER unleashing demons inside Seven Sisters High. Tatsuya hands her a Sevens School Emblem and asks her to spread the rumor that it keeps the Joker away, and that she should try to forget about this incident for her own good. However, Maya chooses to press on, burning the emblem and going against his warning. Along with Ulala Serizawa, Katsuya Suou, and Baofu, she delves deeper into a convoluted series of events that she eventually realizes are those that parallel what she has experienced before in an alternate reality, and all just to sate her nagging curiosity over the "Deja Vu Boy".
Apologetic Attacker: Occasionally gives a mournful apology to the demons she just killed.
Barrier Maiden: The Oracle of Maia prophecy holds that a "Mayan maiden" will be ritually sacrificed to bring about the end of the world. This indeed happens when Maya is impaled with the Spear of Longinus.
Cool Big Sis: Unbeknown to any of them, Tatsuya, Lisa, and Eikichi previously knew Maya from childhood. Even as kids, she assumed this role over the group.
Deceased Parents Are The Best: Maya's father, Masataka Amano, was a war correspondent who was killed in action. We never see her mother.
Leitmotif: Two (eponymous) theme songs, the remix of which was included in Persona 3. Darkly Reprised in Innocent Sin's finale.
The Dark Reprise also shares similarities to a song earlier in the game, the BombShelter's music. (Possible spoilers in the related videos!)
Married to the Job: It is implied that Masataka's absence has discouraged Maya from juggling work and relationships.
Meaningful Name: Maya means "illusion" in Hinduism and Sikhism, and her primary tarot association is The Moon, which also represents illusion. She has been shown to be hurting morethan she lets on.
This is brought up in Tatsuya's scenario in the PSP remake of Eternal Punishment. Sakya mentions that she shares her name with his mother, the Mother Goddess Maya.
Negated Moment of Awesome: Launching the zeppelin from the Sky Museum's roof seconds before the building explodes... only to then crash it into the ocean.
Odd Friendship: Maya and Ulala. Their Contact option is even described as "Best Friends?" until defeating Ulala as a boss.
When She Smiles: In Innocent Sin, there's a scene of this in the Bomb Shelter. Maya showed Tatsuya her Mr. Bunbun charm, and he cracks a smile at it. She proceeds to comment that it's the first time she's ever seen him smile and that he's pretty cute when he does. Leads right to a Luminescent Blush, which in turn triggers Maya's teasing contact command with him, where she tries to make him blush.
Heck, that can almost be a subversion, since the focus is on the blush, not the smile.
Why Did It Have To Be Fire?: She has pyrophobia, thanks to nearly dying at the shrine thanks to Tatsuya Sudou's arson. To gain her Prime Persona, you need to let her overcome this.
Women Drivers: Maya thinks her driving license is universal and applies to blimps and boats. Yukino warns the group not to let her drive a thing. Several scenes later, cue Maya driving a non-car vehicle...
Lisa "Ginko" Silverman is a popular girl at Seven Sisters High School. Despite her Caucasian lineage, she was born and raised in Japan and does not know any English, but she has a habit of lacing her native Japanese with some Chinese words, imitating action stars such as Bruce Lee. Lisa's Tarot arcana is Lovers, while her starting Persona is Eros. She is one of the more popular girls at Seven Sisters High School, and harbors a crush for Tatsuya. However, she and Kasugayama High School leader Eikichi Mishina have a confrontational relationship akin to that of Kei Nanjou and Masao Inaba from the first Persona.Lisa was the top candidate for Miss Sevens, a beauty pageant/popularity contest held at Seven Sisters High School. Most people assumed she spoke English. Lisa and her two friends Asacchi and Meepo were selected to be in the idol group MUSES, created from a rumor. The song that MUSES sings, with Lisa as the lead vocalist, encourages people to call Joker to solve their problems. She then recites a piece from the Oracle of Maia, which foretold events leading up to the end of the world.
Ambiguously Jewish: Her last name is decidedly Jewish, but given how she was raised she mostly likely doesn't identify as a Jew if she is one.
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Her mother, who renamed herself Akiko, behaves like a Yamato Nadeshiko despite being American. Her father is a Steven Seagal expy who lives in a traditionalist Japanese house, practices aikido, and wears a yukata constantly. He works as a director of a foreign trading company; ironically, his job requires him to wear a three-piece suit and speak English.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Her disconcertingly single-minded pursuit of Tatsuya. If Tatsuya shows affection toward Maya or Jun, instead, Lisa immediately runs over to Eikichi and decks him, with her Shadow turning it up to 11.
Dark Secret: It's a little vague, but Lisa may have participated in enjo kosai. Her Shadow intimates that Lisa's had a few sugar daddies, and tried drugs in the past.
Girl Posse: Asacchi and Miipo, her eventual in MUSES bandmates in MUSES. They're not really friends; Lisa is distrustful of them and treats them like hangers-on.
However, she is genuinely upset at them losing their identity to JOKER and becomes a true friend for them in the "other world".
Gratuitous Foreign Language: A haphazard use of Cantonese, often saying "Aiya!" and other Chinese expressions.
My Name Is Not Durwood: In a fit of anger, Eikchi bestows upon her the nickname "Ginko". "Gin" means silver in Japanese, and taken from her last name. "-ko" is a common Japanese name suffix for females. Much to Lisa's chagrin, the name pretty much stuck. However, she is able to counter Eikichi by giving him the pejorative moniker "Captain Underwear"/"Undie Boss".
Peer Pressure Makes You Evil: Averted in Innocent Sin, when she rejects joining the Masked Circle despite peer pressure from her friends. Little does she know...
Rebellious Princess: Her Japanophile father raised her to be a traditional Japanese girl. Lisa wants none of it. In a swift deconstruction of the trope, her shadow busts her on this.
Shadow Lisa: You try too hard to rebel against your parents! You know it, and you hate yourself for it!
Sexophone: One of the things her "Tempt" contact inherits from Yuka Ayase's.
Shaped Like Itself: Oh sure, give a girl named Silverman a nickname that's Ginko.
Surprisingly Good English: Subverted: To her exasperation, everyone expects blonde-haired American Lisa Silverman to speak perfect English, but because she was raised in Japan by Otaku parents wishing for her to be a Yamato Nadeshiko, she hardly knows any.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With Eikichi. Both have derisive nicknames for each other, they can't be in the same room together without launching into Volleying Insults, and Lisa frequently runs over and decks Eikichi whenever she's upset — regardless of whether he's responsible. However, when Lisa is revealed to have fallen into the unsavory hands of Prince Taurus, Eikichi states that they better go find them — before Lisa murders him.
Eikichi Mishina is a very flamboyant student of Kasugayama High, the rival school of Seven Sisters High School. His Tarot arcana is Death, and his starting Persona is Rhadamanthus. At a young age, Eikichi was overweight and frequently bullied. After a thug pulled down Eikichi's pants in front of his childhood crush Miyabi Hanakouji, he underwent a radical image makeover, losing weight and training to beat up anyone who mocked him. Due to Eikichi's early discovery of his Persona powers, he practically rules the school as its "leader", known by many as (fittingly) Captain Death/Death Boss.Eikichi understood the nature of his Persona long before Tatsuya and Lisa did. Like Maya and Eriko, he misunderstood the phenomenon and dubbed his Persona a "Spirit of Death", which he used to punish anyone who challenged him. Eikichi is also the lead singer of a Visual Kei band called Gas Chamber, whose logo he wears on his armband. He wears a modified version of Kasugayama High's blue uniform, with a tunic over his pants.
Agent Peacock: It is I, the beautiful magical Michel! Now eat lead.
Bruiser with a Soft Center: Though outwardly self-centered and cocky, Eikichi takes his role as the school leader very seriously, and actively looks out for the welfare of his friends and classmates. He even breaks into a high-security lab to save Sugimoto, of all people.
Bully Hunter: Has never forgotten his torments as a kid, and has made it his mission to strike fear in bullies' hearts.
Clark Kenting: According to Word of God, Eikichi's dad would throw a fit if he saw Eikichi's getup. So, Eikichi sneaks out of his house every morning, goes to a public restroom, dyes his hair blue, puts on his makeup and jewelry, and then goes to school. On the way home, he reverses the process(!), and Kankichi Michina is apparently oblivious to his son's transformations.
Save the Villain: Eikichi breaks into Guido's lab and risks his life to save Sugimoto, all because Eikichi is the school's "Boss" and he feels it's his duty to look out for his classmates, even the ones who want to kill him.
Combined with his Japanese voice being Kosuke Toriumi, it means that Eikichi shares both voices with Yuri Lowell
Well Done Son Guy: Lives in mortal fear of his traditionalist father seeing him wearing makeup.
Jun Kurosu /Kashihara
Jun is a loner student at Kasugayama High School. He used to attend Seven Sisters, the school where his father teaches World History. When Jun awakened to his Persona, he used it to injure some kids who were bullying him, and was soon transferred to Kasugayama High School. Jun's Tarot arcana is Fortune, and his starting Persona is Hermes / Nyarlathotep. As a child, Jun exchanged mementos with a young Tatsuya Suou, who was his playmate at the Alaya Shrine. Jun gave him an engraved zippo lighter, while Tatsuya presented Jun with his father's silver wristwatch.His mother, Junko Kurosu, is a selfish actress who cared more about revitalizing her career than taking care of her family. Jun's father, Akinari Kashihara, died before the game begins. Junko spread rumors of her husband being a deadbeat parent, leading to a widespread belief that Kashihara was a dangerous crackpot. Following his father's death, Jun adopted his mother's maiden name, Kurosu.Jun ran away from his mother's house at the age of seventeen and began to manipulate rumours in order to become the Joker; once he did, he acted under direct guidance from Nyarlathotep, who played on his traumatic memories of watching Maya get locked inside in the burning Alaya Shrine. Unaware that Maya survived the fire, he grew to resent his former playmates, whom he blamed for letting his surrogate mother Maya die. He is rescued from this state by Tatsuya Suou and the rest of the party, from then on working with them to undo the damage he did as Joker.In Eternal Punishment, Jun's father is alive, and his family life is more tranquil. Jun is lured to the Sky Museum by King Leo, hoping to jog Jun's memories of the Other Side. Jun unwittingly works against Leo by helping Maya's party to rescue the schoolchildren who were having their field trip there.
Attractive Bent Gender: His official profile states that crossdressing is one of his talents, to the point where he looks better in a dress than most girls, and his group demon negotiation contract with Lisa involves her jumping him and putting makeup on him... and then getting depressed over how much prettier he is then her.
Four Star Badass: As leader of the Masked Circle, which he orders to face down The Last Battalion in Innocent Sin.
Be Careful What You Wish For: For years, Nyarlathotep has impersonated the dead Akinari Kashihara, having assumed all the ideal characteristics Jun wished for in a father.
Best Served Cold: Jun crafted his Joker identity in order to wreak revenge on Tatsuya, Lisa, and Eikichi, whom he blames for Maya Amano's "death".
Bullying a Dragon: Jun is quite intelligent, but was shipped off to Kasaguyama High School for delinquents. Why? His Persona maimed everyone who ever dared to bully him.
Captain Ersatz: He seems to be based on Simone Verdricci, from Suikoden II, because they use the same weapon (Throwing Flower). Also somewhat reminiscent of Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho, as an effeminate pretty boy who uses flowers as weapons.
Changing Clothes Is a Free Action: The Joker is like a Persona; he can summon his costume on command, rather than ducking into a room to change.
Closet Key: To Tatsuya, of course. Jun looks and acts as if he's never seen a closet, much less been in one.
Cross-Dressing Voices: Surprisingly in the English version. In the Japanese Innocent Sin, he is given a very deep but reserved voice. When a replica of Jun is faced as a boss in Eternal Punishment, he is given the voice of a young girl in the English dub.
Freudian Excuse: His mother Junko basically abandoned him after her husband's death and chased after a bunch of younger boyfriends, so Jun became a latchkey kid.
Gay Option: To Tatsuya. It doesn't makes any great changes in the storyline, but gives them a group contact together.
Single-Target Sexuality: Although he is indeed effeminate in both his appearance and personal hobbies, it is somewhat implied that he is this towards Tatsuya rather than being outright homosexual, because Tatsuya was the only one who cared for him in his past while everyone else ignored or hated him, at least until he met the rest of the protagonists.
Voice of the Legion: Joker in Innocent Sin fits this. However, this may also be a way to hide his actual gender, as for a somewhat solid portion of the plot, Lisa (and later the other characters for a few minutes) believe that Joker is the little girl they left to die ten years ago. However, that's quickly refuted by Maya, who reveals herself to be one and the same.
What Could Have Been: Supposedly, it was planned that you can influence Joker's One-Winged Angel form by spreading rumors that the Joker is like an angel or like a devil. The NPCs that reference this are still in the game, but it doesn't result in a rumor.
Yukino is a returning playable character from the firstPersona. In Innocent Sin, she is once again playable, working as a freelance photographer under Shunsuke Fujii (who she has had a crush on for a long while), and is close friends with teen magazine journalist Maya Amano. Yukino's Tarot arcana is Empress, while her starting Persona is Vesta. She is later replaced by Jun, though her ultimate fate is dependent on the player's actions.In Eternal Punishment, Yukino is downgraded to a supporting character. She assists in Maya's current assignment by getting in touch with her former teacher Saeko Takami, who now works at Seven Sisters High School. Yukino will rejoin the rest of her former classmates later in the game, fighting off the New World Order soldiers that are trying to take over the city.
Retired Badass: Former gang kid, so she was badass in a different way before being a good guy, as pointed out from the first game. Becomes a straighter example of this in Eternal Punishment, in which she becomes a minor character.
Cool Big Sis: Functions more like this than her former role as Team Mom in the first game, though she is a rather Deadpan Snarker version of this.
Dangerously Close Shave: Her weapon of choice (It makes more sense if you've played the first game).
Demoted to Extra: In Eternal Punishment, but considering what she went through in Innocent Sin, this is arguably a blessing.
Elektra Complex: She's got daddy issues, just like everybody else in Innocent Sin.
Empty Shell: If you choose not to take Yukino with you, her Shadow commits suicide with Anna and ends with Nyarlathotep taking Yukino's ego into the abyss.
Guest Star Party Member: Not exactly "guest star", because she leaves the party only after 2/3 of the game.
Heroic BSOD: Yukino, after her boss/mentor Fujii dies during the Nazi invasion. If you choose not to take Yukino with you, it leads to her becoming a Empty Shell.
Katsuya Suou is a Detective of the Kounan Police Department. His current rank is Sergeant of the Homicide Division. His Tarot arcana is Justice, and his starting Persona is Helios. Katsuya is very straight-laced, even in the face of paranormal activity (he often wonders aloud whether the penal code can apply to demons). Katsuya cares a great deal for his brother, and gets depressed very easily if Tatsuya spurns his help. After a confrontation with the JOKER at Seven Sisters High School, Katsuya invites Maya and her friend Ulala to join him in his investigation so he can ensure their safety. It is implied he has romantic feelings toward Maya Amano, but politeness forbids him from acting upon it.
Adorkable: He's a cop who wonders if the penal code applies to demons, and he will even interrogate them as a contact option! He also has a HUGE crush on Maya Amano, and because he's got a crippling case of Cannot Spit It Out, he calls her Ms. Amano, even towards the end of the game.
Aloof Big Brother: In Innocent Sin, Tatsuya's big brother Katsuya appears to be a cold-hearted jerk preoccupied with his job. However, Eternal Punishment subverts this showing us that from Katsuya's point of view he's trying his best to be a good brother, and Tatsuya is the one causing the problems.
By-the-Book Cop: Believes very much in the letter of the law, which is why he and Baofu don't get along. He even verges into Lawful Stupid at times (Dude tries to read demons their rights!).
The Caretaker: Katsuya assumed this role with Tatusya after their father was disgraced.
Characterization Marches On: Due to the different Point of View between the games. He's a jerk from Tatsuya's perspective, but from Maya's perspective he's stressed out due to Tatsuya's petulant behaviour.
Clueless Chick Magnet: Katsuya is very popular amongst the female officers, but is totally oblivious to it. He's similar to his brother in that respect. In an NPC conversation, it's revealed he was given a cake in St. Valentine's Day. He wound offering professional advice on the taste to the poor woman, and not even knowing why he was given the cake, since it's not his birthday.
Determinator: This man has sworn to put an end to the JOKER case, and he doesn't let corruption or superpowered beings stand in his way. Several characters in the games, the villains included, lampshade his zeal.
Fanservice Pack: He looks like a hardassed, somewhat unattractive version of himself in Innocent Sin, though since he's seen from Tatsuya's POV, this is Tatsuya's perception of him. Eternal Punishment pretties him up slightly by virtue of seeing him via Maya's POV.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: Katsuya turns into a big softie over cats, which he finds cute. He's even pleased his initial Persona manifests as a cat. Unfortunately, cats also seem to give him allergies.
Hollywood Dateless: Word of God says he's hopeless with the opposite sex, despite being adored by the women in his precinct. (He's similar to his brother in that regard).
Pet the Dog: Katsuya isn't quite as nice and understanding in the first game. There are, however, NPCs giving second-hand accounts of Katsuya showing his true colors when you're not around. Once Tatsuya & co. become wanted criminals, you hear that Katsuya is hanging up wanted posters of a person whose face resembles his own, and he looks very sad. But when Katsuya hears the opposing rumor, that Tatsuya & co. are heroes who rescued schoolchildren, you hear that his "face lit up like never before."
Perp Sweating: His Contact option. Made even funnier by the fact he's interrogating demons.
Ulala Serizawa is Maya Amano's longtime friend and roommate. She often pulls the latter to so-called "matchmaker parties" to meet men, despite a pattern of being swindled by past boyfriends. Ulala does boxing as a means for her to get revenge on the man who swindled her without getting the police involved; if she called the police, she couldn't beat him to a pulp, after all! Her Tarot arcana is Star, with Callisto as her starter Persona. Ulala makes her living by selling lingerie, but is outwardly obsessed with fortune telling, and looks up to the famous TV seer Wang Long Chizuru. One of her contacts involves her telling fortunes to encountered demons, and she also subscribes to a cellphone-based Wang Long fortune service. Ulala is also fond of ghost stories, and will be able to tell some when accompanied by the right party members.Ulala is first introduced in Innocent Sin, when the party visits GOLD Gym when searching for King Leo's message. Credited as "Maya's Roommate", she is advised by Maya to leave the building due to King Leo's looming bomb threat. In Eternal Punishment, Ulala tends to be the cheeriest character in the Eternal Punishment group next to Maya, but panics easily when a situation takes a turn for the worse. She locks horns with Baofu repeatedly during the course of the game, despite having more in common with each other than anyone else.Ulala became controlled by the Joker Persona by secretly performing the Joker Curse to Maya. She envies Maya for being a successful working woman and always catching men's eyes, a significant contrast to her seemingly dead-end life. Luckily, Ulala is later purged of JOKER by Igor in the Velvet Room, and she rejoins the party with a renewed purpose.Ulala appears on the TV show Who's Who in Persona 3, along with more Persona 1 and 2 characters. Trish describes her as a woman in her 30's with a beauty spot under her eye, and also mentions that she can dance the flamenco (which is one of her special contacts in Eternal Punishment). Trish wonders what she'd look like with a rose in her mouth, this is a reference to her demon contact combo, Flamenco de la Pasion.
Dartboard of Hate: An 8x10 of Youichi Makimura is taped to her punching bag.
Face Monster Turn: Revealed later in the game to be the one who dialed JOKER to kill Maya, setting the events of Eternal Punishment into motion. This comes back to bite her when the Chiruzu Ishagami broadcasts a rumor that JOKER infects anyone who performed the curse.
Fortune Teller: She's obsessed with horoscopes, and even uses them in her Contact option.
Sound Effect Bleep: Ulala's rather... spirited fight banter, US version only.
Suddenly Always Knew That: Before you can kick Youichi Makimura's ass, Ulala bursts in and summons a Persona(!), then chases Makimura out, screaming that she's going to kill him for running off with her money. Seems Maya taught her how to use Personas when they were drunk.
Baofu is a so-called "Tap Buster", an extortionist who uses wiretapping to further his vendetta against the people who have done him wrong, particularly Tatsuzou Sudou and the Tien Tao Len, a Taiwanese Mafia group. He claims he's from Taiwan, but is perfectly fluent in Japanese. Baofu's Tarot arcana is Hanged Man, with Odysseus as his initial Persona.Aside from wiretapping, Baofu also runs a bulletin board website called "The Darkside Of Sumaru City", where he sorts through various urban legends to find information that might be relevant to him. He joins Maya's party following a rendezvous arranged online, and performs a test on the effectiveness of the Kotodama, the curse where rumors can come true when spread around town. Because of his shady personality and propositions, the party finds it hard to trust him, especially Katsuya Suou.Following a shootout in the Abandoned Factory in Kounan during which Baofu is able to defeat Yung Pao, it is revealed through Katsuya's background research that Baofu's true identity was that of Kaoru Saga (kanji: 嵯峨 薫), a Japanese public prosecutor. Along with his assistant Miki Asai, they were both victims of a Taiwanese Mafia hit, tagged for their running investigation on the Tien Tao Len. Kaoru survived, awakening to Odysseus in the process, but Miki did not. Kaoru set out to exact revenge at the people responsible for her death, exchanging his lawful means for illegal ones.In Eternal Punishment, Kei can develop a hidden Contact option with Baofu called "Song Of A Baseball Fan" where the pair quarrel over which baseball team is the greatest. This parallels the typical debates in real-life Japanese baseball fandom.
The Alcoholic: Even before adopting his false identity, Baofu enjoyed tipping a few back.
Heartbroken Badass: His lover was murdered by the Taiwanese Mafia, and he wants revenge.
Best Served Cold: Formerly a special prosecutor, he was forced to fake his death after the Taiwanese mafia attempted to kill him. He has spent his days hunting the man who ordered the hit, Tatsuzou Sudou.
Genius Bruiser: Proof, you ask? According to Word of God, Baofu became a prosecutor because someone he knew mentioned that the examination tests were really hard. He took the exam, and passed with flying colors — on his first try.
Fridge Brilliance: He only used that name after his lover was killed.
Mr. Smith: The game's creators joke that, if he was to ever recreate a roster in Japan in order to marry Ulala, he could probably pick the surname "Tanaka," which is absurdly common in Japan.
My Greatest Failure: Though Baofu's Persona saved him from from the mafia attack, his lover was fatally wounded. This explains why, on a certain level, he hates his Persona.
Nerves of Steel: Only Nyarlathotep has the power to make Baofu lose his perpetual cool... and even then, only for a moment. All that's needed is for him to remind himself that yep, he's Kaoru Fucking Saga.
Not So Stoic: When Baofu loses it, you know things just got serious. It takes some doing to rattle him.
That Man Is Dead: Subverted after settling his old vendetta with Yung Pao (and his subsequent 'outing' by Katsuya). By the end of the game, Baofu's taken to calling himself by his real name again.
Torture For Fun And Information: His Contact option when paired with Katsuya. The screen cuts to black, and a sharp crack is heard, implying that Bafou is smacking the ever-loving crap out of the demon.
Kei is a former playable character from Revelations: Persona. In Innocent Sin, he is a supporting character who appears at the Abandoned Factory in Kounan, drawn to rumors that a person resembling Kandori is in Sumaru City (The person in question turns out to be Reiji Kido, who isn't too happy about being mistaken as his hated half-brother). When you talk to him, Kei will give Tatsuya Suou his ultimate weapon. During the invasion of Hitler's Last Battalion, he joins his former classmates to fight against the Nazis unless certain conditions are met earlier in the game.In Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, he is a playable character. Sneak mentions that there are two people (a man and a woman) investigating the New World Order. If Maya spreads the rumor that the person with information on the NWO is a man, you will get Kei to join. He now uses katanas like Tatsuya, and when using his demon contacts, Kei still mentions his beloved butler Yamaoka, and how he intends to honor the promise he made years ago to become "the #1 man in Japan".Kei will take the group to a Science Lab run by Tatsuzou Sudou and funded by the Nanjou Group, where youths who allegedly performed the Joker Curse are kidnapped and drained of Kegare. The party will run into Kei's old classmates Reiji Kido and Maki Sonomura around the sewer entrance, assisting in their covert infiltration by working the floodgates. Kei will rejoin the rest of his former classmates later in the game (with Tatsuya taking his place in Maya's party), fighting off the New World Order soldiers that are trying to take over the city.
Optional Party Member: In Eternal Punishment. If the player spreads the rumor that the person with information on the NWO is a man, you will get Nanjo to join.
The Smart Guy: Eriko mentions that she read his dissertation on economics, considering it brilliant.
Ransacked Room: Kei's penthouse is raided while he is away, with his guards' dead bodies littered about.
Eriko is a former playable character from Revelations: Persona. In Innocent Sin, she is a supporting character, and has succeeded in getting into the modeling business. After Tatsuya Suou uncovers the "Oracle of Maia", Yukino decides to look for Eriko's aid to unpuzzle the metaphor behind the poem. Unless certain conditions are met, she will fight alongside her former classmates from St. Hermelin once more to repel the invasion of Sumaru City by Hitler's Last Battalion, assisting Tatsuya's party so they can go to Xibalba.In Eternal Punishment, Eriko is a playable character. Sneak mentions that there are two people (a man and a woman) investigating the New World Order. If Maya spreads the rumor that the person with information on the NWO is a woman, you will get Eriko to join. She still uses fencing swords, and will immediately establish rapport with Ulala Serizawa, who shares her love of fortune telling and ghost stories.Eriko will take the group to the Sumaru TV station to investigate if Chizuru Ishigami (also known as "Wang Long Chizuru") is really involved in the New World Order. Their suspicions were confirmed as Chizuru's shikigami (who was disguised as a cat) traps them with a spell called "Kimon Tonkou", taking them to a reverse dimension. With her knowledge of the occult, Eriko concludes that they would have to find and enter the "Ba Gua" gates located on each the studio entrances in order to escape. Eriko enlists the help of TV host and former classmate Hidehiko Uesugi to find the right order of the Ba Gua gates by scouting them out back in the real world. Inside the reverse dimension, however, a stalker of Eriko lies in wait, taking the rare chance to get close to his idol.Eriko will rejoin the rest of her former classmates later in the game (with Tatsuya taking her place in Maya's party), fighting off the New World Order soldiers that are trying to take over the city.
Badass Bookworm: Her otaku level knowledge of the occult makes her a rather effective party member.
Cultured Badass: Like Kei/Nate, she is rather well off financially and a well groomed and refined model.
Heartbroken Badass: She still loves the protagonist of the first game, and this even causes her some angst in a plot relevant scene.
Distracted by the Sexy: She pretty much seduces demons for her Contact options this time (beforehand, she never did), and can drag Ulala and Maya into it as well.
Nightmare Fetishist: She's a thrill seeker. When she and the others are frozen in time, her immediate reaction is that of wonderment at a new experience.
Optional Party Member: In Eternal Punishment. If the player spreads the rumor that the person with information on the NWO is a woman, you will get Eriko to join.
A middle-aged, overweight Private Detective who runs the Kuzunoha Detective Agency in Hirasaka (relocated to Kounan in Eternal Punishment). According to rumors, he used to be an incompetent, third-rate detective, but his intelligence spiked due to a mysterious circumstance. As a result, Todoroki is a frequent font of wisdom as well as a reliable authority on the occult. He plays a vital role in Persona 2, uncovering the nature of Sumaru City's curse before even the authorities manage to. Todoroki offers to spread helpful rumors for a fee, thus allowing them to become reality.
Grand Theft Me: Although he looks kind of dull and mild-mannered, he works as a Devil Summoner. The explanation for this goes back to Devil Summoner and Soul Hackers. In those games, there is a devil summoner and detective named Kyouji Kuzunoha (hence the agency moniker) who loses his body and becomes a body-snatcher. So, when Todoroki suddenly becomes very smart and takes over the Kuzunoha Detective Agency, it's assumed that Kyouji snatched his body. And is all but outright stated in a piece of dialogue that you can get out of him when you can access Kashihara's case notes, where he mentions something like "The previous owner of this body has left a few notes behind." To cap it off, his bolo tie has as its clasp the Devil Summoner emblem Kyouji used.
Maki works part-time at Hiiragi Pyschotherapy in Sumaru City in hopes of becoming a therapist like her employer, Reiko. She feels that helping troubled people is the best way for her to cope with the fact that she almost destroyed her hometown because of her fantasy world coming to life and almost completely superimposing the normal one.She will later receive a flower from the Time Count, and give it to Jun as his ultimate weapon. Maki mentions what she was told by the count about the flower, that it was "the representation of a destiny that must be passed on". Maki will eventually fight alongside her former classmates from St. Hermelin once more to repel the invasion of Sumaru City by Hitler's Last Battalion if certain conditions are met earlier in the game.In Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, Maki's role as a supporting character is somewhat more significant. She feels the resonance of a Persona from Maya Amano, and is able to tell from this that the latter is acquainted with Yukino Mayuzumi, a former classmate of hers. She later appears at the Science Lab scenario in Kei Nanjou's route. Along with Reiji Kido, she will help Maya's party through the sewer entrance, coordinating their movements with the floodgate controls. Maki will rejoin the rest of her former classmates later in the game, fighting off the New World Order soldiers that are trying to take over the city.
It May Help You on Your Quest: Have a flower, Jun. Though she only gives it to him if you spread a rumor that the Time Count gave it to her.
Toy Time: Maki's psychiatry center, Hiiragi Therapy, is painted in this decor. Creepy, yes, but also a Call Back to Maki's dream world in the previous Persona game.
Brown is a returning character from the first Persona, now a supporting character. Now a popular variety-talk show host, his ego has swelled to the point of no return, especially getting nationwide attention for the rumor that he is the boy toy of actress Junko Kurosu (which turns out to be false, since he actually despises the actress for having as big an ego as he does. Even so, he still addresses the latter as "Junko-chan"). If certain conditions are met, he will fight alongside his former classmates from St. Hermelin once more to repel the invasion of Sumaru City by Hitler's Last Battalion, assisting Tatsuya Suou's party so they can go to Xibalba.In Eternal Punishment, Brown is still a supporting character. He will assist Maya Amano's party through the Tv studio, scouting out the correct order of Chiruzu's medallions to help them escape the "Kimon Tonkou" spell that has imprisoned them. Hidehiko will rejoin the rest of his former classmates later in the game, fighting off the New World Order soldiers that are trying to take over the city.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Yukino remarks he's effective when it counts, and this comes true when he joins his former alumni of St. Hermelin in battle against The Last Battalion/New World Order, depending on the game.
Like Maki and Brown, Reiji is a returning alumni from the first Persona. He makes an appearance in both Persona 2 games as an NPC. He has long since shed his Badass image — even going as far as changing his hairstyle to conceal the scar on his forehead — and is working a door-to-door knife salesman to support his live-in girlfriend (referred to as his wife, whom he married directly out of high school, in the remake of the first Persona) who is carrying his baby. Unfortunately, his Persona still exudes the same kind of intimidating aura, scaring away potential customers. He reluctantly asks for advice from of fellow St. Hermelin alumnus Kenta "Toro" Yokouchi, whose own Persona has made him very successful.His new hairstyle, however, made him look strikingly similar to his hated stepbrother, so rumors started circulating about Kandori being sighted in Sumaru City, which piques the interest of Kei Nanjou. Reiji can later be found in the Abandoned Factory, where he beats up on demons to blow some steam. Lisa Silverman will 'persuade' him into giving up his Legendary American Gloves.Later in the game, he will join his former St. Hermelin classmates in the fight against Hitler's Last Battalion unless certain conditions are met earlier in the game. In Eternal Punishment, he will appear in Kei Nanjou's route to the Science Lab. With Maki Sonomura in tow, Reiji will assist in the party's covert infiltration of the lab through the sewers by operating the floodgate controls. He will once again team up with the St. Hermelin alumni later in the game, this time to fend off the New World Order soldiers trying to take over the city.
In Innocent Sin, he was a Masked Circle minion under Queen Aquarius who performed the Joker Charm, wishing to become the sexiest man alive. He was interrupted from fighting Tatsuya's group at the fitness club GOLD when an angry Ulala Serizawa chased him out, threatening to kick his ass for stealing her money and suddenly disappearing. In Eternal Punishment, Makimura is pulled out of another scam attempt and taken along while Maya's party searches for Ulala at GOLD, believing that he was the one targeted by the Joker Curse she performed.
Real name Tatsuya Sudou, (not to be confused with Tatsuya Suou), Leo is one of the "Masked Four", executives of the Masked Circle, and The Dragon to Joker. Easily the most psychotic of the Joker's crew, Sudou has a marked predilection for explosives and is a pyromaniac. In Eternal Punishment, Leo's father is revealed to be Japan's Foreign Minister and Baofu's archenemy, Tatsuzou Sudou. Despite his mania, Leo is fiercely devoted to Joker.
Duel Boss: In the first part of Tatsuya's scenario.
Freudian Excuse: If you actually look into his backstory, you'd realize that he was originally just a nervous, twitchy kid in high school. He turned crazy because of all the rumors his classmates made about him, because he was a little "different." Try to hate him now, you bastards.
In Eternal Punishment, though, it seems he's just... genuinely crazy. Or at the very least, he ended up with a far more dangerous type of it.
Evil Counterpart: To the other Tatsuya; in Innocent Sin, his Persona is even a Reverse version of Suou's.
Institutional Apparel: When he breaks loose from the sanitarium, the first thing Sudou grabs is a trench coat (he leaves the hospital smock on underneath).
Laser-Guided Karma: Sudou always ends up losing an eye, regardless of which timeline he's in. He's pretty pissed about it.
My Death Is Just The Beginning: Either Sudou knows what's coming, or it's a lucky guess. Anyway, bravado or not, once he's dead, the NWO spreads a rumor causing anyone who called the JOKER to become Jokers themselves.
Psycho Supporter: He is really devoted to Joker, to the point that shippers suspected some kind of tryst there. (There isn't.)
Sudou's history following the burning of the Alaya Shrine is sketchy, but he couldn't have gotten out of the asylum without Joker's help. Jun also reminds him of Mr. Kashihara, the only person to think that Sudou wasn't crazy.
Room Full of Crazy: Tatsuya Sudou's old cell in the sanitarium. Judging by the wall graffiti, it looks like Nyarlathotep has been visiting him...
Scars Are Forever: Disfigured from an encounter with Tatsuya Suou many years ago, during which young Tatsuya manifested his Persona (Vulcanus) and blinded him in one eye.
Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Tatsuya's father was in charge of investigating a serial arsonist, and came close to fingering Tatsuya Sudou as the culprit. Sudou's father is a prominent politician, so he arranged for Mr. Suou to be framed and forced to resign from the police force in disgrace.
Would Hurt a Child: Torching the Alaya Shrine was actually just because the voices told him. Normally, that'd be okay, because it's an accident, but even after finding out there were two children in the area, he was perfectly fine with almost killing them both. Planting bombs in a museum with children inside (twice), however, definitely qualifies.
You Remind Me of X: He obviously sees a lot of Akinari Kashihara in Jun, and rewards Joker's kindness with dog-like devotion.
Anna Yoshizaka AKA Lady Scorpio
Anna Yoshizaka was once a track athlete at Seven Sisters High School. However, she was involved in a hit-and-run accident, which dashed her dreams of becoming a star athlete. She began skipping school, seeing no point in attending when she had nothing more to work towards. Somewhere around this time, she fell under the thrall of the Joker and became Lady Scorpio, one of the Masked Four. Like Prince Taurus, her role is targeting other young people at Kasugayama High School and the Zodiac Club. It isn't necessary to fight Lady Scorpio; she doesn't confront the party until Caracol, when the player's choices determine whether she lives or dies.If the player chooses to force Yukino Mayuzumi to accompany the party to Caracol, Yukino will be there to counteract her Shadow, and Anna will ultimately assist Yukino in fighting the Last Battalion. If they leave Yukino behind, Anna will follow Shadow Yukino and the two will jump from a bridge, hand-in-hand, thus killing Anna.In Eternal Punishment, Anna is falsely accused of performing the "JOKER curse" on the driver who hit her. When Principal Hanya is murdered in his office, Anna is the obvious suspect, as Maya overheard her mutter that she would kill Hanya after he denounced her in front of the entire school.Later in the game, her Sempai Kohai, Noriko, is discovered to have used the JOKER curse twice (Noriko is the one who ordered the deaths of both Hanya and the man responsible for Anna's accident), and is kidnapped by the Taiwanese mafia for that very reason. Anna phones Maya and the party to help free the girl, giving them the tip-off about the mafia's location.
The Brute: She used to be a star athlete; this is no half-pint you're dealing with.
Clear My Name: At the beginning of Eternal Punishment. The driver who injured her has been murdered, followed by the principal. Even for those who haven't played Innocent Sin, the evidence is definitely stacked against her.
Even the Girls Want Her: To the point of having her own Yandere. A male student at Sevens is infatuated with Noriko, but as his buddy points out, she only has eyes for Anna.
Ginji Sasaki is an ex-musician who used to perform for a one hit wonder band. Since then, he's irked out a living as a record producer, trying to recapture his former glory. Ginji has a reputation for making sexual advances toward his female artists, particularly adolescent girls. In desperation, Ginji performed the Joker Charm, hoping to be successful again. Joker granted his wish, and Ginji was made one of the Masked Four, placed in charge of stealing Ideal Energy from young people. He begins promoting a secretive teen idol band known as "MUSES", and spreads a rumor that Lisa and her classmates are members. Late in the game, Prince Taurus follows the rest of the Masked Circle into Xibalba and is incinerated by a booby trap. His death is not shown on-screen, as Tatsuya's party discover his charred remains some time later.In Eternal Punishment, Ginji is manipulated into essentially the same role. He is brainwashed by the New World Order to host a seminar at the mall, where he encourages people to get rid of their "Kegare". In the ensuring shootout with Maya and her party, the glass container holding all the stores of Kegare is shattered, turning Ginji into a JOKER.
Biting-the-Hand Humor: Ginji's based on Tetsuya Komuro, a Japanese music producer known for his taste in nubile pop stars. One of the artists managed by Komuro is hitomi, who sang the original ending theme for Innocent Sin. Ooh, faced!
The fourth and last member of the Masked Four, Queen Aquarius is secretly Junko Kurosu, a celebrity actress and Jun's mother. Once a popular girl at Seven Sisters High School, Junko set her eyes on her history teacher and husband-to-be, Akinari Kashihara. Junko grew weary of family life after Jun was born and spread vicious rumors about her husband. Following his violent death at Seven Sister High School, Junko embraced being single again and began to treat Jun miserably. Believing her career to be in danger because of her maturity, Junko summoned the Joker and wished to remain young forever; Joker complied, recruiting her into the Masked Circle.In Eternal Punishment, Jun's father is still alive and Junko's marriage seems stable. During a celebrity interview at the TV Studio, Chiruzu Ishagami infects Junko with the JOKER curse. It is implied that she was brought to the Velvet Room and cured, but she isn't seen for the rest of the game.
Taking the Bullet: Pushes Joker out of a spear's path and is fatally impaled. This mere moments after learning that the Joker is her son, Jun.
Teacher/Student Romance: What she sees in Kashihara is anybody's guess. He was an admired teacher at Sevens, so Junko likely considered him a trophy boyfriend. The real question is what Kashihara saw in her.
The Unfought: The only Masked Four member you can never fight.
White Dwarf Starlet: Primarily in Innocent Sin, though she continues to work as an actress in Eternal Punishment.
Younger Than They Look: Junko is only 37, though her Eternal Punishment incarnation looks middle aged.
Maya Okamura
Lisa Silverman's homeroom teacher, nicknamed "Ideal-sensei" by her students due to her eccentricities. She used to work alongside Jun's father, Akinari Kashihara. Okamura harbored an unrequited love for him, and resented his wife, Junko. She was a collaborator on Kashihara's unreleased book, which prophesied the signs leading up to the end of days; among these portents was the return of Adolf Hitler and his "Last Battalion". Kashihara later met a suspicious death when he fell inside the Seven Sisters clock tower and was crushed by the gears.Okamura stations herself at the Kuzunoha Detective Agency, where she assists in shedding light on Mr. Kashihara's research on the Last Battalion. As the portents of the book start becoming true, Okamura loses her mind and decides to expedite the catastrophe. The final portent is the death of a woman named "Maya". Okamura is initially willing to sacrifice herself, but is instead approached by Nyarlathotep. At the conclusion of the game, Okamura materializes and impales Maya Amano with the Spear of Longinus. Philemon intervenes by rewinding time and negating Maya's death, thus creating the Eternal Punishment timeline.Okamura appears during the main story in Eternal Punishment only once: she is standing in the school courtyard during the game's introduction. If Maya speaks with her, she will sense that they have met before.
Have We Met Yet?: In Eternal Punishment, the player has the option of speaking with Okamura (while controlling Maya) in Seven Sister High School's courtyard. Both mention that the other looks familiar...
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: A maiden with the name "Maya" is prophesied as a harbinger of the Apocalypse. In the depths of her insanity, Okamura is prepared to die to fulfill that role. However, nobody figured on it being Maya Amano.
The principal of the Seven Sisters High School, and previously the vice principal of St. Hermelin in the first game. Tatsuya Suou's party battles Principal Hanya on top of the clock tower after destroying the smaller clocks in the school classrooms in Innocent Sin. He dies afterwards, but when you meet a student who asks how he's doing, you can either tell the truth, or spread the rumor that he's alive. If you choose the latter, Principal Hanya will reemerge later in the game and repel the invasion of Hitler's Last Battalion on his own. Otherwise, the St. Hermelin alumni will do the job.In Eternal Punishment, he is still a hated principal, and is immediately killed when Noriko Katayama performs the Joker Curse on him for insulting Anna Yoshizaka, who can no longer represent Sevens in the regional track meet because of a permanent injury caused by a hit-and-run accident.
Heel Face Revolving Door: If the player chooses, Hanya can be resurrected via a rumor and return to help liberate Sevens from the Nazis. He undergoes a nice attitude adjustment, too.
Laser-Guided Karma: In Innocent Sin, Principal Hanya and Joker are in cahoots. He's murdered by JOKER within the first 20 minutes of Eternal Punishment.
Meaningful Name: His nickname is "Hannya", a demon in Japanese literature. Guess what his Persona is?
Mundane Wish: Hanya admits to performing the Joker Charm to restore his thinning hairline.
Offscreen Teleportation: Coming back to life has the added effect of turning Hanya Crazy Awesome. He keeps warping between classrooms, standing over a pile of unconscious Nazis each time.
Our Founder: His statue in the school courtyard starts moving on its own accord. (That is one crazy school.)
Start to Corpse: In EP, he's the JOKER's only onscreen victim. The school transforms into a dungeon upon discovering of his corpse, whereupon the real game starts.
A student who hangs out on the rooftop of Kasugayama High School, discontented with the current system and wishes to become Student Body President to implement his desired changes. In Innocent Sin, Yasuo uses the Joker Charm to make his ambition a reality. He was responsible for spreading the rumor that the Seven Sisters High School Emblem was cursed, and collaborated with Lady Scorpio to collect Ideal Energy at Kasugayama High's dance party. He is fought as a boss, and dies at the hands of King Leo upon failing. In Eternal Punishment, Yasuo is still alive, and is back to being a discontented Student Body Presidential wannabe.
Climbing Climax: Eikichi (finally) corners him on the school's roof.
Dirty Coward: Through clever use of a walkie-talkie, he traps the party inside the school's bomb shelter. Which ordinarily isn't a big deal... except rumors have transformed it into an endless maze.
Student Council President: Yasuo can only compete in a fixed election, as evidenced in Eternal Punishment.
Hiroki Sugimoto
A second-year student at Kasugayama High. Ever since Eikichi beat him up in middle school, he's hated Eikichi and wanted to defeat him, jealous of his power and clout as the school leader. He uses the Joker Charm so he can become stronger, spreads the rumor that the Head is stronger than Captain Death, and even kidnapped Miyabi. Eikichi relinquishes his position as Captain Death, creating a loophole that allows him to defeat Sugimoto. In Eternal Punishment, he is kidnapped and drained of Kegare at the Science Lab in Kei Nanjou's route. Maya's party runs into Eikichi, who was trying to save Sugimoto as per his role as the school leader. They later find Sugimoto, who was turned into a monster. Kei and the party try their best to subdue Sugimoto without killing him, and assures Eikichi that the Nanjou Group will pull out all the stops to turn his classmate back to normal.
Baleful Polymorph: In Eternal Punishment, he's captured and experimented on by Kandori in the Science Lab.
A 13 year-old cosplayer with a very lively imagination, believing that she's a "reincarnated warrior maiden", Ixquic. In Innocent Sin, she turns out to be a minion of King Leo. In Eternal Punishment, she hangs out at Giga Macho (The Seedy CD) music store, and is hunting down the two rumored demons that reside there.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: After King Leo sets fire to the Sky Museum, Ixquic jumps inside the cockpit of a ceiling-suspended Japanese warplane, screaming for help.
Tatsuzou Sudou
Father of Tatsuya Sudou, aka King Leo, he is briefly referenced in Innocent Sin before being revealed as the head of the New World Order in Eternal Punishment. He is estranged from his son, whom he confined to a mental hospital as a child. Tatsuzou is Japan's Foreign Minister, and is secretly head of a governmental conspiracy to create a world without original sin. Tatsuzou is unaware of the fact that he, like his son, is being manipulated by Nyarlathotep.
The mummified remains of a feudal warlord who established what is now Sumaru City. Thanks to Nyarlathotep's influence, Tatsuzou Sudou was able to reanimate him with rumors. Sumaru's remains are the centerpiece of the New World Order, communicating to its members via Telepathy. Once the Monado Mandala has risen, Sumaru's castle is mystically unearthed and towers over the entire city.
Badass Mustache: Still impressive, even if the rest of him is in poor shape.
Clipped Wing Angel: It is possible to kill Sumaru in one hit if the right conditions are met. Summoning the three Ancestral Personas during the battle for a Fusion Attack will defeat him instantly. This is explained in-game by the Personas being the spirits of a samurai who originally toppled Sumaru, his princess, and their retainer. It's also a case of Guide Dang It, so whether this is worth all the trouble is subjective.
The former antagonist of the original Persona, who has been resurrected due to rumors. He unquestioningly serves the New World Order, but seems to be following his own agenda. During the events of Eternal Punishment, Takahisa Kandori, (now called Guido Kandori in the NA version) is brought back to life through the power of Kototama performed by the NWO. The extensive scars on his body are reminiscent of Tatsuya Suou's marks.
Hijacked by Ganon: He's in an ideal position to be this, and Chizuru outright wants him to be one. However, he really doesn't care because he knows his time on Earth is limited and his only real interests are settling things with Nanjo and the Paradox that brought about the events of the game.
I Have Many Names: Thanks to the English translation of the first game. In the Japanese version, he only uses the alias of "Guy Shidou" (Tatsuzou's secretary), but thanks to the localization changes he has his name from the first Persona (retconned as an alias) as well.
Unwitting Pawn: After being brought back, he knows that like Tatsuya, he is just a pawn of Nyarlathotep.
Worthy Opponent: To Nanjo. Kandori's actually grown quite fond of him in the interim between games.
Chizuru Ishigami
Chizuru is a famous fortune teller who uses her show to spread rumors for the NWO. Unlike the other villains, Chiruzu does not use a Persona in combat but creates duplicates of herself to fool her opponents. Eriko Kirishima arrives in Sumaru City investigating her and her connection to the NWO. During a television interview, Junko Kurosu transformed into a Joker and attempts to kill Lisa Silverman.Afterwards, she joins with the revived Takahisa Kandori and leaves with him for the Undersea Ruins, although she questions why someone like him would be happy serving as simply a pawn for Tatsuzou Sudou. Eventually, she and Kandori are confronted by Maya Amano and her party along with Tatsuya Suou. They are both defeated, and, despite Nanjo/Eriko's pleading, stay behind in the collapsing Undersea Ruins to die.
A top-ranking member of the NWO and commander of the Tenchu Army. Sugawara is wasting away from some unknown malady, which is what motivated him to assist Tatsuzou.
Armies Are Evil: By virtue of simply being self-interested, he's not General Ripper material. His men have no compunction about mowing down innocents, though.
Exact Words: Tatsuzou promises the terminally-ill General Sugawara that if their plan goes forward, he will be made immortal. He didn't say anything about being an immortal person.
Lovecraftian Superpower: Tatsuzou keeps his promise, and Sugawara is rendered immortal. He's also a hideous mutation sprouted from a pair of disjointed (if relatively normal) human legs.
Soap Opera Disease: He looks sickly and pale, but we're left to infer the rest.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Detests Tatsuzou, and is only assisting him out of self-preservation.
Captain Togashi
Head of the Kounan police force, and Katsuya's top superior in the department. He, along with other top officials, is a member of the New World Order. Unlike the others, however, he is unable to hear Gozen's voice — perhaps a sign of his wavering loyalty to them. He once worked alongside Katsuya's father.
The Atoner: Togashi was the one who betrayed Katsya's father, allowing him to take the fall for his crimes.
Redemption Equals Death: Shot by Shimazu shortly after explaining the nature of Gozen and the NWO.
Administrator Shimazu
Katusya's direct superior in the Kounan department, and lieutenant to Captain Togashi. He dislikes Katsuya by association, as his father was disgraced and expelled from the force.
Smug Snake: The English localization even gave him the voice of one.
Minor NP Cs
Akinari Kashihara
The father of Jun Kurosu, and a World History teacher at Seven Sisters High School. His charming personality made him an idol among his students in Seven Sisters, including Junko Kurosu, former-"Miss Sevens" and local celebrity, and Maya Okamura, a fellow History teacher who admired him as a genius. Akinari was troubled over the idea that the current world history is actually incorrect. He met with Tatsuya Sudou, who had been rambling about voices in his head. Akinari was convinced that Sudou was channeling the voices of Mayans, and with the cooperation of Okamura, they produced the Oracle of Maia. Intrigued by the revelations from the Oracle, Akinari worked on writing a book of prophecies, In-Lak'ech.He married Junko after the latter's graduation. Together they had a son, Jun. However, the marriage did not prove to be a blissful one, as Junko began to miss her life as a celebrity. Sometime later, Akinari mets his death inside Seven Sister's clock tower when he fell and was crushed by the gears. His ghost is rumored to be haunting the clock tower to this day. As happens with all rumors, his ghost does indeed appear to Tatsuya at the start of Innocent Sin.In Eternal Punishment, the timeline has been changed so that Akinari is still alive and married to Junko.
Asian and Nerdy: A meek history teacher in a pullover vest — a far cry from Nyarlathotep's version of him.
An inhabitant of the Velvet Room, and the only one besides Igor who serves a function in the game. At the player's request, he will convert the Free Tarot cards into any other arcana card, except for Fool and minor arcana.
Author Avatar: A fairly obvious self-insertion by Kazuma Kaneko, whose inimitable concept art can be seen throughout the Megaten 'verse.
Sunglasses at Night: He wears shades despite the already dim light of the room. This may be a handicap similar to what the other denizens of the Velvet Room employ to concentrate on their roles.
Belladonna
First seen as a background character in the first Persona, she is the soprano who is accompanied with Nameless. She covers her ears with her hair in order to concentrate on her performance.
Verbal Tic: Her dialog is entirely sung in stanzas.
Nameless/Nanashi
A pianist in suite who plays various pieces on a gigantic grand piano. In order to concentrate on performance, he covers his eyes. Nameless also has an obsession with numbering, which is parodied in the Persona 2 Drama CD.
Older Than They Look: This applies to the other Velvet Room tenants, also. He claims that "90,000 and 155 nights have passed" with his eyes covered, coming out to 247 years.*
The Philosopher: His remarks have no bearing on the story, they're merely ruminations of life, the universe and whatnot.
Kelly/Trish
Trish is a gold-digging refugee from the fairy world who was exiled due to her greed. Formerly an NPC in the first Persona, she has noticeably aged in ensuing years (as Kei will attest). Trish maintains a Healing Spring at which the party can heal, generally found in every dungeon, in each of the Persona 2 games. Despite her sweet-natured appearance, Trish is notorious for being selfish, greedy, and charging outlandish prices for her healing services. While restoring in town generally costs a few thousand yen, Trish tends to charge a few dozen thousand. Should the player refuse, she'll generally tell them to go and die for all she cares.
Adam Smith Hates Your Guts: Not only does she charge obscene prices for (probably) much-needed HP replenishment, but the cost goes up each time you heal. This is why it's better to spend your money on Beads, or one of the healing shops in the city.
A returning NPC from the original Persona, as well as protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei If.... Tamaki is now in college, and works part-time in the Kuzunoha Detective Agency as an assistant to Daisuke Todoroki and also a Devil Summoner. She handles the mail-in magazine prizes for the party, and in one occasion, Tamaki will dress up as a cat burglar along with Satomi Tadashi (who is now her fiance), helping the party to rescue the schoolchildren trapped deep inside the burning Sky Museum.In Eternal Punishment, Tamaki still works at the Kuzunoha Detective Agency. She is also hiding a money-hungry Catgirl demon in the bathroom, who uses the giant fortune cat in the office as a facade to ask for handouts. Tamaki reprises her role of handling the mail-in magazine contest entries for the party. Off-hand, she expresses concern for her fiancée, who has been missing because of assassination threats from sources unknown.
No Accounting for Taste: Meta example. Due to many fans of the game considering her boyfriend to be The Scrappy, this trope is in effect for the fanbase. The fact he does not show up at all in Eternal Punishment is pretty much confirmed to be a blatant Fandom Nod.
Satomi "Tad" Tadashi
Another returning NPC from the first Persona, Tad works at the Kuzunoha office with his girlfriend, Tammy. Due to general dislike of the character from fans, Tad does not appear in Eternal Punishment, having gone on the run from "assassins" according to Tammy.
Author Avatar: Why, it's none other than Satomi Tadashi himself, Scenario Director for Persona 2.
Spoiled Brat: He is heir to the giant Satomi Tadashi supermarket chain.
Saeko Smith/Saeko Takami
A returning character from the first Persona. Ms. Saeko returns in Persona 2: Innocent Sin as the homeroom teacher of Tatsuya Suou, having transfered to Seven Sisters High School along with Vice-Principal Hanya. She is still admired by both students and former students alike.Saeko makes it her mission to help Tatsuya Suou find direction in his life. She is well-intentioned but relentless, even staking out his motorcycle so she can give him a pep talk. The dialogue trees that ensue later play a minor role in the game's narrative. She assists the party in removing the curse on Seven Sisters High School. Saeko plays a much smaller role in Eternal Punishment. She is interviewed by Maya Amano early in the game regarding the JOKER.
Another returning character from the first Persona, Kenta is a fish connoisseur and rumormonger who found success by using his Persona (despite, or perhaps because of, his Persona being penis demon Mara). He gives advice to fellow St. Hermerlin alumni Reiji Kido, whose Persona has only hampered his success. He is usually found at Gatten Sushi, and like the other rumormongers, is willing to exchange rumors with the party.
Badass Bystander: According to an NPC in Eternal Punishment, he knocked out a man possessed by the Joker curse with one punch.
Lisa Silverman's father, a naturalized American who works in the Foreign Currency Exchange. He absolutely loves Japan, and as a result is often seen wearing a yukata out of season. Mr. Silverman implements a home life that matches a typical Japanese family's to the dot; even raising his daughter to become an ideal Japanese lady. He only appears in Innocent Sin, handing out prizes if the party enters and wins one of the magazine sweepstakes.
The Ahnold: Everything about him, from the ponytail to his practice of Aikido, is a deliberate spoof of Steven Seagal.
Badass Normal: While him fighting is not shown offscreen, he's able to kick Nazi asses alone. He certainly uses the Aikido skills he learned for being a Japanese Otaku well.
Good Parents: Played with. Despite the fact that he tried making Lisa become a Yamato Nadeshiko against her will, other than that one quirk, he clearly loves his daughter, is not at all abusive, and even entrusts the party with her safety.
Uncle Pennybags: Quirks aside, he gives Lisa a fat annual allowance.
Miyabi Hanakouji
A second-year Seven Sisters High School student and classmate of Lisa. She works on the school newspaper, and is dating Eikichi Mishina, doubling as a groupie of sorts for the band "Gas Chamber". In Innocent Sin, she was nicknamed "Hanaji" (nosebleed) / "Kozy" and was overweight because of an embarrassing event. In Eternal Punishment, she makes a small cameo inside Gas Chamber but nothing more.
Comfort Food: She ballooned in her teen years, partly due to guilt over what was done to Eikichi.
Distressed Damsel: Sugimoto takes her hostage in a ploy to lure Eikichi out.
Kei Nanjou's current butler and bodyguard. He seems surly and distant, which is a far cry to how Kei's relationship with the late Yamaoka was before. But the truth is that Matsuoka is actually diligently looking out for Kei's welfare, making sure that his young master becomes the #1 man in Japan as promised.
Editor-In-Chief of Coolest, Maya Amano's immediate superior. Mizuno seems to despise Maya so much that she goes as far as to discard a meaningful article that the latter wrote about the "Rumored Student", breaks her up with partner Yukino Mayuzumi during the assignment at Sevens in Eternal Punishment, and also rescinds her day off. The in-game bio describes her as "30-something and still not married". She only mellows out after Sumaru City becomes the Ameno Torifune.
Mean Boss: Her Dialogue Trees are lose-lose situations. If you examine the chart in her office, Maya notes that sales are dropping; that might explain the boss' mood.
Tatsuya's Scenario Characters
Shiori Miyashiro
A police officer in the Kounan Police Department who knows Katsuya Suou and the Suou brothers' father, she attempts to track down the mysterious serial killer known as JOKER. Her actions would lead her to eventually meet Tatsuya Suou and become the major part of his story in Tatsuya's scenario.
Anatomy Of The Soul: After her body is possessed, her self is broken into all the pieces that made up her being and were spread out amongst the Kadath Mandala.
Evil Counterpart: Her shadow is not this. With everything that made up her self no longer influencing it, and while it is mentally unstable and erratic, deep down it's still the same woman who wanted to help Tatsuya and says she is sorry to him before returning to a Trapezohedron.
Demonic Possession: Possessed by a Wendigo in the second part of Tatsuya's scenario due to a failed attempt by Kandori and the NWO to artificially give her a Persona.
Never Got To Say Goodbye: Tatsuya had already gone to the Other Side by the time she had awakened.
Refusal Of The Call: Played the Persona game with her brother when she was younger, but refused to go through with it and receive a Persona. Even to this day, she rejects Philemon's attempts to awaken her to her power.
Revenge: Against JOKER for the death of her little brother.
Lieutenant General Zula
A talking Abyssinian feline that belongs to the Ulthar Cat Forces, Zula is requested by Randolph Carter to aid the party through their journey of the Kadath Mandala.
Arch-Enemy: Mentions that the Ulthar tribe wage war on the terrible Zoog tribe.
Meaningful Name: Zula is the same name of a female cat that is theroized to be the parent of the Abyssinian breed.
Military Salute: Salutes the characters when he meets and leaves them. Only Katsuya salutes back.
Mr. Exposition: Spend much of his role telling the characters the story behind the mythical beings or their role in man's subconscious.
Offscreen Teleportation: A master of this. When he moved his tail, they ended up where the Trapezohedron of Knowledge was at, and he always disappears before battles and reappears afterwards.
Surprisingly Good English: He tends to speak in English whenever he gives out a military command, such as "Ten-hut" or "Move".
A legendary Persona user known by Igor. He travels across time and space through mankind's consciousness. He holds the Silver Key needed to open the gate to the Kadath Mandala. He requests that Tatsuya and the party attain the trapezohedron that belonged to his apprentice Randolph Carter. He is in fact Randolph Cater himself, having lost his emotions and keeping his sense of self through sheer force of will.
Humanoid Abomination: Looks human at first glance, but if one looks closely, they can tell that his face and beard is masklike.
Time Travel: Mentioned by Igor to travel through time and space.
Eleven Holders of the Trapezohedrons
Eleven Entities which hold the fragmented parts of Shiori's self that are found in the world of subconscious, Kadath Mandala. Each one resides in a tower inside the realm, with Nyarlathotep in the last tower and holding the Trapezohedron that contains Shiori's shadow.
Adaptive Ability: Umr-At-Tawil gets stronger each time he resurrects.
Another Dimension: Umr-At-Tawil sends those who cross him into other dimensions where their fate is unknown.
Blob Monster: Umr-At-Tawil appears as some form of white blob with a shimmering veil around it and a orb at its center.
Buddhism: Sakya wishes for the party to spread its teachings.
Card-Carrying Villain: Azazel starts boasting after Zula reveals his past as a Fallen Angel.
Cult: Dagon converts those who listen to him speak to become a member of Cthulhu's cult.
Curse: The one Izanami began in the past has long since disappeared.
Inappropriate Hunger: Old One is hungry when the party meets it and Maya makes it leave while leaving the trapezohedron behind by giving it canned crab.
Living Dream: Cthulhu is implied to be him in his dreams, since his body is actually in R'lyeh.
Love Hurts: Izanami no longer feels hatred towards Izanagi, and both it and her curse faded long ago. Yet she can never be with him, since he is in the heavens.
Madness Mantra: The other side effect of Dagon's speech. It causes everyone to speak R'lyehian.
Not As You Know Them: Most of the demons are simply the product of the human mind and not the real deal. This explains why they don't act like they do in mythology, such as Angra Mainyu.
Noodle Incident: Umr-At-Tawil only attacks people who do things behind his back when in his realm. It's never shown what the characters did that caused him to attack.
The Philosopher: Many of the demons not fought tend to speak about philosophy. The ones who do are Virochana, Sakya, Angra Mainyu, Nodens, and Izanami.
I Reject Your Reality: Tatsuya and the rest reject the prophecy of Cthulhu one day taking over the world.
Resurrective Immortality: Umr-At-Tawil cannot be killed for good ,since he is the barrier between the conscious and subconscious. If he died, then there would be no self for mankind.
The Stars Are Going Out: Nodens mentions that only a lifeofhappniess keeps the heat death of the universe from happening, so people should live live to the fullest.
The Unpronounceable: Dagon and Cthulhu speak R'lyehian. So do Katsuya and Ulala when they listen to Dagon speak.
What Is Evil?: Angra Mainyu questions what is good and evil in his Tower of Ethics.
