The Phantom Thieves of Hope
- Cool Mask: All of them gain a mask that represents their Persona while acting as phantom thieves. They pull it off when they want to materialize their Persona.
- Idiot Hair: Pretty much all of them have a lock or strand of hair that pokes up on the top of their heads; a design choice that all the protagonists have in the original games.
- As they are not the protagonists of the original game series, Monomi, Kyoko and Chiaki are the sole exceptions to this (Kyoko was the protagonist of her own light novel series, Danganronpa Kirigiri, but still never had the trademark ahoge)
- Impossible Thief: Their M.O. They steal the embodiments of the distorted desires within human hearts, which removes them from the cognitions of their targets. This leaves the target with all of their memories of what they've done but none of the desire to continue performing their heinous acts, which makes them better people.
- Ragtag Band of Misfits: The members consist of an ordinary high schooler who is somewhat luckier than other people, a shut-in romance writer who happens to have a Serial Killer Split Personality, a talking rabbit, the ordinary high schooler's equally ordinary Hot-Blooded younger sister, an Ice Queen detective, ANOTHER detective with self-esteem problems, a pianist who dips between Genki Girl and Stepford Smiler, and an introverted Gamer Chick.
- Strong Girl, Smart Guy: Applies to both partner duos in the team.
- Komaru (Highwayman) and Toko (Razor).
- Kaede (Mozart) and Shuichi (Sleuth).
Makoto Naegi — Leprechaun
Ultimate (Un)Lucky Student
Arcana: 0. Le Mat (The Fool)
Persona: Mickey; Wild Card
Weapons: Fisticuffs and revolvers
Makoto is a student of Hope's Peak Academy's 78th class, known as the "Ultimate Lucky Student" for making it in after being randomly selected amongst thousands of other students. At the beginning of his second year at Hope’s Peak, he stumbles into the Metaverse.
His Persona is Mickey - Michael Spillane, much better known by his nickname, Mickey; An Irish-American mobster from Hell's Kitchen. Spillane, who was called the "last of the gentleman gangsters," was a marked contrast to the violent Westies gang members who succeeded him in Hell's Kitchen.
As the main protagonist, he represents the Fool Arcana. The Fool is a symbol of naivety, divine inspiration, insanity, freedom, spontaneity, disorder, and inventiveness. Since this Arcana was the first to be created without a number, it is known as Arcana number 0 or number 22.
- Berserk Button: Insulting his friends is a good way to earn Makoto's ire, as some bullies in Chapter 45 find out. When one of them calls Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro shameless, this results in Makoto punching him in the face.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Makoto is mainly a Nice Guy and an All-Loving Hero, but he does have his limits which are usually shown when dealing with a target's Shadow. This is best shown in how he grows to utterly despise the Steering Committee due to how they've ruined and trampled upon numerous lives and experimented on Hajime and how that affected Chiaki, promising that everything that they've built up, stand for, and live by will burn.
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Makoto somehow doesn't realize that Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro all hold romantic feelings for him due to his kind and friendly (if occasionally dorky) nature.
- King of Thieves: Leprechaun is the unanimously appointed team leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hope. He was the first thief to awaken to his Persona and his Wild Card and unique Metaverse abilities compared to his peers make him the squad's most valuable asset.
- Master of All: Similar to other Persona protagonists after Persona 3, Makoto possesses the "Wild Card" power, which enables him to take control of hundreds of different Personas and enhance their strength by forming bonds with allies and friends. This gives him access to a vast array of elemental affinities, attacks, and other abilities.
- His initial Persona, Mickey, uses Bless or Light magic as its primary element.
- Ship Tease: Makoto has this for a fair few people, most notably Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro.
- Weirdness Magnet: Likely applies more to Makoto than it does any other canon Persona protagonist. On top of how it kind of goes along with the job of being a Wild Card, it's emphasized more with his Ultimate Luck, putting him in precarious and weird situations in both reality and the Metaverse.
Monomi — Usami
Arcana: I. Le Bateleur (The Magician)
Persona: Mr. A
Weapons: Magic stick and party popper
A strange rabbit-like, shapeshifting creature with the personality of a teacher, Monomi has Persona abilities and is very knowledgeable about the Metaverse.
Her Persona is Mr. A, a comic book character inspired by Objectivism, the belief system and moral absolutism of the philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand; and is usually recognized as the precursor to the famous DC Comics detective, The Question.
Like her counterpart from the main series, Monomi is representative of the Magician Arcana. The Magician Arcana is frequently linked to immaturity, action, initiative, self-assurance, manipulation, and power in tarot readings.
- Animal-Vehicle Hybrid: A rabbit able to transform into a bus while in the Metaverse.
- Combat Medic: Her primary role in battle is to keep the team energized with her healing abilities.
- Diabolical Mastermind: Slightly subverted given how nice she is, but Monomi's role on the team is the Mastermind of their operations. She's the most knowledgeable about the Metaverse and is the one who pushes the team most to continue their mission to reform society around them.
- Psychic Powers: Mr. A specializes in Psi skills.
- Running Gag: Whenever someone sees her Metaverse form for the first time, they mistake her for a demon rabbit. It gets to the point where, when Chiaki sees her and calls her an angel rabbit, Monomi briefly tries to refute her only to become flustered at realizing Chiaki called her an angel.
Toko Fukawa — Razor
Ultimate Writing Prodigy/Ultimate Murderous Fiend (Jack/Jill)
Arcana: IX. L'Hermite (The Hermit)
Persona: Barrow
Weapons: Scissors and tasers
A famous romance novelist who has been writing bestselling books since before she was ten years old. However, she has never had a friend, much less a real romance. Having been bullied as a child, she has a severe persecution complex and always assumes that people think the worst of her.
Her Persona is Barrow, one-half of the famous Outlaw Couple Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow was a notorious highway criminal who traveled through Central USA with his partner, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker, during the American Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American press and its readership, during what is occasionally referred to as the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934.
Her Arcana, the Hermit, is linked to knowledge, reflection, seclusion, retreat, and philosophical exploration.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Barrow's insectoid-like body is based on Kameko; Toko's pet stinkbug and her most cherished companion prior to Ultra Despair Girls.
- Nerd Glasses: She still has these in the story, though she eventually loses them and switches to contacts.
- Professional Killer: Toko is the team's assassin. As Genocide Jack, she's already wracked up a notably high body count and uses her killer abilities to her advantage as a member of the Phantom Thieves.
- Shock and Awe: Barrow specializes in Lightning skills.
- Split Personality: They have Dissociative Identity Disorder, with one persona being Toko Fukawa, an antisocial Shrinking Violet who prefers writing gloomy books. The other is Genocide Jack, an infamous Serial Killer who loves killing men she finds attractive. The other persona starts fronting whenever Toko/Jack faints, or receives a powerful form of stress, such as sneezing or electrocution. As you can imagine, they're both very different people: Toko is gloomy and pessimistic, while Genocide Jack is a gleefully sadistic Large Ham. Ordinarily, the two can't stand each other, but within the Metaverse, they work together to control the body they share, adopting traits of both characters while as a Phantom Thief.
- Straight Man: Typically played for laughs. Toko is the most down-to-earth and realistic member of the Phantom Thieves and has no filter when it comes to pointing out the discrepancies in the others' idealist natures.Makoto: Well, we won't get anywhere without trying. I say we break a leg!
Toko: Yes! They will BREAK OUR LEGS!
Komaru Naegi — Highwayman
Arcana: XI. La Force (Strength)
Persona: Parker
Weapons: Megaphone Gun and lasso
Makoto's little sister. She develops a bond with Kotoko Utsugi after a chance encounter, she's accidentally dragged into the Metaverse after Kotoko and her friends suicide attempt.
Her Persona is Parker, the other half of the famous Outlaw Couple Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow (who Toko's Persona is based on) are famous highway criminals who reigned during The Great Depression.
Her Arcana is Strength; representing a theme that goes beyond Beauty and the Beast and is connected to the idea that virtue, gentleness, courage, and self-control are more powerful than force. It can also symbolize physical or creative energy that needs to be released or is about to be released in tarot readings, sometimes out of a desire to be acknowledged.
- Big Sister Instinct: Despite being the younger Naegi sibling, Komaru proves to be an incredible role model to Kotoko Utsugi when she becomes her foster sister. Determined to relieve her of all the past trauma she suffered at the hands of her father Junya, and Haiji Towa.
- Blow You Away: Her Persona's primary magic element is Wind.
- Composite Character: In terms of abilities, Komaru is a blend of Ryuji, Morgana, and Haru. Her primary element is wind, her Persona focuses on gun skills like Triple-Down and One-Shot Kill, and she has power buffs too. She also takes Yusuke's place as the artist of the group, being the one to design the Calling Cards.
- Little Miss Con Artist: As the only "normal girl" on the team, Komaru is the most unassuming. This is why in the real world, she's usually the one picked to spy on people since nobody ever really looks her way.
- Mage Marksman: Her Persona's main specialty is gun skills. Triple Down is her move of choice.
- Odd Friendship: With Toko. Komaru is a nice girl with a loving family and friends, but no special talents, whereas Toko is a jerk with a neglectful family, no real friends, and a talent for writing. They even have Ship Tease.
- Ordinary High-School Student: She is the only member of the team who doesn't have/never had an Ultimate Talent, and doesn't go to Hope's Peak Academy to study like the rest of the group.
- Siblings in Crime: Her and Makoto.
Shuichi Saihara — Sleuth
Ultimate Detective (79th Class)
Arcana: XX. Le Jugement (Judgement)
Persona: Casanova
Weapons: Batons and sniper rifles
A boy who learned how to investigate crimes by assisting his uncle with his private eye business. While his uncle's office normally only dealt with things like infidelity investigations, there came a day when Shuichi happened to solve a murder before the police could, earning him the title of Ultimate Detective.
His Persona is Casanova - Giovanni Giacomo Casanova was an Italian adventurer/spy who relied on his now legendary charisma to establish himself as the prince of Italian adventurers, and his romantic exploits made the name Casanova synonymous with "libertine." His autobiography, which perhaps exaggerates some of his escapades, is a splendid description of 18th-century society in the capitals of Europe.
In tarot, the Judgement Arcana, the Arcana Shuichi embodies, is linked to discovering one's purpose in life, obtaining a profound comprehension of existence, and experiencing a sense of forgiveness and acceptance.
- An Ice Person: Casanova specializes in Ice abilities. Shuichi frequently uses them to freeze his enemies in place and let his team follow up on his attacks for super-effective damage.
- The Smart Guy: Easily the smartest member of the team besides Kyoko. He is naturally able to perceive an enemy's weaknesses, and his abilities only get better over time. In reflection of this, Shuichi's Persona has powerful magic abilities and status effect powers that he uses to his whole squad's advantage. However, he lacks any form of physical magic power.
- Detective Mole: Shuichi is something of an inside man among the team. He is the second generation Ultimate Detective at Hope's Peak, and usually, it is his job to solve crimes and apprehend criminals. However, as a Phantom Thief, he is a vigilante acting outside the law.
- Getaway Driver: He's the one who is most often shown driving Usami in her bus form, and appears to be the most skilled at driving compared to the rest of his peers.
- This is also a Mythology Gag. Shuichi is the only one of the Phantom Thieves who canonically drives a car in the original Danganronpa series, thanks to the V3 minigame, Psyche Taxi.
- Official Couple: Gets together with Kaede.
- Pragmatic Hero: Shuichi acknowledges that, despite how he wishes it was not the case, the Phantom Thieves may be necessary. He knows that the law is restrictive and that criminals can always find a way to work around said rules, or even use them to their advantage. Given how he was manipulated by Fuhito Kirigiri, who can blame him for having doubts?
- Secret Relationship: He and Kaede have kept their Relationship Upgrade secret from their classmates and teammates (except for Makoto, who stumbled upon them during their first kiss). Suichi does end up blurting it out to his aunt, uncle, and Momoji in Chapter 43, though.
Kaede Akamatsu — Mozart
Ultimate Pianist
Arcana: XIV. Tempérance (Temperance)
Persona: Irene
Weapons: Polearms and riffles
A girl who started playing the piano at a young age, and eventually began winning so many recitals that she was crowned the Ultimate Pianist. She's cheerful, outgoing, and motivated, and directs these traits toward helping the Phantom Thieves.
Her Persona is Irene, as in Irene Adler, a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. She's a former opera singer and actress, and while she's not technically a criminal and bears no malice towards Holmes, she outsmarts him and frequently evades his traps. Sherlock Holmes refers to her afterward respectfully as "the Woman".
Kaede's Arcana is the Temperance Arcana; a representation of harmony, balance, synthesis, and the blending of opposites.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: She becomes really jealous of how close Shuichi is to Momoji in Chapter 43. Thankfully she manages to get over it after a talk with her sister.
- Cuteness Proximity: When she first sees Monomi in the Metaverse, Kaede totally squees and hugs her, subverting Monomi's expectation of being mistaken as a demon rabbit.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Although she is very much a girly-girl most of the time, Kaede sometimes comes off as the masculine girl to Shinichi's feminine boy.
- Named After Somebody Famous: Kaede's codename is Mozart, named after the highly productive and well-known classical composer.
- Official Couple: Gets together with Shuichi.
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Surprisingly, Kaede is the muscle of the team, and the one with the most physically powerful attacks, despite her dainty figure and cute appearance.
- Playing with Fire: Kaede and Irene are the Fire-users of the group, and god are their attacks potent.
- Secret Relationship: She and Shuichi have kept their Relationship Upgrade secret from their classmates and teammates (except for Makoto, who stumbled upon them during their first kiss).
- Shout-Out: Her Persona's design takes cues from Brighid of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Confidants
Mahiru Koizumi
Ultimate Photographer
Arcana: II. La Papesse (The High Priestess)
A promising young photographer who has won many awards for her portraits. Though she can be a bit critical at times, Mahiru is one of the class's more sensible and level-headed students and is generally very positive and optimistic.
She represents the High Priestess Arcana. When the Priestess Arcana appears in tarot readings, it represents wisdom, patience, feminine mystery, and hidden knowledge or other untapped power.
- Ambiguously Bi: This can be inferred from her friendship with her best friend Sato. In Chapter 48, Chiaki even implies that they might be having a tryst, which makes her embarrassed. She is still one of Makoto's female confidants, though, and they could get romantically involved.
- Brutal Honesty: She is very direct. At least most of the time.
- Does Not Like Men: Downplayed. Due to her home situation, Mahiru has high expectations for men and does not approve of said men if said expectations are not met.
- Fiery Redhead: She has vivid red hair, and when someone doesn't live up to her expectations, she can be a little demanding and combative.
- First-Name Basis: She is the only character in the story who calls Sato by her given name, Hiyori.
- Friend in the Press: Mahiru for Makoto: Mahiru utilizes her role as the head of the newspaper club and writes academic articles that enhance the Phantom Thieves' public image while Makoto gives non-confidential information about the Thieves for said articles.
- Going for the Big Scoop: Slightly subverted. Mahiru is the leader of Hope's Peak's newspaper club, apparently directly appointed as such by the people in charge of the school, and the Phantom Thieves are a hot topic that she chases throughout the story. However, this doesn't seem to be a job she enjoys doing very much, and she really only wants to take photos for the paper, only continuing her role through her own ulterior motives.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Initially, Makoto spends time with Mahiru only because of their deal, and notably doesn't vibe with her overbearing and rude personality. However, he gradually starts to realize that she's got a gentle heart, especially when it comes to Sato and her own insecurities as an Ultimate.
- Knowledge Broker: The part she plays for the Phantom Thieves. Notably, she and Sato gave them the alleged identity of the deviant behind the blackmailing operations in Shibuya, which eventually led the Phantom Thieves to Kirie.
- Tomboy with a Girly Streak: She is a very feisty young woman with Boyish Short Hair who is the leader of the newspaper club, personally appointed by the academy's ringleaders. She is also very feminine and serves as the Team Mom of Class 77-B. Though, she is much less of a Tomboy than some of the other female characters in the story.
- Tsundere: Her personality in a nutshell. And it's adorable.
Maki Harukawa
Ultimate Child Caregiver
Arcana: III. L'Imperatrice (The Empress)
A girl who grew up in an orphanage. She was made to help out while living there, and despite not being particularly good at the work and hating children, apparently, the children liked her so much that she earned the title Ultimate Child Caregiver.
She represents the Empress Arcana. The Empress stands for mothers, wealth, creativity, abundance, fertility, protection, and comfort (usually in the form of fostering peace in the environment around them, as a perfect mother would, mentioning Maki's position as the Ultimate Child Caregiver.)
- Affectionate Nickname: Kaito calls her "Maki Roll". She doesn't like it.
- Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: This much is obvious. She has dark hair and is one of the Phantom Thieves' most emotionally aloof confidants.
- Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Reversed, with her and Kaito.
- Brutal Honesty: When it comes to her personal opinions, she is very forthright and doesn't hesitate to offend others. The people who are most affected by this are Kaito, Makoto, and Shuichi to a lesser extent.
- Fire-Forged Friends: She's emotionally distant from everyone, including her classmates and Makoto. However, though she does brandish some biting comments against them, she appears to have a genuine friendship and trust between Kaito and Shuichi.
- Muscles Are Meaningless: Maki is portrayed as an ordinary, slender girl, but unlike her fellow training partners, she can perform hundreds of pushups without tiring.
- No Social Skills: She doesn't really like people in general and is not very sociable. Nonetheless, kids still seem to like her.
Agatha
Arcana: V. Le Pape (The Hierophant)
Igor's assistant in the Velvet Room.
She represents the Hierophant Arcana; a representation of learning, authority, conservatism, following regulations, and having a connection to the divine that honors Agatha's role as the Velvet Room attendant as well as her teacher-like personality.
- Ambiguously Human: She is a "resident" of the Velvet Room, which is in some ways linked to the human unconscious where Shadows live. And like Shadows, she has golden eyes.
- Breaking Old Trends: Agatha does not fit with the common theme of Hierophant characters from Persona canon. In the main Persona series, characters of the Hierophant Arcana are usually quite wise and logical, and they are frequently older than the protagonist. They tend to the protagonist like a parent would, usually with a rough and tough exterior; Ryutaro Dojima and Sojiro Sakura are two prominent examples. Agatha, on the other hand, is a young, attractive, courteous, and articulate woman with a very distinct personality.
- Genius Ditz: Agatha is Makoto's expert teacher in the Velvet Room when it comes to Persona's, but admits to him that she's not wise when it comes to earthly matters, and wishes to reprimand this.
- Theme Naming: Like her canon counterparts from the main Persona series, Agatha's name comes from the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, specifically from Agatha De Lacy; Daughter of M. De Lacey and sister of Felix. Her name is one of two female characters whose names haven't been given to any of the canon Velvet Room attendants, the other being Safie.
"Ryota Mitarai"
Ultimate "Animator"
Arcana: V. Apostle
A rather... rotund Ultimate who uses their talent to make anime. He bears an uncanny resemblance to the Phantom Knight.
He represents the Apostle Arcana, which represents both fairness and compassion and is the Thoth Tarot Card version of the Hierophant.
- Acrofatic: He claims his athletics score is in the top 5 of his class.
Sayaka Maizono
Ultimate Pop Sensation
Arcana: VI. L'Amoureux (The Lovers)
The lead singer of an incredibly popular idol group. She and Makoto were classmates; he caught her eye one day when he freed a crane that was stuck in the school pool, but they'd never spoken. This still left an impression on her.
She represents the Lovers Arcana. The Lovers Arcana in tarot readings originally stood for two possible directions in life, signifying that one was at a crossroads and had to make a choice. These days, though, it's more often depicted as a symbol of romantic love, though it can also represent coming to terms with a common friend or even two opposing forces within.
- Berserk Button: Insulting Makoto in any way is a massive one for her, which she shares with Kyoko and Mukuro.
- Beware the Nice Ones: She seems like a friendly, compassionate person on the outside, but she's not afraid to step up and speak her mind when it comes to matters or people that she doesn't like.
- Composite Character: She's the Lovers, yet her confidant is like Kawakami's (the Temperance in Persona 5), being the one who helps Makoto with his chores at home and even gives him massages.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: She helps Makoto make dinner for his family in Chapter 20, and she and Makoto are impressed by the quality of the other's cooking. Apparently, they make a regular thing of it afterward.
- The Gadfly: Her sense of humor is playful and mischievous. She frequently cracks jokes about being a psychic, secretly a crane in human form, and other such things.
- Girl Next Door Turned Superstar: The Girl Next Door is the vibe she gives off in the story, particularly with her and Makoto's relationship. This is prime Irony given the reality of the social gap between Idol Singer Sayaka and Ridiculously Average Guy Makoto. Sayaka and Makoto attended the same middle school, but even though he had a crush on her, they never spoke. Sayaka, who has since enrolled as the Ultimate Idol and become the leader of a well-known idol group, is placed in the same class as Makoto when he enrolls in Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Lucky Student. Sayaka genuinely remembers him from middle school, much to Makoto's surprise, as she holds him in high regard after witnessing him rescue an injured crane that had become stuck in the school pool. Both are happy about the opportunity to establish a true friendship.
- Ship Tease: With Makoto, like in canon, having known him since middle school (though they only became friends when they started high school). Of his potential pairs, she's the one who comes on the strongest.
Aoi Asahina
Ultimate Swimming Pro
Arcana: VII. Le Chariot (The Chariot)
A bubbly girl who takes to water like a duck. Though she is best at swimming, she is also skilled in all kinds of other athletic activities and is a member of six different sports clubs. However, she isn't the sharpest thinker. She spends most of her time with fellow fitness enthusiast Sakura and loves donuts.
She represents the Chariot Arcana; a representation of power, war, conquest, victory, confidence, and self-assertion.
- Comfort Food: Like most Chariot Arcana characters in the main Persona series, Hina has a signature favorite food that centers around a lot of her character. However, unlike Ryuji Sakamoto and Chie Satonaka, hers is Donuts; a pastry in contrast to their more protein-based diets.
- The Ditz: Makoto has to remind Hina what her own Ultimate Talent is at one point, when she tells him about how she joined 6 different sports clubs at middle school.
- Genki Girl: Besides Kaede, she's one of Makoto's most fun-loving and cheerful confidants. This contributes to her Big Eater tendencies while keeping her thin.
- Mentor Archetype: Becoming a Phantom Thief granted Makoto increased physiology and athletic potential, which he's able to utilize thanks to Hina.
- Passionate Sports Girl: According to Hina herself she is an outstanding member of six different sports clubs at her middle-school before she joined Hope's Peak. Swimming is simply the sport she's best at.
- Spirited Competitor: Makoto thinks that Aoi's love of the struggle and competition in any given sport is what makes her such a great athlete.
Kyoko Kirigiri
Ultimate Detective (78th Class)
Arcana: VIII. La Justice (Justice)
Kyoko is the heir to a long line of detectives and the daughter of Hope's Peak Academy's headmaster, Jin Kirigiri. While she doesn't have a Persona, Kyoko does aid the Phantom Thieves.
She represents the Justice Arcana. A rigorous allegory of justice, objectivity, rationality, and analysis is represented by the Justice Arcana. According to tarot readings, it indicates that justice will have to be served.
- Badass Normal: Kyoko, unlike the rest of the Phantom Thieves, has no Persona or powers in the Metaverse. This does not stop her from joining them in the Palaces or helping out where she can. In Chapter 42, she's the one who comes up with a plan to help the Phantom Thieves defeat the Tiger Mechabeast.
- Berserk Button: Insulting Makoto in any way is a massive one for her, which she shares with Sayaka and Mukuro.
- No Social Skills: Due to the way her grandfather raised her, Kyoko is a bit socially awkward. This is shown in her growing feelings for Makoto.
- The Commissioner Gordon: Quite literally fills the same role as this trope's namesake. Even though she is the same age as the rest of the group, she is a powerful figure in the community and a skilled investigator who supports the Phantom Thieves by acting as a loose liaison between them and official government resources, including both her own detective agency as the new chief, and Hope's Peak Academy as the headmasters daughter.
- The Team Normal: She's the only one of the Phantom Thieves who does not have a Persona. Get's deconstructed slightly during Izuru/Hajime's palace as she can't defend herself from the Mechabeasts like the others, along with her frustration at the Phantom Thieves exposing criminals when it's her duty as a detective to do so.
- Ship Tease: Plenty with Makoto, having the most with him onscreen.
Nagito Komaeda
Arcana: X. La Roue de Fortune (The Wheel of Fortune)
A highly intelligent but rather strange young man who was selected to attend Hope's Peak Academy through a random lottery, giving him the title of "Ultimate Lucky Student".
He represents the Fortune Arcana, referencing his Ultimate Luck talent. The Fortune Arcana is portrayed by the Wheel of Fortune, which stands for opportunity, fate, luck, and fortune.
Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu
Ultimate Yakuza
Arcana: XII. Le Pendu (The Hanged Man)
The baby-faced successor to the infamous Kuzuryu family, the largest criminal enterprise in Japan. Fuyuhiko's small stature and youthful looks hide a powerful temper and a large chip on his shoulder. However, he does have a caring side that he's willing to show to the likes of Makoto and his classmates.
He represents the Hanged Man Arcana. The Hanged Man is portrayed as a man who is upside-down and is supported by one leg while the other leg crosses it to form a "4". The arcana is linked to paradoxes, hanging between heaven and earth, self-sacrifice for enlightenment, and the bindings that set one free. This card's appearance in a Tarot reading can be interpreted as a recommendation to give oneself ample time to consider one's next course of action.
- Arms Dealer: He provides the Thieves with their arms from his overstock inventory. Even though Makoto and his friends always come up with a new justification, Fuyuhiko has no idea what they could be doing with toy weapons and fake guns. He does not care either way as long as Makoto keeps helping him around the store.
- Cop Hater: Understandable for many reasons. Not only is he a Yakuza, but one of his earliest appearances in the story shows him being harassed by brainless Kirigiri Agency Detectives.
- Friendly Shopkeeper: Fuyuhiko appears tough and unyielding with an angst streak a country mile, but beneath the surface he is actually quite flexible and reasonable. He is not only always prepared to make concessions for his younger colleagues, but he also voluntarily gives Makoto a million yen in cash to lift his spirits when he's feeling down.
- We Buy Anything: Despite having no idea where the treasures from the Phantom Thieves' heists are coming from, he is the only one willing to purchase any of them.
- You Got Guts: Fuyuhiko chronically warns Makoto not to get too involved in his family matters, for his own safety. Even so, he respects Makoto's dedication to helping people.
Mukuro Ikusaba
Ultimate Soldier
Arcana: XIII. L'Arcane sans nom (The Nameless Arcana, a.k.a. La Mort [Death])
The Ultimate Soldier, having served with a radical mercenary group called Fenrir for three years without taking a single wound.
Because of its frequent interpretations that suggest a physical death, the Death Arcana, Mukuro's Arcana, is perhaps one of the most misinterpreted cards in the standard Tarot deck. The Death Arcana represents metamorphosis and profound change, regeneration, and cycles even though it is undoubtedly connected to gloom and doom. It was the only Arcana without a name in the early Tarot decks, but people called it Death because of the images of a menacing skeleton holding a scythe.
- Ascended Extra: Mukuro had a very minor role in canon Danganronpa, serving mainly as a background character or a force of nature instead of her own person. Here, she is a confidant and one of Makoto's closest friends.
- Berserk Button: Insulting Makoto in any way is a massive one for her, which she shares with Kyoko and Sayaka.
- No Social Skills: Due to her upbringing as the Ultimate Soldier, Mukuro has a warped perception of the world and has a complete lack of social skills.
- In Chapter 22, Mukuro tries to talk to Makoto but struggles to hold a basic conversation, making Makoto think she's going out of her way to avoid talking to him because she holds a grudge against him.
- She doesn't understand idioms. For example, she thought that having a crush on someone meant literally crushing them before Sayaka and Kyoko explained it to her.
- She was also unaware of her growing feelings for Makoto until Sayaka asked her if she imagined herself to be Makoto's girlfriend or wife. Mukuro's response was... interesting, to say the least.
- Ship Tease: With Makoto, being the first among her, Kyoko, and Sayaka to admit she likes him.
Seiko Kimura
Ultimate Pharmacist
Arcana: XV. Le Diable (The Devil)
A student of Hope's Peak Academy and the Ultimate Pharmacist.
The positive aspects of the Devil Arcana, which Seiko represents, point to a strong relationship or commitment.
- Age Lift: Subverted. In canon, she's in the 76th Class and a year ahead of the 77th Class. In this, she's a third-year student in Class 77-A, while Chiaki and her classmates are in Class 77-B.
- Back-Alley Doctor: Though not ACTUALLY located in a back alley, Seiko's reputation as an Ultimate Student is rocky due to the laws of medicinal practice in Japan. Distributing test drugs to other students is risky as it is, and supposedly she almost failed her previous end-of-year exam, not wanting to take any more major risks in case she is expelled from Hope's Peak entirely. Seiko adheres to an ethical code in spite of this. For example, when Makoto believes he's turned into a drug addict seeking his fix, she had originally intended to turn him away. Even after it is discovered that this isn't the case, she continues to only sell medication that functions similarly to Nyquil—it's not harmful, but if you purchase a lot of it, you might attract a lot of attention. Moreover, the medication she asks him to test for her is already at the point where human testing on the medication is safe.
- Delicate and Sickly: Seiko has a poor disposition, and ever since she was a child, she's had to regularly take medicine to keep herself alive.
- Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: Seiko is shy, distant and can sometimes be creepy and angry for no reason, but she's a kind-hearted soul through and through, and despite her eccentricities, she is an incredibly kind and considerate physician.
Kokichi Oma
Ultimate Supreme Leader
Arcana: XVI. La Maison Dieu (The Tower)
A boy who claims to lead a secret society of over 10,000 agents. He's also an admitted liar, so no one is sure what to think. True to his stature as an evil mastermind, Kokichi says exactly what will most rile up the other students, smiling the whole time.
He represents the Tower Arcana. Depicted as a lightning-stricken tower from which two diminutive figures fall; a direct allegory of the Tower of Babel concerning pride preceding the fall. A lot of people associate the Tower Arcana with conceited, bigoted, and autocratic organizations that ultimately fail ironically. Moreover, it is also employed more widely as a portent of catastrophe and gloom. Given that it seldom has a good meaning, it can be regarded as the worst card in the deck.
- Bratty Half-Pint: He often comes across as a snide little sociopath in the body of a playful child, much to the chagrin of almost everyone around him.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Makoto admits that Kokichi is the only confidant of the Phantom Thieves that he does not like spending time with. Given that most of their interactions are Kokichi doing everything he can to get on Makoto's nerves, it's difficult to hold it against him.
Chihiro Fujisaki
Ultimate Programer
Arcana: XVIII. La Lune (The Moon)
A Teen Genius currently developing top-secret AI programs for an unnamed company. Chihiro is the smallest of all the students and is ashamed of being seen as weak. She becomes a major fan of the Phantoms Thieves and even started the Phansite.
She represents the Moon Arcana, connected to imagination, ingenuity, dreams, insanity, delusions, fear, fantasy, the subconscious, and cunning. In tarot readings, it can also mean developing a subconscious awareness of one's surroundings and learning to perceive things without being informed about them or letting anyone else in on them.
- Herald: Chihiro puts the Thieves in touch with a wide range of people in need of their assistance. The majority are victims who have been through too much to confide in anyone outside of the internet. She is primarily responsible for the team's communication with Toshiro Uzawa before Kirigiri's Palace.
- Hero-Worshipper: A rather downplayed example, but like Yuuki Mishima in the main game, she's the Phantom Thieves Number 1 Fan.
- Knowledge Broker: Her main role for the Phantom Thieves as a confidant, albeit unofficially. Initially, Makoto sways her into this role by acting as a fellow Phantom Thieves fanboy.
- Mission Control: She's the webmaster of the Phan-Site, where people post requests for changes of heart, so in a way she is this, at least with regard to the minor targets in Mementos.
- The Reliable One: When it comes to standing by the Phantom Thieves, Chihiro Fujisaki is unwavering, devoted, and trustworthy despite her imperfections and fears.
Junko Enoshima
Ultimate Fashionista
Arcana: 0. Jester
Junko Enoshima is the Ultimate Fashionista of Hope's Peak Academy's Class 78 and resident Gyaru Girl. She's outgoing and has a strong mind and will to do good.
Junko represents the Jester Arcana from the Thoth Tarot Deck. The Fool Arcana is intended to be invoked by the Jester Arcana. Much like the Fool, the Jester represents ignorance, spontaneity, and freedom, albeit in a more restrained way. In contrast to the Fool, who gets along with everyone, the Jester's querent is misguided and unable to cooperate with others. In the end, the Jester pretends to be a fool rather than acting foolishly.
- Adaptational Nice Guy: In the original Danganronpa series, Junko Enoshima is the infamous Big Bad; the Evil Overlord of the post-Tragedy world and the brains behind the killing games. In this story, she's one of Makoto's confidants and oddly friendly and heroic, being the one to save the Warriors of Hope when they attempt suicide. Aspects of her original personality remain, however, such as her Mood-Swinger traits.
Targets
Palace Rulers
Haiji Towa
Sin: Lust
The first major target, Haiji Towa is overseeing the construction of Hope's Peak Elementary School, who puts on the front of a friendly businessman.
He represents the sin of Lust. Lust can manifest physically as perverted sex (e.g., when sex is not conducive to reproduction or is not in proper marital unity), but it can also manifest as excessive and impure desires for sexual pleasure. In the case of Towa, it represents both his sexual attraction to minors as well as his addiction to the power he holds as supposed heir to the Towa Group.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Haiji Towa was a terrible person in the original game he came from, but he wasn't technically a "villain", being more of a vengeful abuser than an outright criminal mastermind. This story somehow makes his already detestable character even worse.
- Arch-Enemy: To Komaru/Highwayman, in stark contrast to their conflicting relationship in Ultra Despair Girls. After discovering what Towa did to Kotoko Utsugi and the other Warriors of Hope, she begins to tear his Palace and his legacy apart the minute she awakens to her Persona.
- Attention Whore: He's unbearably desperate to retain his right as the heir to Towa Corp when Monaca's natural talent threatens it. Hence why the parents of the other children appear as cognitions in his Palace.
- Expy: Fills a similar role in the story as Suguru Kamoshida does in the original Persona 5. Lunatichyness's fanart even depicts his demon form as being similar to Kamoshida's.
- Pædo Hunt: In the original game where he is derived, Towa admits that his type of girl needs to be as young as possible, though he says so in the context of being attracted to Komaru, who is a well-developed high school student, meaning he's more of an ephebophile. In this story, it's heavily suggested that he, like other adults, participated in sexual acts on Kotoko Utsugi with her father's knowing consent, so even if he isn't truly a child molester in Ultra Despair Girls, he certainly is here. A big reason why the Phantom Thieves absolutely, and rightfully, despise him and want to get rid of him for good.
- Jerkass: A violent, perverted, selfish, and cowardly asshole with nary a redeemable quality to be seen.
Fuhito Kirigiri
Sin: Pride
The grandfather of Kyoko Kirigiri and the father of Jin Kirigiri and the second major target. Though putting on the face of an innocent old man who cares about his granddaughters' wellbeing, he manipulates and lies to everyone, even his own family members due to his obsession with his family pride, and goes out of his way to destroy anyone who threatens the Kirigiri family legacy, such as the Saihara family.
He represents the sin of Pride. It is an exaggerated desire to be better than others in terms of importance, standing, and beauty, as well as a refusal or inability to recognize the good work of others and an excessive love of oneself. It frequently connotes hubris, which is an excessive sense of pride.
- Abusive Parents: He disowned his own son Jin for refusing to become a detective. And then there's how he manipulated his granddaughter, Kyoko, for her entire life.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Fuhito presents himself as friendly and affable when he first meets the Phantom Thieves, despite their misgivings about him. He has a number of "logical" justifications ready to hide his tracks in case they are discovered, and he only gives up when the party persistently brings up the subject and manages to get past his defenses. His Shadow is the one who shows off his conceit and calls his modesty to be the fake that it is. This explains in part why Kyoko and Shuichi both find it so difficult to accept reality and react so negatively to it.
- Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Due to his obsession with his family legacy, and his overinflated ego, in essence, Fuhito stole Kyoko from her father, Jin, when she was a baby in order to raise her into a brilliant and formidable detective. This leads Kyoko to have an estranged relationship with her father, and for her soul to be crushed with betrayal when she finally discovers that Fuhito was behind it; an event that eventually becomes the primary element to her joining the Phantom Thieves' side.
- Dirty Cop: A law enforcement official who is absolutely corrupt. He is the furthest thing from a competent detective, despite caring about his detective heritage since he goes out of his way to conceal and manipulate the truth rather than discover it.
- Evil Puppeteer: The appearance his Shadow takes, as well as his Palace being a theater. In his mind, he is the master of strings who controls the actions of his "playthings" beneath him.
- Kirigiri's Shadow spends most of his fight against the Phantom Thieves using strings to control their bodies and make them fight one another. This becomes increasingly difficult when he controls Makoto, but thanks to Shuichi's quick thinking, he's swiftly freed, and Fuhito is left with fewer options.
- Expy: Fills a similar role in the story as Ichiryusai Madarame does in the original Persona 5.
- Shout-Out: Shadow Kirigiri's dollmaker appearance is strikingly similar to that of Mikihiko Koyasunaga, a character originally from a canceled fangame - Danganronpa: Blowback. Koyasunaga is known as the Ultimate/Super High School Level Puppeteer, and he was the last known Blackened, killing fellow student Kana Ise, in Chapter 2 before the game's cancellation.
- Koyasunaga is also one of the primary villains of Danganronpa: Survivor, Creepercraftguy's ask blog on Tumblr, where he is retconned into a sadistic, boastful, and narcissistic creature of a man who is known to manipulate and experiment on young girls, just like how Fuhito does to Kyoko in this story, though on a DRASTICALLY more extreme level.
Kirie Akamatsu
Sin: Envy
Kirie Akamatsu is the mother of Kaede Akamatsu and Kaori Akamatsu, widowed after her husband died from a supposed illness; which was in reality a murder done by the Phantom Killer. She is the third major target the Phantom Thieves go after.
She is a successful, stern, and calculating businesswoman who also acts as her daughter's agent and manager. She makes most of the big business decisions pertaining to Kaede's career and musical abilities.
Kirie developed a fixation on becoming wealthy and well-known, as well as on establishing a reputation for her family. Nevertheless, it has led to her disowning Kaori, her daughter, and spreading false information to put her in trouble and isolate her from the family. She also emphasizes the skills of her accomplished daughter Kaede and uses them to further her goals. Kirie wants to take advantage of Kaede's youth and talent by turning her into an idol pianist.
Naturally, she represents the sin of Envy. She acts bitterly and tries to control Kaede's life, making her into the idol she could never be herself, instead of lovingly celebrating her daughters' happiness and love for the piano. A common source of envy is the worry that another person's goodness will diminish one's own.
- Asshole Victim: Though she is an utterly terrible and abusive person, it's easy to see how Kirie became so warped due to the grief of no one being there to support her after she was widowed. Kaede and Kaori imply she used to be a very good mother.
- Because I Said So: Basically her whole relationship with Kaede.
- Canon Foreigner: Kirie is the most prominent example of this. Unlike the majority of the main cast who all have at least a minor connection to the original Danganronpa series, Kirie is a completely new and original character, playing with the idea of Kaede Akamatsu having a cruel and calculating mother who contrasts with her Genki Girl personality. Even Kaori, Kaede's sister and Kirie's other daughter, comes from her own unique source material.
- Decomposite Character: Unlike Towa and Kirigiri, who both share similarities to Kamoshida and Madarame, Akamatsu shares almost no similarities with her Spiritual Antithesis, Kaneshiro.
- Establishing Character Moment: Prior to being properly shown in her villainous light and being confirmed as the true third Palace ruler, there are a few one-on-one scenes between Kirie and Kaede that show Mother Akamatsu acting deranged and menacing. The best example is in Chapter 24 when Kirie berates Kaede and calls her incompetent for little to no reason.
- It's All About Me: Part of Kirie's motivations are to ensure her family's survival in the wake of Kai Akamatsu's death, but it's apparent that in reality, she's mostly doing what she does for the benefit of her own reputation.
Izuru Kamukura/Hajime Hinata
Sin: Sloth
Izuru is the end product of the Izuru Kamukura Project, a twisted psychological experiment performed by the scientists in Hope's Peak's Steering Committee, and as a "genius out of the ordinary" and Hope's Peak Academy's ultimate goal, goes by the title of the Ultimate Hope. Originally, he was a Reserve Course boy and best friend of Chiaki Nanami; Hajime Hinata.
He is the fourth major target of the Phantom Thieves. Unlike their other targets, the Phantom Thieves target Izuru once they find him in order to save Hajime and turn him back to normal; not to stop a corrupt adult in power. However, in reality, Hajime himself turns out to be the true main antagonist and Palace Ruler, while Izuru is little more than an unbiased bystander for most of the conflict.
He represents the sin of Sloth due to how Hinata's original personality was suppressed as a result of the drastic changes made during the operations that transformed him into Kamukura. Sloth is a lack of motivation to do good. It is a type of laziness that is only concerned with what is simple and has no interest in the success of others.
Tropes about Izuru
- Breaking Old Trends: Somehow his Palace has two Shadows, one of Izuru Kamukura, and one of Hajime Hinata, the latter acting as a Guest-Star Party Member for the Phantom Thieves. He's also attacked by the Gorilla Mechabeast, which is part of his Palace, due to Chiaki unlocking the temple.
- Decomposite Character: While Hajime/Izuru takes Futaba's place as the Fourth Palace Target, Chiaki takes her place as the navigator.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: Despite being phenomenally powerful in the real world, being capable of doing and understanding mostly anything, it becomes apparent that Izuru doesn't understand the concept of using your gifts to make other people happy or the idea that an Ultimate Student would want to be friends with a talentless nobody who can't offer them any form of assistance. Kaede and Chiaki are both quick to educate him.
- Good All Along: Despite being the supposed "main villain" and target of the fourth arc, Izuru is not remotely evil or a threat, just apathetic. In fact, his Shadow even teams up with and becomes Chiaki's trusted ally when things start to go wrong in his Palace. And eventually, the real enemy of the fourth arc turns out to be Hajime's Shadow, not Izuru's.
- Inexplicably Identical Individuals: Unlike the major targets that both precede and succeed him, Izuru is the only Shadow in the story who looks exactly the same as his real self outside the Metaverse. The only difference between the two is regular Izuru has red eyes while Shadow Izuru has the typical golden-yellow eyes that the Shadows possess naturally. Usami states the reason for this because the Palace rulers take the form of how they imagine themselves, but due to his lack of imagination, Izuru looks no different.Kaede: Shouldn't you look a little bit different in this world? My Mom's Shadow looked like a walking artistic disaster in her Palace.
Monomi: Sometimes, when corrupt people fully embrace their dark aspects, their Shadows can match the real person in appearance and attire. Considering Kamukura's premise is deep-rooted in the Steering Committee's tampering, it's actually not surprising that his Shadow wears the same clothes as the real-world version does. - Lack of Empathy: Izuru essentially being a God in Human Form with his Ultimate Talents, there are several points during his arc where he shows a complete lack of understanding or care for matters that are very important to the Phantom Thieves and their friends, though this is mostly due to the twisted ideas of the Steering Committee that were put into his head upon his creation, and aren't said or done maliciously, only out of his inability to understand.
- He barely acknowledges Komaru's existence, seeing as she is the only one of the Phantom Thieves who doesn't have an Ultimate Talent.
- Chiaki, in a rare case of genuine anger, gets mad at Shadow Kamukura when he fails to understand why she's so insistent on getting Hajime back since he is not powerful or wealthy enough to be useful. Even when she tells him that his hierarchy doesn't matter to her, he remains steadfast that what he's saying is fact.
- He doesn't understand why Kaede is so insistent on using her Ultimate Talent to make people happy, and his distinct lack of emotion and thought he puts into his own performance leaves Kaede a tad miffed.
Tropes about Hajime
- All Your Powers Combined: Shadow Hinata unveils his power to absorb the Phantom Thieves Persona powers through physical contact in the final battle of his arc. He not only takes on each Persona's spells and abilities, but also their physical appearances; gaining Irene's arm, Barrow's additional appendages, Casanova's head, Parker's gun arm, and Mr. A's wings. It is not a pretty sight to look at.
- Ax-Crazy: Somehow, even compared to his counterpart from the original series Hajime is even more insecure and disliking of himself, to the point where it actually drives him mad, and he tries to kill the Phantom Thieves, Chiaki, and Shadow Kamukura to make sure he can claim the Treasure for himself
- Bad Samaritan: Despite being their teammate for the duration of the Palace, Shadow Hinata is revealed to be the true Palace Ruler, and main villain, using the Phantom Thieves to get closer to the Treasure and regaining his rule before trying to kill them.
- Guest-Star Party Member: In a rather interesting twist on the format, Shadow Hinata joins the Phantom Thieves on their mission, becoming a temporary 8th party member for the duration of his Palace only.
Mementos Targets
Toshiro Uzawa
A former detective who worked for Fuhito Kirigiri before being fired.
- Asshole Victim: Toshiro Uzawa is one of many detectives who falls victim to the manipulation and abuse of Fuhito Kirigiri, who practically fires him for doing his job how he's supposed to. However, Uzawa becomes warped as a result of him being let go, and becomes an irrationally violent person, targeting members of the KDA specifically, and serving as the Phantom Thieves' first Mementos target.
Hope's Peak Academy
Class 77-B
Chiaki Nanami
Ultimate Gamer
Persona: Alexy
The rep of Class 77-B, Chiaki is an absent-minded girl who loves video games of all genres (even bad games) and is skilled at playing them.
Her Persona is Alexy Pajitnov, a Russian computer engineer and video game designer who gained notoriety in 1985 for inventing, designing, and developing the video game Tetris while he was employed by the Soviet Union's Academy of Sciences at the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre. Despite the Soviet Union wall, he made enormous efforts to introduce his game to the rest of the world during the Cold War.
- Big Damn Heroes: Saves Makoto from Shadow Hajime in Chapter 49, marking the turning point in the Phantom Thives fight against the real Palace ruler.
- Breaking Old Trends: Her Persona is the only one based on a real person who is still alive. She also awakened to her Persona without any of the other Phantom Thieves present and is thus not an official member yet.
- Decomposite Character: While Hajime/Izuru takes Futaba's place as the Fourth Palace Target, Chiaki takes her place as the navigator.
- Gosh Dang It to Heck!: She doesn't swear.
- I Know Mortal Kombat: When she enters Hajime's Palace a second time and begins exploring, Chiaki thinks she can avoid all the Shadows by relying on the stealth skills she learned from Metal Rear Solid.
- It's All My Fault: She blames herself for Hajime's disappearance, believing she pushed him too far during their hangouts.
- Older Than They Look: Downplayed. Comically, despite being rather short, plump, and baby-faced with a laid-back and cute personality, Chiaki is the oldest Persona-user in the story, being the third-year upperclassman to the main group of Phantom Thieves, who are all second-years and below (barring Monomi, but her age is unknown.)
- Secret-Keeper: She becomes aware of the Metaverse and that Makoto and Monomi are Phantom Thieves in Chapter 39. She promises to keep it secret.
- Sensor Character: Like Fuuka, Rise, and Futaba, Chiaki's Persona is a support type and can't fight. Rather, she acts as the party's navigator from the rear, frequently providing assistance at random times.
- The Cracker: Though not professional, unlike Futaba in the original Persona 5, Chiaki is effectively this role on the team. Her Persona and visor allow her to intricately scan the area around her, highlight important points and objects, and manipulate the Metaverse.
Peko Pekoyama
Ultimate Swordswoman
A master swordswoman and kendo champion whose skill at swordplay surpasses even the strongest adult fighters. A stern yet polite woman, Peko carries herself with an intimidating aura. An important character in Fuyuhiko's confidant.
Class 79
Kaito Momota
Ultimate Astronaut
The Ultimate Astronaut of Class 79. He's the classmate of Shuichi, Kaito, Maki, and Kokichi, and acts as a secondary character in Maki's confidant.
- Best Friend: Even early on in the story when he joins the Phantom Thieves, Shuichi openly states that Kaito is his best friend.
- Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Reversed, with himself and Maki.
Reserve Course Students
Hiyori Sato
A Hope's Peak Academy Reserve Course Student and a good friend of Mahiru Koizumi, who is her chief editor in the Newspaper Club.
- Ascended Extra: In the original series, Sato has only two appearances, both rather minor. She first comes up in Chapter 2 of Danganronpa 2 and appears in one episode of Danganronpa 3: Despair Side. In this story, she plays a key role in Mahiru's confidant storyline, and is given a first name; Hiyori.
Natsumi Kuzuryu
The younger sister of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu and a Hope's Peak Academy Reserve Course Student. A bully who plays a key role in Mahiru's confidant.
Hope's Peak Academy's Staff
Jin Kirigiri
The headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy and Kyoko's father.
- Abusive Parents: His father basically disowned him when Jin refused to become a detective.
- Disappeared Dad: To his daughter, Kyoko, albeit reluctantly due to Fuhito's manipulations.
Yasuke Matsuda
(Former) Ultimate Neurologist
A former Ultimate who graduated the previous year. Unlike most who graduate, though, he was permitted to stay at the academy by the Steering Committee, having him study Cognitive Psience.
- Anti-Villain: He reveals to Kyoko that his ultimate goal with his research is to cure his childhood friend of the same affliction that took his mother from him. However, for the sake of this, he does Cognitive Psience research on behalf of the Steering Committee, which they used to create Izuru Kamukura, and it's suggested he personally knows the Phantom Killer.
- Mouth of Sauron: In the meta-sense. Given his apparent association with the antagonists, he is doing this for the benefit of the audience. His frequent appearances throughout the story provide clues to the audience about what's going on behind the scenes without revealing the true villain.
A secular sector that are the ones really running Hope's Peak Academy.
- Knight Templar: They seem to believe that turning Hajime into the talented but apathetic Izuru and covering up all disasters in the academy is necessary to bring "hope" to the world.
- Named by the Adaptation: The members we see are given names: Tomita, Wakaba, Uragami, and Ashikawa.
Civilians
Kotoko Utsugi
The former Lil' Ultimate Drama. A former child star who is the daughter of Jerkass Junya Utsugi, a victim of Haiji Towa, and Komaru and Makoto's foster sister. She serves as an important character in Komaru's confidant and an important side character in the story as a whole.
- Cuteness Proximity: She fawns over "adorbs" things, and spends a lot of her time trying to look cute.
- Fate Worse than Death: Being treated "gentle". Like in the original game, Kotoko freaks out and becomes a hysterical mess when someone says "gentle." Komaru becomes aware of this in advance and quickly stops her father from making such a mistake.
- Former Child Star: Was a child actress once. Unlike most examples, though, she ended her career relatively recently and is still relatively young, even though the consequences are still present.
- Foster Kid: After Haiji Towa is arrested and the Elementary School division is scrapped, Kotoko and her friends are moved into foster care by Hope's Peak Academy until they can find new families and get their lives back to normal. Kotoko specifically becomes the foster child of Mr and Mrs Naegi, and the foster sister of Komaru and Makoto, at the insistence of the former.
- Pimping the Offspring: When Kotoko was still a child, her parents essentially sold her to producers so they could use her as a prop for sex. They did this because they had the crazy idea that it would advance Kotoko's career in some way, and help their own financial industry grow. Eventually, she is saved from this abhorrent fate after Haiji Towa's heart is changed and the Naegis agree to foster her, though she is left with deep-rooted trauma.
Takao and Shiomi Naegi
The Parents of Makoto and Komaru Naegi, and the foster parents of Kotoko Utsugi.
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: In Chapter 18 when the other Phantom Thieves are invited over to the Naegi's household for hot-pot, Takao implies to Kyoko that Makoto might have a crush on her.
- Ascended Extra: Makoto and Komaru's mother and father are only shown sparingly in the main series. In Trigger Happy Havoc, they appear in a single CG cutscene as part of Makoto's motive video alongside Komaru in her first main-series appearance. In Ultra Despair Girls, Komaru spends most of the game looking for them, when Monaca Towa shows her their (supposed) dead bodies at the end of the game. In this story, the Naegi's parents play a minor, but much more active role, with them both still alive, having names of their own, and being wonderful and supportive parents to their children, even when it lands them in trouble (i.e. Kirie's fine in the third arc of the story.)
- Bumbling Dad: Takao is shown and implied to be rather clumsy with both his actions and his words, which is clearly where Makoto gets it from.
- Mysterious Parent: Makoto sometimes questions what his mother is thinking, especially in Chapter 20 when Shiomi doesn't ask Makoto where he randomly got a million yen from.
- Onee-sama: Shiomi is heavily suggested to be this, especially in the way that she talks.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Makoto gets his looks from Shiomi while Komaru looks a lot more similar to Takao. Both Naegi siblings seem to act more like their father though, possessing his clumsy nature and inarticulate way with words.
- Whole-Plot Reference: Mrs. Naegi's forename, Shiomi, is the same as the "canonical" surname of Persona 3's female protagonist, Kotone Shiomi. It's unclear if this means or implies anything.
Shinichi and Tsubaki Saihara
Shuichi Saihara's aunt and uncle. The head detective of the Saihara Detective Agency and his wife, who raised Shuichi since he was a kid thanks to the absence of his birth parents, and taught him most of what he knows about being a detective.
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Shinichi and Tsubaki can cause Shuichi no end of stress in front of his peers. They mean well, but he finds it hard to speak when they ham him up.
- Ascended Extra: In Danganronpa V3: Shuichi mentions that he was raised by his uncle and his agency to become a detective in the absence of his birth parents. This story branches out on that, creating a full-blown family situation for the Saihara's, and developing Shuichi's uncle, giving him both a name and a significant other.
- Cringe Comedy: Most of the things Shuichi's aunt and uncle do are either hilarious or embarrassing to watch.
- Like Father, Unlike Son: Unlike most parental figures in the story, despite them and Shinichi being detectives, Shuichi's guardians are NOTHING like him. While Shuichi is a Socially Awkward Hero, Shinichi is surprisingly a Keet and a chatterbox, who is very quick to become friends with people, while Tsubaki, in her few scenes, is a loving, extroverted wife and aunt, with elements of Genki Girl in her.
- It's implied that these personalities, especially Tsubaki's, are the reason why Shuichi becomes so quickly comfortable and eventually falls in love with Kaede, who is very similarly peppy and cheerful.
- Sibling Rivalry: It's implied in Chapter 12 that Shinichi does not like his sibling; Shuichi's mother or father, likely due to how he had to raise him when that job should have fallen to them in the first place.
Kaori Akamatsu
Kaede's twin sister, and the head honcho of the Broken Instruments; a street gang.
- Ascended Extra: Kaede Akamatsu's twin sister is only briefly mentioned in Chapter 6 of Danganronpa V3, and it's unclear whether she even existed. In this universe, she does.
- Alternate Self: In the very meta sense. Kaori Akamatsu originally comes from the Danganronpa V3 Alternate Universe Fic, "Three-Point Shot" by RandomRex6
, and is named after Kaori Miyazono from Your Lie in April. In the original source material following Tsumugi Shirogane's death, Kaori assumed the role of Killing Game's new and official mastermind. In this tale, Kaori is retconned and portrayed in a very different light as a Troubled Teen who fled in a fit of Age-Appropriate Angst after suffering at the hands of her self-centered mother. - Japanese Delinquents: After running away from home she became the leader of a group of them, though they don't really cause any harm.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Though initially presented as stand-offish, rude, and unfriendly, in her most recent appearances, Kaori demonstrates that she really does hold Kaede in high regard and loves her as any sister would, as she goes out of her way to mend her relationship with Shuichi when it hits the rocks.
Momoji Utsukuyakuzurami
A detective who is a new hire at the Saihara Detective Agency, and a close office friend of Shuichi's.
- Love Triangle: Though it's only brief, she becomes Kaede's one-sided romantic rival for Shuichi's affection.
- Overly Long Name: In Chapter 35 when Momoji first introduces herself, Makoto is stunned by how ridiculously long her surname is.
- Younger Mentor, Older Disciple: Momoji is a few years older than Shuichi, but because he is an Ultimate, on top of having been a detective longer than she has, she refers to him as her "senpai" and looks up to him.
Other Characters
UNK
An assassin hiding in the Metaverse who wields the same powers as the Phantom Thieves, using it to cause mental shutdowns, accidents, and scandals for an unclear reason. The Phantom Thieves' main goal besides changing the hearts of evildoers is finding the identity of the Phantom Killer and stopping them for good.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Though unclear what their agenda is, the Phantom Killer possesses no qualms when it comes to murdering people or ruining the lives of others. They secretly used the Metaverse to assassinate Kai Akamatsu prior to the story, framing his death as an illness, which sent the Akamatsu family into a depressing despair-filled spiral downwards. Kirie Akamatsu was able to glean something wasn't right about Kai's death, but realized that nobody would believe her.
UNK
Persona: Spartacus
A Persona user who resides in the Kichijoji Foundation Palace, he attempted to subjugate Chiaki into feeling hope by wiping her mind of the sadness and despair centered around her relationship with Hajime. Their true identity is currently unknown, but they are confirmed to be male.
His Persona is Spartacus - A Thracian gladiator who led a group of escaped slaves in the Third Servile War - a significant slave rebellion against the Roman Republic. Beyond the events of the war, not much is known about him, and the historical narratives that have survived are occasionally inconsistent. However, according to all accounts, he was a skilled military commander and a formidable gladiator. The Persona itself primarily uses Bless attacks, including instant-kill moves, while also possessing blade-based physical skills and strong healing abilities.
- Anti-Villain: It doesn't matter how you cut it, being brainwashed is a bad thing, but he wants to use brainwashing to spread hope throughout the world. He doesn't want violence, but in order to stop Makoto and his company from stopping him, he becomes an adversary to their cause. Even though he obscures some facts, Usami claims that he never lies to Makoto and that his concern is sincere.
- Deducing the Secret Identity: Makoto suspects that the Phantom Knight's true identity is Third-Year Ultimate Animator, Ryota Mitarai, and has a panic attack when he meets him in reality for the first time. However, even now, he isn't 100% sure and becomes less so after talking with Ryota.
- Evil Counterpart: In a manner of speaking, he wishes for the same peaceful hopeful world as the Phantom Thieves of Hope. Unfortunately, The Knights' conception of "hope" is essentially horrifying, as it involves subjugation and forcing people to be happy.
Igor
The proprietor of the Velvet Room and is Agatha's master, he gifts the Metaverse Navigator to the Phantom Thieves, as well as aiding Makoto with Persona fusions.
