It's Official: Persona 4 Is Getting an Anime

[John Funk]

It's Official: Persona 4 Is Getting an Anime

Do you know about the Midnight Channel?

A strange teaser trailer that hit the internet and went viral this past Saturday seemed to hint that Atlus had something planned for the Persona series [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109130-Update-Mysterious-Countdown-Hints-at-Persona-4-Anime], specifically 2008's Persona 4.

Those guesses could have been off the mark or far-fetched, but instead, it turns out that they were right on the money: Persona 4 is getting an anime adaptation.

We don't know much about said anime other than the information on the official site [http://www.p4a.jp/]. It's being produced by Sony's anime-studio arm Aniplex in conjunction with the Persona creators at Atlus, for one. While Persona 3 had a very, very loosely-connected anime series in the form of Persona: Trinity Soul, it seems that this will just be a straight-up animated adaptation of P4 storyline.

Four of the original voice actors have signed on to reprise their roles from the game: Showtaro Morikubo as Yosuke Hanamura, Yui Horie as Chie Satonaka, Ami Koshimizu as Yukiko Amagi, and Daisuke Namikawa as the main protagonist. Hopefully the anime will give him an actual name, or else that script will be really awkward to act out. (Edit: As Tautology pointed out in the comments, he has a name. It's "Yu Narukami." Go figure).

While there's no word on a localization yet, Atlus has been very dutiful about bringing its games - even the more esoteric ones [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108129-Catherine-Officially-Cheating-on-Japan-With-U-S] - to the West, so one can only hope. If we do get the Persona 4 anime, I hope we get the dub actors from the game, too. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

Consider my interest officially piqued, sirs and madams.

(P4A JP [http://www.p4a.jp/])

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[i am not god]

Hell. Yes.

 

[Lady Kathleen]

PUT IT IN MY EYES.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Yay now i can stop putting off debating getting this game

 

[FogHornG36]

Isn't the game enough of an anime as is

Also, i hate anime, only because its so mainstream

 

[FalloutJack]

They really have gone into the TV world now!

Love this.

Now, someone find me a translation so I know when people int he U.S. can enjoy it too.

 

[Tautology]

I'm all kinds of excited! Here's hoping it's as good as the game.

Hopefully the anime will give him an actual name, or else that script will be really awkward to act out.

The official site has the main character's name as Yu Narukami.

 

[mireko]

There's something very odd about the anime designs.

Spoiler

Can't quite figure it out. Something's uncannily different, though.

[sub]and Yosuke looks like a crab.[/sub]

 

[John Funk]

I'm all kinds of excited! Here's hoping it's as good as the game.

Hopefully the anime will give him an actual name, or else that script will be really awkward to act out.

The official site has the main character's name as Yu Narukami.

Oh. Well, there you go. That'll teach me not to read Japanese. Or rather, to not click on the character profiles.

 

[WilliamRLBaker]

So we can expect loads of tentacle type monsters? and nubile young girls?

 

[ddq5]

The official site has the main character's name as Yu Narukami.

Not sure why they're not just sticking with Souji Seta, the name the manga gave him. If it's going to be an adaptation of the game's plot, it'll probably mostly follow the manga anyway.

 

[Heartcafe]

My soul just flew out of my chest.
This certainly brightened up my day.

Guesses on release date?

 

[Baresark]

Hmmm, I can foresee this being one of those slow sad animes, the kind that put me to sleep. I mean, the games aren't exactly exciting as far as story progression is concerned. BUT, I do like the games a lot, and I will definitely give this a shot before I make any final judgements.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

There's something very odd about the anime designs.

Spoiler

Can't quite figure it out. Something's uncannily different, though.

[sub]and Yosuke looks like a crab.[/sub]

I wonder if I can mute when the protagonist talks? You were right. I'm......torn on whether to watch it. It would have been hilarious if they somehow managed to keep a silent protagonist, though.

 

[VanQ]

There's something very odd about the anime designs.

Spoiler

Can't quite figure it out. Something's uncannily different, though.

[sub]and Yosuke looks like a crab.[/sub]

They're in HD now, glorious HD and not in fuzzy PS2 low res. They look great in my opinion and I'm very much looking forward to this. The game was great and as long as they stick to the main storyline of the game and don't overly abridge it, it should turn out great too.
Nasty thought just entered my mind though, if it's a 12-13 episode series, it might turn out to be nasty, they'd have to cut out way too much, let us all pray that it gets the 24 episode treatment.

 

[WorldCritic]

That's awesome, now if I could just get around to playing the game before this series starts that would be great.

 

[Sticky Squid]

I'll probably end up watching this, hope it doesn't turn out too bad.

 

[mireko]

Now then, make Chie x Yukiko canon! You have a unique and golden opportunity, anime adaption people. YOU HAD BETTER TAKE IT.

Hmmm, I can foresee this being one of those slow sad animes, the kind that put me to sleep. I mean, the games aren't exactly exciting as far as story progression is concerned. BUT, I do like the games a lot, and I will definitely give this a shot before I make any final judgements.

What? You sure you're not thinking of a different MegaTen game? P4 is about as upbeat as Atlus has ever been.

They're in HD now, glorious HD and not in fuzzy PS2 low res. They look great in my opinion and I'm very much looking forward to this. The game was great and as long as they stick to the main storyline of the game and don't overly abridge it, it should turn out great too.
Nasty thought just entered my mind though, if it's a 12-13 episode series, it might turn out to be nasty, they'd have to cut out way too much, let us all pray that it gets the 24 episode treatment.

I'm not talking about image quality, I'm talking about the character design itself. Their faces are subtly different from how Soejima drew them. I have his artbook in front of me right now and something is.. odd.

Yes, I'm definitely overthinking and making far too much of this, but it's kind of distracting. It looks like fanart.

I wonder if I can mute when the protagonist talks? You were right. I'm......torn on whether to watch it. It would have been hilarious if they somehow managed to keep a silent protagonist, though.

I'm glad they're not going for the Trinity Soul approach, but I'm a little uncertain too. I wonder how they'll handle relationships and all the optional aspects of the game.

 

[icyneesan]

Thank god its not going to be like Trinity Soul. Heres hoping its as good as the Tales of the Abyss anime.

Isn't the game enough of an anime as is

Also, i hate anime, only because its so mainstream

I hate breathing because its mainstream. We should form some sort of mainstream-hating club.