ThePersonaseries is easily one of the most beloved JRPG franchises of all time. Originally starting out as a spinoff of theShin Megami Tenseiseries, the formula that was established inPersona 3was widely beloved by most JRPG fans, catapulting the Persona franchise to the heights of popularity that it enjoys right now.
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A big part of what makes thePersonaseries so special is its stories, which feature common characters, enemies, items, and a host of other elements. While this interconnection is quite appreciatable, this does come at the cost of some narrative plot holes and inconsistencies that can potentially get on the nerve of some fans. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the biggest inconsistencies in the lore of thePersonaseries.
10Each Game Features A Completely Different Way To Summon A Persona
Given that everything from the Personas to the monsters in the game is consistent across the games, most people would think that the manner of summoning a Persona would also be the same. However, this is one of the different aspects of each game.
Each game in thePersonaseries featuresa different way to summon Personas.Persona 3had Evokers that were shaped like guns,Persona 4used simple tarot cards, andPersona 5had people ripping the masks from their faces.
9The Wild Card Ability Is Extremely Mysterious, Perhaps To A Fault
The protagonists ofPersonagames have the ability to house a host of different Personas, as opposed to a solitary one. While this ability is definitely quite powerful, its explanations don’t really make a ton of sense.
InPersona 3, Aigis gets the Wild Card ability out of nowhere after Makoto’s demise.Persona 4was the only game to elaborate on how Yu got the Wild Card ability in the first place… but this explanation won’t make sense for the events of bothPersona 3andPersona 5.
8Personas Should Ideally Turn Into Shadows Under Moments Of Extreme Stress
It has been established in the lore of thePersonaseries that certain Persona can turn into Shadows in stressful moments.This happens all the time inPersonagameswhen main characters end up low on HP or against an extremely powerful foe.
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So, it’s easy to see why most people wonder how these Personas manage to remain intact… even after suffering a death blow! It seems that Atlus has forgotten about this rule of Personas.
7Philemon Has Kinda Disappeared From The Series
Philemon is an all-powerful entity that grants certain special people the ability to summon Personas of their own. This character has appeared frequently over the course of the first fewPersonagames.
However, sincePersona 3, Philemon is yet to make an official appearance. It’s almost like Atlus completely forgot about this character’s existence.
6Catherine Tying Into The Persona Universe Feels A Bit Messy
Catherineis a unique action-puzzle title released by Atlus that doesn’t pull any punches in terms of difficulty. The game is extremely entertaining to play through, with an easter egg referencing Vincent inPersona 3 Portabletoo.
However, this would imply that the universes ofCatherineandPersonaare linked. The sheer number of possibilities and inconveniences in the lore of both series is exacerbated as a result.
5Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight Taking Place In The Middle Of The Story Makes No Sense
All spin-off titles are considered canon by Atlus for thePersonaseries. While this brings several plot holes to mind, the biggest one is related to the events ofPersona 5: Dancing in Starlight.
Apparently, the events ofPersona 5: Dancing in Starlighttake place during the events of the main game! How didthe Phantom Thievesget the time to dance and save their lives while the story ofPersona 5was taking place?
4Most Social Links Feel Completely Disconnected From The Main Plot
This might not directly relate to the lore of thePersonaseries, but it’s odd how the Social Links and Confidants made by players in thePersonagames feel so disjointed from the main plot. This is especially apparent when players have hung out a ton of time with these special characters but haven’t maxed out their meter.
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It’s odd to seethese Social Link charactersonly appear in a notable capacity if their bond is completely maxed out with no exceptions. This, coupled with the odd story beats of some of these side characters, make them one of the weirdest parts of the overallPersonaexperience.
3Nanako’s Demise In Persona 4 Is Governed By An Unrelated Event
Nanako is one of the most precious charactersinPersona 4. Watching this character be swept into the TV World and almost lost her life is extremely hard to go through.
What makes this even worse is that Nanako won’t regain her life if the player fails to convince his friends to save Taro Namatame. This makes no sense since Nanako magically comes back to life otherwise in the other endings. Was Teddie’s influence reliant on the cool-headedness of the gang?
2The Parents Of Persona Protagonists Seem Completely Inept
Given the trials and tribulations thatthe protagonists ofPersonagamesgo through, it’s odd how these characters never even think once about calling their parents. Of course, this statement goes both ways!
It’s one thing to send your child to a different location for a year to help them develop, it’s an entirely different thing altogether to not even check up on him over the course of this long time period! What kinds of parents are these?
1The City Of Tokyo Going Back To Normal After The Ending Of Persona 5 Is Hard To Believe
After Mementos merges with the real world, the entire city of Tokyo and its population goes back to normal as if nothing really happened. This can be hard to comprehend, given the fact that most civilians start to perceive the twisted world around them!
Did the citizens of Tokyo completely forget about the inexplicable things that happened around them? It’s truly hard to believe, especially since they saw the Phantom Thieves trying to save them as well!
