Synopsis Persona 5

persona 5 takes place within persona universe: set in modern times, revolves around group of people must face dark forces harnessing personas, manifestations of inner psyche. rather specified date, game s events begin in year 20xx . persona 5 set in modern-day tokyo, navigable locations including akihabara, shinjuku , shibuya, greater tokyo area. alongside larger environments, there specific locations can entered such shops. major setting in tokyo shujin academy, protagonist attends. there exists parallel realm known metaverse: born amalgamated hearts of humans, holds multiple palaces , structures created individuals distorted desires. created hopes , dreams of people, has been corrupted adult authority figures. location returns earlier entries velvet room, metaphysical haven growth of persona users shifts appearance depending on current guest: in persona 5, takes form of prison.

the player character silent protagonist (voiced by: jun fukuyama (japanese); xander mobus (english)) in common other persona games: becomes de facto leader of phantom thieves vigilante group. first companion problem child ryuji sakamoto (voiced by: mamoru miyano (japanese); max mittelman (english)), forms group protagonist. third founding member morgana (voiced by: ikue Ōtani (japanese); cassandra lee morris (english)), mysterious cat-like creature aid within metaverse. on course of game, further people join group, including withdrawn quarter-american ann takamaki (voiced by: nana mizuki (japanese); erika harlacher (english)); art prodigy , kousei public high school student yusuke kitagawa (voiced by: tomokazu sugita (japanese); matthew mercer (english)); shujin student council president makoto niijima (voiced by: rina satō (japanese); cherami leigh (english)); futaba sakura (voiced by: aoi yūki (japanese); erica lindbeck (english)), withdrawn first-year student genius computer skills; , cultured heiress haru okumura (voiced by: haruka tomatsu (japanese); xanthe huynh (english)). interacting protagonist goro akechi, high schooler , detective; sae nijima, public prosecutor , makoto s older sister; , residents of velvet room, igor , 2 assistants caroline , justine.

plot

a vigilante group called phantom thieves of hearts, led protagonist, cornered inside casino police during heist. protagonist attempts escape, captured, arrested, , taken interrogation room. there, public prosecutor sae nijima confronts him , demands account of events led point. protagonist begins tell story.

after protagonist defends woman being abused drunken man, protagonist charged assault , put on probation, resulting in expulsion school. protagonist sent tokyo stay family friend sojiro sakura , attend shujin academy during year-long probation. after arrival, drawn velvet room, igor warns him must rehabilitate avoid forthcoming ruin, , grants him access supernatural mobile app leads protagonist metaverse , palace of school s abusive volleyball coach kamoshida. protagonist meets morgana, informs him of ability change wicked people s hearts stealing treasure —the emotional root of behavior—from palaces ruled shadow selves. after reforming kamoshida, protagonist , morgana form phantom thieves, stealing corruption hearts of adults in attempt reform city.

the founding members protagonist, morgana, ryuji , ann. on subsequent heists, joined yusuke, makoto, futaba , haru. numbers , successes grow, attract attention of public , police including sae , detective prodigy goro akechi. learn secret conspiracy manipulating events behind scenes, , directly connected of phantom thieves reasons joining. haru s father tries reveal group s leader after reformed, assassin kills him. in pursuit of conspiracy, group joined akechi, , goes on mission sae s palace when discovers identities. following defeat, group forced split when confronted police, , protagonist arrested, leading interrogation in frame story. akechi subsequently revealed traitor working conspiracy. protagonist convinces sae of righteousness , hatches scheme use reality within sae s still-intact palace save himself when akechi attempts kill him in staged suicide. failure complete palace prior point or revealing identities of other phantom thieves results in akechi killing protagonist.

escaping hiding sae s help, protagonist convenes friends, sae, , sojiro; determine conspiracy s leader masayoshi shido, has been using akechi s ability infiltrate metaverse remove obstacles becoming prime minister , imposing reforms on japan, protagonist later recognizes shido same man encountered before probation. group infiltrates shido s palace, , there face akechi, revealed shido s illegitimate son bent on revenge towards shido years of neglect. once defeated, akechi sacrifices himself allow phantom thieves reach shido. shido defeated, , in real world confesses actions. game skips forward before christmas; general public has turned on phantom thieves, , sae s efforts prosecute shido failing. phantom thieves make final heist steal treasure of mementos, people s palace @ metaverse s core. inside find imprisoned shadows of targets , other tokyo residents, have chosen give making own decisions. phantom thieves ejected mementos treasure—a giant holy grail—and subsequently vanish after witnessing metaverse merging reality.

waking in velvet room, protagonist confronts igor, caroline , justine. persuades caroline , justine merge, revealing true form: lavenza. lavenza reveals igor imposter 1 , same holy grail. true name yaldabaoth , generated humanity s wish control , guidance through life. granted protagonist , akechi abilities see whether world preserved or destroyed through actions, while steering events in favor. true igor, believed in humanity , imprisoned yaldabaoth, created morgana protagonist. yaldabaoth offers restore world if protagonist continues in role: if accepts, protagonist returned world continue activities @ cost of humanity s freedom. refusing offer, protagonist reunites other phantom thieves , face yaldabaoth. allies rally popular support of people, severing yaldabaoth s control of humanity , allowing protagonist awaken satanael—a persona manifested humanity s wish freedom—to destroy yaldabaoth , metaverse. while protagonist must turn himself in shido can prosecuted, friends , associates secure evidence of protagonist s innocence in assault charge, leading conviction being overturned. game ends protagonist beginning journey home alongside friends.