Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
fiftywind
I didn't come into the Persona 4 anime with high expectations, and I've seen really nothing but hate for this anime, but I honestly enjoyed it.
Like almost every Persona game/anime, the characters are easily the best part, and this is still true for Persona 4; they all feel like actual friends trying to solve a series of murder/kidnapping which is a part I enjoyed, I especially liked Yu his stupid comments on the side was why i gave the anime a higher rating and this kinda goes for all the Personas in both game and anime, but I really like the shifts in tone I feel like its done so well no matter how its adapted and I think 4 did it best you almost forget about the serious themes until you get hit with them out of nowhere and yet the shifts in tone is amazing despite how fast you are hit…
Read at the sourceVanVeleca
Before I start talking about the Persona 4 anime, let me talk a little bit about the Persona 4 Golden anime as I finally checked that one out. Persona 4 Golden the Animation is fun. It is a very "fun" adaptation. It is very goofy and extreme but also has a ton of hype and big sad moments to trigger at least a singular tear. If you played P4 Golden you will like it as a sort of fanservice show.
Persona 4 the Animation, in comparison, is an actual good anime that you could watch even if you haven't played the game.
Although it doesn't fully follow the same story that P4 tells it makes up for it by having it's fair share of great original moments that could only fit within an anime adaptation. It adds completely new content for the story to make Yuu (as in Narukami not You) feel more like a…
Read at the sourceSaiCicada
I think this anime is a good companion piece to the game itself.
Although, standalone, without prior knowledge of the game, I can see it maybe being a little hard to watch.
One complaint I read about was that the pacing of this anime is too quick, some scenes are long while others are very short.
The anime also tries to follow the calendar that is ingame, though it sometimes skips a lot of days forward.
I did notice that while watching it myself, but then I thought about it for only some minutes.
What the anime is skipping out on is the downtime between more major events, it won't spend time on showing the days where you do almost nothing, like grinding the current dungeon or walking around Inaba.
So I think the pacing is not really a problem, it is even less of a problem if you have alre…
Read at the sourcecolelouch
This is my first exposure to Persona 4 media without playing the game, and I would say the show has done a great job representing it. While the fighting sequences often look awkward and scattered, the show excels in storytelling. Each member of the Investigation Team gets enough screen time for viewers to understand their personalities, emotions, and motivations. A significant portion of the anime focuses on slice-of-life events, allowing viewers to appreciate the bonding and interactions between the characters. One aspect that could be improved is the backstory of the minor Arcana characters, who are mentioned briefly and easily forgotten by viewers unfamiliar with the game. However, considering Persona 4 is a large JRPG series, it's understandable that not everything could be converted i…
Read at the sourceXOArama
Standalone, I can't say this is a great anime. Many of the core gameplay parts are translated well enough, but even with a 24-episode runtime, there were too many things cut that made up the joy of playing the game.
However, as a companion piece to the game itself, I'd say it was enjoyable. It's nice to have some of these fights animated, and a lot of the goofy things the gang gets up to are shown in full animated glory. There's also a good amount of anime original scenes that are really fun to watch; you can't be mad at extra content.
Overall though, it fails to capture the charm and emotional depth of the original game. I definitely can't recommend it to anyone who hasn't played the game, but if you've played it and you enjoyed it and want to spend some more time with the gang, then I…
Read at the sourceNN010
Watched over the course of 7 weeks as part of watch parties on the "The Paradox" Discord server (link to join the server here: https://discord.gg/xy5yYFM7)
Persona 4 the Animation (much like the game it's based on), is a story filled with peaks and valleys. When it's good (ex: the last 3-4 episodes (and the OVA), the King's Game), it's REALLY good. But when it's bad (ex: the accursed Hot Springs episode, Kanji, Rise & Naoto's dungeons), it's REALLY bad. But this is not a BAD story or a bad anime on the whole. It's just aged really, really, REALLY badly. Needless to say, I prefer P3 & P5 over P4. Certainly doesn't help that Rise's simping for Yu, Yosuke's homophobia & Teddie's sleaziness really got on my nerves quickly.
6/10 for me, but it's an 9/10 or maybe even a 10/10 at it's peaks. T…
Read at the sourceallieturs
I'll start saying that I haven't played the game yet, so what I know from the game is just from a little gameplay I watched. So, no comparison to the original, my opinion will be only based on what I watched.
The serie is actually enjoyable, with the high and low typical of a 25(+1) episode serie, given that at this point it is considered a "long" anime. Being a P5's fan, I knew what I could expect, but the story was really intriguing aniway.
It's like a detective story, there are some crimes and the cast of main characters has to discover the truth about it. I actually understood who the culprit was, but it isn't something really prevedible, so I'll give points to that. Even the system of how the crime works is really interesting, though I would have liked some more details, it felt a lit…
Read at the sourceBill_Connor-
Im back.
This anime reminds me of the time wehn i used to be happy. I love how they portray your relationships with people as you leveling up with them, it is very educational, i am taking notes :). Chie is the best waifu because she loves meat and so do i ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). My favorit part was when they going to school, i feel like i can relate to that but i dont know why. I found the shadows to be very scarry for you see i am still afraid of my own shadow, my dad makes fun of me for it and he tells me to stop but he also tells me to get a girlfriend and we both know the neither of those will ever happen.
Still here, Bill
Read at the sourceNexis09
Before I start my review, I would like to state that I am judging this from the perspective of someone who is a fan of the persona franchise and has played many of the games, however this review will be looking at this from the perspective of both fans and newcomers.
-Do you have to know about persona 1, persona 2 and persona 3?-
No, each persona acts as a completely separate story. There are some callbacks to previous games but they are hardly noticeable as a newcomer and act more as easter eggs for fans.
-Do you have to play the game to watch this?-
No, you do not. With this being a 24 episode series, I feel like it has a decent amount of time to sum up the plot of persona 4, however keep in mind the game contains 70-80 hours during the average run of the game opposed to the anime wh…
Read at the sourcekoalee
So this is objectively pretty good in most ways, but when it comes down to it my question is why does this exist.
If you haven't played the game, this gives you a pale imitation of a lot of the best events. You should just play the game.
If you have played the game, then this mostly provides rushed rehashes of a lot of scenes and is not worth most of the time it takes to get through the series.
The thing that this show was best at was characterizing the down time and casual moments in the game. Being able to hear the protagonist added a level of flow that made the comedy feel more natural. The summer break is probably the best addition to the Persona brand.
So while the story is adapted well, and it looks and sounds good, I really recomend playing the game over this, and if you've don…
Read at the sourcemouthpiece
Review up to episode 5. Will edit as I watch more.
Game adaptations were never successful in capturing the mood of the original. They were always messing something up, like making the characters feel like robots, presenting events as dull as possible, or just stopping in the middle of nowhere. No matter how many times I tried to enjoy them, they felt like an Eternal Punishment.
“That’s sad-kuma.”
Yes Teddie, I agree, BEAR with it. But guess what, so far Persona 4 appears to have broken the circle of bad karma and as an exception it looks GORGEOUS!
“Hooray!”
The thing is, there have been lots of bad rumours considering the production of the show; something about someone stealing the original copy of an episode before it airs, the staff being unpaid for months, and many being ready to d…
Read at the sourceSunlitSonata
Persona 4 and the Inevitable Tolls of Adaptation
When it comes to all the mediums that could potentially be turn into an anime, such as a manga, light novel, visual novel or even a movie, few are trickier than a video game. While adaptations from other forms tend to turn one non-interactive media into another, video games rely far more on interaction and players getting as much time out of them as they put in, based on the speed they can get through its challenges or how much side content players go for, which won’t be the same for everyone.
This inherent difficulty is why so many video game based anime either are original stories that have game elements present, such as Kirby Right Back at Ya, Sonic X, and most notably the long running Pokémon anime, original stories that directly tie…
Read at the sourceshiia97
I have been a fan of the persona series for about 5 years now. It was - and still is - my favourite video game series of all time. Persona 4 was my first persona game, and its a game I hold very dear to my heart. Everything about it fascinated my younger self.
So, how does the anime compare to the legendary game?
Well, there's one thing that I'll say for sure, and that's the music certainly just as good as the game's. I never got tired of any of the openings - and I really liked how they used "True Story" for the opening of Rise's arc in episode 9. A perfect way to begin her part of the story. The two other openings, "Sky's the Limit" and "Key Plus Words" were also a joy to listen for me.
There is something I must say about the pacing. And it's one of the problems I have with both the P…
Read at the sourceKuta1
(Spoilers incoming) This review is coming from someone who's played the game multiple times. I think it's an understatement when I say the show is a very big disappointment.
Story: 7/10. The story is really nothing special: there's a series of murders going on, and our protagonist and his friends investigate a parallel world using their Personas in the attempt to save victims and find a lead on the murderer. The setup for the story is alright, and the biggest appeal is the mystery of who the murderer might be. Other than that, the execution of the story is pretty formulaic and uninspired. It essentially follows the pattern of:
1) Person gets captured
2) Hero + friends find a lead and jump into the TV world
3) Big persona battle happens, person is rescued
4) Person joins the team
5) Bunch…
Read at the sourcematiasotaku
There is something very important that a few people say, this series adapts a very good video game and is made for its fans. For this reason many things seem to happen without reason and the relationship of the characters seems to be that of people who know each other, it is because the game takes place in a school year and each relationship with a character has a developed subplot and obviously in the anime you do not get to explain of individual story of all the characters. My recommendation is that you shouldn't see the anime waiting for something for anyone, It is preferable to play the game to know if it is worth it.
Read at the sourceFuegoIndigo
Video game adaptations are very tricky to do well. You have to make sure you please both the people who are accustomed with the game and those who are not. The story must have a sensible flow of progression and the cast of characters must be faithful and if possible, better than the game. Nonetheless, there are so many cases where the adaptations are schlock for the sake of schlock, recently Assassin's Creed. But most of the time the best level the adaptations can reach are usually up to the level of guilty pleasure and badassery, which at least makes them enjoyable as a popcorn flick. But, animated adaptations are a whole other beast to tackle with. The people working in the adaptation do not have physical limits and games that would require years of production for a live-action film can…
Read at the sourceEFuzzy
Here at last you see why Nanako is the Justice arcana. Nanako is the heroine of this story.
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If you've played the game that this is all you need to know: watch this show, it has surprising depth to it that even the game doesn't cover, including a couple of catchy insert songs. If you haven't played Persona 4 then you should play it first and then come back to this wonderful anime series!
Story: Captures the spirit of the game very well, including almost every social link. More importantly, the anime adds a lot of depth which is often only hinted at in the game. This includes both more detailed backstory for a lot of the key characters as well as heartbreaking arcs giving some insight into Yu as an independent person (rather than just the player) not found in the game at all.
Art: S…
Read at the sourceThe_Ruise
If you're someone who has never played Persona 4, this will come off as an enjoyable-but-mediocre anime. As someone who has played the game, it hits all the right "nostalgia" buttons. For newcomers, it tells the story of Persona 4, adequately capturing all of the important moments, plot-related and comedic alike, albeit as a much faster pace which may be more difficult for some to follow. Meanwhile, fans of the game reminisce about their favorite moments in a new format. The cheesy atmosphere is just an added bonus, as is the portrayal of Narukami Yu as a sort of proto-Sakamoto (as in Sakamoto Desu Ga? rather than any other Sakamoto). Also dat Loveline filler episode featuring Nanako: Yes.
Read at the sourceSkyeRwby
Now, before any one rips into me about my score here let me say this.
I know this anime is based off a game. But guess what? The show understood that as well.
Story 10.
One of the biggest compliments I can give this show is that it almost followed the direction of the game to the letter. Game related events were shown in the Anime very closely, while some had to be cut for obvious time constraints and keeping the show to a proper length.
Art 8.
Now the art is quite nice for most part. But it unfortunately falls flat every now and then. It had some lapses in quality even when something was the scenes main focus. When the Anime needed to focus more on fighting it staved itself away from to much flair for more of a Elegant look as to probably not task themselves to much.
Sound 10.
Now I wat…
Read at the sourceKoteikaXD
After watching this anime for 2 times and playing for 40+ hours of gameplay at the original game, i can confidently say that i love and the game and the animation aswell. The animation has actualy 2 cons infront of the source material: The first one - Fillers which are just killing the whole Persona 4 atmosphere with their stupidity, because in the original game every single filler/side-quest was connected to a side-character and the side-character itself wasn't felt separated from the whole story because of the "social-link" mechanics (but i have to admit that the 5th episode is one of the best in the animation and it whole tells absolutely nothing about the plot itself and doesn't tell about the characters feelings and motivations aswell because it presents us the side-quest characters f…
Read at the source
