Best Persona Intro Movies

Everyone knows that Atlus likes to get as stylish as possible when designing their games, with everything from the character designs to the UI looking colorful, vibrant, and incredibly eye-catching, but it's arguably their movie intros that showcase this the most. Every Persona game has its own unique opening cinematic which will often drop hints about the game's plot, while also introducing the characters before the player jumps into the experience for themselves.

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These aren't just mash-ups of a few in-game cinematics though, these are made entirely for the purpose of being a big and bombastic way to kick off the game, and they're usually filled with small secrets and symbolism that relate to the game itself. With Persona 3 Reload on the horizon, it only seems right to take a look back at some of the very best Persona intros that have stuck out to fans for their visual spectacle, subtle foreshadowing, and music. It should be noted that this list will also take the Persona spin-off intros in consideration, alongside the mainline ones.

6 Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

Eternal Punishment's Intro Creates A Creepy And Unnerving Tone That Perfectly Suits The Game

While Persona 2 Innocent Sin simply featured a small intro cinematic which wasn't too interesting or engaging in its visuals, Atlus decided to go all-out with Eternal Punishment, creating a moody and suspenseful intro that perfectly suits the game's darker tone. While the cinematic starts by focusing on Maya as she stands alone in an abandoned park, it quickly switches to the school where a giant gloomy cloud can be seen floating above.

From there, it quickly snaps between a few of the story's most important events, including subtle references to Joker, and even a clear look at Sudou, one of the game's main antagonists who's shown wearing an unnerving smile while the building around him burns to the ground. While it's definitely on the shorter side, Eternal Punishment's intro still does an amazing job at creating a bleak and creepy tone which carries over into the main game.

5 Persona 3

Persona 3's Most Important Themes Are Highlighted In Its Endlessly Creative Intro

Persona 3 was the game where Atlus really started adding a lot more style and visual flare to their intros, and it definitely shows with this flashy cinematic which makes quite the impression the first time it plays. While the intro does a good job at not spoiling too much of the story other than just showing a few key characters, it also throws in several key hints as to the game's main themes, especially the concept of living life to the fullest.

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This is primarily shown through the constant quick flashes of "Memento Mori" which is used in artistry to symbolize the inevitability of death. The now classic song "Burn My Dread" that plays in the background also fits in with this symbolism, and it's become somewhat of an iconic track among the fanbase because of how it manages to sound both emotional but also incredibly upbeat at the same time.

4 Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight

Colorful, Vibrant, And Incredibly Eye-Catching, Dancing In Starlight Kicks Off With A Bang

Rather than trying to fit in subtle hints of symbolism or references to character backstories, Atlus instead prioritized animation and style when creating the Dancing in Starlight intro, and it results in a dazzling visual spectacle that demands the player's attention right from the get-go. Each member of the Phantom Thieves is dressed in their own casual but endlessly stylish outfits, which gives the intro an extremely laid back and casual tone that just feels so energetic and fun.

Atlus also threw a few incredibly unique dancing scenes in the intro too, such as the shot of the gang showing off their moves on a moving train, or Joker dancing his way around oncoming traffic in the coolest way imaginable. "GROOVY," while not quite as catchy as some of the songs on Persona 5's original OST, is still a fun and infectious tune that perfectly fits the energy of the characters on-screen.

3 Persona 4

Atlus Uses Some Incredibly Unique Visual Styles In This Flashy Cinematic

Atlus decided to play around with a few interesting visual styles throughout the opening of Persona 4, which helps make it an extremely memorable cinematic that is packed full of small and subtle details to look out for with each subsequent viewing. When showcasing the main party members, it first portrays each of them in silhouette form, which lends an aura of mystery, before then taking the view of a camcorder that shows them all going about their daily lives. It's a clever way of showcasing just how different all these characters are, and adds a lot of intrigue to how exactly they all eventually ended up becoming close friends throughout the story.

There's also a few very brief scenes showing the tarot cards which, on the surface, can seem pretty uninteresting on their own, but anyone who has played the game will know that they are actually pretty relevant to the game's mechanics and systems. There's also a very quick scene of a dead body hanging on a telephone line which does hint towards some of the darker elements of the game's plot, providing players with just enough information to make them interested in what this story is all about.

2 Persona 3 Reload

Persona 3 Reload's Intro Pairs Subtle Symbolism With Absolutely Stunning Visuals

Considering just how many people adore the Persona 3 intro, there was skepticism whether Atlus could really top it for the remake, but they absolutely nailed the feeling and tone of the game while also serving up some downright incredible visuals in the process. The intro is absolutely full of foreshadowing, but Atlus manages to still make it unclear as to what is being shown through clever use of the camera angles. For example, while Junpei can first be shown waving at the protagonist with a smile, the screen quickly turns black where he's then shown with a saddened frown and a "broken home" behind him. It's these sorts of scenes that do a great job at calling back to longtime fans of the game, while also letting newcomers know that these are some pretty complex characters that they're going to be learning more about during their experience.

The art style is also insanely eye-catching, often switching between a smooth 3D animation when characters are moving around and razor sharp 2D scenes that look like something right out of a big-budget anime show. Symbolism is also plentiful, but it's a lot less obvious than it was in the original intro, such as the beautiful scene that shows the moon shedding a tear of blood which then contains a mysterious, but very important figure in the reflection. Atlus knocked it out of the park with this cinematic, and if not for one other intro, it would undoubtedly be considered the very best of the series.

1 Persona 5

Each Party Member Gets More Than Enough Time To Shine In Persona 5's Effortlessly Stylish Intro Cinematic

Groovy, confident, and all so catchy, the Persona 5 intro oozes style, and it makes the player feel fully immersed and involved in the game's world as soon as those signature notes play at the beginning. While each Phantom Thief is shown throughout the intro, they're often seen darting around the environment and staying out of the spotlight when sporting their outfits, which adds a lot of intrigue, while also reflecting how they will eventually act throughout their many escapades. When they're not donning their uniforms though, the characters are shown to be partaking in activities that reflect their personalities and backstories, such as Ryuji sprinting across a road and Yusuke splattering color all over a wall with a paintbrush.

Even to this day, it's astonishing how all the scenes manage to seamlessly transition from one another. Whether it's a screen on Futaba's computer instantly switching over to the Blue Room, or even Arsene's wings flapping the title screen into existence, it can't be understated just how much artistic flavor and creativity was thrown into this single cinematic. "Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out" is also an incredibly catchy tune that feels very motivating to listen to, providing a delightful precursor to the rest of the game's beloved jazz-inspired soundtrack.