Persona 5 has a ton of romantic partners for players to pick from, and you would need to play through the (long) campaign multiple times to get through every romance scenario. For those who enjoy a good video game love story, though, that time is incredibly well spent, as the best romances in Persona 5 Royal are well worth experiencing. They help to further flesh out certain characters, while also adding a little extra incentive when it comes to exploring the game's world and really getting to know its inhabitants.
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Each Persona game is known for having strong writing, and the fifth game is no exception to this golden rule. While there is one infamous romance that no one rates highly, pretty much every other Persona 5 romance option is a blast to engage with and does a great job of letting players live out an in-depth simulation where they immerse themselves in the shoes of a high school student with magical powers that will aid them in saving the world.
Updated on December 15, 2025, by Mark Sammut: This ranking has been refreshed to include a new breakdown of what makes a great Persona 5 Royal romance, offering clearer context for how each relationship is evaluated, along with a quick verdict section highlighting the standout romance options across key categories.
What Makes a Great Persona 5 Royal Romance?
Persona 5 Royal's romance options are going to be heavily impacted by a player's preferences, specifically the type of disposition they gravitate toward. That said, criteria can still be defined to help rank Joker's best romantic partners in as objective a way as possible, while still leaving room for subjective leanings.
First and foremost, the girls who are the best narrative fit with Joker will rank the highest. Persona 5 Royal is both story and character-driven, and all the romantic partners have well-defined personalities and histories with the protagonist. While he can come across as somewhat of a blank slate at times, Joker has enough of an identity to make certain routes feel way more natural than others. The relationship also needs to echo the game's themes of rebellion and maturation.
A love story is not the only reward for improving Joker's Confidant Rank with a character, and not all paths evolve equally. The best romances fuel the partner's growth and provide emotional stakes beyond just flirting. Most importantly, they end on an emotional high note and deliver impactful endings rather than just cute ones. Ideally, the romance should not feel isolated from the main story, but rather be acknowledged through dialogue or story beats.
Finally, the dynamic between Joker and his partner matters greatly. Some romances are far more wholesome than others, while a few lean a bit more into drama or shock value. A few prioritize immediate and consistent satisfaction, while others take the slow-burn route.
Quick Verdicts
Don't want to read through the rankings and just want picks for different requirements? Then, here they are.
|
Category |
Best Persona 5 Royal Character To Romance |
|---|---|
|
Best Overall |
Ann Takamaki |
|
Best Romance for First-Time Players |
Ann Takamaki |
|
Best Story Payoff |
Kasumi Yoshizawa |
|
Most Wholesome Romance |
Haru Okumura |
|
Most Dramatic Romance |
Kasumi Yoshizawa (Or Harem Route) |
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9 Chihaya Mifune
Arcana: Fortune
- A fortune teller whose Confidant lets players enjoy a ton of benefits
While Chihaya is far from the best romanceable character in Persona 5 Royal, this is not strictly because of the quality of her romance. After all, this character is pretty endearing and a ton of fun to interact with. However, it is possible to totally miss her if players ignore the rumors of a fortune teller in Shinjuku. More than that, Joker has to pay 100,000 yen to buy an item to continue with her story, which can prove to be a major barrier that prevents people from unlocking this Confidant until a fair way in. On top of all of this, there is a moment when Chihaya will outright reject the player if they haven't chosen specific responses beforehand, meaning that most people will definitely not unlock a romance with her unless they know what they're doing.
She is cute and sweet, making her a pretty wholesome, albeit somewhat gullible character to fall for. As is the case with most other Confidants in the game, this character has a set of Mementos requests that players need to complete too. Perhaps the best part about leveling up Chihaya's Confidant is that players can unlock an ability that lets them improve their relations with other Confidants without spending any time, which is bound to be useful for obvious reasons. That being said, this ability can be accessed regardless of whether the player romances her or not.
Requirements To Romance Chihaya Mifune
- Buy her Holy Stone for 100,000 yen.
- Choose "You're just Chihaya to me" while progressing to Rank 6.
- Choose "Hell yeah I am" while progressing to Rank 8.
- Complete the Mementos request "Debunking the Psychic!"
- Choose "So I can be with you" while progressing to Rank 9.
8 Sadayo Kawakami
Arcana: Temperance
- A high-school teacher who moonlights as a maid to make some extra cash
There's no denying that romancing Kawakami is totally wrong from an ethical point of view. Not only is she pretty old compared to Joker, but she's also his teacher! This makes it quite a tricky thing to recommend this romance, even if Kawakami's character is pretty entertaining. Her personal story is also pretty interesting and justifies why she's even working part-time as a maid, to begin with.
Leveling her up as a Confidant is a little crazy, with players calling her to either do some household chores for them or hang out with Kawakami and listen to her problems. The fact that she's Joker's teacher makes it clear why players need a certain level of Guts score to call her. While the benefits of having Kawakami as a Confidant can be pretty great, the icky nature of this romance still persists regardless, but players who get over this hurdle will find themselves getting to know a pretty selfless and dedicated Persona 5 romance option who is earning money for a good cause.
Requirements To Romance Sadayo Kawakami
- Raise Guts to Level 3.
- Choose "Think this through more" while progressing to Rank 7.
- Complete the Mementos request "A Teacher Maid to Suffer."
- Choose "I want to keep seeing you," "I mean what I say," & "I'm a man; you're a woman" while progressing to Rank 10.
7 Tae Takemi
Arcana: Death
- A disgraced doctor who doesn't stop believing in her experimental treatments
The woman who serves players medicine, a goth doctor, is one of the more controversial romances in Persona 5, due to Tae's age. That said, she is a fascinating character due to how unique and mysterious she is, especially compared to the other romanceable characters in Persona 5 Royal. She may not be very plot-relevant like the Phantom Thief girls, and her age is definitely another aspect that leads to this relationship being pretty unethical in its own right.
Tae is kind and compassionate deep down, and she is a ton of fun to interact with, even if she is experimenting with drugs on a high school kid. Thankfully, her tests do end up bearing positive results, and it helps that spending time with her improves the quality of the recovery items available at the clinic.
Requirements To Romance Tae Takemi
- Raise Guts to Rank 2.
- Raise Charm to Rank 4.
- Choose "I'm glad you did" while progressing to Rank 7.
- Choose "I'm your ally" while getting the Mementos request.
- Complete the Mementos request "Bad Medicine."
- Choose "It's for Miwa-chan" while progressing to Rank 8.
- Choose I wanted to see you," "I love you," & "It isn't a joke" while progressing to Rank 9.
6 Futaba Sakura
Arcana: Hermit
- A hikikomori who slowly gets over her trauma after the Phantom Thieves save her
Futaba is an unusual character in the fact that she actually asks Joker to steal her heart. More than that, she becomes a member of the Phantom Thieves after one of the best dungeons in the entire game. Her connection to Joker's caretaker, Sojiro, is also very interesting. Honestly, it is kind of entertaining to romance Futaba just to see how Sojiro reacts.
By romancing Futaba, she manages to come out of her shell even more, learning to feel more comfortable with society. That involves a lot of interaction and trust with Joker, which makes her one of the best relationships. That said, compared to other girls in Persona 5, Futaba and Joker have an almost sibling-esque dynamic in their standard interactions, which can make switching to a romance feel peculiar.
Requirements To Romance Futaba Sakura
- Raise Kindness to Rank 4.
- Complete the Mementos request "Daughter's Just a Meal Ticket."
- Choose "Because I love you" while progressing to Rank 10.
5 Haru Okumura
Arcana: Empress
- A bubbly, kind-hearted girl who hates the evil associated with her family business
Haru is well-loved by fans, and many are disappointed that she only comes in the latter part half of the game. Many have probably already even picked their romance before meeting her. However, they miss out. She is kind, adorable, and tough all at once, and it is easy to feel protective of her.
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To add a little juicy drama to her romance, she is in an arranged marriage with a total jerk. Romancing her shakes that up a little more than in the basic plot, although it's far from the only notable thing about this character. It's a shame that she's the last playable character that players unlock well into the story — her allure as a Persona 5 romance option could've been stronger, had she appeared earlier. The fact that players need to max out their Proficiency to make more progress in a Confidant that already appears late enough as is doesn't help things.
Requirements To Romance Haru Okumura
- Raise Proficiency to Max Level.
- Reach November 25 on the calendar.
- Choose "I like you too, Haru" while progressing to Rank 9.
4 Hifumi Togo
Arcana: Star
- A shogi prodigy who's buckling under the weight of the pressure her mother is heaping on her
Hifumi is the only girl around Joker's age who is not a Phantom Thief who is a romance option. She also goes to a different high school, the same one that Yusuke attends. She is a Female Shogi League Champion and teaches Joker Shoji, although her passion for the sport wanes after her oppressive mother decides to use her to compensate for her own failed hopes and dreams.
She is pretty difficult to max out and is not plot-relevant. However, she is one of the best Persona 5 romance options because she is another person in high school, like Joker. She may not be a Phantom Thief, but she has one of the best Confidant abilities in the game. She gives players the ability to swap team members in the middle of a fight, which is invaluable for obvious reasons. It also makes battles in the game quite dynamic, with players having the ability to bring new party members into battle to change the flow of battle in the blink of an eye.
Requirements To Romance Hifumi Togo
- Raise Charm to Level 3.
- Raise Knowledge to Max Level.
- Complete the Mementos request "Upstaging the Stage Mother."
- Choose "I want to stay by your side" & "I want us to date" while progressing to Rank 9.
3 Kasumi Yoshizawa
Arcana: Faith
- A gymnast whose past holds a ton of revelations that players uncover during the Epilogue
Persona 5 Royal's only new romanceable character is the graceful gymnast, Kasumi Yoshizawa. Although many hoped to finally be able to go on a romantic pancake date with Akechi, Royal's newest party member provides one of the most wholesome relationships out of the main cast and beyond.
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Kasumi is polite, shy, and confident, and watching her shell slowly break open as Joker gets to know her is nothing short of heartwarming. Her rank 9 and 10 Confidants are quite a treat, especially in rank 9, with Joker showing his true colors as the rebellious trickster by pulling off some genuinely suave moves after the two profess their love for one another.
Requirements To Romance Kasumi Yoshizawa
- Reach Rank 9 of Maruki's Confidant before November 18.
- Choose "I love you too" while progressing to Rank 9.
2 Makoto Niijima
Arcana: Priestess
- A member of the student council who finally decides to fight back against her oppressors
Makoto is considered a queen by her fans. Fans who like her, really like her, and even consider her to be the canon romance of the game. She is also relatively easy to romance and is incredibly plot-relevant. After all, it is her sister who is interrogating Joker throughout the game. She is a very important asset to the Phantom Thieves. Also, her Persona is a motorcycle. That fact pushes her to the epitome of coolness.
While her character is typically composed and a little uptight, Joker gets to see a more flustered and shy side of her if she is romanced. It's an endearing change that adds to the notion of Makoto being one of the best Persona 5 romance options by a country mile.
Requirements To Romance Makoto Niijima
- Raise Knowledge to Rank 3.
- Raise Charm to Max Level.
- Choose I'll be your study partner" & "I do" while progressing to Rank 10.
1 Ann Takamaki
Arcana: Lovers
- A misunderstood student who aspires to be a successful model
Ann is the first female Phantom Thief, so Joker interacts with her more than any other girl. Characters like Ryuji and Morgana have huge crushes on her. In fact, those crushes can get pretty annoying as players progress through the game; heck, some might argue that the most fun part of romancing Ann is to get at Ryuji and Morgana.
While Persona 5 Royal lets you romance all these characters, Ann feels like the girl P-Studio wants you to pick as Joker's partner. Along with being the first female character introduced, she was featured heavily in the marketing for the original game, way more so than the other characters. Besides that, her romance route exposes more of her backstory, showcasing that she is quite complex. Ultimately, the developer might be correct, and Ann is the best girl to romance in Persona 5.
Requirements To Romance Ann Takamaki
- Raise Kindness to Level 2.
- Choose "You have me." While progressing to Rank 10.
Persona 5 Royal
- Released
- March 31, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Atlus, P-Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Atlus
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
