Summary
- Persona series colors represent themes - green motif in Persona 6 hints at renewal or greed, tying into series' narrative tradition.
- Past entries utilized colors to symbolize themes - blue for loss in P3, yellow for deception in P4, and red for desire in P5.
- Speculation around Persona 6's green theme suggests a possible soft reboot, dealing with new beginnings or darker themes like greed.
The Persona series has always used color as a visual representation of the major themes throughout the franchise. With a recent Persona 6 rumor claiming the game will use green as its primary color motif, the Persona fan base has begun speculating as to what the use of this color could imply about the game's story. In order to understand Persona 6's potential narrative design, it's important to look at the franchise's history with color and how it impacts the major themes of each entry.
While the game has yet to be officially announced, leaks and rumors surrounding Persona 6's development and potential release date have been circulating online. Among these rumors is the claim that Persona 6 will use green as its primary color motif, which makes sense following Persona 3's use of blue, Persona 4's use of yellow, and Persona 5's use of red. By looking back at each entry's color motif, fans may be able to get a sense of how Persona 6 may tie the color green into the overarching themes of its narrative.
Persona 3 Reload Says a Lot About P6's Protagonist
The way that Persona 3 Reload doubles down on some of P5's innovations could indicate some of the changes coming to future entries in the series.
How Color Motifs Support the Narratives of Each Persona Game
Persona 1 and 2
Persona 1 and the Persona 2 duology are outliers in the series in that they don't intertwine their color palettes with their themes as obviously as other entries. The original Persona uses purple as its primary color motif, which could tie into the game's themes of strength and the ambition to face a world overrun with demons. Persona 2: Innocent Sin primarily uses the color red to convey its themes of danger and provocation associated with spreading rumors, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment follows a similar color theme as Persona 1 with its use of purple.
Persona 3
Persona 3 is where many fans consider the modern era of the franchise to begin, along with the series' current trend of using color to visually support a game's overarching themes. Many consider Persona 3 to be the most depressing game in the series, dealing with themes of loss and grief as characters grapple with their mortality. These themes are supported by the game's emphasis on the color blue, which is often associated with melancholy and depression, but also tranquility and acceptance.
Persona 4
Persona 4 utilizes yellow as its primary color motif, which typically symbolizes happiness, energy, and positivity, but can also represent caution and deception. The duality of this color fits in with Persona 4's outwardly upbeat appearance and emphasis on entertainment, with the TV world and an idol like Rise Kujikawa playing major roles in the story, while also supporting its more sinister underlying theme of mystery as the investigation team works to uncover the truth behind the string of killings in Inaba.
Persona 5
The bright red used as the main color motif for Persona 5 reflects the game's emphasis on desire, authority, courage, and revenge. Persona 5 focuses on the twisted desires of those in positions of authority and the negative consequences they have on society, while also showing characters developing the courage to stand up to those figures. In a corruption of this theme, red can also represent Goro Akechi's obsession with revenge and how it contrasts with the ideals of the Phantom Thieves.
What Persona 6's Rumored Green Color Motif Could Imply
Looking at these color motifs, it's clear that Atlus is committed to interweaving the narrative design with the visual design of the Persona series. When considering Persona 6's rumored green color motif, it seems likely the game will deal with themes such as renewal and rebirth, since green is often associated with the circle of life. Persona 6 could even serve as a soft reboot for the series, given that green can often represent new beginnings, but it could also be representative of themes such as greed or envy as major motivating factors in the game's plot.
Persona 3 Reload
- Released
- February 2, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17 / Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- P-Studio
- Franchise
- Persona
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, RPG, Life Simulation, Strategy
- How Long To Beat
- 65 hours
