PERSONA5 the Animation

The characters acknowledge their mutual identity and shared existence

Let's Take Back What's Dear to You.

A Beautiful Rose Has Thorns!

The volleyball team endures irrational violence from the tyrannical Kamoshida, who harbors distorted desires. He persistently approaches Ann Takamaki, a classmate of Ren. Ann has been protecting her best friend from being cut as a regular player on the team. This situation highlights the fear instilled by Kamoshida's actions and the efforts of the students to cope with his abuse. The narrative focuses on the impact of his behavior on the team dynamics and the personal struggles faced by Ann and her peers in this challenging environment.

The Phantom Thieves Issue a Challenge to Steal the Treasure

Ren and his allies distribute a calling card throughout the academy to announce their plan to change Kamoshida’s heart. The group, consisting of Ren, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana, infiltrates the Palace again with the specific goal of stealing the materialized Treasure. However, Shadow Kamoshida is waiting for them inside. This mission marks their return to the cognitive world to execute their heist against the tyrannical teacher. The team faces the formidable shadow guardian as they attempt to secure the object that represents Kamoshida’s distorted desires.

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts form after changing Kamoshida's heart

Following the successful alteration of Kamoshida’s heart, Ren and his companions choose to found the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Their mission involves continuing to change the hearts of selfish adults. As their activities progress, an internet forum known as the Phantom Aficionado Website emerges. This online platform arises in response to the group's actions, marking a new phase in their efforts to reform society through their unique methods of targeting corrupt individuals.

Ren and friends meet Yusuke Kitagawa, disciple of artist Ichiryusai Madarame, who asks Ann to model.

Ren and his companions encounter Yusuke Kitagawa, a student of the renowned Japanese artist Ichiryusai Madarame. Yusuke requests that Ann serve as the model for his upcoming artwork, a proposal that leaves the group feeling doubtful and uneasy. To alleviate their concerns and demonstrate his artistic integrity, Yusuke extends an invitation for them to attend a personal exhibition hosted by Madarame. During the event, Ren experiences a sense of discomfort upon observing Madarame’s presentation of sincerity, which contrasts with the skepticism held by the group regarding the artist's character and intentions.

Ren and Ryuji infiltrate Madarame's Palace while Ann poses as a decoy for Yusuke's painting.

Following the confirmation of the Palace's existence and an understanding of Yusuke's true feelings, Ren and his team select Madarame as their next target. Ren and Ryuji proceed to infiltrate the Palace, while Ann serves as a decoy by modeling for Yusuke's painting. During this operation, Ann discovers an unexpected item within Madarame's storage room.

Yusuke joins the Phantom Thieves to confront Madarame's true motives and infiltrate his Palace.

After realizing Madarame's genuine intentions, Yusuke requests to become a member of the Phantom Thieves. Ren and his team deliver a calling card before entering the Palace to retrieve the stolen Treasure. Inside, they encounter Shadow Madarame, who is prepared for their arrival. He displays a modified version of his renowned painting, "Sayuri," which now depicts the subject holding a baby. This unexpected alteration to the artwork serves as a challenge for the infiltrators as they attempt to proceed with their mission to expose the target's distorted desires and secure the treasure within the confined space.

The Phantom Thieves gain recognition while focusing on high school life

Following the successful change of Madarame’s heart, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts begin to receive increasing public recognition. Ren and his companions are aware of this growing attention. However, Morgana advises the group to prioritize their daily existence as high school students rather than dwelling on their alter ego activities. Consequently, they decide to temporarily set aside their vigilante work and return to living their ordinary, mundane lives for the time being.

Ren, Ryuji, and Ann meet detective Goro Akechi during a TV appearance.

During a school field trip to a television station, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann cross paths with the renowned high school detective Goro Akechi while he is filming a program. The trio grows uneasy when Akechi brings up the Phantom Thieves in conversation. Simultaneously, an individual within Shujin Academy starts investigating the true intentions behind Ren and his friends' actions, adding tension to their situation.

Makoto Niijima Challenges Ren and Friends to Prove Their Justice

Makoto Niijima, the student council president of Shujin Academy, discovers that Ren and his companions are the Phantom Thieves. She issues a demand for them to demonstrate that they truly support justice. To satisfy this requirement, Ren and his team decide to infiltrate the Palace of a new target. However, the mission encounters unexpected complications that threaten their ability to prove their allegiance. The group must navigate these challenges while attempting to fulfill Makoto's conditions and maintain their cover as heroes.

Makoto Awakens Persona and Joins Phantom Thieves to Target Kaneshiro

Makoto’s Persona awakens when she breaks free of the fake self she had been portraying, leading her to join the Phantom Thieves as their advisor. The group then begins the infiltration of Kaneshiro’s Palace in an attempt to change the heart of Kaneshiro, a Mafia Boss who targets young victims for money. This mission marks a significant step for the team as they confront the criminal leader and work to expose his true nature through their cognitive abilities.

Phantom Thieves learn of masked Metaverse intruder while Yusuke seeks creative guidance.

Following the successful alteration of Kaneshiro’s heart through the theft of his Treasure, the Phantom Thieves gain critical information regarding a mysterious black masked man who possesses the ability to enter the Metaverse. This revelation introduces a new potential threat to the group’s operations. Concurrently, Yusuke struggles with significant artist’s block and turns to his teammates for advice on overcoming his creative stagnation. The episode balances the unfolding mystery of the masked individual with Yusuke’s personal artistic challenges, highlighting the group's dynamic as they navigate both external dangers and internal struggles.

The Phantom Thieves target corrupt adults while Makoto and Ren investigate a suspicious girl in Shinjuku.

The Phantom Thieves continue their campaign by successfully altering the hearts of various corrupt adults. Concurrently, Makoto requests Ren accompany her to the Shinjuku Red-light District to conduct an investigation. During their surveillance, the pair observes a student from Shujin Academy repeatedly entering and exiting a questionable storefront. This encounter prompts further scrutiny of the girl's activities within the district, linking the ongoing investigations to the academy community.

Ren and friends attend fireworks festival after exams, interrupted by Medjed's declaration of war.

Ren and his companions have completed their final examinations and are preparing to attend a fireworks festival they had eagerly anticipated. While the group is in the process of deciding upon their next objective, they are abruptly interrupted by a sudden declaration of war issued by Medjed, an international hacker organization. This unexpected conflict arises amidst their leisure activities, shifting the focus from their planned celebration to a new digital confrontation initiated by the external group.

The Phantom Thieves receive a request from Alibaba to reform Futaba Sakura

An unknown individual calling themselves Alibaba contacts the Phantom Thieves with a specific request. Instead of targeting Medjed as previously planned, Alibaba asks the group to reform a different subject. This new target is revealed to be Futaba Sakura, who is currently under the care of Sojiro. The Phantom Thieves must decide how to proceed with this unexpected assignment from the mysterious requester.

The group persuades Futaba to open her door freely before the Phantom Thieves return to the Palace.

Ren and his companions successfully convince Futaba to open her room door of her own free will. Following this, the Phantom Thieves sneak back into the Palace to steal Futaba's Treasure. Futaba follows them inside, where she encounters a giant monster taking the form of her mother. This creature harbors a deep grudge against Futaba. The confrontation occurs within the Palace as the thieves attempt their heist, with Futaba directly facing the manifestation of her mother's negative emotions. The group's initial persuasion allows Futaba to enter the cognitive world willingly, leading to this pivotal encounter with the monstrous entity representing her mother's resentment.

Futaba Awakens Her Persona and Joins the Phantom Thieves

Futaba overcomes the distorted memories of her mother, causing her Persona to awaken. She formally requests to join the Phantom Thieves to pursue her own personal objectives. In response to this development and to improve their strained interactions, Ren and the other members propose a trip to the beach. This outing is intended to help ease the awkwardness between the group and Futaba, allowing them to bond outside of their usual missions.

Ren and friends return from Hawaii to face the principal's suspicious death at Shujin Academy.

Ren and his companions are enjoying a school trip to Hawaii when they receive news of the principal of Shujin Academy dying under suspicious circumstances. Upon returning from their travels, the group learns of this tragic event, which immediately triggers significant turmoil within the ranks of the Phantom Thieves. The sudden loss disrupts their usual activities and creates a tense atmosphere among the members as they grapple with the implications of the principal's death and the resulting instability within their organization.

The Phantom Thieves confront the mysterious Beauty Thief and the missing Morgana.

Several days have passed since Morgana abandoned Ren and the rest of the group, and he has not yet come back. While the Phantom Thieves remain concerned about their cat-like companion, they decide to target Okumura next. Upon infiltrating the Palace, they encounter unexpected obstacles in the form of the absent Morgana and a young woman who introduces herself as the Beauty Thief. This encounter complicates their mission as they face these new challenges within the distorted reality of Okumura's Palace.

Ren and the Phantom Thieves reconcile with Morgana before infiltrating a father's Palace to stop Haru Okumura's forced marriage.

Ren and the rest manage to patch things up with Morgana. Then, in order to save Haru Okumura from her upcoming arranged marriage to a creep, the Phantom Thieves sneak back into her devious father's Palace.

The Phantom Thieves question their actions after Okumura's press conference

Following the successful theft of the Treasure from the Palace of Okumura, belonging to Haru's father, the Phantom Thieves celebrate their victory. However, the mood shifts dramatically during the subsequent press conference held by Okumura. This event prompts Ren and his companions to critically examine their methods and motivations as the Phantom Thieves, leading them to doubt the righteousness of their actions. The group faces a moment of introspection regarding the consequences of their interventions, challenging their previous certainty about the justice they serve.

Akechi Proposes a Deal with the Phantom Thieves at Shujin Academy

Ren and his companions remain vigilant as Akechi is invited to attend Shujin Academy's school festival as a special guest. When the event day arrives and Akechi makes his appearance, he unexpectedly presents a proposal directly concerning the Phantom Thieves. This sudden offer catches the group off guard, shifting the dynamic of their interaction during the festivities. The situation forces the team to reconsider their stance on Akechi as he introduces this new development into their ongoing conflict. The encounter highlights the tension between the students and the prosecutor, setting the stage for further complications in their relationship.

Phantom Thieves assist Akechi by targeting Sae Niijima's Palace while a stranger visits Sojiro

The Phantom Thieves decide to aid Akechi by altering the heart of Sae Niijima, the public prosecutor and Makoto’s sister. To achieve this objective, the group infiltrates her Palace. Concurrently, an individual who identifies himself as a relative of Futaba arrives to see Sojiro. This sequence of events involves the thieves undertaking a mission for Akechi while a separate interaction occurs involving Sojiro and the mysterious visitor claiming a familial connection to Futaba.