Best Persona Anime & Manga, Ranked

Highlights

Persona 4 The Magician is a short manga that explores Yosuke’s character and his life before Persona 4, providing valuable insights.
Persona 5 is the most popular entry in the series, known for its funky aesthetics, stylish gameplay, and a great way to enjoy the game’s story.
The Persona 3 movie series offers a different adaptation approach, with films that provide a high-quality and immersive experience of the game’s story.

JRPGs and anime have always been two mediums that frequently intersect, with many popular JRPG franchises featuring anime cutscenes or art from popular mangaka. The Persona subseries of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise has been one of the most prominent of the anime-styled JRPGs, with anime-styled cutscenes and portraits used throughout the series.

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With this close connectivity to the anime and manga sphere, it’s no surprise that the Persona series has seen several such adaptations over the years. While the games remain the best way to experience the series, these adaptations offer alternatives to those who might not be able to play through the original games. Here are some of the best Persona anime and manga, ranked by their MyAnimeList score.

8 Persona 4 The Magician

MAL Score: 7.27

Written & illustrated by Shiichi Kukura
Published in Persona Magazine
1 volume

Yosuke Hanamura is pulled from his city life to a much more rustic life in the town of Inaba when his father is transferred there to be the manager of Junes. Feeling like an outsider and disliked by the locals who feel Junes is taking their business, he struggles to find his place in his new home.

Persona 4 The Magician is a very short prequel manga that details Yosuke’s life before the events of Persona 4 begin. It provides a lot of insight into Yosuke’s character and his relationship with Saki Konishi.

7 Persona 5

MAL Score: 7.41

Written & illustrated by Hisato Murasaki
Published in Ura Sunday
12 volumes

When Akira Kurusu tries to save a woman from an attempted assault, he is himself wrongfully convicted and sent to Tokyo to attend a new school after being expelled. While there, he quickly encounters an app that allows him to travel to a new world, where he comes face to face with the distorted desires of the corrupt.

Persona 5 is easily the most popular entry in the series, with its funky soundtrack, flashy aesthetics, and stylish gameplay making it stand out among its various competitors. While the manga lacks amazing music and gameplay, it’s still a great way to enjoy the game’s story.

6 Megami Ibunroku: Persona

MAL Score: 7.46

Written & illustrated by Shinshu Ueda
Published in Monthly GFantasy
8 volumes

Naoya Todo gets roped into playing the occult game “Persona” with his classmates. Believing the whole thing to be a silly superstition, he is surprised when the game summons him to a strange realm, giving him and his classmates strange powers known as Personas.

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Megami Ibunroku: Persona is a manga adaptation of the original Persona game, which was released back in 1996. Fans of the franchise who haven’t played some of the older games can check this manga out to get a look at the story.

5 Persona 4: The Animation

MAL Score: 7.51

A screenshot from the Persona 4 the Animation anime

Produced by AIC ASTA
25 episodes

When his parents are sent to work abroad, Yu Narukami is forced to move to Inaba and live with his uncle and cousin. Though he tries to live a normal life with normal friends, a bizarre murder mystery starts to upend the town’s quiet atmosphere. While investigating the murders with his new friends, Yu discovers the existence of the TV World, a mysterious dimension that might have something to do with the killer.

Persona 4: The Animation is an incredibly faithful adaptation, adapting the events of the game along with various side content. The anime contributed heavily to the series’s popularity and is just as beloved as the game.

4 Persona 3

MAL Score: 7.76

Written & illustrated by Shuji Sogabe
Published in Dengeki Maoh
11 volumes

A normal day has 24 hours – or at least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. In truth, there is a secret Dark Hour that exists between one day and the next, where Shadows roam and attack anyone they encounter. Minato Arisato is one of several people who can wander about in the Dark Hour, and he is recruited by an organization known as S.E.E.S. to investigate the Dark Hour and figure out why it exists in the first place.

Persona 3 is the first game in the series to feature its now-famous Social Link system, as well as various life simulator mechanics. The manga offers a faithful look at the game’s story for those who haven’t had the chance to play the game.

3 Persona 4

MAL Score: 7.81

Written & illustrated by Shuji Sogabe
Published in Dengeki Maoh
13 volumes

Soji Seta arrives in the town of Inaba after his parents working abroad force him to move in with his uncle. He quickly makes friends and gets used to daily life, but a series of grisly murders threatens Inaba’s tranquility. After discovering the TV World, Soji and his friends realize there might be a way to uncover the mysterious killer hiding in town.

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While the Persona 4 anime was much more popular, the Persona 4 manga is still a faithful rendition of the game’s story. The preferred adaptation will depend on the person in particular, but fans are sure to enjoy the story either way.

2 Persona 5: Mementos Mission

MAL Score: 7.82

Written & illustrated by Rokuro Saito
Published in Dengeki Maoh
3 volumes

The Phantom Thieves have taken Tokyo by storm, claiming to have the power to change people’s hearts. They are led by Ren Amamiya, who takes on the mantle of Joker and tries to change society by improving the hearts of the people.

Unlike other manga adaptations of the Persona games, Mementos Mission provides original side stories based on the various side characters introduced in the game. Fans who want more stories involving the Phantom Thieves should check this series out.

1 Persona 3 The Movie Series

MAL Score: 8.03 (Highest Ranking Movie)

Movie 1 produced by AIC ASTA, the rest produced by A-1 Pictures
4 films

Makoto Yuki transfers to Gekkoukan High School, a private school situated on Tatsumi Port Island. Not long after transferring, he encounters a monster and unlocks the ability to summon a Persona. Joining an organization of Persona-users called S.E.E.S., Makoto starts investigating the Dark Hour, a special time that exists between one day and the next.

The Persona 3 anime took a different track from later adaptations, adapting the game into films rather than serialized episodes. The films are a good way to experience the game’s story and are of fairly high quality due to being films rather than serialized TV shows.