Persona 3: Every Possible Romance, Ranked

Highlights

• Persona 3 offers players the opportunity to form romantic relationships with various characters, with solid writing that rewards investment in Social Links.
• Yukari Takeba, Fuuka Yamagishi, and Yuko Nishiwaki are among the potential romance options, each with their own unique characteristics and storylines.

Everyone just wants a chance at true love, right? There’s not a single gamer who knows this better than those who play the Persona games. Shin Megami Tensei either had a streak of brilliance or a streak of cruelty when they decided certain characters in Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 could be romanced, leaving it up to the discretion of the player who they chose. When it comes to being an in-game harem or a protagonist with a heart of gold, the choice belongs to the player.

So who, then, is the best character to romance in Persona 3? Depending on the choice of protagonist, players have access to several romance options in Persona 3. Regardless of what choice players make, there’s no denying that the writing for each romance option is pretty solid and will reward any player who decides to invest their valuable free time into leveling their Social Links and forming memorable romantic relationships with them.

Updated on June 22, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Persona 3 is a video game that needs no introduction, with this particular title setting the template that would pave the way for the series’ runaway mainstream success. Combining aspects of the life sim genre with tight JRPG combat is a genius idea that is paying dividends to this day, and a lot of people still find it hard to believe that this Shin Megami Tensei spin-off series has branched out to arguably become bigger and more beloved than its parent franchise. The protagonist will gain the opportunity to form severable bonds with certain Social Links in Persona 3, with some of them possibly blossoming into a beautiful relationship if gamers wish. Even if two-timing may not be punished in this game, there are some people who’d want to be loyal to a certain character because of how endearing they can be.

13 Theo

Let Him Explore Various Hotspots In Tatsumi Port Island Before Bringing Him Back To The Room

• Arcana: N/A
• Social Link Start: Accept Velvet Room Requests
• Unlocks: Kartikeya (70)

The opposite character of Theo would be Elizabeth, who is also nodded to romantically in Persona 3. The reality of Theo’s Social Link is that, similar to Elizabeth, he requires completed side quests in order for the relationship between him and the protagonist to improve. By completing his requests, the protagonist will grow closer to Theo. This seems a bit odd considering most Persona games that came before didn’t allow as much independent interaction between the Velvet Room characters and the protagonist, at least not to the point of being this personal.

The romantic interaction that players can engage in with Theo isn’t all that official, meaning that most players will be disappointed if they wanted a more meaningful bond to form after taking him out so many times. Still, it’s a nice side story that fleshes out the story of the Velvet Room attendant, which means that most players will look forward to their interactions with this character as they create Personas with Igor.

12 Elizabeth

She Requests The Player To Explore The City Before Asking For A Personal Tour Of His Room

• Arcana: N/A
• Social Link Start: Accept Velvet Room Requests
• Unlocks: Kartikeya (70)

Elizabeth plays an important role in the player’s journey throughout Persona 3, serving as the main Velvet Room attendant. She is also a romance option for the male MC, though it is worth noting that she isn’t technically a Social Link. Players can progress through her story by completing the myriad of requests she has available. Completing each one gets the player a certain reward.

The completion of Elizabeth’s final dating request, available on December 12th in the game, allows the player to fuse Kartikeya. Players share a meaningful and intimate moment with her, even if things don’t really amount to anything significant. She’s also a hidden boss that players can fight against, but it’s important to keep in mind that the protagonist needs to be alone for this encounter, and the fight itself is devilishly hard.

11 Ken Amada

Ken Gets Weirdly Possessive If The FeMC Decides To Date Him

• Arcana: Justice (P3P)
• Social Link Start: September 1st (Max Courage)
• Unlocks: Melchizedek (59)

Ken plays an important role in the original Persona 3, but his character is expanded upon considerably in Portable. Ken is given a Social Link in the female MC route, occupying the Justice arcane link instead of Chihiro. Like most of the male SEES members, Ken is a possible romance option in Portable. Ken’s Social Link really provides some much-needed insight into his past and how it affected him going into the events of the game.

While this Persona 3 romance option is certainly an interesting choice, the age gap is what most players will find hard to wrap their heads around. This is the biggest hurdle surrounding this romance that makes it a bit icky for players who don’t want to encroach upon an area that is better off avoided.

10 Bebe

Help Him Make A Kimono To Prove His Love For Japanese Culture

• Arcana: Temperance
• Social Link Start: May 29th (Academics 2 or Higher)
• Unlocks: Byakko (56), Yurlunger (64)

Bebe’s Social Link is accessible by both male and female MCs. While he’s not technically a romance option for either, the end of his link in the female MC’s route reveals a fondness not apparent in the male MC’s.

Once the player completes Bebe’s Social Link, he moves back to France due to familial circumstances. At the end of the female MC’s Social Link, she will receive a letter from Bebe, telling her of his feelings for her. So, while the romance isn’t pursuable in-game, it’s still written into the link. He may not be the most interesting Social Link in the game, but it’s still heartwarming to get this letter.

9 Fuuka Yamagishi

Help Her Perfect Her Cooking With A Ton Of Guts

• Arcana: Priestess
• Social Link Start: June 15th (Portable), June 19th (FES)
• Unlocks: Scathach (64)

Fuuka is an interesting character. Not only is her design the most visually intriguing, but her romance route is a bit of a humorous one. Fuuka requires a full Courage stat max-out, mainly because the real challenge lies in the protagonist having to eat her cooking. This isn’t a skill she’s great at, and this, interestingly enough, mirrors one method of maxing out ‘Guts’ in Persona 5 by completing the Big Bang Burger challenge. What is it with these games and needing the courage to eat massive amounts of food?

Regardless, the somewhat humorous nature of this romance itself makes it well worth the investment, not to mention the various bonuses that can be attained from leveling up her Social Link in the game. That being said, a lot of people aren’t huge fans of romancing this character, feeling that the other options in the game are more well-written and emotionally engaging.

8 Yuko Nishiwaki

Encourage Her To Become A Trainer For A Group Of Kids

• Arcana: Strength
• Social Link Start: Ask Her To Walk Home Twice After Joining A Sports Club
• Unlocks: Siegfried (55)

Where sports are concerned, Yuko is the top star athlete. Where strength is concerned, Yuko is also a star. She’s responsible for the Strength Arcana, which is, surprisingly, not all that difficult to max out. With no prerequisites beforehand, players will find it easy to max out a Social Link with Yuko and, from there, will have the option to proceed as a romantic interest. Regardless of this fact, maxing out her Social Link is extremely helpful in the game.

She’s far from the most complex character in the game, but Yuko still does a great job of endearing herself to players with her hotheadedness and passionate attitude. She’s a fun character to interact with, with her insecurities feeling rather realistic and making her struggles more relatable in the eyes of the player.

7 Chihiro Fushimi

She Is Falsely Accused And Gathers The Confidence To Clear Her Name

• Arcana: Justice
• Social Link Start: May 28th (Must Be Spoken To 3 Times Before)
• Unlocks: Melchizedek (59)

What can be said about Chihiro? As cute as she is, she’s incredibly socially awkward around boys and gets flustered and nervous. Her Social Link, while not as important as the others, is pretty easy to max out as well. Since she’s the student council treasurer, it makes sense that the player would need to pass a round of questions before having full access to her Social Link.

Upon providing three correct answers, she’s then available throughout the entire game with no additional limitations. The fact that she makes a special appearance in Persona 4 also shows just how beloved this character is, and most Persona fans would’ve loved her cameo because of how surprising yet pleasant her presence feels in the game, no matter how brief it may be.

6 Ryoji Mochizuki

No Matter What, This Romance Always Ends On A Tragic Note

• Arcana: Fortune
• Social Link Start: November 9th Onwards
• Unlocks: Norn (62)

In Persona 3 Portable, players were given the option to choose the route of a female protagonist. This opened up an entirely new world, including the option to romance male characters. Of those characters is Ryoji, whose story ends in tragedy no matter which route the player takes.

With that being said, his storyline is one of the most emotional and quite different from the usual romances in Persona 3. The player has just under two months in-game to max out his Social Link as much as possible, which can be pretty hectic but is well worth the effort because of this character’s fascinating origins.

5 Akihiko Sanada

Opens Up About His Sister And Becomes Confused About His Feelings For The FeMC

• Arcana: Emperor (Original Release & FES), Star (P3P)
• Social Link Start: May 24th (Charm 4 or Higher)
• Unlocks: Helel (88)

Akihiko is a bit of a challenge as well, only because his Social Link requires a higher Charm level as well as correct responses during his dialogues. This can be pretty annoying, but most players like Akihiko’s character enough to bear the early trials and tribulations before opening the doors for a potential relationship.

He represents the Star Arcana, so players may find it worth leveling him up as much as possible. Whether or not to take on a romance with Akihiko is another story, as his social rank must be at a level nine in order to do so. However, there’s no denying that dating this workout fanatic makes for an entertaining chapter in the FeMC’s life.

4 Shinjiro Aragaki

Denies His Feelings For The Longest Time Before Eventually Proclaiming His Love For The FeMC

• Arcana: Hierophant (Original Release & FES), Moon (P3P)
• Social Link Start: September 7th Onwards
• Unlocks: Sandalphon (74)

The female protagonist route is filled with challenges, mainly consisting of nearly unrealistic time frames. While it’s possible to max out Shinjiro and make it to his romance link, the player must do so on the three days he’s available, in the span of roughly one month. His arcana is the Moon, which also proves worthy. In fact, each arcana that the male characters are associated with within Persona 3 Portable is quite valuable, so time management is key.

However, this effort is certainly a worthwhile endeavor to make, especially since the player can potentially save his life with the pocket watch they give him after they max out his Social Link. Along with this, the FeMC can initiate a romantic relationship with him after stubbornly rejecting his attempts to distance himself, which leads to him confessing his true feelings to the main character in a heartwarming moment that humanizes Shinjiro’s dark and brooding character.

3 Mitsuru Kirijo

The Protagonist Helps Her Deal With The Pressure Of Being The Heir To The Kirijo Group

• Arcana: Empress
• Social Link Start: November 21st Onwards (Max Academics, Get The Highest Score In An Exam)
• Unlocks: Alilat (84)

Everyone loves Mitsuru, especially because of how calm, collected, and graceful she can be, even when facing off against a ton of adversity. If she didn’t get players in the actual Persona game, then she likely got them with her awesome dance attire in the rhythm games to follow. She’s one of the first major characters the protagonist interacts with, and her leadership, devotion, and Empress Arcana attributes make her a no-brainer when it comes to romance.

While top-notch grades are the price to pay for a chance with her, it proves to be well worth it and likely one of the most popular maxed-out Social Links in the game. Her character is just as fun as players would expect in Persona 3 Reload, and players will love helping this character navigate the challenges of being the heir to a lucrative corporation as they slowly develop feelings for each other, culminating in Mitsuru defending the male protagonist in front of her supposed fiance before eventually confessing her feelings for him.

2 Aigis

Fights With The Idea Of Feeling Human Despite Being A Robot, And The Protagonist Helps Her Navigate This

• Arcana: Chariot (Original Release), Aeon (P3P & FES)
• Social Link Start: January 8th Onwards
• Unlocks: Metatron (87)

While it’s true that Aigis isn’t technically considered to be part of the romance ring that the Persona series is known for, her route does end romantically. As confusing as that is, it’s her robotic origin that prevents her from feeling jealousy when the protagonist ranks up with another character. Additionally, some Social Link characters don’t react at all when they hear of the protagonist spending time with Aigis for the same reason.

Regardless, it’s tough to max out her Social Link because it does appear fairly late in the game, but the story does point to some romantic feelings towards her anyway. She’s also one of the most important characters in the series and actually becomes the protagonist herself in The Journey, an epilogue chapter only present in the FES version. Since she’s a cyborg, the game poses many thought-provoking questions about the meaning of life through this character.

1 Yukari Takeba

Pushed As The Canon Romance Option For The Protagonist

• Arcana: Lovers
• Social Link Start: July 24th Onwards
• Unlocks: Cybele (68)

She’s sweet, innocent, adorable, and also the first person the protagonist comes into contact with in Persona 3. Yukari is responsible for the Lover’s Arcana, not unlike Ann in Persona 5. She’s one of the first friends that players have along with Junpei in Persona 3, and they both make a pretty strong impression and stick with players all the way until the very end of the game.

With very much the same vibe, the protagonist has the option to max out her Social Link, which will require players to max out their Charm stats. Understandably, these things go hand in hand. After all, Yukari won’t date just anyone. However, all this investment in Charm will be worth it once players become close to this great character from Persona 3. She’s the character that is pushed as the canon romance option in Persona 3 for the protagonist, and fans were glad to see that Persona 3 Reload helped her stand out and be even more likable than before.