Reports Archive
2020.12.1 Report: Persona 5
Experience that move the heart - Behind the Scenes
Persona 5
The Persona series is a coming-of-age RPG that takes place in modern-day Japan, revolving around a group of high school students who awaken to a power known as ‘Persona’ as they investigate mysterious cases that disturb their town. We have spoken with two members who were involved in the production of the universally acclaimed Persona 5.
Music with Loose Acid Jazz at its Core
Those of us on the sound team compose with the hope to exceed expectations of the player every time; therefore, a lot of thought and effort went into building the concept for Persona 5. The main characters in this game are high school students who become Phantom Thieves, so we wanted to portray their youthfulness while staying away from a style that directly represents the image of thieves. Ultimately, we decided to go with loose acid jazz as a foundation to express the mood of young Phantom Thieves.
We were thrilled to see the game move on to become a global hit. I think one thing that got a particularly favorable reaction from players overseas was that they could get a feel for Japanese culture via music throughout the entire game. Without resting on our laurels, we will continue to create music that captivates players around the world and aim to deliver compelling products.
Relatable Designs
The overall design in the Persona series focuses on a key concept, which is to create a worldview that reflects contemporary society; something the player can feel an emotional connection to. Persona 5 is the story of rebellion by adolescents who are forced to live in a society controlled by adults, which is why we chose to highlight the unique traits of each individual, and went for character designs that provide a sense of affinity.
While the game was well received overseas, we didn’t particularly set out to design something with an international audience in mind, because in this day and age, we already share a lot of values globally. To deliver content with cultural expressions distinctive to Japan and have that gain broad acceptance is rewarding to see as a creator. Going forward, I’d like to continue contributing value to our games by building aesthetics on par with not only other high quality products in the industry, but in other genres as well.