During a panel at the game culture and arts festival The Tenth Mosaic on September 22, Persona 3, 4, and 5 director Katsura Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro shared insights into their work on the series and their thoughts on what makes Persona stand out.
According to 4Gamer, after reflecting on the three main titles they led, the trio was asked about the defining element of Persona games. Hashino initially admitted he hadn’t deeply considered this, but settled on the word “chaos” to describe the series’ essence. He explained that when portraying adolescence, he deliberately avoids being overly selective about which elements to include.
Much like the messy mix of emotions, changes, mistakes, and failures that define adolescence, Persona games blend a wide array of elements that coexist in a chaotic fashion, rather than being polished into a single cohesive direction. Hashino suggested this might be what truly sets the series apart.
Soejima added that another key aspect of the franchise is how each entry’s settings and storylines evolve to mirror the times. Instead of falling into stagnation by sticking to a fixed identity, Persona games strive to connect with contemporary audiences by drawing from modern society and culture, which naturally fosters that distinct “Persona” feel.
Regarding the music, Meguro mentioned that he doesn’t intentionally aim for a “Persona-esque” sound when composing. Instead, he discusses the concepts and themes of each game with Hashino and crafts the score to match what each title requires. His views aligned with Soejima’s, noting that the “Persona-ness” in his music developed organically over time rather than being a deliberate creation.
As the discussion wrapped up, Hashino shared his vision for what RPGs should be in the modern era. With so many entertainment options available, creating RPGs that demand significant time requires careful thought about delivering a memorable experience. To Hashino, it’s crucial that the experience isn’t “fleeting” like watching a movie or TV show. Instead, it should linger with players after they finish, giving them “something to carry with them as they move forward,” and in some way, inspiring them to keep progressing.
While this has long been Hashino’s goal, he believes his team hasn’t fully achieved it yet and plans to continue exploring and refining it in future projects. Considering all this, perhaps the true spirit of the Persona series lies in its relentless evolution alongside the growth of its audience and the shifts in society.
Hashino’s latest project, featuring contributions from Soejima and Meguro, Metaphor: ReFantazio, is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows (Steam). A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for November 12.