Based off of the hit 2008 PS2 (old school I know) JRPG; Persona 4 the Animation is basically the game with a few changes here and there. However this doesn’t mean that just because you played the game that you can’t watch the anime and vice versa. Let’s begin:

Spoilers Ahead

Yu Narukami (Johnny Yong Bosch) has come from the city to the country town of Inaba, due his parents having an overseas business trip,  in order to stay with his uncle, police detective Ryotaro Dojima (J.B. Blanc) & his daughter Nanako (Karen Strassman) for an entire year (I feel for the guy).  He starts school at Yasogami High where he meets Yosuke Hanamura (Yuri Lowenthal), Chie Satonaka (Erin Fitzgerald), & Yukiko Amagi (Amanda Winn-Lee). The next day; Yu, Chie, & Yosuke eat at the food court of the local supermarket, Junes (pronouned Jew-nes) where he meets Saki Konishi (Jessica Straus), the girl Yosuke has a crush on. Chie brings up a local rumor called the “Midnight Channel”, a strange tv show that appears on rainy nights, and is supposed to reveal ones “soulmate” (wish that actually existed); shock of all shocks it just happens to be a rainy night and Yu goes home to see if the rumor is true, but not before watching a news report that Mayumi Yamano, a local TV reporter, was found dead while suspended from a TV antennae (FORESHADOWING). He goes to his room where, sure enough, the mysterious channel does appear and he sees Saki on it.

He presses his hand on the screen, and to his shock, his hands goes in the screen as he is almost pulled into the TV. He tells his friends of the mysterious phenomena but they just dismiss it as him dreaming. Chie, Yosuke, & Yu return to Junes again and Yu once again puts his hand through a TV in Junes, Chie & Yosuke freak out with the latter accidentally pushing all 3 of them into the TV.

They find themselves in a mysterious foggy world where they come across a room where they see posters of a woman with her face cut through and a scarf in the shape of a noose (more FORESHADOWING). They then encounter a talking bear with blue fur (anime) named Teddie (Sam Riegel) who hand Yu a pair of glasses which allow him to see clearly and advises them to leave; but before they can make it to the exit, they are attacked by monsters known as “Shadows”, with Chie passed out and Yosuke paralyzed by fear, Yu finds the strength to awaken his inner power known as “Persona”. Using his Persona, Izanagi, he is able to defeat the shadows.

Better than shooting yourself in the head. (Persona Inside Joke)

This was a pretty solid pilot episode. It gives just enough that it will keep one coming back for more, showing a glimpse into what thiese kids will bet getting into, and adding the element of mystery to it as well. With crisp animation and short, but sweet action scenes. Persona 4Ep. 1  is a nice treat to fans of the game and newcomers.

4/5