ANIME MONDAY: Persona 4 The Animation – “DON’T SAVE ANYONE ANYMORE” Review


Previously on Persona 4:

The Investigation Team enjoyed some well deserved rest and relaxation at the Amagiya Inn, but with the case far from over it is time to get back to business. Spoilers Ahead.

The night before returning home from the inn, Yu (Johnny Yong Bosch) received a note from a mysterious source telling him not to save anyone anymore. Cautious, he takes it to Naoto (Mary Elizabeth McGlynn) and the others to get their opinion; when they can provide no answers Yu decides to put it off. Another mysterious letter ends up at the Dojima residence this time threatning to throw someone close to Yu into the TV next; suspicious, Dojima (JB Blanc) takes Yu to the station to find out the truth behind his nephews connections to the case. Yu tells him the truth but Dojima doesn’t believe him, as Yu tries to convince him other wise Yosuke (Yuri Lowenthal), Kanji (Matthew Mercer), & Teddie (Sam Reigel) storm into the police station with horrible news; Nanako (Karen Strassman) has been kidnapped!

After a few minor episodes we finally get the plot back on track, and this episode is not short on tension. From the very beginning there is an ominous air hanging around, all centering on the letter Yu recieved. As typical with murder mysteries there is the creepy question of who sent the letter and how they knew the location of the young man’s house.

The tension only builds further when Dojima finds out what is written on the next letter and brings Yu to the station for questioning. These scenes are pretty intense as Dojima wants to trust Yu but as expected finds the stories about the Midnight Channel to be a bit farfetched despite his own hangups about the case.

Things take a turn for the worse when it is announced that Nanako has been kidnapped. Dojima races to find her while Yu and the guys are stuck in the interrogation room by Adachi (Johnny Yong Bosch). The girls eventually come to their aid and the group begins to discuss the case, and that’s when the pieces start to come together. It is revealed that the kidnapper is Taro Namotame (Matthew Mercer) former council man turned delivery man and the man who was involved in the affair with Mayumi Yamano, the first murder victim.

Dojima races after him but is run off the road when he is found by the kids and Adachi. Here is where we see Yu at his most desperate as he tries to jump into the TV in the back of the delivery truck but is stopped by Teddie who explains that he won’t know where he’ll end up. The desperation hits everyone as they vow to save Nanako.

“DON’T SAVE ANYONE ANYMORE” is a solid episode as the show begins to march its way to its conclusion. The mystery is still there, the culprit is identified, and the case hits home for Yu. Not a dull moment in this episode. The investigation continues next week as the team goes inside the TV to save Nanako.

4/5