Persona watch order
Anime adaptations of Atlus's Persona RPGs, where teenagers balance school life with fighting shadows using Personas, the manifestations of their inner selves. Each game's anime tells its own separate story with its own cast: Persona 3 as four films, Persona 4 and Persona 5 as TV series, plus the side story Trinity Soul.
First time? Each story stands alone, so pick one. Persona 4 the Animation (with its episode 26, No One is Alone) is the most complete start; for Persona 5, watch the TV series and then the two finale specials, Dark Sun... and Stars and Ours.
First-timer order
The three game adaptations don't depend on each other, so this is just one good path: Persona 4 first (the most complete adaptation), then Persona 5, then the Persona 3 films. Trinity Soul and the recap and gag extras go last. Starting with Persona 5 is fine too.
- Persona 4 the Animation
A faithful adaptation of Persona 4: Yu Narukami moves to the small town of Inaba, where a string of murders is tied to a TV world that appears on rainy midnights. He and his friends dive in to save the next victims and find the killer.
- Persona 4 the Animation: No One is Alone
Episode 26, the "True End": adapts the game's true ending and plays straight after episode 25. It first came on the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 10 and is included in English home releases. Don't skip it.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation
A quick retelling of Persona 4 built around Marie and the other material added in the Golden re-release. It skips much of the main story, so watch Persona 4 the Animation first.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation: Thank you Mr. Accomplice (optional)
A bonus episode showing one of the game's bad endings, where Yu takes the culprit's side. A non-canon what-if from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 4. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation
Adapts Persona 5: a transfer student on probation in Tokyo forms the Phantom Thieves, who sneak into the hearts of corrupt adults to steal their twisted desires. The 26 episodes stop before the ending; the two specials below finish it.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Dark Sun...
A double-length TV special and the first half of the finale, covering the last palace. Required. (A short recap episode aired on the same night as a lead-in; it's skippable.)
- Persona 5 the Animation: Proof of Justice (optional)
A short bonus episode from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 11, set a few days after the battle with Akechi in Dark Sun..., as Ren looks back on their rivalry. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Stars and Ours
The second double-length special and the real ending: Mementos, the final battle and the aftermath. Required.
- Persona 5 the Animation: A Magical Valentine's Day (optional)
A Valentine's Day romance omnibus from the last Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume. Pure fan service, non-essential. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation: The Day Breakers (optional)
A one-off TV special that aired before the game came out in Japan, made by a different team from the later series. The Phantom Thieves take a request from a burglar; it's a standalone side story, not part of the TV series. Optional.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #1 Spring of Birth
Part one of a four-film adaptation of Persona 3: a transfer student discovers the hidden Dark Hour and joins the school's secret club, SEES, that fights shadows in the tower Tartarus. Covers roughly April to June of the game.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream
Part two, covering the summer: new members join SEES, including the android Aigis. Continues straight from film #1.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #3 Falling Down
Part three, covering autumn: SEES closes in on the end of its battles with the shadows, and some members face the loss of friends and family.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #4 Winter of Rebirth
The final film, covering winter through March and the game's ending. Watch the four films in order.
- Persona: Trinity Soul
An original story about the Kanzato brothers in Ayanagi City, a city rebuilt after the Apathy Syndrome, set about ten years after Persona 3, with Akihiko from P3 in a supporting role. Officially treated as an alternate entry rather than part of the game timeline. It assumes some Persona 3 background.
- Persona 4 the Animation: The Factor of Hope (optional)
A 90-minute theatrical recap of the TV series with new cuts, which also premiered the True End episode. Skippable if you've watched the series and episode 26.
- Persona 4 the Animation: Mr. Experiment Shorts (optional)
Five two-minute gag shorts of the silly programs playing on TVs in the background of the show, from the Japanese DVD box. Optional.
Story order
Grouped by game in the order the games happen: Persona 3, then 4, then 5. Each block is its own story with its own cast. The Day Breakers is a standalone side story whose exact place in Persona 5's timeline isn't pinned down; it's listed before the TV series because it needs no setup. Trinity Soul is an alternate side story set about ten years after Persona 3, so it goes last.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #1 Spring of Birth
Part one of a four-film adaptation of Persona 3: a transfer student discovers the hidden Dark Hour and joins the school's secret club, SEES, that fights shadows in the tower Tartarus. Covers roughly April to June of the game.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream
Part two, covering the summer: new members join SEES, including the android Aigis. Continues straight from film #1.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #3 Falling Down
Part three, covering autumn: SEES closes in on the end of its battles with the shadows, and some members face the loss of friends and family.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #4 Winter of Rebirth
The final film, covering winter through March and the game's ending. Watch the four films in order.
- Persona 4 the Animation
A faithful adaptation of Persona 4: Yu Narukami moves to the small town of Inaba, where a string of murders is tied to a TV world that appears on rainy midnights. He and his friends dive in to save the next victims and find the killer.
- Persona 4 the Animation: No One is Alone
Episode 26, the "True End": adapts the game's true ending and plays straight after episode 25. It first came on the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 10 and is included in English home releases. Don't skip it.
- Persona 4 the Animation: The Factor of Hope (optional)
A 90-minute theatrical recap of the TV series with new cuts, which also premiered the True End episode. Skippable if you've watched the series and episode 26.
- Persona 4 the Animation: Mr. Experiment Shorts (optional)
Five two-minute gag shorts of the silly programs playing on TVs in the background of the show, from the Japanese DVD box. Optional.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation
A quick retelling of Persona 4 built around Marie and the other material added in the Golden re-release. It skips much of the main story, so watch Persona 4 the Animation first.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation: Thank you Mr. Accomplice (optional)
A bonus episode showing one of the game's bad endings, where Yu takes the culprit's side. A non-canon what-if from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 4. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation: The Day Breakers (optional)
A one-off TV special that aired before the game came out in Japan, made by a different team from the later series. The Phantom Thieves take a request from a burglar; it's a standalone side story, not part of the TV series. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation
Adapts Persona 5: a transfer student on probation in Tokyo forms the Phantom Thieves, who sneak into the hearts of corrupt adults to steal their twisted desires. The 26 episodes stop before the ending; the two specials below finish it.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Dark Sun...
A double-length TV special and the first half of the finale, covering the last palace. Required. (A short recap episode aired on the same night as a lead-in; it's skippable.)
- Persona 5 the Animation: Proof of Justice (optional)
A short bonus episode from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 11, set a few days after the battle with Akechi in Dark Sun..., as Ren looks back on their rivalry. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Stars and Ours
The second double-length special and the real ending: Mementos, the final battle and the aftermath. Required.
- Persona 5 the Animation: A Magical Valentine's Day (optional)
A Valentine's Day romance omnibus from the last Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume. Pure fan service, non-essential. Optional.
- Persona: Trinity Soul
An original story about the Kanzato brothers in Ayanagi City, a city rebuilt after the Apathy Syndrome, set about ten years after Persona 3, with Akihiko from P3 in a supporting role. Officially treated as an alternate entry rather than part of the game timeline. It assumes some Persona 3 background.
Release order
Trinity Soul came first in 2008. The Persona 3 films came out between 2013 and 2016, overlapping with Persona 4 the Golden Animation. Persona 5's ending specials aired in December 2018 and March 2019, after the TV run.
- Persona: Trinity Soul
An original story about the Kanzato brothers in Ayanagi City, a city rebuilt after the Apathy Syndrome, set about ten years after Persona 3, with Akihiko from P3 in a supporting role. Officially treated as an alternate entry rather than part of the game timeline. It assumes some Persona 3 background.
- Persona 4 the Animation
A faithful adaptation of Persona 4: Yu Narukami moves to the small town of Inaba, where a string of murders is tied to a TV world that appears on rainy midnights. He and his friends dive in to save the next victims and find the killer.
- Persona 4 the Animation: The Factor of Hope (optional)
A 90-minute theatrical recap of the TV series with new cuts, which also premiered the True End episode. Skippable if you've watched the series and episode 26.
- Persona 4 the Animation: No One is Alone
Episode 26, the "True End": adapts the game's true ending and plays straight after episode 25. It first came on the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 10 and is included in English home releases. Don't skip it.
- Persona 4 the Animation: Mr. Experiment Shorts (optional)
Five two-minute gag shorts of the silly programs playing on TVs in the background of the show, from the Japanese DVD box. Optional.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #1 Spring of Birth
Part one of a four-film adaptation of Persona 3: a transfer student discovers the hidden Dark Hour and joins the school's secret club, SEES, that fights shadows in the tower Tartarus. Covers roughly April to June of the game.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream
Part two, covering the summer: new members join SEES, including the android Aigis. Continues straight from film #1.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation
A quick retelling of Persona 4 built around Marie and the other material added in the Golden re-release. It skips much of the main story, so watch Persona 4 the Animation first.
- Persona 4 the Golden Animation: Thank you Mr. Accomplice (optional)
A bonus episode showing one of the game's bad endings, where Yu takes the culprit's side. A non-canon what-if from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 4. Optional.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #3 Falling Down
Part three, covering autumn: SEES closes in on the end of its battles with the shadows, and some members face the loss of friends and family.
- Persona 3 the Movie: #4 Winter of Rebirth
The final film, covering winter through March and the game's ending. Watch the four films in order.
- Persona 5 the Animation: The Day Breakers (optional)
A one-off TV special that aired before the game came out in Japan, made by a different team from the later series. The Phantom Thieves take a request from a burglar; it's a standalone side story, not part of the TV series. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation
Adapts Persona 5: a transfer student on probation in Tokyo forms the Phantom Thieves, who sneak into the hearts of corrupt adults to steal their twisted desires. The 26 episodes stop before the ending; the two specials below finish it.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Dark Sun...
A double-length TV special and the first half of the finale, covering the last palace. Required. (A short recap episode aired on the same night as a lead-in; it's skippable.)
- Persona 5 the Animation: Stars and Ours
The second double-length special and the real ending: Mementos, the final battle and the aftermath. Required.
- Persona 5 the Animation: Proof of Justice (optional)
A short bonus episode from the Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume 11, set a few days after the battle with Akechi in Dark Sun..., as Ren looks back on their rivalry. Optional.
- Persona 5 the Animation: A Magical Valentine's Day (optional)
A Valentine's Day romance omnibus from the last Japanese Blu-ray/DVD volume. Pure fan service, non-essential. Optional.
Explained
Do I need to watch them in order?
No. Persona 3, 4 and 5 each adapt a different game with a different cast and town, so you can start with any of them. The only links inside the anime: Persona 4 the Golden Animation assumes you've seen Persona 4 the Animation, Persona 5's TV series needs its two finale specials, and Trinity Soul assumes some Persona 3 background.
Is Persona 4 the Golden Animation a sequel?
No. It's a fast retelling of the same story, built around Marie, a character added in the game's Golden re-release. It skips most of the main plot, so it only works after Persona 4 the Animation. The Mr. Accomplice bonus episode is a bad-ending what-if, not canon.
Where does Persona 5 end?
Not in episode 26. The story finishes in two double-length TV specials: Dark Sun... (December 2018) and Stars and Ours (March 2019). Both are required. The Day Breakers (2016) is an older one-off side story and can be skipped.
Which ones have an English dub?
Persona 4 the Animation (Sentai Filmworks) and Persona 5 the Animation (Aniplex of America) were dubbed with much of the games' English cast. Persona 4 the Golden Animation and the Persona 3 films were released with English subtitles only, and Trinity Soul's subtitled DVDs are out of print.
Is there a Persona 3 TV series or anything new coming?
Persona 3 was only adapted as the four films. As of October 2026 no new Persona anime has been announced: Netflix is developing a live-action series, Persona 6 has been revealed as a game, and MAPPA is animating cutscenes for the game Persona 4 Revival rather than a show.