Persona 3 The Movie

Persona 3 The Movie is an animated movie series based on the game Persona 3. The first movie, titled Persona 3 The Movie #1: Spring of Birth, was released on November 23, 2013, the second movie, Persona 3 The Movie #2: Midsummer Knight's Dream was released on June 7, 2014 and the third movie, Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down was released on April 4th, 2015. A teaser of the first movie was first shown as a 28 second scene at the end of Persona 4 The Animation -The Factor of Hope-.

Release Dates
Persona 3 The Movie #1: Spring of Birth Persona 3 The Movie #2: Midsummer Knight's Dream Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down Persona 3 The Movie #4: Winter of Rebirth
 * Japan: November 23, 2013 (Theatrical Release)
 * Japan: May 14, 2014 (DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * International: May 20, 2014 (Imported DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * Japan: June 7, 2014 (Theatrical Release)
 * Japan: March 11, 2015 (DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * International: March 11, 2015 (Imported DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * Japan: April 4, 2015 (Theatrical Release)
 * Japan: October 23, 2015 (DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * Japan: January 23, 2016

Plot
Makoto Yūki is an orphaned teenager who transfers to Gekkoukan High School, on Tatsumi Port Island and, much to his confusion, finds himself experiencing a supernatural phenomenon known as the Dark Hour. After witnessing his new Iwatodai dorm-mates being attacked by mysterious creatures known as Shadows, Makoto goes to their aid and inexplicably awakens to the power of his Persona. Makoto later joins a covert extra-curricular club at Gekkoukan High called SEES, whose members have but one goal: to rid the world of the Shadows.

Music
The Movie's soundtrack is composed by Shoji Meguro. Each movie is accompanied by a main theme, along with remixed tracks from the Persona 3 Original Soundtrack. The soundtrack for the movies will be included with the Blu-Ray / DVD release. The themes for the movies are:


 * #1 Spring of Birth - "More Than One Heart" by Yumi Kawamura.
 * #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream - "Fate is In Our Hands" by Lotus Juice.
 * #3 Falling Down - "Light in Starless Sky" by Lotus Juice and Yumi Kawamura.

Adaptation Differences
There are differences between the game and movie.
 * Some characters' appearances are modified slightly, such as having darker hair or differently colored eyes.
 * SEES members don't get their weapons from the Police Station, instead the weapons they use are specially made by the Kirijo Group.
 * No items or fusion spells are used in battle.
 * There is no cut-in effect when a character first summons his/her Persona. All-Out Attack are also excluded.
 * The protagonist gains new Personas after defeating a Shadow from a full-moon operation. The Persona's arcana depends on the defeated Shadow's arcana.
 * No Social Links are acquired in the movie, but it is unknown if Makoto gains the rest of the Arcanas: Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement or Aeon after all the remaining Full Moon Shadows are defeated.

Spring of Birth

 * All the major characters appear in movie intro (except Aigis), while the anime cutscene at the beginning only shows the Protagonist, Yukari, Pharos, and Mitsuru.
 * Makoto doesn't interact much with other social link characters, only a few.
 * It is revealed in the movie that the first victim devoured by shadows in the anime cutscene was named Sakata Masashi.
 * In the anime cutscene he appear in Tatsumi Port Station, but in the movie, he appears somewhere in Port Island Station.
 * Some characters make a cameo appearance:
 * Bunkichi and Mitsuko make a cameo appearance during Fuuka's visit at their bookstore.
 * Koromaru and Maiko Oohashi make a cameo appearance together.
 * Ken Amada also appears briefly.
 * Kenji Tomochika appears in the arcade and after exam results are posted.
 * Kazushi Miyamoto makes a brief cameo after exam results are posted.
 * Hidetoshi Odagiri appears while interrogating one of the students of class 2-E.
 * Nozomi Suemitsu makes a brief cameo in Wild Duck Burger.
 * Aigis appears in a post-credits scene.
 * Junpei's Believe or Don't was not told in June 1, like in the game, but in movie version, he told it in May.
 * While discussing about the ghost rumor from 2-E, their meeting was in Wild-Duck Burger instead at the Dorm.
 * Makoto does not company SEES during the June full moon operation due to his personality until he fully realize his friends are in danger and he goes to save them.
 * This is first time Makoto and NatsukI interacting with each other, although that was not feature in the game.
 * In the movie, Natsuki heard the voice when she arrive and after witnessing the school transforms into Tartarus, but she heard it in the dormitory in the game.

Midsummer Knight's Dream

 * During the second movie intro, the differences between the movie and game are:
 * Mitsuru, Akihiko and Junpei start battling the Hierophant Shadow without Makoto nor Yukari.
 * Makoto and Yukari were captured by the Lovers Shadow until they come back to their senses and defeat it, as opposed to the game where they are manipulated after defeating the Hierophant Shadow.
 * Some characters make a cameo appearance:
 * Noriko Kashiwagi makes a cameo appearance in Yakushima.
 * Mamoru Hayase makes a cameo in kendo tournament.
 * Ryoji Mochizuki appears in a post-credits scene.
 * The Beautiful Lady? does not appear during Operations: Babe Hunt.
 * Mitsuru's father, Takeharu told SEES the truth what happen ten years ago instead of Mitsuru.
 * During their trip on Yakushima, Shadows appears while Makoto and Yukari are at the beach, and Aigis comes to their rescue.
 * After SEES returning from Yakushima, Mitsuru stated Ken's mother was his only relative, which means it is unknown how he survive two years ago it presuming he was sent into orphanage, but the game, Ken has a distant relative who been taking care of him.
 * Ken and Koromaru joined SEES in August and battle against the Arcana Chariot and Arcana Justice early.
 * At the same time, Shinjiro burst through the locked door to save SEES.
 * He also joined SEES early instead of September.
 * The SEES members see Takaya's Persona for the first time in August, earlier than in the game and similar to the manga.
 * Junpei was not kidnapped by Chidori during September operation against the Arcana Hermit.
 * This is first time SEES witness Shinjiro's Persona going berserk. This was not featured in the game or the manga.
 * During October 4, the difference between the movie and game:
 * Since Chidori was never captured, Takaya decides to kill the data gatherer of SEES, it is implied that he was looking for Fuuka Yamagishi (due to Strega's own data gatherer, Chidori was in a weak condition by whether by her Persona or attempt to commit suicide).
 * As Shinjiro attempt to summon his Persona, Takaya shoot him in the stomach instead of his right knee.
 * Shinjiro's death was more gored and dark than the anime cutscene of the game.
 * In the movie version, he died in his childhood friend's arms instead of standing up and takes few step before collapsing to the floor.
 * Shinjiro's funeral was attended on October 15 instead of October 5 in director's cut version, however in the actual film it was October 7.

Falling Down

 * Junpei was kidnapped by Chidori and she is later captured by SEES in November, instead of September.
 * Akihiko, Ken, Fuuka, Yukari and Mitsuru's Personas do not evolve into their Ultimate Persona's, unlike in the game where they do as the story progresses through October to November. Junpei is the only person who received his Ultimate Persona.
 * The scene where Pharos leaves Makoto's psyche is similar to the manga adaptation except his appearance does not change.
 * Some characters make a cameo appearance:
 * Chihiro Fushimi makes a cameo appearance at Gekkoukan High School and Student Council.
 * President Tanaka makes a cameo appearance.
 * Rio Iwasaki along with Saori Hasegawa appear briefly in the hallway.
 * Bebe appears in the Home Economics club.

Trivia

 * Every time a Shadow from a full-moon operation are defeated, a blue butterfly sometimes appears at the scenes.
 * It's seems that every time after the credit, that shows each major character that somehow symbolized of their major role such as Makoto Yuki's awakening of his Persona, Aigis appear at Yakushima and meeting Makoto, and Ryoji Mochizuki's true identify as Death, except for the final tease of upcoming fourth movie where no major character appear.
 * Although Rio and Saori from Persona 3 Portable appear in the third movie, they don't appear in of the original game or the male route, only appearing in the Female Protagonist's route.