Shadow Self

A Shadow Self is a unique type of Shadow that appears in the Persona series. Unlike the lesser Shadows, they appear as twisted mirror images of the person they represent, often with red or golden eyes. Despite embodying the repressed negative qualities of their human counterparts, Shadow Selves wish to kill their originals and take their place in the world. Shadow Selves fight either with a "Reverse" version of their counterpart's initial or ultimate Persona, or they transform into a large twisted version of the Persona they will become once accepted.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Following the defeat of King Leo, Maya Amano has the children saved from the Sky Museum spread a rumor counter to the rumor spread by the Masked Circle blaming them for the bombings. Due to the two rumors circulating, the party was spared conversion to the Masked Circle, though five Shadow Selves were created from their subconscious.

Shadow Maya infiltrates the party after they regroup at the Kuzunoha Detective Agency, and attacks them at Mt. Iwato, but is blocked by the real Maya and is killed in battle. Shadow Yukino is confronted at the Caracol and, depending on the player's earlier choices, is either defeated by Yukino Mayuzumi and Anna Yoshizaka, or commits suicide alongside Anna. The remaining 3 Shadows spread to three of the four Zodiac Temples, guarding the Crystal Skulls within, but are defeated by Tatsuya's party.


 * Shadow Maya
 * Shadow Yukino
 * Shadow Tatsuya
 * Shadow Lisa
 * Shadow Eikichi

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
The Shadow Selves in Eternal Punishment are directly created by Nyarlathotep to kill Maya Amano's party as they journey through the Monado Mandala. Unlike the Innocent Sin Shadow Selves, they are fought two at a time, and their strength varies depending on the decisions Maya's party made in the scene prior to fighting them.


 * Shadow Ulala
 * Shadow Katsuya
 * Shadow Baofu
 * Shadow Maya

In the special scenario included in the PSP rerelease of Eternal Punishment, the Shadow Self of Shiori Miyashiro appears in the form of a masked version of herself.

Persona 4 / Manga / Animation / Golden
Shadow Selves appear before people thrown into the Midnight Channel, and kill them if the fog over the TV World lifts before the person accepts them or before they are rescued. Unlike Shadow Selves in the Persona 2 duology, these Shadows transform into larger, more monstrous forms to fight and transform into Personas when accepted.


 * Shadow Yosuke
 * Shadow Chie
 * Shadow Yukiko
 * Shadow Kanji
 * Shadow Rise
 * Shadow Teddie
 * Shadow Mitsuo
 * Shadow Naoto
 * Shadow Yu (Anime Only)

Persona 4 Arena
Shadow Labrys, the Shadow Self of Labrys, is the final boss of the game. The Shadow Selves of several of the other fighters appear, including those who never faced their own, namely Shadow Mitsuru, Shadow Akihiko, Shadow Aigis and Shadow Yu, but they are later revealed not to be Shadows, but the Malevolent Entity taking their form. However, Teddie and Elizabeth do not face their "shadows" in their story modes.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
The Shadow Selves of all characters will also be playable as alternate forms of their other selves known as "Shadow-Types", with a new ability called "Shadow Rampage" which replaces the "Burst" ability. Elizabeth, both Sho's, Adachi, Marie, and Shadow Labrys do not have Shadow-Types. Labrys also has a Shadow-Type that is distinct from Shadow Labrys, which notably uses Ariadne instead of Asterius.

It is revealed through arcade mode that they are fakes created from regular shadows. Due to this they are extremely hostile even to those who aren't the person they were transformed into the Shadow of. The shadows are also unstable due to the process as well, shattering upon defeat.

The full cast of Shadows, listed by Arcana, is as follows:
 * Fool - Shadow Aigis, Shadow Yu
 * Magician - Shadow Junpei, Shadow Yosuke
 * Priestess - Shadow Yukiko
 * Empress - Shadow Mitsuru
 * Emperor - Shadow Akihiko, Shadow Kanji
 * Lovers - Shadow Rise, Shadow Yukari
 * Chariot - Shadow Chie
 * Justice - Shadow Ken
 * Strength - Shadow Koromaru
 * Fortune - Shadow Labrys, Shadow Naoto
 * Star - Shadow Teddie

Trivia

 * In the Persona 2 duology, Shadow Selves' portraits have red glowing eyes. Originally in the first Japanese trailer of Persona 4, Shadow Yosuke also featured red eyes, but this was changed to golden eyes in the final version.
 * Apart from the red glowing eyes, all Shadow Selves portraits of Persona 2 features another red glow between the eyebrow and top eyelid.
 * In the arcade and story mode of Persona 4 Arena, various characters say that a Shadow Self and a Persona cannot coexist because they are one and the same. This contradicts the Persona 2 duology in which the cast fights their Shadow Selves with their own Personas, with Yukino Mayuzumi even having her self dragged into the abyss should her Shadow commit suicide.