Persona 3 The Movie

Persona 3 The Movie is a four-part animated movie series based on the game Persona 3. It is an adapted rehash of The Journey from the perspective of the male protagonist and does not cover The Answer from Persona 3 FES. There is no English dub and it is done entirely in Japanese, although English subtitles are available.

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.

The third movie, Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down was released on April 4th, 2015.

The final movie, Persona 3 The Movie #4: Winter of Rebirth was released on January 23, 2016.

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: January 20, 2016 (DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * International: January 20, 2016 (Imported Blu-Ray Release)
 * Japan: January 23, 2016 (Theatrical Release)
 * Japan: August 3, 2016 (DVD / Blu-Ray Release)
 * International: August 3, 2016 (Imported Blu-Ray Release)

Plot

 * See also: Persona 3

Makoto Yūki is an orphaned teenager who transfers to Gekkoukan High School, on Tatsumi Port Island and 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, though a majority of them do not appear in the films themselves. The soundtrack for the movies will be included with the Blu-Ray / DVD release, including all original tracks made for the movies. The movies also feature remastered versions of songs from the Persona 3 Original Soundtrack, as well as the Burn My Dread -Reincarnation- album, though these remastered versions have not been officially released. The themes for the movies are:


 * 1) Persona 3 The Movie #1: Spring of Birth
 * 2) * "More Than One Heart" (main theme, ending credits)
 * 3) * "Burn My Dread (Spring of Birth ver.)" (opening credits)
 * 4) * "More Than One Heart (Karaoke ver.)"
 * 5) * "Burn My Dread (Karaoke ver.)"
 * 6) Persona 3 The Movie #2: Midsummer Knight's Dream
 * 7) "Fate is In Our Hands" (main theme, opening credits)
 * 8) "Deep Breath Deep Breath (Lotus Juice Remix)"
 * 9) "Mass Destruction (Lotus Juice Remix)"
 * 10) "Fate is In Our Hands (Karaoke Ver.)"
 * 11) "One Single Word" (insert song used when Aigis first summons Palladion)
 * 12) "One Hand, One Heartbeat" (ending credits)
 * 13) Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down
 * 14) * "Light in Starless Sky" (main theme, ending credits)
 * 15) * "Unavoidable Battle (Power Mix)"
 * 16) * "Living With Determination (Mellow Velvet Mix)"
 * 17) * "Light in Starless Sky (Karaoke Ver.)"
 * 18) * "One Determination" (opening credits)
 * 19) * "Sound of the Beast" (insert song used during Ikutski's betrayal of SEES)
 * 20) * "Storm for a Butterfly" (insert song used during the fight against Chidori)
 * 21) Persona 3 The Movie #4: Winter of Rebirth
 * 22) * "My Testimony" (main theme, insert song during Makoto's date with Elizabeth)
 * 23) * "Memories of You (Remix)" (ending credits)
 * 24) * "Burn My Dread -Last Battle- (Future Arrange)" (insert song during the battle against the Nyx Avatar's first twelve Arcana phases)
 * 25) * "My Testimony (Karaoke Ver.)"
 * 26) * "Self Redemption" (insert song during the battle against the Nyx Avatar's Death Arcana phase)

Midsummer Knight's Dream

 * The scene where Ken first awaken to his Persona in July is similar in Spring of Birth where Makoto drops his Evoker and Ken use his to summon his Persona.
 * During the Summer Festival, you can see five masks of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R can be seen at as a display.

Falling Down

 * During the second and third day of Kyoto, a statue of Suzaku can be seen.

Adaptation Differences
There are differences between the game and the 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 their Persona.
 * 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, and Makoto does not gain the rest of the Arcanas.

Spring of Birth

 * All the major characters appear in the 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 appears 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.
 * When the Shadow attacks the dorm, the Protagonist stops to look at the full moon outside the window. Yukari asks him if he cares if he dies, and the Protagonist says he doesn't and he asks her if she's scared of death. A Shadow attacks the window and Yukari dives to save the Protagonist. In the process, her leg is cut by a glass shard and bleeding. None of this occurs in the game.
 * Junpei's Believe or Don't was told in May instead of June 1.
 * While discussing about the ghost rumor from 2-E, their meeting was in Wild-Duck Burger instead of the dormitory.
 * Makoto does not accompany SEES during the June full moon operation due to his personality until he fully realizes his friends are in danger and he goes to save them.
 * This is first time where Makoto and Natsuki interact with each other, whereas that was not featured in the game.
 * In the movie, Natsuki heard the voice after witnessing the school transforming 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 a 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 about what happened ten years ago instead of Mitsuru.
 * During their trip on Yakushima, Shadows appear while Makoto and Yukari are at the beach, and Aigis comes to their rescue.
 * After SEES returns from Yakushima, Mitsuru stated Ken's mother was his only relative, but in the game, Ken has a distant relative who had been taking care of him.
 * Ken and Koromaru joined SEES in August and battled against the Arcana Chariot and Arcana Justice.
 * At the same time, Shinjiro burst through the locked door to save SEES.
 * He also joined SEES earlier than in the game, which was in 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 the September operation against the Arcana Hermit.
 * This is the first time SEES witness Shinjiro's Persona going berserk. This was not featured in the game or the manga.
 * The differences between the movie and game during October 4 are:
 * As Shinjiro attempts to summon his Persona, Takaya shoots him in the stomach instead of his right knee.
 * Shinjiro's death was more gory 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 taking a few steps before collapsing to the floor.
 * Shinjiro's funeral was attended on October 7 instead of October 5 in director's cut version, and in the original film it was October 15.

Falling Down

 * In the beginning of the movie, SEES split up into two teams, with Akihiko and Ken battling against Takaya and Jin, while the rest of the members facing the Arcana Hanged Man.
 * Junpei was kidnapped by Chidori in November instead of September.
 * Chidori was captured by SEES in November instead of September.
 * Takaya and Jin run away instead of jumping from Moonlight Bridge like in the game.
 * The scene where Pharos leaves Makoto's psyche is similar to the manga adaptation, except his appearance does not change. In this movie it happens in Velvet Room, but in the game it happen in Makoto's room.
 * The differences between the movie and game during November 4 are:
 * SEES does not do a group photo in this movie.
 * None of SEES members brought their Evokers or prepared for battle when confronting Ikutsuki.
 * Ikutsuki never mentioned that he tampered the recording video of the incident from ten years ago. Yukari confirmed it when having a talk with Mitsuru at Kyoto.
 * Makoto meets Ryoji before he transferred to Gekkoukan High.
 * Akihiko, Ken, Fuuka, Yukari and Mitsuru's Personas do not evolve into their Ultimate Personas. Junpei is the only person who received his Ultimate Persona.
 * 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.
 * Yuko Nishiwaki makes a cameo appearance.
 * Bebe appears in the Home Economics club.
 * Keisuke Hiraga appears briefly in the Art club.
 * Chidori leaves the hospital with Takaya and Jin when SEES are still at their school field trip on November 21.
 * Aigis seems to always following Makoto everywhere during the Kyoto school field trip rather than give him some space to spend time with the guys.
 * Natsuki transfered to a different school in November instead of October.
 * Makoto and Ryoji's friendship is deeper than in the game.
 * Chidori does not temporarily control Fuuka and tell them where she is.
 * SEES battles Takaya and Jin for the second time rather than January seperately.
 * Mitsuru discovered the connection between Strega and Ikutsuki in November instead of January.

Winter of Rebirth

 * There is actual snow in the movie. There is no snow in the game.
 * SEES battles Ryoji earlier in December 2.
 * Ryoji completely destroyed the Moonlight Bridge.
 * Ryoji shows Makoto his true form in his incomplete form of Death ten years ago instead of a form that resemble Thanatos in the original game.
 * Takaya and Jin reappear in December instead of January 31.
 * Yukari get strangled by her Persona, Io due to her depression and fear, but in the game that never happened.
 * Aigis attempts to kill Ryoji again on December 31.
 * Some characters make a cameo appearance:
 * Kikuno Saikawa makes a cameo appearance
 * Akinari Kamiki appears at the Naganaki shrine.
 * Mutatsu appears briefly at the Club Escapade.
 * Mr. Ekoda, Mr. Ono, and Ms. Miyahara can be seen during Mitsuru's speech.
 * All of the other remaining SEES members' Personas (except Makoto and Junpei) evolved after they regained their resolve to live on by defeating Nyx in December, much later than in the game.
 * The differences between the movie and game during December 31 are:
 * Orpheus uses Megidolaon to defeat The Reaper, a move Orpheus couldn't use in the game.
 * Makoto battles Nyx Avatar alone, while Akihiko, Junpei and Aigis battle Takaya and Jin, and Yukari, Mitsuru, Ken and Koromaru battle regular Shadows.
 * Nyx Avatar incorporates elements of the Full Moon Shadows into its attacks.
 * Jin is killed when one of his greandes explodes right after being shot from his hand by Aigis. However in the game, he commits a suicide in order avoid being killed by the Shadows.
 * Takaya doesn't climb to the top of Tartarus when Nyx's true body comes out of the Moon.
 * SEES battles against Shadows climbing to the top of Tartarus while Nyx is sending its gravitational waves.
 * Ryoji talks with Makoto in the Velvet Room about how Makoto found his own answer of life before fusing Orpheus and Thanatos into Messiah and reaching Nyx's core.
 * Makoto gains the Universe Arcana after reaching Nyx's core while in the game he gained it before that.
 * In Makoto's final days on March 5, he sees a small glimpse of his friends coming to his side before he passed away peacefully. However in the game, he never get a chance to see them before his passing and the last person he sees was Aigis.

Trivia

 * Every time a Shadow from a full-moon operation is defeated, a blue butterfly appears at the scenes.
 * In Falling Down, it is revealed that a blue butterfly sort of reflects on how Makoto obtains the Arcanas and Pharos regaining a fragments of his memories.
 * Although Rio and Saori from Persona 3 Portable appear in the third movie, they don't appear in the original game or the male route, only appearing in the Female Protagonist's route.
 * 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-.