Shibuya and Shinagawa stations dress up with Persona 3 characters in anticipation for the release of Persona 3 Reload on February 2nd.
Along the corridor of JR Shinagawa Station between the Shinkansen and main JR entrances are row upon row of screens, showcasing the characters from the game.
Depending on the time, the illustrations will change. From morning and noon, the characters will be shown in casual clothing, while from late afternoon to night, they’ll don their new combat uniforms.
On the second basement level of Shibuya Station near the Hanzomon Line, you’ll find many large screens spanning approximately 55 meters that will display short video clips. The sides feature illustrations of their special extracurricular activities club.
You can also see glimpses of actors Haruna Kawaguchi and Jun Shison, the official ambassadors of the Persona series, on these displays. Be sure to check out these displays while you can, as they will only be displayed for a limited time from today, January 29th, to February 4th.
Over 866K people are currently watching the TGA2023 stream, so I’m going to tally up my thoughts on the various topics.This page will be incomplete while I’m adding more information live, so be sure to reload the page every so often to see the new additions!
*** Beware of spoilers! ***
▶︎ Metaphor: ReFantazio
We got a really nice new trailer, and I’m getting awesome vibes similar to the Digital Devil Saga. At the Shin Megami Tensei concert last year, they did tease that we might get a new game along those lines, so maybe this is what they were hinting at! Call me hyped!
But this confused me from the very beginning, but I don’t understand why this will only be released on Xbox/Windows first. I mean, I do understand exclusivity rights and such, but still… I just feel like we’ve moved on from that. People should be able to play whatever they want on whatever system they want, no? Is that too much to ask, I wonder…
And for anyone who’d like to hear the original Japanese dialogue, you will instantly hear a familiar voice, Hanae Natsuki! Other notable voices include Yui Ishikawa, Shuichi Nakamura, Kazuhiko Inoue, Tomokazu Sugita, and many more. You can view the Japanese version of the new trailer below:
And check out who it is! The great concept artist from NieR:Automata fame, Koda Kazuma! I’m also super excited to see what goodness he’ll bring to the table for this game, too! It’s going to be nuts!
And there will be a live stream on Monday, December 11 at 8:30pm (JST) with several of the voice cast:
MC: Chiaki Matsuzawa
Natsuki Hanae (Protagonist)
Sumire Morohoshi (Garika)
Kensho Ono (Stroll)
Saori Hayami (Hulkenberg)
▶︎ Visions of Mana
Right when we got a glimpse of that Rabite, I knew that this was going to be a new Mana game, and it is!! This looks absolutely gorgeous and a lot of fun! I’m really excited for this one! This is actually a BRAND NEW GAME in the Mana series! And from this tweet, it seems like Hiroki Kikuta may be back to score this soundtrack as well! Yay!
VISIONS of MANA! Did we keep you waiting? Thank you for your patience! https://t.co/14lCIyETKi
— Hiroki Kikuta 🎮 VISIONS of MANA (@Hiroki_Kikuta_E) December 8, 2023
Actually, on the official site, there are three people credited for the soundtrack:
Hiroki Kikuta
Tsuyoshi Sekito
Ryo Yamazaki
▶︎ Persona 3 Reload
(ENGLISH)
▶︎ Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – New Trailer
This new trailer showed gave us a ton more clues of exactly how much story material is going to be in Rebirth.
We saw appearances by Vincent, Cid, Cait Sith, lots of Zack… and a comatose Cloud, where Marline tells Zack that when “she” wakes up, somebody’s going to kill her. I can only imagine this is referring to Aerith… unless this is a blatant misdirection because, of course, that’s what we’d expect. But at this point in the story, Aerith should already be dead…
Actually, I think this was just an illusion. I think he’s just sleeping, so it makes a little more sense…
So, I’m going to keep with my original speculation that Sephiroth is going to kill Tifa this time, I mean, we already have those scenes of him talking about killing her, right? I think these early scenes are going to be after the event that seems to have obliterated Avalanche (including Barret & Tifa, Red isn’t on the list that we see in the trailer because he wasn’t a member of Avalanche), so that’s likely why both Cloud and Aerith are unconscious– plus, it could also have something to do with the merging of realities, allowing both Zack and Biggs to sort of be… reborn.
They also seemed to go all-out with Clerith moments in the trailer, though, but if you notice, I believe these are the unique scenes that the player can directly influence, like the fireworks date scene and the play. So, I would hold off from claiming these are “canon” to the narrative just yet simply because they appeared in the official trailer.
And for an added bonus, here’s the trailer in Japanese!
Oh, and it seems like SQEX just posted a bunch more photos and information on the official blog here.
▶︎ Final Fantasy XVI DLC Story Expansion Packs
We got a great look at two up-coming DLC story expansions, the first of which, entitled Echoes of the Fallen, is out later tonight! The 2nd DLC, The Rising Tide, will be released sometime next spring! Below, you can catch the Japanese version of the trailer.
(Japanese)
▶︎ Purchase the DLC Below Please note that the following links are to the Japanese PlayStation Store.
⭐️ UPDATE: I was just able to play through “The Echoes of the Fallen” this weekend, and it felt really great to get back into the FFXVI world and see the characters again (especially Joshua!). As far as the DLC goes, you’ll get about 3 hours worth of gameplay out of it. The story is interesting and the mini-bosses and final boss fights were a lot of fun. I’d say it’s definitely worth the money!
▶︎ AWARDS
BEST SCORE: At long last, FFXVI finally won the award for best score, which was ABSOLUTELY deserved! Way to go Soken and everybody else on that gorgeous album!
MOST ANTICIPATED GAME: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – YAY! I’m getting overly hyped about this right now… I hope we’ll see an actual new trailer by the end of TGA.
Atlus has unveiled new artwork for Yukari Takeba’s battle uniform in Persona 3 Reload, along with details about the game’s characters and human parameters. The game is set to release on February 2, 2024, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam/Windows).
In addition to Yukari’s new outfit, the artwork for Junpei Iori’s uniform has also been released. Additional information provides insights into various aspects, including human parameters, dormitory life, and characters you encounter at Gekkoukan Academy.
▶︎ Special Extracurricular Activities Club S.E.E.S. – New Combat Uniform
The members of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (S.E.E.S.) don distinctive battle uniforms when traversing Tartarus. Both Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori have received new battle uniform designs.
The Protagonist (CV: Akira Ishida) Weapon: One-handed sword Initial Persona: Orpheus Theurgy: Cadenza, Best Friend, etc.
The protagonist wields a one-handed sword and initially summons the Persona Orpheus. His unique Wild ability allows him to handle multiple Personas and activate various types of Theurgy.
Orpheus is the first Persona that the protagonist awakens to. He is a heroic poet who appears in Greek mythology and is known as a master of the lyre.
She uses a bow as her weapon and possesses the Persona Io. Yukari specializes in gale and recovery skills, featuring the Theurgy Cyclone Arrow, which deals significant gale damage to a single enemy.
Yukari’s Persona is Io, a priestess who serves the goddess Hera in Greek mythology, and who is said to have been favored by Zeus.
Junpei wields a two-handed sword and possesses the Persona Hermes. He excels in fire and slash attacks, using Theurgy Burst Swing to inflict substantial slash damage to a single enemy.
Junpei’s Persona is Hermes, who in Greek mythology, is a messenger god who serves as a messenger of Zeus. He was revered by travelers and merchants.
▶︎ Human Parameters
Throughout the game, the protagonist must develop three human parameters: academic ability, charm, and courage. Improving these parameters through activities such as studying and part-time jobs is essential to unlock certain in-game facilities and build relationships.
▶︎ Dormitory Life
The student dormitory provides shared facilities for activities such as cooking, test preparation, reading, watching DVDs, and maintaining a rooftop garden. Spending time with friends in the dormitory enhances parameters of their Personas and grants friends useful “traits” in battle.
The protagonist’s humanity can develop as he lives together with his friends. Perhaps you may get a glimpse of an unexpected side…?
Shared Computer Dormitory residents use shared computers for studying and gathering information, aiding in increasing human parameters and learning useful skills for battles and exploration.
Learning of Traits Friends living in the dormitory can acquire “traits” that have several advantages in battle, such as increased critical attack frequency and reduced recovery skill points.
▶︎ People You Meet at School
The protagonist interacts with various individuals during his time at Gekkoukan Academy, building communities and increasing the community rank to access special character-specific events.
Some of the featured characters include Kenji Tomochika, Nozomi Suemitsu, Kazushi Miyamoto, Yuko Nishiwaki, Hidetoshi Odagiri, Chihiro Fushimi, Keisuke Hiraga, and Bebe. Each character comes with new illustrations and fully voiced scenes.
Kenji Tomochika (CV: Wataru Hatano) A second-year student at Gekkoukan High School and a friendly classmate of the protagonist. He shows an immediate interest in the protagonist when he transfers to the school and somewhat pressures him into becoming friends. Kenji shares a particularly close bond with Junpei and offers love advice to the protagonist.
Nozomi Suemitsu, Gourmet King (CV: Fukushi Ochiai) A third-year student at Gekkoukan High School who is known as the “Gourmet King”. She’s famous for her restaurant-hopping adventures in Minato Ward, where she indulges in everything from regular menu items to secret specialties. After the protagonist helps her in a confrontation with someone, she appoints the protagonist as her personal SP.
Kazushi Miyamoto, Sports Club (CV: Eiji Miyashita) A second-year student at Gekkoukan High School and classmate of the protagonist, is a dedicated member of the track and field club. He excels as the ace of the Sports Club through his hard work, determination, and unwavering commitment, acknowledging the protagonist as a worthy rival.
Yuko Nishiwaki, Female Manager (CV: Emiri Kato) A second-year student at Gekkoukan High School and serves as the manager of the track and field club, where the protagonist has recently enrolled. She is a childhood friend of fellow club member Miyamoto, affectionately calling him “Miya.” Yuko is known for her caring personality and genuine concern for the protagonist, who recently joined the club.
Hidetoshi Odagiri, Student Council (CV: Masaya Matsukaze) A second-year male student at Gekkoukan High School, holding the position of vice president in the student council while also overseeing the public morals committee. He is known for his strict demeanor and is generally not well-liked by the student body. However, he holds the protagonist in high esteem, as they joined the student council upon Mitsuru’s recommendation.
Chihiro Fushimi, Student Council Treasurer (CV: Aya Endo) A first-year student at Gekkoukan High School who serves as the student council treasurer. She is known for being easily persuaded and has difficulty saying “no.” Chihiro also struggles with a weakness for men and hopes to overcome this vulnerability someday.
Keisuke Hiraga, Culture Department (CV: Yuichi Iguchi) A third-year student at Gekkoukan High School and serves as the head of the art club. Despite being the son of a doctor and having others expect him to follow in his father’s footsteps, Keisuke is uncertain about whether to pursue medical school or study abroad in the arts. He crosses paths with the protagonist during a visit to the art club.
Bebe (CV: Mitsuhiro Ichiki) Bebe, whose real name is Andre Laurent Jean Gerard, is an exchange student from France with a deep passion for Japanese culture, including kimonos, period dramas, and Japanese gardens. He extends an invitation to the protagonist to join the Fashion Club with him.
Like the previous videos, ATLUS has just released another character introduction video and related information on Junpei Iori, voiced by Kosuke Toriumi, from the upcoming release of Persona 3 Reload.
A classmate of both the main character and Yukari. Sometime after the main character transfers to the school, Junpei’s Persona awakens and he joins S.E.E.S., moving into the Iwatodai. Possessing considerable communication skills and a knack for lifting spirits, he sometimes over does it, which makes Yukari treat him coldly.
In combat, he wields a long sword and a Persona named Hermes. His combat skills primarily revolve around physical and fire-based attacks.
In the latest character introduction video, we meet Yukari Takeba (CV. Megumi Toyoguchi) from Persona 3 Reload, featuring her new technique “Theurgy” in which she shoots a series of rapid arrows.
◆ Classmate Yukari Takeba Here we explore the character Yukari Takeba, a fellow classmate of the protagonist. Known for her cheerful disposition and striking appearance, she enjoys popularity among her peers. She possesses a strong and composed side as well.
Despite lacking prior combat experience as a Persona user, she takes a stand on the front lines alongside the protagonist after encountering Shadows. Yukari is an active member of the archery club, and thus wields a bow in battle. Her exclusive Persona, Io, grants her proficiency in gale attribute skills and recovery techniques.
The video showcases battles, interactions with the main character, and scenes from the special extracurricular activities club. With her new “Theurgy” skill, Yukari fires arrows with remarkable speed, inflicting substantial damage upon her enemies.
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