Who doesn’t love a game about high school? Remembering the fun times, the boring lessons with eccentric teachers, and of course, fighting the evil Shadows that want nothing more than to kill you. You know, typical school stuff.

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Persona 3 takes the school setting - so underutilised in video games by the way, what’s that about? - and runs with it to great success. However, the characters it populates its school with, and of course, the SEES team that fights alongside you, have to be interesting for the game to succeed. While they’re all great in their own right, some are undoubtedly better than others- and some are just a cute dog.

9 Ken Amada

Ken Amada has the potential to be one of the game’s best characters. His youthful perspective on the unfolding events is something we’ve not quite seen in any of the other Persona games, making him a truly fresh and original character.

This alone would have been enough to push Ken Amada up to the top spot. However, there’s one big caveat. Well, we say big, but we mean large, sizeable, substantial, considerable, great, huge and all the other synonyms available on Google. Simply put, the fact that you can romance this child is more than off-putting. It ruins his character considerably, as it places an unwanted and slightly sinister aspect on his development. It’s a great shame.

8 Koromaru

We love dogs - who doesn’t - so don’t hate us for putting the absolutely adorable Koromaru this low down. Each Persona game seemingly needs an animal-based mascot, and Persona 3’s is this Shiba Inu, Koromaru. He’s fluffy, adorable, and in constant need of attention. Oh, and did we mention he has his own Persona? Yeah, he’s awesome.

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However, Koromaru doesn’t speak. Sure, he barks and woofs and waggles, but he never speaks. As a result, while the game gives him plenty of screen time - and well, he’s a dog and therefore inherently cute - it doesn’t make much sense to put him higher on the list.

7 Fuuka Yamagishi

One of the best aspects of the Persona series is how they tackle the various sides of mental health with staggering nuance and ensure that each character feels properly fleshed out. Fuuka Yamagishi is a fantastic example of this. She is a shy and often solitary girl who manages to remain empathic and friendly despite her frequent isolation.

Through the SEES team, she manages to form lasting and meaningful bonds with everyone and of course has her own interesting storylines for you to explore. Sure, there are more interesting characters in Persona 3 than Fuuka Yamagishi, but she’s excellent nonetheless.

6 Shinjiro Aragaki

The Persona series is not afraid to reveal part members very late into their extraordinarily long runtimes. Characters may come and go, while others will appear practically at the very end, proving to be a fun and intriguing albeit slightly late-to-the-party addition to your team. Shinjiro Aragaki is one such character as he appears quite late in your playthrough.

What makes his appearance so special, however, is that Shinjiro used to be a member of the SEES team. He leaves when you join, making his entrance later on all the more intriguing. There’s an air of mystery surrounding him and the payoff is ultimately worth it. However, his lack of presence for much of the game means that our bond is far stronger with other people. It’s like he’s come to Summer Camp a day late. We’re happy he’s here, but we’ve already bonded over s’mores. Sorry, Shinjiro.

5 Mitsuru Kirijo

There are a lot of people who don't seem to enjoy Mitsuru Kirijo’s character. We simply cannot understand why. Sure, she’s brash, full of bravado, confident to a fault at times, and keen on being a leader. But she’s also headstrong, passionate, and incredibly intelligent. That is exactly why we love her. She can be a bit aloof, distant, or push others away, but, if you get to know her, you’ll uncover a much deeper character.

Mitsuru is filled with the same issues most teenagers face. These vulnerabilities are buried beneath a sense of self-importance in order to protect herself from harm. But really, there’s a softer side to her which makes her incredibly endearing. There’s just so much to love about both sides of Mitsuru.

4 Akihiko Sanada

Akihiko Sanada is often credited with being one of the best characters in the entire Persona series. It isn’t hard to see why. He takes on a lot of roles, acting as the tough, strong-willed, determined fighter, the sarcastic jokester, the big brother and many many more. Honestly, it’s hard to fault Akihiko.

He goes through a lot of the same trials and tribulations that other characters - such as Mitsuru - experience. This not only gives him a lot of nuance and depth but makes him a far more relatable character despite his upper-class nature.

3 Junpei Iori

Ahhhh Junpei Iori. The big bro of Persona 3. This kind of character - the eternally loyal best friend/big brother - has been done to death in JRPGs. Whether it's Ryuji in Persona 5 or Gladio in Final Fantasy 15, it’s hard not to immediately identify exactly what the writers are going for. However, unlike other bro characters, Junpei is handled with such grace and care that it’s hard not to forget the trope and really feel like he’s got your back.

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Junpei is so well written that you’ll immediately fall in love. He’s charismatic, goofy, dorky - and yes a little too forward with the ladies which, let’s be honest, is more tired than the best friend trope at this point - and loves manga. But it is the exploration of purpose and his place in life that is the most gripping and interesting aspect of his character.

2 Aigis

If you’ve seen Blade Runner, RoboCop, and Westworld - basically any movie about androids - then Aigis’ story likely sounds familiar. She’s an android in search of purpose and meaning in the world. It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as Issac Asimov is, maybe? We should read more.

However, as always, Persona 3 handles her story with a sense of gravitas and purpose. It doesn’t feel one-note or even derivative. In fact, Aigis’ search for meaning is perhaps one of the best. There’s a reason she’s so beloved and memorable - beyond her great design - and her role in the game’s overall story and the finale is not to be underestimated.

1 Yukari Takeba

We can confirm, without a shadow of a doubt, that Yukari Takeba is the best party member in all of Persona 3 Portable. She’s the most realistically written character in the entire game - and perhaps series - as she never feels trapped in one particular role or personality type. She’s bubbly, kind, and good-natured but prone to bouts of anger and malicious sarcasm. She lashes out when her mood swings and is very matter-of-fact about whom she likes and doesn’t.

But all of this isn’t a criticism, but rather a huge plus in her favour. It is this balanced personality that makes her so unique. She goes through her fair share of trauma and is of course central to the main plotline. But this more realistic perception of not only a teenager going through school but also a victim of trauma is what makes her such a standout character.

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