Previous entries in thePersonaseries have featured diverse casts by way of their interests and skills, helping to establish each party member as a unique contribution both in and outside of combat. With the anticipation ofPersona 6and fan speculation over how the title might approach its cast, there may be inspiration lying back in the series' roots that expands upon this formula.Persona 2: Eternal Punishment’s treatment ofan adultPersonacastwith varying backgrounds and fashion inclinations paints a notable precedent forP6’s character designs, which could move beyond the high-schooler archetype.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishmentdiverges from thePersonablueprint in a number of ways. The first is through its female protagonist,Maya Amano, who comprises one of just two among the series' entries. The other is in the title’s feature of an adult cast, with the majority of its main characters in their early to mid-twenties, save for Baofu in his early thirties. This treatment makes for a compelling approach in their designs, due in part to the fantastic direction from Kazuma Kaneko, whose work across theShin Megami Tenseiseries laid the foundations of its highly stylized characters. However, the inclusion of an adult cast could still work to buttressPersona 6’s approach even in his absence.
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Persona 6’s Cast Could Explore More Eclectic Character Designs as Seen in Eternal Punishment
Persona 6may have more freedom by following inEternal Punishment’s lead rather than centrallizing its cast around high-school, allowing its characters to vary not just in age, but profession and background. In turn, this could drastically impact their character designs, aiding in a sense of diversity among its party members. While pastPersonacasts have certainly succeeded in imbuing their interests through their designs, most notably in how they embellish their school uniforms, like Chie with her iconic sports jacket or Akihiko with his red vest,P6could have the opportunity to branch even further in approach.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment’s treatment of Katsuya, for example, exhibits his serious nature as a police officer through a more streamlined suit and tie, while a less by-the-book character like Baofu relays his unconventional nature through a myriad of accessories. Others, like Ellen and Ulala, contrast between more feminine and tomboy looks in a way that gives the player a sense of their interests and hobbies through appearance alone. Because these characters are more established in life as a result of their ages, their backgrounds feel distinctly reflective in their designs, aided by the fact that they don’t have to contend with school uniforms as their bases.
Much of the fashion sense exhibited by the characters inEternal Punishmentwas also reflective of its release time; the game’s character design feels respective of its late 90s influences, given the title debuted in 2000.Persona 6could work from a similar approach, weaving current fashion trends into the cast’s appearances. The profession of each character could have implications on the way they’re designed as well, which might help to demonstrate how the characters may or may not conform to the archetypes set by their backgrounds, working tobroaden the diversity of thePersona 6castwhile showcasing nuance in their personalities.
Lastly, having more range in settings beyond high school could make for some interesting directions in costume, with environments playing into thePersonacharacters' outfits, similarly to how they have in the past through DLC and seasonal attire. This could be yet another opportunity to characterize the cast through their designs, building upon their personalities through outward appearance. Given the framework set byEternal Punishment, an established cast with different world views and life experiences could provide a fresh angle on the series' approach to character design, working to make the next mainline entry of the series as compelling as its predecessors.
Persona 6is currently in development.
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