Persona 4 is a role-playing video game created by Atlus in 2008. It is the fifth game in the Persona series, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei franchise. The game was first released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan in July 2008, in North America in December 2008, and in Europe and Australia in March 2009. A newer version called Persona 4 Golden was released for the PlayStation Vita in 2012. The story takes place in a fictional Japanese countryside town named Inaba, where a player-named character moves from the city to live for a year. During this time, the character joins friends to investigate mysterious murders and gains the ability to summon physical forms of their inner thoughts or feelings, called Personas.
The story of Persona 4 was inspired by mystery novels, especially to make it different from the previous game, Persona 3. The setting was based on a real town near Mount Fuji and was designed to feel like a quiet, ordinary place to help players connect with the characters’ daily lives. The game includes many events to keep the experience engaging. When the game was translated for Western audiences, some cultural references were changed to maintain the story’s meaning. In Japan, the game’s release included merchandise such as costumes and accessories. The music was composed by Shoji Meguro, with vocals by Shihoko Hirata. Western versions of the game included a soundtrack CD with selected songs.
Persona 4 was released in North America on December 9, 2008, and was one of the last major exclusive games for the PlayStation 2. The game received high praise for its story, characters, gameplay, and music. Persona 4 Golden was even more highly praised for adding new content and improving visuals. The original game and its ports sold about 2.5 million copies worldwide by the early 2020s.
Looking back, Persona 4 is often considered one of the greatest video games ever made by many outlets. The game inspired manga, light novels, and an anime adaptation by AIC ASTA. It also led to several spin-off games. Characters from Persona 4 appear as playable characters in Persona Q (2014) and Persona Q2 (2018). A full remake of the game, called Persona 4 Revival, is currently being developed for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.
Gameplay
Persona 4 combines traditional role-playing game features with elements of simulation. The player controls the game's main character, a teenage boy whose name is chosen by the player. He moves to the town of Inaba for a year. The game has two settings: the real world of Inaba, where the character lives daily life, and the mysterious "TV World," which contains dungeons filled with monsters called Shadows. Except for pre-planned events, such as story progression or special activities, players can choose how to spend their time. Options include joining school clubs, working part-time jobs, reading books, or exploring TV World dungeons to gain experience and items. Time is divided into periods like "After School/Daytime" and "Evening," with most activities advancing the time. Some activities are only available at certain times, days, or weather conditions. For example, evening activities are unavailable if the player visits the TV World that day. Certain choices and activities depend on the protagonist's five attributes: Understanding, Diligence, Courage, Knowledge, and Expression. These attributes improve through specific actions. If a person trapped in the TV World is not rescued before fog appears in town—after several days of rain—they will be killed by Shadows, ending the game. Players must restart from a previous time or load a saved file. As the story progresses, the protagonist builds friendships with other characters called "Social Links," each linked to one of the Major Arcana. Strengthening these relationships increases their Rank, which helps create stronger Personas in the Velvet Room. Strengthening Social Links with main party members also grants abilities, such as follow-up attacks or new Persona skills.
The game focuses on Personas, which are avatars representing mythological figures and the ways people face challenges. Each Persona has unique skills, strengths, and weaknesses. As Personas gain experience and level up, they learn new skills, including offensive, support, or passive abilities. Each Persona can hold up to eight skills, requiring older skills to be forgotten to learn new ones. Main party members have unique Personas that become stronger after completing their Social Links. The protagonist can use multiple Personas, switching between them during battles. New Personas are earned through "Shuffle Time," with the protagonist able to carry more Personas as he levels up. Outside of dungeons, players can visit the Velvet Room to create or summon Personas for a fee. New Personas are made by combining two or more monsters, inheriting some skills from them. The level of Personas created depends on the protagonist's current level. If a Social Link related to an Arcana is strengthened, Personas linked to that Arcana receive bonuses when created.
In Persona 4 Golden, bike trips are added as a daytime activity with party members. These trips teach skills that characters otherwise cannot learn or allow them to relearn previous skills.
Inside the TV World, players form a party of the protagonist and up to three other characters to explore randomly generated dungeons tied to kidnapped victims. Each dungeon floor has roaming Shadows and treasure chests with items or equipment. Players advance by finding stairs to move to the next floor, eventually reaching a boss. Battles begin when encountering a Shadow. Attacking from behind gives an advantage, while being attacked from behind weakens the player. Battles are turn-based, similar to other Shin Megami Tensei games, with characters using weapons, items, or Persona skills. The protagonist is controlled directly, while others can be given commands or assigned "Tactics" to change their battle behavior. If the protagonist loses all health, the game ends, returning players to the title screen.
Offensive abilities have attributes like Physical, Fire, Ice, Wind, Electricity, Light, Dark, and Almighty. Enemies and characters may have strengths or weaknesses to certain attacks based on their Persona or equipment. Hitting an enemy's weakness or landing a critical strike knocks them down, giving the attacker an extra move. If all enemies are knocked down, players can perform an "All-Out Attack," dealing heavy damage to all enemies. After battles, players earn experience, money, and items. Sometimes, mini-games like "Shuffle: Time" and "Arcana Chance" occur, offering new Personas or bonuses.
Plot
Persona 4 is set in 2011 in a fictional rural town in Japan called Inaba. The town is located near floodplains and has a high school and shopping areas. Unexplained murders have occurred in Inaba, with victims found hanging from television antennas, and their causes of death remain unknown. At the same time, a rumor spreads that watching a turned-off television on rainy nights might reveal a person’s soulmate. The game also shows the main characters entering the TV World, a mysterious place covered in fog filled with monsters called Shadows, which can only be reached through television sets.
The main character is a high school student named Yu Narukami, who recently moved to Inaba from the city. At school, he becomes friends with Yosuke Hanamura, the clumsy son of a local store manager; Chie Satonaka, an energetic girl who enjoys martial arts; and Yukiko Amagi, a calm girl who helps run her family’s inn. After hearing the rumor about the Midnight Channel, Yu, Yosuke, and Chie discover the TV World and meet Teddie, a friendly creature who looks like a hollow bear costume. Using Personas—powerful abilities tied to their personalities—the students form an Investigation Team to explore the connection between the TV World and the murders and find the killer.
As the story progresses, the team gains new members: Kanji Tatsumi, a boy who enjoys feminine hobbies; Rise Kujikawa, a former teen idol searching for her identity; and Naoto Shirogane, a young detective who disguises herself as a boy to avoid discrimination. Yu moves to Inaba to stay with his uncle, Ryotaro Dojima, and his cousin, Nanako, for a year while his parents work abroad. Soon after arriving, a TV announcer named Mayumi Yamano is found dead, hanging from an antenna. Later, a student named Saki Konishi, who discovered Mayumi’s body, is also found dead, hanging from a telephone pole.
After accidentally entering the TV World, Yu and his friends meet Teddie, who helps them travel between the real world and the TV World. They learn that the murders are caused by Shadows, creatures from the TV World born from hidden emotions. The group rescues people who are in danger and helps each member accept parts of themselves they once rejected, which manifest as giant Shadows in the TV World. Mitsuo Kubo, a student who disappears after the death of Yu’s teacher, Kinshiro Morooka, falsely claims responsibility for the murders. However, it is later revealed that Kubo only killed Morooka and had no connection to the other murders.
Naoto Shirogane, a detective investigating the case, is also rescued and gains a Persona. She joins the group and reveals that she is a girl who pretended to be a boy to avoid being treated unfairly. The story reaches a climax when Yu’s uncle, Ryotaro, discovers Yu’s involvement in the case after finding a threatening letter. During Yu’s interrogation, Nanako is kidnapped, and Ryotaro pursues the kidnapper, who escapes with Nanako through a television set. The group then enters the TV World to rescue her. The kidnapper, Taro Namatame, is possessed by Shadows and transforms into a monster named Kunino-Sagiri, but he is defeated, and Nanako is saved.
During Nanako’s hospital stay, the fog from the Midnight Channel continues in the real world, causing fear among the townspeople. When Nanako appears to die, the group confronts Namatame, who explains that his kidnappings were meant to protect people from the killer, not realizing the danger of the TV World. The Investigation Team later discovers that the real killer is Tohru Adachi, Ryotaro’s assistant, who wrote the threatening letters. If the player fails to identify Adachi or kills Namatame, the story ends with the fog permanently covering the world, leading to humanity’s destruction.
After identifying Adachi as the true killer, the group confronts him in the TV World. Adachi admits he caused the murders for fun and to keep the “game” going. He is controlled by a monster named Ameno-sagiri, who reveals the fog will eventually destroy humanity. After defeating Adachi, the fog is lifted, and the TV World is restored. The story ends with Yu preparing to leave Inaba. If the player chooses to return home, the game ends with the “normal” ending. If the player instead reunites with the group, they investigate the origins of the Midnight Channel, leading to the “true” ending. Yu confronts a gas station attendant, who is revealed to be Izanami-no-Okami, a figure who created the fog to merge the TV World with the human world. The group defeats Izanami, and the fog is lifted. The story concludes with Yu leaving Inaba, and the group promises to stay friends forever.
Development
According to Katsura Hashino, the game director, development of Persona 4 in Japan began after the release of Persona 3. The team included members from Persona 3 and new employees who were fans of the earlier game. Atlus wanted to improve both the gameplay and story of Persona 3 for Persona 4 to avoid making it feel like a copy of the previous game. Hashino said the team aimed to give players a clear goal and purpose to keep them motivated during the game. The murder mystery plot was chosen to help achieve this. Hashino explained that the story was greatly inspired by mystery writers like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Seishi Yokomizo. Persona 4 was first announced in the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu in March 2008. An article in the magazine described the game’s murder mystery theme, rural setting, and new weather system. The North American release date was announced at the 2008 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, California. Atlus decided not to include an add-on disc or epilogue for Persona 4, unlike Persona 3 FES. Players could now control all characters in battle, a change made after players criticized the use of AI to control most characters in Persona 3. The amount of data created for school life, character relationships, and dialogue was so large that developers worried it would not fit on a single disc. The anime cutscenes were made by Studio Hibari.
The design of Inaba, the game’s setting, was based on a real town near Mount Fuji. Developers disagreed about how to design Inaba because each staff member had a different idea of what a rural town should look like. To decide on the final design, the team visited real locations. Inaba is not a famous or tourist-friendly town but rather an ordinary, unremarkable place. Hashino described it as a typical town, neither special nor unique. Unlike other role-playing games with large worlds, Persona 4 mainly takes place in Inaba. This choice helped reduce development costs and allowed Atlus to focus on other parts of the game. A central setting also helped players connect with the characters’ daily lives. To keep the game exciting, the team planned a set number of in-game events. The choice of Japanese mythical figures for the characters’ Personas, instead of Graeco-Roman gods used in earlier games, was inspired by the setting. Persona designs were based on characters’ personalities. The team had creative freedom because, while Japanese deities have clear traits, their appearances are not traditionally defined. Hashino created the Shadows with little outside help, though female staff members assisted with designing female Shadows.
Despite being set in the countryside, Persona 4 characters were designed to look and sound like modern high school students. Lead localization editor Nich Maragos initially wrote the characters as more rural than needed, but he later adjusted them to avoid stereotypes. Characters like Yosuke and the protagonist had more stylish hair than others, as noted by editor Andrew Fitch. Art director Shigenori Soejima used hairstyles to show differences between city and country characters. Yosuke, for example, wore accessories like headphones and a bicycle to highlight his city background.
Localization of Persona 4 was handled by Yu Namba and Nich Maragos of Atlus USA, along with four translators and two editors. Social Links were divided equally between translators and editors. Some character names were changed for international audiences, such as Kuma becoming Teddie and "Risechie" becoming "Risette." The term "Community" was changed to "Social Link" because "community" has a different meaning in English. Some Japanese cultural references, like mentions of Kosuke Kindaichi, were removed. Dungeon item names were also adjusted for clarity, such as "Kae Rail" becoming "Goho-M," which reflects the item’s function of returning players to the entrance.
Atlus senior project manager Masaru Nanba explained that "Shin Megami Tensei" remained in the titles of Persona 3 and Persona 4 because they were considered part of the same series as Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. However, it was omitted from Persona 4 Golden and Persona 4 Arena due to length. The titles of Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena and Persona 4: The Golden were shortened for simplicity. Honorifics from the Japanese version were kept in the English dub despite some fan controversy. The localization team carefully considered how to pronounce these terms, and the English cast took time to adapt. Yuri Lowenthal, who voiced characters in Persona 3, had a larger role in Persona 4, with Yosuke’s dialogue including 1,000 more lines than other main characters. Teddie and Rise were important for their support roles in the English script. Swearing was used more in Persona 4 than in Persona 3, especially for Kanji, whose character is described as volatile.
The original score for Persona 4 was composed, arranged, and produced by Shoji Meguro. The soundtrack includes songs with vocals by Shihoko Hirata, whose emotional range suited the music. Lyrics were written by Reiko Tanaka. Meguro received a rough outline of the game’s plot and created the music alongside the game’s development.
Reception
Persona 4 received very good reviews from game critics when it was first released. Jeff Gerstmann of Giant Bomb said it was "one of the most enjoyable experiences with video games, whether playing alone or watching others play." Famitsu noted that while the game had few new ideas compared to the previous game, it preferred the changes made to the battle system, which moved quickly and made playing easier. The ability to control party members also improved the game. IGN mentioned that the game's pacing was sometimes uneven and that some parts felt similar to earlier games, but praised it as an "evolution of the RPG series" and called it an "instant classic." It also said the soundtrack had some repeated music. RPGFan's Ryan Mattich recommended Persona 4 as "one of the best RPG experiences of the year," saying it balanced using what worked well with making improvements. 1UP.com's Andrew Fitch called it "some of this decade's finest RPG epics," but noted small issues with loading times and slow story progression. GameTrailers said it stood out as a special example of the Japanese RPG genre, even better than its predecessor, Persona 3. Wired said the graphics were not as advanced as those on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, but praised the creative art style and the excellent battle music.
The game's setting received mixed opinions. IGN described it as "a murder mystery set against familiar Persona 3 elements," which added an interesting twist to the gameplay but sometimes slowed the story. Hyper's Tim Henderson praised the game for creating a consistent and clear story from unusual ideas, but criticized the slow pacing and lack of exciting scenes. 1UP.com called it a "stylish murder mystery," comparing it to a "small-town Scooby-Doo" adventure.
The game is also known for including a story part with sexual themes. One character, Kanji, is considered one of the first in a mainstream video game to struggle with his identity. Atlus, the game's developer, left Kanji's preferences unclear and up to the player. Dr. Antonia Levi, an author, said the game's portrayal of Kanji's identity was a "comment on homosexuality in Japanese society," where being open about one's identity is often seen as difficult. Brenda Brathwaite, another author, said it would have been better if the game clearly stated Kanji was gay, but she still praised the character's story and interactions.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Persona 4 Golden received "generally favorable reviews," while the Switch version got "universal acclaim," according to Metacritic.
Persona 4 sold the most copies in Japan when it first released, selling 193,000 copies in one week. The PlayStation 2 version sold 358,899 copies in Japan. In North America, it was the top-selling PlayStation 2 game on Amazon.com for two weeks. A soundtrack disc was included in North American and European versions of the game. Amazon sold a special "Social Link Expansion Pack" with extra music, a shirt, a calendar, and a plush doll of the character Teddie. The game was later released as a PlayStation 2 Classic for the PlayStation 3 in 2014.
The Japanese release of Persona 4 Golden on the PS Vita sold 324,357 physical copies and 21,020 digital copies, totaling 704,276 copies for the PS2 and Golden (Vita) versions in Japan. Worldwide, Persona 4 Golden sold over 1.5 million copies on the Vita. The 2020 Windows version on Steam sold over 500,000 copies worldwide in less than a month. Sega said the sales were better than expected and would continue to release older games on PC. On June 30, 2021, Atlus announced the PC version of Persona 4 Golden had sold 1 million copies, bringing total worldwide sales of Persona 4 Golden to 2.5 million copies on the Vita and PC.
Persona 4 won the "PlayStation 2 Game Prize" in the Famitsu Awards 2008, chosen by Famitsu readers. It was also recognized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association as one of the winners for the "Games of the Year Award of Excellence" in the Japan Game Awards 2009. The game was praised for its "high quality of work," "excellent story," "automatically generated dungeons," and "impressive background music." It won the Award for Excellence at the 2009 Japan Game Awards. In 2013, GamesRadar ranked it fifth on its list of "best video game stories ever," saying its "greatest strength comes from pacing." In 2015, GamesRadar named Persona 4 Golden the 53rd best game ever on its "The 100 best games ever" list. That same year, USgamer placed the game fifth on its "The 15 Best Games Since 2000" list. In 2023, Time Extension included the game on their "Best JRPGs of All Time" list.
Legacy
Costumes inspired by the Yasogami High School uniforms, along with music from the game, are available in Persona 5, Persona 3 Reload, and Metaphor: ReFantazio as downloadable content that players can purchase.
Persona 4 Golden, released in Japan as Persona 4: The Golden, was announced in August 2011 as a version of Persona 4 for the PlayStation Vita. Originally, Atlus planned to make it for the PlayStation Portable, similar to Persona 3 Portable, which would have required removing some features from the PlayStation 2 version. However, the PlayStation Vita had enough power to allow Atlus to add new content. This version includes expanded story elements, new characters, additional Personas, new outfits, more spoken lines, and anime cutscenes. It also adds two new Social Links for Marie and Tohru Adachi. The game supports the Vita’s wireless connection features, letting players ask others for help during battles. A garden that produces items for use in dungeons is another new feature. Persona 4 Golden was released in Japan on June 14, 2012, and was the first game in the series to be released in traditional Chinese.
The release of Persona 4 Golden helped increase the number of PlayStation Vita sales. During its first week, the game sold 137,076 copies in Japan. Media Create noted that the game’s strong sales may have been influenced by the popularity of Persona 4 in other media. By mid-July 2012, the game had sold 193,412 copies in Japan. It was the eighth most purchased digital Vita game on the Japanese PlayStation Network in 2013. By April 2014, the game had sold 350,000 copies in Japan, and over 700,000 copies worldwide by December 2013. A soundtrack featuring 15 tracks composed by Meguro and Atsushi Kitajoh was released in Japan on June 27, 2012.
Persona 4 Golden was released in North America on November 20, 2012, with a special "Solid Gold Premium Edition" of 10,000 copies. NIS America released the game in Europe on February 22, 2013. It was also released for Windows on June 13, 2020, with added features like Japanese voiceovers and minor graphical improvements. Ports for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S were released on January 19, 2023.
Persona 4 Revival is a planned remake of Persona 4, similar to Persona 3 Reload. It will include improved graphics, better presentation, and quality-of-life features like those in Persona 5. The game was announced in June 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.
A fighting game sequel, Persona 4 Arena, known in Japan as Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena, was developed by Arc System Works and released in 2012 for arcades, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game features Yu Narukami, the protagonist, as well as characters from Persona 3 like Aigis, Mitsuru, Elizabeth, and Akihiko. The story takes place two months after the original game’s ending, with the Investigation Team forced into a tournament called the "P-1 Grand Prix" hosted by General Teddie. A sequel, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, was released in Japanese arcades in November 2013 and for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in late 2014. It was later released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows in 2022. This version takes place one day after Arena and adds seven playable characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4 Golden, along with a new antagonist named Sho Minazuki.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a dungeon-crawler RPG for the Nintendo 3DS. It includes characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4, as well as gameplay elements from the Etrian Odyssey series. The story takes place midway through Persona 4, with the Investigation Team pulled into an alternate version of Yasogami High and forced to work with SEES to escape. The game was released in Japan on June 5, 2014, North America on November 25, 2014, and Europe on November 28, 2014. A sequel, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, was released for the 3DS in November 2018. It features the Investigation Team, along with characters from Persona 3 and Persona 5, trapped in a movie theater.
Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a rhythm game developed by Atlus for the PlayStation Vita. It includes music from the Persona series and takes place six months after the events of Persona 4. The Investigation Team investigates a mysterious "Midnight Stage" that is kidnapping girls from Rise’s idol group. The game was released in Japan on June 25, 2015, and later for PlayStation 4 in 2018.
Other media
Atlus created a variety of merchandise after releasing Persona 4, including action figures, toys, clothing, and published materials. Atlus worked with Enterbrain, a Japanese publishing company, to produce two strategy guides, an artbook showing character and setting designs, and a fan book named Persona Club P4, which included official artwork, fan art, and interviews with the game's designers. Most items were sold only in Japan, while other Japanese companies also made figurines and toys. Action figures include a 1/8 scale PVC figurine of Yukiko Amagi, as well as Teddie and Rise Kujikawa, created by Alter. Cospa sells licensed Persona 4 merchandise, such as t-shirts, tote bags, and clothing worn by the character Chie.
Udon released an English version of Enterbrain’s Persona 4: Official Design Works artbook on May 8, 2012.
A manga adaptation of Persona 4 was written by Shūji Sogabe, the artist for Persona 3’s manga. It began in Dengeki Black Maoh Volume 5 in September 2008. The first manga book was released on September 26, 2009, and 13 total volumes were published, with the last one released on March 27, 2019.
Shiichi Kukura wrote a manga titled Persona 4 The Magician, which focuses on Yosuke Hanamura’s life in Inaba before the game begins. Its only volume was released on August 27, 2012. A manga version of the light novel Persona × Detective Naoto, drawn by Satoshi Shiki, was published in Dengeki Maoh magazine starting November 27, 2014.
Natsuki Mamiya wrote a light novel titled Persona × Detective Naoto, which follows Naoto Shirogane a year after the events of Persona 4. In the story, Naoto investigates the disappearance of a childhood friend in Yagakoro City and works with Sousei Kurogami, a mechanized detective. The light novel, illustrated by Shigenori Soejima and Shūji Sogabe, was released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko on June 8, 2012.
A 25-episode anime version of Persona 4 was produced by AIC A.S.T.A. and directed by Seiji Kishi. It aired on MBS from October 6, 2011, to March 29, 2012. A 26th episode, showing the story’s true ending, was added to the 10th volume of Persona 4 on August 22, 2013. Most actors from the game returned for the anime, but Igor’s voice was taken from the game because his actor, Isamu Tanonaka, died in 2010. Aniplex released the anime on DVD and Blu-ray between November 23, 2011, and August 22, 2012. The first DVD included a director’s cut of the first episode and a bonus CD. Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime for North America, broadcasting it as it aired and releasing it on DVD and Blu-ray in two volumes on September 18, 2012, and January 15, 2013. The English version used many of the same voice actors as the game, though the Blu-ray version did not include Japanese audio. Kazé and Manga Entertainment released the anime in the United Kingdom in three BD/DVD sets from December 24, 2012, to July 22, 2013. A movie version of the anime, titled Persona 4 The Animation -The Factor of Hope-, was released in Japan on June 9, 2012. It included a shortened version of the story and new animation scenes. A second anime, Persona 4: The Golden Animation, based on Persona 4 Golden, was produced by A-1 Pictures and aired on MBS’ Animeism block starting July 2014.
A live stage play titled VisuaLive: Persona 4 was performed from March 15–20, 2012. Shutaro Oku directed the game footage used in the play, and Shunsuke Wada composed the music. The cast included Toru Baba as the audience-named protagonist, Takahisa Maeyama as Yosuke Hanamura, Minami Tsukui as Chie Satonaka, Risa Yoshiki as Yukiko Amagi, Jyōji Saotome as Daisuke Nagase, Motohiro Ota as Kou Ichijo, and Masashi Taniguchi as Ryotaro Dojima, and Masami Ito as Tohru Adachi. Kappei Yamaguchi and Rie Kugimiya voiced Teddie and Rise again. At the time, the production company limited the number of actresses, so roles for Naoto and Rise could not be filled. Youichiro Omi was cast as Kanji Tatsumi on December 1, 2011. The play covered the game’s story up until Kanji joined the group.
A second stage play, VisuaLive: Persona 4: The Evolution, covered the second half of the story and was performed from October 3–9, 2012. New cast members included Yuriya Suzuki as Rise Kujikawa, Juria Kawakami as Naoto Shirogane, Yasuhiro Roppongi as Tarou Namatame, Shotaro Mamiya as Izanami, and Arisa Nakajima as Margaret. Yumi Sugimoto replaced Risa Yoshiki as Yukiko Amagi.