(L+CR) Persona 4 Golden [Anticipation]

[Mad Pierrot]

Atlus’ new Persona project teased for this week’s Persona Hour stream is a new anime based on PS Vita’s Persona 4 Golden.

Persona 4 The Golden Animation will begin broadcasting this July in Japan. It’s being produced by A1-Pictures.

the official website (http://www.p4ga.jp/) outlines the story:

Spring. A rural town, far removed from the city, that spends its time peacefully. A boy arrives at Yaso Inaba Station, where the cherry blossom petals are falling. His name is Yū Narukami. Due to his family's situation, he moves to Inaba to live with his uncle, and attends Yasogami High School.

From there, his school life begins: The shopping mall after school. The serial murders happening in the town. The Midnight Channel that comes on late at night...

What days are waiting for Yū and his friends "this time"?

The anime will premiere this July during the Animeism programming block on MBS, TBS, and their affiliates.

Before directing this new anime series, Tomohisa Taguchi worked on the opening and the important parts of specific episodes in the first Persona 4 The Animation series. Those episodes include the final episode, the main characters' time at the open-air school in episode 8, and their summer vacation in episode 14. The first anime's Seiji Kishi will serve as chief director of the new anime.

Shoji Meguro is returning from the game series and the first anime to compose the music of the new series alongside Tetsuya Kobayashi, a collaborator of his since Persona 3 the Movie #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream. Series script supervisor Jun Kumagai worked on the scenario of every episode of the first series. Character designer Yuu Shindou worked as a key animator on episodes of the first series.

The new anime reunites the cast from the game and first television anime, including Daisuke Namikawa as the main character Yū Narukami. Joining the cast is Kana Hanazawa, who will reprise her role from the Persona 4 Golden PS Vita game.

[kyuudere]

Persona 4 Golden announced for this summer !

The program announced the staff for the anime:


Chief Director: Seiji Kishi
Director: Tomohisa Taguchi
Original Character Design/Persona Design: Shigenori Soejima
Persona Design Concept: Kazuma Kaneko
Character Design: Yuu Shindou
Music: Shoji Meguro, Tetsuya Kobayashi
Series Script Composition: Jun Kumagai
Animation Production: A-1 Pictures

The program also announced the cast, which will reunite the game and television anime's cast:

Daisuke Namikawa as Yū Narukami
Showtaro Morikubo as Yosuke Hanamura
Yui Horie as Chie Satonaka
Ami Koshimizu as Yukiko Amagi
Tomokazu Seki as Kanji Tatsumi
Rie Kugimiya as Rise Kujikawa
Kappei Yamaguchi as Kuma (Teddy)
Romi Park as Naoto Shirogane
Unshou Ishizuka as Ryōtarō Dōjima
Akemi Kanda as Nanako Dōjima
Mitsuaki Madono as Tōru Adachi
Isamu Tanonaka as Igor (special performance)
Sayaka Ohara as Margaret
Kana Hanazawa as Marie

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-05-02/persona-4-golden-gets-tv-anime-by-a-1-pictures-in-july

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-05-02/persona-4-golden-the-animation-promo-story-unveiled

[Nerroth]

I wonder if they might use this as an opportunity to tee up future adaptations of the Arena games, or even one of P4:DAN?

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by Nerroth

I wonder if they might use this as an opportunity to tee up future adaptations of the Arena games, or even one of P4AN?

Could be. The difference between now and when the original aired is the expanded universe they've managed to create. Could set up a series for Arena (which certainly could be done for both games in a short amount of time), could jump on the idol anime run we've had as of late with Rise's game, etc.

[Nerroth]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Could be. The difference between now and when the original aired is the expanded universe they've managed to create. Could set up a series for Arena (which certainly could be done for both games in a short amount of time), could jump on the idol anime run we've had as of late with Rise's game, etc.

Perhaps they could even go with Naoto's spinoff light novel series, too. Plenty of options on the table, as you say.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by Nerroth

Perhaps they could even go with Naoto's spinoff light novel series, too. Plenty of options on the table, as you say.

Yeah, even that might not be impossible. P4 really has reached the popularity level for Atlus that right now they could try just about anything and it'd probably have some success.

The milking of P4 might not be liked by everyone, but it has the popularity to make it possible.

[com_gwp]

Boy it looks pretty. That animation in that trailer is almost movie-tier.

I'm enough of a sucker for anything Persona to watch it, but fact is this remake based on the remake is hugely unnecessary. And Kishi directing again is a bad sign of things to come.

[LuxorMG]

Does anyone know if P4 Golden has the same story as the original?

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by LuxorMG

Does anyone know if P4 Golden has the same story as the original?

The core story is pretty well the same. Golden does have an additional character, additional social links, additional events, epilogue, etc. The majority of the story is the same.

But possible they might get more creative with the story. With the game it was mostly updating visually while adding to it. Could go further with this anime and tie the additional elements most closely to the core story.

[LKK]

I really enjoyed the first Persona 4 anime. If this new one comes close that one, I'll be a happy viewer.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Nerroth

I wonder if they might use this as an opportunity to tee up future adaptations of the Arena games, or even one of P4AN?

Unless Golden bombs (it won't), they're definitely going to adapt the Arena games. In fact, this was the announcement I expected today.

Personally, I'd rather see adaptation of other SMT games (or even the first two Persona, P2 would make a terrific anime), but I guess I'll take what I can get. I do love Persona 4, but with the first game, the anime, the Golden, and now the Golden anime, I'm starting to reach saturation point. I'll only watch this to hear Marie in Japanese.

[Dextro]

Wait... A guy is working his behind off all day to reach home and find out that they are doing a new Persona 4 anime? Say whaaaaaaa?

The first anime wasn't amazing but it was the bit I was missing to turn into a full blown fan of the series. It's just a shame I couldn't play The Golden with japanese audio but that's at least something to look forward to in this new show.

Btw what do you guys think are the odds of this picking up from before the Adachi battle started, introducing Marie and most of the Golden content before going for the true ending?

[com_gwp]

Originally Posted by Dextro

Btw what do you guys think are the odds of this picking up from before the Adachi battle started, introducing Marie and most of the Golden content before going for the true ending?

I doubt it's going to pick up halfway. Too confusing for new viewers on top of it already being based on the remake. Really gotta wait for the episode count before we can make a better guess. If it's one cour, probably a Cliff Notes of the original to rush to the new content (Marie/Adachi SL) and if its 2 cour, most likely a full-on remake.

Makes me wonder, how do spoilers work in this case? Obviously all the Golden content is taboo, but what about the original stuff?

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Personally, I'd rather see adaptation of other SMT games (or even the first two Persona, P2 would make a terrific anime),

Isn't P2 the one where you get demons on your side by dancing and telling jokes? That'd be ... interesting.

[com_gwp]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Isn't P2 the one where you get demons on your side by dancing and telling jokes? That'd be ... interesting.

Would watch for the blimp and

Spoiler for that guy:

Hitler, but he's pretty much the reason why we'll never get a P2 anime.

[Dengar]

Atlus & co seem to be dead set on erasing the original P4 from existence.

I am not amused.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by Dengar

Atlus & co seem to be dead set on erasing the original P4 from existence.

I am not amused.

Is that a big deal? I mean sure I played the heck of out the PS2 game. But Golden is the definitive version. The original can retire on my shelf with pride. Plus haven't they made the original game available on the PSN?

[Mad Pierrot]

I wonder if they will be wielding weapons this time like in Persona 3 the movie

[Frontier]

I had thought near the end of the original anime that there might be an OVA for Persona 4 focusing on the Golden content, but I definitely wasn't expecting a whole TV anime adaption of Golden .

It'll be really interesting to see where they go with this, either just covering all the new content from Golden or entirely remaking the original anime with the Golden content spread throughout. Not that I really minded the animation in the original, but a remake with the budget of the trailer would be nice .

Marie's story being covered is a given, though I could definitely see Adachi's Social Link working its way in.

Spoiler:

I am very interested in seeing how the anime team might adapt Valentines Day, if they include it.

So while I certainly wasn't expecting or asking for a new Persona 4 anime, I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it quite a bit and I'm happy to have more Persona animated .

[Frailty]

I wonder if this would only take up Marie's arc and her S.Link
I also wonder if they'd include Adachi's S.Link