Characters I like and dislike: Persona 3 and Persona 4

I was talking with Lance the other day which got me thinking about the characters I like and dislike about the Persona series. Primarily, the two main entries I've played: Persona 3 and Persona 4. Can't really talk about Persona 5 yet but do expect a few articles about the game around February or March! Also, I'll only mention the main characters that end up in your party.

Let's start with Persona 3. I like almost all the characters except Fuuka and Ken. It's partly due to their voice actors but even their characterisation wasn't for me. Fuuka is too timid and while that's alright in real life, for a character that I'm forced to like in the game, it just doesn't bode well with me. This is made worse with her voice actress which, although justifying the character's personality, does not make me want to interact with her at all. Ken's voice actor just sounds incredibly condescending and makes for quite an irritating sounding little kid. His backstory is sad and his drive feels real but he stills sounds irritating. Honestly, I like both of them FAR better when they're grown up in Arena.

Regarding the characters I like, I really like Junpei because he's down to earth, funny, and just a comic relief. You can't hate the comic relief. I also really like Yukari despite the hate she gets because a lot of people did not like how badly she treated the protagonist at first. I didn't mind that too much, kinda of like a tsundere character and her drive and story was very well executed.

Akihiko and Mitsuru really came off as true senpais and I respected them so much. They're both excellent characters that I miss dearly. Just to be clear, those two are ALWAYS in my party regardless of anything. I still felt a little odd though dating Mitsuru partly because she seems way too mature and that in my head, in the canon, she will eventually marry Akihiko.

Koromaru is just a dog so I can't really dislike him. Aigis, I found her cute, funny and adorably awkward. I loved her more in Persona Q where they allowed her to be a little more silly than in the dark world of Persona 3. Aside from that, she's also a really cool character and playing as her in FES really made me root for me. Not to mention her badassery in Arena as well. I like Shinjiro quite a bit, that's all I'm going to say.

Now, with Persona 4, I can say I like all the characters. However, I have issues with Chie, Yukiko, Naoto and Teddie. Now, they're not big issues that make me dislike them but their issues nevertheless. For Yosuke, I really like him and he did indeed feel very much like a bro. Brosuke for life guys. At least until Persona 5, when I need to find a new bro. Now, a LOT of international fans LOVE Chie. They love her personality, her drive and her realism. And I agree, she's very much like a tomboy. But I do not necessarily prefer tomboys. I'm not a misogynist, don't get me wrong but I just do not find the whole tomboy thing an attractive point in a lady. She can be badass and like fighting but Chie was just a little bit more than that. Also, I played the original PS2 version instead of the Vita so much of the Chie I experienced came with the very melo voice actress. Her new VA is way more hyper, which again, does not sell her to me.

Yukiko is ladylike and very cute. But her voice actress needed to be a little more....different? I just didn't really buy her VA too much. Also, I REALLY did not like Yukiko's blush portrait. It made her seem so odd looking. Kanji was great. Troy Baker is always a good VA choice and he really sold Kanji for me. Rise, and apparently I'm a minority in the international audience that shares this opinion, I really like. She's playful, fun and lovable. Her VA is Laura Bailey which again, can't go wrong and her straight up devotion to the MC which others find creepy and annoying, I found to be quite adorable. I didn't really like her 'popular' slang too much but she's still a nice person.

Teddie's VA was not very good in the original version of the game and aside from that, I found Teddie to be too...in my face. He needed to take MANY chill pills. Naoto although I really like her (especially when she wears feminine clothing), I did not like her whole idea of wanting to become a male. I don't want her to hate her gender. Sure, I get her drive for it but it really comes off as something I find off-putting in a female.

So there you have it, the characters I like and dislike! I really can't wait to meet the characters from Persona 5 but I can sort of already tell that I'm going to REALLY like Anne and Makoto.