Persona 5 does a great job of making you feel attached to its cast of characters throughout the 100 hours you could easily put into the game. The Confidant system lets players learn about interesting side characters and watch them grow throughout the 10 ranks they’re allowed. However, the main characters also get to take advantage of that system and combine it with their extensive screen time in the story content.

The characters not only change throughout their Confidant as they get to deal with whatever internal conflict that’s holding them down but throughout the main story as they become attached to the player. These quotes are going to be in chronological order to the story’s events in Royal. The “present time” at the start of the game will not qualify as their first lines.

Reader beware: This list will contain spoilers for Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal.

Ryuji Sakamoto

Ryuji, from start to finish, is a loudmouthed knucklehead and we love him for it. Even if he’s not exactly a paragon of virtue, it all balances out by having a heart of gold tucked underneath that leather jacket. We first see him shouting at Kamoshida, declaring that the teacher is a pervert and giving the player some hints that the man who just offered Joker a ride might not be a good guy.

“Dammit… Screw that pervy teacher.” - “See ya later, my dude!”

By the end of the game, Ryuji is still the delinquent we all know and love but we’ve had dozens of hours to warm up to him. As one of the first party members, we’ve gone through plenty of palaces alongside him and even saw how far he would go for the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

Ann Takamaki

Ann’s first line is saddening if you’re familiar with the events of Persona 5. What seems like an inconspicuous ride to school is harassment and an abuse of power by Kamoshida. Ann is a victim with no way to cry out for help but to give a heart-rending look as Kamoshida drives off. He later gets what he deserves but Ann struggles with the idea of being objectified throughout her Confidant and portrayal in the game.

“Um, sure. Thank you.” - “If you don’t come back, we’ll find you there.”

By the end, she’s a core member of the group who can confidently handle herself. She could be handled better and should have been given a larger role, but the game wouldn’t nearly be the same without her.

Morgana

Morgana, trapped in a cell, could care less about who Joker or Ryuji are. He needs a way out and wants to discover more about this realm and who he is. He has no idea what his role in the Metaverse is or why he’s turned into his highly marketable Phantom Thief form.

“…Hey, you there. Blondie! Frizzy Hair! Look over here!” - “Toldja I was comin’ with you - Oh?”

By the end of the game, the group figures all of that out alongside him. He’s not just sticking around to see who he is anymore; he’s sticking around because he cares for Joker and the rest of the group.

Makoto Niijima

The line that introduces Makoto accurately and swiftly describes one of her major internal struggles. She feels like she has to live up to the expectations of others and blindly follow orders from those above her. Being used as a tool by the principal, she has very little self-worth and feels powerless.

“Excuse me. Did you wish to see me, Principal Kobayakawa?” - “Come on! Sit down.”

When Makoto joins the Phantom Thieves, she chooses to rebel against that and decides to fight for what she believes in. She’s still stern and studious but has chosen to no longer be a pushover and become more honest with herself.

Yusuke Kitagawa

Admiring Ann from afar, Yusuke has no clue what the group is talking about when they confront him about it. He’s the odd one out of the group during his arc, being eccentric and sheltered while solely dedicated to his craft.

“Is there something you want?” - “Be sure to eat well.”

We follow Yusuke’s starving artist archetype as he recovers from the abuse of his mentor and forming of his own virtues. He learns that being human involves the good and bad aspects of humanity and that it’s important to look at both sides of life, rather than being caught up in one aspect.

Futaba Sakura

Futaba has a severe case of social anxiety that developed from the trauma of losing her mother at an early age. She’s naturally introverted and shuts herself inside her room, away from the world. She only communicates through the internet, initially, and contacts the Phantom Thieves with no desire to reveal her identity. Even her palace showcases her defense mechanisms and her lack of desire to open up.

“Nice to meet you. I am the one they call Alibaba.” - “I’ll text you, okay?”

By the end of Persona 5, she has worked on herself and is trying to overcome any issues. It’s not perfect, but she’s trying and has made great progress. She can socialize and go outside now, even making an effort to try and keep up with Joker after he moves away.

Haru Okumura

Haru doesn’t talk too much throughout Persona 5, to no fault of her own, as she’s one of the last characters to be introduced to the party. Even so, she is very shy and reserved in nature while struggling with her trauma and trust issues after the events of the Okumura press conference.

“Free time is almost up. Shouldn’t you be heading back soon?” - “We’ll see you. Soon, right?”

However, she opens up slowly and feels comfortable around the group. She finally acquired the power to protect others and found a group of people she can depend on. Haru is happy doing so and she’s grateful for that.

Kasumi Yoshizawa

“Kasumi” Yoshizawa is shown to be an elegant and studious person, with her first scene showing her give up a seat at the train station, despite her popularity. She’s pretty talented but also a bit clumsy. Throughout Persona 5 Royal, she’s shown struggling with multiple issues relating to her identity and how she presents herself to others.

“Please, take my seat.” - “Take care.”

When it’s all said and done, she has dealt with issues of feeling worthless and handling her inferiority complex. She’s not putting on any facade or pretending to be something that she’s not when she says goodbye to the player.

Goro Akechi

Surprisingly, Goro Akechi’s first line comes before any other party member’s lines in Persona 5. He first appears after Sae Niijima returns from a meeting with the SIU director. At that point of the story, he is seen as a young detective extraordinaire commented to be “The Second Coming of the Detective Prince” — one of the many references to past games that Persona loves to include.

“Did you ask for me? Is it a case?” - “Sorry to interrupt your little moment of triumph, but… Couldn’t you have made yourself just a bit larger?”

However, his last line is not the best send-off for his somber fate. A much more fitting line is used in a flashback and shown once again after the fact but they’re not the last words to come out of his mouth.

Technically, the Akechi that we hear say the last line isn’t even real. It’s a complicated situation for a complicated character.

“I refuse to accept a reality concocted by someone else, stuck under their control for the rest of my days.”

NEXT: Persona: Every Arcana In The Series & What It Represents