Although the recent announcement of Persona 4: Revival has fans excited to see how it turns out, there’s a bigger elephant in the room. It’s been just about nine years since Persona 5 released, as of the time of writing. Aside from a smattering of crumbs and hints, fans have since heard nothing but radio static about the series’ next entry, Persona 6.
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One thing that makes the wait so painful is that Persona is an incredibly unique IP, placing heavy emphasis on its characters’ psychology in a way that few other series hold a candle to. We can’t say that these series will be Persona replacements, but they’ll help you scratch the Persona itch in the meantime.
1) Persona: Trinity Soul
We might as well get the obvious one out of the way early. Even if you’re a Persona die-hard with hundreds of hours decked into every main entry and spin-off, Persona: Trinity Soul is still there with a new story in a familiar setting. Trinity Soul is often considered one of the strongest Persona anime, and while the premise borrows certain plot devices and settings from Persona 3 (Akihiko and Igor even make appearances), the narrative is fresh on the whole.
During the events of Persona 3, seaside Ayanagi City was also hit with Persona 3‘s Apathy Syndrome. Ten years in the future, Trinity Soul follows the Kanzato brothers as they unravel a classic Persona conspiracy based around the series’ own strange plot device: “Reverse” cases where the victims are turned inside out.
2) Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate doesn’t have a direct connection to Persona aside from its emphasis on supernatural (or, more appropriately in Steins;Gate‘s case, hard sci-fi) drama, but with its deep, motivated relationships and its sprawling network of twists and turns, it scratches the same itch flawlessly. Steins;Gate focuses on Okabe Rintarō, a chuunibyou who inadvertently discovers honest-to-God time travel alongside his closest friends.
Then he’s drawn into a rich, nail-biting plot where he has to navigate timelines, protect his friends, and get to the bottom of a conspiracy involving a major international organization. Both because of the way its relationships and character arcs are written and because of the oppressive air of total mystery, Steins;Gate is a practically universally beloved thriller—and also a shoo-in for Persona fans.
3) Assassination Classroom
It’s hard to say what it exactly is about Assassination Classroom that makes it click for Persona fans, but it’s something. In Assassination Classroom, a group of students are tasked with killing their teacher before he destroys the Earth—a classic Persona world-level threat. But that’s not it. The students are overpowered and always pulling out impressively flashy action sequences. But that’s not it, either.
If there’s anything that can be said about Persona as a series, it’s that it has a sort of unimpeachable sincerity in its relationships and its approach to genuine psychological pain. That’s the thing, above all, that connects Assassination Classroom and Persona. The ride of Assassination Classroom is incredible, but much like Persona, it almost feels purpose-built around maximizing the emotional impact of its finale. And oh, boy, the finale is brutally touching.
4) Wonder Egg Priority
Wonder Egg Priority resonates more with Persona 4 and 5 specifically. There are a lot of direct parallels: protagonist Ai Ohto is more or less called to an arcade where she receives “Wonder Eggs” that transport her to dreamscapes where she tackles the traumas of other girls who committed suicide. There’s a bit of party-building as Ai meets other girls in the same situation, and much like Persona, the relationships between the squad are fleshed out with satisfying pacing and depth.
Honestly, Wonder Egg Priority had tremendous potential even if some fans don’t think it fully lived up to it. For Persona fans, it’s still right on the money and well worth a watch, no matter what you might hear about it. Its emphasis on bonds, trauma, and relatable adolescent emotions checks all the boxes—and that’s without even considering the directly Persona-fied action.
5) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
There have always been comparisons between JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Persona, with some connections being particularly on the nose. Some, for instance, compare Persona 3‘s Invoker with the scene where Jotaro fails to kill himself at the start of Stardust Crusaders, Part 3 of JoJo; meanwhile, Persona 4 and JoJo‘s fourth part, Diamond is Unbreakable, both share a character-driven plot based around serial killers in a small town. And while JoJo‘s Stands were super influential in general, they share a lot in common with Personas as manifestations of their user’s soul and psyche.
Beyond the surface level connections, though, Persona and JoJo have a lot in common. They’re both divided into largely disconnected entries, within which are unique characters who have well-developed relationships. In both series, they face off against world-level threats with flair and style. Each also has a certain feeling of adventure to it, keeping you invested with a blend of drama, action, and comedic slice-of-life moments. There’s hardly a better recommendation. JoJo‘s next part, Steel Ball Run, is on the way, so start now!
6) Mob Psycho 100
Like other entries on this list, Mob Psycho 100 plays with the high school setting and the emotional contradictions that accompany it. It’s charming and hilarious in its own right, laden with the signature action-comedy sensibilities of ONE (of One-Punch Man fame) and beautifully animated by the esteemed Studio BONES (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, My Hero Academia).
But Mob Psycho 100 also has some specific treats for Persona fans with its intense psychic action, its resonant relationships, and progatonist Mob’s efforts to maintain the visage of a proper high school student despite the paranormal reality of his own life. Engaging, funny, and extremely fun to watch, Mob Psycho 100 might not be for everyone—but Persona fans are more likely than most to latch on to its specific story.
7) Kill La Kill
Color, couture, violence, cool, beauty, psyche: the Persona formula distilled and mirrored effortlessly in this gorgeous anime tour de force from renowned Studio Trigger. Studio Trigger’s track record (Darling in the FranXX, Delicious in Dungeon) shows why their works are the perfect analog for the Persona vibe: bombastic and at times over-the-top direction; courageously strong presentation of their primary narrative themes; an emphasis on character revelations that subvert your expectations.
All that and more in Kill la Kill, which is presently standing the test of time as one of the best, most subversive anime. On the surface, they don’t seem all that similar: Kill la Kill is a straight play in magical girl trope deconstruction and reconstruction—a love letter to the magical girl genre writ large. But with its bouncy narrative, bold action, and deep characterization, Kill la Kill is magnetically attractive for Persona fans willing to see its story through.
8) Great Pretender
Calling Persona 5 fans: this series is for you, especially. One of the oft-heard refrains of Persona fans is the desire for a story that leaves high school and focuses on adult life and characters. Welcome to Great Pretender: a story where a bunch of lovable con artists meticulously plan and execute heists. Great Pretender goes places you don’t expect, digging into the independent motivations of its cast while balancing that with comic levity and the immediate call for action.
Similar to Persona 5, too, Great Pretender is breathtaking visually. Its bright and beautiful colors are layered with a slick jazz-oriented soundtrack to produce an atmosphere effortlessly “in the pocket” of unmitigated cool—a feat easier said than done, usually reserved for the likes of legendary classics like Cowboy Bebop, Persona 5, and Lupin III. Maybe that’s just a sign it’ll be a classic with time, too; it’s already very well-received. Watch it.
9) Bakemonogatari
The Monogatari series is long and tenured, with a general overarching theme: Koyomi Araragi helps girls recover from paranormal entities emerging out of their psychic wounds. The series is visually captivating, thanks in large part to the expert adaptation by Shaft (known for their avant-garde, expressive animation) and direction by Akiyuki Shinbo. Yeah, they’re not one-to-one with Persona‘s UI design teams—but the series has mad style in its own right.
With its high school setting, surreal trajectory, and character-driven narrative with deep, evocative relationships, fans of Persona might well fall in love with Monogatari. The standard entry point is Bakemonogatari; although the series taken together are non-linear, there’s still a recommended watch order.
10) Id: Invaded
Id: Invaded is an unsung gem that sits among the best thriller anime ever. If you’re looking for sheer psychological exploration, then Id: Invaded is right in your pocket. A sci-fi police procedural in the vein of Psycho-Pass, Id: Invaded is premised on a world where detectives dip into “id wells”, fragmented unconscious memories and associations, to eke out clues to outstanding cases.
Its primary overarching case—a serial killer whose identity must be discovered—also means it has a parallel to Persona 4. Where things are different would be the tone and themes. Id: Invaded is straight thriller, sure, in many ways. Although it dives deep into its characters’ emotions, it’s not nearly as relationship-focused as Persona tends to be. Nonetheless, it’s still well worth your time.
As we said at the start, Persona shows you an itch you can’t quite scratch except for more Persona. More Persona feels like a long way off right now—if you have a series we missed that scratched that itch for you, then please, let us know in a comment below!
And if you’re inclined, you can check out our write-up on the free Persona 5 spin-off that just recently hit Steam by clicking through on the link below.
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