"Persona 3 The Movie #1: Birth of Spring" Review: The Beginning of Youth and Battle

PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #1 Spring of Birth - Persona3 The Movie Sharp One Spring of Birth

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

November 23, 2013 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

・Distribution: Aniplex

■Frequencies

91 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: "Persona 3" (Atlus)

■ Director

・Chapter 1 Director/Noriaki Akitaya

■ Production

・Animation production: AIC ASTA

■Works

©ATLUS ©SEGA/Persona 3 the Movie Production Committee

■ Story

"Would you believe me if I told you there aren't 24 hours in a day?"

"Shadow Time" is the hidden time between days. The city stops moving and people turn into objects.

There are strange monsters called "Shadows" lurking everywhere. The only ones who can stand up to them are those with special powers called Personas.

The protagonist, Makoto Yuki, transfers to the private Gekkoukan Academy and awakens to the power of his Persona, and is drawn into the Special Extracurricular Activities Club, which is made up of fellow Persona users.

As they pursue the truth behind Shadow Time for their own purposes, they come face to face with an unimaginable fate.

■Cast

・Yuki Osamu/Ishida Akira

・Yukari Takeba/Megumi Toyoguchi

・Junpei Iori/Kosuke Toriumi

・Mitsuru Kirijo/Rie Tanaka

・Akihiko Sanada/Hikari Midorikawa

・Fuka Yamagishi/Mamiko Noto

・Aigis/Maaya Sakamoto

・Igor / Isamu Tanonaka (special appearance)

・Elizabeth/Miyuki Sawashiro

■ Main staff

・Original work: "Persona 3" (Atlus)

・Screenplay: Jun Kumagai

・Supervisor: Seiji Kishi

・Character design, animation director: Keisuke Watanabe

Chief animation director: Akiko Asago, Mizuka Takahashi

・Action Director: Ryo Tanaka

・Persona design/Kyoma Aki

・Prop design: Yoshinobu Tsuneki

・Color design: Saori Goda

・Art setting: Kaoru Aoki

・Art director/Toshihiro Obama

・Composite Director/Hideki Imaizumi

・Visual Designer/Junpei Takatsu

Edited by Takashi Sakurai

・Music by Masashi Meguro

・Sound Director/Riki Iida

・Animation production: AIC ASTA

・Chapter 1 Director/Noriaki Akitaya

Produced by: Persona 3 the Movie Production Committee

・Distribution: Aniplex

■ Main Characters

・Makoto Yuki

A second-year high school student who transferred to Gekkoukan Academy High School in April. He lost his parents in an accident when he was young and was raised by relatives, but returns to the town where he once lived for the first time in 10 years. He begins living in a student dormitory, but is attacked by a mysterious monster called "Shadow" and awakens his "Persona" ability.

・Takeba Yukari

A second-year student at Gekkoukan Academy's high school division. She is a classmate of the protagonist and lives in the same dormitory. She lost her father in an accident that occurred in the past, and enrolled in the school to find out more about it, and joined the Special Extracurricular Activities Club. She likes cute things, but she also has a cold side, and sometimes shows off her sharp retorts.

・Junpei Iori

A second-year student at Gekkoukan Academy High School, he is a classmate of the protagonist and Yukari. He is the mood maker of the Special Extracurricular Activities Club, and is considerate of transfer student Osamu, as he is the first to talk to him. He sometimes gets too carried away, which can result in his classmates treating him coldly.

・Mitsuru Kirijo

She is a third-year student at Gekkoukan Academy and serves as the student council president. She is the daughter of the Kirijo Group, which is the investor of the academy and Port Island. She is intelligent and extremely popular with the students. She is the first to awaken to Persona abilities, and also demonstrates leadership as the president of the Special Extracurricular Activities Club.

・Akihiko Sanada

A third-year student at Gekkoukan Academy's high school division. He has known Mitsuru since middle school, and they have been fighting Shadows together for the past two years. He is always striving for strength, and never misses out on training. His weapon is his fists, which he has honed in the boxing club at school.

・Fuka Yamagishi

A second-year student at Gekkoukan Academy's high school division. She has a kind and gentle personality. She ended up getting lost in Tartarus, but this incident caused her to awaken her Persona abilities. She joins the Special Extracurricular Activities Club.

Aigis

A humanoid weapon created by the Kirijo Group to subjugate the Shadows. Not just a robot, it has been given a "self" through a special method so that it can use the power of the mind, or Persona. It appears before Osamu to complete an important mission.

Igor

The administrator of the "Velvet Room," which exists between dreams and reality, between spirit and matter. He has a long nose and white hair. His exact identity is unknown.

Elizabeth

A guide to the "Velvet Room," which exists between dreams and reality, between spirit and matter. She dresses as an elevator girl and always carries the Complete Persona Book by her side. Her exact identity is completely unknown.

■ Main robot items

■ Persona Abilities

・Yuki Osamu

Orpheus

・Takeba Yukari

Io

・Junpei Iori

Hermes

・Mitsuru Kirijo

Penthesilea

・Akihiko Sanada

Polydukes

・Fuka Yamagishi

Rukia

Aigis

Palladion

■ Related works

・PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream (2014)

・PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down (2015)

・PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #4 Winter of Rebirth (2016)

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song

・More Than One Heart

・Singer: Yumi Kawamura

Review and Recommendation

"PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #1 Spring of Birth" is an animated film released in 2013, based on the popular game "Persona 3" by Atlus. This film is the first in a four-part film series based on the game's story, and follows the story of the main character, Makoto Yuki, who transfers to Gekkoukan Academy, gains the power of his Persona, and fights Shadow.

First, let's talk about the story. This movie faithfully reproduces the beginning of the game, depicting the growth of the main character as he awakens his Persona abilities in order to fight Shadows that appear during a special period of time known as Shadow Time. In particular, the scene in which the main character activates his Persona abilities for the first time is visually very impactful and leaves a strong impression on the audience. Additionally, the setting of Shadow Time and the battles with Shadows faithfully reproduce the atmosphere of the game, making this a satisfying film for fans of the original work.

Next, let's talk about the characters. The main characters, including the protagonist, Yuuki Makoto, are portrayed with the same charm as in the game. In particular, characters such as Takeba Yukari, Iori Junpei, and Kirijo Mitsuru have retained their individuality from the original work, and the performances of the voice actors are also excellent. In particular, the performance of Yuuki Makoto, played by Ishida Akira, is quiet yet strong-willed, and he clearly has a strong presence as the protagonist. In addition, the character of Aigis, played by Sakamoto Maaya, has been recreated with the charm of the original work intact, and her presence adds depth to the story.

Visually, the animation produced by AIC ASTA is of extremely high quality. In particular, the scenes where personas are summoned and the battle scenes with shadows faithfully reproduce the imagery of the original work while adding the dynamic expression that is unique to movies. The color design and art settings are also very beautiful, and the atmosphere of Gekkoukan Academy and Tartarus is well-drawn. In particular, the dark and eerie atmosphere of the shadow hours is visually very effective, heightening the tension of the story.

Let's also touch on the music. The music by Meguro Masashi closely follows the atmosphere of the original work, while adding the film's own unique touch. In particular, the powerful voice of Kawamura Yumi, who sings the theme song "More Than One Heart," expresses the theme of the story and resonates with the audience. Additionally, the background music during battle scenes is also very exciting, and combined with the visual expression, it has the power to draw the audience in.

The appeal of this movie is that it can be enjoyed not only by fans of the original work, but also by those who are experiencing the world of "Persona 3" for the first time. By depicting the beginning of the story in detail, it is easy to understand the background and relationships of the characters, making it easy for first-time viewers to become immersed in the story. In addition, the movie also includes unique directing and visual expressions, which will provide a fresh experience even for fans of the original work.

Finally, I will explain why I recommend this movie. "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #1 Spring of Birth" is a work that firmly inherits the charm of the original work while adding new charm with the film's unique expression. In particular, it deeply moves the audience by carefully depicting the growth and relationships of the characters while firmly depicting the distinctive elements of the original work, such as persona abilities and battles with shadows. In addition, the visuals and music are of very high quality, making it a satisfying experience both visually and aurally. I highly recommend this movie not only to fans of the original work, but also to those who are experiencing the world of "Persona 3" for the first time.

Be sure to check out the related works "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream," "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down," and "PERSONA3 THE MOVIE #4 Winter of Rebirth." These works continue the story from the first chapter, and you can enjoy the growth of the characters and the deepening of the story. In particular, by watching the entire series, you will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the world view and themes of "Persona 3."