History Anime / Persona4TheGoldenAnimation

''Persona 4: The Golden Animation'' is the second animated adaptation of the Japanese RPG ''VideoGame/Persona4''. This adaptation specifically focuses on new material added in ''Persona 4'''s UpdatedRerelease for UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita, ''Persona 4 Golden''.

* {{Unperson}}: In Episodes 8 and 9, [[spoiler:they keep referring to some of the things they did with Marie, and pausing as they realise that something odd is happening, since a key person is missing from their recollections]].

* TheCameo:
** The first episode's opening sequence features several appearances by several secondary Social Links and supporting characters, many of whom don't otherwise appear in the series. Some are more obvious than others.
*** Kou and Daisuke are seen hanging out with Yosuke at Junes, while Yumi, Eri and Yuuta can be seen eating at other tables.
*** Ayane and Hisano are seen along the riverbank during the wide shot of Chie and Yukiko walking together.
*** Saki and Naoki get an entire shot to themselves, with Sayoko visible in the background shopping at their family's store and Mitsuo walking into the frame right at the end.
*** Ai is seen scolding Adachi before he calls Dojima.
*** Aika is seen feeding the fox while the Dojimas drive by the shrine to pick up Yu.

* ForWantOfANail: Because Yu manages to curb-stomp Ameno-Sagiri, his friends didn't get to evolve their personas in that fight. [[spoiler:Subverted later on when the team fights Kusumi-no-Okami.]]

* {{Interquel}}: There are vague hints scattered that the story of the game is acting like a NewGamePlus but with that in mind, the anime mostly adapts the new story content that got added to ''[[UpdatedRerelease Persona 4 Golden]]'' rather than faithfully retelling the story from beginning to end, making it something of a companion series to the original. At times the series borders on being a SliceOfLife series if not for the final few episodes.

* MediumAwareness: While Yu isn't actually aware that he's in what's basically a New Game Plus, several choices he makes early on are done with enough confidence and initiative on his part to reflect that he at least can better predict what to do in his unique situation without having to go through it first as if it's all familiar. [[spoiler:The ending where he bails out Adachi]] also has him uncomfortable through the entire ordeal even before he makes the decision, and him yelling at the sky as one would do when pulling off a RageAgainstTheHeavens is pretty much him [[WhatTheHellPlayer him damning whatever entity made him choose that path.]]

* ShipTeasing: Yu and Marie, full stop.

* {{Unperson}}: In Episodes 8 and 9, [[spoiler:they keep referring to some of the things they did with Marie, and pausing as they realise that something odd is happening, since a key person is missing from their recollections.]]
* UpdatedRerelease: It's an anime based on the UpdatedRerelease of ''Persona 4'', making it something of an UpdatedRerelease of ''Persona 4 The Animation''.

''Persona 4: The Golden Animation'' is the second animated adaptation of the Japanese RPG ''VideoGame/Persona4''. This adaptation specifically focuses on new material added in ''Persona 4'''s UpdatedRerelease for UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita, ''Persona 4: Golden''.

* SliceOfLife: The series focuses on a lot of the new content added to The Golden, with the main Murder Mystery plotline being secondary.

''Persona 4 Golden: The Animation'' is the second animated adaptation of the Japanese RPG ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''. This adaptation specifically focuses on new material added in ''Persona 4'''s UpdatedRerelease for UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita, ''Persona 4: Golden''.

* BadSanta: A [[ShowWithinAShow tv character]] named "[[PunnyName Thunder Cross]]".

* CuttingOffTheBranches: As far as the anime's concerned, Marie is Yu's canon LoveInterest. A not unexpected event, seeing as how Marie is the ImpliedLoveInterest in the game and this anime is a CompressedAdaptation.
** [[spoiler:Episode 7 has a reverse example, in that Marie removes herself from the life of all the Investigation Team... which means Yu suddenly has no love interest at all...]]
* DemotedToExtra: The Investigation Team, Dojima Family, Igor and Margaret do not play a major role at all in the series and are only there to help Marie to learn the importance of bond. [[spoiler:It is only until Marie's disappearance that the Investigation Team and Margaret's role increase]]. Igor on the other hand only appears quoting his usual Catchphrase. Justified as Igor's voice actor had already passed away and his lines are recycled voice clips.

** The "Thank you Mr Accomplice" OVA is basically this.

** CerebusSyndrome: Then Episode 6 rolls around that focuses on [[spoiler:Adachi]], and the gloves come off. Inverts again when the ending this time [[spoiler:is the GoldenEnding of all Persona 4 paths.]]

* PoorCommunicationKills: Definitely the trope that drives the events of episode 8.

[[caption-width-right:339: ''[[ThematicThemeTune Next chance to move on.]]'']]

** While Marie was just one of around two dozen Social Links in the game [[spoiler:(albeit, also acting as the focus of a short arc after maxing it out (on top of being an aspect of [[BigBad Izanami]]))]], in this adaptation she becomes the focus of the story. This includes having new scenes with Yu that never occurred in the game.
*** [[spoiler: Which means, when Marie disappears to become part of Izanami, the story loses its entire focus...]]

** Following in the footsteps of the first anime, [[spoiler:Adachi]] goes from a fairly easy boss to [[spoiler:defeating every single Persona Yu summons against him, including ''Helel'', with Magatsu Izanagi only vanishing from a suicide attack by Yu's Izanagi.]]
** Magatsu-Izanagi itself undergoes a severe case of this. In the actual P4 Golden game, although it's unquestionably better than vanilla Izanagi, that mostly has to do with the fact Magatsu-Izanagi is the prize for maxing out one of the two Golden-unique Social Links, whereas Izanagi stops learning any new techniques after level 5. Here? [[spoiler: It defeats Ameno-Sagiri in a single strike.]]
** Likewise, [[spoiler: Kaguya, the Persona acquired after completing the Aeon Social Link, is used to defeat Izanami instead of Izanagi-no-Okami]].

** A minor case with [[spoiler: Adachi]]. In the game, the first murder was an accident (as he admitted to just wanting to scare Yamano). In this adaptation he becomes aware of his powers much earlier and uses them to punish Yamano instead.

* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: Originally, Yu ended the first anime single with admirers. Yu and Marie pretty much the central couple in this anime [[spoiler: with the epilogue having Marie confessing to Yu which happens when the player romances her]]. Kanji and Naoto are relegated to ShipTease but Yu being freed up makes their relationship more fleshed out.

** Lampshaded further late in the series, when it reverts back to the ORIGINAL series abruptly... [[spoiler: because Marie erased herself, and the very reason it IS an alternate continuity...]]

* CombatBreakdown: Yu's fight with [[spoiler: Adachi and Magatsu Izanagi]] turns pretty brutal. They both throw everything they've got at each other, and Yu goes through his entire roster of Personas[[note]]the Ultimate Persona of each Arcana representing his friends in the Investigation Team (Mada, Futsunushi, Scathach, Odin, Ishtar, Norn and Helel) as well as Dojima and Nanako (Kohryu and Sraosha)[[/note]], ending with a CrossCounter between Izanagi and [[spoiler: its evil counterpart]]. Just when it seems like they're both too exhausted to keep fighting, Yu resorts to using his ''bare hands'' to beat the crap out of the other guy. ''DAMN!''

** Episode 8. [[spoiler: The original opening sequence of Persona 4 The Animation returns, since Marie erased herself, and the reason it's Persona 4 Golden, in Episode 7. Also, the credits lose the memory map images and the Investigation Team vanish.]]

* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler: Ameno-sagiri, went from being the fake final boss to being dispatched with a single slice]].

** [[spoiler: The alternate ending where Yu helps Adachi]] has Yu visibly distressed and paranoid as if someone is watching him, and his scream to the sky is akin to him being mad at a player for taking a choice he would never do.

** CerebusSyndrome: Then Episode 6 rolls around that focuses on [[spoiler:Adachi]], and the gloves come off. Inverts again when the ending this time [[spoiler: is the GoldenEnding of all Persona 4 paths.]]

* MasterSwordsman: [[spoiler: Narukami during the final part of the final battle]].
* MediumAwareness: While Yu isn't actually aware that he's in what's basically a New Game Plus, several choices he makes early on are done with enough confidence and initiative on his part to reflect that he at least can better predict what to do in his unique situation without having to go through it first as if it's all familiar. [[spoiler: The ending where he bails out Adachi]] also has him uncomfortable through the entire ordeal even before he makes the decision, and him yelling at the sky as one would do when pulling off a RageAgainstTheHeavens is pretty much him [[WhatTheHellPlayer him damning whatever entity made him choose that path.]]

*** [[spoiler: ...That is, until Marie erases them by mistake...]]

** Izanagi evolving into Izanagi no Okami [[spoiler:before the battle with Izanami.]] Something that's only possible with a new game plus.

** Following his AscendedExtra status in ''Golden'', Adachi not only has two whole episodes dedicated to him, [[spoiler:his fight with Yu is more of a CurbStompBattle on his side, defeating all of Yu's high level Persona with ease, including freaking Helel. He also the main focus of the Bad Ending OVA]].

* TookALevelInBadass: In accordance with the above NewGamePlus entry, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDvAOU_g-tM this video shows]], Yu and Izanagi went from taking down a single shadow to nuking down a planet's worth of them.

** [[spoiler: Hilariously, Marie is the cause of a good few of the coincidences, because they keep remembering doing things for someone who doesn't exist!]]

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: A minor case with [[spoiler: Adachi]]. In the game, the first murder was an accident (as he admitted to just wanting to scare Yamano). In this adaptation he becomes aware of his powers much earlier and uses them to punish Yamano instead.

** CerebusSyndrome: Then Episode 6 rolls around that focuses on [[spoiler:Adachi]], and the gloves come off.
* LimitedWardrobe: Pointed out by Marie when she keeps referring to Chie and Yukiko as Green and Red, respectively. Hilariously, she's seen almost exclusively in part or all of her Velvet Room 'uniform' until the very end of the series.

* MythologyGag: Nanako accidentally makes a Slime from the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' series after taking advice from Chie, Yukiko and Rise on how to make chocolate.

* AdaptationalBadass: Following in the footsteps of the first anime, [[spoiler:Adachi]] goes from a fairly easy boss to [[spoiler:defeating every single Persona Yu summons against him, including ''Helel'', with Magatsu Izanagi only vanishing from a suicide attack by Yu's Izanagi.]]

* DemotedToExtra: The Investigation Team, Dojima Family, Igor and Margaret do not play a major role at all in the series and are only there to help Marie to learn the importance of bond. [[spoiler:It is only until Marie's disappearance that the Investigation Team and Margaret's role increase]]. Igor on the other hand only appears quoting his usual Catchphrase. Justified as Igor's voice actor had already past away and his lines are recycled voice clips.

* BadSanta: A [[ShowWithinAShow tv character]] named "[[PunnyName Thunder Cross]]"

** In the 12th episode, the TV is ''clearly'' of the "Sany" (Sony) brand.