History VideoGame / Persona4ArenaUltimax

!This page will have [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers]] from both ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

* OriginalGeneration: [[DualWielding Sho Minazuki]] ([[DemonicPossession with]] and [[EmpoweredBadassNormal without]] Persona)

Characters from ''Persona 4: Arena Ultimax'' are featured in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle''. Several characters that appeared in ''Arena'' are in the game, including Tohru Adachi, who was first included in ''Ultimax''.

'''This page contains spoilers for the games preceding it. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!'''

!!This game provides examples of:

* AnIcePerson: ''Ultimax'' bumps the number of Ice-Persona users to two, as Chie gains a new ice-themed move.

** Surprisingly averted when it comes to Yosuke - other than getting sneezed on by Teddie, he generally avoids suffering any humiliations this time, until the epilogue when [[spoiler:Teddie loudly & repeatedly asks Yosuke if he's looking for more nurse magazines whilst looking for college literature]].

** Also being a CallForward due to the game being set before ''Ultimax'', but after in development, Teddie's nicknames for the rest of the Shadow Operatives are the same ones he gives the party in VideoGame/PersonaQShadowOfTheLabyrinth.

** Shadow Yukiko makes one particular call back:

** As the Dojimas & the rest of the Investigation Team see Yu off at the train station, Yu mentions his plans to come back in the summer, when the True Ending epilogue took place in ''Golden''.

* ColorMotif: ''Ultimax'' uses blue and yellow, as a CrossOver of ''Persona 3'' and ''Persona 4''.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: For the Persona 3 and 4 game series as a whole. [[spoiler:The group finally defeats Sho, Minazuki, and Kagatsuchi, with the chance that Sho will be redeemed. Adachi returns to jail peacefully and begins to realize he too is capable of forming bonds, the Shadow Operatives and Investigation team have cleaned up all, at least up to now, threats related to their adventures, and Elizabeth is another step closer to her goal.]]

** The announcer tries to say things in English with...fairly middling results, since he has trouble with even Japanese names. Particularly painful examples are Shadow Labrys[[note]]Shaa-doe Rab-ris[[/note]], Marie[[note]]Either Mary or ''Larry''[[/note]] and Negative Penalty[[note]]Ne-gah-tive Pen-aal-tee[[/note]]. There's also an occasionnal glitch with Ken's name (or he just gave up), since he's called ''Margaret'' by him.

-->'''Yukiko & Teddie:''' You're the culprit!

** It also spoils [[spoiler:Shinjiro and the [=P3MC=]'s deaths, as they're conspicuously absent]].

* MeaningfulName: [[spoiler:Kagutsuchi]] is the name of a god whose mother died giving birth to him, a fitting name for the AnthropomorphicPersonification of "breaking bonds".

** Minazuki's OneHitKill seems to be a [[http://youtu.be/pnDpZypLDho combination]] of [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Hazama's, Terumi's, and Ragna's Astrals]]. Also while during it, Minazuki uses a pose resembling Dio from ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureHeritageForTheFuture''.

** Rise sings "True Story" from ''Golden'' & her introductory episode in ''The Animation''. However, whilst the Western release of ''Golden'' translated the lyrics into suitable English, the dub of ''The Animation'' used the original Japanese song instead - here, the song uses the same English recording from ''Golden''.

* PlayingWithFire: Ken and Koromaru have a fire super. [[ContinuityNod In keeping with the original role-playing games]], the super begins from Koromaru's position, not Ken's -- it was Koromaru who learned fire abilities, not Ken.

* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:Ikutsuki, who died in ''Persona 3'', appears in Sho's backstory]].

** Tohru Adachi, who had a guest appearance in the arcade build of ''Ultimax'', becomes a DLC character in the home console version of the game.
** Margaret, who played a supporting role in ''Arena'''s story, becomes a DLC character in ''Ultimax''.

* SplitMindSplitPowers: Sho Minazuki has two identities of which only one, the "Minazuki" personality, can use a Persona, Tsukuyomi. The "Sho" personality, on the other hand, is a BadassNormal.

* SuperMode: Several returning from the first game. Junpei has Victory Cry.

''Persona 4: Arena Ultimax'', or ''Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold'' in Japan, is the sequel to ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''. It was released as a [[NoExportForYou Japanese arcade location test]] in August 2013. A console port for UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/XBox360 was released in Japan on August 28, 2014, with an international release soon afterward. UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} ports were announced at The Game Awards 2021 and released on March 17th, 2022. The re-released version is based upon the final revision of the Japanese arcade version, version 2.50, which was never released outside of [[NoPortForYou the arcade]] or [[NoExportForYou Japan]], and includes all previous DLC, allowing players worldwide to finally experience the "complete" version of the game. A update for the [=PS4=] and Steam versions in early August that year added in rollback netcode, similar to what was done for ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction'' and ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle''.

* {{Feelies}}: People who pre-ordered ''Ultimax'' got a Teddie boxing balloon and eleven Tarot cards depicting the Major Arcana as they look in the series.

** Naoto points out that there might be more people like Sho out there.

** Minazuki's OneHitKill seems to be a [[http://youtu.be/pnDpZypLDho combination]] of [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Hazama's, Terumi's, and Ragna's Astrals]]. Also while during it, Minazuki uses a pose resembling Dio from the ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' fighting game.
** In ''Ultimax'', Yu got a secret super which plays out exactly like [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Order-Sol's]] "Dragon Install Sekkai" super, or for {{Creator/SNK}} fans, [[VideoGame/FatalFury Gesse/Rock's]] Deadly Rave.
** [[spoiler:This isn't the first SMT game to base a character after the rather unknown Kagutsuchi. Before this, he was also [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne an avatar of YHVH.]]]]

** In Golden Arena Mode, fighting a Shadow of the character you're playing as or vice versa will result in "I'll Face Myself" playing if you're using a ''Persona 4'' character. For the Persona 3 crew, the game will play the ''The Answer'' remix of "Mass Destruction".
** Akihiko is mentioned to have ambitions to work as a police officer, likely as a small nod to ''Anime/PersonaTrinitySoul'', where he works as an actual police officer.
* NoOneElseIsThatDumb: When Kanji and Shadow Kanji each pretend to be the real deal, Yukiko holds an impromptu quiz show with questions about Inaba to determine which is the fake. Her last question is a math problem; when the Shadow gets it right, she proclaims he's the fake since the real Kanji would never be able to do the math so easily.

* PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo: ''Ultimax'' brings back all of the surviving SEES members who missed out on the P-1 Grand Prix.

** Rise Kujikawa, who was only an announcer in ''Arena'', becomes playable in ''Ultimax''.

* ThemeMusicPowerUp: In ''Ultimax'', it's now "Time To Make History" from ''Persona 4 Golden''. "Fog" from ''Arena'' can still be chosen.

* AWinnerIsYou: Ultimax lets everyone do their own "Congratulations!" messages after the credits when playing arcade mode.

-->'''Shadow Yukiko''': I have my lacey unmentionables on! I hope you're ready~!

* CatchPhrase: Bring on the ring!

** Minazuki's OneHitKill seems to be a [[http://youtu.be/pnDpZypLDho combination]] of [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Hazama's, Terumi's, and Ragna's Astrals]]. Also while during it, Minazuki uses a pose resembling Dio from the Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure fighting game.

** Shadow Yukiko tells Chie that she needs her to "die for me," a reference to the Demon Alice's CatchPhrase.

->'''Adachi''': Yeah, yeah, friendship, teamwork, {{blah blah blah}}. I still won. [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids Results beat idealism]].

** Sho Minazuki[[spoiler:, who was the Eerie Voice back in ''Arena'',]] becomes a playable character in ''Ultimax''.

* AnotherSideAnotherStory: The events of the P-1 Climax are different depending on if you play story mode from the Investigation Team's perspective (Episode P4), the Shadow Operatives' perspective (Episode P3) or Adachi's perspective (Episode Adachi), [[spoiler: though once you beat the first two you unlock a "True Ending" on the Investigation Team's side.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: For the Persona 3 and 4 game series as a whole. [[spoiler: The group finally defeats Sho, Minazuki, and Kagatsuchi, with the chance that Sho will be redeemed. Adachi returns to jail peacefully and begins to realize he too is capable of forming bonds, the Shadow Operatives and Investigation team have cleaned up all, at least up to now, threats related to their adventures, and Elizabeth is another step closer to her goal.]]

* FriendshipHatingAntagonist: The main antagonist [[spoiler: Sho Minazuki]] is working with the Malevolent Voice in order to grant his desire: [[OmnicidalManiac to destroy the human race.]] [[spoiler:Sho]] claims to be a person who rejects all bonds due to [[spoiler:his adoptive father Ikutsuki using him as a test subject, eventually causing the boy to develop a split personality and a desire to destroy humanity.]] As Webcomic/Persona4TW [[https://personaftw.thecomicseries.com/comics/2294/ points out]], Sho and his alter MINAZUKI only got as far as they did [[{{Irony}} because they had a bond.]]

* TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler: Ikutsuki turns out to be an important character in Sho's backstory]].

* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler: Ikutsuki, who died in ''Persona 3'', appears in Sho's backstory]].

* TheVillainSucksSong: [[SomethingSomethingLeonardBernstein It's hard to tell without looking up the lyrics]], but the main theme "Break out of..." is actually one for Sho. Sort-of combined with VillainSong, as the rap segments are from Sho's perspective giving the main singer a ShutUpKirk. [[spoiler: This makes its use during the TrueFinalBoss battle between Sho and Yu particularly fitting.]]

* From ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'': [[BatterUp Junpei Iori]], [[TheStraightAndArrowPath Yukari Takeba]], [[BladeOnAStick Ken Amada]] [[TheDividual and]] [[CutlassBetweenTheTeeth Koromaru]]

** Akihiko is mentioned to have ambitions to work as a police officer, likely a small nod to ''Anime/PersonaTrinitySoul'', where he works as an actual police officer.

* OpposingCombatPhilosophies: Mitsuru, being the leader of disciplined soldiers who fight for a living, doesn't realize that the militia that is the Investigation Team will defy her request to stay out of Inaba's trouble. The Team might have acceded if they were Mitsuru's subordinates, but they're ''not''- they're foreign civilians who want to protect their town themselves, even though they know the Shadow Operatives can be trusted.

* PurelyAestheticGlasses: Glasses are an equippable accesory for all characters, regardeless if they need them or not.
* RevenueEnhancingDevices: Three characters exist only as paid DLC, despite being on the disc from the getgo.

* PuppetFighter: Ken breaks Arena's gameplay tradition with no standalone persona attacks. His C and D buttons are reserved for control of ''Koromaru''. He's the most traditional PuppetFighter in the game and many of his most damaging combos (and punishes) rely on placing the opponent between himself and Koromaru. Unlike Shadow Labrys, Ken can remove his puppet from the screen. His persona attacks are limited to a follow-up move and the healing spell Mediarama (which restores Koromaru's health along with Ken's). [[DamnYouMuscleMemory All but one of his supers are inputted with the A or B buttons, not C or D, unlike the rest of the roster.]]

''Persona 4: Arena Ultimax'', or ''Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold'' in Japan, is the sequel to ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''. It was released as a [[NoExportForYou Japanese arcade location test]] in August 2013. A console port for UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/XBox360 was released in Japan on August 28, 2014, with an international release soon afterward. UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} ports were announced at The Game Awards 2021 and released on March 17th, 2022. The re-released version is based upon the final revision of the Japanese arcade version, version 2.50, which was never released outside of the arcade or Japan, and includes all previous DLC, allowing players worldwide to finally experience the "complete" version of the game. A update for the [=PS4=] and Steam versions in early August that year added in rollback netcode, similar to what was done for ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction'' and ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle''.

** ''A Fool or Clown?'' for Tohru Adachi.

''Persona 4: Arena Ultimax'', or ''Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold'' in Japan, is the sequel to ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''. It was released as a [[NoExportForYou Japanese arcade location test]] in August 2013. A console port for UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/XBox360 was released in Japan on August 28, 2014, with an international release soon afterward. UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} ports were announced at The Game Awards 2021 and released on March 17th, 2022. The re-released version is based upon the final revision of the Japanese arcade version, version 2.50, which was never released outside of the arcade or Japan, and includes all previous DLC, allowing players worldwide to finally experience the "complete" version of the game. A future update for the [=PS4=] and Steam versions is set to add in rollback netcode in Summer 2022, similar to what was done for ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction'' and ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle''.

** Each new character has a set of [=DLC=] pallete swaps that serve as individual shout outs to ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', and three from ''Persona'' games:

* MoralDissonance: PlayedForLaughs. Yukiko, who is normally about accepting yourself and others, for some reason, assumes all people with beards are perverts.
-->'''Yukiko:''' Hold on, Rise-chan! He has a beard, but he's not a creep!

''Persona 4: Arena Ultimax'', or ''Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold'' in Japan, is the sequel to ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''. It was released as a [[NoExportForYou Japanese arcade location test]] in August 2013. A console port for UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/XBox360 was released in Japan on August 28, 2014, with an international release soon afterward. UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} ports were announced at The Game Awards 2021 and released on March 17th, 2022. The re-released version is based upon the final revision of the Japanese arcade version, version 2.50, which was never released outside of the arcade or Japan, and includes all previous DLC, allowing players worldwide to finally experience the "complete" version of the game.