Funny / Persona 5: The Animation

Unmarked spoilers below.

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Episode 1: I am thou, thou art I

• While handing Ren his student ID, Ms. Kawakami accidentally drops a flyer for her maid service and quickly picks it up. Sadly for her, Ren definitely saw it.
• This occurred in the game if you were paying attention (especially the second time), but Ryuji accidentally gave Ren's Meta-Nav its required criteria (target's name, what the Palace is, Palace's location) while talking about Kamoshida, which has a heaping of ironic humor to it. Us seeing the screen as it records his words is just icing on the cake.

Episode 2: Let's take back what's dear to you

• Ryuji roasting Ren's Joker outfit upon their return to the castle.
  Ryuji: Dude, what's with the pants? You look like you got kicked out of a magic act.
• When Ren and Ryuji first encounter Morgana, Ryuji is understandably freaked out by the "monster cat". After Ren gets a feel on Morgana's head, eliciting Blush Stickers and a happy kitty noise, Ryuji suffers an abrupt outbreak of Cuteness Proximity.
  Ryuji: L-let me touch the monster cat, too!
  [Cue Morgana snapping out of it.]
  Morgana: I said I'm not a cat! I'm Morgana.
• When the cognitive perverted version of Ann walks up to Shadow Kamoshida clad in nothing but a bikini, Ryuji and Morgana end up Distracted by the Sexy while Ren is just thoroughly unimpressed.
  Ryuji: Me next, please. [Ryuji shakes his head and snapping out of it] What am I...?
  Ren: We don't have time for that.
  Morgana: Yeah, apparently not.
• At the end of the episode, while Ren and Ryuji are discussing Kamoshida's Palace over ramen, as they do in the game, Ryuji calls Ren, "RenRen". Ren then follows by simply calling Ryuji "Sakamoto", after being allowed to call him by his first name.
  Ryuji: Oh, that's cold.

Episode 4: Steal it, if you can!

• When giving codenames for each other, Morgana was about to give one for himself but Ryuji straight away suggests Mona. Morgana was against it since it is too simple, but quickly changes his mind since Ann thinks that nickname is cute.
• As for Ann, Ren straight away says Sexy Cat as Ryuji describes her clothes.
• While the group's shopping for weapons at Untouchable, Morgana suggests that Ryuji haggle with Iwai for a lower price. Ren walks up to the counter, but is so intimidated by Iwai^note Remember that you need 4/5 Guts to begin Iwai's Confidant that he ends up paying the original price, leaving the group with only 100 yen (roughly a single US dollar) for healing supplies. Cut to Ren buying a pack of Band-Aids.
• When Ren points a gun at Shadow Kamoshida during the boss fight...
  Shadow Kamoshida: Where the hell did you get something like that?! No! No! Please don't shoot!
• When the smoke clears from Ren's smoke bomb, Shadow Kamoshida notices that Ryuji is gone and asks where he went. Morgana lies, claiming that Ryuji decided to turn tail and run. The lie is meant to protect Ryuji, who snuck away to steal Kamoshida's Treasure, but Ryuji is not amused.
  Ryuji: That cat... is toast.

Episode 5: The Phantoms

• Like in the game, we are introduced to Mona transforming into a bus. What makes it hilarious is that in the animation, not only does Morgana perform the Kamen Rider "Henshin" poses, there were sound effects added to them, too!

Episode 6: Our next target is...

• When Ann meets up with the others in Shibuya after going to the exhibit, Ryuji's badly losing an online shogi game. When Ren switches over to the Phan-site, Ryuji's ecstatic, since it means the loss didn't count.
• When Yusuke's painting Ann, and refuses to let Ren or Ryuji speak until he's finished, Ryuji asks Ren how long it will take. Ren's response is, "Long."
• When Yusuke asks Ann to pose nude, Ryuji loses his temper.
  Ryuji: What is wrong with you?! Are you some kind of pervert?!
  Yusuke: You're still here?
  Ryuji: And it's a good thing, apparently!

Episode 7: He is my other self

• Ren and Ryuji encounter Ohya outside of Madarame's shack, who asks them if they know him.
  Ohya: You guys know him?
  Ryuji: Nope, sorry. We were just passing through.
  Ohya: Huh... I can sense there's something fishy about you guys.
  Ryuji: We're fishy? You practically have gills.
  Ohya: (laughs) You got me there.
• Much like in the game, there is the scene of Ann agreeing to model nude for Yusuke—really, just a plan to open a door in Madarame's house in order to change Madarame's Palace—but not without Ann showing up in many layers of clothing. Arguably made funnier by the awkward exchanges shared between the two.
  Ann: W-Well then, I'll start taking my clothes off.
  Yusuke: Yes, please.
  [Beat]
  Ann: It's embarrassing if you're watching me like that.

Episode 9: Operation Maid Watch

• Early in the episode, we are treated to what many of the players wish were possible in-game: Morgana watching the party's laundry while Joker is at the bathhouse.
• Ren, Ryuji and Yusuke's incredibly awkward faces at the public bath because they can hear Ann's humming from the other side of the wall and can't help but mentally picture their Stupid Sexy Friend taking a bath as well. And then another sauna-goer uses the faucet right next to them, causing Ryuji to exclaim that that water's too hot.
• When Ryuji explains Operation Maidwatch, Ren sits there, barely paying attention, until Ryuji brings up punishing bad guys, at which point Ren immediately agrees to it.
• During Operation Maidwatch, after Ryuji and Mishima flee to to the balcony, Ren's nerves get to him (especially once he realizes the maid sounds a lot like Ms. Kawakami...) and he goes with some of the game's most audacious dialogue options. His nervous sweating and awkward attempts to avoid eye contact make the scene a lot funnier than it gets in-game.
  Ren: Nice to mee-ow-t you.
  ...
  Ren: …I'm a dad.
  • One can practically sense Sadayo's internal panic after the above in the following silence.
    • Xander Mobus in the dub for this scene deepened his voice to say the line, which makes it even funnier.
• Just like in the original game, the fact that Kawakami got caught moonlighting as a maid by one of her own students—and the "troublesome new arrival", at that! That is more than funny enough, especially since Ren started to put two and two together throughout their exchange.
• Players have come to the realization that in the original game, the only way Ryuji and Mishima could've run is if they jumped off the balcony. The anime gives us exactly that scene.
• In order to finally clear the air with his former pals from the track team, Ryuji tells them to punch him until they are satisfied. Unlike a similar development in the Social Link of the Chariot Arcana in Persona 4 where Chie Satonaka manages to cower a group of bullies to stand down and leave just like this, the track team members take Ryuji up on his offer while telling him to feel free to give as good as he gets. Cue offscreen brawl of forgiveness. When all is said and done, Ryuji complains that he was only expecting one punch each.
• By the end of the episode, Kawakami has warmed up to Ren and allows him to call her for services, even teasingly telling him how good at giving massages she is. Cue Gilligan Cut to...Kawakami doing actual maid work by watching the laundry.
  Kawakami: [deadpan] What the hell.

Episode 10: I want to see justice with my own eyes

• Makoto's not-so-covert efforts at tailing Ren in the beginning of the episode. Plus, she's "reading" her magazine upside down.
• The scene with the Camp Gay couple harassing Ryuji is not well-liked, to say the least. But adding the boss theme to it Crosses the Line Twice.
  • Ren quickly recognizes the danger of the above situation and quietly backs out of it, not before wishing Ryuji good luck.
  • The next morning, Ryuji calls Ren out for abandoning him, which causes him to nearly sign up for a job he absolutely wants no part of. When Ann asked what he's talking about, he tells her to mind her own business.

Episode 11: Let's be friends, shall we?

• The game establishes that those who haven't accessed the Metaverse will simply hear Morgana's speech as meowing. The anime uses Makoto's point of view to demonstrate what this actually sounds like.
  Morgana: *meow meow meow meow meow*
  Makoto: Okay... are you guys feeling alright?
  Ann: Oh, that's right, it's all meows to you.

Episode 12: I found the place where I belong

• Thanks to the Male Gaze during the scene where the Thieves are trying to come up with a codename for Makoto, it gives the impression that Joker was Eating the Eye Candy before settling on calling her "Queen." Shippers especially did not miss out on this.
• Junya Kaneshiro's Piggytron is already amusing by itself, but then he also raps during the first half of his boss battle.
• In the dub, Ryuji yeets Morgana. Max Mittelman admitted that he couldn't help himself.

Episode 13: Dreams and Desires

• Hifumi makes another cameo attempting to enter the church she's usually hanging out at... Then she finds Ren and Yusuke are there, in the middle of Yusuke's Rank 5 request (posing), and she silently cancels her plan to hang out at the church and leaves.

Episode 14: What life do you choose?

• We actually see Mishima's reaction to his "date" with Ohya, who is already drunk off her ass when he gets there. He texts Ren with plenty of complaints and questions, only to be ignored because Ren is busy raising his Charm by watching trashy romance movies.
  • That orange gleam in Ren's glasses? It's either a subtle Single Tear, or a visual cue of his social stat increasing.
  • Mishima's horrified text messages are pretty chuckle-worthy; even moreso due to them being voice-acted.
    What did you do to me?!
    That Ohya lady's nothing but a roaring drunkard!
    How do you know her?!
    Where did you even meet a lush like this?!
• Again, the anime has Ren select the boldest in-game dialogue choice during Makoto's double-date.
  Tsukasa: Wanna tell me your number?
  Makoto: I-I don't know about that...
  Ren: You can have mine.
• Out of all kinds of Persona Joker can summon, he choose to use Suzaku. Either it is a coincidence, or a reference to another anime Ren's Japanese VA participated in.

Episode 15: I am Alibaba

• Alibaba sets off the phones of almost everyone in class except for Ren's, much to Kawakami's annoyance.
• Futaba and Makoto freak each other out, and the close-ups on their expressions sell the moment. Then the anime cuts to the ending credits.

Episode 16: This place is my grave

• Those expecting this episode to start with a peaceful intro as usual... were met with a scene that picks up right where the last episode left off! Almost nobody expected a scene with Makoto and Futaba freaking out to show up abruptly.
• Upon entering the desert from Sojiro's house, there's a Beat. Then the kids all start hopping from foot to foot in panic, because it's really hot and they're not wearing any footwear. It's ridiculously amusing.
  • Ren still keeps his hands in his pockets through the whole scene.
• Like in the game, Ryuji, Ren and Yusuke peek at Ann and Makoto after sweating in the desert heat. However, this now takes place inside Futaba's Palace instead of the Morganamobile.
  • Because Mona isn't a car, he gets to ogle Ann too, unlike in the game.

Episode 18: I'll guide you to victory

• Like in the game, Futaba wears her creepy-looking doll mask when socializing, even when serving food to customers.
• The boys struggle to keep their cool while hearing the girls discuss their swimsuits. Yusuke's sweating, too...because he's still eating Leblanc's signature curry.
• Upon arriving at the beach, Ryuji enthusiastically proclaims "SUMMER! BEACH! AND BIKINIIIIIS!"
• Just like the game, Yusuke buys two lobsters and comments on their beauty. This time around, Ren just asks Yusuke if he has money for the train home after buying them.
  Yusuke: ...!
• Ren sees Ms. Kawakami spending her holiday fishing, and like in the game, Ryuji is there to notice. Hilarity Ensues.

Episode 19: Aloha

• Kawakami trying out various swimsuits in her hotel room, and then realizing that she looks like an idiot. Then Haru, who's apparently Kawakami's roommate as a third-year and fellow chaperone, comes in at the wrong time, and Kawakami panics while trying to hide her swimsuits. By lying right on top of them.
  Haru: [Beat] I can come back if you want.
  Kawakami: No! Everything's fine! What can I do for you?!
• Once again, Yusuke really brings misfortune to his trip and ends up meeting Ren and the others in the same hotel in Hawaii.
• The boys are hanging out, and Ryuji loudly expresses his disapproval at their lack of romantic activity.
  Ryuji: This whole thing's so wrong! There's no way man, I ain't having it!
  Yusuke: Having what?
  Ryuji: We're on vacation! We're in Hawaii! We should be spending all our time getting all cuddled up and flirty with the FREAKING GIRLS! We're in a romantic place; we should be using it!
  Yusuke: I'll pass.
  Ryuji: Don't you guys wanna get some action?
  Ren: [Bored] Not really.
  Yusuke: Actually, where are Ann and Makoto?
  Ren: I think they went shopping.
  Ryuji: I ain't gonna wait one damn minute longer! We have to strike while the iron's hot! [Begins pushing Yusuke's inflatable boat towards the beach] Come on! We're gonna go meet some FREAKING CHICKS!
  Yusuke: What're you...?
  Ryuji: SIT DOWN AND SHADDUP! LET'S GOOOOO!
• Like in the game, Ryuji asks Ann what kind of boys she likes, while Ann demands that Ryuji reveal his kind of girl. Instead of saying he likes nice girls, and would choose the hotter one if two girls were equally nice, he flat-out quits before even saying anything.
• The look on Futaba's oh-no face when Ren replies "Aloha" after returning from the school trip. "He's been influenced..." ("They got to him...")
  • While Futaba isn't really happy with Ren getting a keychain for her souvenir, calling it cliché, Morgana is flat-out confused while wearing the lei Ren puts on him. He looks ridiculous, and the rest of them laugh their asses off at him.

Episode 20: My name is Beauty Thief!

• Futaba searches up all the necessary information on Okumura in the way she does best: getting fired up while rapidly typing on her keyboard.
• Since the anime is not restricted by model animations, Haru's introduction as the Beauty Thief becomes even more hilariously awkward. It gets even more hilarious when Morgana covers his face in shame as soon as Haru repeats her proclamation of getting the Treasure, with "Last Surprise" kicking in every time it happens.
• Chihaya notes Ren's troubles and tries to sell him the 100,000 yen Holy Stone, only for Ren to have walked off before she could finish the sentence.
• When Haru meets the Phantom Thieves again in Mementos, she once again does the "My name is Beauty Thief!" routine, prompting Ann to notice that she enjoys it.

Episode 21: You can call me Noir

• During the roller coaster ride, there is a picture that captures the moment when Ann, Ryuji, Futaba, and Haru are having fun, while Ren and Makoto are cowering in their seats because they are scared. Yusuke? Well, we may never know, because Futaba's long hair is blocking his face.

Episode 23: How about a deal with me?

• At the School Festival, Ren's attention is drawn to the obligatory "Haunted House" stall. He then goes inside and sneaks on a member of the staff dressed as a Ghostface lookalike from behind and grabs her mask like she's a Shadow.
  [soundtrack suddenly plays "Last Surprise"]
  Ren: I'll unmask you! (Show me your true form!)
  Disguised girl: Ehh?!
  Ryuji: [Dope Slaps Ren] The hell you doin'? (Get it together, dude.)
  [soundtrack suddenly stops]
  Disguised girl: Scary! [flees]
  Ren: [Hand Behind Head] It's a habit. (My bad.)
  • Adding to the hilarity of the English dub is Xander's casual delivery of the first line making it sound like a friendly greeting.
• Kawakami's reaction at seeing one of her homeroom students as a waitress. She may hate her side job as a maid, but she looks almost conflictingly admiring of how well the younger girl pulls the look off.
• Futuba's sheer delight at attending a very low-budget "VR Experience" booth, where she wears a cheap VR headset while a guy uses an electric fan to simulate wind blowing in her face and another holds bottles with scented contents that he opens at the right times.
• Akechi loses at "Russian Takoyaki" just like in the game. The goofy sound effects, Ryuji barely keeping his laugh in check, and Akechi somehow still managing to charm two random girls on his way to relief really add to the moment.

Episode 25: Jealous Sinner

• Skull attempts to help Joker inside an electric fence, only to be electrocuted. Keep in mind, Skull is resistant to electricity attacks.

Episode 27: Dark Sun...

• When Akechi curses Ren for being a mere criminal trash living in an attic, Ren's Silent Snarker expression is priceless.
• At the end of the episode, as the Phantom Thieves presume Ryuji dead after escaping Shido's Palace, you can see him stuck in a bush in the background with his legs sticking out.

OVA: A Magical Valentine's Day

• Just the fact that there's an OVA dedicated to Valentine's Day is sure to lead to some chuckles, especially in the "cheating" route segment.
• The end credits parody that of episode 26, with the women dramatically walking away as "Freedom and Security" music plays.

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